g20 Courtesy: G20 Taskforce, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
25 February 2014

RBI and G20: Time to recalibrate?

After 2008 the G20 framed guidelines for emerging economies to coordinate their financial actions with the developed world. But the US’s backtracking created havoc in many countries. Now, after the recent G20 meeting, it may be time for the RBI to reconsider some financial measures, which India took in good faith

Reasserting the Ramayana
20 February 2014

Reasserting the Ramayana

The Ramayana is multiple narratives, recreated over time, as the story has passed from teller to listener and from place to place. There is no singular text. With the recent decision to withdraw Wendy Doniger’s book, it is time to once again ask: what is the Ramayana? How can it inspire us to counter intolerance?

davos Courtesy: remy steinegger / Flickr
6 February 2014

The new inequality debate

German President Joachim Gauck’s visit to India this week is a reminder of how Germany is addressing inequality, with better wages, benefits for the poorest, and other measures. When the gap between the rich and poor is growing globally, it is time for India’s prime ministerial aspirants to also focus on this issue

Dialogue on Trusteeship: futuristic ideal
6 February 2014

Dialogue on Trusteeship: futuristic ideal

Gateway House and Sabarmati Ashram hosted a dialogue on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. The topic of the dialogue was Trusteeship, a Gandhian ideal and how it needs to be looked at as a basis for addressing problems related to environmental distress and income disparities

kejriwal-1 Courtesy: vm2827 / Flickr
28 January 2014

Decoding anarchism and swaraj

By calling himself an anarchist, Arvind Kejriwal has started a debate among supporters who equate anarchy with a potential breakdown of law and order. But anarchist philosophers believe that the basis of society is self-governing individuals and not a dominating ruler – an idea similar to Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘swaraj’

ddglobal2 Courtesy: Prasar Bharati
24 January 2014

Taking Doordarshan global

News channels like China’s CCTV, Russia Today and Al-Jazeera have become definitive voices for their nations and for international views. It is the right time for Doordarshan, a late entrant to electronic media-driven influence, to showcase India’s growing global ties and the success of its democracy to the world

hasinamanmohan Courtesy: The Prime Minister's Office/Flickr
16 January 2014

Bangladesh elections: was India right?

The return of the Awami League to power has generated protests and violence in Bangladesh. India’s support to the January 5 election was aimed at keeping at bay anti-India forces in Bangladesh, but anti-India sentiment in the country is high and fresh elections may throw up a result that does not suit New Delhi

aap Courtesy: DelhiiteRock/Wikimedia Commons
3 January 2014

Economic democracy: Waiting for mutation

The Aam Aadmi Party's endeavour to carve out an ideological space which is neither strictly Left nor Right is part of a greater global endeavour to frame a value-based political economy. But the attempt must be inclusive, bringing together people from all walks of life

Yameen Courtesy: Ministry of External Affairs, India
3 January 2014

The Maldives: small gains

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to India this week aims to repair ties, strained after the Maldives terminated a $500 million contract to the Bangalore-based infrastructure company, GMR. Yameen’s conciliatory stand stems from the need for international help, including India’s, to fix an economy in decline