Small traders, big problems

Small retailers in the informal sector kept the supply of essential commodities running during the lockdown. Now, in want of government support, they are losing market to online retail….   When everything was lockdown during the first few months of the pandemic, the convenient online retail where you get all you need at your doorstep wasn’t […]

Harsh lessons for special people

For students with disabilities, the pandemic is nothing short of a nightmare. Here’s why Rahul Tiwari is a 19- year-old deaf student from Banaras Hindu University pursuing BA (maths). Amid the pandemic, he is now unable to access online classes due to unavailability of a sign language interpreter. In a video message widely shared on […]

Revenge of the villagers

Animals like leopards and elephants are not killed just in self-defence by communities living near forests – often, it is revenge for a killing that has already occurred In 2018, Thane police arrested a man from Chowk village in Raigad, for killing a leopard because this wild cat killed his livestock. A tigress was also […]

Flickering lamp to chandelier

It was a measure of Pranab Mukherjee’s longevity and influence in Delhi’s power corridors that the account of his career could also be read as an insider’s view of the shifting sands of Indian politics As he entered his eightieth year in December 2014, and almost midway through his presidential term, Pranab Mukherjee got his […]

The virus affects the Goddess

The Coronavirus lockdown has resulted in a shrinking of the economy, which has impacted Durga Pujas as well. While artisans and organisers face the heat, some are coming up with unique ways to handle the new normal Swapan Pal is sitting in front of his workshop in Kumartuli sipping a cup of tea as he […]

The rat race continues at night 

Some joggers feel the need to be competitive and create the impression that they can outrun you without ever uttering a word. They focus more on fake victories than of enjoying the pleasures of a late-night run   I go running fairly regularly, have done so for more than twenty years. And though there have been […]

Circus at Rhea Chakraborty’s house

After spending a day outside the actor’s house I have only one word for what I witnessed: Shame! It was around 9.15 am on August 27 when I arrived at Primrose Building on Juhu Tara Road in Mumbai. Rhea Chakraborty lives with her family in an apartment in this building. A few reporters and camerapersons […]

Bat Woman and other tales

In a bid to increase understanding of the pandemic, this book comes at a time when the future is uncertain. Its main value is a look back at what has been happening in the scientific community after the outbreak of SARS and MERS   ‘Don’t blame the bats’, is the title of one of the […]