By Harsh Thakor  Queeni Victoria Gandam has recently made two sensational achievements in open water swimming. First, in June 2024, she became the first woman from Andhra Pradesh or Telangana to successfully cross the English Channel. More recently, she and her son became the first-ever mother-son duo to complete the swim from Mandwa to the Gateway of India.

- સંજય ભાવે                                                      પુણ્યતિથિએ મહાત્માને અમદાવાદમાં અજોડ કહી શકાય તેવી અંજલિ મળી.પાલડી વિસ્તારના મુક્ત રંગમંચ સ્ક્રૅપયાર્ડમાં, ગાંધીહત્યા અને તેના પાયામાં રહેલી હિંદુત્વવાદી વિચારધારાનો પર્દાફાશ એક વિચારપ્રેરક પ્રભાવક કાર્યક્રમ થકી સંગીન રીતે કરવામાં આવ્યો. 

By Bappa Mridha  In the heart of Mouriya village in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, 30-year-old Triveni Khairwar is leading a quiet revolution in farming. A mother of two and a farmer for over a decade, Triveni’s efforts were once limited by traditional practices and scarce resources. But today, she stands as a beacon of hope for her community, showcasing how innovative farming techniques and sustainable practices can transform barren lands into thriving agricultural fields.

By Ram Puniyani*  The adoption of the Indian Constitution on 26 January 1950 marked a major milestone in the history of our nation. It enshrined the core values of liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice. While the Constitution was celebrated by most, it was met with resistance from Hindu nationalists, who claimed it lacked Indian values and dismissed its principles as incompatible with the teachings of Manusmriti. They argued that Manusmriti should be the guiding law of the land (Savarkar). Fortunately, the nation was led by forward-thinking leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and B.R. Ambedkar, who championed democratic values and steered the country toward progress. Nehru, the architect of modern India, ensured that the focus of Indian policy revolved around the public sector, education, scientific research, irrigation, and healthcare, among other priorities.   The directive principle of promoting scientific temper was followed, albeit with significant gaps. Despite the i...

By A Representative  The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) has called on the Supreme Court to demonstrate courage and uphold the principle that "bail is the rule, jail is the exception" by granting immediate bail to Jharkhand-based journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh. Singh has been incarcerated for over two and a half years in connection with alleged links to top Maoist leaders, a case that has drawn widespread criticism for its apparent misuse of stringent laws to silence dissent.

By Harsh Thakor*  On January 29 at around 11 a.m., Manesar police detained about 100 Maruti workers from their protest site, which had been ongoing since September 18, 2024. The police dismantled their tents and placards before transporting them by bus to Pataudi, instructing them not to return to Manesar. They cited the imposition of Section 144 by the Gurgaon District Collector, though no official order was provided to the workers.

By A Representative  In the wake of the recent tragedy at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, where a stampede on January 29, 2025, resulted in the loss of at least 30 lives and left many others injured,  the WforW Foundation is proceeding with the planned Water Fest 2025 on January 31 and February 1, 2025. 

By Harsh Thakor*  The late Lester Piggott is arguably the greatest jockey of all time. He passed away at the age of 86 in 2022. Ironically, Piggott was born on Guy Fawkes Day, November 5, 1935. There was no more mythical figure in the history of horse racing than Lester, whose balance, judgment of pace, riding artistry, and finishing power reached realms that seemed almost surreal. He possessed an ice-cool temperament, resembling an iceberg, and was never deterred by even the most adverse situations. It was rare to find a sportsman, let alone a jockey, with a more relentless will to win or a more ruthless competitive spirit.

