It has been 50 years since India fought that disastrous war with China in 1962. Prof Avinash Kolhe traces the anatomy of that war and makes out a case why India should be wary of the China-Pakistan axis although India are no longer the pushovers they were then. It is rather surprising that the golden jubilee of India-China war in 1962 went almost unnoticed. Fifty years ago, on 20 October 1962, the Chinese army made inroads into the Indian territory, blowing to smithereens Pandit Nehru’s Panchasheel. The Chinese betrayal shocked India. The one-sided war lasted for exactly a month until…
Author: shubhangi
Elaben Bhatt was a lawyer, trade unionist, social reformer, writer and quintessential feminist. Lina Mathias writes about her hugely impactful life and work. Elaben Bhatt (1933-2022), the founder of the iconic Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) was among those public figures that are unassuming but forthright, modest but with a phenomenal impact, swim against the current without stoking needless controversies and leave behind an enviable legacy. Elaben died on November 2, 2022 at age 89 in Ahmedabad. Elaben held a degree in English Literature having got it in 1952 from the Maganlal Thakordas Balmukunddas Arts College, Surat. She was awarded a…
Shoma A. Chatterji takes a long, hard look at two films made on the social evil that was legally abolished in December 1929. She provides a comparative study of the films set in the old backdrop and made in the 1980s by Aparna Sen and Gautam Ghose with differing perspectives. Sati, also spelt as Suttee, was a practice among Hindu communities especially within undivided Bengal where a widowed woman, either voluntarily or by force, immolated herself on her deceased husband’s pyre. But since girls were married very young to much older men, the question of “voluntary” does not arrive at…
“My only one dream now is to give Shivaji his due exalted status in world history.” Dr. Hemant Raje Gaikwad Multi faceted Dr. Hemant Raje Gaikwad (71) has achieved almost all that he has ever dreamed of – his own nursing home, paramedical institute, rural hospital, a BSA Golden Flash bike, writing books and owning two Dobermans. He has also worked as a home guard commandant as he wanted to serve the nation. An ardent Shivaji Maharaj devotee, his only dream now is to give the Maratha warrior his true exalted status in the word history. In a free-wheeling chat…
The brave son of Ladakh Valley Major Kushal Chand, born to Thakur Mangal Chand, former Wazir (minster) of princely Lahaul state was born on 26 September 1919 at Gemoor Khar. His uncle Rai Bahadur Thakur Amar Chand fought the Turks and Germans in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) during World War 1. Kushal Chand was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of the Dogra Infantry Regiment on 15 September 1941. It was the same battalion, where his older cousin Thakur Prithi Chand served and was his three-year senior. Immediately after 15 August 1947, most princely states exercised their right to accede to the…
Icon of theatre and Natya Sangeet Ramdas Shantaram Kamat was a veteran singer actor and Indian musician, who worked in Marathi Sangeet and theatre. Born in then Portuguese Goa, in Mapusa, the trinity of integrity, honesty and beauty in his voice earned him a place in the public mind. Ramdas, a B.A with Honours in Economics had a simple, straightforward nature and was very disciplined, punctual and friendly. He was strict about his exercise, walking and riyaz which he passed on to his disciples. Ramdas excelled in all forms of music, be it light music, film or folk music and left an…
For all those who believe that Goa is all about beaches, churches and gala parties, there is a lesser-known dimension to it. Ruchi Verma brings out the state’s rich Hindu heritage and culture and lists many ancient temples that dot its breath-taking landscape. Most temples are exquisite and date back to the Kadamba period in the 12th century with fascinating stories behind them. Saptakoteshwar Temple India’s smallest state Goa is famous for its breathtaking beaches, spectacular churches and the ‘happening’ party scene. What most are unaware of, however, is the region’s rich Hindu culture that can be seen through the…
Lady who broke the glass ceiling Sumati Morarjee, was known as the first lady of Indian shipping. She helped establish a model for modern shipping companies offering the world not only business values, but propagating Indian culture and heritage. Well-versed in history and philosophy, she was also a discerning art collector. Born into the affluent family of Mathuradas Goculdas, the only daughter among seven children, at birth, Sumati was named Jamuna, after the sacred river. At 13, she was married to Shanti Kumar, the only son of Narottam Morarjee, eminent industrialist and the founder of Scindia Steam Navigation Company, established in 1919. Since…
By imposing a legally-binding obligation on select categories of companies to undertake CSR projects to further social welfare, India has become the frontrunner of social responsibility. It is the only country that has a law in place that mandates and regulates CSR for ‘qualifying’ companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013, informs Manu Shrivastava. During the pandemic, big Indian companies diverted their CSR funds for COVID-19 relief activities In April 2014, following the amendment to the Companies Act, 2013, India became the first country in the world to make Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mandatory. The amendment requires companies with a…
Ruchi Verma explains how many business groups are investing in initiatives, as part of their CSR, to align their business and environmental activities. Optimal resource management, lowering carbon footprint, use of sustainable products and incorporating more renewable sources of energy for day-to-day living and working, etc., are prominent among them. Tata Steel reinforces its commitment to Sustainability on World Environment Day 2021 One of the biggest challenges of this century that has caught the attention of world leaders, activists and citizens the world over is the twin-pronged environmental protection that comprises climate change and environmental degradation. So much is the…