By Rajiv Shah  A recent report published in the British media outlet The Guardian , titled “Workers carved the largest modern Hindu temple in the west. Now, some have incurable lung disease,” took me back to my visits to the New Jersey mandir —first in 2022, when it was still under construction, though parts of it were open to visitors, and again in 2024, after its completion.

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan*  India’s claim to being the world’s largest democracy is increasingly being tested not only in its institutions, but also in its digital public sphere. The internet, once celebrated as a space for free expression and dissent, is steadily being reshaped into a tightly monitored ecosystem.

By Mohd Ziyaullah Khan*  The evolution of information has been rapid and irreversible. We have moved from an era of structured 24-hour news cycles —where trained editors verified facts—to a digital ecosystem in which smartphones deliver instant updates in real time. Today, every individual is effectively a publisher. While this democratisation of information has expanded access and participation, it has also blurred the line between truth and falsehood in unprecedented ways.

By A Representative   Renowned ecologist and veteran United Nations negotiator Dr. S. Faizi has issued an urgent appeal to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for immediate diplomatic intervention to halt escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf. In a formal letter copied to several UN missions, Faizi warned that the lives and livelihoods of 35 million migrant workers—who comprise the vast majority of the population in many Gulf cities—are facing an unprecedented existential crisis.

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The ongoing Middle East conflict underscores a striking divergence between Israeli persistence and American vacillation. While the United States under President Donald Trump oscillated between escalation and negotiation, Israel pursued a consistent military campaign against Iran and its regional allies, demonstrating a willingness to absorb higher costs in pursuit of perceived existential security.

By ​Bhabani Shankar Nayak*  ​U.S. foreign policy, its regional allies, and their aligned forces have led the world into a period of significant instability, economic hardship, and despair by engaging in wars and conflicts between neighboring countries. This strategy appears intended to fragment unity and solidarity among people. Currently, the United States has seen approximately 3,100 anti-war protest events involving over nine million participants. Protests against the prevailing economic system, specific geopolitical ideologies, and interventionist policies have become frequent in London, Paris, and Berlin. 

By Ravi Ranjan*  Shekhar Joshi ’s short story ‘Badbū’ (Stench), a landmark of Hindi's Nayi Kahani movement , and Hari Bhatnagar ’s later story of the same title offer two stark portraits of Indian society’s encounter with industrial modernity and urban decay . Both use the motif of stench not as mere sensory detail but as a profound symbol of human consciousness under pressure—resistance in one, moral rot in the other. Joshi’s narrative unfolds inside a factory where chemical smells threaten to erase the worker’s humanity; Bhatnagar’s exposes the inner filth of a frustrated middle-class home. Together they map the journey from collective working-class awakening in the early industrial era to individual middle-class alienation in post-liberalisation India.

By Jag Jivan   Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

By Gazala Paul*  In the cracked margins of the Little Rann of Kutch , where the monsoon arrives reluctantly—or not at all—life in Rapar is measured in the language of thirst. This district, with its 97 villages and some 250 hamlets, sits on a salt-rimmed plain that tells a stark story: erratic rains, saline groundwater, thin rocky soils, and a sky that often promises more than it delivers. More than two-thirds of Kutch lies barren. 

By Vikas Meshram*  In a country that proudly calls itself agrarian, the continuing suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers remain a moral and policy failure. The scale of distress is not anecdotal; it is starkly visible in data compiled by institutions such as the Centre for Science and Environment . In 2021 alone, 10,881 people linked to the agricultural sector died by suicide—an average of nearly thirty lives lost every day. This was the highest figure in five years, surpassing even 2016, when 11,379 such deaths were recorded. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent broken households, abandoned fields, and a deepening crisis that refuses to recede.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  We were told, “Knowledge liberates.” Today, the reality often appears otherwise. Knowledge seems to unsettle power, and those who speak through it frequently face consequences. The continued incarceration of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid for several years is cited by many as an example of how dissenting voices rooted in education and political awareness can be treated. Their supporters argue that education compelled them to question what they believed was unjust and to resist it.

By Rajkumar Sinha*  Twenty-three years ago, acting on the advisory directives tied to a loan from the Asian Development Bank, the Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board was unbundled into three distinct corporate entities. The stated objective was to eliminate the Board's financial losses. Today, over two decades later, the reality is stark: a deficit that stood at 2,100 crore rupees has ballooned to a staggering 50,000 crore rupees. 

