Kasmin Fernandes

85,000 children are living and working on the streets in India representing 1.25% of the total child population, found a 2016 five-city survey titled ‘Life on the Streets’. This indicates that there are a staggering 2 million children on the streets of India living in abject deprivation of the most basic rights. The study...

Globally, the term STEAM is used to indicate ways in which the Arts or art-practices (and sometimes more broadly the Humanities and Social sciences) engage with the STEM education subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The number of students choosing post-compulsory study of STEM subjects is seen as being critical to a country’s economic...

Indian weaving traditions have existed since time immemorial and have been a representation of the many unique sub-cultures within the country. With motifs, patterns, and techniques of woven textiles changing every few hundred kilometres, each region has been lent a new face and identity. Despite Indian handloom being at the centre-stage of world fashion, our...

A water ATM reduces the dependence of citizens on packaged drinking water, which otherwise is an expensive option, especially for those living in rural areas. The United Nations recognizes access to clean water as a basic human right. Yet, the World Resources Institute (WRI) found that over 100 million people in India are living in...

You know her as the voice behind hits like Meri Aashiqui and O Khuda, or as the judge on The Voice India Kids. However, Palak Muchhal has also been a saviour for over 1,500 kids whose heart surgery she raised funds for. “It’s not always necessary to be rich to help others. When I started...

As shocking as it sounds, gambling could soon become legit. The Law Commission, in a report to the government, has recommended legalising sports betting and gambling. With the greater acceptance of liberal values in India, it’s harder to support a moralistic ban. The role of gambling in revenue generation is not new, even during Kautilya's...

As the world celebrates International Tiger Day on July 29, let’s work towards protecting these majestic creatures in all their glory. The tiger isn’t merely a charismatic species or simply another wild animal living in some faraway forest. It is an incomparable animal which plays a critical role in the health and diversity of an...

The 19th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations began at Drass War Memorial in Jammu and Kashmir to commemorate India's emphatic victory against Pakistan. Officially marked on 26 July, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is actually celebrated for three days; from 24th to 26th July. The day marks the victory of Indian forces over Pakistan in the hills...

India has the world’s largest youth workforce today and it is estimated that there will be 104.62 million fresh entrants in the labour market by 2022. However, the current youth unemployment rate continues to remain as high as 10% with 31 million unemployed in India and more importantly, 43% of India’s youth are not...

In a scenario that sounds eerily like a science fiction movie plot, designer babies could soon become an everyday reality. Families will conceive children through genetic selection – choosing superior characteristics and reducing susceptibility to genetic diseases. Britain's most respected medical body has given the green light to genetically engineering embryos for non-medical reasons....

Elderly people can now be rest assured and live in a safer environment at home. No adult child can force his senior citizen parents to allow him to stay in their house. A senior citizen can appeal with the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (Senior Citizens Act), 2007 to evict...

If you’re the fortunate one to be the parent (or guardian) of a girl child under 10, put the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana at the top of your investment priority list. The government has slashed the minimum annual deposit requirement for accounts under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana to INR 250 from INR 1,000 earlier, a...