Vishwanath Pratap Singh may have served as prime minister of India for less than a year, but he left a significant legacy in his controversial implementation of the Mandal Commission, which led to a revolution. The commission, originally conceived in 1980, fixed a quota of public-sector jobs for lower caste members of Indian society, much to the horror of the higher castes, and acted as a catalyst for the escalation of caste-based parties jostling for power in the political arena. The group to benefit most notably from the "Mandalisation" of India were the Dalits, or Untouchables, who today work throughout public service.
Born the youngest of five sons in 1931 into a wealthy landowning family in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, VP Singh was adopted aged five by the childless Maharaja of the neighbouring state of Manda, succeeding to the throne when his adoptive father died. He studied law at Udai Pratap College, Varanasi, and physics at Fergusson College, Pune, intending to become a nuclear scientist. Politics soon proved to be a greater draw.
His moral probity and sensitivity distinguished him from his contemporaries and he became renowned for his honesty and for his tendency to resign from governmental posts when his principles were challenged.
Elected to the state assembly in 1969 and parliament in 1971, he was appointed deputy minister of commerce by Prime Minister Indira Ghandi in 1974. When she returned to power in 1980, Mr Singh was named chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a position he held until 1982. He oversaw the surrender of a large number of bandits, but tendered his resignation on failing to defeat them, although several ringleaders later publicly surrendered.
As finance minister under Rajiv Ghandi, Mr Singh directed sweeping raids on those suspected of tax evasion, many of whom were, inconveniently, financial supporters of the prime minister. As the campaign peaked, he was made defence minister. This position was similarly short-lived after Mr Singh started an inquiry into a deal to purchase German submarines and he was sacked.
In 1989, he led a coalition comprising communists and, surprisingly, their natural enemies, the Bharatiya Janata Party, called the National Front. It defeated Rajiv Ghandi in the general elections that year.
VP Singh was born June 25 1931, and died Nov 27. He is survived by his wife and their two sons.
* The National
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)
MacBook Air
$1,199
Mac Mini
$799