A golden girl

One of India's most formidable beauties passed away earlier this month. The odd thing is she would absolutely hate this obituary; she hated being written about and avoided publicity for all of her nine decades. Indira Aswani was 93 when she died. But anyone who encountered her, even briefly, was in such awe of her grace and poise, and one could not but remember her forever.

The interest in wine is growing delightfully in India

The renowned British wine writer and television presenter Jancis Robinson, 74, recently came to Delhi and Mumbai to reacquaint herself with India's wine industry. This was the Robinson's fourth visit to India; the last one was seven years ago. On this trip, Robinson and her husband, restaurateur Nicholas Lander, were hosted by the Taj Hotels and Sonal Holland, India's only Master of Wine.

United in the states

Indian-Americans coming together under the Democratic umbrella could get Harris over the line in key battlegrounds

COVER DRIVE

Usage-driven motor insurance policies offer several benefits

GDP as the only measure of progress is illogical

Dasho Karma Ura, one of the world's leading happiness experts, has guided Bhutan's unique gross national happiness (GNH) project. He uses empirical data to show that money cannot buy happiness in all circumstances, rather it is family and health that have the strongest positive effect on happiness. Excerpts from an interview:

India is not a controlling big brother

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay considers India a benevolent elder sibling as the \"big brotherly attitude\" is happily missing from bilateral ties. He thinks the relationship shared by the two countries has become a model of friendship not just for the region, but for the entire world. \"India's attitude is definitely not of a big brother who is controlling and does not allow the little brother to blossom and grow,\" says Tobgay in an exclusive interview with THE WEEK.

Comrade with no foes

Lal Salaam, Comrade Yechury-you were quite a guy!

Pinning down saffron

In her first political bout, Vinesh Phogat rides on the anti-BJP sentiment across Haryana

MAKE IN MANIPUR

Home-made rockets and weapons from across the border are escalating the conflict

SAHEB LOSES STEAM

Coalition dynamics and poor electoral prospects continue to diminish Ajit Pawar's political stock

When separatism goes mainstream

As a Kashmir watcher for more than 30 years, I must talk about the shifting sands in the valley where the first elections are being held in over a decade. This is also the first poll since the abrogation of article 370. But the fascinating development is the ‘mainstreaming’ of separatist elements in this election.

Reimagining dharma

In her latest book, Wendy Doniger explores fascinating tales from the Shanti and Anushasana Parvas of the Mahabharat

FORGED IN FIRE

The twists and turns in the life of Anveshi Jain, once the most Googled woman in India

Nicking napkins and black magic

Had Phulwanti, our maid, not taken leave, I would never have known that I am a kleptomaniac! Yes, I do look so innocent, but kleptomaniacs don’t necessarily have to look like thugs, do they?

THEMES OF CHOICE

AS SAVVY INVESTORS SEEK NEW AVENUES, THEMATIC MUTUAL FUNDS ARE GAINING POPULARITY

GMC will have full executive, legislative and judicial autonomy

With full executive, legislative and judicial autonomy, the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) adopts a unique model that is distinct from the prevailing administrative system in Bhutan.

CITY OF DREAMS

With the development of the Gelephu Mindfulness City along the Indian border, Bhutan proposes an economic gateway for the world to India and southeast Asia, without disturbing its comfortable relationship with China

Charms of an ideologue

Sitaram Yechury gave the left much larger visibility than what was warranted by its strength

Mainstream challengers

Collaboration between Engineer Rashid and the Jamaat-e-Islami has caused unease in the National Conference and the People's Democratic Party camps

How Modi learned to love the bomb

Narendra Modi is the first Indian prime minister ever to not be on record on nuclear disarmament. His attention has been devoted to building our nuclear capabilities and delivery systems without mentioning universal disarmament.

Seats for AAP? Not even a needlepoint

One of the most dramatic scenes of the Mahabharat is the Bhagavad doot, wherein Krishna goes to the court of Dhritarashtra seeking the forfeited kingdom back for the Pandavas. When that is denied, he seeks five villages for the five brothers. That denied, he seeks one village for all five. No, says the arrogant Duryodhan, not even a needlepoint of land. The road to Kurukshetra began there.

Chase For The Mace

The next three years throw up a gamut of challenges for Indian cricket; winning the World Test Championship is the most important

Two-horse race

Can the NC-Congress alliance reshape the future of Jammu and Kashmir?

Man-eaters don't spare women

Critics say Narendra Modi’s decade-long rule has been one of jobless growth. Factories produced more, companies earned more, owners profited more, the government earned more; but fewer hands were hired, or those who were hired got work for fewer days. Putting the last two together, economists said the Indian economy generated fewer ‘man-days’.

Decolonising the mindset

The vision of a Viksit Bharat hinges on India T breaking from the shackles of a colonial mindset and embodying the freedom of being unapologetically Indian. The laws of any nation are the cornerstone of its growth. The legal system offers the stability and adaptability essential for a country to thrive. The laws must be simple to understand and specific in their consequence.

The making of India's Mr Difficult Words

When my publishers at Aleph invited me to put together a book on words and language, I hesitated for a brief moment.

Couture's creepy corridors

If one is spending a summer in New York, any summer in New York, an absolute must-do is to spend an afternoon at the city’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, on the edge of Central Park, just gawking in gobsmacked awe at the annual fashion exhibition the museum’s Costume Institute puts together.

Stree 2 has given us hope

The unprecedented success of Stree 2 is the best news we have had in the recent times and with an unabashedly feminist agenda, has comprehensively out-performed Sandeep Reddy Vanga's toxic masculine star-studded Animal at the box office is (to me, at least) kind of the cinematic equivalent of Awadhesh Prasad winning Ayodhya-it redeems my faith in the inherent decency of Indians.

BRANDS BEYOND RAMPS

Whether through carpets, fragrances or home interiors, Indian couturiers are defying their own limits

RESERVOIR OF WORRIES

India has a robust dam management systém on paper, but inadequate maintenance and climate change pose serious threats