Jairam's other side

Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh may have come under fire from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his outspoken remarks on India’s policy towards Chinese firms, but last Saturday, passengers at the Hyderabad airport witnessed a completely different side of Ramesh — humble and caring. After alighting from an Air India flight from Delhi, Ramesh never called for an official car to ferry him from the tarmac but, like any other passenger, boarded a bus to reach the terminal building. A few minutes later, when Ramesh saw an old lady standing as all the seats were occupied, he got up and offered his seat to her. With a briefcase in his hand, Ramesh kept standing with the other passengers till the bus reached the terminal.