Farewell Lunch for Secretary (west)

I joined Latin America and Caribbean Division in sept 2004, at the same time when Senora Shashi Tripathi took over as Secretary ( west). She is leaving the Ministry shortly,after a distinguished career of 36 yrs. I hosted the lunch in her honour at Taj Mahal Hotel Hotel, New Delhi. Ambassadors and Honorary Consuls of the region and CII and FICCI attended the lunch.

Highlights of my speech:

- In the past relations with the region were described by some as " casual flings, occasional flirtations and one-night stands".

- Now the relations have moved to a romantic stage. Even PM Manmohan Singh could not resist the magic of latin America. he said in his press conference in Brasilia, " I am leaving part of my heart behind". Many other delegates also have left their hearts there. My follow-up action is to visit Brazil to bring back those.

-In the past there was a different mind-set. ... jokes

- The ground realities were different in the past. "magical realism" in latin america and "mythical realism" in India.

- But now the realities have changed. Both latin America and India have undergone pardigm shift and have become attractive to each other now.

- In the past two two years, we intensified our engagement with the region like never before. We handled about 40 incoming and outgoing visits at various levels and reached out to countries such as Bolivia, guatemala, Dominican republic and El Salvador.

- Our economic diplomacy in partnership with CII, FICCI and the bz paid off. Our trade reached 6.2 billion dollars in 2005. The largest-ever bz delegation from India went to latin america earlier this month.

- A promising longterm partnership between latin america and India will flourish in the coming years, built on the new paradigms of the two sides and new mindset.

We said, Gracias Senora Tripathi for your leadership and support ! and wished her long healthy and acive life beyond foreign service. And gave her a latino tip... " we dont stop having fun when we grow old... we become old only when we stop having fun!!!"

love and labyrinth in India-Mexico relations

I was invited to talk about business in the CII meeting with the Mexican Minister of Small Scale Industries and his business delegation. As usual, i strayed into businessplus and talked about love and labyrinth in the relations between the two countries. I said,

-Octovio Paz 's first experience in India was a cultural shock. After landing in Bombay in 1951 he walked around in Bombay streets and was overwhelmed by the crowd, color, noise and smell. He wrote " The excess of reality in India ...made it appear unreal" . I call this as the encounter between the "magical realism" of latin america and the "mythical realism" of india.

-He came back and stayed in India as Ambassador from 1961 to 68. He travelled extensively in India and wrote poems on kanyakumari, madurai and Lodhi gardens. His poetic work "tale of two gardens" compares India and Mexico as two gardens. In this, he concludes " the strangeness of India reminded me of the other strangeness of Mexico"-I have been reading a book of his for the last six months, unable to complete it. U will understand if i tell the title..... " Labyrinth of solitude ". It is about mexican character and identity. I got lost in the Mexican labyrinth, confused as to which labyrinth is more complex and confusing, Indian or Mexican?

- But despite the labyrinth, confusion and excess reality, Octavio Paz found one thing in India..love. He fell in love with marie jose and married her under the neem tree in his prithviraj residence in delhi. She became his second wife.

- There is a latino saying, " wife brings success .... and sucess brings the second wife and more women " That is how Octavio Paz got his second wife... and so did Vincente Fox, the President of Mexico !!

Mexican food festival 15 - 30 sept

Shangri La Hotel in New Delhi is hosting this food festival. fone 41191010.

Mexican food is somewhat spicy and hot. Burritos, quesadillas, Enchilladas, tortillas, tacos, moles,tamales, chillies, pickled jalapenos.. goes with Corona beer and tequila.

Last week there was a Mariachi group which performed in Ashoka hotel.

There was a delegation of parliamentarians from the state of Jalisco. They were keen to know how India deals with issues of poverty, diversity and autonomy of states.

And there are two business delegations including the one lead by the Minister of Small scale industries.

The credit for these intense activities goes to Ambassador Rogelio. He is promising even more ...in the coming months.

matar saudade in Sao Paulo

Saudade is a portuguese word for nostalgia. In Brazil it means more. It is a unique feeling of missing something with passion, yearning and love. Matar saudade means kill the nostalgia in plain English. In Brazil it means letting oneself indulge in all those things one missed, with a vengeance. The following are some things i did to matar my saudade and these are a must-experience for the visitors:

- Radio Gazetta. This is a FM radio playing Brazilian music. As soon as i get into a car or taxi I tune to this favourite station. One of the reasons i got attached to this station was that the station is located just in front of the Consulate I established in 1996. The steps of the entrance to the Gazeta building is the best vantage point to sit and watch people.

- Cafe. In Brazil cafe means more than coffee. It is culture, conversation and colour( of the skin of people). cafezinho is an affectionate dimunitive for a small cup..but strong.

-Churasscaria. This is the typical barbecue restaurant offering varieties of unlimited quantitity of meat and a large buffet to be enjoyed leisurely.

- Chhop. This is light draft beer which keeps conversation going for hours without getting drunk. Every street corner has a chopperia, besides beach fronts and bars.

- Caipirinha. This is cane liquor with lemon and sugar. So sweet and easy to drink and easy to forget the number of pegs and get intoxicated.

-Pao de queijo. This is a little ball of cheese bread. It goes with cafe, as a snack and with dinner,lunch and breakfast.

-Feijoada. This heavy meal with all parts of the meat like a stew and black beans is for weekend or wednesday lunch.

-Livraria cultura. This is a bookshop in Conjunto Nacional building in Avenida Paulista. The best collection of books of Brazil, Latin America and in English language too.

-FNAC bookshop next to the consulate has a cafe besides books and music.

leaving part of my heart behind in Brazil

ssssh.... you are wrong ... These are not my words as you might have guessed. It was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said this in his speech to the Brazilian dignitaries and media in Brasilia on 12 sept. He said "I have come to Brazil for the first time but I am leaving part of my heart behind". Even he could not resist the magic spell of Brazil !! His speeches came straight from the heart!! He bonded with President Lula and called him as a brother, friend and world statesman. The two agreed to upgrade the relations to a new strategic level. Expect more in bilateral relations in the coming years.

The 50 plus business delegation from India discovered the opportunities for business and complementarities of the markets. First time, such a large delegation has ever visited Brazil. The presidents of CII and FICCI as well as Vice president of Assocham were there in the first IBSA bz summit on 12 sept, along with Brasilian and South African bzmen. Agribusiness and food processing was one of the areas identified for two-way flow of investment and technology with Brazil.

The first IBSA ( India Brazil South Africa) summit took place on 13 sept. This tricontinental partnership ( cafe- with- milk alliance !!! ) of the three large pluralistic democracies and vibrant economies is set to become a formidable force. The trade betweem them is poised to reach the 10 billion dollar target set in 2004.

The Goan pop singer Remo Fernandez entertained the IBSA audience on 12 sept with his Goan, portuguese and Hindi songs and got some to the dance floor. This was organised by India Brand Equity Foundation CEO Ajay Khanna.

In the meeting of the Prime Minister with Brazilian intellectuals and cultural personalities on 13 sept, Ana Christina announced her project for a Indo- Brazilian coproduction of a film. This is based on Indrani Chakravarthy's novel "Tamarind". Part of the film shooting will be done in Goa. Another Brazilian producer is also keen to shoot a film in India. Monika Petrocelli talked about her consultancy introducing Yogasutras in management. She has earlier worked with Price waterhouse. She studied Indian philosophy in Calcutta for two years. The Brazilian economists compared the developmental experience of the two countries.

The last event was the dinner on the boat in the lake by Ambassador Puri. The credit for raising the profile of Brazil in India goes to him.

I am thrilled with the success of the visit, which has opened the minds of Indian policy makers, business and media stimulating their interest in Latin America and in the business opportunities in the region.

Many male delegates are also leaving their heart behind... I saw their eyes popping out, going up and down and sideways. Their mouths were open and saliva was flowing profusely. They were incoherent and giddy and speechless. You guessed it ....This was the effect of the young Brazilian interpreters whose maxi smiles and mini skirts floored the delegates. No wonder they needed interpretation all the time !!!

Mi mejor enemigo- Chilean film

Mi mejor enemigo ( my best enemy ) is the first Chilean film for me.
I liked it for its theme, depiction of Chilean character and Patagonia where the action takes place.

It is about a war which was about to erupt between Chile and Argentina in 1978, over a border dispute in Patagonia in the south. The Chilean patrol of five soldiers sent to the border loses its compass and gets lost in the vast arid expanse of patagonia. They come across an Argentinian platoon and they become friends, although the Chilean soldiers had taken the oath to kill five Argentinians each. They help each other in the cold and windy emptiness of Patagonia and, no surprise, play football. Fortunately the war is averted but the news does not reach the platoon in time, since the battery of their communication equipment is down. The nervous Chileans kill an Argentinian, who helped them. The hero of the Platoon comes back and takes his comrades to the bar where his girlfriend works. She turns him off when he tries to kiss her in front of his friends. Ni un besito... not even a kiss. no medal ... no money... comments the poor soldiers.. fodder in war and politics.

The human side of the war is touching. They are caught between the patriotic and militaristic beliefs and the warmth and friendship of the soldiers on the other side. The film brings out the rivalry between the Argentinians and Chileans, which plays out in contemporary forms. They tease each other over tango, football and meat.

The Patagonia scenes are breathtaking. The unique play of light and colours at sunset and sunrise have been captured in the film.

The last song in the film
"solo lo pido adios ( i just want to say bye) ..... is touching.

The film, released in 2005 is a coproduction of Chile with Argentina and Spain and directed by Alex Bowen.

