Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is one proud father. The latest to take note, that too at the White House state dinner thrown by the Obamas, was US envoy Timothy J. Roemer.
Having shared the table with Manmohan Singh and two of his daughters, Roemer told scribes after returning to India: "As the father of two daughters and two sons, I could see the joy and pride your prime minister takes in the accomplishments of his children. It was evident."
This 'pride' became evident again a few days later when the usually private and reticent prime minister mentioned his daughter Upinder Singh, a Delhi University professor of history, at a public function.
The prime minister, who also holds the culture ministry, was attending the meeting of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) when he said: "I was in Washington recently. I didn't have time, but my daughter went around and visited the Library of Congress. Coming back, she told me, 'Daddy, I have some ideas'.
"She said Americans do not have so many historical sites like we do, but the way they have preserved them is very good".
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Sleepless before Copenhagen
He is the most "visible" face in the media these days. But on the flip side that means sleepless nights for Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh.
For the past week, he has had a hectic schedule - from attending one environment event to another along with the winter session of parliament.
So at a media briefing, it was no surprise when he admitted he had had little sleep for the past few weeks in the run-up to the Dec 7-18 climate change conference in Copenhagen and was a little fed up when the shutterbugs went crazy clicking him.
"Bas yaar, enough already," said a tired looking Ramesh, though with his trademark smile intact.
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Gender bender at climate summit
All the four lucky youngsters who've got a chance to represent Indian youth at the Copenhagen climate summit happen to be girls. And this has surely tickled Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh.
The girls - two from school and two from college - won a nationwide essay writing competition on climate change. Ramesh expressed surprised that no boy was selected. He then joked, "The ministry has no hidden agenda."
Ramesh said going by how the media reacts, the ministry was sure to receive an RTI application asking why only girls were chosen for the Dec 7-18 summit. "They would ask what were we thinking. But let me clarify I too was surprised that there were no boys."
His parting shot - more boys should show interest on environmental issues next time to maintain the gender balance!
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In defence of the army
There were some hard knocks. The Indian Army's image took a beating after the involvement of top generals in a land scam was revealed. So it was time to be proactive on PR.
Worried about the scandal, army chief General Deepak Kapoor called up an urgent meeting of retired generals to South Block.
The retired chiefs of the army, navy and air force - about 30 in number - were asked to fight the media with its own weapon - the written word. Reliable sources said he asked them to write analytical pieces in major dailies in a bid to do some PR for the armed forces.
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When Sibal feels disabled
As Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal is known for his oratory and eloquence. But few know that sometimes he can't remember names.
During a book launch in the capital on the eve of World Disability Day, Sibal said he feels handicapped at times. "I cannot remember names, but can recognise faces. This is a disability for me. And when you are a politician, the disability is grave," he said.
"When you cannot recognise the talent they have then you have some problem. In a way all of us are disabled in some way or the other."
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Hamid Ansari tames noisy MPs
Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari has devised a unique way to tame noisy members in the house - threatening not to call on them to raise supplementary questions.
"Honourable members, I shall not call on you to raise supplementaries if you continue to interrupt the proceedings," he said during question hour in the house.
It had the desired effects as the interruptions came down considerably.
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Knives out in Haryana
Who will be the new Haryana Congress chief? Powerful players in the party don't quite see eye to eye on the issue.
Following its less-than-satisfactory performance in the state assembly polls, the party has begun the process of selecting a new state chief in place of Phool Chand Mullana who lost the election.
While Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has his own candidate, senior leader Birender Singh along with Tourism Minister Kumari Selja are throwing in their weight behind another.
Only time and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi can tell who will emerge victorious.
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There's always time for some golf
It was Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas' first official trip to India and the three-day affair was choc-a-bloc with programmes. But the ardent golfer in him soon took over.
He squeezed in two hours of the sport by cutting down on his lunch time - before meeting External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.
"I am an ardent golf fan and player and I have quite a few Indian friends here, so I decided to squeeze in two hours of golf," Usackas told IANS. He then rushed off to the Delhi Golf Club for some teeing.