For decades, poverty was India’s permanent companion, surviving successive governments, Five-Year Plans, economic experiments and countless political promises. It even became an election-winning slogan. In 1971, Indira Gandhi went to the electorate with two catchy words: Garibi Hatao (remove poverty). It was an immensely effective political slogan. Unfortunately, poverty proved considerably more resilient than the…
One is a stormy petrel on television; the other is a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal. One raises the temperature in studios; the other raises water levels, wind speeds, and anxiety along the coast. Meet Arnab and Arnob. They sound almost identical, but their arenas could not be more different. One unleashes verbal tempests…
Artificial intelligence has entered politics. Now, who will pay its bills? The Telangana government offered a glimpse of the future by unveiling India’s first AI minister at DevFest 2026 in Hyderabad on October 24. It is an AI-powered digital twin of D Sridhar Babu, the state’s Minister for IT, Industries and Legislative Affairs. Built on…
‘In an entire year, Sriharikota does not attempt as many launches as Congress makes failed attempts to launch its leader.’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s quip at the NDTV World Summit summed up his latest attack on the grand old party’s repeated efforts to project Rahul Gandhi as a future prime minister. By invoking India’s space…
In a democracy, the right to protest is non-negotiable. People of all ages, ideologies, and persuasions take to the streets to make their voices heard. Some protest for genuine causes; others may have political axes to grind. And, as in every public movement, there can be a few shady characters lurking in the shadows. That,…
Delhi’s Ramlila organisers seem to have stumbled upon an unusual way of celebrating Dasara. Alongside the towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, they propose to burn a 30-foot cockroach, reportedly aimed at the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Now, that is an interesting choice of company. But is it fair to the villains of the…
In the Rahul Gandhi school of jurisprudence, the accused is guilty until he proves himself innocent. And if the accused happens to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the rules of evidence can apparently be rewritten to suit the prosecution. First, allege vote chori. Then, when challenged to substantiate the charge, retreat to a ‘feeling’ that…
Just as the world expected, Donald Trump has found yet another reason to be aggrieved. The Nobel Peace Prize has gone to someone else. Again. And the man who believes he has done more for world peace than anyone since Columbus discovered America is left wondering why the world refuses to acknowledge his greatness. Imagine…
When a lifetime of campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize meets a laureate’s generous sense of humour, surely a little more applause can bring world peace a step closer. Navi Pillay’s offer to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Donald Trump, should the applause continue a little longer, was undoubtedly the joke of the season….
Life is full of surprises and ironies. For centuries, science and religion have often appeared to be on opposite sides of the argument about the nature of existence. In medieval Europe, challenging established religious beliefs could be a dangerous business. Galileo was forced to recant his belief that the Earth moved around the Sun. Giordano…