Two Mexican films on Catholic fathers

I saw in the weekend these two contrasting portrayal of two fathers, one comically and the other tragically.
El Padrecito ( little father ) by Cantinflas and
El crimen del padre Amaro(the crime of Father Amaro) of Gael Garcia Bernal

In El Padrecito, Cantinflas( Mario Morena ) is at his usual comical best.It is the story of a young father who tries innovative non-holy approches to solve problems of his flock. He fights the bull when the Matador does not turn up for the show. He outsmarts the local hood who terrorises the community. This is one of the best films of Cantinflas.

The crime of father Amaro is about a newly ordained priest who succumbs to the temptation of the body and falls in love with a 16-year old girl who has unholy fantasies in the middle of her holy pursuits. The combination of holy rituals and the rituals of courting and sex is amusing. She gets pregnant and wants to marry but the priest is married only to the church. He takes her for an abortion, where she dies. The girl is the daughter of the mistress of the older father. There is another priest who joins the people's movement against the drug lords and is ex-communicated.
The film is based on a 19th century novel of Esa de Queiros of Mexico.
The controversy created by the obviously angry reaction of the Mexican church made the movie the highest money spinner in Mexico.

Book on Latin American political economy by Javier Santiso

The title of the book says what it is about.
" Latin America's political economy of the possible - Beyond good revolutionaries and Free Marketeers"

I finished this book of 250 pages quickly in two days. Two reasons: The analysis and assessment of the trend of political economy of the region by the author are the same as mine. Secondly I was going fast to see if the author has any discoveries and illuminations which would be new to me. I did not come across anything dramatic except for new economic jargons such as "consolidology"and "transitology". He has also quoted Carlos Fuentes and Octavio Paz , who have , of course, made some profund and thought-provoking statements on the Latin American situation.

Here are the conclusions of the author:

• The region is moving away from economic "magical realism" that plots miraculous and impossible solutions.
• There is the emergence of "Possibilism" and gradualistic policies.
• Even those committed to monolithic ideologies, after coming to power, have taken the path of seeking pragmatic and pluralistic solutions. The Chicago Boys of Chile conceived socialistic policies, while Lula of the left pursued market-friendly policies. Fernando Henrique, former president of Brazil and one of the Gurus of Dependency theory opened up the market and pursued conservative macroeconomic policies.
• Chile, Brazil and Mexico are the three shining role models of moderation and non-dogmatism, influencing the policy makers in the rest of the region.
• Argentina set a negative example by its rush into neoliberalism and paying an enormous political, economic and social cost for the folly.

The author has been diplomatic about the Bolivarian Revolution of President Chavez, which goes against the trend in the rest of the region. He has also touched only the positive aspects of instituitional anchoring of Mexico in NAFTA, without going into the other side.

I share the author's conclusion that the region has undergone profund transformation consolidating democracy and instituitions. He is also optimistic about the future of Latin America, as I am.

The author is a OECD economist. The publisher is MIT. Published in 2006.

IBSA seminar on 31 August 06 at New Delhi

In my talk, I took the audience beyond the markets and behind the statistics. I talked about the people, their colour and mindset and the synergies between their core competence and convergence of their aspirations.

IBSA is a "cafe -con- leite" ( coffee- with- milk ) alliance. The people of the three countries have the common coffee- with- milk skin color. some have more milk and others have less!. In Brasil, cafe and milk have mixed historically blending beautifully in a spectrum from blonde to dark. Brazil has more people of African origin than South Africa's 47 million population. In India it is premixed and cafe and milk is not available separately. In South Africa, it is still separately served. This opened up opportunity to tell some jokes...

The mindset of these three countries have undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. In India the bz mindset has changed from the "Fear of East India company" to the " Pride of Mittal steel". The Brazilians have become confident and assertive on the basis of their solid democracy and sound economy and regional leadership. South Africans have given pride and dignity to Africa. It is this new mindset of the three peoples which have lead to the IBSA partnership. This would not have been possible under the old mindset , even ten years ago.

The USP of India is IT and human resources. IT has empowered India and the Indians. It has ignited young Indians to nurture audacious ambitions to connect and compete with the world and even think of conquering. USP of Brasil is Agribusiness. With vast areas of fertile land and water resources Brazil is set to become an agri superpower. The USP of South Africa is mining. If there is one country which is most loved by Indian women.. it is south africa.. so much gold and diamonds!! Of course, the Indian men will vote for Brazil... some more jokes...oops can't be put here.

The seminar was chaired by Mr Arjun Sengupta. The other speakers included Dr Nagesh of RIS, Vishwanath of CII and Veena Jha of Unctad. It was organised by CII as a curtain raiser before the IBSA summit in Brasilia on 13 Sept 06.

Book on India by Patricia, the Brazilian journalist

Patricia Campos de Melo, journalist from Brazil is going to write a book on the emerging new India. She is visiting India from 27 August to 21 September to get a first-hand impression. She is visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. She will interview Ministers, CEOs and interact with a cross section of the Indian society.

The book will be ready in December. This is going to be the first book about modern India in Portuguese language. The timing of the book project coincides with the growing interest in India among the Brazilian corporates and business leaders. It will provide food to the thoughts of Brazilian intellectuals and political leaders who are fascinated by the paradigm shift in India. Brazilian newspapers and magazines, including Playboy Brazil ( separate blog report on this ) have carried reports and analysis on this in recent times. A group of Brazilian economists visited India earlier this year to study the new economy.

Patricia has already written a book on China. She works as a journalist with Estado de Sao Paulo, the second largest newspaper of Brazil. Her reports on India will appear in the newspaper in the coming days.

India Brand Equity Foundation, under CEO Ajay Khanna, is sponsoring Patricia's trip. I hosted a lunch for her and introduced her to business and Indian media.

I cautioned Patricia to be prepared for the challenges of the third world part of India. Her reply
" Sorria... Voce esta na Bahia"- which means "Smile ... you are in bahia ( northeastern state of Brazil)". This is Brazilian culture, attitude and spirit! Smile at the bright side of things, have fun and enjoy.

The Lost City - A film on Cuba

This Hollywood film is a kind of autobiographical film of Andy Garcia, who is the hero, producer and director.

In real life, Garcia was born in Cuba, emigrated to USA after the Bay of Pigs and started off life as dishwasher. That is what happens in the film also.

Fico ( Garcia) is the owner of the "Tropical" night club in Havana. One of his brothers join the conspiracy against Batista dictatorship and gets killed by the regime. The other brother joins the revolutionary group of Fidel Castro but after Fidel comes to power, gets disillusioned and commits suicide. The parents of Fico, who did not take the revolution seriously in the beginning, decide to stay put after the revolution but insist that Fico should get out of Cuba and go to USA. Fico falls in love with his sister-in-law after the death of his brother but she refuses to go with him to USA, dedicating herself to the cause of the revolution. This is the real life story of thousands of Cubans.

With the end of the Fidel Castro era nearing, the the film evokes a nostalgic and romantic part of the revolution while at the same time bringing out the other realities of the revolution impacting on the life of cubans. Which way will Cuba go after Castro? Will it implode like the Soviet union or open up gradually like Vietnam and China?

The film is enriched by the exuberant Cuban music and dance.

La isla de la pasion- novel by Laura Restrepo

La isla de la pasion- "the isle of passion" is the work of the Colombian writer Laura Restrepo, one of my favourites. This novel is different from the four other works of her. Firstly this is a story based in Mexico. Her previous books were all on Colombia. Secondly in this book there is no magical realism. It is pure reality, based on history. All the characters, dates and most of the incidents are real. Laura has woven a poignant and moving story out of history.

The story takes place in Clipperton Island, a tiny and isolated and uninhabited piece of island, off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The only inhabitants are crabs moving on mounds of bird droppings. The island is surrounded by corals and sharks. The heat of the sun, the noise of the waves and the stink of the bird droppings make the island uninhabitable. There is no shade, shelter or plants or animals.

Capt Arnaud, an indisciplined military officer is sent to the island as governor. He lands with his wife Alicia and a dozen soldiers and their families. The only other inhabitant is Schultz, a half- German, managing collection and shipment of bird droppings for use as fertiliser. Even this stops after more profitable sources are found elsewhere.

Capt Arnaud and his people start life from a scratch in the island like Robinson Crusoe. Initially it is adventurous. But when the supply ship does not come, they run out of food and water. The fight for survival starts. The hurricane and tidal waves wipe away the hutments and stored materials. The hunger and misery turns people into animals. Diseases makes people ugly and unbearable. Deprivation leads to delirium. Even Capt Arnauld goes mad and perishes while chasing an imaginary ship.

Amidst the misery, there springs love and romance. Arnaud and Alicia discover each other. Heroism and pride takes over hearts and minds even when there is utter hopelessness. When an American ship offers rescue, capt Arnaud and his people refuse to go, abandoning their patriotic duty to protect the Mexican territory. But the Mexican military and administration is caught in a turmoil and forget the little useless island and the wretched inhabitants. Through all the adversity Alicia maintains her dignity, balance and wedding dress. At the end, only the fittest survive. Who were the fittest? Of course the women. Five of them survive while all men perish. Ang there is one more survivor... a black man. But he is killed by the women when he starts tormenting them.

A remarkable story, which stirs the soul.

un dia sin sexo - a Peruvian film

Un Dia sin Sexo ( one day without sex ) is the first Peruvian film I have seen. I bought the DVD in Lima... taken in by the title. The theme of sex in Latin America is fascinating and different from the rest of the world. The film has lived upto my expectations. It explores the connect between sex, love and relationship. The theme is old but the Latin American approach is refreshingly different.

