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The FinePrint

Ancient India’s battle of ideas: Yudhisthira & Arjuna are ideal kings. Don’t be like Ashoka

The literary creation of the figures of Yudhisthira and Arjuna in the Mahabharata was likely a response to the historical example of Ashoka’s crisis of conscience.

SC ruling on bonds good but transparency problem in election expenditure still untouched

EBS is now gone, but ETS is still available, ECI should nudge political parties and the corporate world towards wider use of ETS. Then, at least one part of electoral funding can become cleaner.

Bengali cinema is in a Kolkata rut. Can Sundarbans goddess Bonbibi pull it out?

Bengali film ‘Bonbibi’, slated for release on 8 March, marks a departure from Kolkata-centric stories. Producer Rana Sarkar says it could be West Bengal’s answer to ‘Kantara’.

A new breed of fashion influencers is slaying Bollywood star egos and stylist cliques

The new influencers are breaking the rules of fashion and no topic is off limits for them. They’re steadily growing in both popularity and views on social media.

This Odisha man fought to open Brahmin cremation ground for Dalits. It’s called Heaven’s Gate

For activist Nagendra Jena, ‘Brahmin Shamsan’ on the signboard was odious in the 21st century. The burial ground is now 'Swarg Dwar' and open to all, but Dalits in the village are still not rushing to cremate their dead.

Unending nightmares, bitterness — how Delhi riots changed a Muslim & a Hindu forever

Monu Kumar, his father were thrashed by a mob. Aleem Saifi spent 9 months behind bars & was discharged last yr. Their stories are Part 3 of ThePrint's series on 2020 northeast Delhi riots.

Congress finally has MSP mudda against Modi. But 2 more steps to go for it to work in 2024

Legal guarantee of MSP as per Swaminathan Commission formula tops the farmers' list of demands. The Congress has aligned itself with an ongoing and powerful struggle on the ground.

Congress is drowning. Some heading for the door, others taking note of the emergency exits

We hardly remember politicians who opposed Roosevelt, Thatcher. They weren’t useless, but it became nearly impossible to fight their popularity. I suspect the Modi phenomenon is something like that.

There’s one sector Gurugram isn’t competing in with Noida—middle-class homes

Steep rise in Gurugram’s land acquisition cost hurt affordable housing. But luxury is booming.

‘Kingdom Come: Deliverance’ to ‘Total War’, how video games make medieval history memorable

Want to explore medieval history? Step away from X and into video games

On Camera

Chandrababu Naidu is dreaming new dreams at 75. What other CMs are missing

Naidu’s critics would call his antics political opportunism. His admirers would cite them as examples of his brilliant political acumen.

India-US set to ink mini trade deal soon, reach understanding on agricultural & dairy products

Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.

Not just AK-203, India & Russia to jointly manufacture AK-19 and PPK-20 for domestic use and export 

India-Russia JV is also racing to deliver 7,000 more AK-203 assault rifles by 15 Aug. These are currently being made with 50% indigenisation and this will surge to 100% by 31 December.

Strategic partner one day, tactical nightmare the next: India’s learning Trumplomacy the hard way

Public, loud, upfront, filled with impropriety and high praise sometimes laced with insults. This is what we call Trumplomacy. But the larger objective is the same: American supremacy.