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Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan*  In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.
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'Kaziranga at risk': Ex-officials oppose diverting forest guards for Assam polls

By A Representative   A group of 40 retired officials from the All India and Central Services has written to the Chief Secretary of Assam demanding the withdrawal of an order that deploys the Assam Forest Protection Force (AFPF) for election duty. The letter, dated March 31, 2026, warns that diverting nearly 1,600 forest guards from their primary responsibility of safeguarding Assam’s wildlife would violate both Election Commission of India guidelines and a 2024 Supreme Court directive.  

Will cultural icon Zubeen Garg’s death remain an issue amid Assam poll season?

By Nava Thakuria*  As Assam prepares for the legislative assembly election scheduled for 9 April 2026, the family and supporters of cultural icon Zubeen Garg have appealed to political parties not to invoke his name in electoral discourse. The singer died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 during a yacht outing. His death, and subsequent investigations, have since figured in political exchanges in the state.

Fishermen forced to migrate as Bargi Reservoir fish output falls from 432 to just 28 tonnes

By A Representative   Hundreds of fishermen from villages along the Bargi Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh have been forced to migrate to other water bodies in search of livelihood as fish production in the reservoir continues to decline sharply.

Vandana Shiva’s new book positions community and sustainability at core of climate action

By A Representative   The book Slow Living: What You Can Do About Climate Change by Vandana Shiva and Shreya Jani was formally launched on March 26 at the India International Centre , bringing together environmental thinkers, readers and practitioners for a discussion on sustainable lifestyles and climate action .

Rivers and cities: Examining the social costs of waterfront development in Asia

By Alejandra Amor, Mansee Bal Bhargava  " Rivers, Cities and People " emerges from over two decades of collaborative work between the editors and their sustained engagement with Asian cities. Maartje van Eerd , a senior expert in housing, gender, and social development at IHS, Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University, has been conducting research in Chennai since 1998, focusing on governance and livelihood aspects of resettlement. Banashree Banerjee, a senior architect and urban planner with over four decades of experience, has long worked on inclusive approaches in urban planning and management, particularly concerning marginalised communities. Both have collaborated extensively in research and education. The impetus for the book crystallised after the 2015 Chennai floods , which triggered large-scale resettlement of slum dwellers from riverbanks to peripheral areas. This was recognised as part of a broader pattern across Asian river cities....

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative   In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan*   A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Housing sales fall below 1 lakh after 18 quarters, down 13% YoY in Q1 2026

By A Representative   India’s residential real estate market witnessed a continued slowdown in the first quarter of 2026, with housing sales across the top nine cities falling below the one lakh unit mark for the first time in over four years, according to data released by P.E. Analytics Ltd (PropEquity).

Rights group files complaint over electoral roll purges in North 24 Parganas

By A Representative   A formal complaint has been lodged with the Election Commission of India over what rights activists describe as arbitrary and unconstitutional deletions of bona fide citizens from the electoral roll in Swarupnagar, North 24 Parganas. In a letter dated March 29, 2026, Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) and National Convenor of the Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI), detailed cases where genuine Indian citizens were allegedly stripped of their voting rights without due process.