Smriti covers an intersection of politics and governance. Having spent over a decade in journalism, she combines old fashioned leg work with modern story telling tools.
Articles by Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Centre suggests three-member ombudsman for regulating ads
Acting on the Supreme Court’s instruction to set up a three-member ombudsman for regulating advertisements given by various governments and authorities, the Centre on Thursday suggested the composition of the regulating authority, which will now be put forth before the apex court.
Published on Apr 02, 2016 03:26 PM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Some people can’t accept India’s glorious past: Harsh Vardhan
Union science and technology minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday said there is evidence based on western commentary that India started inoculation against small pox before Edward Jenner and that wireless was invented by JC Bose much before Marconi but there are certain sections in the country who find it problematic to accept this “glorious past”.
Updated on Mar 26, 2016 10:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Image-correction: RSS to reach out to political opponents
The Sangh, which recently changed its uniform after nine decades, now also wants to revamp its social-media management.
Updated on Mar 23, 2016 01:15 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
We never thought of RSS as a custodian of religion: RSS’ Manmohan Vaidya
Manmohan Vaidya, All India Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, in conversation with Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Updated on Mar 20, 2016 06:04 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran
The Sangh’s new clothes: RSS has changed the uniform, not its views
The RSS and its critics both agree that its core ideology has not changed. But the recent silence on controversial issues such as the Ram Temple and Uniform Civil Code raises questions on whether the Sangh has toned down its views to appear less doctrinaire
Updated on Mar 20, 2016 01:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran
RSS to keep khaki shorts too, but only to stretch in
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) announced a change in uniform, bringing in full length, coffee-brown trousers to its uniform, but cadres will be allowed to wear the khaki shorts during exercise sessions.
Updated on Mar 16, 2016 09:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Well-off demanding quota reflects deviation from Ambedkar’s thought: RSS
Sunday’s comments by the RSS are likely to spur widespread debate on the issue and throw up a test for the BJP as more than half a dozen states will have assembly elections over the next 18 months.
Updated on Mar 14, 2016 07:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
Times they are a changing: RSS ditches khaki shorts for brown trousers
RSS announced on Sunday it will ditch the Khaki shorts for brown trousers, as the organisation makes a pitch for younger members.
Updated on Mar 13, 2016 02:30 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
RSS slams Modi govt for reducing health, education budget
Passing the resolutions the Pratinidhi Sabha said with the government pulling back from its responsibility, education and healthcare have become unaffordable for the “ordinary” citizens.
Updated on Mar 13, 2016 01:55 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
RSS’ medal of honour: Hindutva in the garb of nationalism
The ideological mentor of the BJP seems to have found a credible, honourable way of spreading its influence -- repacking Hindutva as nationalism.
Updated on Mar 12, 2016 01:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
RSS adds theologian Ramanuja to list of anti-casteism heroes
In the RSS’ pantheon of anti-castesim heroes, Sri Ramanuja, a celebrated exponent of Vaishnavism is the newest addition.
Updated on Mar 12, 2016 12:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
RSS asks govt to check ‘anti-national’ activities in universities
The Sangh’s pointed statement about anti-national activities was in reference to the University of Hyderabad, where the RSS has been accused of fanning anti-Dalit sentiments, and the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, where anti-India slogans were raised, resulting in nationwide uproar.
Updated on Mar 12, 2016 12:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
RSS to discuss polls, education and khaki shorts at Nagaur meet
The topics most likely to be taken up by the Sangh and its affiliates at the Pratinidhi Sabha are affordable education, health care and social harmony
Updated on Mar 11, 2016 03:51 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, Nagaur
Opposition hatching conspiracies to tarnish Modi govt’s image: Smriti
Smarting from an electoral defeat in the 2014 general elections, the Opposition — especially the Left parties — are hatching conspiracies to ‘tarnish’ the image of the NDA government, said Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani on Monday.
Updated on Mar 08, 2016 12:16 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
RSS to launch campaign to raise awareness about eye donation
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has set itself an ambitious task of helping eradicate corneal blindness from India.
Updated on Mar 02, 2016 06:03 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
IIMC student suspended from hostel for insulting teacher on WhatsApp
A student at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication has been suspended for a week from the hostel for using “offensive and unparliamentary language” against a faculty member.
