Pune’s Ohel David turns 150
3 November 2014

Pune’s Ohel David turns 150

Pune’s most well known landmark, Ohel David (Lal Deval) synagogue turns hundred and fifty. Governor of Maharashtra, Shri C. Vidyasagar Rao, and the direct descendants of the synagogue’s founder, David Sassoon (1792-1864) get together to mark this occasion

Expensive shortcuts: mining
3 November 2014

Expensive shortcuts: mining

Investors have welcomed the dilution in government regulations that currently require companies to seek the consent of local communities for industrial projects in tribal areas. We analyse the outcome of this development.

rajni 4 Courtesy: RajniBakshi
22 October 2014

Latin longing for non-violence

Rajni Bakshi, Senior Gandhi Peace Fellow at Gateway House, was recently invited to Brazil and Colombia to speak about Gandhi, her book ‘Bazaars, Conversations and Freedom’ and her forthcoming paper on Trusteeship. She reports on the longing for non-violence in these societies and the groups working to make it real

DD cover 2 Courtesy: Spenta Multimedia
10 October 2014

Doordarshan Diplomacy

This report examines the current state of Doordarshan and formulates an agenda for transforming the channel into an effective foreign policy tool for India

DD paper cover Courtesy: Spenta Multimedia
10 October 2014

Taking Doordarshan global

News channels like China’s CCTV, Russia Today and Al-Jazeera have become definitive voices for their nations and for international views. Now, with the Modi government on a public messaging and public realations spree, it is the right time to re-configure our public broadcaster, Doordarshan, to showcase India’s growing global ties and the success of its democracy to the world.

Sustainable gardening Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
10 October 2014

The UN and sustainability

The UN and the global finance industry are making gradual but concerted efforts to align business interests and ecological sustainability. A growing number of companies are combining profit-making with social responsibility. There is still a long way to go, but the UN system has created useful mechanisms of change

madison Courtesy: daverugby83
21 September 2014

Indian Americans and the mother country

The sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden shows that PM Narendra Modi’s trip to the U.S. has generated incredible excitement among the Indian-origin diaspora. Will the educated and well-placed Indian American community be able to come together as a power group that influences the U.S. Congress and the White House to adopt pro-India policies?

Nalanda_University_India_ruins Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
19 September 2014

The long road to Nalanda

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is scheduled to inaugurate the new avatar of the ancient Nalanda University on September 19. The opening is a significant event as the international university is India's attempt at projecting its soft power. However, much more needs to be done to make it an international center in the true sense of the word

IS Courtesy: U.S. Staff Sergeant Aaron Allmon
16 September 2014

Modi, Obama and the Islamic State

Obama’s strategy to target the IS in Syria within the framework of a U.S.-led international coalition has met with a tepid response. There are reports that the U.S may offer India a non-NATO ally status during Modi’s upcoming visit in a bid to seek greater support – a gesture that India will do well to disregard.

singapore Courtesy:
11 September 2014

Lessons from Singapore

By using information and communication technology innovatively, Singapore has overcome the challenges of limited size and resources. There are many lessons here for India which is collaborating with Singapore on the Smart Cities project – especially when it comes to affordable housing and transport planning.