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Sunday, September 29, 2024
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Book Excerpts

Two Pakistani women demanded rights — one irked the mullahs, other was killed

In Fearless, Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui writes about the stories of Pakistani women achievers like Asma Jahangir and Qandeel Baloch who challenged patriarchy.

Kejriwal and Khattar forgot Vadra deals. Only IAS Ashok Khemka stuck to fighting corruption

In Just Transferred, Bhavdeep Kang and Namita Kala write about Ashok Khemka, the man who was transferred 53 times for speaking truth to power and cancelled Robert Vadra’s land deals.

How the humble coconut became a part of modern warfare in World War I

In ‘Coconut’, Robin Laurance traces how the fruit changed the world. Coconut charcoal was in great demand during WWI.

The Birth of T20 fixing — Lou Vincent, American dollars and sex

In Cricket 2.0: Inside the T20 Revolution, Tim Wigmore and Freddie Wilde write about how the first great fixing scandal to be exposed allegedly began in a hotel room.

Jamsetjee Framjee Madon — a pioneer of Indian cinema and champion of Calcutta’s poor Parsis

In Pioneering Parsis of Calcutta, Prochy N. Mehta chronicles the little-known lives of the first Parsis who came to the city during British rule.

What Bacha Khan’s daughter told me about his treatment by Pakistani authorities

In Talib's Tale, John Butt writes about his journey to Pakistan in search of an education he couldn't get in England and how he adapted to the Pashtoon way of life.

Tablighi Jamaat tells its followers not to pursue political dominance in this world

Tablighi Jamaat is an Islamic religious reform movement. It has emerged as one of the most dominant forms of religiosity in postcolonial India, writes Hilal Ahmed in his book Siyasi Muslims.

How an interview with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters in London made us celebrities back home

In Calling Elvis, Shatanu Datta writes about meeting Roger Waters in London and how a 15-minute chat turned into an hour-long conversation.

Raghuram Rajan tried to find bad loans. The dirt that came out was thrice his expectation

In Bad Money, Vivek Kaul writes how public sector banks refrained from recognising bad loans because that meant setting aside money to meet these losses.

Political parties battle each other in Indian slums by using rumours and violence

In Demanding Development, Adam Michael Auerbach writes on the competition between different party workers in slums and how it fragments leadership.

On Camera

Hassan Nasrallah’s assassination underlines Israel’s military supremacy. Will it win peace?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of being drawn into another attritional war with Hezbollah. His commanders they are unlikely to win.

10 yrs ago, battery leasing failed to boost demand for EV cars in India. Now, it’s making a comeback

Under this model, battery is provided to EV owners on a subscription basis or lease. With more people open to buying EV cars, the lower upfront cost could likely drive wider acceptance.

Morocco signs pact with Tata for joint manufacture of WhAP Infantry Fighting Vehicle

The armoured platform is India's first amphibious infantry combat wheeled vehicle. Last year, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces had procured 90 military trucks from the Tata Group.

Islam doesn’t kill democracy. The army-Islam combo does

How come Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and Sri Lanka remain constitutional, democratic and stable despite Islam and Buddhism respectively, but Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar don’t?