Within the Muslim community, such marriages often occur among extended families due to cultural acceptance of cousin marriages. With maternal aunts, uncles, and cousins living across the border, arranging these alliances is relatively easier. Hindu cross-border marriages, however, are far less common due to the dwindling Hindu population in Pakistan, driven by its theocratic state policies.
Once I asked him why Pakistan did not stop terrorism against India, the biggest roadblock in the peace process. He replied quite candidly that some in the Pakistani establishment believed that if the terrorism tap was closed, India would never talk about Kashmir. Then he said something which left me stunned, “You see, even if orders are given to close the tap, some amount of terrorism may continue..
In Bihar, too, like has happened in earlier elections in Maharashtra and Haryana for example, the winning side will have to contend with the allegations that they romped home with an umpire whose role remains hotly contested, placing the fairness of the entire electoral process under a cloud. The allegations are more than a case of sour grapes and have now become a growing part of recent election campaigns and results, putting Indian democracy at risk
An important pillar of CSR is the role of non-government organisations (NGOs) as partners in channeling funds to social sectors. While NGOs are committed to social development, their work is severely constrained without funding support. CSR funding strengthens the NGO ecosystem, while corporates gain a credible channel to fulfil their ethical and social commitments. Governments, in turn, benefit from effective partnerships with corporates and NGOs, enabling shared responsibility for social-sector goals.
In that, the failing health and education sectors in India are a symptom of a larger disease, of an imagined growth story and a fantasised giant economy that sees numbers but not the purpose, that has ignored those at the lower rungs of the ladder in the quest to shine in its fancy airports and bullet trains
However, execution will determine whether Modi’s second GST gamble succeeds. Missteps could mean fiscal slippage, strained centre–state relations and political blowback in a crucial election cycle. What is being promoted as a festive bonanza risks being remembered as another midnight reform whose lofty promise faltered in practice.
Clinging to the narrative of “strategic autonomy” while doubling down on a partner facing escalating global condemnation will not safeguard India’s sovereignty. Instead, it risks compromising India’s diplomatic standing and economic resilience.
The Amika assures non-adversarial ways to dispute resolution, informs clients that they save time, money, and, most importantly, the relationships, and ensures complete confidentiality of the material exchanged during mediation sessions.
The grassroots movements taking shape, like the one in Jaipur, tell us that the issues of the environment are increasingly resonating with ordinary people. Ordinary citizens, particularly the youth, are tending to stand up for the rights of nature, for their right to breathe clean air and live with nature around them, even in crowded urban landscapes.
The government in Colombo finds itself in a difficult position, refraining from disclosing its official stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—a well-established policy of the Sri Lankan government for years. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa vociferously campaigned for Palestinian statehood while discreetly seeking military support from Israel to crush LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka. The current Sri Lankan government maintains the same ambiguity.
India chose to draw the line on three things. Firstly, no liberal access to agriculture and dairy market in the country. This is especially for maize, corn, soyabean and dairy produced from cattle fed with animal protein. Secondly, no access for genetically modified crops or agriculture products. Thirdly no import of ethanol for fuel purposes.
If the government is indeed going in for F-35 squadrons to meet IAF’s interim requirements, it is without doubt a political decision to appease President Donald Trump who wants India to increase defence imports from the US and reduce/stop defence imports from Russia on the threat of additional penalties and sanctions under (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
India showed the world that: (a) it does not require anyone’s permission to defend its people, (b) terrorists and their masterminds cannot hide anywhere, and (c) if Pakistan retaliates, India is prepared for a decisive counterstrike.
The larger picture that emerges is of a failing administration that is rapidly sliding down a very slippery slope in the absence of robust internal and external scrutiny, blind support in the name of fighting terrorism while the real terrorists go scot-free and a refusal to accept and correct mistakes.
Despite various programs—green hydrogen, EVs, biofuels—India’s fossil fuel consumption and import dependency are still growing. The current strategies appear insufficient to reverse this trend. There is a critical need for out-of-the-box thinking
One has to bear in mind that the two pilots, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, 56, and First Officer Clive Kunder, 32, were very familiar with the aircraft. Captain Sabharwal had logged approximately 15,600 flight hours, including nearly 8,600 hours on the Boeing 787 and Kunder had around 3,400 flight hours, with over 1,100 hours on the 787. It is impossible to imagine that either of them was not fully knowledgeable that turning off and turning on fuel switches is a function that requires deliberate physical action.
While it is true that “socialist” and “secular” were inserted in the preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act during the Emergency, which remains a dark chapter in the history of free India, it is not true that the values go against the grain or the spirit of the constitution. These are effectively the only parts of the amendment that sit today 50 years down the line.
However, a point will come soon when he has to make a choice and that choice is not necessarily the BJP even in the unlikely event of him being offered the position of India’s foreign minister in place of Subramanyam Jaishankar. The choice is also not necessarily leaving the Congress Party even if it means being treated cavalierly. The problem with him is that his entire appeal comes from his seemingly defiant equidistance from both the main parties.
What stands out amidst this global indifference is the Dalai Lama’s unwavering grace. He harbours no ill will—not even towards China. In a world increasingly defined by conflict, coercion, and fractured diplomacy, the Dalai Lama remains an embodiment of moral strength and compassion, committed to the principles of non-violence and interfaith harmony.
