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Sunday, August 17, 2025

Afterword

A solid effort to shatter the colonial-era binary of radical, moderate Islam

Raziuddin Aquil’s book The Muslim Question: Understanding Islam and Indian History seeks to understand Islam through its evolution in south Asia from the 13th century to modern times.

This is not the time to forget race, says Toni Morrison’s new book

In ‘The Origin of Others’, Morrison speaks more than she writes, blurting and susurrating stories in a structure driven by the collective memory of oppression.

Dalmia’s ‘Fiction as History’ undercuts grand narratives to tell unspeakable tales

Her book is a lucid entry point for those unfamiliar with the Hindi novel in the past 150 odd years and offers a sharp analysis of tradition, nationalism, and modernity. 

‘Modern Media, Elections and Democracy’, though repetitive, is a user-friendly tool for aspiring journalists

Bheemaiah Krishnan Ravi’s book stays true to its title, highlighting the importance of the media in shaping a democracy and the limitations on its...

Demonetisation was major surgery for the Indian economy, when just a painkiller was needed

Arun Kumar’s book “Demonetisation and Black Economy” talks about the futility of such an exercise which brought no gains but caused massive pains. “We have...

How to take Indira Gandhi to millennials? A graphic biography of course

I feared that a graphic biography of Indira Gandhi would end up being considered a mere Spark Notes version of an authoritative biography, rather than a serious one in its own right.

Muhammad Yunus on what he does best: removing poverty, unemployment and carbon emission

There might be differences of opinion regarding the internal functioning and structures of microfinance institution but it is hard to deny its positive impact in reducing poverty.

‘The Bengalis’ does a thing that books of its kind rarely do: criticise the Bengalis

Sudeep Chakravarti's mammoth undertaking to trace the Bengalis from its genesis to now results in a detailed, intriguing, and confounding book.

How Directorate S, ISI’s most diabolical branch, outsmarted US in Kabul, continued subverting India

Steve Coll’s 'Directorate S' is about how ISI was allowed to succeed in blocking the United States’ efforts to impose a stable, democratic order in Afghanistan.

Avinash Paliwal’s ‘My Enemy’s Enemy’: A treatise on how not to deal with a neighbour

Irrespective of which group dominated Indian policy, India rarely appears to have got its way in Afghanistan.

On Camera

Mahindra is gearing up for future buyers. Unveils limited edition ‘Bat’ BE6, 4 new concepts

This is the first time Mahindra is making an ‘all-in-one’ platform like global carmakers. However, it will most likely skip hybrid vehicles.

Modi’s ‘Diwali bonanza’ for the common man—next-gen GST reforms, lower tax on daily-use items soon

Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.

What is Project Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Modi from ramparts of Red Fort

The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?