Special Reports
“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,…
The Timeless Bond of Devotion Dr Sandhya Bombay One of the most profound expressions of devotion in the Hindu tradition is the line “భక్తవత్సల గోవిందా, భాగవతప్రియ గోవిందా” from Govinda Naamalu, translated as: “O Govinda, beloved of devotees; O Govinda, dear to the Bhagavatas.” This chant captures deep reverence and fills our hearts with inspiration and…
The Case of Dr. U.C. Banerjee, Abuse of Process and Power in NIPER Mohali In an alarming case of institutional betrayal, Dr. Uttam Chand Banerjee—former Dean at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, and a scientist facing serious plagiarism allegations—was shockingly regularised as a permanent employee through what appears to be…
N Nagarajan It’s tragic how global politics today has been reduced to loud theatrics. Donald Trump, once the President of the world’s oldest democracy, turned the White House into a circus, mocking the disabled, downplaying white supremacy, and ultimately fuelling the Capitol Hill riots with baseless lies about the 2020 election. And yet, he’s clawed…
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…
Young captain, fearless squad, and a shot at history By all standards of modern Test cricket, India’s 336-run hammering of England at Edgbaston last week wasn’t just emphatic—it was historic. The victory not only levelled the five-match series 1-1 but also signalled the arrival of a new Indian era led by a youthful yet fearless…
Raman Lamba’s story is one of raw talent, unyielding passion, and tragic destiny. Born on January 2, 1960, in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, Lamba rose from local cricket grounds to the international stage, leaving an indelible mark on Indian and world cricket before his untimely death at just 38. From childhood, Lamba was known for his…
MS Shanker Can there be anything more bizarre than a man under the scanner for corruption writing a letter demanding justice for others? That’s exactly what Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Joint Secretary T. Basavaraju has done. Basavaraju—who is already facing heat after a parent accused his close aide of accepting a bribe for securing a…
Somashekhar Ganta The headline could well be a cryptic clue to what is reportedly unfolding in Beijing. Social media is abuzz with speculation that “She” (Xi Jinping), the all-powerful General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is being quietly dethroned by “Who” (Hu Jintao, his…
How a Former Cricketer Hijacked a Supreme Court-Mandated Reform Panel MS Shanker In a damning new chapter in the saga of Hyderabad cricket’s administrative collapse, fresh revelations by former Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice N.A. Kakru, expose the internal sabotage of the very Supervisory Committee that was tasked with cleansing the…
