Opinion
Shivya Nath's column: The boundaries between the village and the city should be erased beautifully
After spending a month full of adventure in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador, I was enjoying spring in New York and preparing to return to India. My heart was restless for the Himalayas and the warm people of the villages there. I felt that it was finally time to make the 11-hour journey from Kathgodam to Sarmoli. Sarmoli is a beautiful village located in Munsiyari in Pithoragarh district, which has been voted the best tourist village in the country by the Government of India. I came to know about mountaineering enthusiast Malika Virdi and her work in starting a homestay in Sarmoli. So I asked h
N. Raghuraman's column: Are we getting myopic about the broader outlook on life?
Last week, the Khatal couple, who work in the Mumbai Police, had returned home after a long night shift, which lasted till around noon the next day. Tired, irritable and desperate to sleep, they reached their police quarters in Kalachowki. But another obstacle awaited them in their sleep. The four-year-old child of the neighbouring Sangle family was playing outside in the corridor, making noise. What happened next is not uncommon in a city where thousands of families live very close to each other. The argument over the child's noise turned into an argument between the neighbours. But instead o
N. Raghuraman's column: What fathers once used to do spontaneously, schools are now doing scientifically
What was the first best milestone of your life as a child? For most of us, it would have been riding a tri-cycle and hearing 'Very Good' from parents. But the best, classic and decisive example of an important turning point, achievement or milestone in life or a project was when you were riding a bicycle and Dad didn't hold it from behind. For generations, we children have learnt this skill in the driveway (for the children of the rich), in the side-ways (for middle-class children living in the colony) and other children like me (if there are common man's children) in the lanes around the chaw
India’s AI opportunity is hiding beneath the index
India has lagged major markets as weaker AI exposure coincided with lower correlation to the global AI theme, highlighting the benchmark’s limited participation in the technology-led rally in recent years. AI-related stocks account for only 16% of MSCI India, well below the exposure seen in Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan. Goldman Sachs identifies 42 AI Enablers across power, data centres and semiconductors, with the cohort up 60% in 2026, even as the Nifty declined 12%. Their exposure is concentrated in power equipment, utilities and technology hardware, while the group spans large, mid, sma
Independence Day 2026: Crores Spent on Spectacle While a Nation Still Waits for “Achhe Din”
15 August 2026: As the last echoes of the national anthem faded and the sky over the Red Fort lit up with fireworks and laser displays, the Government of India and various state governments had once again spent staggering sums to commemorate the 79th anniversary of India’s Independence. Official estimates put the combined expenditure by the Centre and states on parades, cultural programmes, lighting, security, advertisements, and associated events at well over ₹450 crore. In Delhi alone, the grand show is believed to have cost more than ₹180 crore. Yet behind the choreographed grand
The Cockroach Janta Party Protest: A New Political Movement or the Same Old Playbook?
When Every Anti-Corruption Crusade Becomes the Very System, It Swore to Dismantle, India Must Ask Harder Questions About Power, Money, and Accountability In a familiar tableau that has played out repeatedly across India's democratic landscape, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has launched a high-profile public protest, complete with demands directed at the ruling dispensation, media-friendly optics, and the unmistakable ambition of political relevance. The party has put forward three demands and entered into public discussions with the ruling party — moves that, on the surface, suggest
“Our Children Deserve Better”- Education Reformer Sonam Wangchuk's Day 21 Ignites Soul-Searching Over Education Crisis, Police Action, and the Erosion of Democratic Trust
Heart of a Nation Fasting: As the scorching sun set over Jantar Mantar on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the air was thick with a palpable mix of hope and anxiety. Climate crusader, innovator, and beloved educator Sonam Wangchuk entered the 21st day of his indefinite hunger strike, his frail body bearing the weight of a moral crusade that has sparked a national debate far beyond the improvement of India's education system. The examination paper leaks—affecting multiple competitive exams including NEET and state-level tests—have impacted an estimated 4.5 million students across India this
Development, Democracy and the Citizen Who Feels Forgotten
For years, Indians have been told that the nation is progressing at an unprecedented pace. New highways are built, airports are inaugurated, skylines are transformed, and record-breaking economic achievements dominate political speeches. Development has become the most celebrated word in public life. Yet, beyond the advertisements, slogans, and televised celebrations, there is another India quietly asking a simple question: Development for whom? The ordinary citizen does not measure progress through government campaigns or corporate presentations. Progress is measured by the quality o
India’s antiquated law on contempt of court restricts personal liberty and must be overhauled
After having raised the issue of whether the clubby and secretive collegiums system actually preserves the independence of the judiciary former Supreme Court judge, Justice Markandey Katju, has now trained his guns on India’s antiquated contempt of court law. He has made the valid point, in this newspaper, that judicial supremacy cannot be based on the law of kings in a democracy.
India’s best hope is that the Budget due February 2015 chooses growth and jobs
The presidential address to Parliament on June 9, 2014 had focussed nearly exclusively on projects and schemes, eschewing policy. Therefore, many had eagerly awaited the budget speech for a policy vision of the new government. Unfortunately, it too left observers guessing on whether the government would tackle tough reforms or rely principally on better implementation.
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