10 things we really want gone this year

Gassy Judgments | Leave alone Latin, sometimes even their English is Greek to us. SC despairs over ‘impenetrable’ court verdicts – it recently said an order may be returned to HC to be rewritten, because it...

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Keep calm, it’ll pass

2025 is the quarter mark of this century. Big things are in ferment, just like a century back. And they will all settle down, again, just like before     A year turns, and brings us a...

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We used to flip, not swipe

As 2024 turns into 2025, your phone or computer will update the date automatically, without a second thought. That’s how digital calendars work—they organize time neatly into days, months, and years. But once upon a...

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India-Africa Forum Summit: A partnership of vision and mutual growth

India’s aspiration to lead the Global South finds strong resonance in its relationship with Africa, a continent that shares similar historical trajectories and developmental aspirations. Under the visionary leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh, the India-Africa...

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Bad boy, bad rules

FIDE right on axing Carlsen from chess tournament. That said, dress codes are very silly  I do what I want,” Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios said after breaking Wimbledon’s all-white rule with red trainers in...

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How proposed lending regulation is missing the mark on financial inclusion

The draft of the proposed lending regulation is an overreach, targeting predatory lenders but threatening to criminalize legitimate informal credit systems and stifle innovation in a sector vital for underserved communities. On December 19, 2024,...

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Incentivizing people collaboration in an AI-driven media company

  In earlier Media Flywheels issues, I discussed critical organizational challenges in media companies: Media Flywheels #6: How divisional structures and “House of Brands” strategies hinder algorithmic media platforms from achieving their potential. Media Flywheels...

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From Parathas to pancakes: The hidden cost of India’s cultural exodus

It took an old American movie and a Nobel laureate’s musings about bland turkey to make me realize how far we’ve strayed from our roots. Last night, watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), I was...

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When grief knocked, community walked in: A lesson in shared values of Indian culture

As children and young adults, we often mock and dismiss the cultural practices ingrained in our society, labelling them as outdated and irrelevant. Yet, with time and the onset of responsibilities, we come to realise...

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Who gets to age without judgment?

Why Female Actors Deserve the Same Fairness as Male Ones Imagine this: a 45-year-old male actor shows up on screen. He looks older than he did at 25, and no one really cares. But when...

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Why do prices change?

Have you ever noticed that the price of something online isn’t always the same? Like when you check a cab fare, and it’s different for someone else taking the same trip? That’s because some companies...

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Risque management

Why criticise condom ads for being overloud about what’s hush-hush, when racy jokes are super popular Wrap it before you tap it; For those all nighters; Is raat ki subah nahin; Always have protection; The...

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Why car safety is important for kids (and everyone)

Car airbags might look soft and harmless, but they’re not toys. When a car crashes, airbags pop out at a speed faster than a plane taking off—about 320 kmph! For grown-ups, the impact can hurt...

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Lovely, Dark & Deep?

State of forest report, even taken at face value, shows what’s wrong. Pell-mell afforestation isn’t the answer  Health of forests is a critical indicator of the health of a nation, one that speaks to its...

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Show it, carefully

Polling Records, Including CCTV Footage, Should Be Accessible with Proper Security Measures The Election Commission’s decision to change the electoral rules, stating that CCTV footage from polling booths will not be made available to candidates...

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Between bloom and wither

Returning home for a week felt like stepping into a painting I once knew intimately but now found altered, its colors softened, its edges blurred. The house stood unchanged, its walls carrying the weight of...

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Exploring the dimensions of ESG in banks

In today’s global financial ecosystem, the dimensions of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) have become critical benchmarks for evaluating the sustainability and impact of financial institutions on stakeholders. ESG is no longer a optional topic,...

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Leading causes of lifestyle diseases

Lifestyle diseases are largely a result of modifiable behaviors related to diet and daily habits. However, modifying these behaviors requires accurate and reliable information. Unfortunately, much of the information available in today’s social and print...

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US is raging about private health insurance trap. We shouldn’t fall into it

The concept of insurance is based on an attractive idea: you pay a small amount of money regularly, and if and when disaster strikes, you will receive protection from catastrophic expenses. But ask anyone who...

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Vijay, Nirav & India

These two men remind us of some big lessons about money and fairness Nirav Modi, who once sold fancy diamonds, and Vijay Mallya, the “King of Good Times,” both caused huge financial trouble in India....

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Glitches happen, what next?

Imagine planning for an 8-day trip and ending up stuck for 8 months. That’s what happened to astronaut Sunita Williams. She and her teammate Butch Wilmore went to the International Space Station (ISS) for a...

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Booking into Bangalore

Tech city is coded for litfests – no litpests  Kasauli’s Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Oct, Mumbai’s LitLive in Nov, Bangalore’s BLF last weekend. It was heartening to see up close and personal the real...

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Cryptic silence

The government should help small investors understand cryptocurrencies better Warren Buffett and Bill Gates don’t like cryptocurrencies, but about 2 crore Indians seem to. This year, many Indians have been buying crypto, even though they...

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Cryptic silence

Govt should issue clear guidance for small investors dabbling in cryptocurrencies Warren Buffett and Bill Gates don’t get crypto, but it seems 2cr Indians do. Data shows it’s been a good year for these currencies...

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Can startups solve India’s waste problem?

New-age startups have the potential to address India’s solid waste management issues, but systemic challenges like rigid tendering and corruption persist. The Ghazipur landfill in Delhi is one of the country’s oldest landfills, notorious for its stench...

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Doppel gang

Imitation is the best form of flattery. Nobody should have a quarrel with celebrity look-alike contests A bakery in rapper Drake’s hometown Toronto held a contest to pick his closest look-alike Saturday. A woman with...

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Papa don’t preach

Why does the government act like a strict parent? It often goes beyond its job! Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh is super popular, but not everyone is cheering for him. During his recent concerts in...

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Yankee, come home

India should cash in on the boom in outward-bound anti-Trump migration from US As Donald Trump prepares to preside over the Oval Office, America is on the move, literally. According to reports, many thousands of...

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Doppel gang

They say copying someone is the best compliment. So, what’s wrong with a little fun at celebrity look-alike contests? In Toronto, the hometown of rapper Drake, a bakery recently held a contest to find someone...

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Wise turtle, foolish man

Olive ridleys travel great distances to continue life, we destroy environments with abandon  The olive ridley sea turtles swim incredibly long distances to give birth to their babies, at selected sites every year. We don’t...

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Leaders getting report cards? Wait, what?

Imagine this: your teacher gives you a report card, but instead of just grading your work, they compare you to every other kid in class. Sounds annoying, right? That’s kind of what happens in workplaces...

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Netas’ bell curve? Huh

How to review performance of mantris when even companies are junking classic appraisal systems CM Fadnavis’s Mahayuti govt has 42 ministers, up from Shinde govt’s 29. Coalition compulsions, not unlike a rash of promotions in...

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The wise turtle and the foolish human

Have you ever heard of the olive ridley sea turtles? These amazing creatures swim thousands of kilometers every year to return to specific beaches to lay their eggs. Nobody knows how they choose these places,...

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India needs to act fast in the chip game!

Imagine if you could solve a super hard math problem in just 5 minutes that even the world’s smartest computer would take forever to finish. That’s what Google’s new “Willow” quantum chip can do! It’s...

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Softening inflation – A positive sign for early repo rate cut

Notably, the year-on-year (YOY) CPI inflation for November 2024 softened to 5.48 percent, below the 6 percent mark, the upper end of the target under a flexible inflation targeting framework (FITF). The drop in CPI...

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Even if I hadn’t sold a single shoe here, I would still come to India: Louboutin

French designer Christian Louboutin first visited India when he was 15. Since then, the man who turned red bottoms into a style statement has returned for countless visits. He’s also done several collabs with Indian...

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Women misusing domestic violence law? Data tells a very different story

Bindu D & Pragya S The unfortunate death by suicide of an engineer based in Bengaluru due to allegations of harassment by his estranged wife and her family has underscored several concerns about the functioning...

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Pushpa, Too!

Police case against Allu Arjun a worrying trend For Telangana police to charge Telugu superstar Allu Arjun with culpable homicide was ridiculous. For a trial court to send him to judicial custody for 14 days...

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Gall-stones and microplastic

Wonder what is the relationship between them… read on   Production of PE-based plastic–poly (ethylene) is processed in a factory to make plastic pellets.  The pellets are poured into a reactor, and melted into a thick...

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The steely king

Just raw talent doesn’t make you a champion. Gukesh shows why being fiercely focused is so important Dommaraju Gukesh went into the final of April’s Candidates chess tournament – where the world champion’s challenger is...

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Trail nix

Mumbai to get new forest trail. But we already have concrete jungle, no?  Posh Malabar Hill will get more uppity. Literally. It’s being bestowed with an elevated, 470m-long forest trail. Sounding like a SoBo unreal-estate...

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$ vs the world

The almighty American dollar mightn’t be mighty enough to isolate itself from all other countries US prez-elect Donald Trump is flexing the muscles of the almighty American dollar, in which over 80% of all international...

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Boycott button

We love pressing it, whether the injury be grave or slight In the midst of a fairly fierce diplomatic row between India and Bangladesh, a senior BNP neta has called upon Bangladeshis to boycott all...

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Damascus doozy

Assad’s Fall: What It Could Mean for the Region The fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which had been in power for nearly 50 years, has caused a huge shift in the balance of...

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US elections: What does it mean for the world?

After a lengthy and vicious fight, as usual elections were held in the USA on November 5, the first Tuesday in November.  The results were astonishing, historical and highly unexpected.  Donald Trump easily won the...

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Lifestyle diseases

The terms chronic diseases and lifestyle diseases are often used interchangeably. Most lifestyle diseases are chronic diseases but not all chronic diseases are due to lifestyle. Some can be due to genetic causes or infections...

