Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

Generic medicines: The dilemma

Illness can impose a substantial financial burden. For millions of families in our country, a prescription is not simply a list of medicines; it can become a recurring monthly expense. When a doctor writes a prescription, the patient frequently faces a dilemma: should they choose a branded medicine or a cheaper generic alternative? In 2026,…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

Are Brahmins the Jews of Bharat?

In today’s world, two communities are disproportionately hated and targeted: Jews globally and Brahmins in Bharat. Both are demographic minorities; Jews form less than 0.2 per cent of the world’s population, while Brahmins constitute roughly 4 to 5 per cent of India’s population. Since the present discussion concerns the question, “Why is there so much…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

A flawed democracy

Dr. R K Chadha In a democracy all people are equal because the government is of the people, by the people and for the people. Contrary to these tenets, we inherited a flawed democracy beginning with the Congress rule lead by a leader who did not had the mandate to become the first Prime Minister…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

Vedic knowledge vs Modern science: What’s the difference?

The topic evokes strong reactions across different sections of our society because it lies at the intersection of religion, cultural identity, national pride, education, and scientific credibility. Whenever exaggerated claims that the Vedas describe ancient aircraft, nuclear weapons, internet, plastic surgery, stem-cell technology, relativity or quantum physics are endorsed by politicians, senior officials, academicians, and…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

Global Warming & Climate Change: Today’s Buzzwords

Dr. R K Chadha The phrases “global warming” and “climate change” have become household terms and common topics of conversation at social gatherings and informal meetings, particularly after disasters such as floods, cloudbursts, extreme heatwaves, delayed or excessive monsoons, and droughts. In my view, this is not necessarily a negative development; it can be a…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

A life through religious meanders

On 25 September 2026, New Delhi witnessed a distinctive cultural phenomenon called “bhajan clubbing”, a contemporary format in which young people, particularly members of Gen Z, gather in concert-like settings to sing, clap and dance to Hindu devotional songs accompanied by fast-paced modern music. The event, held to mark the 110th birth anniversary of Sangh…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

UPI MDR: Is it a tax or a fee?

The government announced the UPI (Unified Payments Interface) Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework on 15 September 2026, with the charges set to take effect from 15 October 2026. The framework is as follows: (i) a 0.4% rate on person-to-merchant (P2M) payments above ₹2,000; (ii) no charge on P2M payments up to ₹2,000; (iii) a cap…

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Columnist-Dr. R K Chadha

7 Cataclysmic Minutes

Imagine a torrent of over 100 million cubic metres of rock, ice, and mud rushing down a narrow canyon at a whopping speed of more than 170 km/h. You would have virtually no chance of outrunning it. This is what happened on 26 August 2026 in the Nepal Himalaya, 60 kilometres north of Kathmandu. At…

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