All eyes on Mriganka Deo Barman and Phangnon Konyak :::: It is 'time to prove' ::: Opportunities come rarely ,,, Youngsters may surprise detractors and prophets of doom

Three leaders from Northeast India gets key roles in BJP Central Team 

Nitin Nabin also has six leaders from minority communities and 10 women in his 'new national team'.   

The Lotus party strategists with the explicit blessings of PM Narendra Modi expanded its regional footprint by in the north east inducting Rajya Sabha MP Phangnon Konyak (48) from Nagaland 

... and also Mriganka Deo Barman of Assam into the national secretariat as National Secretaries.  

Barman is a former General Secretary of the BJP Assam and also served as the State President of the Yuva Morcha in th state.

Both - Phangnon Konyak's and Barman's appointment to the BJP's national team would give them a broader organisational role and scope to deliver. It remains to be seen what kinds of roles have been kept for them in the days to come.  

Ms Phangnon : Made hostory when elected to Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha MP, Ms Phangnon is also the second Naga woman parliamentarian after Rano Shaiza.  As expected, BJP leaders called her election into the Upper House of Parliamentary as revolutionary and empowering for 'Matri Shakt' (women).

To an extend, she is trend setter as after unanimous election in 2022; Nagaland now has two elected women legislators. Prior to that he state had never earlier elected a single woman MLA to the local legislature.  

To ensure that every major faith in India is respected and accommodated, BJP's national office will now have 'place' for one Sikh member, two Christian members including Phangnon and one member each from Muslim, Jain and Parsi communities.  

Former Aligarh Muslim University vice chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor has been appointed national vice president. 

Kunwar Basit Ali has been appointed president of the Minority Morcha.

Anil Antony, the son of Congress veteran A K Antony, has been retained as a national secretary.  

Former Punjab minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been appointed BJP national vice-president. 

Ten women in the national team include Vasundhara Raje Scindia as vice president but Smriti Irani is a major winner as she comes back to prominence as a general secretary.  

"Such balanced appointments empower the incoming national president's executive team to operate with a profound awareness of the nation's vast geographical landscape and regional nuances," the BJP said.  

Third leader to make it from north east is former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who will be also a general secretary.

"Such balanced appointments empower the incoming national president's executive team to operate with a profound awareness of the nation's vast geographical landscape and regional nuances," the BJP said in a statement.  

The new Team has four tribal representatives from West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and the North-East, two of whom are women. 

Additionally, the Scheduled Castes (SC) are represented by three members from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. 

Among women leaders, Kavita Patidar and Sangeeta Yadav have been appointed as national secretaries.

Former Union minister D Purandeshwari and ex-NCW chief Rekha Verma will be vice-presidents. Roop Kumari Choudhary has been appointed president of the BJP's Mahila Morcha, while Priti Gandhi has been made a social media co-convenor.

ends 

Hindu nationalists have long admired Israel :::: Should India Israel ties be taken to newer heights ???

India may easily continue to stay engaged with Israel - more so under Narendra Modi.

However, New Delhi will have to maintain and rather restore a right balance to its approach to west Asia too.

India and Israel should take their ties to newer heights, a goal both nations advanced by upgrading their relationship to a "Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation, and Prosperity" during ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Israel in February 2026. 

Expanding this alliance offers substantial mutual advantages, though it requires careful diplomatic balance.  

Beyond Personal rapport : Modi-Netanyahu bond 

Well, India’s tilt toward Israel encompasses growing trade and defense cooperation, ideological and leadership affinities, and a focus on counter-terrorism cooperation. 

But India is aware of potential diplomatic costs and Modi has spoken to various Arab Gulf leaders to coordinate positions. 

The war on Gaza doesn’t appear to have significantly shifted views. A Pew Research survey published in June found that more Indians view Israel favourably (32%) than unfavourably (28%). 

Hindu nationalists have long admired Israel, viewing it as a model of a nationalist state that can assert itself in a volatile neighbourhood. 

