Sarin Gas

Went to the Businessman of the Year thingummy this year at the Regent. Dragged myself an hour and a half across town because, actually, Anand Mahindra does deserve the damn thing and is a nice man to boot.

His acceptance speech was well enough written though the odd metaphor was overwrought. What was clear was that he wrote it, he meant what he said and what he said affected him, which is why he probably wrote it. Circular enough for you, that? He may have inherited his crown but no one can call him, who has so enlarged his kingdom, an unworthy King.

Mr. Sarin of Vodaphone fame on the other hand was trite, platitudinous, loud and hectoring, having no doubt learned his speechifying a the knees of some consultant.

Let him remember, as we all should, that he is merely an overpaid minion of a multinational whose only claim to fame is buying a large business in India. He did not build it; it was sad therefore to see the man who had built it, from scratch and on the cheap, kowtowing to the new Chief.