‘Wild Woodbine’, a cigarette that used to be made by W.D. & H.O. Wills, once issued a handbook with guidelines for British soldiers arriving in India. It was in...
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2025 is a new year and it’s customary to start one either with a resolution or a wish. I’ve had my fill of resolutions. I don’t seem to be able to keep them beyon...
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Of the many things I admire, near the top would be the art of the witty insult or the elegant put-down. It takes restraint, imagination and a certain clever bent of min...
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We all know Dubai and many are keen to visit (and frequently do) but Abu Dhabi, just an hour and half away and the capital of the Emirates, remains largely unknown and ...
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I received a letter the other day raising an intriguing question and I’ve decided to reply in public through this column. “I notice you have different ways of addre...
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To be honest, I’m struggling for the right word. I wouldn’t call it inexplicable because that suggests it cannot be explained. Nor would I myself call it deplorable...
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I’m often told I interrupt too much. That seems to irritate several viewers of my interviews. “Let me hear what your guest has to say before you butt in”, is the ...
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I’m not the sort of person who usually responds to the often foolish suggestions floated by those in authority over us purportedly for our good. I prefer to ignore th...
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We all know Ratan Tata the industrialist. He was in a class of his own. But what was he like as a person? What sort of childhood did he have? Were there women he loved ...
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William Dalrymple’s latest book should bring cheer to his Indian readers. It establishes what we’ve always believed is the case. But it’s best to hear it from him...
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