By A Representative   A complaint alleging torture, degrading treatment and abuse of power by personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF), with alleged collusion of local police and medical officials, has been submitted to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in connection with an incident in the Indo–Bangladesh border area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The complaint has been filed by Kirity Roy, Secretary of Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) and National Convenor of the Programme Against Custodial Torture and Impunity (PACTI).

By Dhanapal Govindarajulu*  For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44°C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot. Its suburbs are home to 600 Hindu temples and there’s a wildlife reserve called Guindy national park in the heart of the city. Trees line some of the streets but green parks are few and far between – as is the shade.

By Jag Jivan   A new study from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad suggests that television in India is far from fading away amid the digital boom, but is instead poised for significant growth, potentially reaching a staggering 1 billion viewers by 2029. Titled "Future of TV in India," the report by Professors Viswanath Pingali and Ankur Sinha challenges the notion of TV's decline, arguing that it is "quietly preparing for its next expansion" driven by rising internet penetration, economic improvements in rural and low-income areas, and demographic shifts.

​ By Harsh Thakor*  ​When chronicling cosmological history, few explorations are as path-breaking, soul-stirring, or intellectually stimulating as those of Alexander Alexandrovich Friedmann (1888–1925). He possessed a mind of almost transcendental vision, encompassing mathematics, meteorology, and physics. Friedmann pioneered the equations governing cosmic expansion, only to perish at the age of 37, a victim of misdiagnosed typhoid fever.

By A Representative   Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) has criticised the Union Budget 2026, stating that it overlooks core public health needs while prioritising the pharmaceutical industry, private healthcare, medical tourism, public-private partnerships, and exports related to AYUSH systems. In a press note issued from New Delhi, the public health network said that primary healthcare services and public health infrastructure continue to remain underfunded despite repeated policy assurances.

By A Representative   A workers’ collective has criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 for what it described as a lack of transparency and inadequate funding related to the proposed VB-GRAMG scheme and the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a statement issued on Saturday, the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha said the Budget speech and accompanying documents made no reference to either MGNREGA or VB-GRAMG, creating uncertainty for state governments, frontline officials and rural workers about the future of employment guarantees.

By A Representative   The statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at the Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust in Rowville has been reported missing for the past several days, South Asia Times reports from Melbourne.

By A Representative   On the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi, January 30, 2026, rural workers, MGNREGA labourers and Gram Sabha representatives across several states organised protests and collective actions opposing the VB-GRAM G Act and demanding the restoration and strengthening of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

By Sunil Kyumar*  “Republic Day is a powerful symbol of our freedom, Constitution, and democratic values. This festival gives us renewed energy and inspiration to move forward together with the resolve of nation-building”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 26, 2026. On this occasion, the Prime Minister also shared a Sanskrit subhashita— “Paratantryābhibhūtasya deśasyābhyudayaḥ kutaḥ. Ataḥ svātantryamāptavyaṁ aikyaṁ svātantryasādhanam.”