By A Representative   Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

By Harsh Thakor*  On April 6, the world of horse racing celebrates the 20th birthday of the equine icon Sea the Stars. In 2009, he transcended racing glory, scaling heights that redefined thoroughbred supremacy in almost mythical terms. He personified the perfect racehorse, combining speed, endurance, temperament, composure, intelligence and an indomitable will to win. In his performances, one could scarcely have asked for more from a thoroughbred—he executed every task with clinical precision, often exceeding expectations.

By A Representative    The Minority Coordination Committee Gujarat has submitted a detailed representation to the Governor of Gujarat, urging that assent be withheld from the recently passed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill by the state assembly. The memorandum, submitted from the Committee’s office in Mirzapur, raises constitutional, legal, federal and social concerns regarding the proposed legislation.

By Bharat Dogra   Just 15 kilometres from the gleaming high-rises of Mohali , where Punjab’s urban dream meets Chandigarh ’s manicured lawns, lies a settlement the city prefers not to see. The Valmiki hamlet of Majatri village is close enough to the capital’s comforts, yet light-years away from its basic necessities.

By A Representative   A day after the Union Cabinet approved India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the 2031-2035 period, a prominent climate policy analyst has raised serious concerns, arguing that the commitments are insufficient to protect the country’s vulnerable populations and its environment.

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  The question of Palestine did not begin on October 8. Its roots stretch back to November 2, 1917, when British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued a letter to Lord Walter Rothschild pledging support for a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. Known as the Balfour Declaration, this document—produced during World War I—was intended to secure Jewish support for the Allied cause. Yet it sowed the seeds of a lasting conflict by promising a homeland on territory already inhabited by a predominantly Arab population.

By Guillermo R. Barreto   We are witnessing a turning point in history. We are experiencing a crisis that goes beyond an economic crisis. We are facing a true crisis of civilization. The U.S., as an imperial power, is increasingly showing its decline, and in that decline, it acts irrationally, endangering all of humanity. It is not merely the fact that they have an 'incoherent' and violent president, a racist and misogynistic sexual predator; Trump is not an anomaly. He is merely an extreme and bizarre manifestation of what the U.S. has been since its founding.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The massive antiwar rallies across the United States and other Western countries have categorically demonstrated that Donald Trump and his government’s war on Iran has become highly unpopular. They also reflect that people understand the huge propaganda that is unleashed through the crony corporate media, which is part and parcel of the entire US game plan to create a fake narrative and legitimize their intervention.

By Bharat Dogra  The Global Gandhi Board , a collective of eminent persons chaired by Sam Pitroda , has released (March 26, 2026) an AI-generated statement that it claims reflects what Mahatma Gandhi might have said in response to the present-day Middle East crisis , based on his archives. Those who have endorsed this initiative are highly respected individuals, and expressing disagreement may invite criticism from those close to me. However, in the true Gandhian spirit , it is important to state one’s views honestly.

By Jag Jivan  A new report published in March 2026 by the Centre for Financial Accountability and the Tax The Top campaign paints a stark picture of deepening economic disparity in India, documenting a concentration of wealth that it argues is “comparable to colonial times.” Titled Wealth Tracker India | Tax the Top. Close the Gap , the compilation presents data from the World Inequality Database and the Hurun Rich List to illustrate the meteoric rise of the ultra-wealthy alongside the stagnation and debt burdens of the majority.

By A Representative   A formal objection has been lodged against the Centre’s draft notification proposing amendments to the Insecticides Rules, 1971 , with the public interest campaigner Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi terming the changes an “unconstitutional restructuring” of India’s pesticide regulatory architecture . The draft rules, published as G.S.R. 190(E) on March 18, 2026, propose a single licence covering “every insecticide” and multiple sale locations, along with an endorsement mechanism for adding products and a nomination facility for licence holders.

By Ram Puniyani*  A recent video by Dhruv Rathi , discussing the dietary habits of Lord Ram, has generated significant controversy. The video, drawing on textual references particularly from the Valmiki Ramayana , suggests that meat consumption was part of the dietary practices described in early sources. It also refers to the prevalence of meat consumption and the use of soma (often described as a ritual drink) in those contexts. The central question raised in public discourse has been whether divine figures, as understood today, could be associated with non-vegetarian food practices.

By A Representative   A rights organisation has approached the Election Commission of India alleging large-scale and arbitrary deletion of voters from the electoral roll in West Bengal’s Dinhata Assembly Constituency, raising concerns over the disenfranchisement of former enclave residents who were granted Indian citizenship following the 2015 land boundary settlement with Bangladesh.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak*   ​Friendship is ideally an egalitarian relationship—a space where mutual understanding, support, trust, respect, and dignity thrive. It is meant to expand cooperation, minimize risk, and allow parties to share both success and hardship, creating a society rooted in solidarity. These values are as crucial between nations as they are between people.

