Counterview

By Himadri Priya*  The dispute over Lipulekh Pass is no longer merely a cartographic disagreement between India and Nepal. It has evolved into a revealing test of political sincerity, diplomatic consistency, and regional trust. From an Indian perspective, Nepal's increasingly aggressive claims over the strategically important pass appear less rooted in historical legitimacy and more driven by opportunistic nationalism and geopolitical balancing.

By Vikas  Meshram*  In the Petlawad tehsil of Jhabua district , Madhya Pradesh , nestled within the Moicharani Panchayat, lies a small tribal village called Borpada — perhaps no more than a dot on any government map, yet its life is no less complex than the turmoil of a big city. The only difference is that the hardships of a city make newspaper headlines, while the hardships of a village are silently endured.

By Ravi Ranjan*  In an age when much contemporary poetry chases fashionable idioms and performative outrage, Keshav Tiwari offers something rarer: a voice rooted in the soil of rural India, yet reaching toward universal human truths. His collection Nadi ka marsiya to pani hi gayega (Only the Water Will Sing the River's Elegy) stands as a quiet but profound intervention in Hindi literature —one where personal suffering intertwines with collective memory, and environmental decay merges with human resilience.

By Harsh Thakor*   This is my selection, in order of merit, of the greatest opening batsmen ever. I have tried to strike a balance between Test and first-class statistics, as well as technical correctness and attacking skill. I have prioritised Test and first-class cricket over ODI cricket .

By Rajiv Shah  A new World Bank flagship report reveals that human capital accumulation in India is being critically undermined by severe deficits in child health, home-based care, and educational quality, with stark disparities linked to gender, birth order, and environmental pollution . The report, Building Human Capital Where It Matters: Homes, Neighborhoods, and Workplaces , argues that without urgent policy action targeting the home, neighborhood, and workplace, India risks perpetuating a cycle of low productivity and stagnating economic growth.

By Rajkumar Sinha*  Tamil Nadu’s contemporary politics has witnessed a historic shift. Breaking the decades-long dominance of the two major Dravidian parties — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, emerged as the single largest force by winning 107 seats in the 234-member Assembly. Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi had initially declined Vijay’s claim to form the government, despite the TVK founder meeting the Governor twice and requesting an invitation to establish the administration. A petition was also filed in the Supreme Court challenging the delay in inviting Vijay to form the government. In a parliamentary democracy governed by the Constitution, whether a party or coalition commands a majority can ultimately be tested only on the floor of the House.