Jaipur Literature Festival, Day 1

In conversation with author Vikram Seth at the opening session. He talked about how he writes, what his mum Leila Seth really thought about him and his siblings when they were all living at home 'doing nothing much!' and about the importance of developing hobbies (he plays the flute, writes calligraphy, solves bridge problems, paints ...). 'It's important to develop interests outside of writing,' said Seth. 'Otherwise you're no better than a cook who cooks chicken and nothing else.'

My own session, for the book AIDS Sutra, is on the final day of the festival, on January 25th. Do come by.

For further details, visit www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org.

The Best Golden Globes Ever?

Awards for Slumdog Millionaire in every one of the four categories nominated, Anil Kapoor doing his best impersonation of a happy frog, Rahman being Rahman, and Shah Rukh telling the audience he wished he could do a 'pelvic' Bollywood dance for them. (If only ...)

But Would They Have You?

In Goa's cabinet of rogues Tourism Minister Mickey Pacheco takes pride of place. Without a lick of work to his credit, Pacheco makes it to the newspapers for being booked for forgery, the size of his birthday parties and now, the accusations of his former wife who claims he's a bigamist. Pacheco's response, reprinted in today's Hindustan Times: 'I can have as many women as I want.'