But for the balance of the past millennium, anyway, the man and the office have been considered separable only by death.

FORBES: The Pope's Resignation: In Praise Of Quitting

But then this is the man who faced Mikkel Kessler in the Millennium Stadium and Bernard Hopkins under the bright lights of Las Vegas while watched by a sprinkling of A-list Hollywood stars and millions around the world.

BBC: Weighing up Joe's dance chances

Last year there was a lot of support for naming Mr Subramaniam India's man of the century, even of the millennium.

ECONOMIST: Chidambaram Subramaniam