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Wednesday, June 26, 2024
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Book Excerpts

That moment when I started questioning my support of PM Modi: Tavleen Singh

In her new book, Tavleen Singh writes about PM Modi's "disheartening response" to her questions during a private conversation when he was in his first term.

Dara Shikoh had a dream. And it was about Ram

This dream was prompted by something the prince had recently read. Its author was Dara Shukoh’s contemporary Shaikh Sufi, a mystic Mughal official.

How VSNL launched internet services in India in 1995 when even China hadn’t

India's 'Telecom Man' Brijendra K. Syngal, under whose guidance internet was introduced, recounts in a new book the pains VSNL went through to set up the system.

Rashpal Singh Chandra: Why Hindus of Punjab’s Katani Kalan village hailed this Sikh militant

The anti-Hindu and anti-Congress narrative do not completely define Punjab's militancy movement. This anecdote shows why the sage of militancy is layered.

China never had to learn English like India because its economy relied on manufacturing

Contrary to China, whose post-1993 growth acceleration was concentrated on the manufacturing sector, India’s growth was service driven.

I may be the only lady doing the skin-beating job: What mrdangam-maker Geetha told me

Mrdangam-making has always been a male-controlled territory. But Geetha has nailed, cleaned and dried skins for years, TM Krishna writes in his new book.

Hate is hot in India. Colder ideas like constitutional patriotism must work harder to win

Constitutional patriotism is a modern concept anchored in the idea of the nation-state. The problem is that it depends upon imaginings as fuzzy as nationalism itself.

Mountbatten planned to partition India into many countries. Then VP Menon stepped in

India’s future had been decided in a matter of 3 hours, between 7 am and 10.30 am, by Nehru and Mountbatten. And it was VP Menon who drew up a draft.

For India’s revolutionaries in freedom struggle, gyms & akharas were a cover for politics

The Jugantar movement started by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh used the guise of a fitness club to take in young teenagers and turn them into revolutionaries.

OYO was the big disruptor in India’s hotel industry, forcing even Tata to take note

OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal was just 18 when he came up with the idea. Within just a few years, OYO surpassed the valuation of India’s oldest hotel company.

On Camera

China activates ‘freedom in Tibet’ propaganda triggered by US-Dalai Lama meet in Dharamshala

India has avoided using the so-called Tibet card in the past but even this issue isn't off the table now as New Delhi works with the US to address the China factor.

Noida International Airport, Delhi NCR’s 2nd, delayed. To begin operations by April 2025

According to a statement by the airport, commercial operations likely to begin next year 'in view of the current construction status'. It was supposed to commence operations by 2024 end.

Amid tensions with China, Philippines says BrahMos a ‘credible defence’

At interaction in Delhi Monday, Ambassador of Philippines also highlighted talks over possibility of high-level delegation visit later this year to mark 75 yrs of diplomatic ties.

Modi’s new universe: the normal irritants of democracy & awkward chai with Rahul Gandhi

Changed reality for Modi govt in its 3rd innings is by no means rise of a new phenomenon. It's a return to old normal where even majorities had to routinely wrestle with storied million mutinies.