In a chokehold

How poor decisions, bad company, impulsive acts and an inflated ego wrecked Sushil Kumar’s life and career

Tough soil

The farmers’ protest continues to unsettle parties ahead of the four-way political contest in Punjab

SOUL OF A POET

In a new book, lyricist Anand Bakshi’s son pays tribute to the legend

The real virus came from Zhoushan. The military found it

Q/ After our exclusive interview last year, in which you said the Covid-19 virus was man-made, scientists and governments are considering it to be a possibility. New theories have emerged as well. Do you think the samples found from the Yunnan copper mine come closest to SarsCoV-2?

We will produce ideal doctors through an AIIMS-like project

BABA RAMDEV is no stranger to controversy. He recently riled a large section of the medical fraternity by questioning the efficacy of Covid vaccines. But Ramdev remains unperturbed despite criticisms. His eyes are set on his next big project—a university that will produce “ideal” doctors who practice holistic methods of cure and prevention.

THE PARROT WHO WOULDN'T TALK

All-Time Favourites for Children By Ruskin Bond

THE CURSED ‘BRIDE'

In Budhini, Sarah Joseph gives voice to the woman who paid the price for garlanding Nehru

Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels

Super apps will take Amazon-Reliance rivalry to next level

BJP's Invincibility Seems To Have Worn Out

Beset with multiple woes, the BJP seems far from the invincible force it claims to be

5G Will Benefit India's Village More

Urban users are eagerly waiting for 5G telecom services to take off, but its real impact would be felt in villages

CHANGED HOUSE

In Kerala, the CPI(M) softens its ideological stance and the Congress opts for a fresh opposition leader

The SOS man

From playing junior cricket for Karnataka to being a saviour to thousands during the pandemic, Indian Youth Congress president B.V. Srinivas has come a long way

From brain TO HEART

Depression can lead to cardiovascular diseases in multiple ways

Blended with love

Two string legends joined forces to make soothing melodies for a bruised world

SCARRED & SCARED

Any form of abuse—verbal, physical or mental—has adverse effects on women

THE AGE OF BIO-ART

Science Gallery’s new exhibition is a bold, inventive map of a contagion

Finding the Jekyll in Hyde

Rehabilitating men with sexual convictions could be the way forward to combat sexual violence

ECOLOGY ECONOMIST

Sundarlal Bahuguna was the bridge between our freedom struggle and today’s ecology movement

A BORDER CUPPA

Perched between India and Pakistan, Café Freedom has become the new hang-out place for Uri youth

Covid-19 - How The Government Bungled

Behind India’s crumbling Covid management is a combination of factors—poor macro-level monitoring, refusal to heed early warnings, negligent policymaking and complacent citizens

Rajiv's Discovery Of India

Rajiv Gandhi was a doting father, a committed husband, a dutiful son, and a loyal friend. Above all, he was a caring, cordial and visionary leader who was committed to ushering a secular and democratic India into the 21st century

SONG OF THE SOUL

Did you know about the whistling village of India? Read about Kongthong, where villagers are not known by a name, but by a tune

The sting in the tale

Mamata Banerjee outwits the CBI in perceptions game after the arrests of Trinamool leaders

My goal is to make music out of the language

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

RAGE REIGNS

Neither Israel nor Hamas in Palestine is even thinking of a cessation to the hostilities anytime soon

RUM REJIG!

Gen-next distillers are taking the pirate’s drink to uncharted waters

Head hunting

The CBI top job is up for grabs. The shortlisted officers have reputations that precede them

Government and scientific establishment have failed

As early as April 2020, molecular biologist Partho Sarothi Ray had warned India of mutant variants and of a deadlier second wave of the coronavirus. Ray is an associate professor in the department of biological sciences at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, and is now abroad on a research project. In a new interview with THE WEEK, Ray discusses India’s response to the second wave. Excerpts:

The Conception Crisis

The sperm count is down, and egg quality low. Men and women in India are struggling to conceive. While lifestyle issues do contribute to infertility, researchers are more worried about hormone-altering chemicals that surround us. THE WEEK investigates how these are impacting our reproductive health

PRESSING ON

Power, Press and Politics By Alok Mehta Published by Bloomsbury Price ₹799; pages 421