Articles
Oct 29 2014
AN ARTIST REMEMBERED
The wandering minstrel who turned down Peter Brook’s Mahabharat
AN ARTIST REMEMBERED : The wandering minstrel who turned down Peter Brook’s Mahabharat
He said no to Brook, as he would not be allowed to carry hemp to the US! He had selective praise for Dylan and was openly caustic about contemporary artists. Shoma A. Chatterji reviews a biographical film on Gour Khepa, the brilliant and eccentric baul who lived life on his own terms.
Oct 28 2014
TASHIDING HYDRO POWER PROJECT
The fate of Sikkim's sacred river hangs in balance
TASHIDING HYDRO POWER PROJECT : The fate of Sikkim's sacred river hangs in balance

Having drastically curtailed the width of eco-sensitive zones in Sikkim, the MoEF seems intent on ignoring local sentiment as well as environmental norms in order to push forward the Tashiding HEP on the sacred Rathong Chu river. Soumik Dutta reports on the latest in the case.
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Oct 28 2014
GENDER & TOURISM
In search of the elusive female traveller
GENDER & TOURISM : In search of the elusive female traveller
Most Indian languages do not have a specific word for the female traveller. The traveller is by definition male, a fact that provokes Namrata R Ganneri to delve deeper into the gendered nuances of travel and its implications for women.
Oct 27 2014
CEC REPORT ON MINING
A new course for iron ore mining in Odisha
CEC REPORT ON MINING : A new course for iron ore mining in Odisha
Rejection of regularisation of mines operating beyond lease areas and compensation for other violations being used for tribal welfare are among the recommendations of a recent report on mining in the state. Kanchi Kohli places the key points in context.
Oct 24 2014
CELL PHONE HAZARDS
Why minimising ‘mobile’ conversations is a ‘no-brainer’
CELL PHONE HAZARDS : Why minimising ‘mobile’ conversations is a ‘no-brainer’
Did you know a cell phone in a moving car emits significantly greater radiation, half of which could be absorbed by the brain while talking? A renowned epidemiologist from the US warns users of this and other cell-phone related hazards in the course of her recent talks in India. Darryl D’Monte reports.
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Oct 22 2014
MANIPUR MEMOIRS
Voices from a wounded land
MANIPUR MEMOIRS : Voices from a wounded land
In October 1949, Manipur merged officially with the Republic of India, but for decades now this beautiful land has been wracked by a violent insurgency and torn by the excesses of a draconian army. Anjali Nayar visits the state, bringing back poignant tales and the feeling of what it is like to live with fear.
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Oct 21 2014
WOMEN’S EDUCATION
A better life through literacy
WOMEN’S EDUCATION : A better life through literacy
The broad-based Community Based Functional Literacy Campaign launched by the State Resource Centre of Rayagada, Orissa aims to educate women and drop-out girls in three of the most backward districts of the state. Abhijit Mohanty summarises the key take-aways so far.
Oct 18 2014
SAANSAD ADARSH GRAM YOJANA
The vision for our villages
SAANSAD ADARSH GRAM YOJANA : The vision for our villages
6,433 model villages by 2024? A summary of the key features of the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the objective of facilitating development in villages
Oct 17 2014
MATERNAL HEALTH
When expecting mothers fight graft to secure prenatal care
MATERNAL HEALTH : When expecting mothers fight graft to secure prenatal care

