It’s time to put a little truth in children’s literature
By Paro Anand I grew up in a house of books and reading. Every evening, we had what was called a “quiet time”, when we sat together just before dinner, listening to classical music and…
Commentary
Getting away with crimes
By Nury Vittachi A few days ago, this columnist was using an ATM machine while travelling and it warned me to “beware of robbery attempts” while simultaneously stealing my money through ridiculous bank fees. It…
Climate progress in India brightens hopes for Bonn
By Frances Beinecke Just a few years ago, India relied almost exclusively on coal to fuel its rapid development, opening new coal-burning power plants and increasing coal mining and imports. This year, however, in a…
Antibiotic resistance: Broader implications for humanity
By Sakib Burza & Kavitha Devdas It is difficult to imagine a world where a minor bacterial infection from a wound is untreatable and could possibly lead to death. In the short time that antibiotics…
Rural cooking solutions: Oil from agricultural stubble may be an answer
By Anil K. Rajvanshi At the Clean Cooking Forum held in New Delhi earlier this month, one of the panels discussed the use of alcohol for cooking. Use of alcohol for cooking is gaining traction…
Sports is the best drug
By Siddhartha Upadhyay Let there be no doubt. In life, there’s no bigger, and persistent, high than good health. No drug can match the thrill of competing in sports. Reality well lived is more enticing…
Graded measures, not knee-jerk reactions needed against air pollution
By Amit Kapoor “Delhi is a wakeup call for the world on air pollution. It clearly tells us that unless decisive actions are taken to reduce air pollution, the events we are witnessing in Delhi…
Smart is over, it’s time for Intelligent Phones
By Faisal Kawoosa The mode of communication changed altogether with the arrival of mobile phones in our lives. It got wider and more meaningful once the world was exposed to smartphones. However, changing technology parameters…
Checking pollution: Government needs to act
By Rajat Arora The Delhi government has declared a medical emergency with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) sending out alarming messages on its website, calling for states to tackle pollution on a “priority basis”….
Bonn climate talks: Resurrection of trust deficit
By Rajendra Shende Contrary to popular belief, the Kyoto Protocol is not dead. The 2012 Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol extends its life as it includes the second commitment period (2012-2020) for 37 industrialised…
The Superfluous Man: Russia’s major literary contribution and its significance
By Vikas Datta The Russian Revolution led by Lenin, which had its 100th anniversary on Tuesday, can be assailed on many counts, but literary connoisseurs could chiefly fault it on one. This would be ensuring…
Pinned against the wall: Losing the argument in Srinagar
By Saeed Naqvi The arrival of Dineshwar Sharma, formerly of the Intelligence Bureau, as the Centre’s interlocutor in troubled Jammu and Kashmir has clearly not set the Jhelum on fire. But Hari Niwas, the former…
The fall and fall of Nitish Kumar
By Amulya Ganguli At one time, he was the poster boy of Indian politics. Not only did he slay the villain of Bihar’s “jungle raj” in 2005 by rounding up lawless elements after winning an…
Those magnificent Indian air warriors of WW1
By K S Nair World War I finally came to a blood-soaked end on November 11, 1918. As we mark the 99th anniversary of the Armistice, there is increasing recognition of the roles played by…
Priti Patel’s exit won’t affect Indian influence in Britain
By Anasudhin Azeez It was shocking news for the Indian community in Britain. The most influential British-Indian politician was ousted from the government in an unceremonious way. International Development Secretary Priti Patel was recalled from…
The Qatar experience and lessons for India
By Siddhartha Upadhyay The world is changing. Sport is a strong vehicle of change. And one of the best examples of this phenomenon is Qatar, which is on the fast track of modernisation and transformation…
Deja vu at Bonn climate conference
By Rajendra Shende The d?j? vu moments at international climate meetings are coming more frequently than before. But these moments are important for the world community simply because they serve as a reminder of a…
Is doing business in India really easier now?
By Amit Kapoor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in building India’s global appeal for investors seems to have finally yielded returns in terms of the country’s performance in the World Bank Doing Business rankings. India…
Police action against veterans a manifestation of growing civil-military rift
By Brig Anil Gupta (retd) Whatever may be the merits or demerits of the ongoing agitation by a group of armed forces veterans at the Jantar Mantar site in Lutyen’s Delhi, the treatment meted out…
Coal — the killer investment without a future
By Jan Erik Saugestad In an age of mistrust, there’s good reason that the voice of the healthcare community continues to carry weight. Research published by The Lancet medical academic journal showing the health impact…