Kolkata Confidential

‘Literary kind’,literally unkind
At a book launch of a first-time novelist,a bookstore owner,who had once been slammed for calling Mahashweta Devi a ‘poet’,was back in her elements. After the book-reading session,she left the audience stumped when she asked ‘the literary kind’ to come up and get books signed by the author. She probably was referring to fellow authors,but left most in the audience,who definitely had literary inclinations,squirming in their seats. Interestingly,she mentioned the presence of a cook book writer,but again insisted only the ‘literary kind’ to come up and get photographed with the author.

‘Wild’erness of doubt
Though this isn’t exactly the season to take a trip around the zoo,the weather does wonders to your psyche and brings out the cynic in the most amiable man. And so instead of the emaciated animals,you notice the signboards that offer trivia about the inmates. One such signboard,about a certain kind of deer reads,“Found all over India,except Bangladesh and Myanmar!”

For Knights’ IPL feat,SRK to tap feet
Shah Rukh Khan has promised to do a jig at the Eden Gardens should the Knights win the IPL. The KKR co-owner was in high spirits after his team bulldozed Deccan Chargers on Thursday.

“Eden Gardens is the greatest cricket ground in the world. The Kolkata crowd will be in for a special treat if we win the tournament,” he said. “I love sports and think like a sportsman. Whatever I have achieved so far is because of the fact that I always think like a sportsman,” he added. SRK,however,has lost his sportsman-like six-pack abs. By his admission,only a four-pack remains. Time to hit the gym again!

Theory of self-destruction
The teachers of Presidency College are in a great dilemma after its upgrade to Presidency University. The teachers had once put their weight behind it and passed the proposal for a state university in the governing body of the council. So far,the teachers were happy as the college made gradual strides to a university status. But with the government willing to appoint teachers from outside and giving no advantage to college teachers in the recruitment process,these teachers have been left in the lurch. They now feel that their efforts have landed them in trouble as they may be transferred to other government colleges,while teachers from elsewhere teach at Presidency.