Opinion

Wet markets as pandemic’s epicentre

18 Feb 2021 09:41 AM IST

Wet markets endanger not just exotic animal species and biodiversity, but also the human race at large—as has been proved by the Covid-19 pandemic, which originated in a Wuhan wet market and became one of the gravest disasters the world has seen. Yet, despite its many hazards, why can’t we

CAN SASIKALA TURN THE TAMIL NADU ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS?

17 Feb 2021 03:57 AM IST

Of all the elections slated for the next round of Assembly polls, the ones in Tamil Nadu seem to be the easiest to predict. With the AIADMK still reeling after J. Jayalalithaa’s demise, it does seem as if the DMK has the upper hand, with or without its ally—the Congress.

Why film stars no longer twinkle in Tamil politics

17 Feb 2021 03:56 AM IST

From failing to win a decent vote share in their own constituencies to falling short of the political acumen required to replace stalwarts, movie stars in Tamil Nadu are no longer a significant force in state politics—as is evident in Kamal Haasan drawing a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha

Why bright students don’t find judicial service attractive

16 Feb 2021 03:48 AM IST

Winners of the Battles of Plassey (1757) and Buxar (1764) had to establish a system to man the acquisitions from those battles. Like any other zamindar, the responsibility to administer justice and maintain law and order in their zamindaris fell on alien shoulders. However, in 1615, Mughal Emperor Jehangir issued

Adapted vehicles are the future for an aging population

16 Feb 2021 03:43 AM IST

India is aging faster than expected. In fact, some states will start transitioning to an aging society as early as 2030. By 2041, senior citizens will represent 16% of the country’s population. India needs to prepare for this eventuality to ensure that citizens live a secure, dignified and active life

World must stop ignoring Chinese role in Uyghur genocide

16 Feb 2021 03:41 AM IST

Political analysts believe that the situation in Xinjiang is gruesome and the response from the global community is sneaky. Countries around the world don’t want to affect their ties with economically durable China.

PRICE OF PEACE ALONG LAC WILL BE ETERNAL VIGILANCE

16 Feb 2021 03:38 AM IST

It is welcome that with the disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops in the Pangong Tso area along the Line of Actual Control, there has been a scaling down of tensions between India and China in that particular area. However, China cannot be trusted, and hence the vigil along the

Diagnosing Rahul Gandhi’s political frustrations

16 Feb 2021 03:36 AM IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour in Parliament and his open disregard and disrespect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrate his frustration with a person who has climbed the ladder of power due to his hard work and wisdom. He must read Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India to understand his

Finding a ray of hope in Covid-19 pandemic

15 Feb 2021 03:24 AM IST

In March last year, as I had been studying hard for the Spanish exam which was the next day, my parents received an SMS: “This is to inform you that the Third Language exam stands cancelled.” That was that. I cannot even describe how happy I was. I had dreaded

PREGNANCY LOSS IS A HARSH AND PAINFUL EXPERIENCE

15 Feb 2021 03:21 AM IST

Planned or unplanned, the birth of a child is a significant event in a couple’s life. Even when one seeks to terminate a pregnancy (for whatever reason), either you find yourself struggling to make that decision or stopping yourself from thinking too much. Yet when the loss happens unexpectedly and

Andhra govt must respect the system of checks and balances

15 Feb 2021 03:20 AM IST

The Constitution has put in place a system of checks and balances to curb any abuse of power and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. While the Centre has maintained this balance by agreeing with the Supreme Court’s directions on the three farm laws, the Andhra government has openly

NEED TO PROMOTE TRANS-DISCIPLINARY CULTURE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION

15 Feb 2021 03:18 AM IST

In the post-Covid world, one area that is undergoing tremendous change is in the field of education. It has bought out many reforms in the content delivery and in the mode of examinations that were earlier not admissible for the academic community. Can we think of conducting a PhD viva