Hindus probably who saw Israel as an example of how to deal with Muslims “in the only language they understood: that of force and more force”.  

Narendra Modi, for his part, has cultivated a personal rapport with Netanyahu. 

In 2017, he became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel, and Modi’s visit to Israel in 2026 came just 48 hours before Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran. 

The optics of Modi hugging Netanyahu on the tarmac, coupled with New Delhi’s noticeably muted response at the outbreak of war, were a clear sign of where India’s political establishment stands. 

"It has not gone unnoticed. In July, after the US vice-president, JD Vance, rebuked Netanyahu by calling the US Israel’s “only powerful ally” left in the world, Netanyahu shot back: 

“We have some other friends, like a small country called India. It has 1.4bn people, and boy, do we have tremendous support there.” (The Guardian) 

"Still, India has reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian cause in recent years. Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister in 2018 to visit Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. India has also increased its donations to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. 

These various gestures were meant to remind both internal and external audiences of India’s complicated stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." (argues Time magazine)  

India has a tight rope to walk.  

Thus, India has voted in favor of a U.N. General Assembly resolution that condemned Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. 

The challenge for India ahead is maintaining the strategic defense and commercial ties with Israel while navigating its role as a Global South leader. 

On to another plane, the government of India has previously declined to give a direct answer about weapons supplies to Israel. 

When asked in parliament in 2024, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said that information is not in public domain and that exports of military products are guided by “national interest”.

Amnesty identified three state-owned Indian companies – Munitions India Limited, India Optel Limited and Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited – supplying Israel with weapons, which it said, could expose India to the hazard of “complicity in ongoing genocide in Gaza”. 

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded that India’s exports are governed by national laws and international obligations.

India has also enhanced its own arms supplies from Israel. Between 2021 and 2025, New Delhi was Israel’s largest defence customer, accounting for 29% of total arms sales, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 

It's a common knowledge that basically, BJP is different from Congress. The previous regimes in Delhi were more sympathetic towards Palestine. 

The ideological alignment between the two right-wing leaders - Modi and Netanyahu - has certainly been more apparent than with previous governments. 

Even under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP leaders have long regarded Israel as a model religious-nationalist state to potentially build on. 

ends 

"History has shown that evil carries its own seeds of destruction" :::: If Babri Masjid demolition was one such episode, Partition, Delhi anti-Sikh carnage in 1984 and Gujarat violence of 2002 were no exception

Reasons must fight unreason. That is a basic way of looking at and judging matters. Often, things do not work in India. Mobs or  political considerations take over. There is an ugly and unedifying spectacle of governance without any determination to enforce the rule of law.

Most communal clashes or catastrophic episodes, like the destruction of a masjid in 1992, may fall under this category. 

History has shown that evil carries its own seeds of destruction. 

If the Babri Masjid demolition was one such episode, we can easily say that many years before Partition was another instance.

The Delhi anti-Sikh carnage in 1984 and the Gujarat violence of 2002 were also no exception. There were also episodes like the killing of Ananda Margis in West Bengal.Islam

We may often ask ourselves: Are the factors responsible for Partition ‘over’ today, circa 2026, or are they still around?  The fact of the matter is that there were no reasons for Partition. 

The ‘reasons’ were found and then highlighted because a decision had already been taken by the colonial masters to divide India. Mountbatten was deputed with a fixed task.

Take an objective view and we know Jinnah had his reasons. 

Nehru was in a hurry. By 1940, a sort of new generation in freedom struggle  politics was emerging.

As they say — Naya Rajniti and Naya Neta (new political ideals and new leadership) would be emerging soon. For their part, the Britishers also came under pressure.  The colonial masters would have found it difficult to survive in India with as much power as they had two years earlier. Indian leaders were also getting tired of wars.

As the Bengali poetic line rightly goes: “Bidrohi, Rano Klanto.” So, somehow, some formula had to be worked out. Partition was considered that acceptable formula.

In 2026, as also in 1947, for common people, the main issues were jobs, electricity and water. They did not have much concern about fighting and killing their neighbours. Similarly, in 2026, if Hindu-Muslim unity is ensured foolproof, what will politicians do? 

