As the world, especially the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) alumni community, celebrates Sir Syed Day (October 17), I remember the poet Allama Iqbal’s Uqaab or eagle. His Shaheen or falcon. Eagle symbolises courage, strength, dignity, and self-respect. Though the literal meaning of Uqaab and Shaheen are different, Iqbal uses them interchangeably. For him, these birds…
Health is not just absence of disease. It is a positive state of well-being. Today no discussion about health can be limited to just the physical body but must include the mind as well. It is alarming that one person is taking his/her own life every 42 seconds. So many youths are either getting into…
Yesterday, my better half and I attended a theatrical performance of Hamare Ram at the old theatre of Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. It was a 2:30 PM show, and about three-fourths of the audience were senior citizens — well-dressed, well-heeled, and evidently from the upper socio-economic strata. The production itself was world-class: gripping,…
“Through polishing the mirror of the heart, the veil is removed, and lights appear to it from the purity of the dhikr,” said Moroccan Sufi master Hazrat Sayyid Mohd ibn al-Habib al-Idrisi al-Hasani (1876-1972). It is amazing that this one sentence seems to carry a stepwise guide on how to traverse the path to being a…
To many, Manila is the commercial and administrative heart of the Philippines — its skyscrapers host banks, BPOs, trade centres, corporate offices and an endless number of malls. But within the city lies Intramuros, the old walled city, a quiet enclave where Manila’s Spanish colonial legacy endures. Few cities wear their history as casually as the…
It has to head home. There’s no certainty US hostility against Indian talent will go away with Trump. India’s elite will have to demand & work towards building world-class universities here Avenues that once brought Indians to richer countries are shrinking as nations like the United States turn increasingly hostile to immigration. Is this a…
OpenAI’s new move raises some big questions OpenAI, the company that made ChatGPT, has announced something new — it plans to let adults use chatbots to talk about more grown-up topics, including romance and even erotica. That means the company will soon allow such content, but only for verified adults. Now, this is creating a…
Uttarakhand appears to be ignoring lessons from cities around the world as it considers the proposed 26-km, Rs 6,200-crore Rispana-Bindal Elevated Corridor (RBEC). Experts warn that the project, planned over Dehradun’s twin rivers, the Rispana and Bindal, could become one of the state’s most expensive, environmentally damaging, and unsustainable infrastructure projects. At an estimated cost…
A DNA-based census confirms that India is not doing right either by the creature or its own heritage That India is symbolically associated with the elephant (as US is with the eagle and China with the dragon) says something about its place in our civilisation and imagination. As the new Status of Elephants in India…
This year’s Paris Fashion Week 2025 was one of the most refreshing editions in years — a gorgeous blend of innovation, femininity, and fearless creativity. A flurry of debuts; new Creative Directors showed collections that seemed personal, deeply researched and meticulously crafted. The result was a celebration of craftsmanship, sustainability, and emotional storytelling that felt…
