New Internationalist Australia’s fair trade specialist, Paul Deighton, visits Chennai, India and is in awe of the resourcefulness and energy he finds there.

My hotel window looks over a huge white elephant. Looking somewhat like a modern day Grecian mausoleum, it’s the erstwhile octogenarian Tamil Nadu leader’s legacy to his people – a new parliament house cum government offices that seems to stretch away into the distance for half a kilometre. The new premier has, according to Philip, refused to move in and wants it to be turned into a shopping mall or some other such function, and the high court is set to decide its future – most likely forcing the new leader to use it for its intended purpose. Such is politics in Tamil Nadu… Continue reading →