By Bharat Dogra  Kabutra Devi lived in a very remote Himalayan village in the Agastyamuni region of Uttarakhand. Owing to access to government jobs, the economic condition of her family was reasonably good. At her advanced age, Kabutra Devi could easily have lived a restful life at home. Yet she insisted that she must go to work on the family’s farms every day.

By Jag Jivan   Central India’s Upper Ken Basin , where the ancient Bundelkhand Craton meets the younger Vindhyan sedimentary rocks , appears at first glance to be a quiet and time-worn landscape. But new research reveals that the region is still being actively shaped by deep, hidden tectonic forces. In a recent study, geographers Kundan Parmar and Satheesh Chothodi * used high-resolution elevation data and underground gravity measurements to decode the subtle fingerprints of active deformation imprinted onto the basin’s rivers and valleys. 

By A Representative   Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

By A Representative A group of activists, eminent Gandhians and people’s organisations has strongly condemned the alleged lynching of 40-year-old cloth hawker Mohammad Athar Hussain in Nawada district of Bihar, describing the incident as a chilling reminder of the collapse of the rule of law and the dangerous normalisation of hate-driven violence in the country.

By Harasankar Adhikari   Sex work, often described as one of the oldest and most stigmatized occupations, exists in multiple forms shaped by social stratification, economic inequality, gender relations, and prevailing moral codes. While commonly associated with heterosexual transactions involving women, the sex trade is a complex and layered social institution. Among its various forms, brothel-based sex work in red-light areas remains one of the most visible and socially regulated.

By A Representative   The National Federation of Youth Movement (NFYM) has condemned an alleged recent incident involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in which he was reportedly seen pulling the niqab of a Muslim woman, and has demanded that the National Commission for Women (NCW) take cognisance of the matter. In a press statement issued to the media, NFYM Chairman Masihuzzama Ansari described the incident as unfortunate and said it amounted to an affront to the dignity and self-respect of a woman. He urged the NCW to issue a notice to the Chief Minister and ensure appropriate action.

By Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey  The last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list was carried out in 2002–03 with little public attention, much like India’s earlier milestones of becoming a one- or two-trillion-dollar economy, which passed without sustained publicity. It was only when the economy crossed the three-trillion-dollar mark that the event became widely known, following an extensive publicity campaign by the Modi government. In contrast, the 2025–26 SIR is unfolding amid considerable public attention and administrative activity. This government has shown a tendency to foreground processes that were earlier handled more quietly. The SIR form contains the voter’s existing details, with requirements to provide date of birth, Aadhaar number (not mandatory), names of parents and spouse, and, if available, their Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers.

By Harasankar Adhikari   The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for 2025–26 in several states, presenting it as a measure to strengthen the foundations of Indian democracy. Periodic revision of electoral rolls is indeed a constitutional responsibility of the ECI, mandated under Articles 324–329 of the Constitution, and is essential for ensuring free and fair elections in a country of India’s scale and diversity.

By Bharat Dogra   When taking forward new development initiatives, it is important to remain conscious of the fact that rural communities possess important sources of strength that have sustained them for long periods, often in adverse conditions. While introducing new development measures is necessary, these should not disrupt existing community strengths. Instead, such initiatives should seek to build upon and enhance them.