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Saturday, September 28, 2024
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Book Excerpts

A billionaire from nowhere: The over ambitious journey of diamond mogul Nirav Modi

Nirav Modi’s is a story of how one man’s drive to succeed at all costs can jeopardise an entire ecosystem.

India’s ranking in world Fragility Index continued worsening after Modi govt came to power

India ranked 79th among 178 countries in overall fragility in 2013, the last full year when Congress was in power, increasing thereafter to 72nd rank in 2018.

What Agha Ashraf Ali said when I asked about Kashmiri Muslims who chant ‘Pakistan Zindabad’

Former J&K chief secretary Moosa Raza writes in his book about a conversation he had with the educationist to seek answers for Kashmiris’ disenchantment with India.

Millions of women absent from India’s workforce capable of adding Rs 30 lakh crore to GDP

Nearly 120 million Indian women are unable to join the workforce with safety & mobility issues and gender norms hampering their entry.

Rocket science: How small ‘sounding rockets’ scripted ISRO success story

The PSLV is by no means the most powerful rocket in the world, or even in ISRO’s armour. Yet, the story of PSLV is, in a sense, the story of rocketry in ISRO.

The Indian political leaders of today who come closest to Akbar, Ghiyasuddin, Aurangzeb

Akbar was unconventional, Ghiyasuddin believed in the divine right of kingship and Aurangzeb was a darling of the orthodox.

When Lal Bahadur Shastri sent Nehru his resignation & set a gold standard for politicians

As railway and transport minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri sent his resignation twice to Nehru after train accidents. Only once he was persuaded to take it back.

How al-Qaida outpaced ISIS in Bangladesh by tuning into youth anger & conservatism

Modern Bangladesh is a textbook breeding ground for ‘ressentiment’. And new strains of Islamist terror—ISIS and Al-Qaeda—are showing through.

Gandhi goal behind courting Hindu leaders & groups was to make them more malleable to Muslims

Gandhi was a great enthusiast for cow protection but refused to use it as a bargaining chip for his support to the Khilafat Movement.

Why Pakistan doesn’t have to choose between traditional ally US and newer friend China

Pakistan must learn to live in South Asia without becoming a vassal of surging India. Otherwise, it risks becoming an asterisk in future atlases.

On Camera

Dear Bengal govt, don’t steal our memories, land, and clean air by removing trams

Nostalgia, romance, and a love of heritage alone cannot make the beloved trams of Kolkata sustainable. Simple science can. Transport Minister, are you with us still?

10 yrs ago, battery leasing failed to boost demand for EV cars in India. Now, it’s making a comeback

Under this model, battery is provided to EV owners on a subscription basis or lease. With more people open to buying EV cars, the lower upfront cost could likely drive wider acceptance.

Army gets high-altitude artillery firing range in Arunachal, 2 more to come up in the north

The artillery regiment has incorporated simulators in a big way for various functions like driving & weapons training, especially for Agniveers to get realistic training.

Lesson from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan: if you have no patience, you don’t deserve democracy

Sri Lankan transition was smoothly managed. Check Bangladesh for contrast. They forced their incumbent into exile, installed a mostly unelectable govt of non-political people.