OPINIONS

For sale: baby shoes. Never worn. When you read these six words, what feelings do they evoke? Don’t these six words immediately make us empathize with an unknown, grief-stricken woman? We can almost visualize the situation and our hearts go out to her. Ernest Hemingway wrote this story, calling it a six-word novel. It shows the...

Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life fairer for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie ― Gloria Steinem Gender inequality is not only a pressing moral and social issue but...

Four years after the CSR mandate, here's a look at the geographies and sectors funds were directed towards; what has changed in the way companies give; and how we can address the gaps that still exist. Section 135 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013, or the CSR clause, came into effect on April 1, 2014....

The land of Barsana, two hours’ drive south of New Delhi, is sacred to those who practise bhakti yoga. It is home to people who have been brought up to make spirituality their life’s focus, to imbibe the qualities of selflessness and loving service. However, these very people do not have the best healthcare systems....

In 2014, India became the first country in the world to mandate companies to spend a fraction of their revenue on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, long before the Companies Act 2013, cultural beliefs in daan and good karma, have always been a deep-rooted part of India’s corporate culture. Business houses such as the Tata’s...

“You don’t have to make headlines to be a hero. The ladies from Jaridih, Jharkhand, are addressing issues of domestic violence, family feuds and unemployment through strong rural collectives, or Self-Help Groups (SHGs). IndigoReach (a CSR-initiative of Indigo Airlines) has partnered with PRADAN to empower these SHGs. Village organisations and gender leadership camps (were)...

"Money is the seed of money, and the first guinea is sometimes more difficult to acquire than the second million." Jean-Jacques Rousseau Inequality and exclusion are two of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. In recent years, policy planners have realized that development will be uneven and not wholesome if we do not address...

In his previous column, Dr Anantpal Singh talked about his experiences as a healthcare innovator in Bihar. This piece in the series explores Uttar Pradesh. The importance of this State zooms across time and civilizations. The great Indus Valley civilization and Harappan civilization are historic. Novelist Ruskin Bond once said: “I had been to other countries...

It’s almost a year now since the #metoo hashtag broke through whisper networks on sexual harassment and initiated a worldwide movement. While the initial exposés were instances of assault and misogyny by men in high places in Hollywood, subsequent revelations have come in waves from women across the world in various kinds of workplaces...

2015 was a watershed year that witnessed 193 nations coming together to form a set of 17 “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) to address contemporary developmental challenges and ensure a sustainable future. These global goals have played a crucial role in charting out a roadmap for nations to re-align economic policies and financial systems to...

Rural women make up over a quarter of the world’s population. October 15 is commemorated as the International day of Rural Women by the United Nations. A substantial proportion of rural women has been involved in the agricultural labour force and informal work including care and domestic work within families and households. According to the...

Bihar is a beautiful State with beautiful people and a rich culture and glorious heritage. It is a state that manufactures the most academicians, IITians, doctors, IAS, IPS and IRS officers. However the ground reality is different. Bihar comprises three distinct regions, Magadh, Mithila and Bhojpur, each having its own distinct culture and history. Historically, Bihar...