There was a time when paneer was the one thing Indians could trust without conducting a forensic investigation. You ordered shahi paneer, you got paneer. You bought a packet from the neighbourhood shop, you assumed it had something to do with milk. You saw a white cube floating confidently in gravy and accepted its identity without asking for its Aadhaar…

One World, One Humanity, One Very Long Conversation NEW YORK — Mohan Bhagwat has taken the idea of religious unity to New York, where he delivered a message that sounds simple enough to fit on a motivational poster: religions may be different, but humanity is one. Speaking at the “One World, One Humanity” faith leaders’ conference, the RSS chief spoke…

When Politics Started Smelling Like Vanilla American celebrity politics has officially entered its fragrance era. The latest episode features billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, pop star Billie Eilish and Grok, an artificial-intelligence chatbot apparently being asked to perform the digital equivalent of opening a bottle of perfume and throwing it across a room. According to reports, Musk reacted to Eilish promoting…

When a Road Decides to Go Underground Dahanu, Maharashtra: In what could be described as an ambitious experiment in vertical infrastructure, a newly constructed road in Palghar’s Dahanu has reportedly developed a crater more than 10 feet deep just three months after completion. The road, constructed at a reported cost of ₹18 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, was…

Introduction: Welcome to the World’s Most Expensive Haircut There are haircuts, there are extreme haircuts, and then there is the kind of haircut that makes a barber quietly put down his scissors and ask, “Sir, are you sure this is legal?” In a development that has given the word “settlement” an entirely new sense of humour, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)…

Introduction Indian cinema has given audiences many reasons to wait patiently: delayed releases, postponed trailers, mysterious announcements and sequels that arrive after an entire generation has grown up. But Nivin Pauly may have discovered the ultimate form of cinematic waiting — maintaining the same beard because a film shoot keeps getting postponed. According to reports, Pauly has grown increasingly frustrated…

There are many ways for a country to demonstrate its strength. Some countries showcase their technology, some display their economic achievements, and others prefer military parades, dramatic speeches and television debates featuring enough red graphics to make the television itself look nervous. But Maulana Fazlur Rehman appears to have introduced a rather inconvenient idea into Pakistan’s national conversation: perhaps economic…

Intro: From Judicial Custody to “Medical Hospitality” There are many ways to spend time while awaiting trial. Some people read books. Some contemplate their life choices. Some stare at a prison wall and wonder where everything went wrong. And then, apparently, there is the premium Karnataka package: skip the jail cell, check into a hospital room, and discover that the judiciary…

Introduction India apparently tried to put a little traffic signal on its food packets. Red for high sugar, salt or fat. Green for the relatively healthier stuff. A simple idea, perhaps so simple that it immediately wandered into the complicated world of corporate lobbying, regulatory hesitation, international double standards and the ancient Indian tradition of discovering that the smallest packet…

Introduction Bollywood has once again demonstrated that real life can produce more twists than a three-hour masala movie. The latest chapter in the much-discussed relationship between Govinda and Sunita Ahuja has brought together marriage, divorce, alleged wedding plans, a comeback film, property discussions and, naturally, Rakhi Sawant with a phone in her hand. According to a report by Live Hindustan,…