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Virtual vitriol! Mocking Indians has become a global sport online

Last week, a video of a racist rant against an Indian American family at Los Angeles airport went viral. Since the visibility of Indians has only risen in recent years — with a string of...

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Death’s Certain, Its Fear Avoidable

Sage advice to future corpses We’re all going to die, but we shun that thought. Memento Mori: The Art of Contemplating Death to Live a Better Life by Joanna Ebenstein is an exploration and a...

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Is your decision wise or otherwise?

What if your one decision could change the course of your life forever? Life is a series of crossroads, and our choices define the direction of our journey. Laddu Pinto, a thriving entrepreneur and a...

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Kanji winters

After a scorching north Indian summer, the golden sun of winter brings a 24-carrot treat North India’s winter of polluted discontent, which makes daily headlines, is compensated for by a sudden efflorescence of vegetables and...

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Prejudice in the neighborhood

Imagine this: Dr. Ashok Bajaj, a doctor living in a nice area in Moradabad, decided to sell his house to another doctor, Dr. Iqra Chaudhary. But there was a problem—Dr. Bajaj and Dr. Chaudhary follow...

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And Protima Bedi too

Another friend, another never-imagined end, another eerie reminder Last week I wrote about finding a note from my dear Delhi friend Sabina exactly 16 years after she was killed in the 2008 Taj attack; worse, it...

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Jobs for boys

Good that IIT-Bombay is reviewing student-led placement process, which has network bias Allegations of bias against student-led placement offices in engineering and management colleges are not new. That’s why IIT-Bombay’s move to set up a...

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Kash it in

Indian immigrants are a very successful brand in US. Big threat to them is undocumented Indians  Most of America and the world heard of Kash Patel for the first time when he was announced as...

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Is ESG here to stay?

Whilst there has been progress on reporting the lack of standards continues to pose problems  In the current business landscape, where the ongoing uptake on ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) reporting has grown exponentially across...

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Killer on the road

India has once again earned the sad title of being the country with the most traffic deaths in the world. It’s a record no one should be proud of, but it keeps happening because nothing...

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2023 was very tough for startups and investors, why and where do we go from here?

Different parts of the world have fared very differently but sitting in Silicon Valley, overall 2023 has been a difficult year for both startups and investors. Three data points: Longer wait time between rounds, partly...

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Needed: A prescription to restore doctor-patient relationship

Dr Balaji Jegannathan, an oncologist at the Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital in Chennai, had just started seeing patients around 10.15am on Nov 13, when a young man came into his room. The man, whose...

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#29: The long-term benefits and downsides of Sun exposure

Today’s post (#29) is on a topic that I learned about the hard way viz. how badly sun-burnt individuals with darker skin tones can get. The short answer is: very badly. This came as a...

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Letter on women COs shows how some Army officers are stuck in a time warp

Earlier this week, the media exploded with the contents of a demi-official letter written by a general officer commanding of a corps of the Indian Army to his superior on the subject of women officers....

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Make America bland again

I spent my first American Christmas in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania visiting the family of a friend at Harvard. He was genial and easy-going, from a Christian Republican family. They took their religion very seriously, he said....

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History is injurious…

…to health, unless it’s about things & not power SC’s intervention in the Sambhal mosque case restores status quo ante. But for how long? The larger point in all such disputes, and the violence that...

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Analysing the findings of the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation on various Socio-Economic Indicators

On Wednesday, 9th of October, 2024 the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, Government of India released key findings of a Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) conducted from July 2022 to June 2023 as a...

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Pehle app? Nope

When authorities fail to provide basic safety markers, why also blame navigation tools A car drives onto a bridge over a river in west UP and falls off because the bridge was never completed. It...

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You block, I’ll dodge: Does internet censorship really work?

Imagine trying to upload a school project, but your internet is so slow that it takes hours instead of minutes. That’s what’s happening in Pakistan right now. Why? Because the government is testing a system...

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Beirut, now Gaza

Tel Aviv’s truce with Hezbollah must be followed by ceasefire in Gaza. That’s in Israel’s interest as well An expected 60-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah couldn’t have come sooner for West Asia. Israel’s offensive...

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Vegetable & ego

Vendor knows onions and quotients better than you Avoid vegetable markets if you take yourself and your college degrees too seriously. Or risk returning home not just with cabbage and bhindi but also a bruised...

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Cashing in on no jobs

When cash handouts help win polls, incentives for politicians to create jobs are low   Incumbent Mahayuti’s giant victory in Maharashtra was a sum of many parts, including driven cadres, expert booth management, hard electioneering and...

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New tool for better risk management in banks

In the increasingly interconnected and interdependent financial ecosystem, amid a resilient and growing economy, the scope for business expands manyfold inviting not only institution specific risks but also complex risks of other institutions with which...

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Curse vs cause

Have you ever wondered why society is more focused on finding cures than on identifying causes? The answer is simple: there’s no profit in finding causes. Consequently, little funding is directed toward research in that...

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#28: Are sugar substitutes (artificial sweeteners) effective or harmful for long term health?

Today’s post (#28) is on understanding the effectiveness of sugar substitutes for long term weight loss, blood sugar control, and other health benefits. Over the years, I have seen enough ads for the various artificial...

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Family first: What foster care needs to succeed in India

India’s child protection system has a problem. Governed by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, or JJ Act, 2015, the system is designed to address the care, safety, and rehabilitation needs of...

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Age and Youth: A Tug of Wisdom

Do you know what Edmund Burke, a very wise man, once said? “The arrogance of age must submit to be taught by youth.” In other words, older people in charge should listen carefully to what...

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Love your exams

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released the date sheet for the 10th and 12th board examinations. This is big news for about 44 lakh students in India and abroad; understandably, it’s stirring excitement...

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Yellow peas imports: A speed bump on India’s road to pulse self-sufficiency?

India, the world’s largest producer, consumer, and importer of pulses, has always faced a balance between ensuring domestic availability and supporting farmer interests. Yellow peas, a pulse variety not widely grown domestically nor consumed by...

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Manifest your 2025

Have you heard the word manifest? It means to imagine something you really want, so strongly that you feel like it’ll come true. This year, the Cambridge Dictionary picked manifest as its Word of the...

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An Innovative approach to end Stubble Burning using traditional wisdom

Introduction Till a few decades ago, crop residue, including stubble, was used as dry fodder for livestock, as fuel for the kitchen or incorporated in-situ i.e., on site in soil. It was not burnt, at...

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Let it be noted

Imagine this: a politician gets caught with a bag of money, and people say it’s for bribing voters. Sounds like a movie scene, right? But it’s real! In Maharashtra, BJP leader Vinod Tawde and a...

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Leveraging unpaved airstrips for high-value crop transport: A transformative idea

India, one of the largest producers of agricultural goods globally, faces persistent challenges in ensuring that farm produce reaches markets efficiently. Post-harvest losses, particularly for high-value perishable crops like fruits and vegetables, account for nearly...

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Emojis: The new language of school grades? ✨

Did you know emojis have been around since the 1980s? Back then, people were already worried that computers might make it harder to express feelings, something humans have done for thousands of years. Fast forward...

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From the Trenches of Flanders to freedom’s dawn – 100 years of India and the Great War

In 1914, World War I erupted, driven by intense nationalism, imperial rivalries, and entangled alliances among the European powers. This unprecedented conflict, also called the Great War, saw major powers like Britain, France, Russia, and...

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Dr Doom

That’s you diagnosing yourself on Google What is with hospitals and clinics that they don’t share the test results with you? You have just had an MRI or ECG and the assistant or nurse has...

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Time for curry in the White House

The long-awaited US presidential poll results are out, and former president Donald Trump has won. This hotly contested election season was unique in that no matter which side triumphed, Indians were assured of one thing:...

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‘Mere Paas Maa Hai’: Why mothers matter

That Shashi Kapoor’s dialogue ‘Mere paas maa hai’ (I have my mother) would be immortalised was not something few could have anticipated in 1975 when the film ‘Deewar’ hit the theatres. When the film was...

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Ladies, leave our ladies tailors alone

In my generation, we were brought up on adages like ‘cutting off your nose to spite your face’, ‘tarring everyone with the same brush’, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. It’s a pity they...

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Don’s darlings

Voters want a shake-up, so long as he delivers The lib commentariat, all shook by the breadth of the Trump win, didn’t even get a chance to catch its breath, before his selections for key...

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Imphaled

Central forces face an impossible situation. GOI must act to change Manipur’s security apparatus  A fresh spate of violence in Manipur has forced GOI to dispatch around 2,500 additional central paramilitary personnel to the state....

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Bulldozed no more?

Supreme Court Stands Up to ‘Bulldozer Justice’ The Supreme Court has spoken out against “bulldozer justice,” where state governments use bulldozers to quickly demolish people’s houses without fair trials. States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,...

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The first people

In India, indigenous people, also called *Adivasis*, are sometimes treated very kindly by political parties, especially around election time when everyone wants their votes. But what these groups truly want is a balance: they want...

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Pardon my French

Lexicons are partially expletives. Now we need the daily fix of filthy language in a foreign accent The F word, the B word, the C word. Capital letters gone rogue, led deliciously astray, dancing drunk...

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Total control

Imagine one team has all the power in a big game. They make the rules, they call the shots, and everyone else has to play by their rules. That’s kind of like what happens in...

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#26: Is your healthcare system really looking out for you?

Today’s post (#26) is about a question, the answer to which has probably been the most eye opening for me over the last ten years, but more more importantly a life-changing one: Does my healthcare...

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Lotus won’t be Potus but hocus pocus still rules

10am Scanning the US election results, I realise that Trump and 1.4 billion Indians have something in common. We all believe in superstitions.  A recent video shows Trump cooking burgers, spilling salt, and then immediately...