By Ravi Ranjan*  In the sparse landscape of contemporary Hindi poetry, Baabusha Kohli occupies a singular space where words often fall silent before the weight they carry. Her poems—particularly "Sangi" (Companion) and "Ubarne me dūbī huī aurat" (The Woman Drowned in Recovering)—achieve what great poetry does: they transform personal anguish into philosophical inquiry without losing the rawness of lived experience. Through what might be called an aesthetic of sacred minimalism, Kohli builds a bridge between medieval Bhakti traditions and modern existential struggle, offering a vision of sorrow not as absence but as presence, not as destruction but as transformation.

By Harsh Thakor* On March 25th, the racing world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Troy—the horse who triumphed in the historic 200th running of the Epsom Derby in 1979. It was fitting that such a milestone edition of the race became a testament to the event's glory, as Troy turned the contest into a virtual procession. I hold unforgettable memories of this equine icon, whom I was fortunate enough to see racing during my schooldays in England.

By Jag Jivan   In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

By A Representative   A group of 40 retired officials from the All India and Central Services has written to the Chief Secretary of Assam demanding the withdrawal of an order that deploys the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) for election duty. The letter, dated March 31, 2026, warns that diverting nearly 1,600 forest guards from their primary responsibility of safeguarding Assam’s wildlife would violate both Election Commission of India guidelines and a 2024 Supreme Court directive.  

By Nava Thakuria*  As Assam prepares for the legislative assembly election scheduled for 9 April 2026, the family and supporters of cultural icon Zubeen Garg have appealed to political parties not to invoke his name in electoral discourse. The singer died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 during a yacht outing. His death, and subsequent investigations, have since figured in political exchanges in the state.

By A Representative   Hundreds of fishermen from villages along the Bargi Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh have been forced to migrate to other water bodies in search of livelihood as fish production in the reservoir continues to decline sharply.

By A Representative   The book Slow Living: What You Can Do About Climate Change by Vandana Shiva and Shreya Jani was formally launched on March 26 at the India International Centre , bringing together environmental thinkers, readers and practitioners for a discussion on sustainable lifestyles and climate action .

By Alejandra Amor, Mansee Bal Bhargava  " Rivers, Cities and People " emerges from over two decades of collaborative work between the editors and their sustained engagement with Asian cities. Maartje van Eerd , a senior expert in housing, gender, and social development at IHS, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University, has been conducting research in Chennai since 1998, focusing on governance and livelihood aspects of resettlement. Banashree Banerjee, a senior architect and urban planner with over four decades of experience, has long worked on inclusive approaches in urban planning and management, particularly concerning marginalised communities. Both have collaborated extensively in research and education. The impetus for the book crystallised after the 2015 Chennai floods , which triggered large-scale resettlement of slum dwellers from riverbanks to peripheral areas. This was recognised as part of a broader pattern across Asian river cities....

By A Representative   In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

By Jag Jivan    India’s residential real estate market witnessed a continued slowdown in the first quarter of 2026, with housing sales across the top nine cities falling below the one lakh unit mark for the first time in over four years, according to data released by P.E. Analytics Ltd (PropEquity).

By Jag Jivan  A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

By A Representative   A formal complaint has been lodged with the Election Commission of India over what rights activists describe as arbitrary and unconstitutional deletions of bona fide citizens from the electoral roll in Swarupnagar, North 24 Parganas. In a letter dated March 29, 2026, Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) and National Convenor of the Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI), detailed cases where genuine Indian citizens were allegedly stripped of their voting rights without due process.

By A Representative   A large-scale environmental campaign titled “ One Million Trees for Pir Panjal ” was formally launched in Jammu & Kashmir, marking the beginning of an ambitious afforestation and ecological restoration drive across the Western Himalayas .

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The United Nations General Assembly’s recent resolution, moved by Ghana, condemning the trans-Atlantic slave trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” has once again exposed the deep fault lines in global moral politics. While the resolution received wide support, the opposition by the United States, Israel, and Argentina—and the abstention of 52 countries, largely from Europe—raises uncomfortable questions about the sincerity of global commitments to justice, human rights, and historical accountability.

By Ravi Ranjan*  Alok Dhanwa's Hindi poems "Sleep" (Ninda) and "White Night" (Sapheda Rata) represent two poles of a single modern sensibility. Where "Sleep" yearns for weightless peace of the soul, "White Night" laments displacement, eroded memory, and collective mourning. Together, they form a profound meditation on modern civilization's burdens.

