The World Health Organization’s recent declaration of Georgia as the 45th country to eliminate malaria is a significant milestone. Yet, even as we celebrate this achievement, a lingering question remains: if smallpox has been eradicated, why does malaria persist, and why is its vaccine far less effective than those for viral diseases? Despite decades of … Read more
Rohin Bhatt | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Lawyer and activist Rohin Bhatt was an active part of the marriage equality case. Bhatt and others have been pushing for inclusivity for the community at the Supreme Court, and their efforts have led to positive changes. In a new book, The Urban Elite v. Union of India, … Read more
Questions around female desire, bodily agency, feminism, and free will often seep into Sophie Mackintosh’s work. | Photo Credit: Getty Images In 2016, when Sophie Mackintosh was writing her debut novel, The Water Cure, a deliciously dark fable that tells the story of three sisters stuck on a remote island, she couldn’t help but notice the … Read more
Author and computer scientist Sayash Kapoor, pictured on the left [File] | Photo Credit: Image Credit: Sayash Kapoor Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved from a theoretical concept to a transformative force in our world today. But with this progress has come a surge of misinformation and exaggerated claims. In an effort to cut through … Read more
Once during a conversation, I asked Javed Akhtar about the meaning of Vijay’s return to his mother’s lap in the climactic scene of Deewaar. He said the text he wrote with Salim Khan is open to interpretation — “Did he return to the mother because of his ideology or his emotion is still debatable. After all, … Read more
Dear reader, have you been enjoying the cricket lately? The Indian cricket team has been delivering some very interesting results, no? Such a wealth of talent in Indian cricket if you ask me. Actually, I have no idea if there is any cricket going on. Or if the team is doing well. And I have … Read more
Stories of the folk goddesses of India are often lost in myriad oral versions. Which ones do we consider authentic? A common thread is some form of sexual violation followed by brute violence. We can say these are tales of (almost) marriage and (almost) murder. Are these to be taken literally or metaphorically? In Jammu, … Read more
As a teenager, each time I crossed the boundaries of good behaviour, my father would remind me of the saying, ‘With freedom, comes responsibility.’ Liberty has an inseparable second half — that of being held accountable for actions. And the balance between these two seemingly opposite ideas inevitably comes with tension. This applies to how … Read more
In an attempt to revive its fading influence in Maharashtra, two months after a crushing defeat in the Assembly elections, the Congress leadership on February 13, 2025, named former party MLA Harshwardhan Sapkal as the new State president, replacing Nana Patole. With the party’s strength reduced to just 16 seats in the 288-member Assembly, Mr. … Read more
Changes in cigarette design and the addition of new chemicals may have altered their carcinogenic properties, say experts. Photograph used for representational purposes only. File photograph. | Photo Credit: AFP In 1999, Justice K. Narayana Kurup of the Kerala High Court delivered a landmark verdict banning smoking in public places, declaring it a violation of … Read more