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**Electile Disorder**

Do we have too many elections? Not really. But we definitely have too much election drama! It feels like we’re always voting. One election ends, and we’re already talking about the next one. It’s like...

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Will Trump’s fossil fuel playbook be a boon for India’s energy ambitions?

Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office brings with it a renewed focus on America’s fossil fuel industry, marking a significant shift away from the climate-first approach of his predecessor. While this could cast uncertainty...

from Times of India Voices https://ift.tt/RioxpOg

Why are grassroots nonprofits not able to scale easily?

Grassroots organisations in India face challenges in financial management and leadership development, and with technology and government policies. Here’s how they can scale. Almost every grassroots nonprofit aspires to expand its social impact so that...

from Times of India Voices https://ift.tt/74IyzPq

Unquiet flows the Don

A triumphant Trump is all set to enter White House and the history books Like a gleefully grinning Jack-in-the-Box, Donald Trump has popped up to make history as only the second US president after Grover...

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Lies, damned lies, and generative AI

I am Generative AI, and I understand English and many other languages. I know their grammar rules. I understand real-world events and create fantastic stories, poems, images, speeches, and videos. I have a deep appreciation of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/WUS10dQ

The don of ordinary Americans

Perhaps the most telling pre-election poll was the one in which seven of 10 Americans said the country needs “major change or to be torn down”. Now, they’ve handed back the presidency to the biggest...

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Elections R Us

Here’s something for every American to celebrate: democracy has won! Even if there are disagreements, it’s a time for coming together. In the United States, we have two main political parties. After elections, their reactions...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6pj2XAz

Private matters

SC ruling on govt acquisition of pvt properties is right & a reflection of how economic policies have changed  Supreme Court’s ruling yesterday on Article 39(b) clarified not all private property can be classified as...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9mqvr7y

Have bathroom, will sing

One man’s melody is another man’s malady It’s rare to find people who love the sound of their voice when they hear it recorded for the first time. For bathroom singers, it’s no less than...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/JtxFmG8

History? Hmm…

Black woman leading Britain’s oppn Tories? Great? Yup. But look closely for real picture History, it was said, was made when a black woman was elected to lead Britain’s Conservatives, who are in opposition after...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Ph54OoQ

Guardians or bystanders!

Canadian police remain mute spectators to violence and vandalism unleashed in Hindu temples by Khalistani extremists backed by Trudeau.  On a quiet Diwali weekend, two temples in Canada, long-standing beacons of peace for Hindu diaspora...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/mLSlwGY

Foetal mistake

In a terribly gender unequal society, U-turn ideas such as legalising pre-birth sex determination are dangerous  How the status of women and the opportunities available to them in India have improved over time is a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DvmdJ7S

Why Bezos and LA Times owner are right about not endorsing Harris

Jeff Bezos, billionaire owner of Amazon and The Washington Post, and Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, provoked outrage when they blocked their newspapers from endorsing Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/AycOq5m

Karwa Chauth mehndi and a slice of ambition

On the eve of Karwa Chauth, I found myself running late from college, only to discover that all the neighbourhood salons were packed, and every Mehndi artist was already booked. As I searched for someone...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/eMk5cv1

Can’t take a joke?

Why Winnie the Pooh Scares Some Leaders Halloween is supposed to be a fun time, right? People dress up in costumes, sometimes a little spooky, and sometimes just funny! But in China, some Halloween celebrations...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7Hh6neW

Problem of plenty

What’s in plenty in Maharashtra polls are the number of aspirants. It’s a jobs crisis  Mind the numbers – 288 contests, almost 8,000 candidates and 10,905 nominations. Job fair? Not unlike one, but ahead of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/OU2K8zA

All about Cola wars!

So, there’s some exciting stuff happening in the world of colas in India! You know how Coca-Cola and Pepsi are the two big names that everyone knows? Well, there’s a new competition heating up, and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/J46s5TL

How a right is wronged

Citizens’ privacy is not an issue that bothers the Indian state overmuch. Violation is rampant  Puttaswamy’s passing is a reminder of his landmark battle that led to a Supreme Court ruling making right to privacy...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6V95B3g

Faith and the American promise

Growing up as a devout Jain in America, I experienced the beauty of being an American born citizen raised in a minority faith while respecting others who walked different paths. Jainism, a religion rooted in...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/g54IQFz

Teacups & bedsheets

Truly special ones stay parked in the cabinets Most families in the armed forces have a sterling silver tea set named after some British monarch like George or Anne. It is that three-piece thing on...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZzPIiWy

If India wants to build infrastructure, AI-driven labor data-dashboard is a must

It is great that we have learnt from China (and early days of USA) that building infrastructure is a smart way to grow rapidly, as it pumps money into the economy and facilitates growth. But,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/n8Vvau1

Delhi’s dirty air: Why it’s a big problem and what’s being done

Delhi’s air has become dangerously dirty, and it’s making people sick. Imagine walking outside and feeling like you’re breathing in smoke! This is happening every year, and it’s so bad that people’s eyes burn, their...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hYI259m

Love your AI

Artificial intelligence assistants are improving every day, from basic Siri and Alexa to the next generation of full-time life partners. Your personal assistant will analyze all of your emails, texts, and photographs. It will understand...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ALth1jw

Bias in medical & nutritional research

We often assume that conclusions about foods and medications from research studies are honest and accurate. Historically, most nutrition research was government-funded, with key organizations like the NIH in the US and NIN in India....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/GH41VAE

Sports Bill no silver bullet but strikes a balance on autonomy

While we wouldn’t exempt self-driving cars from the rules of the road, the way we govern them must leave space for innovation, exploration and growth in the sector. The state’s regulatory relationship with sports federations...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/kuTrzMC

Phulmoni Dossee & the 135-yr-long argument against marital rape

Case CXXIV: In 1890 in the Calcutta High Court a fully developed Bengali, aged 35, was charged with causing the death as above of his child-wife, a girl aged 11 years and 3 1/2 months…The...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DGOg5oC

A very unusual idea from Trump

Should the U.S. Get Rid of Income Tax? Imagine the government getting rid of the income tax, which is the tax people pay based on how much money they earn. That’s exactly what Trump wants...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/l7soSk6

Time difference

Indians & Italians have freed themselves from the protocol of punctuality but their good-day greetings aren’t the same Among the several things that Indians and Italians have in common is their fine disregard for the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/gi03SXs

‘Megamammalomania’

‘Value bigger picture beyond Big 5.’ Says who? ‘Tiger Man’!  The advice came at a litfest named after Khushwant Singh, a passionate champion of ecology long before it became fashionate. The apt venue was Kasauli, which...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6fMRyUN

Majority claptrap

All democracies, and not just Canada or India, must rely on ‘vote bank’ politics The diplomatic tiff between India and Canada, which last year accused agents of New Delhi of having had a hand in...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Z3pDEId

Id and vote

Musk dances dangerously on the campaign trail Elon Musk is now on the campaign trail. He’s dancing on the Pennsylvania stage. He may be doing this one better than Trump because he can jump higher...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6Yf2CXx

Major mess for minors

Child marriage is a sad and serious problem in India. Even though fewer child marriages happen today, about one in four girls are still married before they are old enough to consent. This is not...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/KI4J9Yb

Birth of modern medicine & nutrition science

During the early 20th century, several significant developments led to the emergence of what we now call modern medicine: 1. The overhaul of medical education, initiated by the Flexner Report in 1910, commissioned at the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RcfXBJN

#23: How our habits are impacting us long-term (Hint: They are modifying our epigenetics)

In today’s post (#23), I attempt to explain observations that I have seen in my health data as well as in that of others, through the lens of epigenetics, a less discussed but equally important...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/jAk8hYP

NOne direction

On famous boys who don’t grow up when they become men  Were The Beatles the first boy band? The term didn’t take until the eighties. But if boy bands mean masses of teenaged female fans,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/tWOa0BR

The road more travelled

Laddu Pinto, a well-known musician from Kolkata, was used to playing with harmonies, but today was not about music. Laddu had an urgent reason to travel to Delhi. Unfortunately, no flights were available on short...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DOgHeVL

Many Maharashtras

Nov 20’s election will be fought on every conceivable identity & ideology Maharashtra is getting ready for a big election, and it’s going to be quite complicated. There are 288 areas, called constituencies, and each...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/l0Az1qJ

Bringing up husband

High marriage penalty robs countless young Indian women of economic independence  Woman and man get married, she pays a penalty. They have a child, she pays a penalty. These marriage and motherhood penalties refer to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0ytQmde

Now is the time

“Happy is the person who is truly present for an hour in the course of his entire life”, said Sufi mystic Junayd al-Baghdadī, one of the most famous of the early Islamic saints and a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/reUDA7v

The digital dilemma: How excessive screen time is impacting our children’s health

Australia’s recent proposal to introduce a minimum age limit for social media use has ignited global conversations about the impact of screen time on children’s mental and physical health. While some may view the move...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/1z8fDuM

India and Pakistan: not ready to be friends yet

India and Pakistan, two neighboring countries, are not really on speaking terms right now, and things don’t seem to be changing anytime soon. India’s foreign minister, Jaishankar, recently visited Pakistan for an important meeting (the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/UPWg8Rz

Shootout in Bandra

A senior politician gunned down pre-poll in Mumbai revives memories of earlier, deadlier times in the city In Mumbai, just before the important state elections, a senior politician named Baba Siddique was killed on the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0Iyfcso

Politics of health

Having covered the five pillars of health, we will now discuss chronic diseases. But before we delve into that, I want to address various factors that influence our understanding of health. These factors are shaped...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/THjrUdg

