S JaishankarIn London for the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar found time to meet Vijay Amritraj, India’s tennis legend. “Meeting a living legend @Vijay_Amritraj. His 50th consecutive Wimbledon – Amazing!”, he tweeted. The former Foreign Secretary has had a physical exercise routine for 40 years now – he plays squash during free time – and that routine hasn’t changed after he became the Union minister.
Daring Drone
Lawyers and litigants turned curious onlookers as a drone hovered over the Supreme Court complex on Wednesday. The sight of the drone amid murmurs of the court involving the CBI and the Delhi Police for background checks on new recruits made registry officials panic. It later emerged that the flying object was a drone camera being used to film a documentary on the court’s architectural design. The documentary will be screened at the inauguration of the court’s new complex later this month
Friendly Exchange
Senior DMK leader and former Union minister T R Baalu wanted Railways Minister Piyush Goyal’s reply on a new line from western Chennai to deep south of Peninsular India. But there was a confusion and Goyal said the reply was given in the statement. An upset Baalu sought time again from the Speaker and raised his demand anew, but added that Piyush Goyal was very “harsh” to him. “His father was very close to me. Senior Goyal was very nice to me. This is what I want to express to Junior Goyal,” Baalu said. Goyal got up immediately to clear the confusion: “Sir, we are all very kind to you and we respect you. You are a very senior leader and my father was your friend. I thought you said the answer has not been given, to which I was responding that a detailed answer has been given.” Goyal, however, did not miss the chance to criticise the previous UPA government, which was backed by the DMK, for the delay in railway projects. But Baalu did not give up: “A responsible ruling party should help a responsible Opposition. Let them show generosity. We should not fight like cats – we are friends. They should help us.”