The film is about the sex lives of four pairs of different ages. There is the teenage girl who drags her boyfriend to a motel, anxious to lose virginity. Two twenty five-plus singles come together after having gone through their own separate pursuits for the perfect mate unsuccessfully. The ego of the girl takes over in the encounter and sex is discarded to the disappointment of the poor guy who has tried every trick. The third pair in the late thirties end up fighting at every opportunity. The wife nags and nags... You dont talk... You dont care.... nagging and fighting overtakes sex. The last couple are over fifty. The man does not feel like. The wife wont give up. She drags him to try viagra. But the guy would not get down from the car to walk to the pharmacy. No problem.. the wife walks boldly and asks the pharmacist for the best variety. But at the height of action, the man collapses with a heart attack.

It is a hilarious comedy. But it is the reality and typical approach to sex and relationship in Latin America.

The movie, produced in 2005 is directed by Frank Perez Garland. This is his first feature film. Story and script are his own. This is the second film for producer Fabrizio Aguillar. Main actress is Vanessa Saba and actor Paul Vega.

Peruvian cinema industry is still young, having started in the late seventies. Francisco Lombardi and Chicho Duran are the other promising directors.

Dinner with Evo Morales

I was taken aback when Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, invited me for dinner at his residence, at the end of our meeting in his office on 10 August 2006. I was aware of his unconventional and informal style and casual dressing. Still, I was surprised by his hosting a dinner in my honour at short notice, on the same evening after our meeting.

He had invited his Vice President and a Minister also for the dinner besides our Ambassador Warjiri, who has established a personal rapport with him. The food was simple, as was his personality. His dress was casual in office and at home. His striped red colour sweater has become a trade mark and is a best seller in the market. Sparks appeared in his face whenever football was mentioned. He plays even now and had broken his nose last week during a game.

Evo Morales is keen to learn and adopt to the contemporary affairs. He is not fanatic or extremist as portrayed in the western media. His agenda is basically domestic. As the first native Indian to be elected as the President, he is sincere and commited to his historic responsibilty to uplift the lives of the Indians, who form sixty five percent of the population. This is true of many of his cabinet colleagues and party members. They have formed a new constituent assembly to draw up a new constituition to protect the rights and dignity of Indians. The president of the Assembly, Sylvia Lazarte, whom i met in Santa Cruz is a crusader for the rights of the indigenous population. She wants to study the Indian constituition and learn from our affirmative action.


As an Indian himself, Evo Morales claimed that India was his second fatherland. He expressed admiration for India and invited Indian companies to enter the Bolivian market which offers opportunities in oil and gas and mining. He has just awarded a 2.3 billion dollar project to Jindal Group for iron ore mining and steel project. El Mutun, the iron ore mine, is one of the largest in the world with a reserve of 40 billion tons. The Bolivians are keen to import from India products such as tractors, mining equipments, agro machinery, defence equipments, helicopters, pharmaceuticals and consumer and industrial products.

I was cautioned about the altitude sickness in La Paz which is 14000 feet above sea level. I had heard stories of a golfer who fell dead in the tenth hole of the Golf course and an Indian Ambassador who collapsed while trying to walk briskly after getting down from the plane. The advice given to me was;

Come poquito, bebe poquito y duerme solito
Which means
Eat less. drink less and sleep alone.

Now I know why I did not see smile in the faces of the men in La Paz!!. I survived with a dozen cups of mate de coca ( coca leaf tea ) every day. I guess I would not have passed if there was a doping test. Another advice i had to follow was to walk slowly and avoid any sudden movement.

Ooops.. I had survived to enjoy the Santa Cruz city of Bolivia which is a contrast to La Paz. The advice there was to do more of everything which was denied in La Paz. I was there during the weekend which was buzzing with revellers in the bars and night clubs. Santa Cruz is the commercial and entertainment capital.

I played nine holes at the Las Palmas Golf club. I had lost four balls to the strong wind, which carried them over to houses and water. I dared not go near the water which has two meter-long crocodiles.

Arvind Sharma our Honorary Consul General in Santa Cruz is one of the most active in economic diplomacy. He has extensive contacts at all political and commercial levels and promotes Indian business. He was one of the five hundred Indians who had gone there around 1990 and bought land for agriculture. While a few are still holding land, others have shifted to business or come back to India after not succeding in the agri venture.

Machu Pichu - a trip to the serenity of the soul

My visit to this Inca monument on 6 August 2006, was as inspiring and impressive as I had read and imagined. Built in the fifteenth century, it stands majestic at a height of 8000 feet, surrounded by other mountain peaks around. The serpentine river Urubamba around the base of Machu Pichu is a spectacular view from the monument. The monument consists of temples, terraces, astronomical structures and residences for about 400 inhabitants who were mostly priests and the nobility of the Inca empire. The duality, trinity, worship of sun and moon and a lingam-like structure at the centre of the sanctorum are similar to some of the beliefs and temples of India. But the lingam of the Inca is rectangular unlike the cylindrical one of India.

The emotions evoked by this Inca monument has been aptly described by Pablo Neruda in his poem "Alturas de Machu Pichu",

Machu Pichu es un viaje a la serenidad del alma,
a la eterna fusion con el cosmos
un reposar del mariposas en el epicentro del gran circulo de la vida
allí sentimos nuestra fragilidad.

means

Machu Pichu is a trip to the serenity of the soul,
to eternal fusion with the cosmos
a resting place of butterflies at the epicentre of the great circle of life
there we feel our own fragility.


The tour package organized from Cusco, the nearest city about 120 kms from Macu Pichu took me by surprise. It is one of the most efficient and pleasant in terms of organization. Cusco city was earlier the Inca capital. The train journey of three hours and forty minutes through mountains, valleys and along the river Urubamba is scenic. The Cusco- Machu Pichu train is a luxury train with glass even on the ceiling to see the steep mountain peaks on both sides of the rail road. The train service is punctual and the service includes entertainment too. There is a fashion show with a female and a male model displaying typical Peruvian dress and the famous Alpaca woolens with modern designs. The costumes are sold thereafter. The passengers are entertained by a local folk dancer. The train stops at the valley below Machu Pichu and there are luxury buses every few minutes shuttling between the valley and the monument. Next to the Machu Pichu station there are over hundred handicraft shops offering colourful and varied pieces, similiar to the Rajasthani ones. One can buy sweaters and shawls made from the wool of Alpaca, the typical mountain goat of Andes. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes to taste the Peruvian delicacies like Ceviche ( raw fish marinated in lime juice ), Pisco Sour the local drink and "Inca Cola" a yellow colour drink which competes with Coca Cola.

From Cusco there is a 200 $ package tour to Machu Pichu. This includes pick up from hotel, train ticket, shuttle bus from tain station to machu Pichu, guide and lunch. value for money !

In Lima I played golf at the Lima Golf Club with Kitri, the son of our Ambassador. He is a champion- material and is going to do Golf management studies in a North Carolina University.

The city of Lima is historic,modern, safe and pleasant to live. I met Viswanathan, the Ranbaxy executive, living there since the last four years. Indian pharma companies do a business of about 15 million dollars per year. The pharma market turnover is about 450 million dollars in the private sector and 200 million of government purchases. Registration of products takes a maximum of three months and cost per product is under 1000 dollars.

The Peru- India Chamber of Commerce, under the guidance of Mr Kishore Gupta, is active in promotion of bz. They plan to bring a delegation to India in November.

The peruvian economy is doing well. There is scope for Indian cos to invest in Petroleum and mining besides exports.

Readers are welcome to visit my album for fotos of Machu Pichu

http://picasaweb.google.com/viswanathanifs

Book on Latin American authoritarianism

Authoritarianism in Latin America-dictators, despots and tyrants.
by Paul H. Lewis
This book ( published in 2006) gave some clues to my quest to understand the genesis of authoritarian rule in Latin America.

Latin America has been the victim of all kinds of dictaorships and laboratory of political and economic adventures. The continent has suffered dictatorship of Spanish monarchy, local caudillos, military dictators, one-party rule, two-party rule, oligarchic and corporatist regimes, marxist rule and leftist and rightist regimes. Trujillo of Dominican republic, Noriega of Panama and Somoza of Nicaragua epitomised latino dictatorship.

The author has gone into the roots of this authoritarian tendency. It starts off with the mother country Spain, which colonised most of Latin America. At the time of discoveries and colonisation, the Spanish became aggresive, fanatic and intolerant , having come out after seven hundred years of fighting with the Moors. Those Spanish who ventured out to Latin America carried this miltaristic and religious baggage with them. They had grabbed as much land and assets and fought to retain or expand them ruthlessly and had no pity for those who were not of their faith or colour.


Let us not forget that Spain and Portugal were the last dictatorships in Europe under Franco and Salazar till 1975 and 1970 respectively. One could not have expected anything better from their colonies.

One of the reasons for dictatorship and social disequilibrium in Latin America is racial. The only way in which the white colonisers could rule over majority mestizos( mixed blood) and native Indians was through dictatorship. In a democracy they would have lost to majority rule, as it has just happened in Bolivia. Although 65 percent of the Bolivians are native Indians, they were always ruled by a white minority until 2006 when Evo Morales was elected.

The racial factor is illustrated by a decree issued by Francia, the Paraguyan dictator ( called as El Supremo ) in 1814, under which white men were prohibited from marrying white women. Why? because when he fell in love with a white woman, he was rejected by the woman's family on the ground that he had mixed blood. Eventually, he got both the fater-in -law and the husband of his sweetheart killed after tortures.

Cruelty to opponents has remained as a part of the dictorships. The opponents could be from another race, political party or ideology. Thousands of people were jailed, torured, exiled, displaced and killed in the name of national security and ideology. The cruelty reached its height when the Argentine generals threw leftist prisoners from planes into the sea.

Latin America has now come out of military dictatorship and is consolidating the democratic instituitions and values. Although there are still residual authoritarian tendencies in the behaviour of some rulers who have managed to be despots within the framework of democracies, the power has passed to the masses irreversibly. This is the insurance for democracy and hope for the future.

