File photo of rescue operation following an accident involving Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train, in Balasore district, Saturday, June 3, 2023. (Photo: PTI)Modernisation is not a bad word. In a fast-changing and ruthlessly competitive world, a country needs to modernise its infrastructure to survive and succeed. That said, one question leaps out — what does…

In a country where nearly half of all healthcare costs are still paid for by the patients themselves, you would think a law guaranteeing people’s right to health would be welcomed universally, and with open arms. But in India, you never can tell.In Rajasthan, which recently became the first state in the country to introduce a law that makes access to healthcare a legal entitlement of every…

Aspirational India is on the global stage. Indians are joyously celebrating the country bagging two historic Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. It is great news. As an Indian, I feel proud. Aspiration is good. But clearly, in India, aspiration comes with strong caveats, especially when it comes to one’s personal life and intimate relationships. One question that leaps out, again and…

Festivals matter no matter who you are, where you are and whether you are a believer or non-believer. They matter NOW more than ever when we are still wrestling with the geopolitical fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the lingering Covid-19 pandemic and the gloomy economic forecasts, including a 98.1 per cent chance of a global recession. For most of us, the culture of spectacle, the…

It is a global warning. The cosy thought that “it-can’t-happen-here” is past its expiry date. It can, and it will. African researchers have been sounding the alarm about monkeypox outbreaks for years. It was shrugged off as an African problem. Today, it is spreading across the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the disease a global health emergency. More than 18,000 cases of…