By Prajna Kumaraswamy, Mansee Bal Bhargava   The tropical land–water-scape of India shapes every settlement through lakes, ponds, wetlands, and rivers. Mysuru (Mysore) is a city profoundly shaped by both natural and humanly constructed water systems. For generations, it has carried a collective identity tied to the seasonal rhythms of the monsoon, the life-giving presence of the Cauvery and Kabini rivers , and the intricate network of lakes and ponds that dot the cityscape. Water transcends being merely a resource; it is part of collective memory, embedded in place names, agricultural heritage, and the very land beneath our feet. In an era of rapid urbanization and climate-induced land–water transformations, understanding this profound relationship with the land–water-scape is strategic for sustainability, resilience, and even survival.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Uttarakhand continues to be in the news these days. Of course, many liberals target it without understanding the basic issues of the hills. The crisis there is deepening. An already threatened ecology and a worrying demographic trend have pushed hill communities into a state of anxiety, with negative population growth among native hill people. Outsiders are buying land and commercial properties at a rapid pace. The hill people have been demanding a land law that protects their identity and nativity, while also safeguarding their legitimate political rights, which are steadily being eroded.

By Bharat Dogra    The literature on India’s inspirational freedom movement is vast and diverse when it comes to struggles in areas directly under colonial rule. However, the resistance in regions ruled by kings and princes—who operated indirectly under British authority—has been under-reported. In these territories, revolts often faced the combined repression of royal, feudal, and colonial forces. A stark example is the brutal suppression of the Bhil tribal uprising led by Govind Guru at Maangarh, where a massacre far larger than Jallianwala Bagh occurred.  

By Maju Varghese*   The decision of the Kerala State Cabinet to take over ₹18.75 crore worth of loan liabilities of families affected by the July 2024 Wayanad landslide marks a historic intervention and a decisive response to banks that had refused to write off loans for disaster-affected victims, despite repeated requests from the Chief Minister and strong observations by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala . The move represents a significant and hard-earned victory for disaster-hit communities and people’s movements that consistently raised concerns about the indebtedness faced by climate-affected populations.

By A Representative   On February 1, near the Sagda–Jhapni area of Jabalpur, the right bank canal of the Bargi dam broke, flooding several nearby fields and affecting farmers in about half a dozen villages.  

By Harsh Thakor*  Sir Mark Tully, the British broadcaster whose voice pierced the fog of Indian history like a monsoon rain, died on January 25, 2026, at 90, leaving behind a legacy that reshaped investigative journalism. Born in the fading twilight of the Raj in 1935, in Tollygunge, Calcutta, Tully's life was a bridge between empires and republics, a testament to how one man's curiosity could humanize a nation's chaos. 

By Tseten Lhundup*  Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay. 

By Rosamma Thomas  Over 200 gig workers, the majority of them women, gathered on February 3 at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur as part of a coordinated nationwide strike demanding basic labour protections. The workers assembled to share their struggles, with activists and lawyers attending in solidarity.

By A Representative   A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.