'Rough and Tough'

ALMOST all major women politicians in South Asia either inherited their position of power from fathers, husbands or male mentors or were backed by family wealth—from prime ministers Indira Gandhi, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Benazir Bhutto, Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia to Indian chief minister Jayaram Jayalalitha, Mayawati and Vasundhara Raje Scindhia

Bihar's Electoral Secret

Nitish Kumar has created a women's vote bank by unveiling different schemes for women

33% Shall Not Cloud Over The 50%

The Women's Reservation Bill carries the ominous possibility of overshadowing all other forms of social demands

The First 'Iron Lady'

INDIRA Gandhi inherited her father’s position of political authority, but had an approach quite opposite to her father’s—in contrast to Jawaharlal Nehru’s largely democratic approach, she was authoritative and dictatorial

Consumed by Political Motivations

The Modi government had no time to get into the more demanding fundamentals concerning the implementation of the legislation

Mapping Women's Political Journey

India’s women-centric policies were conceived mostly under global influence, until the rising women voter turnout in the country changed the trend

In Defence of Reservation

The support for the Women's Reservation bill reaffirms India's faith in affirmative action even as it highlights its dichotomous allegiance to 'meritocracy' at the cost of inequity

Ravana's Women

Why does Hindutva only see women as Sita or Surpanakha and not talk about the warrior women of Ramayana at the receiving end of violence?

Letters from Death Row

The arts have a huge role to play in changing the atmosphere within prisons and in getting the world to engage with prisoners as people

From Thriving Domestic Travel To Chanderi Sarees, MP Has It All

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has taken several initiatives, including rural and agritourism, to boost local and inbound tourism

Jewel In The Crown

Forty-five minutes away from the national capital is a green island of serenity, ensconced in the green Aravalis. A 158-key resort, the newly launched Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort is a welcome addition to the staycation destinations for residents of Delhi-NCR.

From Spiritual Circuits To Stargazing, Uttarakhand's 'Bucket List Perfect' Plan

In recent years, initiatives such as rural homestays, adventure activities or sacred hotspots have been revamped to widen the tourism prospects of the state

My Mulaqat with Umar Khalid

Umar Khalid was arrested under the UAPA for his alleged role in the 'Delhi pogrom'. He has been languishing in Tihar Jail for more than three years

CASTE YOUR NEW VOTE

The recently-released caste data has already created political ripples in Bihar. But the real tectonic shift will happen when the socio-economic data is released

Silencing the Messenger

The NewsClick raids send a very important message of crumbling press freedom in the country

CM Dhami's resolve to make Uttarakhand a Global Tourist Destination

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who visited London and Birmingham cities of Britain for the Global Investor Summit to be held in Dehradun in December, has succeeded in bringing in huge investment into his state. During the visit, investment proposals worth around Rs 12.5 thousand crore were signed. The CM has expressed hope that the investment target set for the Investor Summit will definitely be met.

A Blooming Paradise

Colourful dry leaves covering your way to the Magic Bullet Paradise’—a renowned nursery in the heart of the city—symbolise the new new’.

A Radiant Masterpiece

This movie doesn't just have its heart in the right place: it's so beautiful that it has more than one heart

THE POTATO STORY

I was halfway through my plate of potato risotto when my phone rang.

I Write, Therefore I am

_ This is an ode to the writers who imagined and chronicled in not-yet places, the ones who faced the dystopia in ads. This is inspired by the many speculative fiction books that predict apocalyptic times

A Not-yet World

\"People think-wrongly-that speculative fiction is about predicting the future, but it isn't; or if it is, it tends to do a rotten job of it. Futures are huge things that come with many elements and a billion variables, and the human race has a habit of listening to predictions for what the future will bring and then doing something quite different. What speculative fiction is really good at is not the future but the present-taking an aspect of it that troubles or is dangerous, and extending and extrapolating that aspect into something that allows the people of that time to see what they are doing from a different angle and from a different place. It's cautionary.\" -From the introduction to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 by Neil Gaiman

Tracking Election Trends

An analysis of election results prior to 1971 indicates that issues determined their outcome, irrespective of whether polls were held simultaneously or separately. But the 1951-71 political situation was entirely different from the present

From Concept To Reality

THE Government of India recently constituted a High Level Committee (HLC)—headed by former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind—to examine the issue of simultaneous elections. This announcement triggered a wide debate in the national discourse.

"Please do not give me shelter, give me your hand"

Ukrainian poet and writer, Victoria Amelina, died recently from wounds inflicted by a Russian missile strike in the East Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk

A Balenciaga State of Affairs

MANY days have passed since the day I looked out of the car window during one of my shotgun drives across the various bountiful terrains of Kashmir, involuntarily noticing silhouettes of young boys and girls swooshing across my peripheral vision, which, if left to its volition, was hoping to stay fixated on the sights of the golden rays of the sunset perforating the mighty pine tree thickets of the valley we find ourselves nestled in.

Lights, Camera, Polls

Meaningful political films centred on elections can be commerical successes. So why has Bollywood, over the decades, failed to capture its nuances?

Childhood Disrupted

In conflict-ridden Manipur, children are witnesses to extensive violence which can lead to severe post-traumatic stress disorder

Macho vs Metrosexual

Can the Congress-led INDIA alliance redefine political masculinity to counter 'Brand Modi'? Will this image engineering ultimately work in favour of the Opposition?

Tribal Anxiety

WHEN 200 tribal gram sabha heads from Chaibasa in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district met on September 13, their minds weighed heavy with concern.

Advantage LARGE National Parties

Simultaneous elections will create limited space and voice for smaller states thereby adversely affecting federalism