Managing Editor, Down To Earth. He has been associated with the fortnightly since 1997 and has written extensively on rural affairs and development matters
Davos 2020: Will sweeping protests across the globe lead to a new form of capitalism
‘Stakeholder capitalism’ may become a buzzword, but will it be a concept that can deliver
Five points on food inflation and onions
Retail inflation hitting double digit being attributed to high food prices, but is it so?
Farmers stare at another loss despite good rains. They need a boost from govt
Indian farmers have accumulated huge debts due to crop damages and less remunerative price for produce
Rural India’s expenditure on food has been declining since 1972
The leaked NSSO report on consumption expenditure reveals the state of India’s rural economy
Why an American farmer commits suicide
Like their India counterparts, American farmers are losing income, piling up debt and nobody listens to them
Tax avoided by corporate groups can eradicate global poverty
As economic slowdown murmur becomes loud across the world, the debate over income inequality gains volume
India’s non-agrarian rural economy struggles for sustenance
Farmers and farm labourers, who want to quit agriculture, are stuck in the non-remunerative work since other sectors are not generating jobs at …
From village pradhans to Pradhan Mantri: Devolve power and invest political will
PM Narendra Modi’s letters to panchayat heads to conserve water revives the inevitability of local government in water management. But the …
This monsoon is different
It is one of the few years where a monsoon is entering at a time when half of India’s districts are facing drought; some are facing the …
Sunaina Rawat and the dilemma of Bharat
The new government has to focus on the rural population, their aspirations and the economy
Development news, polarisation and social media in times of Lok Sabha polls
Polarisation of development news in social media makes its impact partisan and non-effective
Is NOTA the answer to TINA?
The ‘None of the Above’ provision on electoral voting machines is turning out to be a decentralised protest
Green may be the colour of the winning agenda this Lok Sabha polls
Whosoever wins General Elections 2019 must make environment as the top governance priority
General Elections 2019: Science in polls, from feel 'good' to feel 'strong'
With the Balakot episode and later the ASAT declaration, the ruling party has brought ‘muscular science’ into the spotlight alongside …
India heads to an unprecedented rural economic crisis
Fifth consecutive drought for 1/3 districts, dipping rural wages, El Nino threatening monsoon have squeezed livelihood options for over 500 …
The wise debate
As the world debates the effectiveness of industrialised agriculture, the good-old small farmer emerges victorious
How much politics is too much politics for civil society
Should non-profits contest elections? Should they be identified with parties?
Who is economically secular?
The rich have the chance to get richer in an economic crisis while the poor face the prospect of sinking deeper in poverty
Niti Aayog’s new strategy: A call for growth or acceptance of failure
Celebrating India's 75th year of Independence is a matter of pride, but achieving a "New India" needs more than a textual articulation
Environment as the enemy
We celebrate disruptive financial decisions as a sign of decisive leadership. So why not in the case of environmental emergencies?
Have regional parties lived up to people’s aspiration?
Be it Andhra, be it Bihar, regional parties have followed economic policies laid down by national parties
Do public protests decide election results?
Research gives a mixed verdict but given India’s socio-economic reality, protests do impact election results
In the next 14 months, 62 countries will go to polls
India’s 130 million first-time voters will play a decisive role in the world’s state of economy
The others too
The MeToo campaign comes at a time when women are being courted for electoral gains. Is it good or bad?
How to fight water scarcity this monsoon
Though the monsoon is behaving erratically, drought-prone districts are still water rich