An article, “The age of India’s leaders has steadily risen” (Opinion page – ‘Data Point’, September 22, 2025), said Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru demitted office in 1966. Nehru died in 1964 while he was still in office. Published – September 23, 2025 12:32 am IST
The Prime Minister and Finance Minister have delivered a true Deepavali gift to the citizens of India by reducing the number of slabs under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to only two: 5% and 18%. This is also a strategic response to global trade uncertainty, such as the 50% tariff on Indian goods by … Read more
GST 2.0, the reality The tax cuts of essential goods and services, effected as part of GST reforms, have been hyperbolically termed as a “festival of savings”. However, it was the same government that introduced the GST with ‘several’ slabs that financially burdened the common man. It should not be forgotten that poverty/low income is … Read more
Primary Health Centre (PHC) doctors form the unshakable foundation of the Indian public health system. They serve not merely as doctors but also as planners, coordinators and leaders. For millions in India’s hinterlands, they are the only accessible face of medicine. Their role extends far beyond clinical care — from public health programmes to disease … Read more
The government’s push this year to spur consumption in the economy is a much-needed policy re-prioritisation at a time when several other engines of growth are either flagging or plateauing. The economy is a composite of household consumption, private investment, government expenditure and net exports. Of these, only government expenditure has witnessed robust growth over … Read more
Displaced Palestinian children playing in front of a Palestinian flag at the Bureij camp for refugees in the central Gaza Strip on September 22. | Photo Credit: AFP The recent recognition of the state of Palestine by Britain, Australia, and Canada adds an unprecedented degree of insult to the injury suffered by the Palestinian people. … Read more
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that traditional medicine is practised in 88% of its member-states — 170 out of 194 countries. For billions, particularly in low- and middle-income nations, it remains the primary form of health care due to accessibility and affordability considerations. Yet, its significance extends beyond treatment, supporting biodiversity conservation, nutrition security, … Read more
The Supreme Court of India recently reaffirmed that secularism is a fundamental principle and part of the basic structure of the Constitution of India. While this is a welcome restatement, it is concerning that the Court has to periodically reiterate this foundational aspect of Indian nationhood. The need arose from a misguided petition that sought … Read more
In September 2023, soon after the G77+China Summit concluded in Havana, Cuba, Sri Lanka’s then-President Ranil Wickremesinghe chose to make a stopover in the United Kingdom while returning to Colombo. He had decided to take part in a university event, one in which his wife, Professor Maithree Wickremesinghe, was being honoured. In this connection, he … Read more
Narendra Modi’s rise in Indian politics cannot be understood through the traditional lens of privilege. Unlike many leaders nurtured in political dynasties, Mr. Modi and his leadership style emerged from the soil, shaped by his struggle, years of grass-root level work, and field experience across different levels of government. His career represents not just the … Read more