Gandhi, 1918  flu pandemic and COVID19

Gandhi, 1918 flu pandemic and COVID19

In sheer statistical terms, the 1918 flu pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic are not comparable.

Faith and judiciary: A case from Pakistan

The mosque was small and was never used as a place of worship. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh took control of the entire Punjab, the Sikhs took over the mosque, placed the Guru Granth Sahib inside it and converted it into a gurudwara. 

Geetanjali Shree first Indian to win International Booker Prize: Will it open doors for translations of great literature in all Indian languages?

Shree winning the International Booker Prize may be a cause for celebration in India and among the world of Hindi publishers. However, as Sanjaya Kumar Singh, a well-known Hindi journalist, writer and editor, said on Facebook, “Indian publishers have contributed nothing to Geetanjali Shree winning the Booker. She won despite them and not because of them.” 

A search for Guru Nanak in Pakistan

Amid Hindu-Muslim antagonism that existed even then, Nanak wanted to show that there is a direct path to God, one that doesn’t travel through temples and shrines. 

More on Books

Islam is more than ritualism; Quran teaches reasoning and logic, says new book

Islam is not confined to ritualistic prayers and appearances. A scientific study will unveil what is elaborated in the Quran and what is binding on all those who claim to be Muslims

A fascinating account of how eight prime ministers shaped India's foreign policy

India’s World: How Prime Ministers Shaped Foreign Policy is a fascinating historical and political narrative of how eight prime ministers of India have shaped our foreign policy

Is India missing the wood for the trees on China?

A homily uttered over a century ago - "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" by American philosopher George Santayana seems to ring true even today in the face of a prolonged stand-off with China on the northern borders

Indian Ocean: A new theatre of geopolitical rivalry?

Its an ocean as vast as the sub-continent whose name it bears, encompassing Asia to the north, Australia to the east and Africa to the west

Autobiography of a down-to-earth diplomat

A Ringside Seat to History: An Autobiography is published by Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd. Price Rs. 800.

India a Civilisational State 're-architecting the Republic'

India is a Civilisational State engaged in a "grand undertaking to re-architect" the Republic

R&AW spies suspected CIA role in Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's murder, says new book

The book, "RAW: A History of India's Covert Operations," has been released recently by Westland Publications

ISI afflicted by same bungling and corruption as rest of Pakistan, says new book

The book called, "The Nine Lives of Pakistan", has been authored by Declan Walsh, the Cairo bureau chief of the New York Times

Bangladesh at 50: Development and Challenges

Bangladesh at 50: Development and Challenges. Edited by S Narayan and Sreeradha Datta. Publisher: Orient Black Swan. Pages 263.

Can India and China co-exist?

One mountain Two Tigers - India, China and the High Himalayas is edited by Shakti Sinha and is published by Pentagon Press. Pages: 201. Price: Rs. 795

India’s security and foreign policymaking has become more assertive, muscular

India’s Strategic and Security Concerns by Cmde C Uday Bhaskar. Published by Centre for Policy Studies; Reem Wisdom, New Delhi; 2020;  Pages 179;  Rs. 795

Regional cooperation needed in South Asia to face the pandemic

Unlike many other regions, South Asia is densely populated with one of the highest poverty levels in the world

Unraveling the working of India’s most powerful office

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has often evoked a sense of intrigue and awe among many in India. Considered as one of the most powerful offices in the country, it has been associated with unbridled power by those who view it from the outside

From Oberoi to Oyo: A compelling account of India's burgeoning hospitality industry

'From Oberoi to Oyo' by Penguin is a comprehensive account of the growth of the Indian hospitality industry. The author, Chitra Narayanan, who has been covering the Indian hospitality and tourism sector over the years for business media, makes it a refreshing and unputdownable read by packing in the incisive account of an industry watcher as well as sharing a series of personal experiences

'Democratic process should not be short-circuited in Kashmir'

India had committed an unpardonable sin by rigging elections in Jammu and Kashmir in 1987 and, thereby, inviting disaster, G. Parthasarathy,  former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, said in New Delhi