Playboy Brazil reports on India

The June 2006 edition of Playboy magazine of Brazil carries a feature on India. It gives 13 reasons that make Indians smarter than the Brazilians. Nothing new. They have listed out english proficiency, competitive spirit motivated by the large population, aptitude for maths and science, spirit of enterpreunership,creativity and self-confidence. The most interesting reason given is that there are 300 million gods who are manning the callcentres and helplines to come to the rescue of Indians in response to pujas and prayers.
The feature gives five reasons which make India poorer than Brazil. This includes poverty, poor infrastructure and illiteracy.

This report is part of the recent trend of India coverage in Brasilian newspapers and magazines. But the Playboy report is the most effective one in Brazil where the local edition sells over 250, 000 copies. And the decision makers and opinion makers read Playboy more seriously.

One distinguishing feature of Playboy Brazil is that it is read by more women than men. They read it to keep abreast of the tastes and preferences, weaknesses and whims of men. Armed with knowledge and skills, the Brazilian women goes hunting and conquering men. The Indian men need to watch out... they have been exposed ... they should be prepared for the attack from Brazil.

Ecuador calls.... monsoon rains

The Ecuador Foreign Minister was here with the monsoon rains.

monsoon ...
moist earth..
sprouting plants
clouds waiting to burst
sudden showers
tree branches
dripping water


And

the heart opens
love springs
feet in the air
romance mists the eyes
poetry waiting to burst


watching the monsoon rains from the balcony
reminded me of the words of Jorge Carrera Andrade, the Ecuadorian poet

Ecuador mi pais, esmeralda del mundo
novia vestida siempre de domingo
quisera besar todo el cuerpo verde
tus cabellos de selva"

Ecuador my country, emerald of the world
like a fiancee dressed always in sunday best
love to kiss all of her green body
and her wild hair.

One of the main exports of ecuador is flowers. Being close to Equator and with microclimates Ecuador produces some special flowers luminescent with unique colour combinations


Dr Francisco Carrion, was in Delhi 17-19 July. First-ever visit of a foreign minister of Ecuador to India. He invited Indian companies to enter the oil and gas sector of his country. ONGC Videsh (OVL) signed a MOU with Petroecuador. The virgin market of ecuador offers opportunities for Indian business in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, textiles and engineering and manufactured products. India can import timber and minerals besides crude oil

Ecuador has opened an embassy in delhi since 2005. The energetic and dynamic Ambassador Carlos Abad is working hard to add content to relations and promote business.

visit of Argentinian delegation

Buenas Aires donde el tango nacio
tierra mia querida

Quisera poderte ofrender
todo el alma en mi cantar

This tango by Carlos Gardel was my welcome remark to the Argetinian delegation at the business meet organised by CII at Taj Mansingh Hotel on 5 July

Argentina.. the land of ...Pampas and patagonia... Evita and Che Guevara... Julio Borghes and Julio Cortazar... beefsteak and red wine...


Finally... the Argentinians also came.
I am saying finally because all the other countries of Latin America had taken initiatives to engage India and exchange visits of ministers and business delegations. Argentina was the last.

But the Argentinians made up for the delay. Their delegation was one of the biggest to come from the region The foreign minister was accompanied by a 20 member official delegation and 40 businessmen. The delegation included the governor of Rio Negro, a charming lady minister ( laura) of Mendoza and a member of Parliament.

The delegation was enthusiastic, serious, sincere and pleasant in their negotiations and talks with us. This came as a pleasant surprise to many Indians who had heard so many jokes about Argentinians.

The business event was successful. The Argentinian business delegation included some serious companies including those who wanted to export and do joint ventures in nuclear medical equipments, turbines for hydroelectric plants and cranes. The Indian response was overwhelming.

The Charming Minister of Mendoza Laura made a presentation on bz and investment opportunities in her province. The Indians who were already inebriated with the mendoza wines found the opportunities irresistible. Oil, mining and railways offer immediate opportunities for project contracts and investment.

The visit has laid the foundation for a new paradigm in relations and business. The Argentinian exports to India in 2005 were 746 million dollars and our exports 269 million. This could double in the next three years.

So the time has come for India to tango with Argentina !

Conversation in the Cathedral

"Conversation in the Cathedral" is the title of the book by Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian writer and one of my favourite Latin American authors. I finished it during my trekking trip 9-19 June in the Himalayas.

It is vintage Llosa. He has made use of the ample 601 pages to give a comprehensive feel of the Peruvian society with some memorable characters. While Llosa has dealt with the various aspects of peruvian and latino cultures in his other books, he has been able to give comprehensive exposure in this book.

There is military dictatorship by Odria, repression and atrocities, the struggle by political parties and rebellion by university students. Oligarchy is in full play in the family of Don Fermin Zavalo. His son and hero Santiago rebels and becomes a leftist and then a journalist renouncing inheritance and comfort. Racial issue is covered through the character of Ambrosio, the black man and the half-breed wife of Don Cayo who face predictable humiliation. And . Of course, the typical Latino fare of bars and puterias provide the common refuge for all the characters from Don Fermin to his chauffer Ambrosio. The only thing missing in the novel is romance...

I had to ration reading of the book everyday for eleven days since i did not want to run out before the end of the vacation. The daily reading transported me briefly to Latin America, like a shuttle trip from the Himalayas.

Brazilians are coming to India for news

The Brazilian newspaper " O Globo " is posting a fulltime correspondent in Mumbai to cover news from India. Florencia Costa, the correspondent is reaching Mumbai on 31 may. She will be the first Brazilian ... hmmm... Latin American correspondent in India.

welcome! Bienvindo ! ... Florencia.

In March, Roberta Paduan of "Exame" the business magazine of Brazil spent two weeks in India and wrote a number of articles. One of her articles advised the Brazilian business " como ganar dinero com este nova India" ( how to make money with the new India).

In April, Carlos Graieb, the executive editor of "Veja" magazine ( which has the largest circulation) was here for three weeks with his photographer. His articles should be published shortly.

In August, Patricia Campos Melo, the reporter of Estado de Sao paulo, one of the largest daily newspapers will be here for about a month. She will write a book on the emerging new India in Portuguese.

From time to time, Globo TV of Brazil sends its crew to India for production for its " Fantastico" and other programmes.

These developments reflect the new mindset of Latin Americans who have started looking at India more seriously.

When will the Indian media start taking interest in the fascinating region of Latin America and .... give us a break from their excessive obsession with Pakistan and oversaturation of the conventional beat?

Apart from Carnival and football, samba and salsa, Copacabana and Ipanema, there is business, energy resources, minerals and metals, agribusiness, ethanol fuel and developmental experience of latin America which are of interest to India. Even Bollywood has started going to Latin America. Doom II shooting was done in Rio in March this year.

uruguayan film - Corazon de fuego

Corazon de fuego- heart of fire
is the Uruguayan film i saw last friday, courtesy the embassy.
This is the first-ever film from uruguay i ever saw. So i went with some curiosity.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film.
It is a delightful and light hearted comedy. refreshingly different from the hollywood-type.
It is the story of two workers and an absent minded professor plus a kid who hijack a old steam engine, which was sold to an american hollywood company. But these characters consider it as a national treasure and does not want to let it go. One cannot go very far with a steam engine... there is police chase and TV camera chase...
ends as expected....

Except for the kid all the other characters are old, fitting in with Urguay's image as a paradise for retirement.

made in 2002 -directed by Diego Arsuaga
I understand that there are some more interesting films produced in Uruguay in recent years.

Evita

I have just finished reading the book " Evita- the real life of Eva Peron" written by Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro. As i anticipated , the story of Evita helps one to understand the puzzle of Argentina, which fascinates me. More than what she said or did, what is significant is what did the Argentinians do in her name or against her name. They did not confine it to her life. Their pursuit would follow even after her death. They had created as much drama, myth and contoversy over her dead body as much they had done during her short public life. For tweleve years after her death there was secrecy and mystery about the wherabouts of the body. .. thriller like the Da Vince code. Let me start with the cadaver first. Here are some highlights

- Her body was kept for public homage for fifteen days after her death on 26 july 1952.

- The timing of evening news broadcast was changed from 8.30 pm to 8.25 pm, the exact time when she passed into " immortality"
-Primary school children recited prayer songs from their text books" Evita, I promise to be as good as you wish me to be "

-for three years, the body was kept, waiting for the construction of a monument which did not materialise.

-The miltary regime, which overthrew Peron in sept 1955 was afraid of the subversive influence of the body andthey sent it secretly to be buried in a cemetry in Italy. The whereabouts of the body were written and put in sealed envelope by president Aramburu who gave it to his lawyer with instructions that it should be opened only after his death. To confuse investigators, many dummy coffins were sent to Argentine embassies in other European countries to be buried.
-The military regime which replaced Peron made " possession of fotos of Evita or Peron or use of the expressions Peronism or Peronist" a punishable offence with imprisonment. Sure... many went to jail.

-Monteneros, the left wing guerillas kidnapped Aramburu in 1970, tried to get the information on Evita's body unsuccessfully and executed him. In 1974 the same group kidnapped the cadaver of Aramburu from his family's vault and demanded the return of Evita's body as ransom. Eventually, in November 1974 the body was brought back to Argentina.
-The body found its final resting place in the Recoleta cemetry in Buenos Aires. The coffin was put behind two trap doors with the only key given to Evita's sister.

Evita's short life of 31 years was eventful. It is the story of a girl born outside marriage from a poor village family ,running away to the city and making it big. Thereafter her story became the story of Argentina. The legacy of Peronism continues to be a vital political force even today.

