Delhi Confidential: Opening Doors

Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi is likely to be the chief guest at the RSS’s Vijayadashami programme in Nagpur on October 18.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Four months after former President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) invitation and addressed swayamsevaks at the Sangh’s Nagpur headquarters, Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi is likely to be the chief guest at the organisation’s Vijayadashami programme in Nagpur on October 18. The programme on Vijayadashami is seen as the biggest and most important annual event of the RSS where the organisation’s chief, in his address, indicate the vision for its future. Satyarthi is also likely to address the gathering. The development can be seen as another feather in the cap of the RSS, and its chief Mohan Bhagwat, after Mukherjee’s visit in June.

Web Of Fake Site

The ambitious Sagarmala project of port development may be far from completion but turns out the market is already ready to cash in on its name, even if illegitimately. Much to its distress, the Shipping Ministry under Nitin Gadkari found that a website called sagarproject.com was faking the official website — sagarmala.gov.in — and offering recruitment for engineers and diploma holders. The ministry took note after complaints emerged that gullible people have probably fallen for the trap. It has initiated criminal proceedings.

Same Names

Eight months after the government rejected the panel of names suggested by IIM-Bangalore for the post of its chairman, the fresh shortlist is in. It is learnt that the new panel is not very different and at least two names — Vinita Bali, former managing director of Britannia Industries, and renowned cardiac surgeon Devi Shetty —- are the same as last time. While it’s not clear why the HRD Ministry had rejected the panel the first time, the government may not have its way now. The IIM Act was notified on January 31 and the institutes are now empowered to appoint their own chairpersons. The rejection of the first panel took place before the notification of the Act.