By N.S. Venkataraman*  Several studies in recent times have warned about oppressive heat waves due to global warming. There is widespread concern about climate change, which is already evident to some extent through unusual heavy rains and extreme heat that do not align with historic seasonal trends. Seasonal variations appear to be becoming increasingly unpredictable.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat  For millions of Indians, the Ganga begins at Gaumukh and culminates its journey at Gangasagar in the Bay of Bengal near Sundarban. Every year, thousands of pilgrims flock to Gangasagar to visit the beautiful Sagardweep on the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti in January. However, in technical terms, the Ganga has a supremely fascinating journey, both during its formation in the Uttarakhand Himalayas and its culmination in Bangladesh before flowing into the Bay of Bengal at Bhola Island.  The fact of the matter is that only a minuscule volume of about 1,150 cumecs (1.5%) of the mainstream discharge actually flows down through the Bhagirathi-Hooghly, while the mainstream Ganga flows beyond the Farakka Barrage into Bangladesh (76,500 cumecs).  Ganga at Godagari  From Farakka onwards, the main stem of the Ganga serves as the borderline between India and Bangladesh until Lalgola in India. After Godagari in Bangladesh, the river flows mostly within ...

By Harsh Thakor*  Versatile artist, documentary filmmaker, poet, and social activist Tarun Bhartiya has passed away in Shillong. He was 54 and succumbed to a heart attack at Woodland Hospital. His contributions to creativity and activism left an indelible mark on Shillong and beyond. A life characterised by service to humanity and exposing societal injustices in diverse realms, Tarun Bhartiya’s voice will always resonate in art and activism. His unwavering dedication to justice and storytelling epitomised a life of purpose and passion.

By A Representative  As the Union Budget 2025-2026 approaches, the Pension Parishad has issued a strong appeal to address the glaring inadequacies in social security pensions allocated for the elderly, single women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Despite over 10.4 crore senior citizens in India, the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) continues to be grossly underfunded, with a stagnant allocation of ₹9,500 crores—a figure unchanged for over a decade.

By Bharat Dogra  Sunderlal Bahuguna, the person most closely associated with the movements and campaigns to protect Himalayan forests, had travelled to more Himalayan villages than perhaps anyone else and was involved in many grassroots struggles here. He applied Gandhian precepts, to which he was devoted all his life, to understanding and resolving problems of Himalayan villages and region. It was on this basis that he developed an alternative vision for the sustainable development of the Himalayan region placing the highest emphasis on environment protection and the special local conditions of the region.

By Dibyendu Chaudhuri*  Recently, the breaking of the Indian Plate beneath the Tibetan Plateau has been in the news. What has been discovered is evidence that the Indian Plate is splitting. This is a significant finding that enhances our understanding of natural processes and helps us interpret and predict geological events with greater accuracy. It also deepens our knowledge of orogeny—the process of mountain formation—and provides insights into how tectonic plates, especially continental plates, behave when they collide.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat  For the past month, I have been traveling to complete the task I set for myself. I went to the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu and then to Kerala for a couple of days, but the bigger trip was to Bangladesh, which has now concluded. This completes my Ganga Yatra, spanning from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, with the unique feature of covering almost the entire stretch of both West Bengal and Bangladesh.

- अजित कुमार  प्रेमकुमार मणि हिंदी की साहित्यिक दुनिया में 1980 के दशक में एक संवेदनशील कथाकार के रूप में आए थे। उनकी कहानियों और उपन्यास खासे चर्चित रहे। लेकिन मणि की ख्याति धीरे-धीरे उनके वैचारिक लेखन के लिए बढ़ने लगी और उनकी पहचान हिंदी पट्टी के सबसे बड़े विचारक के रूप में बनी। विश्वदृष्टि, इतिहासबोध, विश्लेषण क्षमता और हिंदी पाठकों के बीच उनकी लोकप्रियता के कारण उनकी तुलना इतिहासकार युवाल नोआ हरारी से की जाती है। उनकी आत्मकथा ‘अकथ कहानी’ हाल ही में प्रकाशित हुई है, जिसमें उनके जीवन के साथ-साथ उत्तर भारत की राजनीति का भी आंखों देख हाल बयान किया गया है। अजित कुमार ने उनकी आत्मकथा को केंद्र में रखकर विभिन्न प्रश्नों पर बातचीत की है। प्रस्तुत है, बातचीत का संपादित अंश:

By Bharat Dogra  Civil Society magazine has recently published a series of interviews with eminent persons who are very well-informed regarding the Himalayan region. One of them, Sonam Wangchuk, the famous environmentalist from Ladakh, told the magazine how even really needed steps like renewable energy can create problems if these are not implemented in tune with an understanding of local conditions.

