CATEGORIES

The Beautiful and the Damned

There is a pattern of natural disasters in the Himalayas, which leaves the local population caught in a cycle of construction and destruction

PRESCRIBING GENERICS -why not make it mandatory?

When a patient visits a doctor, the patient rightly presumes that the 'doctor will look after my best interests' and this behooves the doctor's ensuring that, the patient not only gets the best therapeutic outcome feasible, but gets a standard medicinal product (s) that meets all purity and efficacy parameters at the least price payable

Reinventing G20

India has set the bar high for G20. But will decisions taken at the summit be translated meaningfully on the ground?

Electoral Dividends?

Modi has successfully furthered his cult by the diplomatic engagements surrounding this summit. But there are limitations

Measuring Poverty

A process for gauging poverty in India covering select dimensions has been institutionalised, but many are critical of this approach

Your Legend, My JM

The love and compassion one encountered in poet Jayanta Mahapatra's company are legendary. The luminary who passed away last month has left behind the undying zeal for life

NRI market for Indian properties becomes positive

Recent expert surveys indicate a remarkable growth in demand from non-resident Indians in the country's residential real estate.

Breathe the Poetic Breeze of Bombay

Reading verses of poets who trained the lens on erstwhile Bombay during poetry walks provides a new dimension to understanding their work

Trans Lore In Scriptures

The mention of trans-people in various mythologies is proof that ancient people had a refined understanding of gender and sexuality

"A writer needs solitude, you need to be by yourself"

To commemorate Ruskin Bond's 89th birthday this year, Puffin culled 25 of the choicest nature stories by him in a beautifully illustrated collection. These stories on life amidst nature capture the magical imaginings of childhood. Books dedicated to Bond were also published by Aleph Book Company and HarperCollins India this year. India's beloved writer spoke to Arun A K

Ducati Multistrada V4S: Kind, Ferocious, Fabulous

It was always expected that the eventual meeting of the brilliant Ducati V4 engine with the Multistrada would be special. A week with the Multistrada V4S proved that thought to be an understatement

Deras and Dalits of Punjab

One of the most talked about deras in recent times has been the Dera Sacha Sauda of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is convicted in multiple rape and murder cases

NO Truce IN SIGHT

Over 50,000 people have been displaced since May 3 due to the ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo communities. Still, there is little hope for reconciliation

Illiberal Education

The recent resignation of an economist from Ashoka University following the political backlash to his research paper on manipulation in the 2019 elections raises crucial questions about the state of higher education

Unleashing Queer Possibilities

The inability to listen, internalise and empathise marks many Indian movies on marginalised characters and themes Rituparno Ghosh's Chitrangada is different-because Ghosh was different

My Identity is Not a Hurdle

From dancing in hidden corners to avoid snide comments to performing on stage in front of thousands of people, transgender Bharatnatyam dancer Narthaki Nataraj's journey is one full of resilience. Hailing from a small village in Tamil Nadu, Nataraj's passion for dance was ignited early on. Alongside her closest ally, Shakthi, a transwoman, she overcame societal neglect and together they pursued their shared dream of training in Bharatnatyam. Nataraj's performances have gained international acclaim, and she has been bestowed with several awards and honours for her contributions to dance and her role in breaking down gender barriers. She spoke to Anisha Reddy about her journey so far.

Brave New Rhythm

Padma Award winner Manjamma Jogathi vows that it is her art that has taken her all the way from a remote village in Karnataka to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Fair Portrayal Matters

Who gets to play trans roles? And who decides the norms of representation?

Trans Inclusion...Served Hot and Fresh

Spaces like Bambai Nazariya in Mumbai and Pride Café in Bengaluru are providing employment opportunities to transgenders to smash stereotypes

An Uphill Battle

Transgender persons continue to face hurdles in gaining access to inheritance, adoption rights family pension and important legal documents

Transcending Barriers

Transgender people are fighting hard and patiently waiting for their chance to contest elections or get government jobs

The Trans Lens

While films about transgender lives are garnering audiences, queer and transgender filmmakers and thespians weigh in on why representation may not always mean inclusion

Gender TROUBLE

If cis-gender actors can play transgenders on screen, why can't it be the other way round?

The Trauma of Erasure

Acts of gendered people are harming and punishing the existence of sexual minorities

Lives on the Fringes

Despite a few refreshing narratives, most of Indian mainstream cinema still struggles to portray transgender people with all their human complexities and contradictions

Too Loud A Clap

Taali is too much exterior, very little inward looking, too much tell, very little show

The Invisibility Cloak

\"My eyes are always hungry. They look at your face and move down and we long for that complete body. It is a strong urge to be a woman and to look better than any woman. We want to be mothers, too. That is an inherent part of being a woman\"- Gauri Sawant to me in an interview in 2012 for 'The Eunuch Mothers' that appeared in Open magazine

Laws That Target Minorities

The Narendra Modi-led government has enacted many laws that systematically discriminate against Muslims

The People Behind The Scenes

Who Are These People? by Leena Nandan, IAS officer and secretary in the environment ministry, is a thriller set in the backdrop of terror activities, garnished with stories of civil servants and their lives

The Fog Of Wordplay

Hijab, azaan, jihadi, anti-national, terrorist, mullah, miya-the meaning of these terms are blurred on purpose by many political leaders and Right-wing groups. They use it as a strategy to serve their own agendas, target religious minorities and stoke communal passions