M.S Shanker

Founder-Editor and the driving force behind Orangenews9.com, MS Shanker is a veteran media professional with over four decades of experience dedicated to fearless journalism and the nation’s cause. He has worked with leading media houses including Deccan Chronicle, Mid-Day, Outlook, Dainik Bhaskar, NDTV, and BBC, among others.

Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Zojila: Where vision meets steel

The breakthrough achieved this week in the ambitious Zojila Tunnel project is not merely an engineering milestone; it is a powerful statement of Bharat’s determination, capability, and strategic vision. For decades after Independence, connectivity to Ladakh remained hostage to geography, harsh weather, and bureaucratic inertia. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Decks cleared for NDA’s big Legislative push

A new political churning is underway in Bharat’s rapidly evolving political landscape. The aftershocks of the recent Assembly elections appear to have fundamentally altered the balance of power between the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led Opposition bloc, IN.D.I.A. What seemed unthinkable a few years ago is increasingly becoming a political reality…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

India’s strategic breakthrough in missile technology

With the successful test-firing of a series of multi-layered missiles by scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) last week, Bharat has joined the elite club of nations possessing advanced ballistic missile defence capabilities. This landmark achievement marks a significant leap in the country’s strategic and technological prowess. Bharat is no longer merely…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Will the Peace Deal Ever Become a Reality?

For a world exhausted by war, uncertainty, and economic instability, the latest claims of an imminent peace deal between the United States and Iran should have been welcome news. Instead, they have been met with skepticism, confusion, and disbelief. The reason is simple: credibility. After once again authorizing military strikes and escalating tensions, US President…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

When facts challenge narratives

The outrage from the Congress ecosystem over the NDA celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi becoming India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister is both amusing and revealing. Whether it is a former Congress spokesperson like Sanjay Jha, who now presents himself as an independent commentator, or retired bureaucrats-turned-politicians seeking relevance, the objection remains the same: “Don’t compare…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Deterrence in a dangerous neighbourhood

The latest assessment by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) should put to rest a persistent misconception in strategic circles—that Bharat can afford to remain complacent about its nuclear deterrent. The SIPRI Yearbook 2026 estimates that Bharat now possesses around 190 nuclear warheads, overtaking Pakistan’s stockpile of 170. While the numerical gap is modest,…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

How Many Setbacks Can Trump Absorb?

The question is no longer whether Donald Trump can survive controversy. The question is how many political, legal, diplomatic, and economic setbacks the Trump administration can absorb before even his most loyal supporters begin asking uncomfortable questions. The latest blows have come not from political opponents, but from America’s own institutions. In a significant setback,…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Selectors are no longer a Pack of Jokers

There was a time when the legendary Indian cricketer Mohinder Amarnath famously described the national selectors as a “pack of jokers.” The remark reflected the frustration of an era when selection often appeared inconsistent, conservative, and occasionally baffling. Decades later, that criticism has largely lost its relevance. Today’s Indian selectors may still make unpopular decisions,…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Opposition’s Last Hope

The Cockroach Theory of Survival Politics teaches many lessons. One of them is that hope never dies. Another is that when electoral arithmetic collapses, ideology evaporates, alliances crack, and leadership runs out of road, politicians begin searching for miracles. The latest miracle appears to have arrived in the form of a “Cockroach Party.” For India’s…

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