TM Krishna’s MS Subbulakshmi Award Triggers Cultural Debate

TM Krishna, a prominent Carnatic musician, has recently been at the center of a significant controversy surrounding the Sangita Kalanidhi MS Subbulakshmi Award, which he was conferred during the Music Academy’s 98th Annual Conference and Concerts. The award, named after the legendary vocalist MS Subbulakshmi, has sparked legal disputes initiated by V. Shrinivasan, Subbulakshmi’s grandson,…

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Manipur: Missiles, Massacres, and Muted Responses

High-tech drones engaged in warfare, sophisticated missiles targeting civilians, and the military and the police falsifying and accusing each other- this is no longer the news from a civil strife-torn Middle-Eastern or North African nation but the latest updates of escalated violence from India’s own Manipur. The ongoing violence in Manipur which escalated significantly since…

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‘Kya Karega Kaazi’: Mandating Muslim Marriages’ Registration in Assam

Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently introduced the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024. Representing a significant legislative shift in the state’s approach to marriage registration within the Muslim community, this bill aims to replace the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act of 1935, which allowed for informal registration…

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Pride Month in India

Pride Month is a vibrant, colorful, and significant month-long event dedicated to honoring the struggles, achievements, and culture of the LGBTQIA+ community, promoting inclusivity, and advocating for equal rights. From superficial month-long logo changes to sincere on-ground efforts, the origins of Pride Month trace back to the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York City,…

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Taste and Caste: Food Discrimination in India

Eating together with someone is an intimate task. Food can bring people together…and food can also be used to push them away. Discrimination based on food intersects with various social, cultural, and economic dimensions. In India, food choices are deeply intertwined with caste, religion, and class, often leading to discriminatory practices. For instance, vegetarianism is…

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Buddhism in Contemporary India

On December 25, 1927, more than 3 lakh people converted to Buddhism in Raigad as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, set alight the Manusmriti, a casteist legal code. Ambedkar believed Buddhism to be the only liberation for the oppressed classes. Buddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, originated in India around the 5th century BCE. The Buddha’s…

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Manipur Ethnic Violence

The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, India, has escalated tensions between the Hindu Meitei majority and the Christian Kuki-Zo minority communities, leading to widespread loss of life, displacement, and destruction. The conflict, deeply rooted in historical grievances and exacerbated by recent developments such as the Manipur High Court’s contemplation of granting Scheduled Tribe status to…

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