Amidst the clamour of the general election, let us remember that the violent wounds in Manipur are far from healing.

In this issue

14-06-202432 STORIES

CCI_UDHindu_KSL_UVI6K4621_R1571837216_1_e98558da-3d7f-4a82-9051-6c2cbe088df1.jpg

Science & Technology

Why 2023 was the hottest summer yet, and a way to improve lithium-ion batteries

With the help of tree-ring data, scientists have found summer 2023 was the hottest thus far. Researchers have developed a new electrolyte that improve

R. Ramachandran

Editor’s Note: The deafening silence on Manipur

As PM Modi floods the airwaves with bizarre edicts, the silence around Manipur’s tragedy lays bare the state’s unequal treatment of human suffering.

aNGANA Igam hilou ham 2.jpg

Singing in the dark: How artists from Manipur are reacting to the conflict

Despite economic hardships and threats, artists in Manipur are creating works to raise awareness, provide solace, and advocate for peace.

Angana Chakrabarti

Swadeshi Steam: A shipping company propelled by patriotism

The story of Tamil freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, who helmed a shipping company that hoped to stand up to a British hegemon at sea.

Zeyad Masroor Khan’s memoir explores fear of the ‘other’

The book shows the impact of communal tensions on individuals and communities.

Korean short stories.jpg

New books on the shelves

Fiction on the intimacies of relationships, non-fiction on how a silenced community created a tongue of their own, and many more.

Letters

Readers respond to Frontline’s coverage.

Arambai Tenggol: How a Meitei ‘sociocultural organisation’ became an armed-to-the-teeth militia

The Manipur conflict has many moving parts, but Arambai Tenggol has emerged as a key driving force that continues to shape and fuel it.

Angshuman Choudhury

Eyes wide shut: How the state turns away from Manipur’s realities

The government’s demonisation of the Kuki-Zo and support for radical Meitei groups has driven a permanent wedge between the two communities.

Greeshma Kuthar

Clues, culprits, and cultural crossovers: Indian detective fiction is entering the mainstream

Detective fiction writers now weave captivating tales that blend mystery, social commentary, and local flavours into page-turning bestsellers.

A still from Baby Reindeer (1).jpg

Voice-over onslaught in Baby Reindeer

The storytelling in this new Netflix series about a failed comedian who is stalked and harassed hinges on its voice-over which refuses to recede.

Prathyush Parasuraman

Black sheep.jpg

Birds of the air: A Hindi story in translation

Translated by Vanashree and Bindu Singh

Phanishwar Nath Renu

Knife by Salman Rushdie: Chronicle of a death foretold—and foiled

The book cuts through Rushdie’s many worlds of darkness and of light, bringing with it the sea of stories that will survive.

CCI_UDHindu_KSL_UH07LF6HV_R1596814354_4_d4a8b4a4-cb6d-4243-bc47-d1a9aeb09491.jpg

‘I don’t think Indian theatre is at a crossroads’: Amal Allana

The theatre director talks about her biography of her father, Ebrahim Alkazi, a pioneering force in Indian theatre.

Art of resistance: Venice Biennale, 2024

At the 60th edition, works on politics, war, sexuality, identity, and anticolonial defiance converge to make a grand statement against oppression.

As jobs and development take centre stage, caste loyalties trump communal polarisation in Uttar Pradesh

This could give more seats to Congress-SP opposition but is unlikely to demolish the dominance of the BJP alliance in the heartland State.

Justice (rtd) Manzoor Gillani.jpg

‘We have no seat in Pakistani parliament’: Justice (retd) Syed Manzoor Hussain Gillani

The former Chief Justice of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir speaks about the recent unrest in the region, and more.

Iftikhar Gilani

Protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir reflect frustration with disempowerment and interference from Islamabad

With the death toll rising and political stability at risk, the region’s deep-seated governance and economic issues come into sharp focus once again.

Iftikhar Gilani

Contrarian Punjab may throw up a surprise again

The border State, where agrarian and drug crises are major issues, has always baffled pollsters by bucking national trends.

fl14 bengal rekha.jpg

Can Trinamool’s welfare schemes counter Sandeshkhali scandal impact in West Bengal?

In the final phase, the Trinamool’s strongholds in West Bengal’s deep south could feel the impact of the Sandeshkhali controversy.

Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay

Seeds pic2.jpg

Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings is a riveting read, but relentlessly dismal

The novel delivers a raw portrayal of a broken life amidst the ruins of Cape Town, challenging readers with its stark depiction of humanity in crisis.

Manjula Padmanabhan

CCI_UDHindu_KSL_UU47T7PG0_R1603717410_2_b6d14a14-9a3a-47d2-a68d-1ba4fc208094.jpg

Somnath Batabyal’s powerful take on Assam’s turbulent past falters in execution

Red River is an ambitious third novel examining sociopolitical issues of migration, statehood, separatism, and identity.

Abhinav Chakraborty

Sri Lanka: Is it time for change?

Sri Lanka’s first presidential election after the protests of 2022 promises to be a pointer to what the people want: status quo or a drastic change.

R.K. Radhakrishnan

BJP faces uphill battle in Himachal Pradesh as local issues eclipse national sentiments

Issues such as flood relief, Agnipath scheme, and challenges faced by apple growers make BJP’s prospects of repeating its 2019 sweep appear bleak.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

Arun Vernekar from Karwar in Karnataka accidentally cut his finger while trying to collect blood to offer Goddess Kali. Here, he is praying for a third term for Narendra Modi.

400? 272? 210?

Three scenarios for Lok Sabha election 2024, depending on how many seats the BJP wins, and its impact on government formation and party leadership.

The Kunbi twist in Maharashtra could hurt the BJP

Maratha community’s demand for OBC reservation has sharpened caste politics in Maharashtra and changed the sociopolitical landscape of rural areas.

Lies and statistics: EAC paper spreads alarming half-truths about Muslim population growth

Released in the middle of the election and amplified by media, the working paper says minorities in India are not just protected but also thriving.

T.K. Rajalakshmi

Jailed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren attending the last rites of his uncle at Nemara village in Ramgarh district on May 6.

Jharkhand: A battle over tribal identities

After bringing Babulal Marandi back into its fold, BJP is hoping to neutralise the tribal backlash over former CM Hemant Soren’s imprisonment.

Will the smaller castes upset the NDA applecart in Bihar?

As Kushwahas, EBCs and Dalits show signs of moving away from the NDA, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan eyes gains in the closely contested election.

Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge addressing a public meeting in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, on March 21.

Mallikarjun Kharge: ‘Nobody in this country imagined we would have a Prime Minister who lies so much’

The senior leader says he is confident that the politics of development will win over the politics of communalism and divisiveness.

‘The Dystopian Times’ by Appupen

A great leap forward for Europe’s far right?

Upcoming Parliament election may see gains for far-right parties via rising militarisation, return to austerity, and anti-immigrant sentiments.

Archive

FL Cover 1.jpg

+ READ THIS ISSUE 28-06-2024

FL Manipur cover.jpg

+ READ THIS ISSUE 14-06-2024

FL Cover_31May2024.jpg

+ READ THIS ISSUE 31-05-2024

FL Cover_17May2024.jpg

+ READ THIS ISSUE 17-05-2024

+ SEE ALL ISSUES

Sign in to Unlock member-only benefits!

Bookmark stories to read later.
Comment on stories to start conversations.
Subscribe to our newsletters.
Get notified about discounts and offers to our products.