By A Representative   In a significant intervention regarding India’s environmental future, a group of 79 distinguished former civil servants, organized under the Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), issued an open letter on December 28, 2025, expressing "deep anguish" over recent Supreme Court orders. The collective, which includes former Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, and former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, warned that the judiciary's recent stance risks dismantling essential ecological safeguards in favor of powerful vested interests.

By Bharat Dogra  On December 24, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued an order directing that no trees shall be felled anywhere in Punjab until the next date of hearing in connection with two public interest litigations (PILs) challenging large-scale tree felling in Mohali city, located in Punjab close to Chandigarh.

By Ravi Ranjan*  In the landscape of contemporary Hindi poetry, Swapnil Shrivastava’s presence must be understood not merely as that of an active poet but as a creative bridge between folk sensibility and modern consciousness. At a time when much of contemporary poetry has leaned heavily toward urban experiences, introspective complexities, and ideological abstractions, Shrivastava’s work re‑establishes the folk element as a living cultural structure. His creativity is driven by the conviction that folk elements cannot be artificially imposed on poetry nor turned into tools for ideological agendas; they are only possible to the extent that the poet’s own life is shaped by folk experience. 

By Harsh Thakor*  On December 21, a few days ago, we commemorated the centenary of one of the greatest films of the twentieth century— Sergei Eisenstein ’s Battleship Potemkin . A landmark of Russian cinema , The Battleship Potemkin was first shown in Moscow on December 24, 1925. Yet its enduring appeal and relevance are evident in the countless homages paid by filmmakers over the century that followed. Few films have so powerfully stirred the souls of audiences.

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  Christmas celebrations in India this year witnessed deliberate attempts to disrupt events by various affiliates of the Sangh Parivar , with little visible intervention by the police or civil administration. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi , attended a Christmas Mass at the historic cathedral in New Delhi , yet neither he nor his colleagues offered a single word of condemnation of the violence and intimidation reported from several parts of the country. When such incidents draw wider attention, the response is often predictable: raise the issue of “mass conversion” or publicly distance the government from the organisations involved.

By A Representative   Noted political theorist and public intellectual Professor Pratap Bhanu Mehta delivered a poignant reflection on the changing nature of the Indian state today, warning that the rise of a "civilizational state" poses a significant threat to the foundations of modern democracy and individual freedom. Delivering the Achyut Yagnik Memorial Lecture titled "The Idea of Civilization: Poison or Cure?" at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Mehta argued that India is currently witnessing a self-conscious political project that seeks to redefine the state not as a product of a modern constitution, but as an instrument of an ancient, authentic civilization.

By A Representative   The Indian History Forum organized a webinar titled “Rewriting the Past: Distortions and Ideological Interventions in NCERT History Textbooks” on 22 December 2025. The session featured historian Dr Ruchika Sharma, who critically examined recent changes in NCERT history textbooks and their implications for historical understanding and social cohesion among millions of students across the country.  

By Raqif Makhdoomi*  Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed many elections in its history, but the 2024 polls marked a turning point. Unlike earlier contests, these elections were not fought merely on promises of development. Parties across the spectrum pledged to restore Article 370, regain statehood, secure the release of political prisoners, and halt the termination of government employees. Voter participation was overwhelming, making the 2024 elections historic not only for Jammu and Kashmir but for the entire country.  

By Harasankar Adhikari   In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.