Quakes may well sharpen India’s seismic readiness
Two years ago, on February, 6, 2023, the people of Türkiye and Syria were jolted out of their sleep. At least 17,000 were killed, with their numbers mounting within minutes, as a great earthquake shook those countries in the early hours after 4 a.m., at 7.8 on a scale of 0 to 10. A second … Read more
The deeper meaning of declining school enrolment
As the world’s most populous country, India hopes to reap its demographic dividend due to its burgeoning youth population. Demographers and policy planners always knew that this window of opportunity would remain open, but only for a limited time. Declining school enrolment over the past decade marks the beginning of the end of this period. … Read more
A cartoon that landed the Editor of Ananda Vikatan in jail 38 years ago
When the March 29, 1987 issue of the popular Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan hit the stands two days earlier, it created a stir in Tamil Nadu. On its cover page was a cartoon showing the dais of a public meeting. In the forefront, two persons were shown seated prominently in front of the mike. Behind … Read more
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan vs Tamil Nadu Government: Political faultlines emerge over NEP 2020, SSA Funds, and Three-Language Policy
Tamil Nadu has a history of opposing “exemplar” school initiatives of Central governments. State governments opposed Rajiv Gandhi’s Navodaya schools. The PM SHRI schools are being opposed now. | Screenshot: Website of https://pmshri.education.gov.in/ The latest exchange of words between Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and School … Read more
Where is ISRO heading? – The Hindu
Only three decades ago, the Indian space programme was a diminutive affair, dominated by the newfound successes of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and a then-fledgling clump of communications satellites. Today, the programme is a large tree with a flourishing canopy. There is a slew of ongoing projects accompanied by projects being ideated, developed, … Read more
How the two-language policy officially came into force in the State of Madras
Spontaneous agitation: College students being detained for staging a protest against the imposition of Hindi in Madras in 1967. The widespread protests forced the DMK government to announce closure of educational institutions in the State and adopt a resolution in the Assembly on January 26, 1968, against the three-language formula. | Photo Credit: The Hindu … Read more
The crisis of pain relief care in India
Opioids, including morphine, derived from the poppy flower, are crucial to managing severe pain, particularly in palliative care. These drugs act on the central nervous system and the brain, to block pain signals, providing relief. While concerns about misuse and addiction persist, experts say, and research backs this, that such risks are negligible when opioids … Read more
Suhasini Haidar interview with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi who talked about Israel-Palestine conflict and also on U.S.-Gaza plan
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. File | Photo Credit: AP U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza is “inhumane and unacceptable” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, adding that he discussed the need for all countries to speak in a united voice against it, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on … Read more
Interview | I am keen on doing well in the elite events too, says Gulveer
Gulveer Singh, who hit the headlines last year by breaking the National records in 5000m and 10000m twice each and broke more than a decade old 3000m indoor record in his 2025 season-opener in Boston, is delighted with the improvement he has shown in the last one year. The 26-year-old Armyman, a bronze medallist in … Read more