Opinion
Pt. Vijay Shankar Mehta's column: God's grace can be gathered only in the vessel of surrender
Seekers endowed with resources can easily get the grace of God. They are considered rare. Although the grace of God showers equally for everyone like rain, but if someone fills the vessel with rainwater properly, then it is collected. Similarly, the grace of God that is pouring out, we can collect it in the vessel of our dedication, otherwise it has to be swept away. Kakbhushundiji had told Garuda ji about his conversation with Shri Ram ji - Jogis Muni Prabhu Prasad Kou Pav. The devotion that Yogishwar Muni seeks, by the grace of God, it is rare to find it. Therefore, whatever we ask for from
N. Raghuraman's column: Debate on 'secondhand smoke' is emerging from train coaches to hotel lobbies
If you take a deep breath after cleaning the compartment of the housekeeping staff during the train journey, you may not get fragrances like sandalwood, leather, fennel, cardamom, violet or cider like high-end hotels. Instead, there may be a mild fragrance like floral, citrus or fresh aqua. Many of us must have experienced this. The Indian Railways' on-board housekeeping service (OBHS) policy guidelines mandate a cleaning process for AC coaches and executive class. It has a strict sequence for passenger comfort. This cleaning routine includes garbage cleaning, dry and wet wipes and deep-cleani
N. Raghuraman's column: Why teach children to read before watching?
Usually, when the younger generation of the family asks me for my opinion about a film on OTT channels, I advise them to read the book first and watch the movie later. The last such advice I gave was about Netflix's 2025 release 'The Woman in Cabin 10', which is based on Ruth Ware's psychological thriller novel of the same name in 2016. Earlier, similar films were made on the novel 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman and 'The Housemaid' was based on the book by Frida McFadden. A youngster on the family WhatsApp group silenced me by writing that '... But the book will spoil the fun of t
N. Raghuraman's column: Some scenes are indelible in our memories, they are not filmed
There are some scenes in life that don't need to be filmed. They are just there and we see them. Yet they stay with us for years, sometimes even for the rest of our lives. That was one such scene. I will never forget her. It was the year 1995. I had just returned home from work when I saw my almost four-year-old daughter playing board games alone. She would jump from one end of the board to the other, sometimes playing on her side and sometimes on her imaginary partner's side. It was a scene I can never forget. My eyes filled with tears. Until recently, she used to have a partner to play with
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
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