Kanchan Banerjee

Amid the panic of falling Indian rupee experts are not as much worried – rather many economists strongly believe that India is poised to be the third largest economy someday soon. World’s largest democracy is vibrant; the proof is in recent changes in several important states, where people thought that the decaying governance would never end. The latest change occurred in West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjee dislodged the communist regime after a long and lonely battle. Kerala also has removed old communists, and a new government and leadership has emerged. Tamil Nadu has a change of leadership in Jayalalithaa. After ...

Gujarat doesn’t seem to be a part of the Indian Union. The land of the Mahatma and Sardar Patel that boasts of glorious history and culture stands out look no other. Perhaps, the reason is not far too seek. No other Indian leader has been such a talking point as Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. ...

Punjab, the land of five rivers, though largely truncated during India’s Independence from 200 years of British colonial rule and the Partition, finds a pride of place among the country’s regions and states and always emerges at the top in the national anthem. Punjab is shaping modern-day India for several reasons. Punjab’s folk culture goes far beyond popular bhangra dance; the history is vast, legends and great personalities born in Punjab are innumerable. ...

Ancient India had various ideas about education. From the varnashram system, one can easily see that there used to be kind of mandatory education and going to the gurukul was an ancient practice, where one teacher would cater to many students. Yet, Taxashila University became the first model of a multi teacher-many students’ structure complete with residential facilities for the learners. The Nalanda University and its libraries are testimonials of India’s glorious educational past. Though these were destroyed by the invaders along with many other centres for learning, education was almost universal even till the time the British came. For ...

August 15 is celebrated in Delhi, the national capital of modern India and the Indraprastha of ancient India. Amid the never-ending whiff of corruption, inflation and economic growth, one wonders if the government has become irrelevant. It is collective strength of money power, business and power of information (and disinformation), which seems to be running the world. The scenes in Hastinapur and Indraprastha, depicted in the Mahabharata, has come back to haunt us. Actions of many world leaders, including in India, remind us of the Kaurava hero, Duryodhana. Asked whether he was aware of his misdeeds, he retorted, “I know ...

Is Indian democracy bracing for a change? The premise for the argument is the paradigm shift in power in various states like Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Naturally, hopes are high that the changes are to the heart’s content of the masses, who have been instrumental in the change of guard. It is well known now that credits for building many important pillars of our civilization such as the introduction of the number system was not clearly given to India till very recently. History reveals that though glory is given to Greece for the birth of democracy, albeit short lived ...

While celebrations of Ganesh festival takes off in Mumbai and Mumbaikars embrace a season of euphoria, which is expressed in million voices and in a million ways, the United Nations’ representatives from 192 countries prepare to come together in New York for hair-splitting discussions on various world affairs in the annual General Assembly meet. The Big Apple wears a festive look, thanks to the mélange of attires and potpourri of languages spoken by the delegates and heads of states. Perhaps Ganapati and the United Nations have something in common. Although Mumbai and Los Angeles are official sister cities since they ...

The news of a new currency symbol for the Indian Rupee gives every person of Indian origin a great satisfaction. Only a few centuries back, Indian rupee was valued as much as the Dollar and Pound today. Many feel that the time has come for India to re-emerge. Samrat Ashoke’s name is famous for sending emissaries to different parts of the country and different countries around the globe via edicts or messengers. He even sent his closest family members like his sister and brother to various places including Sri Lanka, as well as missions to Burma. It is also known ...

Is Indian democracy bracing for a change? The premise for the argument is the paradigm shift in power in various states like Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Naturally, hopes are high that the changes are to the heart’s content of the masses, who have been instrumental in the change of guard. It is well known now that credits for building many important pillars of our civilization such as the introduction of the number system was not clearly given to India till very recently. History reveals that though glory is given to Greece for the birth of democracy, albeit short lived ...

The old and new are equally treasured by the people of Bengal, though many may argue about the dearth of new things Bengal can showcase to the world today. The old Howrah Bridge and Howrah Station next to the Bhagirathi (Ganga) river with boats and steamers crisscrossing belong to the old era. The siren and horns of the water vehicles as well as the trains and automotives resonate with the pilgrims’ chants on the ghats of Ganga. The new Vidyasagar Bridge gives a modern look to the landscape of this 300 year old city Kolkata which is the face of ...