The tragedy of Anna Hazare: Why we all should care
Lost in the heated debate between Anna critics and supporters is a more critical question: How can a non-violent movement sustain itself against the media and against professional politicians?
French diplomat case: Why the Indian family covers up child sex abuse
Suja Jones Mazurier is a rare parent who reported her husband's alleged rape to the authorities. In most cases, norms of the Indian family make it impossible to raise the issue even within the home.
What was she thinking? Behind Mamata’s master stroke
Why did Mamata take the risk of scuttling the first Bengali president and take the unprecedented step of nominating a sitting PM? And what did Sonia tell her?
SIT vs Amicus Curiae report: A triumph of democracy
The contrasting reports reveals that while justice might be distant, the law as a process still works – more so as the Modi juggernaut stumbles on a 25-page amicus curiae brief.
Gang rape: The angry young men of 'new India'
India has changed, the women have changed, both out of choice and necessity. But what the continuing epidemic of rapes reveals is that some men have not. Change has made them rich, but also very angry.
India gagged and bound: What the Deoband/Rushdie affair reveals about us
In our great nation, someone's sentiments are always in danger of being inflamed, hurt or violated. When everything offends – from a birthday cake to a novel – the principle of freedom of expression loses all meaning.
Earth to Kapil Sibal: Sonia Gandhi is not God
Our leaders are indeed sacred cows, at least in their still-feudal minds. To speak against any — be it Bal Thackeray or Sonia Gandhi — is to invite the equivalent of an online fatwa.
From Ram Lila to Wall Street: The spread of middle class rage
The middle class around the world is mad as hell and taking to the streets. And irrespective of their demands, the biggest strength and weakness of their protests is the same: it is middle class.
What if women, actually, ruled the world?
Women might not rule this world in the traditional sense, but on first glance, they might have achieved a new type of equality or power through digital means. They are in the majority when it comes to population, so perhaps it's no surprise that now women are prime users of social media.
Smack that bitch: Why Darshan is our self-made Frankenstein
Most Indians think of domestic violence as normal, even acceptable, because of deluded notions about "privacy" and sanctity of the family. And our movies and TV serials are eager to assure us it's true.
Anna, second national movement and lessons from the first
The Anna movement has happily borrowed the props of the national movement that got rid of the British. But that movement had Nehru, Patel, Azad. This has Bedi, Bhushan, Kejriwal. Shiv Visvanathan explores how they stack up against history.
What do NRIs want? Let's start with a diamond ring
Everyone, from the Indian government to the American one, wants to engage with NRIs. But that's just a polite way of wanting their money. Too bad, says Fulbright scholar Minal Hajratwala. They are missing out on the real goodies.
The God Market: Meet the gurus of karma capitalism
The new tribe of Indian god-men like Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar combine business savvy with a soft Hindutva, making them irresistible to upwardly mobile Indians around the world.