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A couple of weeks ago, viewers of CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert were surprised by the host returning from vacation with a wispy black-and-white moustache. Like many, I initially thought it might be a prop, until the host said otherwise. “That’s right, it’s me underneath this salt-and-pepper cookie-pusher,” Colbert quipped. “For tonight, my upper lip … Read more
There are many reasons for Tamil Nadu’s tremendous economic and social progress over the last century, but if I had to choose just one, it would be education. If social justice is our ideology, then education is its most effective instrument to carry it forward. Education for all, not just those who can afford it … Read more
Misplaced remark U.S. President Donald Trump’s remark, calling India a “dead economy”, is both inaccurate and disappointing, especially when leading global institutions continue to recognise India as among the fastest-growing major economies. That the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have all projected India’s economic stability is a clear indication … Read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Maldives last week, after an invitation by Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to be a special guest for the country’s 60th Independence Day, signalled the full return of relations to the closeness they held during the previous Ibrahim Solih government. Although the two leaders had not gotten off to … Read more
The India-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (FTA), called the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), has been lauded by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, as the ‘gold standard’ for all India’s trade deals. Mr. Goyal has asserted that no compromise was made in any sensitive sector. Evidently, the Minister seemed to be … Read more
The government and the Opposition crossed swords in Parliament during a discussion on Operation Sindoor this week. There was unanimity in praising India’s armed forces, but there was little common ground beyond that. Operation Sindoor was India’s military response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives. The elimination … Read more
‘As the world grapples with extreme weather events, blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves are critical to climate and economic resilience’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images Mangroves have, historically, been on the margins of planning and policy priorities in spite of their vital role in anchoring coastal economies and protecting millions from climate extremes. Their … Read more
On July 23, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion reaffirming states’ legal obligations to mitigate climate change. The court emphasised that countries are required to reduce their greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and support vulnerable nations. The ruling has sparked debates over sovereignty, enforcement, and global equity. Can the ICJ ruling … Read more
The Supreme Court of India speaks in questions. Sometimes softly, sometimes sharply. In its hearings on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bihar, the Court has asked what many in the country were thinking: Why was there a sudden need for fresh documentation? Why now? And what … Read more
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) has ushered in transformative changes in the educational landscape of India, particularly in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). While private schools have had nursery classes for long, government schools have historically admitted children only from Class one, thus sowing the seeds of inequity even before … Read more