Roportaj

03/08/2025

Before Oxford, there was Nalanda.

reflects on Nalanda’s endurance - from Xuanzang and Ambedkar to Cambridge cloisters and Arab scholars.

Roportaj: https://rb.gy/mu2vsb

18/07/2025

India Through China’s Eyes — Insights from Diplomat Shyam Saran
Juggernaut Books

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmSJYlG6vBI&ab_channel=DaanishBinNabi

19/10/2024

Nehru: The Foreign Minister
Watch full interview here:

This book sheds light on a neglected aspect of India’s Cold War diplomacy, starting with the role of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Congress ...

19/09/2024

Story of India's 565 princely states: Mallika Ravikumar

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‘565: The Dramatic Story of Unifying India’ by Mallika Ravikumar talks in detail about the thorny issues which India faced at the time of Partition. The Trav...

18/09/2024

Many meanings of Bhima Koregaon: Ajaz Ashraf

Watch full interview here:

16/09/2024

Sharing my first-ever video interview. It was done for Thḛ Indus Post with Er Rashid.

Watch here:

Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Supremo Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rasheed

13/09/2024

-“Typically, a hanging order involves a bureaucratic process that takes two to three days to complete. On the day Afzal Guru was scheduled to be executed, we took a lot of precautions to ensure that the media did not get wind of it.”

-“We had formally worked hard to prevent any major repercussions in J&K following the public announcement of Afzal’s ex*****on.”

-“To maintain this secrecy, I held high-level meetings in my ministerial chamber where senior officers like Vimla Mehra, director-general of Tihar jail; R.K. Singh, Union Home Secretary; and Sunil Gupta, the Tihar jailer, were present.”

-“I repeatedly enquired whether they were confident in their ability to carry out the ex*****on even in the absence of a regular hangman.”

-“Every decision we took was carefully considered and in keeping with the law of the land as the convict had exhausted all legal avenues, including appeals in the SC.”

-“It was only after the apex court’s final decision that Afzal Guru’s file had been sent to the Home Ministry.”

-“Still, I have an admission to make: The Union Home Secretary’s office was late in informing Afzal Guru’s family.”

-“This lapse, due to the Home Secretary’s Department’s laxity, meant that his family could not meet Afzal Guru for one last time. But this much I can say: as far as I was concerned, there was no personal or emotional involvement in the ex*****on.”

Sushilkumar Shinde published by HarperCollins India

10/09/2024

-“How could a two-and-a-half-front conflict be avoided? This question guided India’s approach in the 1960s. India didn’t proactively see to break Pakistan – but with the situation in Assam and West Bengal worsening, Pakistan’s dismemberment became a serious, viable option.”

-“From New Delhi’s standpoint, Pakistan’s military was using its eastern wing as a staging base for operations against India, encouraging anti-Hindu violence, and discriminating against Bengalis.”

-“In contrast, Pakistan’s Bengalis leaders were viewed as less hostile and willing to resolve disputes amicably, including Kashmir. There were two ways India could address this: a change of guard in Pakistan, or dismemberment.”

-“For India, Ayub needed to go. The debate was on how and when this could happen. India leaders were split on this question until the final moment before Bangladesh’s liberation.”

-“Indian policymakers, especially in the MEA, believed that the Bengalis could gain power electorally and resolve the Kashmir issue. Such thinking went back to 1954 when Nehru believed that a Bengali-Pashtun leadership was in India’s interests.”

-“But the conservative segments in India’s security apparatus were unconvinced that a Bengali would be allowed to lead Pakistan and alter its Kashmir policy. This debate by New Delhi was settled in favour of supporting the liberation movement to the hilt.”

India’s Near East: A New History by Avinash Paliwal published by Penguin Books

05/09/2024

Understanding Pakistan: Tahir Kamran

Watch full interview here:

Tahir Kamran in his ‘Story of Pakistan’ write that the history of Pakistan cannot be confined to the traditional narrative which starts with Muhammad Qasim’s...

04/09/2024

-“As the men continued to the agitated discussion in the hall, seated in an inner chamber was another guest from Kashmir – Nehru’s dear friend – Sheikh Abdullah.

-“Listening keenly through a crack in the door, Sheikh had raised his own ten thousand of his party volunteers-militia… Like Kashmir Prime Minister Mahajan, he too had come to Delhi to plead for help from the Indian government.”

-“Pulling out a pen from the pocket of his waistcoat, Sheikh Abdullah flipped open a notepad, he hurriedly scribbled a note, sent it out to Nehru and waited.”

-“Nehru’s face lost colour as he read Sheikh Abdullah’s note. The Sheikh had written that he agreed with Prime Minister Mahajan.”

565 by Mallika Ravikumar

31/08/2024

-“In 1949, the Government of India faced embarrassment when a Pakistani news outlet revealed a discriminatory order by the Indian government.”

-“The central government had issued a secret circular to all the states, which pointed out that several Pakistani citizens were employed in critical industries, such as oil fields, steel works and other critical industries.”

-“The underlying message of the order was that these jobs were meant for Indian citizens, and organisations employing Pakistani employees could very well employ Indian citizens instead.”

-“Additionally, the order hinted that employing such a large number of people from a hostile neighbour may not be wise, especially during an emergency situation.”

-“Unlike Pakistan, India aimed to be an inclusive society, and the news embarrassed Prime Minister Nehru's government. At the same time, it was revealed that a blueprint of an ordnance factory from India was sent by post to Pakistan.”

-“Although the information sent across the border was not of great importance, it indicated internal weaknesses that the Indian security establishment had to be concerned about.”

A Singular Spy: The Untold Story of Coomar Narain by Kallol Bhattacherjee; published by Bloomsbury India

30/08/2024

-“To steer Pakistan towards certainty and stability, what steps must be taken? The foremost and most vital precondition is to establish the rule of law.”

-“It is the fundamental principle that must be upheld by the Pakistani people and any violation of rulers or the Constitution must result in accountability.”

-“Rule of dictates that governments should operate under general legislation that is applicable to both governors and citizens, as opposed to irregular decrees and ad hominem proclamations.”

-“This provides citizens with the ability to accurately anticipate the legal implications of their actions, eliminating any ‘surprises’ that may arise from the legislation.”

-“The law must also adhere to certain substantive principles and rights without violating them.”

-“An independent judiciary must defend the rule of law, which plays a crucial role in protecting civil and political rights, as well as civil liberties. It also must safeguard the equality and dignity of citizens.

“The rule of law acts as a safeguard against tyranny, ensuring that rulers do not become corrupt or despotic.”

The Story of Pakistan by Tahir Kamran published by Speaking Tiger