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Friday, October 31, 2025
TopicBritish

Topic: British

English language gained in power in India only after the British left

In ‘Wanderers, Kings, Merchants’, linguist Peggy Mohan writes that until Independence, English was only a second language of a few Indians.

A bacteria made Indians political. A virus will now extract a political price from Modi

During the famines and plague under the British, an equaliser bacteria spelled the end of the empire. A virus is now dismantling national obedience to Modi.

The British loved their meat, but some were fascinated by Hindu-Brahminical vegetarianism

In ‘Meat, Mercy, and Morality’, Samiparna Samanta writes that the British in India thrived on an elaborate diet of meat, but some preferred vegetarianism in the tropical climate.

Bhagat Singh wasn’t just hanged, but was chopped and stuffed in sacks

In ‘The Execution of Bhagat Singh’, Satvinder Singh Juss writes how Bhagat Singh’s hanging was ‘one of the bloodiest deeds ever undertaken by the British Labour Government’.

After 1857 rebellion, Delhi properties of ‘disloyal’ Indians were confiscated

In ‘The (Un)governable City’, Raghav Kishore writes about the transformation of Delhi into a cantonment in the aftermath of the Great Rebellion of 1857.

UK variant does not cause more severe Covid or higher death rates, British govt study says

The study compared 1,769 cases with the new variant to 1,769 cases of other variants. The team also looked at the 28-day case fatality numbers for the cases.

Why 43% of British still think colonial empire was a good thing, and a source of pride

In ‘Time’s Monster’, Priya Satia writes how history helped the conscience of the British and made them think the colonial project was a good thing.

China threatens to stop recognising UK-issued Hong Kong passports

China’s Foreign Ministry says Britain has violated its own promises and insisted on interfering with Hong Kong affairs and China’s domestic issues.

Delhi teen, Chaitanya Venkateswaran, spends day as British High Commissioner

In an annual event organised by the British High Commission, 18-year-old woman from Delhi had the unique opportunity to become UK's senior-most diplomat for a day.

China looked at India under British rule as a teacher — of what not to be

India was regarded by the Chinese as a warning — as a failed and fallen country, which had been enslaved by colonial rulers virtually without resistance.

On Camera

Starbucks was once progressive. It’s now approaching a dangerous spot in culture wars

Former CEO Howard Schultz once told shareholders those who opposed his support of same-sex marriage were free to invest elsewhere. But now, CEO Brian Niccol seems to be selling Starbucks as a place that just, well, sells coffee.

Consumer Price Index gets up to date. Airfare, OTT plans, e-commerce prices in new basket—MoSPI secy

New CPI series will take 2024 as base year, will provide more accurate measure of inflation, spending on digital services. Expected to enhance representation and reliability, says Saurabh Garg.

India pulled out of Tajikistan’s strategically important Ayni air base in 2022. Here’s why

Tajikistan did not want to extend the lease because of apparent pressure from Russia & China over non-regional military personnel at the air base, it is learnt.

Deepfake on duty: when I asked AI to read Op Sindoor citations

On 21 Oct, a buzz went up that the govt had released full list of gallantry award recipients along with Op Sindoor citations. I put an AI caddy on the job. It took me into a never-ending rabbit hole.