Delhi Confidential: Mandarin Connect

NEWLY APPOINTED Indian ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami has started making waves on Chinese social media. Soon after taking charge earlier this month, he put out a video, in which he speaks fluent Mandarin and introduces the Indian embassy in Beijing and its facilities. The 14-year-old building has official, cultural, economic offices and centres and even has a corner where Indian handicrafts are showcased. Doraiswami, who spent his early years in China as a career diplomat, is trying to reconnect with the Chinese audience with his language skills he learnt during his training there.

Wake-UP Call From The To

WHILE THE AIMIM may not be a big player in Uttar Pradesh, its state unit chief Shaukat Ali is feeling the heat as elections in the state approach. Ali had a difficult telephonic conversation with party chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is learnt to have told him that he will be sacked if the party’s performance in the state does not improve in the upcoming elections. The AIMIM failed miserably in the 2022 polls in UP, while it has been making gains in neighbouring Bihar. Owaisi gave a very stern message to Ali and told him he will not hear “excuses” — after which Ali has hit the ground running.