The problems of populism
7 February 2019

The problems of populism

This vivid portrait of socialist India, by giving primacy to the political background that determined Indira Gandhi’s responses, is different from the yearly ritualistic denunciations of her and the Emergency. It also has a story-teller’s flair, making it accessible to readers born well after 1975

half lion Courtesy: Penguin Books Limited
21 October 2016

Understanding P.V. Narasimha Rao

An earnestly, but objectively written, biography of the late prime minister gives credit where it has been denied: PVN was the principal architect of the economic reforms that put the country on a destiny-changing path of growth, while being up against a restless party, hostile Parliament, and an apathetic public.

great derangement Courtesy: Allen Lane
27 September 2016

The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable

An obsession with the narrow and the personal has prevented us from integrating climate change into the literature of our time. In his latest work, Amitav Ghosh forces us to confront the realities of ecological decay by examining how climate change is dealt with in fiction and in politics.

Indian shastra Courtesy: Aleph Book Company
23 July 2015

The shastri’s “Shastra”

In the last of a trilogy of books, Shashi Tharoor's volume of 100 articles poses numerous question and critiques of the one-year old Modi government, while also offering "Shastra" on a range of topics. However, in many cases his criticism are unfair and easily applicable to the previous Congress government

final FINAL COVER.indd Courtesy: Houghton Mifflin
8 July 2015

The fires from 1947 burn on

Nisid Hajari’s Midnight’s Furies provides an insight into the brutal chaos and bloody riots from which India and Pakistan emerged in 1947. It is crucial for present generations from the two countries to understand the past in order to better comprehend the present

Air pollution in China- Nicolò Lazzati (Flickr) Courtesy:
14 May 2015

Asia’s environmental emergency

The idea that Asia can follow the West’s ‘get dirty, get rich, get clean’ strategy grows more absurd with every year. Nor can Asian political leaders say the region can’t afford the cost of environmental progress. It is now clear that India and other countries cannot afford the skyrocketing cost of environmental degradation.

getting india bot Courtesy: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
21 August 2014

An action agenda for reform

'Getting India back on track: An Action Agenda for Reform' prescribes the revival of India’s economic growth as the number one priority for the new government