In Jahangirpur Gram Panchayat of Bihar’s Kishanganj district, Rs 30 lakh meant as cash incentives for pregnant Muslim women had already been misdirected, when a community-driven project launched by Oxfam decided to tackle the corruption head on. Ajitha Menon reports.
Oct 15 2014
NREGA TO BE DILUTED?
Will the government heed calls to save rural jobs?
NREGA TO BE DILUTED? : Will the government heed calls to save rural jobs?
The Prime Minister has received at least two letters in the past week from eminent economists, activists and citizen groups, raising their voices against dilution of the Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which seems imminent from recent announcements by the government.
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Oct 14 2014
IPR LAWS
An old policy Modi must hold on to
IPR LAWS : An old policy Modi must hold on to
The government’s clarification on the Indo-US joint statement on Intellectual Property Rights issued during Modi’s visit to the United States highlights the imperative of maintaining India’s original stance on patent laws and refusal to yield to US demands made in its Special 301 Report. Shambhu Ghatak has more.
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Oct 13 2014
URBAN AGENDA
What will it take to make our cities really smart?
URBAN AGENDA : What will it take to make our cities really smart?
The thrust on ‘smart cities’ by PM Narendra Modi has been impossible to miss since he took over the reins. Researchers Sujaya Rathi and Shrimoyee Bhattacharya look at critical considerations to be made at the pilot stage of the evolutionary journey towards such urban centres.
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Oct 10 2014
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
Building the lives of those who build our houses
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS : Building the lives of those who build our houses

Sordid living conditions, poor educational and medical facilities, and lack of childcare inevitably characterise the lives of construction workers in the country. Are they ever going to be able to reap the benefits of the growth they facilitate? Kathyayini Chamaraj examines.
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Oct 09 2014
GANGA REJUVENATION
Preparing the framework for a new Ganga vision
GANGA REJUVENATION : Preparing the framework for a new Ganga vision
A Consortium of 7 IITs is working on a plan that will form the basis for the long-term vision for the government’s much-talked about Ganga rejuvenation programme. Shripad Dharmadhikary reviews an initial summary released by the Consortium as the framework within which the final plan will be drawn up.
Oct 06 2014
CAMPUS VIOLENCE
A trend highlighted in the Jadavpur University moment
CAMPUS VIOLENCE : A trend highlighted in the Jadavpur University moment

An alleged incident of molestation within campus premises at one of Calcutta’s most prestigious universities and the events following it have led to one of the largest student mobilisations that the state has witnessed in recent times. But does the entire episode also signify a continuation of a disturbing trend? Shoma A Chatterji reports.
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Sep 30 2014
SENIOR CITIZENS
What it means to be old and alone in the city
SENIOR CITIZENS : What it means to be old and alone in the city

Elderly individuals leading solitary lives in our cities are desperately in need of an assurance of safety and a better support system, overall. Rakhi Ghosh speaks to a few such people in Bhubaneswar, as she tries to fathom their needs and expectations.
Sep 30 2014
LAW COMMISSION REPORT
The laws we forgot we had
LAW COMMISSION REPORT : The laws we forgot we had
A September report from the Law Commission of India identified 72 antiquated laws that require immediate repeal, among a total of 261 that must be reviewed for an assessment of their relevance. Tanvi Bhatikar looks at a few of these and the rationale behind the Commission’s recommendation.
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Sep 29 2014
FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT
Why the market fails to lure Mali Parbat’s militant environmentalists
FIGHTING DISPLACEMENT : Why the market fails to lure Mali Parbat’s militant environmentalists
The efforts of metals major Hindalco to mine bauxite from Mali Parbat in Odisha has run up against stiff resistance from local Kondh adivasis, who wouldn’t shy away from militancy to protect their ecology, if needed. Javed Iqbal explores why they reject ‘industrial development’.
Sep 29 2014
FIGMENT OF FAITH
Petitioning God!
FIGMENT OF FAITH : Petitioning God!
In a temple in Almora, thousands of devotees come every year with petitions on, believe it or not, judicial stamped paper complete with details of their woes, and offer it to Golu Devta with a hope that justice will dawn, even if the courts have failed. Ramesh Menon reports.
Sep 27 2014
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Can Mumbai become a global city?
URBAN DEVELOPMENT : Can Mumbai become a global city?
A recent consultation between global and local urbanisation experts and bureaucrats focussed on securing Mumbai’s position in the map of ‘Globally Fluent Cities,’ as envisaged by an international initiative. Darryl D’Monte draws attention to a few critical issues that should be included in such deliberation.