- કે.કે.ખખ્ખર    ગાંધીજી સરેરાશ સનાતની હિન્દુની માફક મોક્ષમાર્ગી હતા. તેમણે યુવાવસ્થામાં જ તેમના આધ્યાત્મિક માર્ગદર્શક શ્રીમદ્ રાજચન્દ્રને પૂછ્યુ હતું કે તેમને તેમની હયાતીમાં જ મોક્ષ મળી શકે કે કેમ?  શ્રીમદે કહેલું કે જો તેઓ તમામ બંધનોમાંથી મુક્ત થઈ જાય - તે એટલે સુધી કે તેમના ખુદના અહમ્ કે હોવાપણામાંથી પણ મુક્ત થઈ જાય તો મોક્ષ મળી શકે. ૧૫ ઓગષ્ટ ૧૯૪૭ ના દિવસે દેશ રાજકીય રીતે આઝાદ થયા પછી ફાટી નીકળેલા કોમી દાવાનળથી વ્યથિત ગાંધીજી  હિસાં-ગ્રસ્ત નોઆખલી જવા નીકળી ગયેલા. તેમણે  નોઆખલી અને ત્યાર પછી દિલ્હીના કોમી દાવાનળને ઠારવાનું અને નિરાશ્રિતોની છાવણીઓમાં જઈ વિશ્વાસ સ્થાપવાનું કામ કર્યું. તેમણે રાજકીય આઝાદી અને મનોવૈજ્ઞાનિક મુક્તિ વચ્ચે તફાવત કર્યો અને કહ્યું કે રાજકીય આઝાદી મળવાથી આપોઆપ મુક્તિ મળી જતી નથી. હિંસાગ્રસ્ત દેશ મુક્ત ગણી શકાય નહીં.  તેમની મુક્તિ- યાત્રા વાસ્તવમાં તેમની મોક્ષ યાત્રા હતી. તે ૩૦ જાન્યુઆરી ૧૯૪૮ ના રોજ પૂરી થઈ. દિલ્હીના  બીરલા હાઉસમા પ્રાર્થનાના દૈવનિર્મિત ચોઘડિયે, બરાબર ૫ઃ૧૨ કલાકે ત્રણ ગોળીની સલામી સાથે તેમણે સ્વર્ગારોહણ કર્યું....

By Harsh Thakor*  Harpal Singh Brar, British Indian Marxist scholar and communist leader, has passed away in Chandigarh. He was 85. He was a lifelong supporter of socialism, Marxism, and the working class. He will be remembered among British Communists.

By A Representative  In a significant move toward animal welfare, the elephants Bishnupriya and Lakshmipriya from ISKCON Mayapur have been transferred to the Vantara elephant sanctuary in Jamnagar for rehabilitation. This decision against the backdrop of Bishnupriya, a captive elephant, crushed a mahout to death in April 2023, highlighting the severe mental trauma endured by elephants in captivity. Bishnupriya had also left another mahout disabled in 2022.  

By Dibyendu Chaudhuri*  The year 2024 has been the warmest on record; temperatures surpassed 1.55°C above the pre-industrial level due to infrared radiation trapped by greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily from burning fossil fuels and wood, nitrous oxide (N2O) from fertilisers in agricultural fields, and methane (CH4) largely from agriculture are the primary culprits.

By Ram Puniyani*  Actor Kangana Ranaut stirred controversy when she stated that India became independent in 2014, coinciding with Narendra Modi's rise to power. This marked the first time the BJP secured a majority on its own. Her claim implied that India had been a "slave" nation before, either under "foreign rulers" or governments committed to secular, democratic values. She suggested that with Modi in power, full-fledged Hindu nationalism had been realized. Similarly, actor Vikrant Massey recently asserted that India attained freedom in 2014 when "we" could freely express Hindu identity.

