Russia has a new President, who smiles! The 42-year-old lawyer and loyal Kremlin aide, Dmitry Medvedev has spent almost half of his life in the company of his predecessor, Vladimir Putin. Western media has repeatedly dubbed him as a proxy or a puppet President. After all Putin still holds the Prime Minister's office in one of world's youngest democracies. But ever since I noticed Medvedev smile, I am rethinking about the future prospects of the new Russian President, who incidentally shares his name with a famous tennis player.

During his eight years of rule in Russia, Putin carefully crafted a brand of politics that was symbolized by phrases like, 'Icy-' and ' Steely-'. The former communist state was increasingly described as an oligarchy ruled by a handful of ex-KGB agents who crushed all dissent with an iron-hand. Western media, enamored by the new wealth of Russia and its rising influence in geo-politics often put Putin on the covers of many international magazines. But I don't recall a single one in which he smiled. Maybe Putin is a closet-giggler but I doubt if that is the case.

And somehow that grimness Putin's face has crept in Russian democracy as well. Political opposition has often complained of growing human-rights violations and extra-constitutional killings, Russia's neighbours like Belarus and Ukraine complain of bullying attitude of Moscow and the Press has constantly charged the administration of gagging their freedom. Will a smiling Medvedev, who has acknowledged his love for Deep Purple in public, be able to reverse this image? As with most young democracies, chances are it could easily go either way.

An ill-humoured leadership does nothing for the well-being of the state of the nation. Russia's example is a case in point. Putin's brawny heroics may work well on the covers of men's health magazines, but they don't look that flattering when one is discussing human rights and Press freedom. To put it bluntly, Democracy might be a boxing ring but it is still advisable to keep that shirt on and smiling earns you brownie points.

I think leaders who enjoy a laugh in public are far more inclined towards nurturing democracy. But here I must add a caveat, not just those leaders who have gab for some good jokes but those who don't mind cracking up even when they themselves, are at the receiving end of those jokes. Yes laughing with and also at your leaders is good; it's a sign of a healthy democracy.

To substantiate, let me pick an example closer home, Pakistan. During the last one year, President Pervez Musharraf's approval ratings have taken a tumble at a rate that even his critics could not have predicted. One remembers the Musharraf who charmed the world as he played with his pet pup, who smiled when cheesy correspondents put those prickly questions and who would not stop grinning even when the matter is dead serious. Remember his appearance on the John Stewart Show where he sipped green tea and joked about the bad shape Pakistan was in.

But ever since he lost his nerves on the judiciary issue , that smile just vanished from his face. Although it reappeared elsewhere; on the faces of his opponents. The human-rights campaigners and pro-democracy activists in Pakistan, not once have they let Musharraf breathe easy and unlike his political opponents, their movement relies heavily on humour and wit. The pro-democracy media campaigns have a positive appeal that essentially plays on the comedy of errors that Musharraf made during the last one year. Watch the 'Four-Man Show' on Aaj TV and see for yourself.

When your leader laughs with you, laughs even when you are laughing at him, somehow it has a reassuring effect. Recently, The Times of India ran a front-page picture of Sonia Gandhi laughing heartily with some farmers in Haryana. Whoever advised the UPA chairman on that should be immediately promoted as the chief of PR for the GOP. A picture like that communicates so much more than those drab speeches. It reflects a level of confidence that Indians so often find missing in their leaders. More than any political alphabet, our leaders need a good smile on the faces .Perhaps they can learn a little bit from their American counterparts. I am amazed to see how often during their campaigns people like Hillary and Obama break into grins and giggles. It just keeps it more engaging and real.

And more than the UPA it's the BJP and the Left who need to loosen up a little bit. The grim intellectualism of our comrades is just as fashionable as their faded kurtas and grandpa-glasses. Maybe they can take a cue from a Fidel Castro or even a Hugo Chavez, on the importance of keeping the good-humour and stylish dressing alive even in the midst of a crisis. As for the saffron brigade, it seems there is a whip on laughing ever since they lost the polls in 2004.

And why doesn't any political party think of picking the smiley, :) , as their party symbol. If we can have lanterns, elephants and bow and arrows, why can't we have something like a smiley on the ballot-sheet. At one level it might just appear to be a feel-good icon but at least it will bring a smile to the faces of many voters who are bored with stamping their vote on a cycle or a cock . After all we are running one of history's most colossal political projects, the Indian democracy; some cheering up will surely help.