What India can do to end science Nobel drought

It’s Nobel Prize season. Since their inception in 1901, only 12 individuals of Indian origin have been awarded the Prize, with just five being Indian citizens. Among them, Dr C V Raman remains the sole Indian to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/8KMGaxU

Ola-la la! Why jokers win Oscars and Twitter wars

Joker: Folie à Deux’, with its fiery mix of song and dance, hit the cinemas recently and rekindled memories of how Batman and the Joker’s legendary feud began. It starts in the story ‘Batman: The...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ndcbSAu

**Chaos in Multan: Pakistani Sports Reflecting a Bigger Crisis**

Something unbelievable happened in Multan on Friday. Pakistan did something that no other team in the 147-year history of Test cricket has done: they scored over 550 runs in the first innings, but still lost...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MiYPXcR

Thought For Food

Meat production on the scale humans demand is unsustainable. Technology has a solution. Go for it Global food systems are unsustainable, we know. But it’s still shocking to find that food production is a major...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/k1zfb4u

Elephant whispers

Jumbos have as much of a right to walk the earth as humans. India must do a better job of conserving them Elephants are amazing animals with many similarities to humans. They have great memories...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/u2ojGqx

The Sun of love shines on

Within the larger context of Islamic culture, Sufis have had a profound impact on the social structures in Asia. The ethical and aesthetic concepts of Sufism have found their expression in the worldview of many...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/1VPpICl

An antiquity which is 5000 years old: The Mother Goddess worship in India

The divinity of mother goddess worship is ages old and we have been taught about the sanctity of the same since childhood. However, how old is this practice, and since when did this practice become...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZeSd1Lh

Voters’ country

Haryana, J&K showed how people can keep parties guessing till the end  That elections are first and foremost about voters becomes sharply obvious with some results – case in point, the verdicts in Haryana and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/o9bexLq

Chennai’s plane truth

TN govt, police should have anticipated crowd size at airshow. Five died thanks to basic rules not being followed   Chennai recently held a big airshow, and sadly, five people died because of poor planning. The...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0ZyvLS6

High on failure

No major party has dared call out Nitish’s prohibition policy. Will Prashant Kishor’s critique matter?   Pundits are debating whether Prashant Kishor’s claim that his party will lift the ban on alcohol in Bihar within an...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/QSeO0d3

High on failure

Bihar’s Alcohol Ban and Prashant Kishor’s Bold Idea In Bihar, the government banned all kinds of alcohol, but it hasn’t gone as planned. Even though the ban was meant to stop people from drinking, it...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/n85qkGm

From divine maladies to modern-day triumph: India’s grand odyssey in vanquishing Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB), once enshrined in the annals of ancient Indian mysticism, has evolved into one of the most profound public health battles of the modern era. India’s relentless confrontation with this insidious disease spans millennia—from...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/EFCe8qr

Durga Arrives, Smeared in Shame

I could have written Durga arrives smeared in blood. But blood doesn’t flow forever. I could have written Durga arrives wearing sandals. But then sandals run the risk of being torn. I could have even...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/oEYP6OD

Will Haryana, J&K polls break bipolar pattern?

With polling for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana over, the key question on counting day, besides who will form the govt of course, will be whether it is going to be...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/amLc7Ff

Empathy vs Xenophobia: Warring children of Oxytocin

From the oxytocin perspective, human world gets divided into “us-and-them” that scientists refer to as in-group and out-group model. This model gets extended to deal with everything that we interact with ranging from in-group of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/C0viBEN

Interest rate cut looks imminent in October Monetary Policy Review

All macroeconomic indicators show that a repo rate cut is in the offing in the upcoming monetary policy review on October 7-9, 2024. With the identification of new external members of the Monetary Policy Committee...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ScWw1FK

Nonsensical sense

Common sayings in one language baffle people who speak a different language Why does it rain cats and dogs? Why doesn’t it rain toads and spiders? Or snakes and rats? Why is a rare occurrence...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/UoOhrSy

Safety, but how?

Implementing security checks for masses of Chinese electronic products will be a tough ask Imagine you’re playing a game on your tablet, and someone sneaks in and changes the rules without you knowing. This could...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/VIhAgPm

Veer-Zaara of 1971 war

And an endless wait for reunion. The movie Veer Zaara is in news these days as it is re-released after 20 years. When I first watched Veer-Zaara 20 years ago, it felt like a dream—an...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/21qjJFd

Gandhi : A powerhouse for all ages

In a journalism school where I teach, I typically take a session on development journalism. Thanks to the shrinkage of real issues in the media, this generation has not heard of development journalism. They are...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RoJX1F7

Terms of war

Dehumanising conflict jargon seeps into language, normalising and justifying horrors In its assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israeli air force reportedly dropped 80 bombs – including US-made 2,000-pound bunker busters – that flattened at...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HWDm1TN

America at a crossroads: Guns, rhetoric, and the 2024 election battle between Harris and Trump

The second failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has once again thrust the volatile issues of gun control, political violence, and incendiary rhetoric into the national spotlight. This alarming incident underscores the dangerous...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/268uRnC

Giant misstep

Why Colonizing the Moon Could Be a Bad Idea Did you know that what we do on Earth can even change the moon? Scientists discovered that the Covid lockdowns, when everyone stayed home, not only...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Nif1zRX

In pursuit of death

New guidelines aim to support the rights of terminally ill patients on life support The Situation Today | In India, more people than ever are getting access to life-saving treatments. However, this also means that there...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/bucDe0w

One Nation, One Election: Dismantling democratic diversity

The Union Cabinet’s recent approval of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) proposal, based on the recommendations of the Ram Nath Kovind-led committee, raises serious concerns about its implications for India’s democracy. While the proponents...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4HZAna6

Bubble or not, the AI genie is out of the bottle. But here’s the rub

The world is bubbling with talk of an AI bubble. But what is a bubble anyway? For me, it is the nadir of a hype cycle for an idea or an asset, when we suspend...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DUoKape

What’s in a name?

In Japan, there’s a big discussion about names. Right now, when people get married, they have to choose one last name for both of them. Usually, the wife has to take her husband’s last name....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/qPFS4Xh

Are you aware of the power of your breath?

Do you know what your first act was when you came into this world? It was taking a breath. Your last act will be breathing out. Everything in between is what we call “life.” Although...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/gRGQK3A

Asli cheese

A dairy product that brings back to mind and taste a faraway time and place My introduction to cheese was not agreeable. To my nine-year-old nose it smelt bad, and tasted worse. I’d never heard...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/OafM1t6

We were warned

We’re seeing crazy weather all around us, and yet, not much is being done to fight climate change. Have you felt the heat recently? So hot it makes you feel sick, kills your plants, and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/jQ6BDUw

Bibi’s calculations

For months, there’s been a fight between a group called Hezbollah and the country of Israel. This is turning into a much bigger problem. On Monday, Israel bombed southern Lebanon, killing many people, and Hezbollah...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/YEiFbtT

The educated person, Pandit, is ‘One who has Panda’ i.e., knowledge of our Swa-roopa’ – so what is our Swaroopa?

Principle of existence: We know that ‘we all, and this Creation’ Exists. We also know the basic Principle that, “that which exists can never Cease to Exist; and that which doesn’t exist can never come into...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ePAk4RY

Adulteration central

Tirupati controversy reminds us how common adulterated food is in India & how little’s done about it As the serious issue of adulteration of temple prasad at Tirupati spawns a political slugfest, various places of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/dQA2mBu

Two to tango

To maximise its strategic ties with US, India needs domestic R&D, economic heft   Modi’s declaration at Delaware’s Quad Summit that the grouping is “here to stay” is as definitive an indication as can be about...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/oA7jK4n

Bottoms & bottomlines

Why desi flyers run out of planes just after touchdown Airlines globally have two main business models to choose from – go bare bones & be good for their bottomlines; or go comfy & be...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vU12nEO

Caution amidst comfort: The hidden risks of Montelukast

Montelukast, a medication hailed for its efficacy in treating asthma and allergic rhinitis, has become a household name for many families seeking relief from respiratory ailments. Since its approval in the late 1990s, montelukast has...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Tiktmap

The role of literature in social movements in British India

The significance of literature in social movements is often overlooked or underestimated. Yet, history reveals numerous instances where literary works—both oral and written—have played a pivotal role in shaping and driving societal change. This holds...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HGXnIM0

Honk, honk! Swachh dreams, dream girl and a paan-India problem

8am Dropping the little one to school in traffic jams, monsoon-wrecked roads and a cacophony of screeching horns, I recall the Union transport minister’s proposal to pass a law requiring horns of all vehicles to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/FlD0XYB

Born on a Sunday, too busy to Regret!