Her critics called her as a whore, failed actress and worse. Her admirers cannonised her as a saint. She empowered the Descamisados (shirtless- meaning lumpen workers ) and helped thousands of poor people genuinely. She mobilised the women power too. Critics say that she did for a political purpose. What is significant is, like Chavez in Venezuela, she was the first one to reach out to the poor, recognise them, respect them and help them. She received lepers and diseased, showed affection and kissed them without batting an eyelid.This is the fundamental reason why Peronism has outlived its label of dictatorship and other excesses commited by Peron. The empowerment of the Descamisados has made the workers as a formidable force against the oligarchs of Argentina who gave a different impression of the country to outsiders. In those heydays they used to say " rich like an Argentinian" and the term" jet-set" started with the Argentinians visiting Europe and North America. I think i am now starting to understand Argentina. There are two of them; one the jet-set type and the other one of Descamisados. There is one Argentina which extended a loan of a billion dollars to Britain after the world war and there is another one which went bankrupt in 2001.

The other key to understand Argentina is Tango. While the rest of Latin America celebrates life joyously and euphorically with Samba and Salsa, the Argentinian tango is sad. It is about loss of the loved one, betrayal and cynicism. Here is a sample from the first and last line of this tango

"Que el mundo fue y sera una porqueria

Qualqiera es un senor! qualquiera es un ladron!"

meaning

the world was and will be a pigsty
anyone is a gentleman! anyone is a thief

The authors of this book have succeeded in projecting an objective picture of Evita, conscious of the versions of the propaganda of her admirers and detractors.

There are many similiarities between Peronism and the Bolivarian Revolution of Chavez except for Evita.....

launching of book" Discovering Latin America"

The author is Dr Kusum Ansal, who has written a number of short stories and novels.
The book is a travelogue, in the format of a coffee-table type with lots of fotos. She, with her Builder-husband and friends travelled to Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Chile in 2004. Her writing is essentially touristic impressions of Amazon, Machu Pichu, Foz de Iguassu Falls, Rio de Janeiro and the museums and heritage of the places she has visited. She says "she was compelled to write about since the experience had touched the very cords of her heart"

As an acclaimed writer, Kusum can be expected to touch upon the literature of the region. Poems of Pablo Neruda, Paulo Coelho and Gabriela Mistral and writings of Octavio Paz ( The Labyrinth of Solitude) " have made an imposing impact on my life"- she says.

There are references to Evita Peron, Paulo Coelho, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

The launching event was held on 5 May with the Ambassadors of Chile and Argentina and the cda of Peru on the stage. The chief guest was Pavan Varma, the Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations and one of my favorite authors and thinkers.

The readers of this blogsite would wonder why did i take ten days to write, after attending the launching event on 5 May. I got a copy of the book through a friend only yesterday. I did not think it was worthwhile to spend 3200 Rupees in buying this book, whose contents are like the palm of my hands for me.

The photographs could have been better and the author could have written more about the culture and people (rather than buildings, churches and and musuems -which are mere imitations of the European ones...), which make Latin America unique. Hope she would visit Bahia, Venezuela and other fascinating places next time.

The book is a welcome addition on Latin America. It will stimulate the interest of the new jet-set Indians who have started getting attracted by the exotic and exciting Latin America. Indians are getting to know the Latin American people, culture, music and dance besides business opportunities. Spanish has replaced French as the most popular foreign language in India.

Reemergence of Left in Latin America

India International Centre, New Delhi held a panel discussion today with me and Siddharth Varadarajan from The Hindu as panelists. Former Foreign Secretary Shashank was the moderator.
In my speech I spoke about the genesis of left, its evolution, challenges it faced, the Big Brother angle and its implications for India. Points i made
- with 200 million poor people and the highest disparity in wealth Left turn logical and inevitable
-But the left which arose after the Second world war was caught in the cold war and faced external ( u know from whom) and internal challenges. Leftist governments in guatemala and Chile were overthrown. Central America was bloodied when Sandinistas came to power.
- Left gave the perfect excuse for military dictators to take over power in the name of protecting Patrias from internal enemies.
-In the next stage, when democracies were restored, they were trapped in washington Consensus and neoliberal prescriptions. Poor became poorer. Economies faced crises.
- Finally power moved to the streets from barracks and drawing rooms. Those who were excluded and marginalised in the past, finally got empowered. They voted those who promised to respond to their needs. Since they were in majority, they set the political and economic agenda. And this is how left reemerged.
-But it is not wholesale sweeping mandate. While Chavez and Morales got majority votes , it was split mandate for Lula. While he got elected, his party won only 3 out 0f 27 states and his party lost in Rio Grande de sul after 12 years of rule there. Lula could not carry out his agenda effectively because of the obstructive opposition majority in the Congress. Other leaders got varying degrees of mandate.
- New messiahs like Chavez and Evo were able to get elected only since recently. Earlier, the established parties did not allow space for outsiders.
- Bachelet and Lula are pragmatic and pursue policies friendly to masses and to the market in a non-confrontational mode. Chavez is the leader of the radical camp and his agenda is revolution... in its true sense ... revolution in internal society, regional policy and global fight against hegemony on top of a Bolivarian revoltion.
-Message is not enough. Label of left can take one to power but unfulfillment of mandate and delivery can bring it down. happened in Nicaragua when the Sandinistas lost the elections in 1990. happened to Luis Gutierrez. The same masses who elected him, overthrew him in two years when he went astray.
- The ability of outsiders to alter the destiny of latin american countries has come down and latinos have become less vulnerable by becoming collectively strong through regional groups.
- The internal, external and mutilateral policies of the Leftist governments are favourable for India and the Indian business who seek long term partnership with this new Latin America which is moving broadly in the right direction of stability, growth and prosperity.

Of course, these views are personal....

Siddharth touched the ideological part and had some sound advice for the government of India...

Eliana of Brazil is Shyama in India

Eliana is a senior executive in the international business division of Banco Itau, the second largest bank of Brazil. She attended the ADB meet in Hyderabad and had meetings with Indian banks and business. Her bank has established correspondent relations with Indian banks and is keen to promote business between the two countries. I encouraged her bank to consider opening an office in India.

Eliana has got an Indian name " Shyama ". Here is the story of how she got it. She took interest in philosophy from her adolescent years and got introduced to the Ramakrishna mission which had a small branch in Brazil. She needed to go beyond the catholic religion for answers to her spiritual inquiries. She has been learning from the teachings of Ramakrishna and has been interacting with the Calcutta Headquarters since 1989. She has delved deep into Bhagwat Gita and other Indian philosophical works.

She is a member of the board of the Ramakrishna Mission in Brazil, which has branches in four cities. The current chief of the mission is Swami Nirmalatmananda whose mother tongue is Tamil.

Like Eliana, there are a number of Brazilians and Latin Americans who have become followers of Saibaba, Brahmakumaris, Harekrishna and other spiritual leaders of India.

Eliana is now going to stay for a week in a mutt near Nainital for one week listening to the discourse of one her favourite teachers. This is her fifth visit to India.

She says she feels at home in India. She says perhaps she had a previous incarnation in India.
I told her that I feel at home in Brazil and Latin America and my future incarnation is going to be there !!

Francesca Denegri from Peru

Francesca denegri is a Peruvian writer and academician.

She has come to stay in India for the next two years, with her British husband. She gave a talk on Peruvian literature at the Jawaharlal Nehru University last month. Her presence is going to enrich the Latino literary scene in India.

I had a long conversation with her and am looking forward to learn more about Peruvian and Latino literature. I told her about my admiration for Mario Vargas Llosa. We are planning to invite him to India.

Francesca holds a PhD on Hispanic Studies from King’s College, University of London. She has taught in the same University at the Department of Hispanic Studies and earlier at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.

In Peru, from 2000 to 2002, she produced and conducted a cultural TV program, called “En Blanco y Negro”.

She is currently working on a novel. I hope that her experience in India would be reflected in her writings. Like Octavio Paz, she could open the eyes of Latin Americans to India besides inspiring the Indians interested in Latin America.

Bienvenido ( welcome ) Francesca !!

Ph.D in the study of business with Latin America

This is the first Ph.D for a study of business with Latin America.
The title of the thesis is " Differentiated market strategies for doing business with Latin America. The recepient is Mr Ravichandran from Chennai. He got the Ph.D award on 2 may 2006.
He was the first Indian businessman i met when i set up the consulate in Sao Paulo temporarily in Maksood Plaza Hotel. Since then we have been in contact. Having seen my passion for Latin America and my publications he said he was thinking of doing a Ph.D. I was thrilled that he took Latin America even more seriously than me. He has done it.

Congratulations Ravi !!!

Ravi is the convenor of Indo- Latin American chamber of commerce and Industry in Chennai
His contact indolac@vsnl.net fone 55640818.

Ravi exports garments to latin america and other parts of the world. He gives lectures on financial management and logistics.

I admire Ravi for his versatile interests. He is a rare businessman who devotes so much time to academic work.

The next Ph.D is going to come from Miss Dozinha on the subject of Indo- Brazil trade.

visit of Latin American tour operators to India

39 of them from 19 countries of Latin America and caribbean are in India from 21 to 27 April at the invitation of the Ministry of Tourism who paid for their travel and local hospitality. This was an the initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism had readily agreed.
It was heartening to see a dozen of them from central american countries such as nicaragua, guatemala etc. Many of them have come for the first time.
There was a workshop for them on 26 April at Ashoka hotel. I was invited to give a talk. I highlighted the quantum jump in trade and business, the paradigm shift on both sides giving rise to a new India and a new latin america, the change in the mindset and approach to each other and the prospects of the promising future for travel business. I mentioned the new and growing trend of Indians who have started going to experience the exotic and exciting latin america of samba and salsa.