Updated on Mar 02, 2016 08:41 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
JNU ‘sedition’ row: When media became part of the story
In their bid to elbow out competition, or perhaps in line with their agendas, or both, several news channels opted to broadcast unverified clips of alleged seditious speeches and slogans raised at the Jawaharlal Nehru University during a students’ protest.
Updated on Feb 22, 2016 08:04 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
What’s common between Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley, Picasso and India?
Roms, a community of gypsies who trace their origin to India and count as their own iconic comedian Charlie Chaplin, Elvis ‘the king of rock and roll’ Presley and legendary painter Pablo Picasso want New Delhi to officially designate them a minority of Indian origin.
Updated on Feb 12, 2016 01:58 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
‘India should declare Romas as national minority of Indian origin’
New Delhi should declare Roms as a national minority of Indian origin, as it has nothing to lose by admitting that these are people of Indian descent, feels Jovan Damjanovic the president of the World Roma Organisation- Rromanipen.
Updated on Feb 12, 2016 01:37 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP, RSS to discuss coalition logjam in J&K over Mehbooba’s demands
Members of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit will be meeting the RSS at its headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss ways to end the logjam with the PDP.
Updated on Feb 10, 2016 12:54 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Lok Sabha TV goofs up, depicts PoK as ‘Azad Kashmir’
The map showing PoK as Azad Kashmir was shown during a discussion on the programme ‘Indian Defence Analysis’, which had former Air Commodore Trilok Chand, former Maj Gen Ravi Arora and former Lt Gen Ata Hasnain on the guest panel.
Updated on Feb 09, 2016 07:55 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
BJP to send envoy to Srinagar for discussing alliance with PDP
A BJP emissary will travel to Srinagar in the coming week to negotiate government formation with the PDP in Jammu & Kashmir.
Updated on Feb 09, 2016 12:29 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Kumar Uttam and Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Filmmakers slam censor board for free publicity: Pahlaj Nihalani
Censor board chief Pahlaj Nihalani has dismissed filmmakers who accuse him of wielding scissors as ‘habitual complainers’ while saying his understanding of the nuance of filmmaking help him avoid any run-ins with the censor as a producer.
Updated on Feb 06, 2016 09:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
RSS to groom students for ‘social reform and nation-building’
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which is aiming to increase its footprint, has identified educational institutions run by its affiliate, the Vidya Bharti, to maximise its outreach
Updated on Feb 05, 2016 01:15 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
IIMC Delhi sets up probe after Dalit, tribal students allege casteism
The New Delhi-based Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), among the country’s best known journalism schools, has ordered an investigation after a group of Dalit and tribal students complained of caste discrimination on the campus, officials said on Wednesday.
Updated on Feb 03, 2016 01:09 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
PDP chief Mehbooba’s tough stand could further distance her from BJP
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to put off her oath-taking ceremony and the threat to go it alone in Jammu and Kashmir may have strengthened her position within the party, but it runs the risk of further deepening the divide between her and Delhi.
Updated on Feb 02, 2016 12:34 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
RSS’ Muslim wing to hold ‘milk parties’ across India
The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM), the Muslim arm of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) will start organising ‘milk parties’ across the country from March in an attempt to strengthen the Sangh and the BJP-led government’s campaign against the consumption of beef.
Published on Jan 31, 2016 01:00 AM IST
Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Pity we have become a nation of criticisers, not doers: Anupam Kher
As soon as the names of the awardees were announced, Anupam Kher took to Twitter to celebrate but was soon trolled for forgetting a 2010 post on the same platform in which he had dismissed the Padma honours as inauthentic.
Updated on Jan 27, 2016 03:17 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
Skills ministry struggles to carve a place for itself
With 70-odd skills and training progammes being conducted by various ministries and departments, the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship has been constrained to resort to partnerships through memoranda of understanding to avoid jurisdictional turf wars.
Updated on Jan 22, 2016 11:13 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi
No one will beg Kashmiri Pandits to return, onus on them: Farooq
Twenty-six years after the exile of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said the “onus” is on the Pandits to return
Updated on Jan 19, 2016 06:27 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Smriti Kak Ramachandran, New Delhi