Many times, I’ve been cautioned with the words, “You’ll regret this.” My response to each one has always been the same: “I was born on a Sunday— regret doesn’t belong in my story.”  Each day,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/f4o8c9p

Indian-diaspora is strong in rural and small cities in America

For years, the Indian diaspora in America was thought to be entirely in big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Houston. However, US census data from 2020 shows that of the 5 million...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/UVWi0Jk

Why AI can harm us, how we can stop it

Harari dips into ancient history to analyse the newest threat Humans are at once the smartest and the most stupid animals on earth, says Yuval Noah Harari in Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/14zQGLw

Workplaces Should Care About Employees

A recent letter from a mother, talking about her daughter Anna Sebastian Perayil, has caught the attention of many people who work in offices. Anna was a chartered accountant who worked very hard, but according...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/g0zAKm2

Sometimes we should say ‘a big thank you’

Are we living in interesting times? Yes, absolutely!  To say we are living in anything but difficult times is an understatement. There are  problems everywhere. Any person in India can name at least a hundred...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4hz3HyQ

One nation, many notions

Simultaneous polls are a good idea. But implementation will be terribly tricky & impossible sans oppn agreeing  Imagine if we could have all our big elections on the same day – for the whole country...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/mTZ1UAe

Election/Selection

Like Atishi, CMs of all parties are actually selected by top leaders. Not good for real intra-party democracy Imagine you’re in a class where the teacher always picks the class monitor instead of letting students...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/mkyNRsv

Reflections from the heart

In 2011, the Bollywood superhit Rockstar made the millennial generation aware of the journey of self discovery in the experience of love. The movie opened and ended with Mevlana Rumi’s profound quote. Out beyond the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/p2irJs1

Collaboration: The catalyst for 5G success in India

Ecosystem collaboration where diverse stakeholders unite their expertise, resources, and vision is the cornerstone of achieving transformative milestones. India’s 5G rollout is a fitting example of effective collaboration between the government, telecom providers, and equipment...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/iqILlwf

Akar Prakar, Kolkata celebrates passages of printmakers

From the chromatic and textural complexity of Krishna Reddy to the monochromatic magic of Chiitaprosad and Rabindranath Tagore to modern day printmakers , Akar Prakar’s cachet of Past in Perspective ( Printmaking in Bengal ) is a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9Rc6rfI

Finally, sense of us

GOI should focus on conducting a thorough Census & not give in to caste census politics What’s a Census? A census is like a big count of everyone in the country. It helps the government...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/R2MZwtg

Gash in the mountain

Aravalis to Goa, govts seem determined to ignore the Wayanad lesson In different parts of India, like the Aravali hills and Goa, the government is making decisions that might hurt nature. They’re not learning from...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XtZM0Hw

Adapting Finternet: Insights and lessons for developing countries

The concept of Finternet, with its promise of a digital-first, interconnected financial ecosystem, offers significant potential for developing countries. However, adapting Finternet requires careful consideration of the unique challenges faced by countries, competency scale, resources...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/CiVAkh9

Portrait of a serf

It begins nicely enough, with a great tech product How are empires made in the age of Great Tech? No, not as they once were, through marauding horsemen with gleaming swords, sieges on castles, archers...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/kWpFa5E

Don’t rethink pink. Plane truth is we need women-friendly seats

Hot pink, rani pink or mithai pink…whatever the shade, pink is a happy colour. Indians associate it with auspicious occasions such as shaadis, birth of a girl child, pujas. In the West, the colour has...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7NWTPOK

The new ‘green revolution’ will not feed India

Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has proposed an increased subsidy of Rs 20,000 per hectare for farmers willing to shift from green-revolution techniques to ‘natural farming’, also called zero-budget farming because it uses no purchased...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/R8NJByv

How menopause can be a superpower

My mother and I never really had ‘The Talk’. I got my first period while lounging in my balcony, studying for my board exams. When I saw the red rivulet, I felt relieved that I...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MwGSOAX

A horse for their kingdom & trade

How a shy animal was bred to change human history  No animal has had as profound an impact on human history as the horse, says Raiders, Rulers and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RQMlt8c

Older, but wiser?

Ayushman coverage for elderlies is great. But the health scheme has many existing problems  The Indian government has made a big promise to help older people stay healthy. They’re giving free health insurance to everyone...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xJ5tl81

Phony idea

Adolescents’ social media addiction is a problem. Banning isn’t a solution Some grown-ups are worried that kids are spending too much time on social media. In Australia, they’re thinking about making a rule that says...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/kf0q7su

Toorist trap

The world over, local residents are being overrun by an incursion of selfie-taking sightseers A tourist has been described as someone who, having nothing to do at home, goes and does it someplace else. And...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/KzoW243

Phones & footwear

iPhone 16 is a nice Make in India moment. Inclusive growth awaits labour-intensive success stories Glass is definitely half full. The iPhone 16 launch will mark a meaningful Make in India moment. One, because experts...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/W1KaJlc

Party – I Revolutionary literature in India’s struggle for Independence

During India’s struggle for Independence, literature played a vital role in inspiring the masses and arousing a sense of patriotism. Many poets and writers took up their pens as weapons to challenge the British colonial...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/I8mgXic

Step aside, Ms Buch

Why It’s Important for Leaders to Stay Trustworthy Madhabi Puri Buch, the first woman to lead Sebi (the group that watches over India’s financial markets), started her job with a lot of respect. People saw...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4nZph1x

Pillar 5.2: Spiritual health

The human pursuit to understand the nature of things has been eternal. Approximately 2,500 years ago, this quest for knowledge split into two disciplines: philosophy and science. At that time, India was the wealthiest country,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/msJDL9n

Why I love the Paralympics but hate the inspiration porn

As I grow older, I yearn to find a new culture. A culture that shares the vocabulary of my disabled body, its aspirations and imperfections. A culture that challenges normativity and celebrates diversity. A culture...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/lksY0Vz

Kimchi bites

Climate change is turning the heat on comfort foods  Kimchi for many Indians is now their favourite achaar. Its local incarnations are oft made with local patta gobi. But over in its homeland, they associate...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/gA5ZE9p

Drone up

Use of UAVs in Manipur ethnic conflict is worrisome. But solution lies in innovation, not dialling back a liberal drone policy  Recently, in Manipur, drones have been used by some people to drop bombs and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/E6RxScF

Why violence in Balochistan is getting worse

In August, Pakistan’s troubled province of Balochistan witnessed the worst violence in six years. In particular, the week that coincided with the death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a prominent nationalist leader and former chief...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/iBu1UO4

DisHonour Code

In demanding students be ‘apolitical’ and ‘patriotic’, a Mumbai univ severely dents their education  When a university tells students they must be “apolitical” and “patriotic,” it might sound harmless at first. But what it really...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Fzfp8me

Didi’s Drama

Bengal just made a new law to punish rapists, but it’s mostly just for show. It’s like putting on a play instead of actually fixing the real problems. The Bengal assembly made a new ‘anti-rape’...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vJC1lwI

Fight for Jobs in India

Many young people in India are finding it very hard to get a job. They are even risking their lives for a chance to work. Recently, in Rajasthan, a man who used to help pick...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/qN8fp70

The rationale for accessible housing

When we think of “accessible housing” what comes to our mind is special housing for the elderly and the disabled. You probably also feel you don’t need accessible housing and that you had rather buy...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/yQuRzFJ

Namaz Knots

It is really time for central BJP to rein in Himanta’s rhetoric, even if behind closed doors It looks like the Chief Minister of Assam hasn’t noticed that focusing on attacking minorities doesn’t help win...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/BiLVdlt

Pillar 5.1: Emotional & spiritual health

The fifth pillar of health is Emotional & Spiritual Health. The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental drive shared by all living organisms, from single cells to the largest blue whales. For over a century,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/NaT4bqk

Why I don’t want to start a restaurant

My wife and I are cowards: imaginary violence on a small computer screen scares us. We are, therefore, natural clients for the recent spate of TV and movie dramas about running restaurants, where a grease...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/FuKN1t5

Don’t Blame the Wolves

We shouldn’t turn threatened animals like wolves into villains Recently, in Bahraich, there were nine tragic deaths caused by wolf attacks over 45 days. This situation needs careful scientific investigation to protect both people and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/klc2DFd

Trump and Abba: Adieu! Mama Mia

“Abba’s music at Trump events be immediately removed and taken down.” ABBA  That ban brought ABBA to the top of the news after a few decades. In the 1970-80s, ABBA used to make headlines almost...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XdxmbkV

The parrot’s prophecy

This is the story of three parrots: Gangaram, Changaram, and Pangaram. All three were good friends and grew up together in the same forest. Their parents were next-door neighbours, and hence, a very strong bond...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/aJynMmA

Sukhu’s Strange Law

Raising women’s marriage age to 21 is a redundant & regressive move. Himachal must do a U-turn It’s a puzzle how Congress’s Sukhu govt in Himachal passed a bill raising the age of marriage of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/daDRxWP

Not Helping Themselves

**Fewer Visas for Students and Workers** Countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK are making it harder for people from other countries to come and study or work there. For example, Australia will only allow...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/SHnwthK

Three strikes for bail

SC orders in Sisodia, Kavitha & Soren’s aide cases are a lesson for agencies, courts Even in PMLA cases, bail is the norm, Supreme Court reiterated this yesterday, releasing Soren’s aide in a money laundering...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Yv1rPOE

Street Message

RG Kar protests are now also the first of many tough political tests of Mamata’s hold on Bengal voters Mamata Banerjee won’t – and shouldn’t – be taking lightly the continuing protests within two months...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/KcyX7V0

The new age social engineering

Taking a serious note of LoP’s public statement “I checked the list of Miss India to see if there would be any Dalit or tribal woman in it, but there was no women from Dalit,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DYcF86u

M Pox is calling!!! How Prepared is India?

