In general, for aeons, Indian intelligence agencies were imagined through familiar images, shadow networks, intercepted calls, coded messages, undercover field operatives, and information gathered quietly behind closed doors. The world of intelligence was largely human, secretive, and slow-moving. But modern conflict is changing that picture faster than most countries are willing to publicly acknowledge. Today,…
Disclaimer: (before some Bengaluru resident files an FIR for cultural trespass) I write this as an outsider, a repeat visitor and therefore a dangerous man with confidence but limited municipal authority. This piece was triggered by a recent weekend visit, but the observations have been unfairly, lovingly and irresponsibly collected over the past twenty years…
When Banda district in UP is making a distinctive record of the hottest city in the world since last three days and the India Meteorological Department is screaming its heatwave advisory at the top — with red alerts, “stay indoors after 11 am,” “hydrate or perish”—something miraculous happens. Not only boys are playing cricket but…
The strongest entrepreneurial mind I met in college never thought about starting a company. This is not because he lacked ideas. Quite the opposite. He was the kind of person who could look at a broken process and instinctively understand how to improve it. While the rest of us discussed startup ideas in the abstract,…
Her kind of love was not loud, it was rather ‘unspoken’………… 7th November, 2018 Diwali They say that diyas bring light, fortune and hope, so I decided to make a diya mandala at the entrance of my home.The fragrance of maroon geru and yellow marigold petals created a divine symphony of the damp earth and…
SC’s order sidesteps many practical problems, and it can lead to arbitrary removal of some peaceful dogs from institutional areas. That’s neither humane nor a solution Supreme Court’s order, yesterday, on community dogs, offers partial reassurance, given how polarised the stray dog debate has become. By upholding Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Animal…
Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Altman was always a personal, petulant battle, about their ambitions to command the future of humanity. For SpaceX boss, this means the loss is acutely painful On Monday, a federal jury in Oakland, California took less than two hours to find against Elon Musk, in his lawsuit against OpenAI, its…
After an enormous struggle, we may move only a small step towards the Truth; however, the invisible hand helping us will never fail us. Such was the belief of the scientist Madame Curie. On the one hand, we face serious challenges in every walk of life and on the other, our mental capacity to deal…
Thanks to chaat, Indian cuisine is literally streets ahead of the competition India’s food is as varied as are its people, in their customs and their clothes, their languages and their creeds. Among this daunting diversity, there are some commonalities. The most obvious of these, of course, is democracy. Another is Bollywood.With its swooning romance…
Following the NEET paper leak, the focus has been on China’s National College Entrance Exam called Gaokao, with many in India lauding it as leak-proof after amendments made to criminalise cheating and enhance punishment for those involved in cheating. However, data released by China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) in June 2024 showed that it has…