If ever there was a young, old magazine, then Democratic World or DW is its best example. This is its launch issue and I don't believe you could get fresher than this. At the same time, DW is an old magazine; the original idea that led to DW germinated in the early 1970s with my father, the late Mr Ashok Kumar Malhotra, founder of the MBD Group. Democracy – in its larger meaning of egalitarian behaviour –meant the world to him. It was more than just a word. It was his way of life, manifested in the way he conducted his business, interacted with his family and friends, and in the way he treated his peers, seniors and employees. Little wonder then, that today it is our company mantra. Our magazine Democratic World is a culmination of those ideals and principles. When our team began brainstorming over DW, we managed to reach a single consensus: that the magazine will be of the people from all walks of life – businessmen to bureaucrats, performers to politicians, and from travellers to the ‘Twitterati’. Instead of confining ourselves to a niche, we have done the opposite by focusing on influencers across sectors. This month we have a special feature on Mr Analjit Singh, a man whose journey to success and continuous efforts to go further made him a natural choice for the cover story. A free thinker and a man who believes in leading through collaboration, he embodies democratic ideals in his business life. We also hope that the entrepreneurs among you will be inspired by the people who share their stories with us in the Looking Back segment — this month, Dr Arvind Lal talks of his struggles and achievements on the road to success. The magazine will also be by the people. There is no subject too insignificant and no distance too vast for us to reach out to those who have something to say. Whether it is notes from abroad in our Foreign Depatches section or a blog about the queuing habits of Indians, all these voices find their way to our pages. And finally, it will be for the people –DW is for new-age Indians, who is in the process of carving out their rightful place on the global platform. For such people, DW is a window to a world of differing interests. The following pages have sections like Garnish, for the epicures; and the Reading Room, for the bookworms among our readers. For those whose interests fall more in the realm of all things mechanical and electronic, do check out our Life in Technicolour and Warehouse pages. All in all, it is a good time to be here in the country. I hope you enjoy the ride!!