THE ENTIRE nation watched agape as the dharna drama unfolded on prime time TV in the national capital. The lead protagonists of the play were none other than Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers and Aam Aadmi Party men and supporters. Thanks to the firm handling of the escalating crisis between the state and the centre by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, we celebrated our Republic Day with all pomp, show and colour. It is a happy coincidence though that the celebration of Republic Day generally heralds a warmer weather and you can trust Delhiites to turn every occasion into a huge celebration. It is this larger than life quality of Delhi citizens that keeps the democracy vibrant here.

Coming back to the AAP episode, the Lieutenant Governor played a key role in diffusing the crisis by infusing a voice of sanity in that entire din and starkly brought to fore the role of good governance in the government. The Lieutenant Governor, whom we are honoured to present on our Cover this issue, is an epitome of good governance himself. A career bureaucrat of 1973 batch, Mr Najeeb Jung held various posts in Madhya Pradesh cadre and also the Government of India. The former Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia is an academic at heart and his administrative acumen has been credited with taking the varsity to unprecedented scholastic and cultural heights. With his diverse and depth of administrative experience, Delhi can only hope for a 2014better tomorrow. In his address to the Delhi Assembly the Lieutenant Governor had said, “People have voted for change (in Delhi).” We are sure this change is for the good.

On a lighter note, reading Jai Arjun Singh’s piece on cats and feline personalities made me wonder if these ‘ferral’ creatures of Delhi are sensing this change too. Singh’s insights make an interesting read as do Dr Vivek Bhandari’s on our fluid current political scenario. In Looking Back multi-talented Piyush Mishra relives his angst-ridden ride to success which would surely make for an award winning screenplay. With spring around the corner, we decided to give you a glimpse of exotic Bali. The paradise island beckons with its sun, sand, surfing, sea and much more.

As we celebrate our Republic day we at Democratic World sincerely wish that democracy in our country gains strength through good governance.