Counting 1.2 billion Indians is a herculean task.

We, the people

Business Standard

A12.29-carat Golconda diamond. 34 best pink diamonds from the Argyle mines of Australia. Bought in Germany. Re-cut in New York. The necklace designed and manufactured between Hong Kong, New York and Surat.

The Forever Stones

At last count, 11 people had been arrested for cremating Yashwant Sonawane alive in Malegaon. Some years ago, eight people were judged guilty of shooting S Manjunath in Gola Gokarnath. The motive was the same. Sonawane and Manjunath were interfering with the oil adulteration mafia.

Devangshu Datta: The killing stench of fuel

Bhimsen Joshi was not just a musical genius. Pravda Godbole speaks to music lovers and disciples to find that he could be very stubborn or as gentle as a child.

That voice no more

On her sixty-second birthday as a modern woman, the salt-and pepper, gracefully draped sari and elegant pearls that we were hoping for is lost in a dishevelled visage. She&rsquo;s also turned cruel with age. She has abandoned ahimsa and doesn&rsquo;t hesitate to get rid of people who inconvenience her, sometimes setting them aflame publicly. She also looks askance when others skirt their duty.

Time for a makeover

Yet, it&rsquo;s largely because of Macaulay that English is the subcontinent&rsquo;s common language today. It&rsquo;s also largely because of Macaulay that the rule of law prevails in India and Pakistanis and Bangladeshis find it necessary to be apologetic when their governance deviates from it. True, the Whig historian, poet and politician was a member of the Supreme Council of India for only four years (1834-38) of his 59, but, for better or worse, those four years laid the foundations of modern India.

More than a minute

We&rsquo;re gonna need a bigger boat.&rdquo; William Dalrymple might well have quoted this famous dialogue from Jaws to his able team of organisers at the end of Jaipur Literature Festival 2011. Diggi Palace, the venue, was clearly bursting at the seams. At several sessions the allotted space could not accommodate the scores of people lining up to attend.

Literary ark

Busy Radhakrishna Salai was once the address for a large number of eminent Chennaiites.

Home stretch

Raheja-owned Hypercity plans its growth on the back of quality merchandise rather than cheaper price points.

The premium play

With PVR productions like Aisha and Lamha failing at the box office, and acquired films like Ashutosh Gowarikar&rsquo;s Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se garnering dismal collections, the company has decided to park its money in co-productions this year.

PVR Films goes after co-productions

Operators play a wait-and-watch game, as users take well-informed decisions while moving between networks.

They are watching you: MNP prompts turf war

If films like Avatar are persuading you to buy a 3D TV set, terms like active-shutter and polarised glasses may be confusing you. Here&rsquo;s an attempt to clear the air on the subject. The consumer electronics industry is ecstatic about 3D this year. Or so it seems with players like Panasonic, Sony, LG, Toshiba and Samsung announcing the introduction of 3D on just about every visually-related product they make, including point-and-shoot cameras, camcorders, laptops and screens.

Experience the third dimension

Instead of catering to a wider market, luxury labels like Dior, Versace, D&amp;G, Armani and Vertu are happy targetting a handful of high-end customers. Of course, if you are part of the target group for these &uuml;ber-luxe handsets, then their price tags may not be of any importance. Neither probably are the specifications. It&rsquo;s all about being seen with the right toys.

All that glitters now rings

A year after calling off its alliance with Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Renault is preparing for an all-out assault on the Indian car market.

Late mover advantage

Steeped with tradition and one of international cricket&rsquo;s most cherished trophy, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is upon us. To be hosted this time by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the Cup faces the unique challenge of garnering viewer interest, with a host of cricket tournaments and leagues clamouring for viewer attention. As analysts warn of a possible &ldquo;cricket overkill&rdquo; in India, the event organiser, the International Cricket Council (ICC), has upped the ante to promote this once-in-four-years event.

The cup that will cheer

The next phase of growth for organised retail is expected to be more gradual.

Back to basics

Pepsi, the official global sponsor of the ICC Cricket World Cup, has unveiled its event campaign, titled &lsquo;Change the Game&rsquo;. It comprises five television commercials (TVCs), of which two are already on air. The campaign also includes outdoor advertising, consumer-engagement programmes, special-edition packaging, in-stadia amplification and digital-engagement programmes.

The official game changer

India&rsquo;s education system has undergone significant capacity expansion over the last decade. Most of it has been in the higher education and K12 space. The action on vocational training, which is a critical industry demand, is a recent development.

KIT: Vocational training in India

    Its first product is branded as Adam and it runs on Eden. It is coming up with an app store called Genesis. Name the product and company.

The Strategist Quiz (#186)

    Microsoft Corporation. It replaces its old tagline &lsquo;Your potential our passion&rsquo;.

Answers to last week&#39s quiz (#185)

It&rsquo;s back to school for several coaching institutes of the country. Many prep schools known to coach students for admission to business schools and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are now making a place for themselves in the business of mainstream education.

Prep schools test new waters

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