(The article was originally published in Indian Express on April 6, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) When news of China renaming some geographical entities in Arunachal Pradesh broke in December 2021, some social media enthusiasts took a “tit for tat” approach. They gave Indian names […]
Articles
Looking at 2047 and Beyond
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on March 30, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) The year 2024 was billed by Time magazine as “the election year”, when almost half of the world’s population, living in 64 countries, would go to the polls in […]
A Narrow Resolution
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on March 23, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) In 2022, Pakistan moved a resolution at the United Nations calling for the establishment of an “International Day to Combat Islamophobia”. Several countries, including India, objected saying that singling […]
Integral Humanism
(The article was originally published in OPEN Magazine on March 17, 2024. Views expressed are personal.) Herald Macmillan, a former prime minister of the UK, was once asked by someone about his vision for the country. “If you want to know the vision for the UK, consult a saint; I am a politician,” Macmillan replied […]
Act of Inclusion, Not Exclusion
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on March 16, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) As the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed by Parliament on December 10, 2019, are being gazetted by the government, the specious argument that it is anti-secular […]
In Pursuit of Conservatism
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on March 9, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) Should we call ourselves “conservative”? A section of India’s ruling right-wing establishment appears to be mulling over this. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government completes 10 years in office, […]
Blue Water Power
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on March 2, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) Agalega is a tiny speck in the vast waters of the Western Indian Ocean. This atoll, comprising two islands, North and South Agalega, separated by a short channel not […]
Big Uncle Xi
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on February 24, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) People in China have just returned to work after a week-long annual Spring Festival celebration that started on February 10, marking the beginning of the Lunar New Year. In […]
Facing The People
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on February 17, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) These days, there is palpable unease among sections of political scientists over a perceived increase in “democracy deficit” and the rise of “strong man democracies” in different countries. The […]
He Who Rules The Sea
(The article was originally published in Indian Express on February 10, 2024 as a part of Dr Madhav’s column titled ‘Ram Rajya’. Views expressed are personal.) Angus Maddison, renowned British historian, in his monumental work The World Economy: Historical Statistics (2003), argued that India had been the largest economy in the world in the first […]