This is the first ever such visit of tourist operators from latin america. The visit has opened their eyes to the new profile of India and understand the logistics of tourism in India. Tourism Ministry has promised to print brochures in spanish to disseminate tourism information. They have also proposed to organise road shows in the region.

la vendedora de Rosas

This is the title of a colombian film i have just seen.
It means "rose seller"
It brings out in gruesome details the life and struggle of the street kids in colombia. They are sucked into crime, drugs, trafficking and prostituition by the unfortunate situation in some parts of Colombia. It is extremely difficult for the children from broken homes of the poor to avoid the fate portrayed in the movie.This real problem in the ghettos of the poor is a more serious long term concern than the ongoing drug trafficking and guerilla wars.
The actors in this movie directed by Victor Gaviria are not professional ones but street kids themselves. It is sad to note that some of the kids who acted in the movie have had tragic deaths in a replay of the movie. The main actor Leidy Tabares was arrested in a murder case.

It is similiar to the Brasilian movie Cidade de deus ( city of god), which is even more poignant.

Venezuelan Film

Thanks to the Venezuelan embassy in delhi, we had the rare opportunity to see yesterday the film
The Archangel's Feather ( La pluma del Archangel)
directed by Luis manzo
It is about a telegraph operator in a remote village who changes the fortunes of people and causes happiness for some and and misery for others with his manipulation of messages. He signs fake telegrams with a feather from an archangel's wing.

The film reminded me of the other film
Dona Barbara
based on the the most famous classic novel of Romulo Gallegos, theVenezuelan writer who rose to become the president of the country.

Venezuela produces very few films (but lots of soap operas)
The last one which i saw was
La libertadora del libertador
means the lady liberator of the Liberator
It is about Manuelita Saenz, the lady love of Simon Bolivar in the last eight years of his life.

She is as colourful as Bolivar himself
She was the only one who had the guts to slap Bolivar once
of course, she saved his life when there was an attempt on him.

She was born in Ecuador and lived with Bolivar off and on in peru and Colombia
After Bolivar's death she was exiled, as it happened to many heroes of latin America ( it continues even now for some presidents)
She travelled around and finally breathed her last at the isolated port town Paita.

Laura Restrepo and visitors from Brazil

Brazilian economists

A group of 20 economists were in delhi last week to understand the new economy of India which is causing a global buzz. They were briefed by CII, FICCI , academics and government officials. I gave a talk to them on the paradigm shift in India and the change in the mindset of Indians. we had a lively interaction after the talk. They were impressed that in India the business and the government work together with common vision and objectives in many areas of economic and industrial development. They lamented that this is not the case in Brasil. I advised them to organise a seminar focussing on a comparison of the two countries in economy, business and society. I told them the new Indians who are becoming confident, ambitious, rich and successful should learn from brazilians how to have fun and enjoy life to the fullest.

Laura Restrepo

I have just finished reading the book The Angel of Galilea by Laura Restrepo This favourite colombian author of mine has lived upto my expectations in this novel also. This is the story of an abandoned boy who becomes an angel. Laura has used magical realism in weaving this story. She has , as always, made the readers have a feel of the violence, poverty, drugs and guerillas of colombia. She has used humour subtley to describe the fears and complexes of women. I wish she writes longer novels....

Roberta Paduan

This journalist from Exame, a popular business magazine of brazil was in India for a week last month and interviewed Ministers and bzmen. her articles hv appeared in the latest issue of the magazine. her title is interesting" How can Brasilian companies make money doing bz with the new economic star" India".

salsa festival in delhi

I went to the salsa festival in Vasant continental hotel on thursday night.
caramba... i could not believe what i saw
Indian boys and girls were dancing like the latinos and latinas
Some of them have mastered it professionally
They can take on the original latinos any time

The spirit and vibration in the dance hall was purissima latina
The Indians were transformed into the joyful and fun-filled latinos
There was unlimited abundance of joy, excitement and exuberance
although many of them may not know know spanish, they were one with the music
Their bodies swung and rhymed so beautifully and artistically

The organiser of the Fiesta is Kaytee Namgyal
He runs dance studios and is like a salsa king
his website
www.salsa-india.com

Bruna Surfistinha

Bruna Surfistinha is a garota da programa ( call girl ). Her book " the sweet poison of scorpion " in portuguese is a bestseller in Brazil these days. She has become a celebrity and appears in talk shows. The book has been translated in spanish and soon the English edition is expected.

Out of curiosity, i bought a copy and finished reading it in two sittings. It is mostly about sex and is rather explicit. It is also an autobiography of Bruna. She describes her experience with her clients and gets into titilating details.

She has a website and blog
www.brunasurfistinha.com

In this , she writes her diary describing her dreams, activities, problems and life in general. She gives advice to the blog readers sometimes. No great cerebral stuff as one would have guessed. She talks about her parents and her new found namorado ( boy friend) with whom she plans to settle down. She expresses the struggle ( weak one ) between her dual personality of Raquel, her original name and her new personlity as a professional Bruna.

Outsiders and even some Brazilians are prone to making moral judgements. But this is part of Brazil.

Copacabana beach

I spent three unforgettable days and nights in Rio 28-30 March while attending the IBSA ( India Brasil South Africa- alliance) meeting. I stayed in my favourite Meridian Hotel on the legendary beach of Copacabana. It is not just the sea or the sand. It is the brasilian spirit which makes this place vibrant and unique. Two rituals i follow at the beach; early morning walk from Meridien hotel to the copacabana fort ; and drinking chopp( draft beer) at the pavement kiosk on the beach after midnight listening to the sentimental songs of Brazilian FM radio and the music of the waves of Eemanja the sea goddess.

The copabana beach is in full bloom on new year eve with a million brasilians in white tee shirts( white for good luck in the new yr), drinking beer and dancing to live music in 4-5 different stages set on the beach itself.


The third ritual outside Copacabana is the visit to the bar called as Garota da Ipanema ( girl from ipanema ) made famous by the poet vinicius de moraes. yet another indulgence is the churasscaria rodizio ( barbecue restaurant typical of brasil) and unlimited eating of all kinds of meat. Someone commented" how can a Hindu eat meat of the cow which is sacred?"I responded
" yes.. the Indian cow is sacred.. not the Brasilian one "

Copacabana makes me feel at home and drives me crazy .

books of Laura Restrepo and Mario Vargas Llosa

As usual books of Latin American writers accompanied my journey to Chile and Brasil from 24 march to 3 april. I was experiencing the real Latin America while my mind was haunted by the stories, characters and magic of these two favourite authors.

"Leopard in the sun" by Laura Restrepo

This is the story of two families which fight with each other to the fatal end and is typical of the violence and crime which has come to characterise Colombia. The Barragans and Monsalves of the story continue to traumatise the contemporary Colombia. The honour code of the fighters, their passions and weaknesses and the role of women in the family are same like the mafia stories.

This powerful and gripping story and magical realism is what i expected of Laura Restrepo. Her characters in the book are unforgettable: Arcangel the boy treasure of the Barragan family, La Muda the aunt said to be wearing chastity belt, El Lyrico the poet in the midst of Crime, Mendez the lawyer who walks the tight rope advising both the warring familes and Mani Monsalves whose criminal mind is overcome by his love for Alina.

"The way to Paradise" by Mario Vargas Llosa

As in the case of " war of the end of the world" and " Feast of the Goat" this story happens outside Peru. It originates in France and ends in Tahiti. Flora Tristan the illegitimate daughter of a peruvian father carries on a courageous and relentless fight for the rights of workers and women in the post- revolutionary France which was not ready for the new ideas. She was ahead of the times and had to face the wrath of the the church and skepticism of the male dominated society. Flora is like the Joan of Arc with her fierce,fanatic and blind pursuit of her mission undaunted by challenges and obstacles. Flora's brief stay in Peru gives a glimpse of the oligarchy of Lima which was one of the most advanced in latin America at that time.
The other part of the story is about her grandson Paul. He starts of life as a stockbroker, takes up painting as hobby and becomes an artist in the true sense of the term; bohemian, anarchist, poor and reckless. He goes to Tahiti in search of the natural way of life seeking liberation from civilisation and culture. He abandons himself to all kinds of experience without any inhibition or control. Predictably he pays for it with diseases and pain at the end. Like Beethoven composed music even when he became deaf, Paul also had to paint after losing his eye sight.

Biography of Che Guevara

" Companero" ( the companion )- a biography of Che Guevara by Jorge Castanada

It was the film " Diary of a Motorcyclist " which i saw last year which had stimulated my interest in knowing more about Che. His story is extraordinary, inspiring and moving. Once I started reading i got absorbed completely and could not stop until i finished.

What is striking is that Che who became a hero of Latin America and a global icon and symbol for social uprisings for idealists and leftists was an Argentinian. Unbelievable... utterly different from the popular perception of Argentinian character.


Che was a restless soul relentlessly seeking new experience and adventures. His motorcycle tour of south america opened his mind to a panamerican and later global vision. After this, he was destined to go out and seek out adventures wherever he could. This destiny took him to Guatemala, cuba , Congo and Bolivia. His beliefs and vision evolved and matured as he encountered new situations . He made his mark as a guerilla fighter and eminently succeeded in Cuba. He tried to repeat his ventures in Congo but failed. He tried in Bolivia and planned to carry the revolution back to Argentina. This was a mistake for which he paid for it with his life.


One cannot help the impression that Che had the deathwish. He plunged into risky ventures carried away by his noble principles, blind pursuit and his restless urge for action. On the other hand, his companion and mentor Fidel Castro always had larger and balanced political and global perspectives and has obviously survived for so long.

Che had become a minister in Fidel's cabinet and applied himself with equal idealism and altruism to bring about a brave new socialistic world. It was of course inevitable that a guerilla fighter of his nature could not be confined to a cosy position of power. He was more at home in the battlefield.

