Dear Professor Vaidyanathan,

I’m a reporter with the New York Times, and I’m writing a story on the recent news about the Ford Foundation. I wanted to talk to you about tax rules governing NGOs and foreign foundations as well as your reaction to this news. Please let me know if you’re available.

Best,

Nida Najar

The New York Times

Dear Nida Najar,

Thanks for your mail and invite. I was travelling and hence the delay .

I am a regular reader of New York Times for the last nearly 20 years—earlier Print edition and now the Net one.

In the last two years I find the paper is more a views paper than a newspaper particularly with reference to India.

Articles/Blogs/News Reports all are biased in the coverage of India and more like Tabloids spewing venom on anything Indian. I presume the case about other developing countries also.

My own experience of my earlier interviews to your paper has not been satisfactory.

Under the circumstances I do not see much point in giving my opinion regarding this Ford Foundation issue since your paper will anyhow write what it wants—namely abuse Indian action.

I wish and hope that in the near future –your team covering India will be more balanced and go back to the earlier times when news and views were kept separate. Needless to add I will be delighted to share my views with you and other correspondents at that juncture.

Hope you understand and appreciate my position .

I am keeping the text portion of this communication in my website for friends to know my reluctance vis-à-vis NYT

Prof R. Vaidyanathan

Professor of Finance

Indian Institute of Management

Bangalore