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Monday, March 30, 2026

Afterword

India played US-versus-Soviets to get development aid, but gave up state power

The Price of Aid by David C. Engerman is a fascinating account of how the economic cold war shaped the first 25 years of independent India.

Arshia Sattar takes Hindu mythology beyond an Amar Chitra Katha-type narrative

Her wonderful writing and Ishan Trivedi’s colourful illustrations make ‘Garuda & the Serpents’ come alive for children as well as adults.

Madeleine Albright’s warning about fascism draws on simplistic analogies 

Former US Secy of State sidesteps historically rooted definition and examination of fascism in her book, which doesn’t offer compelling arguments. In 1939, Madeleine Albright the...

How the nexus of business and state gave birth to the East India Company

Rupali Mishra’s new book describes how licencing, permits, rights etc. fetched gains for people close to power.

From Mao to Xi, a peep into the minds of China’s great strategists

Sulmaan Wasif Khan’s ‘Haunted by Chaos’ tells the story of how China’s leaders shaped its destiny through their distinct ideologies, traumatic pasts and disparate visions.

For espionage buffs, ex-Raw chief Vikram Sood’s ‘The Unending Game’ is a fascinating read

The book is neither a memoir nor an insider’s account of the organisation. It's more of a primer, written by that rare intellectual among...

Young Muslim women fight to control their own stories in Ghazala Jamil’s new book

In 'Muslim Women Speak: Of Dreams and Shackles', activist-scholar Jamil tries to find these women's real voices, instead of just presenting them as victims.

Devil’s advocate Karan Thapar fails to acquit himself

In his rather salacious memoir, the journalist doesn't offer a nuanced perspective about the personalities and events that shaped India. 

Chidanand Rajghatta’s book combines memories of Gauri Lankesh with cultural controversies

‘Illiberal India’ is an eminently readable narrative, and is as close to a biography of Gauri as there is likely to be in English.

Evil in the Mahabharata deserves a book. This one is not it

US-based professor Meena Arora Nayak’s take on the epic seems to push an agenda. Readers ought to rather read the original text.

On Camera

What are Western mercenaries doing in Myanmar? India must stay vigilant

Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma has flagged an unusual rise in foreign arrivals. Nearly 2,000 Western visitors entered Mizoram between June and December 2024.

Foreign investors dump record $12 bn India stocks in March on war

Soaring energy costs have hurt oil-importing Asian peers, but the scale of outflows from India points to already bearish global sentiment.

1st batch of 2,000 India-made Israeli Negev LMGs delivered to Army; 4,000 more to be delivered this year

The Indian Army is set to get another 4,000 of these LMGs as part of a contract signed in August 2024 to replace the 5.56x45mm INSAS LMG.

Gulf war exposed India’s fragilities. It’s time for navel-gazing, in the national interest

It’s easy to understand why the government can’t speak the hard truth. When this war ends, as all wars do, India’s interests will lie with both the winner and the loser.