Simply Mandela

Meeting Nelson Mandela was one of my first acts as high commissioner to South Africa. The Indian government wanted to donate money to the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The cheque was with me and I asked to present it to him personally. Though he saw diplomats rarely, the mention of the large-ish sum got me the appointment in double quick time. I arrived in his ante-chamber in the foundation office all agog. Sitting down, I could not help notice a photograph of a naked African girl skipping along a jungle-rimmed beach. Sheer joy was written all over her face. I was told that she symbolised Africa's joie de vivre to Mandela when he was at Robben Island prison. Robben Island is a bleak rocky outcrop off the Cape Town coast.

Egypt continues US cooperation but will diversify its options: Nabil Fahmy

Please tell us about your visit to India?

I came with three messages. Egypt is committed to being an international player. By nature, geography, history and natural resources, Egypt has to have a sophisticated foreign policy. It serves our interests to be with like-minded states that we respect- particularly those that have a commitment to a more balanced world order.

India should learn from African model on wildlife conservation

At the beginning of 20th century, there were an estimated 40,000 tigers in India, but this count has now reduced to a meagre 1,706. It is an alarming figure, but tiger conservationist Valmik Thapar hasn't given up yet. He feels the national animal can be saved by adapting innovative wildlife tourism modules practised in Africa and by revamping age-old recruitment processes.

Mandela's transformational leadership to last forever

Almost four years ago, transformational leadership Mandela-style hit close home. While conducting a leadership alignment workshop for the senior management of two fierce rivals, who were now under one umbrella as a result of an acquisition, the challenge was uniting them and aligning them to a common goal.

Gandhian Nelson Mandela: a hero who battled apartheid

South Africa's first black president Nelson Mandela, who died Thursday, was an icon for ending the much-reviled apartheid system, a colossus who strode over world politics and a staunch Gandhian.

New book on India's Africa policy

For most scholars and foreign policy specialists in Francophone Africa, India seems to be a blind spot, in the study of the relationships between Africa and the emerging powers, and almost all their attention is dedicated to China.
 

Radicalism as a challenge to Ethiopia

 A knock on the door well after midnight. Mohammed Hassan Abdalla opens the door to find that a posse of policemen have come for his elder brother, Sheikh Abdulsalam Abdalla, a preacher in the local mosque in this rural settlement of Wabe, 300 km southwest of the Ethiopian capital, of Addis Ababa.

India is a very stratified society: Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Nigerian murder case throws light on illegal immigrantion

 Diplomats, by the very definition of their job, are meant to weigh their words very carefully. The Nigerian diplomat who spoke of reprisals against Indians working in Nigeria for the crackdown on Nigerians illegally overstaying in Goa is clearly oblivious of this.

Does Goa's reaction to Nigerians smack of racism?

Popular resentment against Nigerians in Goa following a public, violent clash with police and local residents has triggered a range of reactions amongst the expat community living in Goa and other Goaphiles.