In Himachal Pradesh,if you want to get a taste of culinary delights,the best destination is the Raj Bhavan. Especially,when the host happens to be a woman. It came to fore once again last week when Governor Urmila Singh hosted a dinner for the vice-chancellors,who were here for a conference organised by Association of Indian Universities. What a fine hospitality. We are told that Mahamahim Kuladhipati (Her Excellency Chancellor) herself supervised the preparations and also finalised the menu that included a few of her favourite cuisines, said a vice-chancellor at the valedictory function. After all,home is where the hearth is. Double delight For Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal,it is time for celebrationsnot just on the political front but also on a personal level. His campaign Beti Anmol to celebrate the birth of a girl child and treat daughters as an asset,has been a huge hit,earning him accolades. But there has been another delight for him,too. Even as his Beti Anmol campaign is in full swing,a girl child was born into his family,to his younger son Arun Dhumal,making him a proud grandfather of a girl. What is good for the state is good for the chief minister too. In search of birds It is a passion for which this IPS officer is willing to travel the distance. Even if it means at times shedding his uniform and trudging through forests and mountains in search of those winged creatures,Somesh (nee Goyal) has been out with his lens,clicking pictures and counting birds. Having formed an NGOBirdsthis policeman has also organised two major eventsan exhibition of Himalayan birds and a bird count in Shimla. To cap it all,last week,with those rare pictures in frames,he took off for a week-long solo exhibitionVignettes From Beyong The Habitable Worldto Mumbai,where he will display these photographs at the prestigious Jehangir Art Gallery. Its my passion and I really enjoy it, he says. Well,the nightingale never loved captivity. One official,one vehicle If there has been a nationwide clamour for one-man,one-post,in the state,it is one vehicle for one official. As an austerity measure,Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu has cracked the whip among bureaucratswho hold multiple postings and with it enjoy privileges of going around in different official vehiclesto stick to just one vehicle despite holding any number of posts. Having enjoyed the luxury of lining up two to three vehicles in front of their bungalows,these babus may suddenly find it hard to stick to just one vehicle. But then,babus have to realise that something is better than nothing. 3Ds better than 3G When three IAS officers from Himachal Pradesh cadre joined the IAS Academy in Mussorie a few days ago,they had a common thread connecting themArun Sharm,Purnima Chauhan and R N Batta were all PhD holders in different academic fields. Two of them have also written a couple of books,while Purnima is a key theatre,art and cultural activist. So,it didnt come as a surprise when a fellow officer quipped: Our 3Ds (three doctors) are no less than 3G (third generation technology) or Three Idiots. With 2G still fresh in mind,anything better and credible is anyday welcome.