By Tseten Lhundup*  I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

By Jag Jivan  A recent opinion piece published in The Quint by Subhash Chandra Garg has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Atanu Chakraborty from HDFC Bank , with Garg stating that the exit “raises doubts about his own ‘ethics’.” Garg, currently Chief Policy Advisor at Subhanjali and former Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, writes that the Reserve Bank of India ( RBI ) appears to find no substance in Chakraborty’s claims, noting, “It is clear the RBI sees no merit in Atanu Chakraborty’s wild and vague assertions.”

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan*  Every few months, Indian media headlines loudly proclaim that “Modi is the world’s most popular leader,” citing approval ratings from an American firm called Morning Consult. The moment such surveys are released, hordes of users—often linked to organised IT cells—begin echoing the same narrative, portraying the Indian Prime Minister as an indispensable global leader or “Vishwaguru.” Ironically, this is little more than a fallacious claim dressed up as celebration. 

By Gajanan Khergamker   The Supreme Court has redrawn a firm constitutional line, ruling that affirmative action cannot be used to mask religious preference without undermining secularism. Its March 2026 verdict reiterates a foundational principle: backwardness must be proven, not presumed through faith. Reservations, the Court reminds us, are a remedy for historic injustice—not a tool of religious entitlement.

By Vijay Prashad   Last year, in July, the United States and Israel bombarded Iran’s nuclear energy and nuclear research facilities over twelve days. After a few days, the two belligerent powers—who had no United Nations authorisation for this war of aggression—opened the door for a ceasefire . At that time, believing that this might very well be the basis for a full negotiation, the Iranian government led by Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei agreed to the terms set out: an immediate end to the strikes and no escalation. The missile launchers went quiet, but the deal was very fragile. 

By A Representative   The global civil rights group based in Philippines, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), has issued a strong condemnation of what it describes as the ongoing, illegal forced eviction of Garo Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands in the Madhupur Sal Forest in Tangail District, Bangladesh.

By Harsh Thakor*   Larbi Ben M'Hidi was one of the six founding members of the National Liberation Front (FLN). He was arrested in February 1957 during the Battle of Algiers and executed by French paratroopers after being tortured in custody. His death was officially recorded as suicide, but later admissions confirmed it was an extrajudicial killing. In 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged France’s responsibility for his assassination.  

By Ravi Ranjan*  Satyapal Sehgal occupies a distinctive space in contemporary Hindi literature as a poet of spiritual ecology and profound existential inquiry. His significance lies in his ability to deconstruct the anthropocentric ego—the modern human's narrow arrogance—and replace it with a cosmic citizenship that reconnects us to our primordial roots. Unlike many who view nature as mere backdrop for human emotion, Sehgal treats the forest, stars, and atmosphere as living relatives, creating a green aesthetics that bridges scientific ecological data with spiritual necessity.

By Jag Jivan   In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, three generations of feminist activists from Maharashtra have taken stock of the women's movement in India, tracing its evolution from the labour struggles of the 1970s to the complex, identity-driven challenges of the present day. Hosted by Gagan Sethi and Minar Pimple , the discussion, featured on the podcast Unmute , brought together veteran activists to reflect on 50 years of mobilization, legal battles, internal debates, and the daunting political landscape that lies ahead.

By Neha Desai*  In the hills of Arunachal Pradesh, where education should be a beacon of hope for the state’s youth, Dera Natung Government College (DNGC) in Itanagar has been reduced to a gladiatorial arena. The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU)—ostensibly a body meant to champion student welfare, rights, and academic excellence—has instead turned its 2026 general elections into a protracted saga of delays, disqualifications, and violence.  What was billed as a democratic exercise has devolved into a scramble for fame, influence, and the “fortune” that comes with union leadership in a politically charged state.

By Rosamma Thomas*  When a US Tomahawk missile struck a school in the city of Minab in Iran, killing 175 students and teachers, the United States initially claimed the attack had been carried out by Iran. It later acknowledged that a Tomahawk missile—one not possessed by Iran—had been used, calling the strike a “mistake”. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a video address to the United Nations, described the attack as deliberate. 

By Atanu Roy*  Compromising the interests of ordinary people, the authorities concerned in West Bengal appear to be playing with the timeline of the Kolkata Metro’s Orange Line project , turning what should have been a transformative public transport corridor into a prolonged ordeal for commuters.