What will journalists, experts and social workers do — those who still want to thrive out of the business of secularism?

From Partition and communal violence to changing social dynamics, the real challenge is preparing a Gen Z generation that cares for India, its unity and its old values.

In a broad sense, we may say: If all problems are solved and there is Hindu-Muslim unity, then what will netas do?

Talking of Gen Z, we must prepare the Gen Z of 2047 — a generation that will care for the country and its old values.  India’s Partition, old Indian values and the fast-changing social dynamics are good ways to look at things.  

Now, coming to the core issues. Look at the economic condition of Pakistan.

In Bangladesh, the two-nation theory failed. But in 2024, they decided there should be a mass uprising. Whether it was instigated and sponsored did not make any difference. 

They wanted to get rid of a woman Prime Minister in office. One interim arrangement has been replaced by another ‘elected government’.

But in August 2026, the nation faces a prolonged power crisis and needs India’s help. At the same time, the Prime Minister in office, Tarique Rahman, is apparently reluctant to visit India. It is also debated that a large section of Bangladeshis wants a good relationship with a nation in crisis called Pakistan.

The 1971 uprising was against Pakistan, and that too looks like a forgotten chapter. All these debates may keep happening. But is it realised that, in effect, Partition has harmed the long-term and larger interests of Muslims?

There is another category of Muslims — those who went away and formed Pakistan are not being punished or suspected by Hindus and Sikhs.

Those who have to face the brunt of the anguish are the Muslims who decided to stay back in India.

“Muslims should not be treated as different people … consider them your own,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi told BJP workers at a national executive meeting in Kerala in 2016. Five years down the line, in 2021, he announced on the eve of India’s Independence Day that Aug 14 would be observed as the “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day”.

This was to pay respect to the sacrifices of millions who were displaced or lost their lives during the Partition of the subcontinent after the British left in 1947. 

“Since 2014 when Modi came to power, I am yet to come across any initiative that unites the citizens. This announcement of the prime minister will only further create distance and the unwanted gap between Hindus and Muslims,” Delhi-based Christian leader A.C. Michael had told me in 2021, as reported by UCA  News.

Many Hindus still harbour a serious grouse against Muslims over the division of India. Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its sister organisations championing Hindu identity question the patriotism of Muslims.

But is that all? India is now eyeing the status of a ‘developed nation’ — Viksit Bharat. The stakeholders overseas will not be too happy with such ambitions. Talking of Gen Z, we must prepare the youngsters —

the Gen Z of 2047 — who will care for the country and its old values.  

What will the Muslim Gen Z of 2047 be like? Will they still think like Muslim youths of 1947 or 2026? What if leaders like Modi or Yogi become heroes of Muslim youths of 2047 but are despised by Hindu youths?

What kind of politics may we have in 2047? 

Will the Leader of the Opposition still avoid parliamentary debate time and focus on staging a skit to mock a woman Prime Minister of Italy? What will champions of Hindutva do?

Will India still need caste leaders or cockroach or spider forces? Or will Bharat/India go the Lebanon or Yugoslavia way — multiplied a thousand times?

(courtesy - The Raisina Hills) 

ends 

Where from Nitin Nabin 'discover' organisational talent in Biplap Deb is a mystery :::: No mega surprise in Team Nabin ::: Stale headlines everywhere about Ram Madhav's return .. but only as a vice President ::: Even as general secretaries - two old names Biplab Kumar Deb and Smriti Irani

The BJP rejig is hardly a message for rebuilding the party for next 10 years of so.

The Big Picture message is Amit Shah will keep running the show and Nitin Nabin may continue to be a lacklustre and rubber stamp party president. 

State headlines tell the tale - Smriti Irani, Ram Madhav make a comeback in Nitin Nabin's Team 2026  

A notable omission from Nabin’s new team is Amit Malviya, BJP IT-handler and in-charge in social media operations. 

