Giving big corporates free hand in Himalayas is not governance but pure betrayal

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
The crisis in the Himalayas cannot be understood without respecting people's rights over natural resources. Denying people who have protected these forests for centuries, the right to access while giving big corporations a 'khuli chhoot to loot' is not governance but pure betrayal of the people's sentiments. How will the environmental protections or save the rivers succeed unless we involve people into them and allow them their traditional rights over these resources.

I interviewed Shri D S Pundir of the Himad organisation at his beautifully located center near Nand Prayag. I feel what he said was extremely important if we really want to protect the Himalayas by engaging with the people and communities.

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Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond data: The economist who refused to remain in the ivory tower

By Vikas Meshram There are few people who are born into privilege yet choose to dedicate their lives to the cause of the poor. Jean Drèze is one such individual. Born on January 22, 1959, in Leuven, Belgium, into the family of a distinguished economist, Drèze has become one of the most influential voices in the study of poverty, inequality, and social policy in India. Having lived in India since 1979, he adopted Indian citizenship in 2002 and has since played a pivotal role in shaping some of the country's most important welfare initiatives.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

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