Incredible omission

Central ministers, including Kamal Nath, P. Chidambaram, Vayalar Ravi, and Pranab Mukherjee, as well as the chief ministers of Assam and Sikkim, Planning Commission vice-chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and two dozen captains of industry and an equal number of journalists flew to New York to be part of the Incredible India@60 festivities. Even former joint secretary (tourism) Amitabh Kant showed up, although he was supposed to be in Kerala, where he has been posted as secretary (commerce & industry). The only missing person was the one really responsible for the show — Union Culture & Tourism Minister Ambika Soni. She stayed back in Delhi to fire-fight the row over the Ram Sethu affidavit.