He has been replaced by Deepak Mhaskey as national social media convenor, with Priti Gandhi, Shivanand Dwivedi, Alok Bhatt and Arun Yadav appointed co-convenors.

Arun Singh is a big name dropped.

The market spin could be - the new BJP team blends the old and the new and features women in key roles as the party prepares for elections in five states in the coming months.  Union Minister Piyush Goyal made new Treasurer. It is such a role - away from active politics - of bookkeeping; that he may not have to resign as Union Commerce Minister. 

Goyal is still in the thick of trade talks with the US; and he may continue that assignment.  

Biplab Kumar Deb, who was shunted out of  Tripura for administrative and political liabilities in 2022 as the Chief Minister, has been made a general secretary. Where from Nitin Nabin 'discover' the organisational talent in Biplap is a mystery. 

Smriti Irani is the new general secretary and that's like a consolation prize. She is a glib talker and had successfully unseated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2019; but BJP general secretaries need much more than that.

National vice presidents

Vasundhara Raje Scindia — Rajasthan

Tirath Singh Rawat — Uttarakhand

Ram Madhav — Delhi

Baijayant Jay Panda — Odisha

D Purandeswari — Andhra Pradesh

Rekha Verma — Uttar Pradesh

Varshaben Narendrabhai Doshi — Gujarat

Bharti Pravin Pawar — Maharashtra

Manpreet Singh Badal — Punjab

Lal Singh Arya — Madhya Pradesh

M Nagaraja — Karnataka

Tariq Mansoor — Uttar Pradesh

Madhuchandra Kar — West Bengal

In BJP's scheme of things, Vice Presidents do not matter much in organisational matters. 

Hence, Ram Madhav's return as a national vice president would not be like the previous term as general secretary - when he practically ran the show in the north east and also largely in Jammu and Kashmir for few months during coalition period with the PDF. 

Subsequently, his wings were clipped in Kashmir matters and his full-steam power had helped return of Neiphiu Rio as the Nagaland chief minister. 

How much BJP has grown in Nagaland since then is a question better not asked !! 

The BJP office bearers have lost all powers and political dynamism to question the chief minister and his repeated faulty statements and policies. 

Latest one is around Rio's Independence Day claim that a panel has been formed by Centre on Naga talks. 

The mystery is nobody has heard of the panel and Rio may have to announce the composition of the same. 

How much Ram Madhav's return will help Rio as 2028 polls in the state are not far away is again a question best left in the womb of time.    

Blogger 

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Baijayant Jay Panda, Rekha Verma and Tariq Mansoor have retained their positions as national vice presidents. 

Vinod Tawde and Sunil Bansal will continue as national general secretaries.

B L Santhosh remains national general secretary (organisation) and he official link between the party and the RSS.

Kerala-based leader Anil Antony has been retained as national secretary. 

Anil Baluni will continue in a key national media role.   

A few prominent leaders from the previous team have also failed to find a place in the BJP’s new national line-up. 

They include Dushyant Gautam, 

Radha Mohan Das Agrawal, Sanjay Mayukh, 

Saroj Pandey, Tejasvi Surya, Laxmikant Bajpai.  

National secretaries

Kavita Patidar — Madhya Pradesh

K Surendran — Kerala

Bhola Singh — Uttar Pradesh

Pradip Varma — Jharkhand

Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel — Gujarat

Sandeep Pathak — Delhi

Phangnon Konyak — Nagaland

Phangon 

Sangeeta Yadav — Uttar Pradesh

Anil Antony — Kerala

M Venkateshan — Tamil Nadu

Manoj Tigga — West Bengal

Siddharth Shambhu — Bihar

Swadesh Singh — Delhi

Mriganka Deo Barman — Assam

Rohan Gupta — Gujarat

Jai Prakash — Delhi

Morcha Presidents

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha: Hemang Joshi — Gujarat

BJP Mahila Morcha: Roop Kumari Choudhary — Chhattisgarh

BJP OBC Morcha: Amarpal Maurya — Uttar Pradesh

BJP Kisan Morcha: Bansilal Gurjar — Madhya Pradesh

BJP SC Morcha: Shivesh Kumar Ram — Bihar

BJP ST Morcha: Mannalal Rawat — Rajasthan

BJP Minority Morcha: Kunwar Basit Ali — Uttar Pradesh

ends 

Defining the phrase 'Dimagi Naxals' .... and widening scope ... certainly means "warning" to anti-India forces in North East India

