COVER STORY
Hotel Staffers
It is the same story at both hotels. "The guest is first, the company second; we stand the last."
Outlook Magazine - 15 December 2008
The Railway Announcer
Vishnu Dattaram Zende. This genial 37-year-old shattered every stereotype that exists about the kind of person who lives the life he does.
Firemen
'...when I saw the fireman with the black eyes and the big moustache telling me to come in, I just knew he wouldn't drop me...'
The Commando
Sunil, a 26-year-old National Security Guard (NSG) commando, did not mention bullet injuries when he called up his parents...
Policemen
The sober 15-year careers of assistant inspectors Hemant Bawdhankar and Sanjay Govilkar attracted neither the glamour, nor the notoriety that go with that label
Doctors
There were some who worked almost non-stop for 60 hours. But physical exhaustion was not the worst part.
At The Edges Of Restraint
In the race and rush for getting it all, TV may unwittingly have compromised on getting it right
The Railway Announcer
Vishnu Dattaram Zende. This genial 37-year-old shattered every stereotype that exists about the kind of person who lives the life he does.
Firemen
'...when I saw the fireman with the black eyes and the big moustache telling me to come in, I just knew he wouldn't drop me...'
The Commando
Sunil, a 26-year-old National Security Guard (NSG) commando, did not mention bullet injuries when he called up his parents...
Policemen
The sober 15-year careers of assistant inspectors Hemant Bawdhankar and Sanjay Govilkar attracted neither the glamour, nor the notoriety that go with that label
Doctors
There were some who worked almost non-stop for 60 hours. But physical exhaustion was not the worst part.
The Scene Steelers
Doctors, Policemen, Commandos, Firemen, Railway Announcers, Hotel Staffers
Conveyor Belt Hacks
The Indian media's ask-no-questions reporting does not bode well
At The Edges Of Restraint
In the race and rush for getting it all, TV may unwittingly have compromised on getting it right
Last Rights
By avoiding the usual signifiers of grief, Kavita Karkare let her will win
OTHER OUTLOOK MAGAZINE STORIES
Tears And Sackcloth
The Jewish sense of security in a home called India has been shattered forever
Lessons 9/11 Taught Us
Like NY, Mumbai must learn to accept the shadow of security
'The Best Way To Fight Terrorism Is To Not Be Scared'
The New York mayor in 2001 is widely credited for helping the city heal in the post-9/11 period. On lessons Mumbai and India can learn from NYC
Only The Dark Skyline Joined Our Ghettos Together
New York is another city. Can Mumbai, hostage to a murky substrata of underworld and petty political interests, respond in its own way?
The Taj Spirit Is No Myth
Hotel staff, protecting guests with their lives, did an old tradition proud
I Write Fiction, But Reality?
In Berlin for a year on an academic exchange programme, the author of <i>God's Little Soldier</i> recounts how he felt seeing his city defiled
In Reverse Gear
Terror's talons have bloodied the golden geese of Indian tourism
'Every Lock Has A Key'
Undeterred, Israeli firms to go on with India expansion plans
The Ashen Horizon
In the grip of global recession, industry bears terror brunt
Acute Angles
Some urge calm, but most Pakistanis think their country is just India's usual whipping boy
Sabre And The Tooth
The war mood has been mostly rhetoric. Everyone, even the BJP, knows the costs.
"It Will Be Unfortunate Indeed If India Attacks Muridke"
Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) founder, currently Jamaat-ud-Dawa's ameer, lashes out against India for implicating his organisation in the Mumbai terror attacks.
Anvil For Scimitars
Muridke puts on aspect of innocence for the world. But jehad lurks beneath...
The 20 Most Wanted Men India Needs From Pakistan
The Lashkar chief is not the only one. In 2002, there were 42. No official list has been released ever.
Washington Steers A Consensus
American strategists think 26/11 could lead to greater Indo-US counter-terrorism cooperation
Words In The Sheath
Rather than shoot itself in the foot with war, India must marshal world opinion decisively
The Pirate Knows The Sea
D-Company is alive and well, untangling it is still an ask
Why M Sounds Better Than MK
The NSA's penchant for keeping all the eggs in his own basket has been his undoing
The Armies Of The Night
Intelligence goof-up apart, a wealth of evidence points crucially to a Pak hand
36% Would Vote For BJP If Elections Were To Be Held Tomorrow
Terrorism was the main issue and LK Advani emerged the leader considered most capable of handling it. As for Pakistan, 25% for peace, 23% for war
'I Oppose Military Action. I Backed Operation Parakram, Lost Polls'
Like Farooq Abdullah, many others had self-interest firmly backing their words
Vocal Demands
The urban middle class speaks out in anguish, seeks accountability
The Evil Portents
Who were the heroes? The policemen, the NSG commandos, the army, the firemen and the staff of the two hotels. And the villains? The politicians.
Bombay, Duck
The PLUs now know they're no longer safe. That's a beginning....
The Heavy Burden Of Identity
Voices from Mohammed Ali Road speak of ordinary lives lived in the face of sinister stereotyping
A Tragedy Less Telegenic?
Stoicism, resignation is the lot of the jostled classes even when terror strikes
Bullets For Broadway
A 60-hour battle to take back the heart of Mumbai. The NSG's finest run.
Look Before You Leap
In the prevailing rage and incomplete proof, any reprisal would stymie efforts to enlist Western support