Demystifying the Bench: Is NCERT’s Judicial Candour a Masterclass in Critical Thinking?
The classroom has long been a space for idealism, often presenting the pillars of democracy as flawless monoliths. However, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has recently pivoted toward a more “realist” pedagogical approach. The new Social Science curriculum for Class 8 now explicitly addresses the “shadows” of the Indian legal system—specifically […]
AI Impact Summit 2026: Ambition Undermined by Chaos and Credulity
India’s bid to lead global AI discourse faltered spectacularly at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi from February 16-21, 2026, where logistical failures and scandals overshadowed substantive dialogue. Opening Day Debacle The summit kicked off at Bharat Mandapam with monumental mismanagement, as around 80,000 attendees faced interminable queues from 7 AM, inadequate security briefings, […]
Power, Proximity and Public Morality: India’s Ethical Test in the Shadow of the Epstein Revelations
When Association Becomes a Moral Question Across continents, the release of fresh documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has triggered resignations, investigations and public reckonings. From Europe to North America, prominent figures have stepped aside or been compelled to explain why they continued to engage with a man who, […]
When Patriotism Is Mandated: The Constitutional Perils of Compulsory Vande Mataram
A Directive That Reopens Old Wounds The recent directive of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs mandating the recitation of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram before the National Anthem at public functions marks a decisive and troubling moment in India’s constitutional journey. What may appear, at first glance, as a gesture of cultural pride […]
RAMADAN IN INDIA FROM FEB 19
NEW DELHI: Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is observed by millions of Muslims across India and the world through fasting, prayer, and charity. Many are already looking for clarity on when Ramadan will begin in India and when Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be celebrated. Ramadan 2026 start date in India Ramadan follows […]
The Eternal Timelessness of Mirza Ghalib
February 15 marked the 157th death anniversary of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib (1797–1869), the crowning jewel of Urdu and Persian literature. A nobleman of the fading Mughal court and a witness to the seismic shifts of 1857, Ghalib was more than a poet; he was a philosopher of the human condition whose relevance has only […]
*Pahle naav Ganesh ka, lijiye sees nawae*The Syncretic Echoes of Nazeer’s Mahashivaratri
In the hush of midnight vigils on Mahashivratri, as devotees fast and chant through the lengthening shadows of February, Nazeer Akbarabadi’s verses transport us to a time when faith flowed unbound by rigid divides. This 18th-century Muslim poet, revered as the “People’s Poet,” opens his nazm *Mahadev-ji ka Byaah* with an invocation to Ganesha, seeking […]
The Eternal Valentine: Remembering Madhubala, the Venus of Indian Cinema
On February 14, while the world celebrates the ephemeral nature of modern romance, cinema lovers pause to honor a more enduring flame. Today marks the 93rd birth anniversary of Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi, known to the world as Madhubala. That she was born on Valentine’s Day is no mere coincidence of the calendar; it feels, […]
Parliament’s Sovereign Space: Modi’s Abdication of Duty A Prime Minister Too ‘Unsafe’ for His Own House
In a parliamentary democracy, the floor of the House is not merely a stage for rhetoric; it is the altar of accountability. The Prime Minister is not a sovereign ruler but the first among equals, tethered to the legislature by an umbilical cord of constitutional responsibility. When that bond is frayed by absenteeism or bypassed […]
Controversy Over Retired General M.M. Naravane’s Book & Its Political Fallout
Has a General Been Silenced to Shield the Prime Minister?The Real Scandal Lies Beyond the BookHussain Naqvi The controversy surrounding General M.M. Naravane’s unpublished memoir is not about whether a book should see the light of day. It is about the Modi government’s palpable alarm at the mere emergence of its excerpts—and the general’s conspicuous refusal […]
