Can't ignore India: Chidambaram

The curtains may have come down on the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, but India’s message to high-profile business leaders at the meet is still reverberating loud and clear—you simply cannot ignore Asia’s third largest economy. "The message we are sending is that India is a fast growing economy, which presents enormous opportunities to countries as well as business community. To foreign investors, the message is you can’t afford not to invest in India,” Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who led the Indian delegation to the WEF, said. “You can’t afford not to engage India, you can’t afford not to have a trade agreement or work with India in a multi-lateral for a... India is on the move and you can’t ignore us,” he said.

Boy meets world

While children his age go ga-ga over Harry Potter films, 10-year-old Kishan S.S prefers to call the shots from behind the camera. The Bangalore boy, who has acted in several regional language films himself, is making his directorial debut with a feature film on street children, a feat that would make him one of the youngest professional film-makers in the world. “I was out on a drive with my father one day when I saw these street children,” he says. Kishan suggested making a film on the children, and his family supported the idea. “C/O Footpath” tells the story of a street urchin who gets to go to school and makes it big, his example meant to be an inspiration for millions of street children, says Kishan.

Dell to hire big

Global computer major Dell is set to announce a major investment in India when its CEO Kevin Rollins visits the country this week. Mr Rollins would announce the new investment during his two-day visit to India, Dell founder and chairman Michael Dell said here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. The US-based company is likely to open yet another development centre in India, though Michael Dell refused to divulge any details of what Rollins may announce and what kind of investments the company would be making. Dell has already announced that it will raise its headcount in India to 10,000 and hence Rollins could announce more jobs in the country.

Cabinet reshuffle

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has undertaken the much-awaited reshuffle of his Cabinet, bringing back Shibu Soren in coal and inducting 18 new faces including Sushil Kumar Shinde in power, Murli Deora in petroleum, Ambika Soni in tourism and culture and Saifuddin Soz in water resources ministry. With the exception of Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was stripped of the petroleum ministry, Prime Minister largely left key portfolios untouched including those of finance, defence and home. He also retained the external affairs ministry with himself, indicating a minor reshuffle to fill it only after the Budget. As many as 10 Cabinet ministers were sworn in on Sunday by President APJ Abdul Kalam at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, which also included Vyalar Ravi and AR Antulay.