I have noticed that the Indian media establishment closes ranks remarkably. Vir Sanghvi, Tarun Tejpal, MJ Akbar, etc etc. Now Arnab. Western media readily call out each other's sins. Indian media, except for a few upstarts, is right out of a Madhur Bhandarkar movie.
They closed ranks around Vir Sanghvi so completely and complicitly that every time I say something about him, a bunch of folks are like "what wrong did sanghvi ever do?".
That's the level of whitewashing and willful ignorance in the Indian media about their own.
I'll still have otherwise intelligent and principled people in my mentions making excuses for that Sanghvi with "but he writes well yaar...Yes yes he lies.. But writes well...Yes..No facts but you must admit, intriguing hypothesis.. well he isn't a scientist. Writes well..."
Indian culture has a huge willful blind spot about things like collusion, plagiarism, cheating in exams, giving and taking bribes, and any kind of moral lapse. "Hota hai yaar". When I was at Penn State, a desi grad student was caught in an online pedophile sting. The reaction...
..from many on the desi mail group was, "what's the big deal? He wasn't stalking. She invited him. She wasn't even 15. But rather a 25 year old cop. Such mistakes happen. Should not destroy life over error of judgment."
Even pedophilia can be explained away.

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More from @gauravsabnis

16 Jan
Having read @Nidhi's account about the scam, here are a few details about how US academia hiring works, as are relevant to her case. And the perpetrator of the scam is most likely an academic or at least a former academic with connections.

ndtv.com/blog/how-i-fel…
US unis generally follow similar processes when it comes to hiring professors. But the processes depend on your "track". As do the norms, eligibility, timeline, etc. I for example am on a research tenure track. I was Assistant Professor for 7 years before tenure made me Associate
On that track, you need a proper PhD from an accredited university. Then a long process to get hired as an Assistant Prof. Then 6-7 years to prove your credentials, primarily in terms of research. Then less than 10% get tenure and earn the right to be Associate Profs.
Read 20 tweets
16 Jan
True story. My first visit to a grocery store in the US 15 years ago, I asked an employee where to find "capsicum". He sent me to the juice aisle. I asked another employee. Also juice aisle. Third person I asked came with me and patiently pointed out the Capri Sun shelf. 😂😂😂
Reminiscing about my grocery store visits when new to the US. Only kind of shopping I do recreationally. First couple of weeks, I spent hours just hitting different grocery shops and checking out all the foods and randomly buying some that I'd read about or seen on TV.
One of my first instinctive purchases was a turkey drumstick. So huge! Reminded me of those big joints of meat eaten by Jughead or Obelix or Flintstones. I bought it and tandoorified it at home right away in my oven debut. I had never seen an oven before that. Was a bit scared.
Read 12 tweets
16 Jan
This is the happiest I've been with Rohit Sharma in an overseas test series. With players missing, he is objectively best XI (unlike past series). He's done a difficult job seeing off some lethal opening spells. Crucial in the Sydney draw. And pretty decent here too. #IndvAus
It's too late in his career for him to be counted on par with this generation's big 3 (Kohli-Pujara-Rahane) in terms of overall test record. But he could still play a Lehmann or Martyn type role in the next few years if he's lucky with injuries to others like this tour.
A realistic expectation from Rohit Sharma in tests outside India would be like a cross between Akash Chopra and Sadagoppan Ramesh. A nice 30-odd, maybe a cute fifty, but mainly, see off the opening spells. Don't expect centuries. Those he will get in India for sure.
Read 4 tweets
16 Jan
It would be a win-win-win situation if Rahane were made permanent test captain. Not that Kohli needs to "focus on his batting". He's got one of the best batting captain records of all time. But it will be better for him, India, and even the baby! #INDvAUS
Kohli clearly enjoys leadership but I don't think he enjoys the actual captaincy as much. He's an always-on intense dude by nature so gives it his all. But I suspect he'll be happier and even more prolific as just #4 like Sachin in his 30s. He's got nothing left to prove.
I know series wins elsewhere remain. But anyone who's watched Kohli captain his heart out since thrust into it by a capricious Dhoni quitting mid-series will agree that he's got nothing left to prove captaincy wise. Just bat, build a mountain of doubles and triples, chill.
Read 4 tweets
15 Jan
The Associate part seemed odd to me too, but I assumed it was Associate without tenure, teaching track. Which is not common, but not unheard of either. Especially for people with distinguished careers. For example, Joe Biden holds the rank of Professor at a couple of schools.
Hugs and love to Nidhi Razdan. I know someone who also fell prey to a sophisticated phishing scam it really hits at your self-esteem. I hope she's getting some therapy.
Being reminded today how the empathy gene is missing in huge swathes of the Indian population.
Read 6 tweets
11 Jan
1/6/21 will end up being the most prosecuted mob in human history. Maybe the single largest criminal event in history in terms of convictions too.
The federal government might be great at a lot of stuff like wars and budget management but criminal prosecutions, especially of terrorists, they are good at. Not gonna be like Florida where friendly juries and tepid prosecutors let such criminals get away.
Remember, the most violent well connected drug lords are afraid of one thing the most - getting arrested by the US federal government. Cos that's usually a one way ticket. The federal govt doesn't arrest as indiscriminately as state cops. But when it does, few guilty escape.
Read 9 tweets

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