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The FinePrint

Jadavpur University Press is a rare success in publishing. Now Ashoka is catching up too

Distribution and display have always been twin challenges for small publishers, more so for university presses, who have the added burden of perception.

How Rajaraja Chola became the world’s richest king

Rajaraja alone gifted 38,604 gold coins. This was more than what most European courts at the time could muster.

Nobody is speaking for middle-class taxpayers anymore. Rupee is falling, markets sinking

Many who were so worried about the decline in the rupee over a decade ago are unwilling to speak up. They were tigers when Manmohan Singh was in charge. Now they are mice.

35 yrs of Mahalanobis model vs 35 yrs of Manmohan Singh. Two key moments of Indian economy

In 1991, as in 2025, the report cards of these two economic trajectories remain underwhelming. But as economists see it, politics got in the way each time. 

UP IASOWA is changing—Its ‘Akanksha’ programme has gone beyond masala & mathri

The IAS Officers’ Wives Association in UP is no longer headed by just the wife of an IAS officer. In July 2024, Rashmi Singh became the first IAS officer to be its president.

Politics doesn’t put off young Indians. They are driving Viksit Bharat 2047

The Indian economy, once reliant on a few conglomerates and the public sector, is now being transformed by the energy and innovation of young Indians.

Maha Kumbh and India’s new-age sadhus—riding Bullets, making Reels

For the Bullet Baba, his worldly belongings are a bike, a tent, and a bag of clothes. He doesn’t live in any akhara or ashram.

AAP govt has no funds—after draining Delhi’s treasury

The decline was steady. From 1.56% in 2014-25, Delhi’s surplus fell to 0.85% in 2016-17, further dropping to 0.19% in 2020-21. This year, the surplus will likely be negative.

The story of Bihar’s two mafias—sand and booze

The sand and liquor mafias have corroded Bihar’s economy, fuelled criminal politics, brought in a rural rot, and rendered its youth unemployable for at least a decade.

4 revenue secretaries in 4 weeks. Modi govt’s quest for ‘committed bureaucracy’ continues

PM Modi evidently reposes more faith in serving and retired bureaucrats than in politicians. IAS officers must, however, be taking it with a pinch of salt.

On Camera

Maharashtra’s language war reaches West Bengal. Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee is the first victim

While the language war in other states is targeting those who can't speak the local language, in Bengal, even those whose mother tongue is Bengali have to constantly prove their Bengali-ness.

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.

DRDO successfully tests latest version of UAV-launched precision missile, ULPGM-V3

Capable of being fired in plain and high-altitude areas, it has day-and-night capability and two-way data link to support post-launch target, aim-point update.

Modi’s Bharat vs Indira’s India: 11-yr report card of politics, diplomacy, economy, nationalism

As Narendra Modi becomes India’s second-longest consecutively serving Prime Minister, we look at how he compares with Indira Gandhi across four key dimensions.