The history of the English word, ‘text’, is intricately woven together with the history of the word, ‘textile’. They both originate in early Latin, with ‘text’ mean...

The ascendancy of majoritarianism in several parts of the world calls into question the historical significance of India’s experiment with pluralism. This broad popularity of majoritarian partie...

A significant contributor to India’s multicultural fabric is the multiplicity of languages spoken by its people. The Constitution of India accords official status to 22 languages. Thousands of o...

The late scientist, C.V. Seshadri, and I spent hours discussing the idea of alternatives in dhabas and cafes around his laboratory in Chennai. Professor Seshadri, infinitely curious about in...

Some feel strongly that schools are meant for educating and not preaching. In the United States of America and the United Kingdom, no religion can be taught in a State school, nor can assembly be of a...

In 2008, the political scientist, Steven Wilkinson, published an essay titled “Muslims in Post-Independence India”. This was its conclusion: “The good news for India, and for India’s 130 milli...

Chatting with a friend, I was suddenly shaken. My friend said something positive. Referring to the first of the two most recent open letters to the prime minister, she mentioned one of the best-known ...

India’s score has shown the biggest decline among the world’s 25 largest democracies in the new report from Freedom House, the oldest American organisation devoted to the support and defence of de...

National honour should, under ideal circumstances, be bestowed upon distinguished citizens on the basis of the unanimity of choice. However, when it comes to the Bharat Ratna — the nation’s highes...

Doggedness can be admirable. But persistence can also cut both ways. Having ruffled feathers with his views on Hindi being a unifier in a nation that is known for its richness and diversity in languag...