The ongoing conflict involving Iran has once again placed the Middle East at the centre of global anxiety. News cycles focus on missiles, alliances, oil routes, and military calculations. Yet the land that we today associate with geopolitical confrontation was once the cradle of one of humanity’s earliest ethical traditions. Long before modern nation-states and…
March 8 is International Women’s Day—a moment to celebrate the achievements of women across various fields, reflect on the progress made, and acknowledge the challenges that still lie ahead. In India, this day holds significant meaning. It serves as both a celebration and a call to action, honoring resilience while highlighting ongoing responsibilities. From boardrooms…
System at the cross road The humanitarian system has been on a transformative journey for many years, anchored in the vital principle of saving lives and the dignity of the people affected by natural hazards, whether they stem from natural disasters or human-made crises. Historically, this system has prioritised swift outreach to those in need…
The Union Budget 2026-27 strengthened the local self-government in rural India. Accepting the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, the Government has provided enhanced grants to Rural Local Bodies, amounting to over ₹4.35 lakh crore for the five-year period 2026-31. The Sixteenth Finance Commission marking a phenomenal 84 percent increase in fiscal allocation for Rural…
For decades, conversations about women in India often began with limitations. Safety concerns, lack of access to resources, and economic dependency were treated as inevitable realities. But in recent years, Uttar Pradesh has begun reshaping this narrative. The shift is not just administrative. It reflects a deeper recognition that women must be placed at the…
Wars create massive challenges for internal security and law and order across the world, even when a country is not directly involved in the fighting. A war anywhere sends shockwaves that reach far beyond the warring nations. It disrupts economies, sparks fear among people, causes shortages of essential goods, and builds a deep sense of…
Does monetising the infinite mean compromising morally and surrendering to selfish priorities—converting everything into measurable personal advantage? Perhaps we may add that when humans lose moral courage on all counts, they compromise. At present, this seems relevant in the context of governance and leadership. The distortion does not stop at astrology, education, or time. Modern…
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Give to Gain.’ And who embodies this better than the Jal Sahelis of Bundelkhand, best exemplified by their 530 kilometre -long Aviral Nirmal Yamuna Yatra. This yatra began from Pachnada in Jalaun district of UP and culminated on Feb 26, at Vasudev Ghat, New Delhi. The ‘Give To…
International Women’s Day began over a century ago as a call for equality, for fair work and dignity, and in recognition of women’s labour. The Day celebrates empowerment. Yet across India, women’s bodies tell a more complicated story, one where anaemia quietly coexists with rising obesity and where exhaustion has been normalised. I have lost…
Women’s empowerment is a pressing issue in the 21st century. It’s heartening to note that women’s participation has been increasing in every field in the past few decades, but it still doesn’t seem fair to say that women and men are at completely equal levels today.India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Was the…