Geeta Padmanabhan considers Sudha Murthy and Shabana Azmi for president.
“I would vote for Shabana Azmi,” said my husband surprising me totally. “It’s time Bollywood was represented by someone at the highest level. Movies are our biggest export. Bollywood movies gross millions of dollars. In fact, Bollywood movies are now made exclusively for the starving-for-home diaspora across the world. Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham is a good example. Half the world hums our film songs, starting with “Mera jhootha hai Japani”. The other half is of course watching the films. Bollywood dance is a rage in the west. Film star for Prez! A great idea!”
Though I do not think Sudha Murthy is worthy of being the president of India, it set me thinking of Indian women whom I would support for the post. Here is my list of women, other than Shabana, whom I would support -
1. Urvashi Butalia
2. Medha Patkar
3. Arundhati Roy
4. Irom Sharmila
I would perhaps add Revathy (yesteryear tamil film actress) and Meera Nair to that list. Who would you support?
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I would support Irom Sharmila any time.
Much as I admire Medha Patkar, I would not want her as President. Sudha Murty, going by the two books of hers that I have read, I consider a self-important fool.
@anirudh: you read two books of hers? wow! I could not get through one.
Haha! I’ve read one of them twice. Sometimes I have this impulse to read books that are self-important and that I know I’m going to dislike so that I can laugh at them.
I would not want another non-political person become president and come up with ideas like two party system or keep blabbering about an India 2020. Someone who has a better understanding of politics would be a better choice. Capt Laxmi last time was a very good choice (I was surprised to see the left come up with a woman candidate. They never attempted giving better share to women in their parties. BJP was much better!)
This time I would go for Sheila Dixit.
@sudeep: yes, he does sound like a self-help guru, doesn’t he?
Does it really matter if we have a woman president or not? Nominating some one to the president of India has become a fad for political parties just to garner support from a segment the massess. Hope President Kalam does not write in his [auto]biography that his time would have been well spent as a scientist rather than being president. Even though, President of India is the commander in chief and can impose emergencies etc, its just ceremonial. I did not mean to digress, but thowing names like Amitabh, Shabana, Kapil Dev (who is next?) does not make any sense.