If Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would be the world’s sixth‑most populous nation, larger than Brazil, Bangladesh or Russia. This is precisely why its recent economic turn matters so much for India. With an estimated population of around 24–25 crore people, UP alone accounts for roughly 17 percent of India’s population and close to…
Two decades of reporting, regulatory reviews, and worker advocacy reveal how employer-tied work visas and layered staffing arrangements have left many skilled migrants legally authorised to work abroad, yet economically insecure—raising shared questions of accountability for both India and the United States. For many Indian families, skilled migration represents opportunity—better pay, global exposure, and long-term…
The Uttar Pradesh Budget 2026–27 marks a decisive shift in the state’s economic strategy. The Budget numbers underline its transition towards an investment-led, production-oriented growth model. The total budget size has been placed at around Rs 9.12 lakh crore, reflecting a significant expansion in fiscal capacity, while nearly 19–20% of the budget is allocated to…
Early 2026 has made one thing unmistakably clear: markets are no longer reacting to economic surprises alone. They are pricing institutional uncertainty in real time. US equity benchmarks logged one of their most bruising sessions in recent memory as renewed geopolitical risks and tariff anxieties rippled through risk assets. While safe-haven inflows lifted gold and…
As we readied to sail to Dar es Salam the capital of Tanzania from Mombasa, my biggest take was the significantly large and powerful presence of the Gujrati community there. Since those were Navratri days we were invited to attend a ‘Dandia dance’ function in the evening where I was delightfully surprised to see that…
Like many of you who may have paused to read this, I have long had a deep affection for Uttarakhand, stretching back several decades. Even though I am not a native of the Himalayan state, I have been a regular visitor since the mid-1990s when Uttarakhand was yet to be formally created, and was referred…
People in Bangladesh are voting today, and they actually have to vote twice. First, they will choose their new parliament. Second, they will vote in a referendum on a long list of changes the government wants to make. This is strange because a referendum is usually about one big question, not many different ones. When…
Imagine you’re at a shop buying a chocolate bar. The price tag says $1, but when you get to the counter, the cashier charges you $5 because they claim you used a “premium napkin” and “special air” while standing in the aisle. That’s essentially what is happening in many of India’s private hospitals today. Here…
February 11 is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science—a UN-declared observance that recognises the achievements and challenges of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Though progress has been steady, challenges persist. According to UNESCO, women account for less than one-third of the world’s researchers. From societal stereotypes to institutional bias,…
At a single booth at the India Art Fair 2026 two international sculpture heavy weights rubbed shoulders with each other. India’s international star Subodh Gupta rubbed shoulders with the world renown Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, as well as activist Ai Weiwei at Nature Morte Booth B1. In a world of men there were also two…