US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor | Photo Credit: Salman AliJust visitingUS Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and Deputy Secretary Michael Rigas’ week-long visit to India has spurred a lot of interest amidst policy watchers, given the recent stress in ties between the two nations.Some are expressing hopes that the visit may demonstrate US’ renewed goodwill towards India and its interest in resolving the tariff tangle. But why is Gor still not officially taking charge in India and settling down in the country to have more time to sort out affairs? Is that another issue to be settled between the two countries? One certainly hopes not.Surprise guestThe Navi Mumbai airport was inaugurated last week with fanfare and the guest list included ministers’, politicians, bankers, airline chiefs and friends and family members of Adani group which is executing the project. But one VVIP guest caught everyone’s attention — GV Krishna Reddy.The 88-year-old Reddy, who was accompanied by his wife and son Sanjay, was the one developing the airport before being taken over by Adani group in 2021.In fact, the original concession agreement of the airport was signed by the Reddys in 2018. The selection of architect Zaha Hadid and finalisation of lotus-themed terminal design too happened under their watch.Rice rowThe Centre has recently set up the Non-Basmati Rice Development Fund (NBRDF). Nomination of members to the fund has raised eyebrows among the rice trade. One, the Centre seems to have given importance to the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) over other organisations such as the All-India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) and The Rice Exporters Association of India (TREA).The nominations of TREA representatives from Chhattisgarh and Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) are seen as a move that could create problems within the organisation.A little bird says the NBRDF nominations seem to indicate that the Centre is treating AIREA, the oldest association in the trade, as an organisation for basmati exports.Network issuesPoor network and mobile connectivity played spoilsport at the Global Startup Summit held in Coimbatore.It was a bizarre sight, seeing international delegates, industry leaders, ministers and even the organisers trying to call/text each other to no avail.Cries of repeated ‘hellos’ and folks hoisting the phone in every orientation dominated the otherwise picturesque landscape. A colleague, who had scheduled an interview with a spokesperson he had never seen before, even had to ask each delegate individually if they were that person.Dark, dystopian worldOn his 41st birthday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov said he had little reason to celebrate. Instead, he issued a stark warning about a rapidly approaching “dark, dystopian world”.“Our generation risks being remembered as the last to possess freedoms — and the one that let them slip away,” he wrote in a post on X.Nepotism or something else?If you thought dynasties were a political phenomenon, think again. A tech billionaire’s PR team is on an overdrive to spotlight his daughter as a public health intellectual. As is now mandatory, the daughter of course has credentials from some well known institutions abroad.She was recently featured at a seminar organised by a group owned by another IT honcho. Expect soon some soft glowing profiles from chosen outlets and in a few years will be firmly established as a ‘voice’ on all things related to health.Media centre or help desk?The “open”, makeshift media centre set up for the Global Fintech Festival (GFF) at the P1 (parking) level at Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) turned into a “May I Help You” desk for participants entering the three-day GFF from Gate number 22.Since there was no sign board to identify the area as a “media centre”, GFF participants cannot be blamed for mistaking it is as a help desk.Published on October 12, 2025