Nepal's greatest shortage is not simply money or infrastructure; it is leaders who can use them well. Without the right leadership, resources remain locked in inefficiency, corruption, and bureaucratic gridlock.
It has been formally recognised in the Report of the Advisory Committee on Women Pradhans, Transforming Women’s Representation and Role in Panchayati Raj Institutions: Efforts to Eliminate Proxy Participation, which recorded that elected women representatives are often “represented by their husbands or male relatives” and recommended the imposition of stringent and exemplary penalties to curb such practices.
When economic transformation outpaces institutional renewal anywhere in South Asia, the gap between aspiration and opportunity becomes fertile ground for frustration, alienation, and political discontent. The leaked papers in India were only the trigger
The youth eruption is a consequence of pent-up anger and frustration of the government's indifference to the repeated leaks of exam question papers for which millions of doctor, engineer, police and civil service aspirants prepare for years. Over 20 students have reportedly committed suicide after the NEET exam paper leak for which they had toiled for over a year
क्या अंग्रेज़ी ने क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं को दबाया? इतिहास इसके विपरीत संकेत देता है। शिक्षा के विस्तार ने क्षेत्रीय भाषाओं को भी मज़बूत किया। लोकमान्य तिलक ( केसरी, महारत्ता ) और गांधी ( नवजीवन ) ने क्रमशः मराठी और गुजराती में प्रभावशाली अख़बार शुरू किए। रवींद्रनाथ टैगोर (बंगाली) और मुंशी प्रेमचंद (हिंदी) जैसे साहित्यिक दिग्गज इसी दौर में फले-फूले।
Did English suppress regional languages? History suggests otherwise. The expansion of education strengthened regional languages as well. Lokmanya Tilak (Kesari, Maratha) and Gandhi (Navjivan) launched influential newspapers in Marathi and Gujarati respectively. Literary giants such as Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali} and Munshi Premchand (Hindi) flourished during this very period.
Within the Muslim community, such marriages often occur among extended families due to cultural acceptance of cousin marriages. With maternal aunts, uncles, and cousins living across the border, arranging these alliances is relatively easier. Hindu cross-border marriages, however, are far less common due to the dwindling Hindu population in Pakistan, driven by its theocratic state policies.
Once I asked him why Pakistan did not stop terrorism against India, the biggest roadblock in the peace process. He replied quite candidly that some in the Pakistani establishment believed that if the terrorism tap was closed, India would never talk about Kashmir. Then he said something which left me stunned, “You see, even if orders are given to close the tap, some amount of terrorism may continue..
In Bihar, too, like has happened in earlier elections in Maharashtra and Haryana for example, the winning side will have to contend with the allegations that they romped home with an umpire whose role remains hotly contested, placing the fairness of the entire electoral process under a cloud. The allegations are more than a case of sour grapes and have now become a growing part of recent election campaigns and results, putting Indian democracy at risk
An important pillar of CSR is the role of non-government organisations (NGOs) as partners in channeling funds to social sectors. While NGOs are committed to social development, their work is severely constrained without funding support. CSR funding strengthens the NGO ecosystem, while corporates gain a credible channel to fulfil their ethical and social commitments. Governments, in turn, benefit from effective partnerships with corporates and NGOs, enabling shared responsibility for social-sector goals.
The exercises project India’s capability and political will to safeguard its territorial integrity. The US seems to acknowledge this: on October 31, 2025, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh signed a 10-year Defence Framework, called a “cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence”.
What needs to be done is as follows. Firstly, restore the public-interest override and RTI balance must be returned. Privacy does matter, but corruption, abuse of State power, and public finance accountability matter more. Secondly, we must reinstate the proviso that information that cannot be denied to Parliament cannot be denied to any citizen. This principle is the heart of democratic equality.
COP30 can still be a watershed moment if political courage and a tech-savvy Gen Z influence outcomes. Brazil, as a major developing country hosting the summit, provides an opportunity to amplify the Global South’s voice — but only if top-down approaches of world leaders combine with the bottom-up energy of youth. The success of COP30 will be judged by a single, non-negotiable outcome - adoption of an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal.
Terrorists are developing new types of explosives experimenting with commercially available products like fertilizer and chemicals, coupling them with radioactive like material to increase destructive power. Al Qaeda has devised ways to conceal explosives inside the body that can avoid detection by sophisticated scanners, in addition to undetectable liquid explosives that can be soaked into clothing and ignited when dry.
Pakistan has resorted to covert drone cooperation with the US to punish Kabul and reassert leverage in Afghanistan but is facing resistance – paying for fencing and barricading the Durand Line, which Afghans don’t recognize since the line divides Pashtuns on both sides. To top this, Pakistan is pushing Afghans and their families back into Afghanistan in the harsh winters.
The system protects many, but scandals emerge at regular intervals, sending periodic shocks that reveal to us that corruption is endemic in the Indian system and thrives in the bureaucracy. The disease is complex, given that it comes in various forms and flavours and is fuelled by patronage politics. Bribery is but one part of a larger canvas of corrupt practices
The mutual respect and empathy developed between Russia and India over centuries are rooted in historical traditions. Neither pursued policies of exploiting other people’s resources. Both have believed in respecting civilizational diversity. This orientation continues today in the context of the BRICS countries of which Russia and India are foundational members.
Importantly, coal reserves are concentrated in economically disadvantaged states, where people rely directly on mining jobs and indirectly on linked activities. Thus, while the closure of coal-based assets is central to a long-term transition, it will be highly disruptive for both the sector and local communities if the transition is not implemented with inclusive stakeholder participation.
The most important thing to do in cities like Delhi is to plant more trees. There should be a major campaign to plant trees. Each One Plant One could be a good slogan for such a campaign. A green and healthy city normally has an average of > 35% area of city covered by trees and forest. Indian cities have < 10-15% tree cover. This single act of planting more trees in cities can reduce air pollution substantially
