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Wednesday, November 12, 2025
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Gujarat Giants

Indulal Yajnik — beer-drinking ‘fakir’ & nationalist who started anti-Congress politics in Gujarat

Indulal Yajnik’s life was filled with dramatic twists and turns, from working with MK Gandhi to becoming one of the forerunners of anti-Congress politics in Gujarat.

Vithalbhai was supposed to be the nation-builder & Vallabhbhai the family provider

The two brothers developed an understanding: the elder Vithalbhai would devote his time to public service and Vallabhbhai would earn money to support both families.

Karsandas Mulji led & won the most famous fight against Gujarati Vaishnavite leaders in 1862

A Vaishnav himself, Karsandas showed how priests exploited women sexually. It led to the Maharaj Libel Case, the 'greatest trial of modern times since the trial of Warren Hastings'.

Gujarati botanist Jaykrishna Thakar gave plants Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit names. No Latin

Jaykrishna’s extensive collection of botanical samples was displayed to the Viceroy and other guests of the Kutch state and became a source of pride for Gujaratis.

Tribhuvandas K. Gajjar, the Gujarati chemist who cleaned Queen Victoria’s marble statue

Gandhi wrote in Navjivan that only Dr. P.C. Roy and Dr. J.C. Bose could be compared to Gajjar in terms of contributions. However, Gujarat did not remember him fondly.

Gujarati archaeologist Bhagvanlal with little English, lot of Sanskrit helped British read edicts

While this was a noteworthy achievement from an archaeological perspective, it was just a matter of passion for the Gujarati scholar who never thought of archaeology as a career.

Cocaine, Jinnah, films, azan call—Visami Sadi set benchmark for Gujarati photo magazines

Founded and headed by Haji Mohammed Allarakha Shivji, Visami Sadi was published monthly between 1916 and 1920. It's content and visuals remain unparalleled.

Gujarati poet Krishnalal Shridharani’s thesis was ‘gospel’ for American civil rights activists

Shridharani ‘took the mysticism out of Gandhianism and instead provided a Gandhi of pragmatic action or realpolitik.’

Soviet-inspired animal universe that charmed Gujaratis—Hariprasad Vyas’ Bakor Patel stories

Vyas' Bakor Patel stories had catchy Gujarati titles with special typography and drawings; the original black and white sketches bore the signature of Tansukh, an artist from Surat.

Gujarati Dalit Kanjibhai Rathod was Bollywood’s 1st professional director, made 50+ silent films

Kanjibhai Rathod’s film Bhakta Vidur echoed the atmosphere of the Non-cooperation and Khilafat movement in India under MK Gandhi’s leadership.

On Camera

BBC scandal: Britain’s elite establishment is rapidly sinking

The impact of all this upheaval is unmooring. We search for the BBC to confirm that Britain still exists and find it missing.

India’s factory data may get reality check in MoSPI’s new IIP plan, defunct factories to be dropped

MoSPI proposes to remove closed factories from IIP sample, aiming for truer picture of India’s industrial health in upcoming 2022–23 base series. Plan open to public feedback until 25 November.

‘Let them see’: Putin says new nuclear-powered missiles in the making, in message to Washington

At a ceremony felicitating Russian military engineers, Putin highlights Moscow’s 'parity' in defence technologies for the next century.

Bihar is where politics moves, and everything else stands still

Bihar is blessed with a land more fertile for revolutions than any in India. Why has it fallen so far behind then? Constant obsession with politics is at the root of its destruction.