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A closed case—or a closed conscience?Why Gujarat 2002 violence still haunts India

By Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ*  It took place in 2002—a tragedy that will never be forgotten. The Gujarat Carnage remains one of the bloodiest chapters in post-Independence India. The burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express (from Faizabad to Ahmedabad), near the Godhra railway station in Gujarat, on 27 February 2002, which resulted in the deaths of 59 people, was strongly condemned. Several persons were convicted for the incident, though debate continues over what caused the fire, with some maintaining that it may have been accidental. Any death—particularly one so tragic—leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of loved ones. What followed this incident was violence on a scale that many observers described as beyond comprehension and wholly unjustifiable.
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Civil society under corporate siege in India, beyond: Ingrid Srinath sounds the alarm

By Jag Jivan*  In a candid conversation that blended personal memoir with sharp critique, veteran civil society leader Ingrid Srinath painted a sobering picture of a sector adrift—caught between corporate metrics, regulatory chokeholds, and a fading sense of purpose. Speaking on the latest episode of the YouTube series Unmute, hosted by Gagan Sethi and Minar Pimple, Srinath—former Secretary General of global watchdog CIVICUS and founder of the Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy (CSIP) at Ashoka University—urged civil society to reclaim its soul before it's too late. 
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New Delhi AI declaration faces questions on digital divide, surveillance, corporate control

By Raj Kumar Sinha*  After the advent of the computer and the internet, the world is now witnessing the rise of “Artificial Intelligence,” or AI. It is being claimed that almost every aspect of human activity can now be efficiently managed through AI. Even the uniquely human faculties of thinking and reasoning, we are told, can be replicated through intelligent systems. The recently held AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi was an effort to consolidate the global business and policy ecosystem around this new technological frontier. But what exactly emerged from that summit?
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Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel*  The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?
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Mamata's youth allowance scheme triggers questions on long-term economic planning

By Harasankar Adhikari   West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s flagship welfare schemes may appear to have gained considerable public acceptance, as there have been no significant protests against them across the state. Indeed, over the past decade, her government has introduced a range of direct benefit programmes targeting different sections of society. These initiatives have attracted widespread support in her favour.
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One year of NIA arrest: Groups call for immediate release of Raghu Midiyami

By A Representative   A human rights group's press statement on 27 February 2026 to mark one year since the arrest of Bastar-based Adivasi human rights defender Raghu Midiyami, has called for his immediate release and an end to what campaigners describe as the criminalization of peaceful Adivasi activism in Chhattisgarh.
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Zinaida Portnova: The teenage partisan of the Soviet resistance

By Harsh Thakor*  February 20 marked the birth centenary of Zinaida Portnova, one of the youngest recipients of the Soviet Union’s highest wartime honour. Remembered for her role in the anti-Nazi underground in occupied Belarus during the Second World War, Portnova became a symbol of youth participation in the Soviet resistance.
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Will Zubeen Garg’s death shape the 2026 Assam assembly elections?

By Nava Thakuria*  The mysterious death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg in Singapore on 19 September 2025 continues to cast a long shadow over the State’s political landscape. Despite appeals from political parties and admirers to keep his name out of partisan debates, the circumstances surrounding his demise appear set to influence campaign narratives in the forthcoming Assam Assembly elections, scheduled for March–April 2026 alongside polls in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
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The pasture lands of plenty: A development journey from Udaipur's villages

By Bharat Dogra   The Kherwara block in Udaipur district has emerged as a significant center for pasture regeneration initiatives. Jaan Mohammad has been closely involved in several important efforts in this area. Speaking about his experience of working on around 75 hectares of land in Valibol village, he recalls that in some areas, the regenerated greenery became so dense that it was difficult to walk through the trees.
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Written speech, spoken prose: Exploring Namvar Singh’s aesthetic

By Ravi Ranjan*  ​“It is only due to great merit accumulated from past lives that a poet occasionally finds such a knowledgeable critic who truly understands the labor involved in poetic composition—who carefully analyzes the methods of word arrangement, delights in unique aphorisms and insights, savours the dense nectar of poetic rasa, and uncovers the hidden purport of the work.” — Rājaśekhara, “Kāvyamīmāṃsā”
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