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has made it clear -- 

PM Narendra Modi's reference to the phrase 'Dimagi Naxals' (Mentally Naxals) was not meant for opposition parties and leaders. It could be about individuals; but essentially it is for the 'mindset' -- something which is anti-India.

 

Rijiju says: 

"Only following are 'Dimagi Naxals': 

Who support Maoists and reject Indian Constitution, 

... those who stand with separatists and support Article 370 and those who want to cut chicken neck to separate North-East from India. 

It is important to put things in context. In the north east; this anti-India mindset persists in a big way. Of course, we may have similar cases in other states too. 

But when intellectuals and educated lot harbour 'anti-India' mindset and do spread them in vulnerable regions like northeast and Jammu and Kashmir; things turn out very serious. 

One example -- while we know roads are symbols of progress; in northeast the propaganda often spread rather liberally is that the 'roads' were and are being constructed to ensure smooth movement of army and other security forces.  Therefore, it is time people with such mindset are discouraged. 

I have attended many seminars and students' conferences etc where intellectuals come and talk on parochial and anti-national lines. And they do it so openly. That is the surprising part. 

In the process, separatism and so-called 'independence movements' and other anti-India games were encouraged. 

The bigger game was to keep a sections of Indians against India. So in north east, if one sibling is a cop, another could be a professor but the third one could be a 'separatist'.  

"I am proud to be a dimagi naxal!" Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram wrote trying to take a swipe at the Prime Minister's Independence Day speech. Modi actually alluded the phrase to an earlier used phrase 'urban Naxals'.  

Addressing a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said:

"To P. Chidambaram, who calls himself a 'proud dimagi naxal', I want to show him: this was your tenure, when not a single one among all those Naxal terrorists were killed by the Congress party."  

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Home Minister Amit Shah ji, all top Naxal commanders have been completely eliminated and the poor tribals, who were tormented by them, were saved. The nation put an end to the Naxal menace," he asserted.  

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain echoed similar view, saying "The Congress leaders' behaviour is turning out to be worse than the Naxals. The latter could be eradicated from the jungles but P Chidambaram is calling himself 'dimagi Naxal'...conspiring against the country and creating misunderstandings about the nation, Congress leaders leave no stone unturned to insult the country."  

The Govt of India’s integrated counter-Left Wing Extremism (LWE) strategy combined security operations with infrastructure development to clear remote regions of Maoist influence, subsequently establishing local schools, healthcare facilities, and banking services in once-isolated tribal areas. 

Official data shows -  as many as ..

597 fortified police stations were constructed, compared to just 66 before 2014. 

Police stations reporting Naxal incidents dropped from 333 to 16. 

Additionally, over the past seven years, 408 new CAPF security camps were established to tighten the security grid, improve area domination, and sustain continuous operations in remote forest zones. 

68 night-landing helipads were built for rapid deployment in remote areas, enabling troop movement, casualty evacuation, and surveillance.  

Security forces received 400 bullet-proof and blast-proof vehicles, and five hospitals were constructed for their welfare and medical support.

Notably, in 2009, the Manmohan Singh Govt called it "India's greatest national threat'. The condition was such that the Congress leaders would be proud over the fact that they could identify the problem.  

In 2014 -  there were 126 Naxal affected districts. By 2025 - it was 8 and in March 2026 - it was zero.  The job is certainly not over.  

The Govt has done a lot since 2014-15.  

At least 1804 Bank branches and 1300 ATMs were opened in these areas. 

