Autographs from antiquity

Heat and the folly of air-conditioners

The summer saw some of the highest temperatures ever recorded, but it could get worse. AC use is expected to rise steeply but that comes with its own problems.

Ertugrul in the age of Erdogan

Fiction as history is a common theme of television dramas but sometimes they provide a new perspective, showing how deeply we are in thrall to western norms.

Drop by failing drop

Watercolour hills

A symphony of rust, white, green and gold.

The last great act

Playwright, filmmaker, actor, director and public intellectual, Girish Karnad handled all these roles as effortlessly as he did his various screen personas.

The aerosol threat

The microscopic particles are the biggest threat to global warming after CO2 emissions, affecting everything from solar radiation to monsoon patterns.

Requiem for Hong Kong

No court for the oppressed

Some of China’s most prominent human rights activists are incarcerated, and have no help from the judiciary which acts as an arm of the communist party.

'Harappans are the founders of Indian culture'

Vasant Shinde, one of India’s foremost archaeologists, on the ancestry, society and the culture of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Life in between realities

The migrant is a creature of nowhere. He doesn't fit into his adopted homeland nor can he abandon his roots, making life a constant negotiation between two poles.

The struggle to lift the veil

The abaya is one of the standard symbols of how women are regarded in Islam but in a changing Saudi Arabia women switch to colour and ornamentation.

Badminton comes of age

A line of dedicated ex-players and sponsors ensure Indians are in the top tier.

Of herons, hope and catastrophe

The latest report on biodiversity says one million species are facing extinction. Human agency is the main culprit and also the only hope of recovery.

The faith of a true believer

The foot soldier is both indispensable and a unique feature of the BJP’s political machine. He is loyal, always there and ready to do anything they ask as he is wedded to their ideals.

The frog with stars

The new century has been a great time for Indian biologists who are discovering dozens of new species, especially in the Western Ghats.

TikTok TikTok

The promise of fame and the march of a Chinese giant.