By Bharat Dogra   SRUTI, known for its highly creative and impactful initiatives for social justice and the empowerment of communities through collective action, has recently celebrated four decades of its remarkable journey.  

By A Representative  A major international study involving a Newcastle University PhD student has pinpointed the causes of the devastating 2023 glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Sikkim, India. The findings, published in Science , reveal how a combination of landslides and climate change led to the disaster while warning of growing risks in the Himalayas.  

- राज कुमार सिन्हा*  जल संसाधन से जुड़ी स्थायी समिति ने वर्तमान लोकसभा सत्र में पेश रिपोर्ट में बताया है कि "नल से जल" मिशन में राजस्थान, मध्यप्रदेश, पश्चिम बंगाल, झारखंड और केरल फिसड्डी साबित हुए हैं। जबकि देश के 11 राज्यों में शत-प्रतिशत ग्रामीणों को नल से जल आपूर्ति शुरू कर दी गई है। रिपोर्ट में समिति ने केंद्र सरकार को सिफारिश की है कि मिशन पुरा करने में राज्य सरकारों की समस्याओं पर गौर किया जाए। 

By A Representative  The global civil society platform, the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE), has released a statement arguing that the intended reforms in international development finance outlined in the First Draft of the Outcome Document for the 4th Financing for Development (FfD4) Forum are insufficient to address today’s pressing global challenges.

By Harsh Thakor*  On March 28th, the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization (FACAM) organized an event titled "Bastar Killing Fields" at TEFLAS Union Hall, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The program marked 15 months since the launch of Operation Kagaar and examined its impact on the region.

By Bishwarupa Sahu*    A decade ago, a Google search for "Mahua+India" primarily yielded Facebook profiles of women named Mahua, Bengali ancestry sites, and, finally on page 3 of the search results, an article referencing the Mahua tree (The Hindustan Times, January 2, 2014). The bond between tribal communities and their forests is inseparable, with Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) playing a vital economic and cultural role in their lives. Mahua is deeply woven into every stage of life—from conception to death, marriage to funerals.  

By N.S. Venkataraman*  Since taking office, President Trump has come across as a man in a hurry. He has announced numerous decisions and made bold statements in such a short span of time that many around the world are questioning whether the short-term and long-term implications of his actions have been carefully considered. While his supporters in the U.S. hail him for his decisive moves and bold efforts to achieve his much-publicized "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) agenda, others—both within the U.S. and abroad—remain unconvinced.

By Vikas Meshram*  According to the National Judicial Data Grid report, as of March, more than 45.4 million cases were pending in the country's courts. Of these, over 4.643 million cases are more than ten years old. If we assume that each case involves at least two or three parties, then approximately 100 to 150 million people in the country are victims of judicial delays, and this number is continuously increasing. From the perspective of the common man, nothing is bigger than judicial proceedings. Once entangled in the cycle of court dates, it becomes nearly impossible to escape for years.

By A Representative  A serious human rights crisis has been reported in East Sahebganj (North Part), a village located near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar, West Bengal. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been urged to take immediate action against the restrictions imposed by the Border Security Force (BSF), which have severely impacted the lives of 101 residents of the village.

By Harsh Thakor*  In the wake of recent security operations in southern Chhattisgarh, two senior Maoist leaders, G. Renuka and Ankeshwarapu Sarayya, were killed. These operations, which took place amidst a historically significant Maoist presence, resulted in the deaths of 31 individuals on March 20th and 16 more three days prior.

By Rosamma Thomas Imagine having a tumour the size of a tennis ball, protruding from your eye. Imagine it was cancerous, and you had no means to get it treated. If you can imagine that much, you could possibly also consider that not too many people would be happy to greet you and talk to you, since they would not be able to bear the sight of the pink ball of flesh bulging from your eye.

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  Recent remarks made by the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, regarding the Tribal Protective Land Transfer Regulations 1 of 70 have sparked strong protests, particularly concerning the blocking of private investment in tourism within Scheduled Areas. 

By Simran Agarwal  When Babur, the great conqueror and founder of the Mughal Empire, first entered India with his armies in the 16th century, he was not impressed by how people dressed. The climate and landscape of the Indian subcontinent were very different to that of Samarqand (in present-day Uzbekistan), from which he hailed. “I had never seen a hot climate or any of Hindustan before,” he recorded in his memoirs . “A new world came into view—different plants, different trees, different animals and birds, different tribes and people, different manners and customs. It was astonishing, truly astonishing.” Describing the clothing he saw on this campaign, he wrote derisively, “Peasants and people of low standing go about naked. They tie on a thing called lungūtā, a decency-clout which hangs two spans below the navel.” Babur was the product of a Mongol-descended Islamic dynasty in Central Asia. He grew more familiar with the Indian subcontinent’s climates and cultures (and their perce...

By Harsh Thakor  To opposition bowlers, Saeed Anwar could be tormenting, creating a sensation of torture -- but till he bowed to religious activities. When he was in full flow, he would make even the most partisan of supporters search their souls, witnessing artistry mingled with scintillating strokeplay. Yet, for all his God-gifted strokeplay, he was never sharp in the field and struggled with the responsibilities of captaincy. Saeed Anwar’s father had been a gifted club cricketer in the brief time he could spare from his job. Anwar Senior once straight-drove a ball that cleared almost two grounds, possibly planting the genetic roots of the explosive power in Anwar’s strokes that would terrorize bowlers worldwide. Anwar’s cricketing journey began in the garage of his Karachi home. A friend who lived nearby would take up the role of bowler, often using a tennis ball covered with tape. The confined space of the garage meant the balls were released from a distance of just fourteen ya...

By Harsh Thakor*  The late cricketer Hanif Mohammad showcased batting perfection, fusing together a rock-solid defense, watertight technique, and ice-cool temperament with his incredible powers of concentration. Hanif epitomized perfection in batting technique, with his bat resembling a grinding machine or a boulder.