Counting Castes, Counting Controversies: Supreme Court, the Census and the OBC Question
A River of Tears Flowed That Day: When Delhi Walked With the Mahatma One Last Time
The air over Delhi on January 31, 1948, was not merely cold; it was hollow, scooped out by a grief so immense it had its own weight and weather. Just hours before, the life had bled from the frail, beloved frame of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, felled by an assassin’s bullets ...Read More
Maharana Pratap: A Saga of Territorial Defiance Against Imperial Subjugation
Maharana Pratap Singh, the 13th ruler of the Sisodia dynasty in Mewar, stands as a towering figure in Indian history, renowned for his unyielding resistance against the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar. Born on May 9, 1540, in Kumbhalgarh to Udai Singh II and Jaiwanta Bai, Pr...Read More
Sher Shah Suri: The Visionary Ruler Who Transformed Medieval India
Sher Shah Suri, born Farid Khan around 1486 in Sasaram, Bihar, rose from humble origins to become one of the most innovative administrators in Indian history. Of Pashtun (Afghan) descent from the Sur tribe, he earned the title “Sher Khan” (Lion Lord) after bravely killing ...Read More
Why Economic Pain Rarely Translates into Political
Economic distress is often assumed to be the most powerful driver of political accountability. Rising prices, unemployment, stagnant wages, and declining public services should logically provoke voter anger and lead to the punishment of those in power. Yet across democracies a...Read More
Colonial Delhi – Rewriting Space, Power, and Memory
Delhi’s encounter with British colonialism was unlike that of any other Indian city. By the time the British arrived, Delhi was already a palimpsest of empires—Tomar, Chauhan, Sultanate, Mughal—each having inscribed authority, faith, and culture onto its landscape. To ru...Read More
Siri Fort: The Vision of Alauddin Khalji and the Birth of Delhi’s Second Sultanate City
Siri Fort occupies a pivotal place in the history of Delhi as the first completely new city built by the Delhi Sultanate. Constructed under Sultan Alauddin Khalji between 1297 and 1307 CE, Siri represented a decisive response to external threats, internal consolidation of powe...Read More
The History of Tughlaqabad Fort
Tughlaqabad Fort stands today as one of the most imposing yet least explored monuments of Delhi, a massive reminder of the ambition and severity of the Tughlaq dynasty. Built in the early 14th century, the fort marks a decisive shift in the architectural, political, and urban ...Read More
Qutub Minar: A Tower Through Time — Tracing Eight Centuries of Power, Faith, and Architecture
The Qutub Minar, standing tall in the Mehrauli area of Delhi, is one of India’s most iconic historical monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rising to a height of about 73 meters, it is the tallest brick minaret in the world and a powerful symbol of the early phase of ...Read More
Politics in 2025: A Year-End Summary of Power, Polarisation, and Global Realignment
As the curtain falls on 2025, politics across India and the world stands at a decisive crossroads. The year did not merely unfold as a continuation of past trends; it consolidated power structures, deepened ideological divides, and redefined global alignments. From India’s e...Read More
Manufacturing the ‘Internal Enemy’: How Fear Politics Sustains
In every democracy, political power rests not only on performance but on perception. In contemporary India, one of the most powerful tools shaping perception has been the systematic construction of an “internal enemy”—a figure portrayed as perpetually suspect, disloyal, ...Read More
The History of Invasions on India: From Cyrus to the Last Invaders
An Analytical Overview of 2,500 Years of Conflict, Conquest, and Cultural Transformation
Few civilizations have faced as many waves of invasion—and absorbed them as creatively—as the Indian subcontinent. From the first Persian incursions under Cyrus...Read More
Rewriting Historical Narratives: The Politics of Mughal Memory in India
History is never merely a record of the past; it is also a story told in the present, shaped by contemporary anxieties, power relations, and political imperatives. Few historical subjects illustrate this better than the Mughals. Once regarded as architects of India’s composi...Read More
26 November – Constitution Day: Recalling the Vision, Reclaiming the Promise
