State Affairs

Born in 1891, Bhimrao faced an India choked by caste. As a Mahar, deemed untouchable, his childhood was a gauntlet of humiliation. At nine, traveling to Koregaon, he and his siblings, well-dressed and articulate, were mistaken for Brahmins by a stationmaster. When Bhimrao revealed their caste, the man recoiled, abandoning them. Bullock-cart drivers refused to carry “polluting” passengers, forcing the boys to drive themselves, paying double fare. That night, hunger gnawed as they slept in the cart, denied water because no one would touch them. “No peon, no water,” he later wrote, recalling school days when he couldn’t drink unless a touchable opened the tap.  He sat alone, on a separate gunny cloth, untouched by classmates or cleaners.Yet he defied the odds. The first untouchable to graduate from Bombay University, he earned scholarships to Columbia and London. Abroad, caste’s shadow lifted. “My five years in Europe and America wiped out any consciousness that I was an untouchable,”...

India’s journey as a spiritual and cultural lighthouse spans thousands of years, creating a rich, colorful picture  that still attracts  the world. But its story isn’t a simple one. The gradual decline  of Hinduism’s vibrancy and India’s spiritual essence didn’t happen suddenly it’s the product of centuries of twists and turns. To understand this, we need to explore India’s deep philosophical foundations, the disruptions that brought changes to its core, and how rediscovering its roots could spark a revival, positioning India as a global beacon of wisdom once again. Long ago, India or Bharat, as it was known  the land of  Saptsindhu . Stories like the Mahabharata and Ramayana weren’t just legends; they shaped how people saw the world, offering lessons on living with purpose. Ideas like dharma (responsibility), karma (choices), and moksha (freedom) were practical guides, not abstract notions and deeply ingrained in the minds of commoners and were followed strictl...

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is facing an unprecedented crisis—one that directly threatens its ability to defend the country against growing threats from China and Pakistan. In a revealing interview  defense analyst Shashank Singh—a consultant at Caravan magazine and lecturer at Yale University—laid bare the depth of the challenge. Drawing from his in-depth investigative piece, Singh warned: “The crisis is very, very serious.” At the core of the problem lies the IAF’s shrinking squadron strength. While the sanctioned requirement stands at 42 squadrons, the Air Force currently operates only 31—a 26% shortfall. Alarmingly, defense expert Ashley Tellis had suggested as early as 2016 that India would require 60 squadrons to handle a simultaneous threat from both China and Pakistan. Rather than improving, the situation has worsened. Two of the current squadrons are still flying MiG-21s—aircraft so outdated, Singh noted, they exist merely to “make up the numbers.” The Jaguar fleet, too, is...

"The real distinction is between those who adapt their purposes to reality and those who seek to mold reality in the light of their purposes.":Henry Kissinger  In the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in the Jammu region, particularly the tragic loss of our brave personnel in Kathua, it has become imperative for those at the helm of security and administrative decision-making—especially within the police force—to rethink their approach. The evolving nature of terrorism in the region demands not only a tactical shift but also a deeper strategic reorientation. We can no longer afford to respond to these threats with outdated doctrines or fragmented coordination. The Enemy’s Strategy: Drawing Us Into Tactical Missteps The adversary is not operating randomly; they are using calculated strategies to provoke reactions that lead us into disadvantageous terrain, both literally and operationally. The recent attacks reveal a pattern—luring our forces into unfamiliar, unforgiving jun...