Counterview

By A Representative   A group of scientists and academics under the banner of Scientists for People has submitted a detailed representation to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority alleging major scientific and environmental lapses in the appraisal of hyperscale data centre projects in Telangana, including projects linked to Amazon Data Services and CtrlS. The representation, dated May 8, 2026, was addressed to SEIAA Chairperson Dr. G. Sabita Reddy and raises concerns over environmental clearances granted to large-scale data centre facilities in Raviryal, Chandanvelly, Meerkhanpet, Peddavedu and Manchanpally. 

By Shankar Sharma*  India stands at an energy inflection point unlike any it has faced before. The accelerating demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure , data centres , air conditioning, and electric vehicles is generating powerful lobbying for a major expansion of nuclear power . Before we commit to that path, we owe ourselves — and every living thing dependent on this land — a clear-eyed reckoning with the full costs involved.

By A Representative   A student of Azim Premji University in Bengaluru has been handed a two-year suspension by the university administration, a decision that has sparked immediate protest from fellow students who are demanding its revocation. The suspension order, conveyed via email from the Registrar’s office today, cites four specific allegations against the student: “ Defiance of institutional processes and guidelines ,” “ Misrepresenting facts ,” “Violating the university code of conduct ,” and “Failure to follow university’s instructions for de-escalating a volatile situation during an extraordinary event on campus.” According to a press release issued by students of the university, this decision follows the recommendations of a Special Disciplinary Committee that was constituted to investigate events that took place on February 24, when ABVP members forcibly entered the campus and vandalised the university premises. Students have expressed deep concern over ...

By A Representative   Representatives of Catholic, Protestant, and independent Christian denominations formally launched the National Federation of Churches in India (NFCI) at a meeting held at St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences in Bengaluru, constituting what church leaders described as the first all-inclusive national body of Christian Churches in the country.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Russia commemorated Victory Day on May 9, 2026, marking the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Nazi Germany during the Second World War. The occasion remains deeply significant in Russia and several former Soviet republics, where the conflict is remembered as the “Great Patriotic War” of 1941–1945. The Soviet Union suffered immense human losses during the war, with an estimated 27 million people killed. Yet many in Russia believe that Western Europe and the United States often understate the scale of Soviet sacrifices and the decisive role played by Soviet forces in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

By Harsh Thakor*  On April 12, 1961, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin, a former foundry worker from the village of Klushino in the Soviet Union, became the first human to journey into space. His 108‑minute flight aboard Vostok 1 not only marked a milestone in science and technology but also carried profound social and political meaning. Across the former Soviet republics, April 12 is commemorated as Cosmonautics Day, and since 2011, the United Nations has recognised it as the International Day of Human Space Flight. This year marks the 65th anniversary of that achievement.