Over 6000 post offices have been set up.  In total, 179 schools were set up and also around 50 skill centres and 15,189 KM of roads have been constucted too.  

ends  

In 2014 and before that Modi spoke about "Neo-Middleclass" .... then came Aspirational India and in 2026 ... he urged corporate India to increase the global footprint

As usual, he played it smart. Some key messages were subtle. 

But Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech - his consecutive 13th - set out a larger goal for Indian companies.  

"Why shouldn’t 50 of those Fortune 500 companies be from India in the coming decade?,"  he said. This is more than a rhetoric. It is unleashing of a new ambition and new target. 

The state of world is in flux. War and conflicts seem are the order of the day and amid these situations and challenges - Economy is going to he he real and big -- killing and also surviving' - factor. In times to come; these words from the Prime Minister would be cherished. 

Normally, Independence Day speech of an incumbent Prime Minister are used to primarily project the developmental projects and to celebrate the present. 

Under pressure due to fli-flop at Jantar Mantar and a setback to his image; Modi deliberately moved away in his 75 minute speech from what has been achieved.

He focused on what must achieve in future. For him, the future is never the coming decade or so. Hence, he spoke about 2047 - that is a future Bharat after as many as 21 years. A four-year-old today would turn 25 in 2047 and a 20-year-old GenZ will be 41 by then.  But the Prime Minister is firm about one thing -- nation first. India and Bharat will persist but it has to be aware of the changing dynamics. Did readers miss a point that he skipped naming countries like Pakistan and did not even mention 'our western neighbour' or Padosi.  

He has kept his eyes on the ball. Modi knows the art of the games being played at the local level by protagonists such as Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.  Of course, by not reacting to Pakistan president and others - he has in effect snubbed both Rawalpindi and Islamabad. 

He has able to show Pakistan its place. His veiled missive was - my four-day programme vis-a-vis Operation Sindoor has kept you where you are and your landslide journey will continue further. 

Modi has bigger things in mind. One of them is growth of Indian companies; and the other one is enhanced Defence production and to emerge as a global supplier. Here comes the diplomacy; Team Modi is pursuing and which cannot be understood by immature (college student mindset) of Rahul Gandhi.  

 

India is now world's fourth largest economy - with or without Rahul's approval or this is much beyond the understanding of Sandeep Dikshit. 

 

Under Narendra Modi, India’s ties with Israel have taken on a different character.

Certainly, it is a political and diplomatic shift. Palestine is not bothering Modi at all. Hence, he has taken the ties with Isreal at the strategic and and defence level.  New Delhi had primarily been a major customer of Israeli weapons. But, through joint ventures and manufacturing partnerships, it is now a “significant contributor” to Israel’s weapons production.

There is an evolution of India’s role. India was now a key part of Israel’s weapons supply chain.  

 

Indian companies, including state-owned enterprises, have delivered drone warheads, artillery shell casings, small arms parts and military vehicle components to Israeli military suppliers. 

There is also perhaps a support for Israel by Modi’s voter base.  

Do people fear any ideological confluence between Hindutva and Zionism ?

About 12 years back; that in 2014 or before that Modi spoke about “neo-middle class”. This has been an aspiring category.

Blogger 

How do we look at the nei-Middleclass ?

This group around 2014 was certainly imbued with forms of intense Hindu religiosity.

Everywhere in India, plebeians who experience some upward social mobility, especially when they come from “a low-caste background, adhere more strongly to the ritualistic forms of Hindu practice” (Middle-Class Moralities: Everyday Struggle over Belonging and Prestige in India, M. Saavala, 2010).

Saavala attributesd this attitude to a new form of Sanskritisation. 

In Gujarat, it had developed at the expense of caste-oriented identities.

Bigger question asked was -- Can caste identities be submerged in a new sense of belonging to a “neo-middle class” among the urban OBCs ?

Can they be identified with Modi-the-former-chaiwala, who promises jobs?  (2014 context)

And whether Hindu majoritarianism prevailed more, perhaps further eroding caste divisions? 

ends 

Journalism often gives "unsavoury taste of the future" :::: 'Idiot Box' kicked up 'idiots' among intellectuals - the glib talkers - those who spoke 'anglicised Hindi' :::: But Amitab Bachchan's KBC was something extra ordinary

'Kaun Banege Crorepati - KBC was the first non-fiction show to make it to the 9 pm slot. 

