We live in an era where finding even a handful of readers who meticulously go through three physical newspapers every day has become rare. Many now scroll through a dozen newspapers in a jiffy on mobile phones or on various “tops” and “pads”—laptops, desktops, iPads, and notepads. This writer, however, still belongs to the physical,…
The Speaker of the Telangana Assembly occupies a constitutional chair, not a party pulpit. Yet, during a heated exchange on the floor of the House, that distinction appeared dangerously blurred. When the Speaker categorically warned BRS leader Harish Rao that he would not be allowed to speak if he continued to scold the Chief Minister,…
HS stands for Honourable Speaker in the Lok Sabha. That is how the HS is the boss of every staff member—from the lowest rung to the Secretary General—in the Lok Sabha Secretariat. We recently lost a truly honourable and noble Speaker in Shivraj Patil. Having been appointed directly to the Lok Sabha Secretariat in 1989,…
Many look forward to what Revanth Reddy speaks—or shall we say, blurts out. Many also wonder whether what he says is pre-planned or whether he thinks only after speaking and gauging the response. Either way, his words are acerbic, as pungent as acid can be. At the end of the day, he delivers what people…
Bolarum is a tiny suburb — or rather a Cantonment pocket — of Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad. Historically known as Chinna Lashkar, military folk once took immense pride in the “rum” in Bolarum. And, as only we can, we’ve spelled and respelled it as we pleased, giving it a full metamorphosis into “Bolaram,”…
The Jubilee Hills byelection, necessitated by the sudden and sad demise of popular MLA Maganti Gopinath, has become a contest charged with sentiment and symbolism. The BRS has fielded Gopinath’s wife, banking heavily on the goodwill he built over three consecutive terms. His widow and two daughters have taken it upon themselves to ensure that…
Is the wheel of development turning a full circle? Are the so-called developed nations now confronting a dead end, while developing and underdeveloped countries prepare for their turn to rise? Look across Europe — from the UK to Germany, France to the Nordic states — and the picture is increasingly bleak. Demographic shifts are being…
This October brings the centenary of two remarkable men who took up journalism both as livelihood and as mission—armed with nothing but conviction and courage. Today, October 3, marks the 100th birth anniversary of Sri M.S. Acharya of Warangal, while October 6 will mark that of my father, D. Sitaram. Both faced turbulence in their…
Donald Trump’s politics increasingly resemble Disneyland rides—full of drama, reversals, and dizzying speed. The only question is: is he putting roller coasters to shame? Just ask Elon Musk, who often seems trapped in the same carnival of contradictions. In Telugu, there’s a saying: keedu chesi melu cheyyi—“doing something bad leads to something good.” There’s also…
The headline is not necessarily a signal of eulogy on Narendra Modi. But as he celebrates his 75th birthday, Modi deserves to be showered with encomiums for all the facts that brought him to a stage of invincibility. Either as longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat and going to be one as the Prime Minister…
