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THE WEEK India Magazine - October 12, 2025

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In this issue

HOW RTI BECAME A TOOTHLESS TIGER
Twenty years of the RTI Act have seen more than 100 transparency activists killed, with the criminal justice system largely apathetic to their plight. Yet, activists continue their fight
NEIGHBOURS: South Asia’s Gen Z warriors are seeking to draft a new social contract to ensure that future generations may not wait in despair for promises to get fulfilled
RSS@100: As it marks its centenary, the RSS is seeking to project a more inclusive image, even as the strong assertion of hindutva identity continues to define it
@LEISURE: Author Kiran Desai on the soul-nourishing delights of solitude

A tale of two Sonam Wangchuks

Two Sonam Wangchuks have done India proud in recent times—one a soldier, the other a civilian. Both have fought, or been fighting, battles to save their native Ladakh for India. One got a Maha Vir Chakra and retired as a colonel. The other got a Magsaysay and is in jail.

2 mins

Nothing but backdoor entry for Marathas

CHHAGAN BHUJBAL, Maharashtra minister for food, civil supplies and consumer protection, is known as a firebrand leader.

5 mins

RIGHT GONE WRONG

Twenty years of the RTI Act have seen more than 100 :ransparency activists killed, with the criminal justice system largely apathetic to their plight. Yet, activi: ts continue their fight

10+ mins

RTI has gradually been weakened, both in letter and spirit

How did Devdungri become a focal point for the RTI move- ment? How has the movement transformed the village?

5 mins

The village that wanted the truth

Those who led the historic Right to Information movement recall the struggle

4 mins

Fire on the mountain

The killing of protesters and Sonam Wangchuk's arrest have brought Ladakh statehood talks to a standstill

4 mins

Our resolve is firmer than ever

Your husband has been accused of inciting violence during the September 24 protests.

2 mins

Watchful and wary

The Karur tragedy has political parties, including the ruling DMK, making cautious moves

3 mins

TAKING FRESH GUARD

At 100, RSS is trying to present itself as more inclusive, even as the assertion of hindutva identity remains prominent in the political environment

4 mins

Beyond numbers and borders

THE 100-YEAR journey of the RSS has a unique feature. For most of its history, its legitimacy remained contested by the Nehruvian state and the left-liberal intelligentsia. Instead of discourses on the perspectives the RSS stands for, there has been a perpetual political war against it.

5 mins

The Arachnoid

Beneath the toughness of the dura lies a layer called the arachnoid mater. Transparent and delicate, it drapes the brain like the finest of veils. One of my favourite writers, Maria Popova, once wrote that the brain \"is a cathedral built of gossamer threads\", and nowhere is that truer than in the arachnoid. Under the microscope, it looks less like a membrane and more like spun sugar, or a spider's web catching morning dew. It is beautiful, but it is also treacherous. When blood seeps into it, the cathedral darkens.

2 mins

THE NEW NORMAL

Cricket has changed and sportsman spirit has to exist within social and political realities

4 mins

SPRING OF YOUTH

South Asia's Gen Z warriors are seeking to draft a new social contract to ensure that future generations may not hopelessly wait for promises to get fulfilled

4 mins

States versus citizens

From Dhaka to Colombo to Kathmandu, youth-led uprisings are not just outbursts of anger, but deliberate responses to unemployment, inequality and systemic exclusion

4 mins

Signals in the noise

Nepal's Gen Z made their point; perhaps time has come for India to pay more attention to the social and technological changes that are a lived reality for its own youth

6 mins

New frontiers

Mukesh Ambani plays disruptor again, but it might take more than that to dominate the financial services sector

6 mins

We are bringing global best practices to India

India has some 50 mutual funds now. What is BlackRock bringing to the table?

2 mins

Mistress of spices

Vegetables: The Indian Way is a lavishly produced coffee table book, which announces itself as “a definitive collection of recipes from the simple to the special”. It is not a book designed just for die-hard vegetarians. Au contraire, meat eaters need it the most! It is a comprehensive compendium, packed with nutritional information one rarely finds in similar volumes.

2 mins

50 shades of loneliness

Booker-shortlisted author Kiran Desai on the soul-nourishing delights of solitude

5 mins

TRADITION GOES HIGH-TECH

Artificial intelligence is bringing alive Kolkata's Durga Puja pandals

2 mins

Grow old along with me

As a kid, I hung around our neighbourhood temple—less out of devotion, more for the prasad. It was not a grand temple, but it certainly had the grandest pujari, who was addressed as Pujariji.

3 mins

GST 2.0 ignites economy's afterburners

For 70 years after independence, India was one nation but never truly one market. A bewildering web of state-level taxes and barriers made the simple act of moving goods across state borders both time-consuming and costly. It was often cheaper to ship iron ore to China, get it value-added there, and then bring the finished product back to India, rather than attempt the same exercise domestically.

2 mins

Read all Stories from THE WEEK India

THE WEEK India Magazine Description:

Publisher: Malayala-Manorama

Category: News

Language: English

Frequency: Weekly

THE WEEK is an Indian English-language news magazine published by The Malayala Manorama Co. Pvt. Ltd. It was founded in 1982 and is the largest circulated English news magazine in India.

THE WEEK covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, society, and culture. The magazine is known for its in-depth reporting and its balanced coverage of the news.

THE WEEK has won numerous awards, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism and the National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Here are some of the features of THE WEEK India Magazine:

* In-depth reporting: THE WEEK's reporters go the extra mile to bring you the latest news and analysis.

* Balanced coverage: THE WEEK's editors strive to present all sides of the story.

* Compelling storytelling: THE WEEK's writers tell stories that will stay with you long after you've finished reading them.

* Thought-provoking opinion: THE WEEK's columnists challenge you to think about the world in new ways.

* Engaging visuals: THE WEEK's photography and design make the magazine visually appealing.

THE WEEK is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian politics, business, and society.