Che had visited India leading a Cuban goodwill and study delegation, as part of his tour of many other countries. I was keen to know his impressions of India and how he viewed India. Unfortunately the author has not elaborated this visit in this book.( I will appreciate if someone could give me some lead).


Castanada has given a balanced profile of Che navigating between the propaganda of the left and the critical approach of the right. Besides quoting many sources, he has himself done a lot of research and interviewed people associated with Che.

The conditions of Latin America which inspired Che to fight for justice in those days continue to be present in most parts of Latin America. No wonder Che's glory is being revived by leftists such as Chavez and Evo Morales, who are the elected creations of the same situation.

From Poondi to Punta Arenas and Malgudi to Maconde

Punta Arenas in Chile is the southern-most city in the world close to Antarctica. I was there in April 2005 with a delegation. When I was cruising in the Magellan straits, reflecting on its maritime history, a thought struck me about my own. How did I reach Punta Arenas and from where ? How did a poor country kid reach the farthest part of the world!. The answer was Poondi Pushpam College. It proved to be my magic carpet. Not having travelled beyond Trichy and Thanjavur until the age of twenty, I had dreamt of non-stop journey to the farthest corners of the world. That dream for distant destinations materialised because the Pushpam college was so near. If there was no college in Poondi, I would not have become a globe-trotting diplomat, visiting exotic places like Punta Arenas.

Another trip which made me to look back at my root was the trip upstream in the river Orinoco to Colombia in the Amazon region in 2003. It was like a journey from ‘Malgudi’ to ‘Maconde’. R.K Narayan’s imaginary Indian town of Malgudi embodies the value system of simple folk pursuing traditional life. My place of birth, Alangudi Mahajanam, is close to Lalgudi, which is almost like Malgudi.


On the other hand, Maconde is the mythical town in the novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by the Colombian Nobel-laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The spirit of Maconde is ‘Magical realism’, the literary genre, popular in Latin America. Malgudi and Maconde are contrasting in cultures. Salsa and Samba, Carnival and Football, Beaches and Bikinis, fun and enjoyment are Latin American cultural manifestations. In contrast, Malgudi culture is simple living and self-denial of comfort, enjoyment and wealth. While the old Indian renounces life and looks at Kasi or the Himalayas as his next and final destination, the Latin American does not give up. He sings

“We don’t stop having fun when we grow old
We grow old only when we stop having fun.”

Latin America has become my passion. I feel at home in the beaches of Copacabana and bars of Ipanema. I am fascinated by the Latin American literature and culture. I follow avidly the political and economic developments of the region. I express my emotions and feelings spontaneously in Spanish and Portuguese. Brazil beckons me, (in Portuguese)

Amor da minha vida, luz de meu querer
Vem..vem fica comigo
Sou quem sou ... so por voce
Means
Love of my life, light of love
Come.. come to be with me
I am what I am … just for you

The loud Latin America murmurs softly in the ears of this quiet and introspective Indian,

Quisera oir tu silencio
Quisera callar mis palabras

This poem (Spanish) means
I want to listen to your silence
I wish to silence my words

Every time I visit Raramuthiraikottai, the village three kiolmeters west of Poondi, I heave a sigh of relief. In this village, where I spent my life from the age of four to twenty, most of my schoolmates are still mired in poverty struggling with subsistent agriculture. I was lucky to escape and join the diplomatic glitterati and move seamlessly between the worlds of “Cheers!” and “Your Excellency”

My uncle who brought me up did not believe that education would lead to a viable livelihood. He would, therefore, ask me to stop the studies at the beginning of every summer holidays of school. I managed to finish the schooling in the Government Higher Secondary School in Mariammankovil. After this, my uncle put his foot down and said with a finality in his voice, “ Enough of your studies. We cannot afford to send you to college. Get ready to look after the land and cattle” That is when, Poondi College came to my rescue. I told him that the college was just three kms from the village. I promised to him that I would do the farm work in the morning and during weekend. I convinced him that the amount of scholarship I would get with my high marks would be more than the college fees. Reluctantly, he agreed. And my escape thereafter, was unstoppable.

If there was no college in Poondi, I would have still been cutting grass for the cattle on the side of the railroad, waving to to the passengers of Thanjavur and Nagore train.I was reminded of my grass cutting work in a rather jealous way, when I found in Brazil that each cow has eight hectares of land to graze in this large and lucky country. Reference to cows leads me to another incident. A Brazilian friend pulled my leg in a Steak restaurant saying that I was not to touch beef as a Hindu. I told him he was perfectly right since the Indian cows are sacred, but the Brasilian cows are not.

I am delighted to see that the college has grown bigger and added more courses and has started giving opportunities even for girls. My greatest thrill now is to see my niece Anita from the same village going to the same college. If not for this college, her mother would not have allowed her to go to distant places. The only difference between me and my niece is that I had to walk to the college while she has the luxury of going by cycle. But walking proved to be a blessing for me. I could review my lessons twice a day during the walk to the college and back.

The second advantage of the college was that since many students were from similar rural background and from Tamil medium schools, I was in the comfort zone. Later when I went to Chennai for higher studies and Delhi for joining the Foreign Service I was intimidated by the high-flying rich kids with Don Bosco and Doon School accents. It took a while for me to overcome this challenge, regain confidence and eventually beat many of them in show as well as substance. I was more hungry to catch up and prove myself.

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to the founders of the college and the visionary Thiru Tulasi Ayya Vandayar, with whom I had the opportunity to interact and get inspired a few times. I am also grateful to the faculty of the college and especially Chemistry professor Srinivasan and Tamil professor Kannaiyan, who inspired me to aspire.

My best wishes for the success of the college and its noble role as the hope and promise for the rural youth around Poondi.
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This article was written for the magazine of the College on the occasion of Golden jubilee celebrations in 2006.
___________________________________________________________________________

Latin Americanist

I heard this word yesterday
author of this is Mr Om Gupta
He described himself as a Latin Americanist

I asked him how he became one
Here is his story

As a professional journalist, he was working in Times of India.
He had told Mr KM Meena, the then JS(LAC) that he was looking for something outside his routine. Meena introduced him to the Colombian Ambassador to delhi in 1992 Mr David Sanchez Juliao. The Ambassador who was also an accomplished writer, introduced him to Latin America.
Mr OmGupta found latin america fascinating. he started writing articles on latin america in newspapers. Then he started publishing a magazine called as " Indo- Latin American File". He joined JNU for a M.Phil programme and later started a Ph.D thesis on Rigoberta menchu tum, the Guatemalan indigenous leader and nobel prize winner. He translated One hundred years of solitude of gabriel Garcia Marquez and published in 200 installments in a Hindi newspaper Dainik bhaskar
he has published a book containing his articles
- travelled to chile , Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago.
- interviewed the presidents of Argentina, peru and Guyana
He had organised 12 seminars on latin america at the India International centre in 1993-2000.

Now he is the Director of mass Communication at the jagannath Inst of communication and design at delhi

he is keen to revive his romance with latin america
you can imagine the electricity that was generated when he and i met !

Visit of Latin American writers to India

Last week, Sahitya Academy organised a workshop on
" Myth, magic, History : contemporary fiction in India and Latin America "

Five Latin American writers attended this workshop.
Jorge Volpi and Montmeyer of Mexico, Jaime Collier of Chile
Gregory Zembrano of Venezuela and Rodrigo Montoya Rojas of Peru.

Jorge Volpi was the guest of honour in the Academy event. he belongs to the new generation of writers ( crack generation !), moving consciously away from the magical realism for which latino writers became famous. Volpi's discourse was lively.

What impressed me was the knowledge and interest of Mr Satchidanandan of the Sahitya Academy in Latin American literature. Prof Ganguli of JNU spoke eloquently displaying his profound expertise on latin American literature. He is the most authentic and knowledgeable expert on Latino literature in India, to my knowledge.

The Academy proposes to translate some of the works of Latino writers directly into Indian languages. In 2005,they published an anthology of latin american and caribbean poems in Hindi in collaboration with the embassies in delhi.

Pity ... i could not attend more sessions or interact with the writers.

In the same week, we had the visit of a Chilean Senator Jaime Gazmouri at the invitation of the Indian parliament.
During this visit I discovered that Mr Shahid Siddiqui Rajya Sabha MP from Samajwadi party has read many Latin American authors and is knowledgeable and interested in this exotic region.

Miss Canela from Dominican Republic

Last week was the week of Dominican Republic
A delegation of 25 officials and businessmen lead by the foreign minister was in delhi.

The visit went smoothly and successfully,thanks to a young and charming diplomat called as Gabriela. She came in advance and tied up the arrangements.

I could not resist saying... Clavo y Canela after she mentioned her name
Gabriela, Clavo y Canela is the title of one of the famous books of Jorge Amado of Brazil. I started calling her as Miss Canela.
She has gracefully accepted this.
Gabriela has now become Miss Canela...
Canela means cinnamon.

She is Counsellor in the DR embassy in paris.
super intelligent, efficient, energetic, articulate and hardworking....oops

DR is one of my favourite countries in latin america.three reasons: Julia Alvarez (the novelist), Golf resorts and Merengue.

My favourite novels of Julia are
-Yo
-In the time of the butterflies
And her story based on real life called as
-A cafecito story.

I had played in the “ Teeth of the Dog” course in la Romana. Later, when I visited the new course “ Dye Fore” I found it equally attractive. They say that “ Playa Grande” is even better than these two.

Merengue music and dance originates from DR.

DR has a BBB rating - Business, Beaches and Beauties


DR is going to open their embassy in delhi by April.
The Ambassador-designate Mr Danenburg is young, dynamic and enthusiastic.
He is going to open up India with "merengue" music,dance and parties.

The Foreign Minister described the DR economy as a " Dessert Economy"
since DR produces sugar, coffee, coco, banana and cigar...