By Harasankar Adhikari  Children are the future assets of the world. Health is a fundamental right of every child in society. Improvement in child health is often measured by indicators such as infant mortality rates, injuries, and levels of communicable diseases. The key determinants of child health include socio-economic status, parental education, parental age, cultural factors, and other variables. Infant and child mortality rates in India have fallen by almost half since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals up to 2012. This improvement highlights the impact of significant government schemes and policies, such as the universalization of Anganwadi centers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, the deployment of ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) under the National Rural Health Mission, and the Janani Suraksha Yojana. These initiatives have brought substantial improvements in child health, particularly among marginalized communities in India. A study o...

By Sudhansu R Das  Hyderabad was once one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Thousands of lakes, springs, meadows, hills, forest, rivers, natural rock forest, grapevines, mango orchards and a pleasant climate made Hyderabad far more beautiful than many of the Western and European cities. The Deccan Plateau was a paradise on earth. Today the city has been distorted beyond recognition. The political class, educated residents, media, youth, judiciary and nature lovers should join hands to restore the original beauty of Hyderabad. Here are a few simple ways to restore the original grace of Hyderabad.

By Vikas Meshram*  In November 2024, Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election with a massive majority, marking the beginning of his second term as the 47th President of the United States. His return to power has been marked by several controversial decisions that are poised to significantly impact America's domestic and international policies, as well as global politics. His strategic approach highlights a strong inclination toward nationalism and protectionism.

- પ્રો. હેમંતકુમાર શાહ  અધ્યાત્મનો સાદો અર્થ એ છે કે માણસ પોતાના તેમ જ જગતના અસ્તિત્વનો અર્થ શોધે, ભગવાનને શોધે અને પ્રાપ્ત કરે અને સ્વયંને પ્રકૃતિ સાથે કે બ્રહ્માંડ સાથે સાંકળે. એટલે કે એ એ પોતાની જાતને આ સકલ જગતના નિયંતા એવા ભગવાન સાથે જોડે અને પૂર્ણતા પ્રાપ્ત કરવાનો પ્રયાસ કરે. 

By Bharat Dogra  Various countries are building large dams on Himalayan rivers. Apart from local factors this often gets discussed in terms of the conflicting interests of various countries. In the process the wider reality of dams in Himalayan region being inherently risky ventures gets neglected. The wider reality is that many uncertainties and risks are involved in building and managing large dams in the Himalayan region, uncertainties which are increasing further in times of climate change. 

By A Representative  The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) has issued a press statement raising concerns over alleged human rights violations in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, under the ongoing security operations labeled as "Operation Kagaar." The organization claims that since the new state government assumed office under Chief Minister Bishnu Deo Sai on December 13, 2023, there has been a significant increase in violence, resulting in the deaths of over 300 individuals.

By Prem Singh  The search for ideological substance in the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, 2025, feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, this lack of ideology does not seem to bother the people of the nation's capital, which is also the center of power. This is despite Delhi/NCR being home to a large number of influential citizens, including serving and retired bureaucrats, jurists, legislators, intellectuals, journalists, and prominent figures from literature, art, culture, education, civil society, labor unions, and NGOs.

By Harasankar Adhikari  Politics, joblessness, and neo-religiosity are increasingly impacting the real situation of educated unemployed youth across India. With over 65% of its population under the age of 35 and around 50% below the age of 25, India holds the world's largest youth demographic. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 data, the unemployment rate was 18.4% for those with secondary education or higher and a staggering 29.1% for graduates, while it was only 3.4% for illiterate individuals. Data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) in 2022 revealed that 34.5% of female graduates were unemployed compared to 26.4% of male graduates. It is deeply concerning that educated young women face the highest unemployment rates. Furthermore, these figures can vary significantly across Indian states due to social and religious barriers.

By Harsh Thakor* The Maoist movement experienced a significant loss during the Ramagudem encounter on January 21, with the death of Chalapathi (Pratap), a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist). His death, along with 15 others, marks a major setback for the movement. Reports suggest that his location was revealed to security forces through a selfie with his wife.

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak  ‘Odia 'Asmita' (pride or self-respect) played a significant role in turning the electoral tide in favour of the BJP in the state. Hindutva politics successfully mobilised the masses and captured both the state and its government by leveraging Odia 'Asmita' as a key tool in their election campaign during the last state assembly elections on June 4, 2024.

