Why is it important to diversify in agriculture & within a crop? Because, just like cattle, cotton & bananas, the world is raising fewer varieties & getting more milk, yarn & fruit. One farmer in Tamil Nadu is trying to ring in change. In Rice. My story:
ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/le…

Hundreds of #glaciallakes expanding in Himalayan region in #India and other #Himalayan countries, flags #ISRO #ClimateCrisis is increasing #GLOF risk for downstream communities

hindustantimes.com/india-news/hun…

For News on the go, Download HT app. Click htiphoneenglish.page.link/download

BJP’s B-team bijli in Barmer. Good ground report from a state where the Congress is expected to pick up some seats. Sayantan Bera

#Mangalyasutra ET Politics Economic Times

The election manifestos of India's two largest parties provide clues on why a right-wing economic force may be unviable today, I write in the latest #SimplyEconomics column:

The 25-year-old who earns less than 50 rupees a day. Her name “was deleted from the free food scheme a few months back. She has no water connection, cooking gas or a toilet. Sayantan Bera reports from an Indian constituency bigger than Sri Lanka. Read him: livemint.com/politics/news/…

Coming up tomorrow: the 15th story (& the last one) of my series:
Let Them Eat Rice People's Archive of Rural India.
Do pls read Lenin's story from Tiruvanamalai dist & his extraordinary work, conserving & cultivating traditional rice varieties.
Pics M. Palanikumar photography
Research grant Azim Premji University

26, and kicking up a storm in Thar:
In Rajasthan’s desert country, #Elections2024 are a heady mix of aspirations, caste, and charisma. A ground report from Barmer. Mint Long Story

livemint.com/politics/news/…

Great read. Lovely story Sayantan Bera

'Ravindra Bhati, an independent candidate from Barmer, has a following of 2.3 million on Instagram—more than the eligible voters in the constituency.' What a great read from Sayantan Bera! Don't miss this ground report. 'The contest is now a heady mix of caste and charisma.'

26, and kicking up a storm in Thar:
In Rajasthan’s desert country, #Elections2024 are a heady mix of aspirations, caste, and charisma. A ground report from Barmer. Mint Long Story

livemint.com/politics/news/…

Gokhale ji was wrong. It isn’t “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.” It’s “What Surat does today, India will do tomorrow.”

Digital tyranny: Ahmed Miyan is running from pillar to post for his wife’s death certificate, because his name is spelt “Miyan” on his Aadhaar card but “Mian” on his wife’s Aadhaar card.

There was only once in the recent past that Indian women had to surrender their Mangalsutra. That was because of the Govt’s inefficiency in dealing with Covid!!

1/2 Story of three pensioners: 1. On left, application for pension rejected b/c Aadhaar notes his DOB as 1972; he was born in 1964. 2. Right, claimed that his pension comes once in 5-6 months, but only Rs. 1K, instead of 5-6K. 3. Centre, Shiv Narain Singh had an accident 3yrs ago

In today's press con, economists Jean Dreze and Reetika Khera explained the dire situation of informal workers. Real wages have barely risen in India since 2014-15, despite rapid GDP growth. 1/n nolina minj Siddharth Dipankar Bahujan Economists G Sampath Priscilla Jebaraj

The Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong recalled Everest Fish Curry Masala from India alleging the presence of a pesticide called ethylene oxide at levels exceeding permissible limit.

trib.al/YaQsxVn

The meteoric rise of Arvind Kejriwal and how his detention by the Indian government - the latest in a long list of offensives against opposition leaders - prompts worries about India's ability to deliver free & fair elections.
I write for New Lines Magazine newlinesmag.com/spotlight/as-i…

A hotter-than-usual May 2024 predicted for the entire Indo-Pacific

Based on forecasts from global agencies via World Meteorological Organization

It is good to be back, Mint Lounge!

Its editors asked some of us to write about books in our own languages that shaped our thinking on democracy. I write about 'Socrates' (1974), the great Gujarati novel by Manubhai Pancholi 'Darshak.'

lifestyle.livemint.com/news/big-story…