A studied silence over vandalism

The statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar adjacent to Golden Temple after a vandalisation attempt by a man, in Amritsar, on January 27, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI On Republic Day, a man attempted to vandalise a life-sized statue of B.R. Ambedkar, adjacent to the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, Punjab. When images were circulated showing him … Read more

The silent crisis of rat-hole mining

Rat hole mining at the West Jaintia hills, Meghalaya. | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar On January 29, the Gauhati High Court took suo motu cognisance of the mining tragedy in Umrangso, Assam. The January 6 mine flooding in Umrangso, which trapped nine labourers and killed at least four, was yet another preventable tragedy in … Read more

Interpreting the recent Bangladesh-Pakistan thaw

‘Recent bilateral engagement between the two sides demonstrates Dhaka’s intent to diversify its foreign policy trajectory in the subcontinent’ | Photo Credit: AFP The bitter legacy of the 1971 liberation war, where Bangladesh split from Pakistan, has long steered the nature of ties between Dhaka and Islamabad. However, recent bilateral engagement between the two sides … Read more

The panchayati raj movement is in distress

The special discussion in Parliament on the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution has long passed. While several salient aspects of the Constitution and policy directions adopted by previous governments were highlighted, one heard very little on a vital aspect of governance in India. The 73rd amendment to the Constitution, passed in 1992, is one … Read more

Cracking the patriarchal prism – The Hindu

The time has come to retire the male gaze, to listen, to understand, and to transform. | Photo Credit: SREEJITH R. KUMAR Recently, I was reading a judgment authored by Hon’ble Justice Manjula of the Madras High Court in Dr. Supraja vs State pertaining to sexual harassment of women at the workplace and how far the existing … Read more

The PTA meeting has it all

A teacher is witness to all permutations and combinations of emotional connections. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto It often happens that one’s profession transforms one’s view of life. All through my student life, I assumed that Parents-Teachers Meetings were about grades and the general performance of students. After all, you attend only your own session, … Read more

Double standard at the workplace

Society can make the climb harder for women. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Powerful and visionary, women like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn, and Razia Sultana shaped history with their courage and intellect. Cleopatra, a master strategist, secured Egypt’s survival amid Roman expansion. Anne, a key figure in the English Reformation, influenced a nation’s religious transformation. Razia, … Read more

Identity theft and after – The Hindu

Technology is a great boon, but it also throws up infinite risks.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto The first call was from a long-lost friend who had not been in touch for years. After warm greetings, he started enquiring about my wife’s health and appeared very concerned. When I told him she was absolutely fine, … Read more