On saturday the diplomatic interaction moved to the Delhi Golf Club.
We played with the Foreign Minister and the IT Minister as well as two other delegates.

India's exports which were 20 million dollars in 2004-5 can easily be taken to 200 million dollars in the next three years if the Indian cos take interest. The business and political leaders of DR are very keen for bz with India.
Pharmaceuticals, engg products, consumer items, IT are areas of opportunity. DR's FTA and proximity to USA are advantageous for those who want access to US mkt.

Imports of DR in 2005 were 9.7 billion dollars !!!

Indian bzmen should not take DR lightly. A DR pharma co has discovered a new drug molecule and has patented it in USA and many other countries.

Roberto Bolano

This is the new Chilean author, i discovered last week. I read his novel " A distant Star"(Estrella distante).The story is about the turbulence in the literary world of Chile during the days of military dictatorship. A number of authors like Mario Vargas Llosa, Julia alvarez, Augusto Roa bastos and Migues Angel Asturias have written about dictatorships and the trauma suffered by the society in latin America. But the " distant star" focusses exclusively on the literary scenario, covering ,of course, the murders and disappearances. Bolano himself was a victim and was put in jail and thereafter in exile.
Carlos Wieder, the main character in the novel, is an enigmatic and cruel force moving between the deadly oppressive apparatus of the state and the vulnerable groups of writers.Bolano has made it more interesting with some suspense and thrill.His humour is subtle. His erudition shows in the numerous references to other writers and ideas.But no romance or magical realism. Bolano disliked magical realism going to the extent of saying " It stinks ". He did not like Isabel Allende, the other famous Chilean writer.

I am looking forward to reading more works by him.

Encounter with Eemanja in Copacabana

Eemanja is the name of the sea goddess in the novels of Jorge Amado.
When i dipped my feet in the waters of copacabana on 4 February, I was reminded of Eemanja who saves and sometimes takes away the heroes of Jorge Amado. The afrobrasilians offer flowers to Eemanja on the eve of New Year after a beach ceremeony, wearing white clothes.
I have been in copacabana so many times. But every time it is a renewal, rejuvenation and recharging. I have charged myself sufficently to last till the next trip( march?).My last visit was in feb 2004 and the accumulated nostalgia was unbearable.

I never get tired of two more rituals which I always do in Rio.
-I sat in the beach at 2 am dissolving my nostalgia in Brahma beer, listening to Brazilian music in the cool copacabana breeze.
-I took a window seat to watch the descent of the plane at the santos dumont domestic airport pasing by the side of sugar loaf mountain, almost touching the sea.

I was in the delegation for the joint commission meeting in Brasilia 1-2 February. The meeting covered a large number of areas for cooperation. The Brazilian side showed unprecedented enthusiasm to work with India.They are going to open a consulate in Mumbai.

The Indo-Brazil Business Seminar in SaoPaulo on 3 feb arranged by the Consulate was attended by over 150 businessmen. Again, what was striking was the enthusiasm and keenness shown by Brazilian business.
India's exports reached a record 1.2 billion dollars and imports 1.1 billion in 2005, doubling from 2004. The big boys of the businessworld from both sides have come into play.
Banco Itau is thinking of opening a branch in India and state bank of india is also considering possibility of a branch in Brasil.

There is a proliferation of consultancy companies ( including half a dozen Indians in sao paulo) on both sides to promote bz.

Bollywood too is going to Brazil.In the last week of this month they are going to shoot the film Doom-II in Rio during the greatest show of the world called as carnival. Stars such as Aishwarya and Abishek Bachan will be dancing on top of sugar loaf and getting wet in copacabana waters.

Living to tell the tale

This is the title of the autobiography of the Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez, I have just finished reading. It is as enchanting and fascinating as his novels of magical realism. His large family, adventurous father,tolerant mother( who adopts the children of her husband from other women) his native town of Aracata( which resembles the mythical town of Maconde in his Nobel-prize winning novel " One Hundred Years of solitude) and journey by the River Magdalena are close to what i had experienced reading his various novels. His Bohemian life, poverty and struggles and uncertainties of life and his escapades are what i had imagined from his characters.He has spent lot of his time in Cafes and Bars and the other places more interesting than these two.

The book opens with the appearance of his mother to take him to his native town to sell their ancestral house and their conversations. It is typical Marquez magical realism.

Marquez had decided early in his life to be a writer but became a journalist by force of circumstances. His writngs were based on his own experience and that of others around him.One could relate his grand father, father and mother to the characters of his novels. He talks about an incident which he wanted to write about in one of his novels but his mother prohibited him from writing as a mark of respect for the deceased. Marquez accepted the desire of his mother and desisted.

In the initial period as a writer, he had so much fear that his writing might not be accepted by the publishers and in fact that was what happened to his first work. His writings took time and struggle and he looked upon his fellow writers for encouragement and recognition. And he got into the circle of eminent writers like Alvaro Mutis.

It is a pity that he has covered only upto the fifties and has not touched his later period in which he blossomed as a writer.

One thing which is missing in his life narration is the conspicuos absence of romance. It is surprising that he had not fallen in love deeply and uncontrollably. He has talked casually and matter-of- factly his sexual adventures and some transient affairs.
The other missing thing is his analysis and interpretation of the politics and socio economic situation of Colombia at that time,which sowed the seeds for the current situation of guerilla war and narco-trafficking.

I discovered one of the reasons for the crime and violence in Colombia. While describing an assasination event which was followed by riots and bloodshedding, Marquez says casually that the Colombians need a small or no excuse to kill people.This explains the rampant violence and crime which has come to stigmatise the name of Colombia in the last few decades.

Dance with me – salsa movie

This Hollywood film (1998)by Chayanne ( Puerto Rican pop singer ) and Vanessa Williams is delicious . No violence, drama or tragedy. Something like Saturday night fever.

Pura Salsa… un poco de samba..
Story of love and romance in latino spirit..
lots of spanish conversations...

Chayanne has played well the part as a typical latino.
The puerto rican origin of vanessa has also added flavour.

songs of Thalia, Gloria Estefan, Ruben Blades
Singing
“Eres todo en mi”
“Tres deseos”
“Adios Santiago”

The duet of Chayanne and Vanessa Williams is the title song
“You are my home
You are the light in my window
When I could not find my way

All of my life
I have been searching for someone
I have been lonely
Waiting for your arms to hold me”

A cuban “Cohiba”, accompanied me with the movie,which starts in Santiago de Cuba and ends in Las Vegas.

so much interest in learning spanish...

There are 300 students taking the spanish course in the Centre for Foreign languages, Hyderabad. On the day of issue of application, people queued up from 4 am..
The Inst could not take all applicants, since they dont hv enough professors.
Spanish is the most popular language and in great demand.
It is not just the prospects of career ( of course many of those learning are from IT and other bz )motivating this.
There is an upbeat latino spirit in the whole campus of CIEFL.
Even the waiters in the mess prefer to say " Hola " to greet people.
Credit for this goes to prof Sonya Gupta, the dynamic Chairperson of the spanish language dept.
felicitaciones Sonya !

I was there to give a talk on hispanic culture on 23 nov at the conference organised by Institute Hispania, which is doing a commendable professional job in teaching in three cities and has plans to expand.
I was amazed by the enthusiasm and spirit of the students and teachers of spanish there.
I was told there are lots of students in pune also.
madras university has started a course?
BHU runs spanish courses.

The time has come for the policy makers, professors and enterpreneurs in language bz to think big and plan for the growing demand.

last ten days were like a carnaval for me... i was flying high..over pao de azucar, canaima and la romana ...
There were bz delegations from Brasil, mexico, venezuela, panama and dominican republic.
These delegates made me feel nostalgic and I was " at home"
The response from indian bzmen to these delegations were positive and encouraging.

su excellencia

This is the title of the Mexican film i saw yesterday.
It means "your excellency" in spanish.
It is a hilarious comedy.
i was laughing and laughing...
It has unmasked the diplomats, who move high in the clouds, elevated by the high-sounding " your excellency" and all the trappings of old world protocol.
Some of what the movie portrays is true.Diplomacy has its share of talents as well as crackpots.
-like the visa officer, who works from 1030 am to 1045 am..not far from truth in some embassies....
-He sends back visa applicants asking them to bring all kinds of documents, some of them non-sensical and absurd. Height of this is when the visa officer asks for a gurantee so that if the visiter dies, someone takes responsibility to take the body back...
- In the middle of the dinner, ambassador receives a telegram saying that military has taken over the govt and making his military attache as the ambassador. The shaken excellency moves from the head table and asks his attache to sit in his place.
so many such funny things.. some of them close to reality

I recommend this to diplomatic colleagues and those who interact with them.
The DVD of the movie has English subtitles.

Remember.. the other movie recommendation on the same subject
" El Embajador de la India" - the ambassador of India
A colombian movie, based on a real story of a colombian imposter, masquerading as Indian ambassador and is caught...equally hilarious

Fortnight of Latin American Fiesta

Second fortnight of November is the Quincena of Latin America
I am thrilled, so many came from latin America
- A 65 member business delegation of Brasil and the governor of Sao Paulo
- A Mexican business delegation
- The Vice President of Panama accompanied by an offical and a bz delegation
- A venezuelan business delegation and another delegation to negotiate DTAA
- IT and Investment minister of Dominican Republic and a bz delegation
- Brasilian trade lawyer Durval Noronha
- Chilean naval chief

Understandably the presence of so many latin americans
made me feel nostalgic
at the same time..I felt at home ...

And there was this Latin american voice which keeps calling me

Amor da minha vida
Luz de meu querer
Vem fica comigo
Sou quem sou
So por voce

This poem in portuguese(i recited in the meeting with Brasilians)
means

Love of my life
Light of my love
Come back to me
I am what I am
Just for you