Test of Democracy: Ram Rajya to Gandhi, Anna Hazare and Sonam WangchukA government loses little by talking to peaceful protesters. It risks much by refusing to listen. For the true measure of a democracy lies not in the power a government wields, but in the dissenting voices it is prepared to hear.
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Beyond Religion: Humanity Is Our Greatest FaithIn an age when religious identity seems to rule our lives, the best option is to quietly transcend conventional labels, and adopt the belief that humanity itself is the most enduring faith.
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Vijay’s Rise and the Hope of National Renewal and Change by India’s Younger GenerationThe rise of C Joseph Vijay from child artiste to superstar to chief minister of Tamil Nadu is part of a national transformation and renewal by young Indians. Inspired by ideals of courage and integrity, young Indians are emerging as powerful agents of innovation and change.
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Thalapathy Vijay, the Commander of a Revolutionary Tamil NaduMore than a reformer, populist, or visionary, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has emerged as a catalyst of political change. Through his model of inclusive governance, Tamil Nadu is poised to redefine the future of democratic politics across India.
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The Lathi and the Republic of IndiaBefore Independence satyagrahis stood before a line of policemen with raised lathis. Nearly eight decades after Independence, that haunting image still asks uncomfortable questions of Indian democracy. The greatness of a democracy is measured not by the force it can command, but by the restraint it chooses to exercise.
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Democracy's Toughest Test Is Not the Ballot Box. It Is the Protest GroundThe Cockroach Janta Party has won its immediate battle. Yet its protest leaves behind a far more important question: does democracy become stronger when governments listen to peaceful dissent?
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When Democracy Is Silenced, Freedom Dies Slowly but SurelyDemocracy is not destroyed overnight. It erodes gradually. Each silenced protest, each intimidated dissenter, and each indifferent citizen becomes another nail in the coffin of freedom.
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While We Debate Citizenship, Heaven Waits with Open ArmsWhat is the real proof of citizenship or identity? Passport, Aadhaar or PAN card? The debate has become one endless game of ringa-ringa-roses. God, watching from above, must surely be amused that His children have forgotten their original address—in heaven.
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Remembering Advaitha Through a Mission to Prevent DrowningTwo years ago, a young eighteen-year-old Symbiosis student, Advaitha Verma, drowned at Pavana Lake, a picnic spot near Lonavala. The parents of the young man—Renu Kaul Verma and Sudesh Verma turned their grief into a cause—and ever since their son's passing have been raising awareness about drowning deaths and water safety measures.
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Are Hospitals Becoming Death Traps? Reform, Accountability and Compassion to Rekindle Trust in Hospital CareWhen routine surgeries turn fatal, while ICU bills soar, grieving families question whether hospitals are havens of healing or dangerously unsafe? Hospitals are neither temples nor traps—they are human institutions, capable of both remarkable healing and tragic failure. But reform, accountability, and compassion will help in rekindling trust in hospital care.
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Bollywood’s Cancer Warriors: Triumph Beyond Celluloid DreamsBollywood’s battles with cancer—stories of stars who died with dignity and others who survived with defiance, transforming illness into courage and advocacy, and by their example, redefining true victory.
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The Secret of John Abraham’s Fitness: Discipline and a Shift Toward VeganismJohn Abraham’s remarkable, age-defying physique is not just the result of rigorous training—it’s underpinned by a deeply ethical, near-vegan diet, a monk-like discipline, and a philosophy that treats the body as a sacred temple.
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Grow Older and Find the Timeless Spring Within
On International Senior Citizens Day today, let us celebrate not the years gone by, but the wisdom, peace, and creativity that lie ahead. For, I believe growing older is not about losing youth—it is about finding the timeless spring within, affirms RAKESH POPLI
Senior years are not the sunset of life, but the golden sunrise of a new dawn. They bring freedom from the burden of “musts” and “shoulds,” and invite us to embrace the beauty of “just being.”
It’s a stage of life where you can finally pause and live at your own rhythm. It is no longer about how fast you run, how much you earn, or how perfectly you present yourself. It is about discovering a deeper grace in simply being.
When we are young, life is about building—homes, families, careers, and reputations. But senior years are about choosing, removing the clutter and holding on only to what matters. The noise recedes, and in its place comes a soothing music, a gentle breeze, and also an ability to watch the world from a distance.