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fan of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj). Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials. 

By Harasankar Adhikari  The informal economy has emerged as a significant feature of the global economic landscape. Often referred to as the "other path," it provides new income-generating opportunities for the poor while posing little threat to the wealthy. This sector is less capital-intensive, relies less on foreign exchange and technology, and offers avenues of employment for the less educated. However, it is also criticized as exploitative, repressive, and occasionally bordering on illegality, serving as a source of cheap goods and labor for mainstream economies. Despite its criticisms, the informal economy has contributed to human security, gender equality, and economic growth. In India, it is the fastest-growing economic sector, employing approximately 110 million people as of 2022-23, or about 20% of the workforce. Women, in particular, have benefited from this sector, which has enabled them to break free from traditional patriarchal roles and gain financial independe...

By Prakash N. Shah, Hemantkumar Shah,  Dr. Kanu Khadadiya*  The Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025 was circulated by the UGC on 6 January 2025. After detailed study of the ‘Draft UGC Regulations, 2025’, with deep concern and pain, AISEC would like to make statements which include the following: Whole Draft UGC Regulations 2025 is completely based on ‘National Credit Framework (NCrF)’. This NCrF is not yet debated and validated either in both the houses of Parliament or in various legislative assemblies of states across country.  It is just a draft prepared by an ‘appointed high level committee’.  As enunciated by constitution, our country is a union of states and education is essentially subject matter of both centre and states. Clause 1.6 states as follows, "All HEIs shall, as soon a...

By Harsh Thakor*  The Democratic Front Against Operation Green Hunt, Punjab, organized a "Provincial Convention Against Repression" at Tarksheel Bhawan in Barnala on January 19. Convened by Buta Singh, Parminder Singh, AK Maleri, and prominent tribal rights activists Bela Bhatia and Navsharan Kaur, the event brought together leaders, intellectuals, and activists from diverse backgrounds to address issues concerning tribal rights and state repression. Approximately 500 participants, including farmers, agricultural workers, teachers, industrial workers, and intellectuals, attended the convention, representing a broad spectrum of democratic and revolutionary groups in Punjab. The convention served as a platform to highlight concerns about state repression, particularly in tribal regions like Bastar, and to oppose corporate-driven policies that displace marginalised communities. Speakers condemned the exploitation of natural resources, the erosion of tribal rights, and the use of...

- राम पुनियानी   सांसद और बॉलीवुड कलाकार कंगना रनौत ने भारत की स्वतंत्रता के संबंध में अपनी समझ को पहली बार तब जाहिर किया था जब उन्होंने हमें बताया था कि भारत दरअसल 2014 में तब स्वतंत्र हुआ जब मोदी जी ने देश की सत्ता संभाली. 2014 में पहली बार भाजपा को अपने दम पर लोकसभा में बहुमत हासिल हुआ था. इस टिप्पणी का क्या अर्थ था? इसका अर्थ यह था कि 2014 से पहले तक भारत एक गुलाम देश था. या तो वह विदेशी शासकों का गुलाम था या ऐसी सरकारों का जो धर्मनिरपेक्ष और प्रजातांत्रिक मूल्यों की पैरोकार थीं. कंगना रनौत का मतलब था कि मोदी सरकार के आते ही हिन्दू राष्ट्रवाद का देश में बोलबाला हो गया और यही भारत की असली आजादी थी. एक अन्य फिल्म कलाकार विक्रांत मैसी ने हाल में यही बात दोहराते हुए कहा कि भारत को आजादी सन 2015 में हासिल हुई जब ‘हमें’ अपनी हिन्दू पहचान को अभिव्यक्त करने की स्वतंत्रता मिली. अब आरएसएस के मुखिया मोहन भागवत ने देश के ‘असली स्वतंत्रता’ हासिल करने की एक नई तारीख घोषित कर दी है. मध्यप्रदेश के इंदौर में एक कार्यक्रम में बोलते हुए उन्होंने कहा कि भारत को 22 जनवरी 2024 को आजादी मिली थी. उन्ह...