12,40,530 killed

The unprecedented level of air pollution in the country is no longer just an environmental concern. It has become a murderer gone berserk and killed over 12 lakh indian citizens in 2017 “Everyone has to wear masks when they are out. And just like electricity. Oxygen is now supplied to homes and offices. Today oxygen […]

Soldiering on, regardless

The guard at the gate welcomes me in, showing the way up the stairwell leading to Dr Kiran Seth’s home on Lucknow Road in North Delhi. Inside, there is an old world charm along with piles of freshly done laundry and books. The founder of SPIC MACAY walks out of his kitchen, wearing track pants […]

Pocket of misery

Bang in the middle of the posh Panchsheel Park lies the Lal Gumbad slum, where hooligans gather to drink at night and unhygienic conditions prevail despite community toilets With only 20 toilets for a population of 5,000, the residents of Lal Gumbad slum struggle during the day to get their turn while dealing with drunkards […]

They grow your food

For the fourth time this year, lakhs of farmers marched to the capital. This time they demanded a special Parliament session to discuss agrarian crisis and the passage of Kisan Mukti bills In October, protesting farmers were not allowed to enter Delhi and were dispelled using tear gas and water cannons. But it was different […]

Drained of life

An old couple, who lost their sons to manual scavenging, now cling onto their only source of happiness — their grandchildren Patriot’s series on manual scavenging continues with a visit to yet another family bereaved by this barbaric practice “I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn […]

Odd couples

Old white men and women find love in much younger Indians, the age of their children from previous marriages. A vindication of the fact that they are still virile Delhi is an incredible city, complex and vibrant. It has a great capacity to absorb all sorts of people with all sorts of whims and fancies. […]

African students are angry

They feel racism is a two-way street: what if they went back and treated Indians the same way in their continent? The anger is palpable. Not sadness, not shock, just plain anger. The two office-bearers of the Association of African Students Union in India (AASI) that Patriot met, talk about two objectives. One of creating […]

A rainbow of surprises

The first Pride Parade post the SC judgement on Article 377 had a different enthusiasm that leaves many of us hopeful for a lot more positive changes in the future Sans fear, I felt like a free bird whose wings no one could clip. There was not even an iota of tension in my mind. […]