OPINIONS

Our holiday destinations change as we go through different life stages and when you have children, you tend to pick child-friendly places and experiences. A few years ago, I visited the New York zoo with my family, and I was shocked to learn something about the life of captive animals – animals in zoos...

I was intrigued that every big programme launched by the Indian Hotel Company (also known as The Taj Group of Hotels) had small beginnings. Since 2007, IHCL was trying to undertake a lot of environmental initiatives. However, very soon they realized the lack of progress and its measurement. Meanwhile, figures showed that the travel and...

Since its launch in 2010, impact bonds have gained much attention in the development finance world. It has been hailed by many development finance experts as an innovative way to address societal challenges by bridging the gap in social impact financing. The latest entrant in the growing list of innovative development financial instruments has...

The idea of social justice has always taken meaning in form of conventional discussions around bringing in integrity between the individuals of the society and the society itself. International Day for Social Justice was conceptualized in 2007 and since then has been observed every year on February 20th. According to the United Nations statement,...

The Indian Army is among the largest in the world in terms of sheer strength but is second to none when it comes to securing the borders from our adversaries. Over the years, the Indian Army has also played a key role in providing the country with some of the finest athletes. Let’s reminisce the...

While the schooling years sets the trajectory for learning and development, the years that precede the start of the primary schooling age are considered to lay down the early foundations for this learning and development. Year after year, the ASER report has chalked out the learning deficit posing serious questions on the efficacy of...

India has taken massive strides towards progress in various fields. However, this progress has come at a price. A silent new war has taken birth in the Indian subcontinent – the war of drugs. India shares a very long border with countries like Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Since these adversaries cannot resort to direct conventional...

When I was growing up in Varanasi in the ‘80s, a vacation typically meant visiting relatives in other towns or a must-see tourist destination – the Taj Mahal, Golconda Fort, the Pink City and so on. Times are changing. I see today’s leisure travellers looking for personal experiences like engaging with locals to eat their...

“It is our responsibility as businesses to deliver ambitious solutions and technologies to bring us low-carbon, inclusive and sustainable growth.” - Paul Polman According to the renowned environmental author and journalist Andrew Revkin, the author of Weather: An illustrated history, the relationship between climate change and humans has evolved. This relationship has been one dimensional for...

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is well known for waking us to the grim realities of our learning system. What has changed from the early years of ASER, when its findings were viewed with scepticism, is that now there is general acceptance of the learning crisis. However, little has changed in the...

By Anuja Bansal, Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages of India The social development sector is looking forward to the Union Budget 2019-20. There should be a separate Care programme extended to children who do not receive adequate parental care in India. This is extremely crucial towards protecting the rights of these children who are most...

We received good news recently that India had climbed 23 points to the 77th rank (out of 185 countries ranked) in the Ease of Doing Business index. The World Bank ranking, however, only looks at issues related to corporate experience with government regulations—such as ease or difficulty in starting a business, obtaining a construction permit, getting...