Charlie Rose, a serious American TV show host, seems to have bought into a fantasy called ‘Chindia’. Unlike most American TV dandies, Charlie is a thoughtful and a well-read interviewer. Starting with another star journalist, Tom Friedman, Charlie has pursued Tom’s idea of “The World is Flat” line of argument. He has interviewed many Chinese politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen over the last few years and even paid a visit to China early last year. Likewise, he has interviewed the Indian Prime Minister, Indian Finance Minister, all major Indian Industrialists, Film Stars, Authors and many other opinion makers. In the end, Charlie Rose appears confused.
Charles Peete Rose Jr. was born on January 5, 1942 in Henderson, North Carolina. His parents owned a tobacco farm and Charlie grew up there. Rose was a high school basketball star and he had a stint at Duke University, North Carolina. Charlie Rose also attended New York University (NYU) and Stern School of Business. He worked for Bankers Trust but handled some freelance assignments for BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) in 1972. Charlie Rose got a break with Bill Moyers in 1974 for the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series Bill Moyers’ International Report. Rose won a Peabody Award in 1976 for “A conversation with Jimmy Carter”. He has hosted the late night ‘Charlie Rose Show’ since January 1993.
Charlie is not a stranger to India anymore. He has come a long way since 1998 when all conversations regarding India were hyphenated as India-Pakistan and the usual stand-off between two nuclear rivals. Since 2004, the theme seems to have changed to China-India or ‘Chindia’. Unlike India-Pakistan, there is absolutely nothing in common between China and India except the size of their populations. These two countries have had no meaningful relationship for the past few centuries atleast. China has only contempt for India and the Indians, as India has contempt for Pakistan. This contempt is not going to diminish any time soon. Both China and India would disagree with this assessment. They would rattle off the bilateral trade figures of $50 billion to support their growing affair. This two way trade is a good beginning but they have a very long way to go. ‘Chindia’ at best is premature.
Filed under: American, International Tagged: | A conversation with Jimmy Carter, American TV Show Host, Bankers Trust, BBC, Bill Moyers, Bill Moyers' International Report, British Broadcasting Corporation, Bureaucrats, Charles Peete Rose, Charlie Rose, Charlie Rose Show, China-India, Chindia, Chinese Politicians, Duke University, Film Stars, Henderson-North Carolina, India-Pakistan, Indian Finance Minister, Indian Industrialists, Indian Prime Minister, January 5th 1942, New York University, NYU, PBS, Peabody Award, Public Broadcasting Service, Stern School of Business, The World is Flat, Tom Friedman
