News: Recently, it is said that ‘India is witnessing the progressive normalisation of minority baiting’. Contents1 About India’s Minority2 Some happenings in a related context3 What are the Consequences?4 What are the challenges? About India’s Minority Muslims are our largest religious minority. They constitute 14.3% of the total population. In terms of population, their 200… Continue reading The choice is narrowing the circle or widening it
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The head and heart of secularism
News: Whether a particular religious practice offends the principles of secularism is often debated in India. Contents1 The French model of secularism2 India’s Secularism Model3 Issues of Indian Model of Secularism4 Case of banning of cow slaughter The French model of secularism It is clear of all religious considerations. It debars the public officials to… Continue reading The head and heart of secularism
Time to end systemic misogyny reflected in the gender pay gap
News: Prevailing gender pay gap in developed and developing economies Contents1 What is the situation wrt gender pay inequity?2 What are the reasons behind the inequity?3 Should gender pay gap be fixed?4 What are some global and domestic efforts to address the issue?5 Way forward What is the situation wrt gender pay inequity? In a… Continue reading Time to end systemic misogyny reflected in the gender pay gap
Musings on ‘Indic civilisation’ and Indianness
News: Contemporary international politics has rendered less significant to cultural influence. The modern indices of strategic thinking, economic interests, and geopolitical affinities have gained more prominence than the cultural aspects. But India must treat Indic civilisation as a matter of pride. Contents1 How Indic Civilization is different from geographical and geopolitical India?2 What is the… Continue reading Musings on ‘Indic civilisation’ and Indianness
The path towards greater religious tolerance and social harmony
Context: In the words of K M Munshi: “Indian culture is a living force. It absorbs alien elements when necessary but transmutes them into a new pattern of homogeneous richness. It has made us what we are in the world today; and will make us what we want to be in the world tomorrow.” Nature… Continue reading The path towards greater religious tolerance and social harmony
Urban mining
News: In late April, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram angrily ordered its officials to find out who dumped “malba” — the Hindi word for Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) on either side of the Gurugram-Faridabad road. Frameworks to tackle C&DW already exist. Implementation needs to be improved. Contents1 What are the causes behind C&DW?2 What… Continue reading Urban mining
The debates around the Surrogacy Act
News: Petitioners in the Delhi High Court questioned why marital status, age, or gender were the criteria for being allowed to commission or not commission surrogacy in India. The female petitioner said that she already had a child, but the trauma of the first childbirth experience and her need to juggle work with child care… Continue reading The debates around the Surrogacy Act
Unnatural urbanisation
News: Recently, a 20-minute thunderstorm in Delhi uprooted many trees, some of them between 40 and 50 years old, throwing the city out of gear for hours. This chaos, caused due to poor urban planning, has become a pattern whenever a pre-monsoon storm, with high-velocity winds, hits the city. Delhi High Court has taken note… Continue reading Unnatural urbanisation
Urban agriculture can help make cities sustainable and liveable
News: Recently, the Union finance minister wished to make India cities “centres of sustainable living with opportunities for all”. The FM argued for a paradigm shift in urban planning with announcement to set up a high-level committee to steer the required changes in urban policy, planning, capacity building and urban governance Contents1 What are the… Continue reading Urban agriculture can help make cities sustainable and liveable
Explained: The cultural roots and significance of PM Modi’s gifts for his Quad colleagues
News: As the India Prime Minister travelled to Tokyo to attend the Quad Summit, he carried with him gifts for leaders of the US, Australia and Japan showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage and art forms. A look at those gifts and their cultural roots. Sanjhi art panel for US President Joe Biden The intricate sanjhi… Continue reading Explained: The cultural roots and significance of PM Modi’s gifts for his Quad colleagues