Kaala Pani, a web series on Netflix is a gripping tale about the outbreak of a lethal disease and a deadly health epidemic creating an atmosphere of chaos and fear. What makes the storyline more...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Nn9OeVR

**Bulldozed Due Process: What Happened in Madhya Pradesh**

– **The Incident:** – In Madhya Pradesh, the government supported the demolition of a house belonging to a person accused of protesting in Chhatarpur district. – The person was allegedly involved in a rally against...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XxfqUpJ

DMK’s Hindu outreach and the importance of being Sekarbabu

Not too long ago, being a god-believer was a disqualification for DMK members struggling to move up the party ranks. M Karunanidhi hated it when his party members wore religious marks. Once seeing a party...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/GRFtYHe

Reforms and India’s future

When governments make decisions mainly to win votes, it’s not good for India’s future. Recently, the Indian government approved a new pension plan for 2.3 million central government employees. This new plan is a middle...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XHTCGNu

Why ghosts don’t scare the Indian Stree

One of the apocryphal tales of my childhood revolves around a great aunt who got possessed by an evil spirit. My grandmother’s version of this story stated that this happened while my aunt was coming...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4TYnsba

Working 9 to 5… and beyond

A long time ago, people used to go to the office for work and then come home to relax. There was a clear line between work time and personal time. But now, things are very...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/fnibrVv

Why time management fails

Time is our most precious resource, yet many struggle to use it effectively. To help you become more productive and efficient, let’s debunk seven common myths about time management. You can manage time The phrase...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/M1TgoVp

Back to politics

No party seems in pole position in J&K. Expect much intrigue post-poll, and fragile coalitions In their brief press briefing yesterday, on their first visit to J&K after polls were announced, Congress chief Kharge and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/biOEwCB

Fix fixed deposits

Deposits not keeping up with loans is a problem that needs a rethink on tax front Nirmala Sitharaman’s call to state-run banks to step up deposit mobilisation puts the spotlight on an issue RBI has...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/S5AKwR1

Collateral damage from politics

Sometimes, good ideas get caught up in political struggles, and that’s what happened with a recent plan in India. The Government of India (GOI) asked the UPSC (the group that helps pick people for government...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0fqC2sg

Don’t break up Google commoditize its leverage

On August 5, 2024, US District Judge Amit P Mehta ruled (case 1:20-cv-03010) that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search (~90% market share) by paying companies like Apple and Samsung to make Google...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/50zPcNg

The Haryana story

Poll-bound state is a microcosm of the larger Indian problem of young people  desperately searching for decent jobs  The Haryana unit of unaffiliated farmers body Samyukt Kisan Morcha is expected to deliberate today on a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/EW2uzva

Think laterally

Reservations shouldn’t be applicable when recruiting outside talent for short stints in govt Opposition parties have charged that GOI’s advertisement for 45 lateral entry posts in the bureaucracy is unmindful of reservation provisions. Jobs advertised...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MUXtagB

No place for the Hindus…

Isn’t it adequate that Hindus and India preach and educate the world and the coming generations about secularism, inclusiveness and non-violence? However, they are almost silent about the trauma billions face in the Indian subcontinent...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/S2kG5xw

Kolkata rape: Rage is justified, revenge is not

We are still reeling from the rape and murder of a female doctor in RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. It’s a case that has captured the rage of the nation, but unfortunately there are many...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4FuXti0

Navigating your dreams: How to manage multiple goals without overwhelm

Many productivity experts advocate for limiting the number of goals we pursue at any given time. The reasoning is sound—focusing on fewer objectives allows us to channel more energy and resources into each one, increasing...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0zkFKRA

Another Threat

GOI should be proactive in its response to Mpox WHO’s move to declare Mpox as a global health emergency should be taken seriously by GOI. Though this is the second time since 2022 that WHO...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/KXtI08f

A tricky decision about taxes

Imagine you’re playing a game, and suddenly someone changes the rules and says you have to pay for all the moves you made in the past. That’s kind of what happened with a recent decision...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/mfu74hj

Forensic Carbon-14 dating: A deeper dive into the science and its applications

In the world of forensic science, time is often a critical factor. Whether it’s determining the age of a crime scene artifact or identifying human remains, knowing the time frame in which an event occurred...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/PANrwEe

Indian people making a big impact in America and other countries

Did you know that there are over 5 million people of Indian origin living in the United States? That’s a lot of people! Even though they make up only 1.5% of the US population, they’re...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/sxg2oRM

How is India’s media and entertainment industry adapting to our changing lives?

India’s media and entertainment industry isn’t just about numbers—it’s like a living entity that adapts, evolves, and finds new ways to connect with people. The way we consume content has changed so much, and the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hubFHM2

Thought for food: Should the bank lower interest rates?

Good news! The prices of things we buy, especially food, didn’t go up as much as they usually do in July. This is called “low inflation.”  However, there’s a catch. The prices of some vegetables...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/aUg7kjd

Restaurant review | Wales meets Japan in Austria: Ynyshir at Ikarus

Chefs Gareth Ward and Martin Klein, with four Michelin stars between them, collaborate to create a multi-layered, no-fillers (but full-of-frills) culinary experience like none other at the iconic Ikarus, at Red Bull’s Hangar-7 in Salzburg,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Bp3dYu4

Factor Of four

 Maharashtra heads for polls with all players battling questions. But the test is sharper for regional parties The soon-to-be-held state elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and likely J&K, will witness cut-throat contests no less brutal...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/72nE0PG

True independence: Imperative of universal design and assistive technology for an inclusive society

As India stands on the cusp of its 77th Independence Day, the notion of freedom warrants a deeper exploration. True independence transcends political autonomy – it embodies a society where every citizen, regardless of their...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/cHByYxm

Games over, so is fraternité?

Basking as the Olympics host, French found common cause. Question is will this survive renewed encounter with deep political divisions in the country. France is currently experiencing an unusual sentiment, collective enjoyment, starkly contrasting with...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/UBz3gy6

The advent of apathy: A deep tyranny

“Apathy is the overrated protection of that rock you are hiding under” -Lauraj. W. Ryan As humans all we are blessed is our ability to empathize. Being an empath is walking in someone else’s shoes....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/DSp63r5

Up! Up! on the road to self-reliance

As we celebrate our 78th Independence Day marking the milestone of 77 years of Independent India, this brief ‘feel good piece’ is written to fill the hearts of my fellow citizens with cheer and pride...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/WFlELdw

3rd pillar of health: Circadian rhythm

The third pillar of health is maintaining our circadian rhythm in sync with the day and night cycle of nature. The timing of our daily activities like eating, exercising, spending time outdoors, and sleeping plays...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/rTpDNUZ

Haathi & saathi: What animals can teach us about luv, shuv, shaadi

Amid a backdrop of icy grey acacia trees, four elephants stood in a trance. A female recognisable by the geometric planes of her head and three bull elephants. Perched on the bouncing seats of a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/0IOFVlz

Mind your meds

Critical foreign drugs can be sold minus trial, but carefully    Govt decision to waive clinical trials for breakthrough therapies cleared in a few developed countries like US, UK, Canada and Japan is a significant development....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/PROWQbj

Bail or Jail: The supreme court’s struggle with PMLA’s twin conditions

The Supreme Court has granted bail to Manish Sisodia today, underscoring the importance of recognizing the right to bail, particularly in cases involving prolonged incarceration, under Section 439 of the Cr.P.C. and Section 45 of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/r9xKNpD

Captain & Goalie

Harmanpreet & Sreejesh best exemplified the spirit of our bronze-winning hockey team Forty-four years ago in Moscow, India had prevailed over Spain 4-3 in a nerve-jangling final to claim its eighth Olympic gold. The two...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6kjq3fU

Courting differences

SC dealt with HC judge’s remarks against it. But the real issue is courts must put justice over remit That an SC bench had a special sitting to take to task a judge of Punjab...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/5G49sTF

The need for a comprehensive transformation of national security structures

The author and new age guru, Deepak Chopra, once wrote “that all great changes are preceded by chaos”. Like it or not one cannot run away from the reality that our military finds itself in...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Pbr7g5z

Totally fake, very scary

From Dhaka protests to Wayanad tragedy to British riots, reminder again of dangers of AI deepfakes As explosive events in Bangladesh unfolded, Bengal police alerted the public to “not step into a fake news trap”...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/7PD0paz

I was invited to Israel on a Israel-India Friendship Club’s Inaugural Solidarity Mission (Part-1)

As I stepped into the golden hues of Jerusalem’s storied stones, the saffron threads of my Indian shawl felt like a bridge between two ancient cultures. The inaugural solidarity mission of the Israel India Friendship...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/J8jzC0R

Capital punishment

Delhi’s governance is a casualty of a political fight with citizens as the biggest loser The SC verdict giving Delhi’s LG the sole authority to appoint 10 aldermen to the city’s municipal corporation draws a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/3q47KVy

Riots & wrongs

UK’s street violence played out like far-right’s actions always do, everywhere  After a week of rioting in UK, one thing can be seen clearly in the smoke. While far-right forces were held back in the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xHSjCgJ

Navratri & Paryushan fasting

In many cultures, it is believed that demons (negative tendencies) within us drive us to do wrong and evil. Navratri is a nine-day period dedicated to fighting and defeating these inner demons. This is exemplified...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/24xlbg9

Why SC order is set to churn Dalit politics, and parties have to pick a side

The Supreme Court’s recent verdict on reservations permitted states to sub-categorise scheduled castes and tribes for more effective redistribution of opportunities. It instructed states to do a judicious and empirical identification of the most marginal...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/UN2ySFn

Persian poet Ram Narayan of Hajipur

Persian was once a court language in India. It was so pervasive in its use that many non-Muslims, specially Kayasthas, learnt it and rose through the ranks in Mughal administration. Many of them graduated from...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/3CMUuso

Games Watch

Cool moments from Week 1 that got us buzzing  It’s been only a week since the Paris Olympics kicked off. But there hasn’t been a dearth of iconic ‘cool moments’. In a sensational victory, Indian...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/kvztlTf

**Games Watch**

**Cool moments from Week 1 that got us excited** Wow! The Paris Olympics have only been going for a week, but so many awesome things have already happened! First, the Indian men’s hockey team did...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/4r3Za6P

Enabling disability inclusion in corporate workplaces

How can India’s private sector tackle its lack of disability inclusion? Two DEI leaders present a roadmap for change. The importance of building inclusive workplaces for persons with disabilities has long been emphasised. However, a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/dikKIBP

Choosing to forgive is an act of self-liberation

By Dada JP Vaswani Facing negative emotions such as betrayal, hurt, anger, and disappointment is a universal experience that tests our emotional resilience and inner strength. These emotions often arise from situations where we feel...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/QZO1M8d

Making health insurance cheaper and better

A government minister named Nitin Gadkari has said that the tax on health insurance should be removed. This is important because: The tax on health insurance is very high right now (18%). This high tax...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/QMmB6s7

Two Olympic bronze medals renew focus on Gita

By Uma Ram & KS Ram Manu Bhaker has won two medals at the Paris Olympics and will try for a third. At 22, she is the youngest Indian to win an Olympic medal. On...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/93o6rmE

Can Kamala Harris make Hinduism and Buddhism great again?

