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Sunday, August 17, 2025
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Book Excerpts

How scientists built one of the world’s largest steerable telescopes in Ooty

In ‘Space Life Matter’, Hari Pulakkat writes that the Ooty Radio Telescope was built to prove the Big Bang model, but it really came in handy to study the sun.

Where are India’s badminton coaches? We need more names than Padukone and Gopichand

In ‘Smash—The Rise of Indian Badminton’, Benedict Paramanand writes that aging players are setting up academies, but few take coaching seriously.

Covid has exposed our comorbidities. Divide between Bharat and India now stark

In ‘Securing India’s Rise’, edited by Lt Gen Kamal Davar (retd), Mohan Guruswamy writes that 2010-20 is the lost decade, and recovering from it will take time.

Why Dilip Kumar initially said ‘no’ to Mughal-e-Azam

In ‘Dilip Kumar: Peerless Icon Inspiring Generations’, Trinetra and Anshula Bajpai write that Sapru was first chosen to play Prince Salim, but the shooting got shelved due to Partition.

Press junkets, ads in foreign newspapers — China wants to build ‘new world media order’

In ‘Smokeless War’, Manoj Kewalramani writes that public opinion has been Xi Jinping’s highest priority, with special focus on online media.

Aryans or Harappans—Who drove the creation of caste system? DNA holds a clue

In ‘Indians’, Namit Arora writes that scientists trace the earliest instances of endogamy in the subcontinent to the first millennium BCE.

How Kashmiri Islam, tolerant and love-based religion, changed to hardened Sharia version

In ‘A Kashmiri Century’, Khem Lata Wakhlu writes about the human side of living in the Valley, something missed by cold political treatises on Kashmir.

If Phelps and Usain Bolt can play, so can Dutee Chand. How the sprinter defied hormone ban

In ‘Fiercely Female’, Sundeep Misra writes how Chand challenged the ban on her for having too much testosterone in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

When it comes to British rule, rich, powerful Indians were complicit every step of the way

In ‘Peace, Poverty and Betrayal’, Roderick Matthews writes that the initial strategy of the British in India was ‘oblige and rule’.

Money, jewellery gone from palace — Madhavrao Scindia didn’t like Rajmata funding Jana Sangh

In ‘The House of Scindias’, Rasheed Kidwai writes about the rift between Vijaya Raje Scindia and her son Madhavrao over politics, Sardar Angre, and funding to Jana Sangh.

On Camera

SC’s stray dog order lit a match in Delhi. Are they a menace or companions?

The last time this matter flared up was when Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a very similar directive in April, called for the relocation of stray dogs in the capital.

Modi’s ‘Diwali bonanza’ for the common man—next-gen GST reforms, lower tax on daily-use items soon

Finance ministry says the proposed revamp will focus on structural reforms, rate rationalisation & ease of living, & will be deliberated upon in the coming weeks.

What is Project Sudarshan Chakra, announced by Modi from ramparts of Red Fort

The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.

War of IAF, PAF doctrines: As Pakistan obsesses over numbers, India embraces risk, wins

Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?