'Flying before a billion Indians gives immense pride to airmen'

Q&A


Wing Commander Abhijeet Nene and Flight Lt T K Rai of the Indian Air Force participated in the thrilling flypast during the latest Republic Day parade. While Wing Commander Nene led a powerful Jaguar aircraft formation, Flight Lt Rai flew with a helicopter formation showering flowers on those watching. Speaking with Team TOI, the officers explained the dynamics of the intricate exercise, the importance of coordination - and how it feels to fly over a billion proud Indians.

Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Over The Top

Is Norway the ultimate nanny state?

Over The Top

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya may now breathe a sigh of relief as the their children will be safely brought back to India, and in custody of their uncle. Much of the arguments that the Norwegian authorities presented were based on cultural differences in parenting as opposed to their claim of parental neglect. While it remains true that ill-treatment of children needs to be condemned, an accommodation of cultural differences is a necessity. 

Privacy Concerns

The power of internet multinationals is growing

Privacy Concerns

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

Google is making changes that facilitate collection of user-data. The user cannot even forestall the collection of their data. There are people who argue that it is an invasion of privacy. To add to this, "There are also questions of how comfortable India should be with the growing influence, power, and information in the hands of foreign companies like Facebook and Google."

It is imperative that a user has an option whether or not to let their personal data be utilised by private companies. 

A Trimmed Idea Of India

Liberals must stop accommodating fringe elements and take a stand on fundamentals

A Trimmed Idea Of India

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

When JLF opens itself to public, it invites the Indian liberals - not the "manicured handful of intellectuals discussing the Russian or Tamil Stalin at clubs and TV studios" - but "thousands of people from diverse classes and languages, spread over distant cities and towns - often obtaining books from fading libraries and railway carts, debating poets in the low-voltage light of old homes, opposing the unjust hierarchies of Indian life," says Srijana Mitra Das.

"As more Indians show intolerance to anyone who threatens violence, we will have more festivals where liberal and illiberal will use only their words to make points or refute them."

It is these Indians, and the growing numbers, that will challenge book bans, "and show the finger to anyone who threatens violence" in the future.  

Jekyll-and-Hyde India

A suspense drama featuring a rising superpower and a starving nation


Jekyll-and-Hyde India

-The Times of India, January 27, 2012

"Can a country have a split personality? Can a nation be a Dr Jekyll and a Mr Hyde, as in R L Stevenson's classic tale about the good and the evil that coexists within the individual?"

India is at one time Dr Jekyll and at another Mr Hyde, says Jug Suraiya. At one time, India boasts of its large and ever-increasing economy; military and nuclear capability; cultural power, and technical know-how that can humble most people in the world. On the other hand, it hosts millions of people that go hungry, and a large number of people being undernourished, notwithstanding the appalling state of living that children are faced with.

India is too quick to take offence, he says, whenever the truth of its split personality emerges.

A test for Rahul's magic wand

Rahul Gandhi has gone all out to campaign in favour of congress for this time's state election for Uthar Pradesh, so much so that he has not got much time to shave!

He has caught everyone's imagination already including the media though he has covered only one-third of the entire state...

But, will his charisma and sheer political presence be enough for congress to taste success in the elections this time around?

Nilofar Suhrawardy assesses the entire scenario...

A test for Rahul's magic wand

Who should judge the judges?

"The object of placing the power of judicial appointments in an independent body is to remove patronage from the system and ensure that judges are appointed only on the basis of their qualifications."

The process by which a judge is appointed to the High Court or the Supreme Court has been described as 'one of the best kept secrets in this country'. Choosing judges based on undisclosed criterion in largely unknown circumstances reflects an increasing democratic deficit. The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Who should judge the judges?

The rationale for the establishment of a commission must be that it will guarantee the independence from inappropriate politicisation, strengthen the quality of appointments, enhance the fairness of the selection process, promote diversity in the composition and therefore rebuild public confidence in the system.

International consensus seems to favour appointments to the higher judiciary through an independent commission.The outcome of the reforms would depend on the way in which the commission is set up and the model adopted. 

Voting: A right or a forced responsibility

Voting is every free Indian citizen's right. That is a fact for sure and there are elections held for the Mumbai Municipality on February, the 16th.

Priyanka Tendolkar, a political science student and a social worker explores if this voting right worth exercising at all...

Voting: A right or a forced responsibility

A contagious disease called dynasty politics

The sons and daughters of politically eminent people are taking the centre stage now after their elderly relatives have already stolen the show. It is happening in all the states and at all levels of politics and these "elderly and seasoned" politicians are lobbying for it.

"Dr. Ambedkar was seriously against dynasty politics and he categorically stated that the day dynasty politics sets roots in India, democracy will shrink" says Sudhir Suryawamshi in his article where he strongly opposes this phenomenon which he terms as a "contagious disease".

A contagious disease called dynasty

Freedom of Speech

On January the 26th 1950, 62 years from today, the first framework of the Indian constitution took it's shape.

One among the many fundamental rights that this largest constitution in the world gave is the right to freedom of speech.

How reasonable is this freedom of speech? Are the reasonable restrictions imposed on it in a later amendment enough? Or is it too much?

Harini Calamur debates on both sides of the coin.

(Un)reasonable curbs on free speech

Lionel Shriver questions defining women authors by their gender

Times View - Gender does matter in literature


Counter View - Writers should transcend gender

-The Times of India, January 26, 2012

Poised To Take Off

India must address its demographic issues to fulfill its enormous potential

Poised To Take Off

-The Times of India, January 26, 2012

P'chery on the cake

There's always someone you know whichever place you go

P'cherry on the cake

-The Times of India, January 26, 2012

Genius At Work

Could open-plan offices be on the way out?

Genius At Work

-The Times of India, January 26, 2012

When Hope Floats

India has momentum going, but cannot rest on its laurels


When Hope Floats

-The Times of India, January 26, 2012