RajivSpeak

A comprehensive  New York Times  investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance.

  In a compelling town hall discussion hosted at  L.J School of Law , prominent voices from industry and civil society underscored that corporate investment in strengthening the rule of law is not an act of charity but a critical business strategy for building a safer, stronger, and developed India by 2047. The dialogue, part of the  Unmute podcast  series, examined the intrinsic link between  ethical business conduct , robust legal frameworks, and sustainable national development, against the sobering backdrop of India ranking 79th out of 142 countries on the global  Rule of Law Index .

  Initially, I was not considering writing this blog about why I found Airtel —one of India’s premier communication service providers—to have an outrageously poor sales and customer-service experience, at least in Ahmedabad , Gujarat ’s business capital. However, the last SMS I received from Airtel regarding my request for a Wi-Fi connection in my flat in the Vejalpur area left me stunned.

A new  Government of India  study,  Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations , prepared by  NITI Aayog , regrets that India’s lag in this sector is the direct result of “several systemic challenges such as inadequate infrastructure to provide quality education and deliver world-class research, weak industry–academia collaboration, and outdated curricula.”

  In a thought-provoking dialogue on the  UnMute Podcast  (Part 2), hosts  Gagan Sethi  and  Minar Pimple  engaged  Professor Navdeep Mathur  in a deep examination of the tensions reshaping  India’s democracy  and  civic space . The conversation challenged prevailing narratives on  economic growth , dissected the evolving role of  civil society , and explored tools for  active citizenship  in an increasingly complex landscape.

  In a recent in-depth podcast discussion, a leading public policy scholar issued a stark critique of India's evolving governance landscape, arguing that the growing reliance on public-private partnerships has fundamentally weakened civil society’s ability to hold power to account and advocate for equitable public policy.

Has the Government of India finally moved to completely change important provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, that too without bringing about any amendment in the top transparency law? It would seem so, if one is to believe well known civil society leaders' keen observations on the nuclear energy Bill passed in the Lok Sabha.  Senior RTI activist Amrita Johri has sharply criticised the recently passed Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, saying that it has effectively “nuked” the Right to Information (RTI) Act through the back door. 

  Central India’s Upper Ken Basin , where the ancient  Bundelkhand Craton  meets the younger  Vindhyan sedimentary rocks , appears at first glance to be a quiet and time-worn landscape. But new research reveals that the region is still being actively shaped by deep, hidden tectonic forces. In a recent study, geographers  Kundan Parmar  and  Satheesh Chothodi  used high-resolution elevation data and underground gravity measurements to decode the subtle fingerprints of active deformation imprinted onto the basin’s rivers and valleys. 

The  2026 World Inequality Report  reveals stark and persistent inequalities across income, wealth, gender, and global financial systems, with India positioned at the centre of several critical trends. The report, drawing on the work of over 200 researchers coordinated by the World Inequality Lab, provides a comprehensive assessment of global disparities up to 2025.

  The award-winning documentary film from India, " Amma’s Pride ", has qualified for the 98ᵗʰ Academy Awards® in the  Documentary Short category , emerging as the only Indian trans-centered story to enter this year’s Oscar race. Directed by  Shiva Krish , the film has been steadily gaining global attention by prioritising community engagement and emotional impact rather than conventional promotional strategy.

  By Rajiv Shah   In what might be interpreted as a move to globalise the contentious issue of India's judicial independence, a new academic study published in a  research journal  associated with the  Heidelberg University, Germany , "Indian Politics & Policy", delivers a devastating verdict on the  Supreme Court of India ’s performance during  Narendra Modi ’s tenure from 2014 to 2025. 

  An online petition seeking a legal ban on  polygamy  has been floated by Javed Anand, co-editor of  Sabrang  and National Convener of Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD), inviting endorsements from citizens, organisations and activists. The petition, titled “Indian Muslims & Secular Progressive Citizens Demand a Legal Ban on Polygamy,” urges the Central and State governments, Parliament and political parties to abolish polygamy through statutory reform, backed by extensive data from the 2025 national study conducted by the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA).

I first came in contact with Himmat Shah in the second half of the 1970s during one of my routine visits to  Ahmedabad , my maternal hometown. I do not recall the exact year, but at that time I was working in  Delhi  with the  CPI -owned People’s Publishing House (PPH) as its assistant editor, editing books and writing occasional articles for small periodicals. Himmatbhai — as I would call him — worked at the People’s Book House (PBH), the CPI’s bookshop on  Relief Road  in Ahmedabad.

  The latest  PropEquity report  on housing activity in India’s  top 15 tier-2 cities  reveals a deeper shift underway in the country’s real estate landscape. While overall housing sales volumes declined 4% year-on-year in the July–September quarter of 2025, the total sales value rose 4%, signalling a decisive movement toward premium and high-value homes rather than the mass-market  affordable housing  that traditionally drives demand in these regions. This trend reflects a growing divide between elite housing buyers and the middle-class population, whose purchasing power is increasingly strained.