Prior to that  - we had 'soap opera'. Even prior to that a few Doordarshan serials were pretty good. 

'Buniyad' was among my favourites. It dealt with the theme of partition. 'Udaan' was another winner. This was about the story of a success preceded by principled fight and hardwork of a cop - Kalyani. No, thankfully it was not based on the life and times of Kiran Bedi.  

When KBC came Amitabh's career was on the slide. 

Siddharth Basu, India's original Quiz Master - was the man behind the questions in KBC too. As the show went successfully for first few months - one evening we met Siddhart Basu in Delhi's famous mutual admiration club - IIC. 

As an Amitabh fan - I quickly asked him during cocktails - "How did you feel being second Prakash Mehra, reviving Big B's career"? He smiled - I remember most of girl friends in Shillong and Kohima fell for that one.  

Around the same time - Basu told 'India Today' : -  "It is not just another quiz game. It's really about human drama. About hope and disappointment". The sentence appeared well rehearsed by PR guys. 

Nevertheless, "lock kar doon" or "Computer ji Lock Kar dia jae" - were the new phrases popularised by Amitabh. The power of it was intoxicating and perhaps as 'influential' - as he had told his father (Dilip Kumar) in "Shakti" -- 

"Aap ka ye baat bhi mein yaad rakhonga". 

That too was Gen Z factors of that era. 

KBC in Star TV had given run for money competitions to Zee's popular serials - 'Amanat', 'Koshish' and 'Mehndi Tere Naam Ki'.

Sony had —'Heena'—and Star none.

Kavita Chaudhary played cop Kalyani in DD-serial 'Udaan'

She was also famous as "Lalitaji" for an ad.  Kavita Chaudhary became a household name across India in the late 1980s by playing "Lalitaji," the iconic, no-nonsense housewife in Hindustan Unilever's commercials for Surf detergent.

**

Unlike Zee and Sony, viewers believed 'Star TV' has been seen as an upmarket channel catering only to the English-speaking elite. In media circles around that time - ex IAS officer's daughters and sons - also became TV journalists and anchors. NDTV and Star TV News - belonged to well connected jugadu children. 

There were Deepraj Dutts and Rain Desais.  

Around the time, Sumantra Datta, who handled advertising and sales in Star TV said - 

"The channel realised that it needed a unique differentiator. A killer programme with killer content."  

KBC based on UK-based Celedor -run 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' became instant hit across as many as 26 countries. 

Zee TV was frustrated, and it tried 'Jackpot Jeeto' with Anupam Kher and Manisha Koirala. It failed. 

Before the show was on screen - Anupam Kher played 'Amitabh' of real life. "I will go to Amitabh and take his blessings just as Amit ji had gone to Hemvati Bahuguna before contesting and winning Allahabad election". 

Many years later, other ambitious stars in Bollywood also tried their luck with KBC. It failed again.  

Back to 2000 - when 'India Today' reported : 

"Call it experiment, call it strategy. The fact is that business is all about bottom lines. 

To recover the money spent, Star is targeting to sell a maximum of 10 minutes advertising time in every hour-long episode. It expects to recover Rs 15 lakh a minute which adds up to Rs 1.5 crore an episode and a grand total of Rs 195 crore for the 130 episodes. 

Considering that the entire expenditure on KBC is Rs 75 crore, that makes Star TV the real crorepati with a profit of Rs 120 crore." 

In circa 2000, I was deputed by the Press Trust of India (PTI) for a month-long Defence Correspondents' Course (DCC- 2000). Nearly 40 of us went around Indore, Mhow, Jodhpur, Srinagar and Mumbai for interaction and to get on-field experience of functioning of Army, Air Force and Naval officers. 

Virtually in every camp and every mess during dinner - KBC would be on the large screen and military officials and all others would be discussing the quiz programme.