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Monday, February 2, 2026
TopicLanguage

Topic: Language

What’s in a name? What Jhumpa Lahiri taught me about belonging and borrowed tongues

My name always arrived before I did, and it arrived carrying questions, which, over time, began to feel like small border checks.

I was nervous about speaking my parents’ language Bengali, says Jhumpa Lahiri

For Jhumpa Lahiri, whose life and writing have been shaped by migration between continents and languages, the immigrant condition is now inseparable from a deeply divided political world.

Malayalam Bill 2.0: Kerala revives push for language law, addresses lapses after President denied assent

New bill tabled in assembly to make Malayalam the state's official language & put it at core of governance & education. Previous bill passed in 2015, but returned by President this year.

A rectangular telescope in space? US study says it may be the best bet to find life beyond Earth

ScientiFix, our weekly feature, offers you a summary of the top global science stories of the week, with links to their sources.

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.

SubscriberWrites: A tribute to Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o—voice of decolonization & African literary renaissance

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s pen defied empire—reclaiming language, memory, and cultural dignity. His legacy is a call to decolonize not just literature, but the mind itself.

Kannada debate reaches IPL doorstep before mega final—‘today in RCB, tomorrow JCB’

He says when cricketers play Ranji Trophy, they represent their states, but in IPL ‘players are openly auctioned off for money. Is there feeling of state or nationalism in that?’

SubscriberWrites: The living bridge between language and culture

Language and culture are intertwined forces shaping thought, identity, and meaning—vital for genuine human connection beyond mere words or data.

Tribal languages need more academic attention, need preservation, says Prof Binoy Kumar Saren

The National Seminar on Preserving Tribal Languages Utilising Technology & Indian Multilingualism: Policy & Practices was recently held in Visva-Bharati University at Bhasha Bhavana.

Language key to national identity for 91%, customs & tradition for 81% — international Pew survey

Pew report based on 2023 survey across 23 countries in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia & Australia, also looked at public opinion on importance of birthplace and religion in national identity.

On Camera

India needs derivatives for high economic growth. STT hike is a bad move

A sound tax system is one based on the ability to pay or economic surplus. But the STT taxes the circulation of capital and not its returns, making it deeply distortionary.

Seafood industry welcomes Budget’s fisheries push. ‘Lays groundwork for becoming global player’

Exporters said the Budget’s proposals to increase duty-free import limits on processing, create 500 reservoirs and support fisheries startups will boost the marine industry.

10X Budget beef-up for Intelligence Bureau capex, after Pahalgam & Red Fort terror attacks

After lapses exposed by terror attacks at Pahalgam and Delhi's Red Fort, Centre has hiked Intelligence Bureau's expenditure for investments in long-term assets from Rs 257 cr to Rs 2,549 cr. 

Swiss report should now close Op Sindoor debate. Knowing when to stop the fight is key too

The key to fighting a war successfully, or even launching it, is a clear objective. That’s an entirely political call. It isn’t emotional or purely military.