KATHMANDU: Senior Congress leader of India Shashi Tharoor, whose penchant for obscure many-syllable words is well-known, praised author Chetan Bhagat with 'big words' — 'sesquipedalian' and 'limpid perspicacity' on September 13.

It all started after Tharoor, 64, praised Bhagat for his article in Times of India, titled 'The youth need to shut their phones and ask about the economy; via his Twitter.

Tharoor tweeted: "Superb piece by @chetan_bhagat on all that ails our country & what we should do about it. Chetan’s great virtue is the simplicity and directness of his writing. His message is clear & I hope his fans in the government act on it."

Taken aback by Tharoor's praise, Bhagat replied: "Ok I still can’t get over this. The @ShashiTharoor has praised @chetanbhagat. I am floating.

"Just one request sir, next time can you use some big words to praise me, like ones that only you can do. Superb is nice but a big one would really make my day!"

Soon the diplomat-turned-politician Tharoor answered, "Sure, @chetan_bhagat! It's clear you are not sesquipedalian nor given to rodomontade. Your ideas are unembellished with tortuous convolutions & expressed without ostentation. I appreciate the limpid perspicacity of today's column."

Tharoor's latest book, Tharoorosaurus, is a collection of 53 such words, one from every letter of the alphabet.

Shashi Tharoor's tweet: https://bit.ly/2GZctTT