India, Nov. 4 -- My limited exposure - and even lesser interest - in anything remotely connected with luxury or premium brands was once more laid bare in full public view. Though I've long grown immune to what others think of me - their opinions, good, bad, or indifferent - some moments or seemingly trivial incidents still manage to pierce my self-imposed armour and touch a raw nerve, scratching, if not piercing, the ego.
One such episode unfolded recently during an official tour to a mid-sized city that could be anywhere in the country. I checked into a star-rated hotel with quite an imposing facade and a plush lobby. It was while browsing through the tariff list that I noticed two different rates for the same room category - the Deluxe. ...