CATEGORIES

NO LOVE LOST

WITH THE RJD MAKING NO CONCESSIONS IN THE RECENT POLLS, THE CON G RESS WAS FORCED TO TAKE ON ITS ALLY

Master of the Rough Road

Known for speaking his mind, India’s top industrialist championed domestic competitiveness while also changing swiftly with the times

THE FOREIGN HAND OF FRIENDSHIP

In his new book, Rebels Against the Raj, historian Ramachandra Guha tells us stories of seven Indian freedom fighters who all came from the West

Rahul's Congress: An Empty Bench

‘Team Rahul Gandhi’, the band of young leaders touted as the Congress scion’s able lieutenants, lies in disarray. Several of them have quit the party, others sulk openly week

Covid's Long Shadow

For Natasha Sharma, homemaker and mother to four-year-old twins, 2022 began inauspiciously. The 34-year-old Pune resident tested positive for the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in the first week of January. For two days, Sharma had a consistently high fever and a sore throat. Following her doctor’s advice, she treated her symptoms with paracetamol and multivitamins. By day three, her fever had gone and her throat began to improve. But over the next 10 days, Sharma continued to experience weakness, aches in her leg muscles, insomnia and tiredness. Her doctor diagnosed her with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a complex, multisystem disorder, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

War Of The Sardars

Four Strong Contenders Are Pitched In A Multi-polar Electoral Battle. Who Will Win The Day—and Punjab?

United Colours of Lata

Apart from melody and octave range, Lata Mangeshkar’s songs were lit by a rare emotional intelligence

Divide and Rule

Come Ugadi, the Telugu New Year on April 2, and Andhra Pradesh will double its number of districts to 26. The move is in keeping with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s 2019 assembly election promise to improve governance. The advantages, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government claims, are plenty. For one, the reorganisation will bring district headquarters closer to the average citizen, except perhaps in the proposed Araku district. More districts also mean a greater share of Union government funds from programmes that take the district as a unit. “The reorganisation of districts is based on geographical boundaries and demographics and is not merely on the basis of parliamentary and assembly constituencies,” says G.S.R.K.R. Vijaya Kumar, planning secretary, Andhra Pradesh.

'I am 100% Original'

Usha Uthup’s authorised biography The Queen of Indian Pop demystifies the powerful voice that transcended genres and languages. It also reminds us why the 74-year-old singer remains a legend

TORONTO CALLING

A THIRD CHEAPER THAN THEIR US COUNTERPARTS AND WITH A MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE WORK PERMIT PROGRAMME, CANADIAN COLLEGES ARE BECOMING THE NEW DESTINATION FOR INDIAN STUDENTS

SOUTH SIDE STORY

BOLLYWOOD REMAKES OF SOUTH INDIAN FILMS HAVE LONG BEEN A TREND. NOW, THE MULTI-GENRE ENTERTAINERS FROM THE SOUTH ARE CHALLENGING HINDI FILMS ON THEIR OWN TURF

MISSING THE MIDDLE CLASS

Once an engine of India’s economic growth, now reeling from the pandemic, India’s middle classes find little comfort in Budget 2022

NEGLECTED BASTIONS

CAN THE ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS BECOME THE FOCUS OF INDIA’S MILITARY STRATEGY AGAINST A BELLIGERENT CHINA? THERE IS PLENTY OF INTENT, BUT INSUFFICIENT MILITARY CAPACITY ON THE GROUND

FOUR CORNERED VISION

Busy on their respective campaign trails, the Big Four of this Punjab election take time out to answer a few key questions, in exclusive interviews to Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa and Senior Editor Anilesh S. Mahajan. Excerpts

Union Budget 2022 - Betting Big On Infra

The Modi government wants to put the country on a high-growth trajectory by opening the purse strings for infrastructure development rather than offer palliatives. But effective implementation holds the key to achieving this ambitious objective

‘E' FOR EDUCATION

The expanded e-Vidya scheme sees a big push in the education budget. Can it bridge the divide?

MANDAL ON THE MANDOVI?

Amidst all the personal and party rivalries, a novel factor—backward caste politics— reshapes Goa’s electoral map

DOING THE DOAB

Identity or livelihood? Between these two streams lies a dilemma for the voters of western UP, ground zero for the most contentious issues of our time

THE STATE OF SURRENDER

In the past one year, as many as seven high-value Maoists operating in Madhya Pradesh have surrendered in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. This includes Diwakar, a divisional commander in charge of the vistaar operations in the newly created Maharashtra-Madhya PradeshChhattisgarh (MMC) zone of the Maoists. However, not a single Maoist has surrendered in MP since 2010. The state police say they are struggling on the information front as they have little ‘access’ to these key operatives.

MORE BANG FOR THE INDIGENOUS BUCK

The government walks the talk on its indigenisation thrust by loosening its purse strings to facilitate R&D funding for the private sector. Policy implementation will remain a key challenge

THE PROMISE IS OVER

There is no more talk of doubling farm incomes, and while the emphasis on green farming is good, the sops continue with no clear future roadmap

REET 2021 SCAM: Gehlot's Acid Test

The fallout of the REET (Rajasthan Eligibility Entrance Test) scam— involving the leak of the question paper for an exam to select 31,000 teachers for state schools, conducted in September last year—has left the Ashok Gehlot government besieged.

NO BOOSTER SHOT FOR HEALTH

Despite the ongoing pandemic and growing healthcare needs, the sector gets little impetus

banging on empty plates

Despite the Centre’s massive welfare schemes, the pandemic saw poverty increase and the emergence of two Indias. The budget continues with the one-size-fits-all approach

FIX THE SPENDING GAP

The capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 35 per cent, but the yawning gap between outlay and actual spend is worrying

AGAINST THE GRAIN

FILMMAKER SHAKUN BATRA HAS NEVER PLAYED BY HINDI CINEMA’S RULES, AND HIS UPCOMING GEHRAIYAAN ONLY REITERATES HIS QUIET ICONOCLASM

Weapons Purchases: Be Indian Buy Indian

The ministry of defence has announced a series of measures to energise the flagging drive to manufacture indigenous weapons. The PMO itself is supervising the initiative. Will it work?

IAS Cadre Rules Centre Vs States

New Delhi’s demand that AIS officers do mandatory central deputation is primed to become another Centre-states dispute

Punjab - The Dark Horse Of Patiala

The Amarinder-BJP joint stock company is banking on a blend of symbolism and ground synergy in this ‘revenge’ election

Can Yogi Make History?

Yogi Adityanath is poised on the edge of a future that can change Indian politics. He brims with optimism, but a resurgent Akhilesh Yadav is giving him the battle of his life in UP