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Saturday, September 27, 2025
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Around Town

Kathak, Odissi meets academia and India’s courtesan history is rescued from footnotes

Courtesans were more than objects of desire — one donated all her wealth to a Buddhist sangha, another commanded an army, and one more composed music for several Bollywood films.

Naveen Patnaik is greening Odisha. And it has nothing to do with the environment

In March this year, BJP’s Jayanarayan Mishra said that many schools in Odisha do not have adequate teachers & students can't identify Odia alphabets, but the govt is busy painting school buildings in Pakistani colours.

‘Hindi ko fark padta hai!’—Literature alone can’t save the language

Though the Modi government has actively advocated for the Hindi cause, language experts said there are many challenges that are not visible.

The Vivekananda story: ‘India’s secular liberals run away from everything the Sangh touches’

Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy was antithetical to Hindutva—he was a ‘victim’ of appropriation.

‘Made in Heaven’ got Indian filmmakers talking caste in US, North-South cinema divide

Academic and filmmaker Vikrant Kishore wants to bring about a change by raising awareness about caste-based discrimination in cinema. But all he sees is Bollywood.

Top ministers talk India’s ‘techade’ at Delhi book launch — UPI to e-governance

Youth are ‘driven by a fire in the belly’, not for food but for the ‘finer things of life,’ said union minister Piyush Goyal at the launch of Nalin Mehta’s book, India’s Techade, in Delhi.

Annihilation of Caste now in Hebrew—Ambedkar going global

The Delhi event saw discussions on Ambedkar’s engagement with Jewish religious texts and caste politics within the Jewish community of India.

Delhi monuments caught in G20 makeover rush—Lodi Garden to Mehrauli, it’s more like vandalism

A small mosque near Lodhi Garden has now been plastered over, hiding the calligraphic writing that should have been restored.

New Delhi’s elite gather to argue against elitism of literature. Most leave with puzzled faces

Amit Chaudhuri and Arvind Krishna Mehrotra got together at New Delhi’s IIC to discuss how literature can be viewed from the lens of national identity.

Rahul Gandhi biographies promise a lot but leave more questions than answers. Just like him

Every few months, journalists and political observers cheer the emergence of a 'new improved Rahul Gandhi', only to discover that he has gone back into his shell.

On Camera

The Bads of Bollywood finally gives us the sidekick that everyone needs

Sidekicks are quintessential in Bollywood, and every few years, when a star or lead shines, a filmmaker reminds us that the person next to the hero is a key ingredient in the recipe.

Market regulator SEBI clears Adani Group of impropriety alleged by Hindenburg Research

SEBI probe concluded that purported loans and fund transfers were paid back in full and did not amount to deceptive market practices or unreported related party transactions.

With MiG-21’s exit, India’s squadron strength hits 6-decade low. What are IAF’s plans for the Tejas

While the IAF remains committed to the Tejas programme and has placed orders for 180 Tejas Mk1A, the force is eagerly waiting for the Tejas Mk 2 version.

India doesn’t give walkovers to Pakistan in war. Here’s why it shouldn’t do it in cricket either

Many really smart people now share the position that playing cricket with Pakistan is politically, strategically and morally wrong. It is just a poor appreciation of competitive sport.