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Wednesday, September 18, 2024
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Book Excerpts

JC Bose didn’t invent the radio. But Bengalis think he did way before Marconi

In 'Jagadish Chandra Bose', Sudipto Sen delves into the life of a reluctant, forgotten physicist.

Harriet Brooks transformed nuclear physics. But Barnard College fired her for getting married

In 'Her Space, Her Time', award-winning quantum physicist Shohini Ghose delves into the stories of remarkable women who transformed science.

Romulus Whitaker’s colour blindness was an advantage. It helped him spot snakes easily

In ‘Snakes, Drugs And Rock ’N’ Roll’, Romulus Whitaker and his wife Janaki Lenin write about Whitaker’s childhood and his adventures before setting up the famed Chennai Snake Park.

One thing all education ministers under Nehru aimed to do—make Indians doubt ancient values

In 'Modian Consensus', Swadesh Singh talks about how the Nehruvian Consensus demolished the ideas of the Civilisational Consensus that had spiritualism at its core.

‘Bread, work, liberty’—when Chilean women sewed quilts with messages to oppose Gen Pinochet

In 'Audacious Hope', Indrajit Roy talks about how hope is expressed through ordinary people’s resistance in the face of brutal, unrelenting repression.

Sudha Murthy is a rebel disguised as a traditionalist

In 'An Uncommon Love', Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni tells the story of how Sudha and Narayana Murthy met and how their love changed each others lives.

Congress was once India’s Blackberry. And then both fell into an ‘overconfidence cycle’

In '2024', former Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha argues that India is in a state of free fall, raising urgent issues before the country goes to polls this year.

Aurangzeb razed Gyanvapi temple to save a Hindu rani—scholars made up tales to justify bigotry

In ‘Waiting for Shiva’, Vikram Sampath looks at the historical significance of Kashi for Hindus and the legal aspects of the ongoing case.

How the Malayali Gulf migrant became the ‘suffering rich’

In ‘The Gulf Migrant Archives in Kerala’, Mohamed Shafeeq Karinkurayil explores the rumours and stereotypes associated with Malayalis who work in the Gulf.

Aurangzeb tossed his sister’s suitor off Red Fort wall–no man could pursue Mughal princesses

Anisha Shekhar Mukherji's architectural biography 'The Red Fort of Shahjahanabad' offers a rich and engaging narrative of the iconic Fort.

On Camera

Jats and Dalits in Haryana are voting differently. There is a growing tide for INDIA

The upcoming Haryana Assembly elections are anticipated to be highly competitive, with caste dynamics significantly influencing voter preferences and party strategies.

Five debt defaults, two NPAs & 100% value erosion. MTNL barrels towards a major financial crisis

Since 2019, govt has pumped Rs 3.22 lakh crore into MTNL & BSNL. Both remain in losses. MTNL has begun to default on loans & bond payments, possibly the first large PSU to become NPA.

Not just engines, Tejas Mk-1A delivery could be hit over key Danish part, now on export blacklist

India is in talks with Denmark over the engine charge amplifiers, while HAL has contracted a local firm to indigenise them, it is learnt. HAL was supposed to start the delivery in March.

BJP’s Northeast policy has lit new fires & reopened old wounds. And it still won’t blink

Manipur represents BJP’s unique ideological approach to governing Northeast by playing identity politics jiu-jitsu. It hasn’t gone well yet, is getting worse, but the party insists on continuing.