We are living in a historical moment. In less than a hundred days the daughter of an Indian scientist and mother could become the first female president of the strongest country in the world. In...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/z8LTeGv

A state of being undisturbed by externalities

By Vijay Hashia Is desire the fundamental nature of human existence, or does it inevitably lead to suffering and discontent? The question permeates the essence of every human experience. The Hellenistic philosopher Epicurus diverges from...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hMx0tzS

When justice goes wrong

Imagine you’re playing a game, and the referee keeps making unfair calls. That’s kind of what’s happening in some of our courts, especially when it comes to letting people out of jail before their trial...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/K8FLjGx

Budget 2024-25 — Neglect of existing individual income tax returns filers!

On Tuesday, July 23, ’24 – the finance minister presented the Budget to Parliament for the year 2024-25.  This was the first budget of the NDA Version 3.0 Government and there were huge expectations by...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/BXlSihr

Overhear everywhere

On the pros & cons of the craft of eavesdropping Not all tempting things in life are illegal or expensive. They are just out of earshot, say those for whom eavesdropping is second nature. One...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/u0CVh4T

Working together: Why India’s leaders need to cooperate

Imagine if your school had a big meeting to decide important things, but half the class leaders didn’t show up because they were upset with the principal. That’s kind of what happened recently in India’s...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/3S86X2N

Assam’s pyramids: The Ahom dynasty’s unique burial mounds

Charaideo Moidams inscribed as Unesco world heritage site On July 26, the Charaideo Moidams, a unique 700-year-old burial mound system from Assam, was added to the Unesco world heritage list during the 46th session of...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/Cvh7VFE

Therapeutic fasting

Fasting can be challenging for beginners, with hunger often dominating thoughts by noon. Despite this, fasting has long been used therapeutically in places like Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and California. Upton Sinclair’s 1911 book, “The...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZM41vtX

Welfare gets a bad name, but not all social sector spend is unproductive

Most Budget analyses these days assume that capital expenditure by the govt represents high-quality spending that is going to have a multiplier impact on the GDP, whereas revenue expenditure is low-quality without any long-term benefits....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xFg9cIQ

Newton, Aristotle & scientific essence of religions – Academia must not allow preachers to divide into my vs your religion/God!

Science, Vedanta, and the essence of all religions is to seek the truth of truths – ‘Know the truth and the truth shall make you free’! During the time of Newton there was a controversy...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/3K7EvLX

Should India host the Olympics or the World Cup?

The Olympics are happening in Paris soon, and India wants to host them in the future. But is that a good idea? The Olympics are super expensive! Most countries that host them end up losing...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hcYrAKj

Conspiracy of silence

These past few weeks, one sound you may probably have heard, is that of feces hitting the fan. This has been so ever since the Army has been at the receiving end of actions by...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/8hIZFGL

The Right to Information Act is in danger

The Right to Information (RTI) Act is a law that helps people in India get information from the government. It’s like a tool that lets you ask questions about what the government is doing. But...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/sEL5jRd

What’s in a name?

If you call rose by another name, it would smell just as sweet…said Shakespeare in his play Romeo and Juliet to convey the fact that names are irrelevant. In my house, same logic was conveyed...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ZroRczJ

The big count: When will we know how many we are?

Imagine if your school decided not to count how many students were in each class. That would make it hard to know how many books, desks, or lunches to prepare, right? Well, something similar is...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/NbE8oIY

Nirmala Sitharaman and her B-Day

The other day, I happened to glance over the husband’s shoulder as he sat cross-legged on the sofa placidly reading the newspaper. The headlines on the finance page went something like this – FM’s A-team...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/LtFGIB9

The working formula doesn’t quite work

The budget reflects some of the concerns of a bruising electoral battle. It has several pointers to govt’s approach to coalition politics, and to the challenge of employment that made its presence felt in the...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xgn3CzE

June 4 changed July 23. But how effectively?

When politics changes, so does budget-making. But can employer incentives create enough jobs? The budget is the first clear proof that BJP has understood the election message. Not only are its numbers down in LS,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/IDH2nQg

A fair food rule

Imagine you’re on a long walk with your friends, and you’re all hungry. You see lots of food stalls along the way. Would you care who’s cooking the food, or would you just want to...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/tKsFaSf

Attention recession

We now read tweets not books, watch reels not movies   What’s going to kill humanity, even before rising oceans and climate change, is our collective inability to concentrate. Tests became ODIs, ODIs became T20s, long-form...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ubT2BQr

Let’s go down agnipath: A rejoinder

In his piece Mr. Somnath Mukherjee correctly points out OROP is a grade- and-inflation index defined benefit. It is based on the premise, accepted by Parliament, that equality in the military has two major facets...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/45paZSB

Trouble in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, our neighbor country, is having some big problems right now. Let me explain what’s happening: There was a rule that said some government jobs should be saved for the children and grandchildren of people...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6vXqyhT

Diversity is dynamic, organizations must adapt

For most of us the acronyms around diversity are confusing. Currently, we have D&I, DE&I, DEIA, and DEIBA frequently used when we talk about diversity. Are these terms interchangeable? What does each term imply? What...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/xHpqbwD

Pakistan’s multiple tug of wars, and the new wave of terror attacks

The string of terrorist attacks in J&K merits a widening of the frame to look at what is happening in Pakistan. The announcement that a ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and trying Imran Khan...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/bG4Srt3

Nepal’s never-ending power flips, and why India needs a new strategy

As another political drama unfolds in Kathmandu, Nepal’s transition from a constitutional monarchy to a federal democratic republic looks unending as well as chaotic. It has been marked by frequent changes of govt, opportunistic switching...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MNr6Ttw

If Faith can move mountains, it can save trees!

On the third consecutive day, I noticed the same woman standing in the exact same spot and position.  Three days ago, on my way to college, I had first seen her across the road, well-dressed...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/B8ta1MH

The IT Blues

About outage in a hyper connected world Yesterday, when Windows machines simultaneously started BSODing worldwide, it looked like the much prophesied ‘cyber Pearl Harbour’ was upon us. Then, the critical error indicated by the blue...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/XFzSCqp

Check if you avoid learning either of these skills

“In our fast-paced society, we often focus on academic achievements for career success but overlook some crucial life skills. These skills are the foundation of personal and professional growth. In this blog, I will illustrate...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/2YLvXG9

Be a sport

India’s cricket team hasn’t played in Pakistan for a long time. Some people think they shouldn’t go there because of problems between the two countries. But mixing sports and politics isn’t a good idea. Here’s...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/hiHZLeX

The real welfare

Govt schemes keep multiplying. But they are no replacement for regular jobs. All parties must recognise this Maharashtra govt has instituted a monthly stipend of ₹6,000 to ₹10,000 for men aged 18 to 35, and...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HWxlkUL

Trump’s Telugu touch

Telugu diaspora is affluent, largely in tech & finance. Usha Chilukuri has got them excited politically Trump VP pick JD Vance’s wife Usha Chilukuri’s Telugu origins has sent the Andhra-Telangana diaspora in US into a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HihD68g

Don Cochlearone

Usually shoots his mouth off.  Then he got an earful ‘Ear today, gone tomorrow’. Threat turned to photo-op. On July 13, Teflon Trump proved he’s also literally unputdownable. After being shot in the ear, he rose,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/wUasui5

Maps & macs

It’s time to turn tables on those who make all these unwanted and annoying phone calls  My phone rings. I know who the caller is: a spammer, trying to sell you a 2BHK apartment, or...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/9Z83BVy

Play on, don’t hang on

Djoko (tennis), Messi (football), Anderson, Dhoni (cricket), Woods (golf)…their long careers carry a big message Last month Messi turned 37. This week he led Argentina to a Copa América title, two years after a World...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/ePKr3Uf

What’s happening in Jammu & Kashmir?

The Indian government has made some changes in how Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is run. They’ve given more power to the Lieutenant Governor (LG), who represents the central government there. This is happening just before...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/VUFf8LZ

Inner strength

They said, go see him before you start anything new I got on the road and didn’t stop until I got there There was a huge line at his house, just to get a view...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/vyVgJrS

Oneness

We are bound as one Any city, city block Any street, street walk Any state, statewide Any country, countryside Any form, formation Any destiny, destination Any face, facet Any plane, planet We are bound as...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/W6Bs0kc

The deeper message and geopolitics behind the Modi-Putin bonhomie

Defying predictions of a stagnating relationship, PM Narendra Modi and Russian president Vladimir Putin have once again shown the world the bonhomie they share. Putin added a charming touch by conveying his remarks through a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/6VHo18x

Munro, Motherhood and Morality

On my 49th birthday, before the family woke up, I was bent over my laptop, like every other morning in the previous month, working on my first-term submission that focused on the disruption of time...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/8Xc9vKe

Listen to Rishi

His post-defeat House speech shows what India’s missing As a new Labour govt takes charge of UK, Sunak’s first post-defeat speech in Parliament is likely to have struck many as remarkable, in its ordinary civility....

