New Navy Ensign Triggers Debate On Tamil Naval Feats

While acknowledging Shivaji's naval contributions, questions are being raised about the inadequate acknowledgement of Chola sea-power in southern Tamil Nadu, which dates back by a few centuries,......

Tamil Nadu's Is Saivism Hinduism Debate

Stalin's personal intervention in the Adheenam row may have contained the avoidable political damage and social tensions at least for now, observes N Sathiya Moorthy. IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief......

Why Did Modi Lose His Nerve On Farm Laws?

Modi had clearly not come to terms with the limits to a prime minister's powers, any prime minister's powers however strong numbers he may have in Parliament, observes Virendra Kapoor. IMAGE:......

Will Farmers Defeat BJP?

Extended rounds of negotiations having failed, farm leaders now reckon that their best chance to pressure the government lay in defeating the BJP in the coming assembly poll, particularly in UP,......

E-commerce in India: To be or not to be

Ajit Balakrishnan offers a thinking man's guide to e-commerce controversies.Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com If you have been befuddled by news headlines which alternately feature the......

Designing a flag for an upcoming revolution

Ajit Balakrishnan envisions a flag to capture the spirit of the impending conflicts of the Information Age. IMAGES: The flag designed by Pingali Venkayya in 1921 to rally Indians around the......

Welcome to India's biggest junkyard mela

Images from the Bhanga Mela, India's only e-waste market.Text and photographs: Abhiroop Dey Sarkar For centuries Mandir bazaar, a nondescript locality about 80 kilometres south of Kolkata, has been......

'Yeh sarkar paisewalon ke liye theek hai'

As the Modi Express chugs along, with less steam and shine, Business Standard reporters travel across the country by train to listen to what people say about the Modi govt one year on. 'Promise......

Rare Appeal: Remembering Smita Patil

Smita Patil died 36 years ago today, December 13, leaving behind a rich haul of films that showcase her enormous ability to offer us a glimpse into her soul each time she performed a role. IMAGE:......

The Very Best Of Shabana Azmi

Filmmaker Sai Paranjpye shares an amusing anecdote of Shabana Azmi's perfection in her memoir, A Patchwork Quilt: A Collage of My Creative Life. While filming Sparsh, the actress wished to know if......

5 SHOCKING Films On Caste

As we celebrate Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's birthday on April 14, Subhash K Jha picks five fine films based on inequality and the caste system.   Sujata, 1959 IMAGE: Nutan and Sunil Dutt in......

'Shyam Singha Roy was special'

'The script of Shyam Singha Roy was so mainstream and yet so unique.''I could visualise what a spectacular experience it would be on the big screen, and I am glad it came true.' IMAGE: Nani in......