A Fight for the Soul of the Game: Why Revanth Reddy’s Crackdown Must Go All the Way This is in continuation of my pursuit to expose who is responsible for ruining Hyderabad cricket—not just through corruption and incompetence, but by systematically dismantling an ecosystem that once produced legends, pride, and a legacy few cities in…
“Merit Is Dead”: Former Hyderabad All-Rounder Slams Rot in State Cricket MS Shanker As part of my continuing series, “How to Revive Hyderabad Cricket,” this week I sat down with one of the city’s most quietly impactful cricketers—M.V. Ramanamurthy. A gritty allrounder who played his cricket in the 1980s and early ’90s purely on merit,…
God save the Nobel Peace Prize Once a symbol of rare virtue and global statesmanship, the Nobel Peace Prize has now become the unofficial trophy for delusion and self-congratulation. And this year, the stampede is real. Everyone with a microphone, a modest PR team, or a record of doing the bare minimum for peace—or in…
In a world teetering between old alliances and emerging multipolarity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just-concluded five-nation tour — Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia — stands out as a strategic masterstroke. Lasting eight days, this was Modi’s longest overseas visit in the last ten years. While the global media is busy dissecting power…
One victim’s frustrating journey through the legal maze after cyber fraud (This is a continuation of the cyber fraud article published in these columns last week. Here, the victim recounts his distressing journey of trying to reclaim his stolen money. — Editor) MS Shanker When he (Radhakrishna, name changed) first discovered that he had been…
India’s pluralistic fabric was once again stretched to its limits as communal violence flared during Muharram processions across three major states—Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The disturbing common thread: targeted attacks, allegedly by Muslim mobs, on Hindu temples and residential areas predominantly occupied by Hindus. This unsettling pattern has sadly become a recurring feature…
In a dramatic move that has sent ripples through America’s political establishment, tech tycoon Elon Musk has launched a new political outfit—the American Party—vowing to “give you back your freedom.” It came just a day after he polled his followers on X about forming a new party, suggesting the move was impulsive but not uncalculated….
In a nation as vast and diverse as India, data is the bedrock on which policy, planning, and public health interventions must stand. Yet the very foundation appears worryingly shaky. A recent compilation of 11 research papers on large-scale demographic and health surveys in India reveals an uncomfortable truth: we may be collecting more data…
In a move that defies logic, mocks national sentiment, and exposes dangerous double standards, the Indian government—through its Home Ministry and the Ministry of External Affairs—has shockingly granted clearance to Pakistan’s national hockey team to participate in two major tournaments in India. The Asia Cup in Rajgir this August-September and the Junior Hockey World Cup…
As India marks the 104th birth anniversary of P.V. Narasimha Rao, it is a moment to pause and reflect on the enduring legacy of one of the most consequential yet underappreciated Prime Ministers in Indian history. A scholar-statesman, polyglot, and shrewd political mind, Rao not only laid the foundation for India’s economic liberalisation but also…
