Opinion

With rising unnatural deaths and increasingly complex crimes, a systemic overhaul, including modernised morgues, standardised autopsy practices, and policy support, is needed in India’s forensic medicine system

There may be no poetry in the pits but poetry can bring up what lies below: fear, greed, devastation

Old age is not just about a weakened body. It is a journey back to dependency, often harder than infancy — because society offers no celebration or emotional support for it

In this age of hyperrealism, we must defend truth not only with facts, but also with institutions, vigilance, and above all, imagination, the imagination to picture a democracy where authenticity still matters

GDP can open doors, but it is the human development indices that reveal whether people are walking through them

Ambedkar’s voice offers a crucial foundation for non-Western perspectives in International Relations, one that calls for a more inclusive world order

Since AI lacks intuition and common sense, it can benefit greatly from philosophical insights that delve into meaning, reasoning, and lived experience

With Trump 2.0 mostly embroiled in the Russia-Ukraine and the volatile wars in West Asia, watchers of Indo-Pacific affairs are questioning Washington’s priorities in the region

José Mujica’s life was a testament to simplicity, empathy and resistance to capitalist greed, and his words, ‘Happiness is not about having more, but about needing less,’ urge leaders to prioritise humanity over wealth

If we trade humanity for perfection, we risk losing the very thing that makes influence meaningful: the glorious mess of being human

We are witnessing the rise of a culture where being a fan is valued more than being a thinker, a questioner, or an achiever. India must move from spectacle to substance, from fandom to citizenship, from mourning to meaningful reform

Caste enumeration must adopt a scientific and legally protected approach — not just for accuracy, but to avoid political distortion and constitutional violations

Merely celebrating Environment Day on June 5 is not enough; what is truly needed is a commitment to systemic change while adopting sustainable practices

For better or for worse, the present government has raised expectations on the security front not only for itself but also for future governments

The malicious political narrative must move beyond narrow cost-benefit metrics to recognise KLIP’s role in correcting historical injustices, empowering the marginalised, and breaking cycles of poverty

Coding bootcamps are a complementary pathway — an experiment in democratising access to an industry that has long been viewed as elitist and exclusionary

The tardy and slow pace of implementation of the Forest Rights Act, enacted 17 years ago, reflects the unchanged colonial mindset and hegemony of the bureaucracy, especially the district administration

It is important that the international community initiates measures for bringing both India and Pakistan under the ambit of Non-Proliferation Treaty

Banu Mushtaq’s ‘Heart Lamp’, winning the 2025 International Booker Prize — the first ever for a Kannada work, marks the triumph of the power of vernacular literature over systemic biases

The 2025 Human Development Report serves as a clarion call: AI can reignite human development, but only if policymakers prioritise inclusivity over inequality

As we mark Mental Health Awareness Month, the 2025 theme — ‘Community’ — reminds us that being part of a safe, inclusive, and empathetic community can be life-changing

The much-lauded flexibility of remote work is a privilege that’s not yet equally distributed

However, summer heat poses high upside risks to food prices in addition to elevated geopolitical risks and tariff war

The path to peace lies not just in diplomacy or deterrence but in historical honesty — we must unearth the truths buried under official silence