There are four levels at which we can learn from the innovations whether in the formal or the informal sector: [a] artefactual, [b] analogic, [c] heuristic and [d] gestalt or configurational. [a] Artefactual: One learns from the material characteristics of the innovation, be it in terms of form, feature or function of a mechanical or an electronic technology. Or it cou
Something rather interesting occurred on Monday, April 15 — the new year as per Bengali calendar (though the only calendars I have ever seen printed in Bengali are those by sweet shops; the ones with glassy, touched-up illustrations of different gods and goddesses). In perhaps a first, Mamata Banerjee, the irrepressible chief minister of West Bengal, said something close to what sounds su
Let’s Call Him Vasu: With the Maoists in Chhattisgarh By Shubhranshu Choudhary Penguin, Rs 350 Two disclaimers would be required to foreground a review of this racy read. First, absolute objectivity is a misnomer. Journalism, like any other cultural craft, is a form of fiction that merely hinges on facts. Stories are built block by b
Pushed on the back foot after “strong political reactions” from New Delhi, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh restored 24x7 power supply to Rae Bareli and Amethi, parliamentary constituencies of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, on Friday. With the onset of summer, Uttar Pradesh reels under a severe power crisis, with peak demand for elect
Last month, a Delhi court framed charges against Irom Sharmila Chanu, the ‘iron lady’ of Manipur, for allegedly attempting to commit suicide with her ‘fast unto death’ during a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in June 2006. It was all cut-and-dry, except that Chanu has been ‘fasting’ for nearly 12 years now, demanding revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Speci
How long does it take for the government to make a stretch of road traffic-free? Decades, even longer, or maybe never? An entire generation of children coming to the Connaught Place has now grown into adults hearing of the inner circle being made free of traffic. And the talk is on among their children now. Lakhs of Delhi families who love to frequent their favourite evening hangout wou
During the Think India Dialogue organised by Network 18 on Monday, Narendra Modi made a revolutionary suggestion: bifurcate the functions of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) into two, with one dealing in diplomacy and the other in trade. In the 21st century global politics, economic diplomacy has a key role to play. Take for example Indo-China ties, in which economic issue
If I have to give you a medical advice with regard to your eyes, this is the one: Regularly visit an ophthalmologist who regularly visits a dentist. No, seriously. Vision-screening involves a procedure wherein the oculist has to peer into your eye in a position, which, outside of a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation situation, can be deemed a bit kinky. Basically when he is looking dee
“My comments on Saturday were not directed towards drought-affected people and I had no intentions to hurt anybody`s sentiments... I hope my comments will not affect drought relief measures which will continue vigorously... Also, it was never my intention to hurt anybody`s sentiments... It is true that I should have spoken responsibly. I apologise to all." That&
With the Supreme Court order to the union government to evict former Bihar governor and former chief of the national commission for scheduled castes, Buta Singh, from the Teen Murti Marg house he has been occupying illegally since 2010, the lid is off the muck of illegal occupation of Lutyens’ Delhi houses by has-beens. The SC came down heavily on the union government for cherry-pick
On April 4, the supreme court sounded a red alert on the widespread misuse of red beacons by the VIPs. It came down heavily on traffic rule violation and directed the centre and state governments to introduce harsher punishment by introducing provisions for impounding vehicles and increasing the amount of fine to Rs 10,000. The bench also asked the governments to drastically restrict th
I am fiercely protective of my name, and would not change it for the world. (Thanks to a bullying ex-husband, I’ve been there, done that, got the passport, thank you very much.) Nothing but ‘Tara* Kaushal’ feels like my name — not then, and even not now — in a very happy second marriage. Besides, I have a strong feminist agenda, and a whole score of
The state has its agenda against dissent. It epitomises this with its right to use legitimate violence to quash dissent. However, in the small window of administrative requirements and the need for an organic society lies protest. Before we become a pack of similar individuals, we need protest. We need to communicate our displeasure. For a society to grow and flourish, it needs to not agree wit
So, how will the youth of Tamil Nadu spend the unexpected holiday gifted to them by politics thanks to the protests on the Sri Lankan issue? Though cinema and cricket are obvious choices, why don’t they also enlighten themselves on Ceylon? After all, some efforts to know thy neighbour is certainly warranted, since the student protest, though having its locus here, has its focus there. Her
North Korea has declared that it is at war with South Korea. As per news reports its nuclear missiles are being positioned to target the US as well as South Korea. In response, the US flew stealth bombers close to the North Korean territory. This reaction could appear drastic but considering the capabilities of North Korea this is not surprising. Besides its nuclear capabilities, North Ko
There is nothing new in the UPA government’s attempts to weaken two constitutional bodies which have proved equal to their mandates – the comptroller and auditor general (CAG) and the election commission (EC). The first one has brought some kind of accountability to the government’s functioning; unearthing several mega scams in the process in the past few years and the second
While appreciating the contributions of young technology students invited to showcase their innovations at second Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Awards recently at IIM-A, Ms Ela Bhatt, founder of SEWA expected the youth to spread the Gandhian philosophy through their action. A number of innovations recognised on the occasion were empathetic in nature. Problem of a line man wor
A long time ago, I read one of these firang’s-first-time-in-India travel books, where he said that, when Indians want to go somewhere, they just point their cars in the direction and drive, side-of-road, traffic signals etc be damned. Not fair, we’re not that bad, I thought, but on second thoughts… I`ve had a driving licence from Noida, in the much maligned UP, since
With no conceptual clarity just as yet, the proposed BRICS Bank is hardly the panacea to lead the global economy towards equitable and resilient growth. Even though there are several beneficiaries of group’s gravy trail, its authenticity, capacity and cohesiveness are on shaky ground. BRICS remains, to grudgingly cite the western media, a ‘motley crew` with little in common
The similarities cannot be overlooked when both the UPA led by Manmohan Singh and the democratic Front in Maharashtra led by Prithviraj Chavan go to the polls next year. Both led by silently, and uniquely, quiet and soft-spoken leaders, they face charges of corruption and irregularities diametrically opposed to their leaders’ image, a sort of disunited opposition aiming barbs from differe
