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

The War That Refused to Bend Iran

In the theatre of modern warfare—where technology, sanctions, and shock-and-awe tactics are expected to deliver swift victories—one uncomfortable truth has resurfaced: nations with deep civilisational roots and hardened political will do not collapse on cue. If anything, the ongoing confrontation between Iran and the United States has once again exposed the limits of brute force,…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Narendra Modi: Statesman Above Pettiness

In an age where politics is often reduced to noise, name-calling, and carefully choreographed outrage, gestures of quiet dignity stand out like a lighthouse in a storm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to an ailing Sonia Gandhi—widow of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi—was one such moment. She has since been discharged, but the symbolism…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Bagram Gambit: India’s Strategic Test

At a time when Donald Trump is openly flaunting a dangerously transactional worldview—boasting of expanding American strategic footprints and even hinting at places like Cuba as potential future targets—the global order appears to be slipping into an era reminiscent of old-style power projection. This is no longer about alliances or stability; it increasingly resembles a…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Will Modi’s Fuel Gamble Deliver Poll Gains?

In politics, timing is everything. And in the middle of a global crisis triggered by the ongoing tensions in West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears to have timed his move with clinical precision—placing the Opposition on the defensive just weeks before crucial Assembly elections. These five state polls—West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Jobs, Not Accents

The latest push by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to nudge companies into bringing call centre jobs back to the United States—and to mandate “American Standard English” proficiency—has been packaged as a consumer-first reform. It fits neatly into the political grammar popularised by Donald Trump and his “Make America Great Again” doctrine. But beneath the rhetoric…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Stop Moral Posturing: Why the Iran Question Cannot Be Dodged

As the West Asia conflict intensifies with Iran at its core and coordinated strikes involving Israel and the United States, a familiar chorus has emerged—loud, indignant, and conveniently selective. The usual critics have lined up to denounce Washington, and more specifically Donald Trump, accusing him of warmongering and recklessness. Here’s the uncomfortable question many avoid:…

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Columnist M S Shanker, Orange News 9

Old Habits, Costly Consequences

“Old habits die hard” is not just a cliché—it is a political warning. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu seems determined to prove it right, yet again. A series of viral videos now circulating on social media has reignited an uncomfortable question: has the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), now an ally in the BJP-led…

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