CATEGORIES

LIVING TO TELL THE TALE

A Salesian missionary in heartland India, a bellboy in Kuwait, a soldier in Iraq, an actor in Hollywood-Cyriac Alencheril's extraordinary life has been full of twists and turns

HOME RUNS OVER SIXES

A white American cricketer? It is easier to find a needle in a haystack

RUNNING FOR COVER

Health insurance premium is shooting through the roof and policyholders are worried sick

He had us at Oye

I thought 2022 was the year of Diljit Dosanjh. The Punjabi actor-singer took his 'Born to Shine World Tour' across the globe, filling up stadiums like no other Indian had before him. Then I thought last year was his year; Dosanjh became the first Indian to perform at Coachella, the revered music festival in Colorado. We are only half-way into 2024, and Dosanjh has become the first Indian to perform live on the popular American show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

OPPOSITION HAS AN INCENTIVE TO MAINTAIN UNITY

SENIOR SAMAJWADI PARTY leader Javed Ali Khan, who was a member of the INDIA bloc's 13-member coordination committee, says the results of the Lok Sabha elections represent a powerful message that the people of the country have given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Excerpts from an interview:

DOUBLE ENGINE EFFECT

PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA'S INCREASING POLITICAL PRESENCE WOULD BENEFIT HER BROTHER AND THE CONGRESS

RaGa FINDS RHYTHM

As leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi is savouring his biggest electoral success, and fashioning himself as the voice of the people. His growing stature, however, comes with its share of challenges

THE MENTOR'S NUDGE

The RSS hints at course correction from the BJP and Modi government 3.0, which might be reflected in the choice of new party president

More questions to answer

NEET controversy has exposed the nexus between the education mafia and certain political parties

TESTING TIMES

As the NEET fiasco turns into a political liability, the Union government has asked the CBI to step in. It is also talking about reforming the National Testing Agency

Factory reset

Despite cases of suicide and exorbitant fees, students still prefer Kota. But the numbers are dipping

Grumble in the hills

Alleged purchase of over 600 acres within the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, near the Koyna dam, by the principal GST commissioner of Gujarat raises legal, ethical and environmental concerns

Into the line of fire, and back

Border forces may recruit Agniveers, send them to Army, and take them back

Four fall guys on the water front

R .K. Laxman once drew a cartoon showing the Common Man perched on the roof of a flooded building which bore the signboad 'Drought Relief Centre, and a chaprasi, who had arrived in a country boat, giving him another one to replace it. The new board read: 'Flood Relief Centre!

ENGINEERING MARVEL

IIT Kanpur is taking innovation to new heights and frontiers. Here, medicine meets engineering meets finance....

Damning truths in soft voice

The hounding of Arundhati Roy may well turn out to be one more of those own-goals our rulers are growing to be famous for.

Set up reconciliation commission

IT IS A stalemate at the moment in Manipur.

The dirt on NEET

Uproar over NEET UG results points to systemic issues in the National Testing Agency

No reason for reforms to change; it could even accelerate

SANJIV PURI, THE ITC chairman who was recently elected president of the Confederation of Indian Industry, has a clear blueprint: Ensure that the new 'coalition' government's composition does not derail the economic reforms set in motion by Modi 1.0 and 2.0.

Homegrown luxuries

My grandfather would have turned 99 last month.

Chocolate boy levels up

Chandu Champion ushers in a mature Kartik Aaryan, one who is ready to shoulder the weight of an emotional, meaty narrative

THE FUTURE TAKES ROOT

How India's best colleges are shaping their students to be part of the country's growth objectives

GAME ON

Malwinder Singh Kang, 45, has had many victories under his belt.

FAMILY MATTERS

At 27, Priyanka Jarkiholi became the first tribal woman to become an MP from an unreserved Lok Sabha constituency by winning the Chikkodi seat in Karnataka's Belagavi district.

MESSENGER OF PEACE

The Jama Masjid in Delhi, a Mughal-era structure, is located just a few paces from the Parliament building and has come to be known as the 'Parliament-wali masjid' Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, the imam of the masjid, has for years been a bridge between the people and the political leaders who would come to the mosque to pray.

THE ART OF POLITICS

Sasikanth Senthil, 45, won with the highest margin from Tamil Nadu, marking another milestone for this former IAS officer.

DANCE OF DEMOCRACY

On the evening of June 4, the video of a young woman-dressed in a sari, her head covered by the pallu—dancing merrily to the beats of the dhol went viral.

AGE NO BAR

During the Lok Sabha campaign in a remote part of Bihar's Samastipur constituency, Shambhavi Choudhary, 25, spoke to an elderly woman, who said that she had never met a candidate or an MP in her life.

STATE OF STATELESSNESS

At the height of the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, a video of Angomcha Bimol Akoijam belting out a song of the legendary rock band Scorpions went viral.

MISSION POSSIBLE

On December 26, 2017, Shashank Mani was in Kanniyakumari as part of his Jagriti Yatra.