US Vice President Vance dials PM Modi, discusses ways to expand India-US partnership
New Delhi: US Vice President JD Vance dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday to discuss expanding the India-US comprehensive global strategic ties in trade, defence and energy security amid rising tensions in West Asia. The two leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in emerging technologies and critical minerals. Vance’s call to the…
Delhi crosses August rainfall average in first eight days
New Delhi: The national capital has crossed its average monthly rainfall for August in just the first eight days of the month, with the Safdarjung Observatory recording 230.1 mm of rain so far. Safdarjung, the city’s prime observatory, had recorded 225.7 mm of rainfall between the start of the month and till 8.30 am on…
Jharkhand exam stir: Govt announces fresh talks; student body alleges ‘political manoeuvring’
Ranchi: A series of meetings with student groups throughout Saturday culminated in the Jharkhand government announcing fresh talks with aspirants protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment exams in the state that prompted a prominent students’ faction accusing it of “political manoeuvring”. As the protest entered its 15th day on Saturday, the Hemant Soren government held…
HCA ‘Controversial’ Club Secretary’s Pot-Calling-Kettle-Black Act
There is an old saying that the pot should not call the kettle black. The latest outburst by a club secretary against a report published in these columns is a textbook example of that adage. One is genuinely left wondering whether to laugh at the allegations or take them seriously. The person making sweeping accusations…
Astro Veda: The rising trend of Astrological guidance among urban dwellers
Smita Jangid In an age shaped by rapid technological growth, digital connectivity, and increasingly fast-paced lifestyles, many young urban dwellers are turning toward AstroVeda for guidance and clarity. As modern life becomes more demanding and emotionally complex, this ancient system of astrological understanding is finding renewed relevance among people who want direction, reassurance, and practical…
Not prophecy, but hard political analysis
The other day, a friend called me to discuss the prevailing political climate in Telangana. His curiosity was straightforward: Does the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) still have a realistic chance of bouncing back to power? My answer was equally straightforward: I remain doubtful. He wanted to know why. I asked him a simple counter-question: What…
A nation turning pale?
“I am always tired.” “I feel weak even after sleeping.” “I get breathless when I climb stairs.” “Maybe it is because I am getting older.” These complaints are extremely common. But sometimes, they are not simply the result of a busy life, poor sleep or ageing. They may be signs of anaemia, a condition that…
Brahmaputra floods: an annual ritual
As the lifeline of Assam, the Brahmaputra River is both a boon and a bane; it fertilizes and enriches the soil on one hand yet causes destructive monsoon floods on the other. Assam receives both the monsoon rains and water from glacial melts from its northern tributaries originating in the Himalaya. The glacial melt in…
Aham Brahmasmi: The Light of Self-Realization
“Aham Brahmasmi” (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि), meaning “I am Brahman,” is one of the four great Mahāvākyas of the Upanishads. It appears in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of the Shukla Yajur Veda and stands as one of the most profound declarations in the history of human thought. It is not a statement of personal pride or individual supremacy,…
Power of Purushartha – Free Will
Q: You have stated that mahat totality, vasanas, and Purusha are superior to intellect. Whereas in mantra 9 states that intellect is given the highest hierarchy, which is contradictory. Please clarify? A: Intellect is placed on the top in your life. You are not helplessly expressing your vasanas, but you have the choice. Even though…