Every year, 26 November stands as a solemn reminder of India’s greatest collective achievement: the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1949. Often described as the “greatest social charter of the 20th century,” the Constitution was not merely a political framework....Read More
The Mughal School of Painting and Indo-Persian Art Forms: Creativity Where Cultures Met
Art as a Dialogue Between Civilizations, Not Their Conflict
I. The Cultural Canvas of Confluence
History often remembers empires for their power, but the Mughal Empire deserves to be remembered for its art — the luminous dialogue...Read More
From Tryst with Destiny to Faith in the young : The Nehruvian idea on Children’s Day
Every year, as the crisp air of November sets in, India erupts into a vibrant celebration of laughter, games, and sweets. Schools resonate with songs and performances, and the nation collectively turns its gaze towards its youngest citizens. This day, the 14th of November, is ...Read More
Re-imagining History Textbooks: Beyond Heroes and Villains
History, as taught in schools, often resembles a theatre of extremes — kings and conquerors, saints and sinners, patriots and traitors. Generations of South Asian students have grown up memorising battles and birth dates, rather than questioning motives or understanding comp...Read More
The Raza Library, Rampur: Where the Soul of Indian History Resides
(On 7 November 2025, I had the privilege of visiting the Rampur Raza Library to study its remarkable collection of manuscripts from the Mughal period. The experience was far more than an academic pursuit — it was a journey into the living soul of history. As I left the li...Read More
Women Who Shaped Empires in Medieval Period : Lessons in Courage and Governance
In the grand narrative of medieval history, kings, conquerors, and warriors often dominate the pages. Yet, hidden between those chronicles of swords and thrones are women who ruled not merely with authority, but with intellect, empathy, and vision. Their stories are not only t...Read More
November 1: A Day That Redefined India’s Map and Mind
Every year, November 1 stands as a silent yet powerful reminder of one of the most transformative chapters in India’s post-independence history. While it may not attract the grandeur of Republic Day or Independence Day, its historical and cultural significance is no less pro...Read More
31 October: Remembering Indira Gandhi — The Iron Will of India
Every year, 31st October is observed as the Martyrs’ Day to commemorate the assassination of Indira Gandhi, one of the most formidable and influential leaders in India’s history. Her tragic death in 1984 marked not just the end of an era but also a turning point in India...Read More
“Bhitri and the Dawn of Dusk: A Testament to the Gupta Twilight”
Nestled in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh, the town of Bhitri rests along the serene banks of the river Ganga, its quiet present belying a tumultuous and glorious past. To the untrained eye, it is just another North Indian town. But for those who know to look, Bhitri i...Read More
Kanshi Ram: A Political Phenomenon Beyond Comparison
A humble tribute to a visionary leader on his Parinirman divas with whom I worked in initial years
Such a phenomenon had never occurred before in Indian politics — and when it will happen again remains a question hidden in the womb of the future.
At nearly fifty ...Read More
Sanatan and Hindutva: The Eternal Ethos versus the Political Construct
In today’s India, few terms are as frequently used—and as frequently confused—as Sanatan and Hindutva. Both words are invoked in public debates, political speeches, and even courtrooms, often interchangeably. Yet, they represent two profoundly different ideas. One is a t...Read More
Aurangzeb A Victim Of Mistaken Identity
(The article draws upon themes explored in S. A. S. Kirmani’s book Aurangzeb: A Victim of Mistaken Identity – A Fair Trial.)
The legacy of Aurangzeb has long been a subject of intense debate and controversy. Traditionally cast as a ruthless, intolerant ruler in many ...Read More
The Illusion of Strength: How Post-2014 India Risks Losing Its Soul
When India voted in 2014, it was not merely a political transition — it was an emotional one. A country weary of corruption, coalition paralysis, and bureaucratic stagnation yearned for a leader who promised decisiveness and purpose. Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Pa...Read More
