(This is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George. The Political Line newsletter is India’s political landscape explained every week. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox every Friday.) Unless we defend the rights of both Vijay Shah and Ali Khan Mahmudabad to say whatever they want to, neither … Read more
‘Indians traded over ₹1.03 trillion worth of VDAs on non-compliant platforms’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images India continues to lead in grassroots crypto adoption, for the second consecutive year in the ‘Geography of Crypto’ report by Chainalysis (2024). A National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) report finds that Indian retail investors poured $6.6 … Read more
A view of Mt Kanchendzonga. | Photo Credit: PTI On May 18, five people from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Adventure Sports (NIMAS) scaled Mt Khangchendzonga from the Nepal side, prompting expressions of concern and protest by civil society groups and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang. Sikkim’s native population holds the mountain sacred … Read more
People attempt to push out a car from a waterlogged road after heavy rains, at Sai layout in Bengaluru, on May 19, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI For long-time residents of Bengaluru, it is beginning to feel like there is too much happening all at once. There are talks of extending Namma Metro to neighbouring … Read more
CDS statement, fog clears The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan’s statement, that an unspecified number of India’s fighter jets were downed during the hostilities with Pakistan in May, is sure to give ammunition to the Opposition parties and their earlier claims (Page 1, June 1). The Government could have avoided this embarrassing … Read more
The data on India’s economic performance in 2024-25, released on Friday, have something for everybody. Those with an optimistic outlook can rejoice at the seemingly robust growth in the fourth quarter. Pessimists can despair over the four-year low annual growth figure. The realist’s assessment, however, is that there is cause for some restrained celebration, and … Read more
The decision by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Assam government to issue arms licences to “eligible” indigenous communities in remote and vulnerable areas in the State is fraught with danger. The State government seems to suggest that indigenous communities living in the border areas abutting Bangladesh are vulnerable and that armed licences would be a deterrent … Read more
Universities are facing an unprecedented challenge. While in India the challenge has been growing over the last three decades, in the United States, it has erupted since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025. The challenge has been growing elsewhere too as society’s expectations from universities are changing. The Trump administration is freezing $3.2 … Read more
This isolation is not just a byproduct of the profession; it is a deeply ingrained aspect of the role of a judge. | Photo Credit: SREEJITH R. KUMAR The life of a serving judge is often cloaked in an aura of dignity and authority, but beneath this exterior lies a profound solitude that few outside the judiciary … Read more
The main tool that the personal bubble is created with is the revered earpiece. | Photo Credit: Getty Images The walkers’ morning routine begin only after they firmly don their headphones or earphones. As soon as the gadgets are on, a virtual bubble is formed with the song defining its boundary. As they hit the … Read more