On June 27, we published a report that the Indian government's endorsement of Shashi Tharoor's candidature for United Nations secretary general was brought about by influential Malayalees in the Indian establishment.

We have since received e-mail from individuals mentioned in the report denying such a campaign or their

involvement in it.

We have also been informed that Dr Tharoor has never met Mr T K A Nair, the prime minister's principal secretary, nor discussed his candidature with Mr A K Damodaran, the retired diplomat.

We regret the inference that Dr Tharoor's ethnicity was responsible for the Government of India's support for his candidature.