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/MzpulSw

Your friends define your personality

If I ask you to list the names of your three best friends, which three names come to mind immediately? Well, these three names could fall under either of the following five categories: Your close...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/RovOJ1r

Fed up with London

The capital city of Britain serves up the whole wide world on a plate Over the past few weeks, Bunny and I have eaten in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Jamaica,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/GxmCZRk

Killing the right to die

Delhi HC erred gravely in its euthanasia decision. It showed no empathy, and paid no heed to a landmark SC ruling  Apart from being insensitive, Delhi HC has doubly erred in the case of a...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/GO8z6ks

A difficult decision about life and death

A Delhi high court’s ruling in a case about a very sick person has been criticised. Here’s what happened: A young man, who is 30 years old, has been very ill since 2011. He can’t...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/dhNwtUz

Let Them Bid: Fancy number plates are fun. More seriously, auctions are best way to allocate scarce national resources

Delhi’s transport department is raking it in. Its auction for the coveted 0001 vehicle licence plate in March fetched a staggering Rs 23.4L. Figures for other fancy registration numbers are almost as impressive. It’s time...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/HMDwJFY

Bieber’s boxers

Every Indian male is Captain Underpants at heart Fashion may have begun with bark, foliage and animal skin as a simple matter of modesty and keeping warm, but is today a zillion-dollar industry with bling,...

from Times of India Opinion https://ift.tt/FYQT1vy

All that extra baggage

Today’s airlines wouldn’t be able to handle yesterday’s trunks  People have matching luggage these days and it’s all so delicate and fashionable no wonder baggage handlers at airports have fun breaking it. And I was...

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My Take 5 (Edition 23): The week that was in international affairs

Welcome to another edition of My Take 5, your weekly wrap of international news. We had a break in between so let’s quickly catch up:   Labour wins big in UK: Britain’s Labour party won...

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Driving social change through CSR funds

As India commemorates a decade since the implementation of mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) under the Companies Act of 2013, the landscape of corporate philanthropy has undergone significant evolution. This landmark legislation has not only...

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Reimagining colonial power: The role of material and visual culture in British India

In the comprehensive historiographical landscape of British India, the material and visual dimensions often played a secondary role to political, economic, and cultural narratives. Christopher Pinney’s work, as detailed in “The Material and Visual Culture...

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Beauty lies on the shoulders of the beholder!

My bestie was in a terrible mood. She felt self-conscious because she had gained a few pounds, and people kept pointing it out to her, which only made things worse. To me, she has always...

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More fun parades, please!

Have you ever wondered why we don’t see many fun parades in India? Let’s talk about it! What We Have Now Right now, most of our big parades are organized by the government, like the...

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The spoon test

Leaked question papers and other forms of cheating prove our education system is a total failure We addressed him as Sir or Mr Peterson, but among us schoolboys he was always Gup, as in gup-shup,...

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It’s elections again

There are state assembly elections upcoming in India, focusing on three states: Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana. Here’s a simplified summary for a 123-year-old reader: Jharkhand: – Hemant Soren has returned as Chief Minister after a...

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My doctored life

Thank you, but hope to never need you again  Since my column doesn’t appear on Mondays, I’m saying ‘Happy Doctors’ Day’ to all my wonderful saviours now. I could add ‘Better late than never’, but never...

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Atlantis revisited

A thousand years from now archaeologists might find evidence of a repeatedly sunken civilisation Two archaeologists, Prof Indiana and Prof Jones, in a museum full of ancient manuscripts, fossils, and crumbling statuary. A digital calendar...

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Desultory desilting & a national pastime

Going by the newspaper reports before monsoon approach the Indian cities, one gets a sense how hard the urban local bodies, the municipalities, are working to ensure that the citizens do not have to face...

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The failure of Modi’s G7 visit: Missed opportunities and concerns

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in the G7 summit has been met with disappointment and criticism. From his exclusion from the core group to the limited focus on pressing global challenges, Modi’s visit to the...

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Lawful, liberal

India just got some new rules about crime and punishment. These new rules are called BNS, BNSS, and BSB. They’re replacing the old rules that have been around for a really long time. The tricky...

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Bihar’s big problem

Bihar, a state in India, wants special treatment from the government. They’re asking for more money and help. But there’s a bigger issue: What Bihar Wants:    – They want to be called a “special category”...

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Atmanirbhar with a twist: India’s different from Korea, Latin nations

Last week, this column described how the govt’s atmanirbhar policy was evolving into an Indian version of the Korean chaebol, where industrial conglomerates are backed by their govt with support and subsidies to become world-class...

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What’s in a name? Forget Shakespeare, just ask a Bengali

Over a hundred years ago, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: To those human beings who are of any concern to me I wish suffering, desolation, sickness, ill-treatment, indignities — I wish that they should not...

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Kvaratskhelianism

Imagine a tiny country, smaller than many big cities, beating one of the best football teams in the world. That’s what Georgia did! They beat Portugal in a super important game called Euro 2024. This...

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App-based food & grocery delivery: The click of convenience or crisis?

We all love ordering stuff online, right? It’s like our phones are new-age genie lamps—poof! Dinner and groceries appear out of nowhere at our door in just 5-10 minutes. But wait a sec, this amazing...

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Too much sitting: A big problem for everyone

Did you know that not moving enough can be really bad for your health? It’s like a hidden problem that creeps up on you over time. A new study found that about one-third of people...

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Coffee and the evolving lifestyle of Indians

Wild coffee plants (Coffea species) are believed to have originated in the Ethiopian plateau region known as Kefa (Kaffa), although the precise history of their origin and domestication is still uncertain. One popular legend about the discovery...

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Netasana

Maha CM: ‘Make yoga part of daily life.’ Netas do so too As an Iyengar practitioner, I’m weary of International Yoga Day’s usual bakwasana. Last week, our no-longer-Maha CM instructed us to make yoga a...

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Liberal paradox: Those who uphold freedom of speech, even for those they disagree with, can tie themselves up in knots

Doing the rounds on social media is a debate between a conservative and a liberal, expressing diametrically opposing views. The conservative extols what she sees as the benefits of the British Empire to its colonies,...

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No More Games: Mamata criticizes her own government because she knows voters can remove any party

It’s strange for a Chief Minister (CM) to scold her own party, but that’s what Mamata Banerjee did in Bengal. She spoke for over an hour, pointing out problems with cleanliness in cities, and complaining...

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Lithium & more: Syncing mining and battery tech R&D crucial to India’s Atmanirbhar goals

In mixed progress for India’s battery tech ecosystem, Chhattisgarh’s Korba district has seen one block of lithium move to the auctions stage and another block showing promising deposits of the mineral. This comes after setbacks...

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It’s people’s house

As MPs took oath on Day One of the 18th Lok Sabha, three incidents stood out as an indication to what can be expected in the days ahead. Opposition’s protest against temporary speaker and Congress’s...

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‘No reason why INDIA can’t win the next Bihar assembly elections, even if advanced…Our vote share has shot up’

Days after LS results, parties in Bihar are already preparing for 2025 assembly polls. State party CPI-ML has returned to Parliament after 35 years with two MPs in the 18th Lok Sabha. In a stunning...

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It’s hair-razing: Man’s trial by woman’s shampoo and conditioner

Most men of a certain vintage can’t tell a shampoo from a conditioner. They are clueless about what goes first. They occasionally take a sly look at the colourful bottles stacked on bathroom shelves in...

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As a society, haven’t we all failed to define the good, let alone making the good?

1. Dissatisfaction with Present: We’re in a state of Perpetual Purposelessness! Thanks to the materialistic influence of the Western cultures, we have obviously forgotten and are totally ignorant of the age-old wisdom of India that is...

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The not so neat NEET

The NEET examination (National Eligibility and Entrance Test) for entry into undergraduate medical courses in all institutions in the nation was conducted on 05 May, 2024 by National Testing Agency (NTA) that was established by...

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Side effects while transitioning to a plant based whole food diet

Switching to a plant-based whole food (PBWF) diet, particularly one that incorporates green smoothies or juices, may lead to some stomach issues. These issues often depend on your previous diet and lifestyle. For instance, if...

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Attention pliss! Let’s dance to the tunes of a different Melodi

A severed digit in a cup of ice cream took over my morning. Let me clarify that I am not into cannibalism. It was a wormhole I fell into after reading about a doctor from...

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NEET and clean way forward

The education minister in the Modi 3.0 government has assured corrective and punitive actions in the NEET 2024 controversy as a result of multiple discrepancies in the conduct of the NEET exam. While our vibrant...

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Yog Is mindful movement, a journey of self-discover

KV Raghupathi Two cardinal principles in the dynamic spiritual science of yog are movement and awareness. Both are not separate entities; they coexist and complement each other. The first principle in yog is movement in...

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PAPpu? Who? Me?

Bet you can’t rattle off the number of zeroes in ₹111L cr. Bet you are already rattled by infrastructure being constructed, bankrolled by this allotted investment. We have to bear the hardship because it’s for...

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Improving insulin resistance

Today’s post (#5) is focused on my efforts at improving my insulin resistance – the root cause of almost all evil – through my food habits. There is massive amounts of scientific and medical literature...

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When to ignore — and believe — the AI hype cycle

Picture this: It’s 2002. You’re lucky enough to get your hands on a first-of-its-kind smartphone that lets you message anyone in the world. Life changing, right? In the early 2000s, BlackBerry, Nokia and Ericsson were...

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Coalition Carbar

Jug Suraiya A customer walks into the showroom of Coalition Carbar Company, where a red carpet has been laid out, and is greeted with a respectful namaste by the salesperson. Salesperson: Here’s our very latest...

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Do not mistake thought for intelligence

J Krishnamurti Are you clear – as clear as in the knowledge a cobra is poisonous – that thought can never under any circumstances reach intelligence? People are using thought to create a machine that can...

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I wonder why no one talks anymore

By- Narayani Ganesh   When we stop using our legs and arms for physical work or exercise, we’re told, they could get atrophied. If our limbs could shrink due to lack of use, how about...

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