Home rules for health – The Hindu

Children today are under enormous academic, social, and digital pressure that affects their quality of life. They need holistic health with physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being for their balanced development. Physical health is very important for a growing child. A well-balanced diet provides proteins, vitamins, and minerals to boost immunity and overall health. While … Read more

Filmmakers, rewrite narratives – The Hindu

Indian films often depict love at first sight, reducing women to mere objects of attraction.  | Photo Credit: SREEJITH R. KUMAR Indian cinema has long shaped cultural norms, inspiring dreams but also reinforcing harmful stereotypes. One of the most damaging narratives is the portrayal of women as possessions to be “won” in the name of … Read more

An era of darkness – The Hindu

The dreaded days of the mask. | Photo Credit: Getty Images “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was … Read more

Life of a bookworm – The Hindu

Buried in the pages. | Photo Credit: Getty Images A bookworm is a creature often misunderstood in the wilds of social interaction. We dwell in the realms of words, where our minds wander through pages like explorers charting new worlds. Behind our quiet demeanour and dusty bookshelves lie a series of pressures and misconceptions that … Read more

Plunge into reading – The Hindu

Reading helps learn about many things in a multi-dimensional way. | Photo Credit: Getty Images In the age of visual entertainment, general reading habit has taken a back seat. When I was younger, my father used to advise me to read books. He believed general reading habit is a virtue that we all should strive … Read more

Of ‘evolution’ in India – The Hindu

In India, evolution is not for the faint of heart.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images If Homo sapiens sapiens emerged from Africa’s savannas through the quiet perseverance of nature, Homo sapiens artificialis is destined to crawl out of India’s chaotic, clanging socio-economic carnival. This isn’t evolution by natural selection; this is evolution by sheer audacity, … Read more

Smoke and mirrors — women’s participation in employment

‘India has a unique opportunity to evolve its approach to labour statistics’ | Photo Credit: THE HINDU/RITU RAJ KONWAR India’s labour market statistics reveal many contradictions and ironies. The most recent one that has surfaced is that an increase in the female labour force participation coincides with time poverty. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme … Read more

The transformative impact of investing in women’s health

‘While women constitute nearly 70% of the global health-care workforce, they hold less than 30% of leadership roles’ | Photo Credit: THE HINDU/VIJAY SONEJI A harsh reality is that for eons, the health of women — they are the backbone of families, communities, and economies — has been overlooked, underfunded, and inadequately researched. This neglect … Read more

ASHA workers — the ongoing struggle for their welfare

‘Accelerate Action’, which is the theme for International Women’s Day this year, calls for collective efforts to promote gender equality and women’s rights. For weeks, in Kerala, tens of thousands of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) have been fighting for fair remuneration, retirement benefits, and formal recognition of their occupation. Their work forms the cornerstone … Read more