The land and its people, according to whatever we get to read in the pages of their history spanning several centuries, have weathered tough times under the rule of both indigenous monarchs of all hues and aliens, some of whom reigned only in parts of the land while the Mughals and the British had the…

According to the English lexicon, the verb ‘to flex’ essentially has one of two meanings. It can mean to show-off, to gloat, or to boast, which is the most popular definition of the word. However, it can also mean to put on a fake front. That set of meaning to the verb ‘to flex’ eminently…

The connect between walking and wisdom is likely to be questioned, given the wide meaning accepted for the latter term by the cognoscenti. To prepare the ground for the narrative in this column, it is proposed to confine its meaning to ‘proper’ functioning of the human brain, particularly on occasions of inappropriately reacting to situations…

Complaining about apathy on the part of functionaries in administration may or may not trigger action in response, if at all. Criticising, often in unsavoury language to express disagreement with others, targeting some person or institution in particular, invariably triggers reaction only to earn more criticism. In the former case, a complaint seeks redressal to…

Till about a few decades ago, although fashions were not bestowed much attention by people at large, excepting the affluent sections of society, called high society and choice of fabrics was nowhere near what is obtained nowadays, citizens attired themselves mostly befitting their calling and, in a certain sense also betrayed their position in the…

Feeling comfortable, whether one lives in a city or a village in the country, is a state of mind to some extent and also a sense of reality to another extent. We seem to have arrived at a point of urbanites at large disillusioned with city life toying with mulling about taking residence in some…

Even as different languages of the land are witnessing their protagonist, both authors of repute and outfits pursuing the cause of languages of their respective regions through hi-decibel sloganeering, public speakers of all hues make it a point to lament on the decline in quality of literary works of various authors, barring exceptions, in our…

The expression grin and bear it is attributed to a Hungarian pianist George Lichtenstein (1823-1893). The message in the expression is loud and clear: “You accept a different or unpleasant situation without complaining because you know there is nothing you can do to make things better” (in italics for emphasis). Readers of dailies, including this…

Spiritually driven philosophers of yore in our land have bequeathed to its people of all later generations words of wisdom, mostly laying down the rules of life to achieve a sense of purpose and fulfilment, in a virtual cornucopia from which anybody can draw while writing scholarly articles or speaking before audiences with varied backgrounds….

Literacy in India has been officially declared as 74 per cent, rising from 18 per cent at the time of the country coming under self-rule. Low literacy rate, compared to world average of 84 per cent, is attributed to the families with unviable incomes not considering education as a priority compared to other basic necessities….