Karan Thapar is a super-looking genius who’s young, friendly, chatty and great fun to be with. He’s also very enjoyable to read.
Articles by Karan Thapar
Council of State: A sound plan for India
If we had a Council of State, I doubt if demonetisation would have happened. I’m sure the Goods and Services Tax would have been better thought through
Updated on May 21, 2022 12:26 PM IST
In the Philippines, the fall and rise of the Marcos family
The son of the tyrant Ferdinand Marcos — who ruled for two decades — won a landslide victory and has become the new president. This must be one of the strangest things to happen in history and may have lessons for South Asia.
Published on May 14, 2022 06:12 PM IST
Why changing names of places is erroneous
Places are not just identified by, but also emotionally associated with, their names. It’s as much a part of a place’s character as any other feature. When you abruptly change a name you also forcibly alter its character
Updated on May 07, 2022 07:45 PM IST
A riveting read of a man who went to war
The First World War Adventures of Nariman Karkaria, translated by Murali Ranganathan, makes for delightful reading. Karkaria writes of the war with a casualness that hides the traumatic experience it must have been
Published on Apr 30, 2022 05:27 PM IST
What it feels like to be a Muslim in India
The truly bizarre part is despite despicable treatment, many of us consider Muslims “appeased”. If only we knew the facts
Updated on Apr 23, 2022 11:12 PM IST
Has political interference eroded academic freedom?
India has largely been silent on reports of 13 Australia India Institute fellows who say they resigned because of alleged interference by India’s high commissioner. Why is this the case?
Published on Apr 16, 2022 07:55 PM IST
The fine lines of India’s eastern and western borders
Bhasin’s book, Nehru, Tibet and China, raises disturbing questions about India’s stance on the eastern and western border with China and suggests Nehru’s handling of this issue was almost irresponsible.
Published on Apr 09, 2022 07:13 PM IST
Placing principles ahead of political positions
Gadkari has the courage to differ with the BJP on issues that might be considered almost a catechism for the party. Over the years, he has displayed this several times, including as recently as last week
Published on Apr 02, 2022 06:42 PM IST
Reassessing Jinnah’s stand on the Partition
In Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role in History, historian Ishtiaq Ahmed writes that Jinnah was never interested in a power-sharing deal with the Congress. In fact, he was obsessed with having India partitioned
Updated on Mar 26, 2022 10:44 PM IST
Concerns and questions on the accidental missile fire
The statement released by the defence ministry adds questions and doubts to the prevailing confusion. If we mishandle our response, concerns this situation has created could start to haunt us
Published on Mar 19, 2022 05:54 PM IST
The humour and flair of political put-downs
My friend and former colleague, Matthew Parris’s delightful anthology of political put-downs showcases some of the best exchanges between government and opposition
Published on Mar 12, 2022 06:40 PM IST
What does the Ukraine crisis mean for India?
In an unclear situation, it’s more important to raise the right questions than be certain of their answers. Here are 13 questions that explore the problem that India faces
Published on Mar 05, 2022 05:31 PM IST
An industrialist’s learnings for India
Indian industrialists’ pronouncements of the government are often eulogies. This is why Forbes’ book is so refreshing.
Published on Feb 26, 2022 07:36 PM IST
A moving vignette of friendship in 1942
Here’s a vignette of a time when Indians and Pakistanis, Hindus and Muslims, Pathans and Tamils were not just friends but brothers-in-arms.
Published on Feb 19, 2022 07:09 PM IST
Can vitamin D prevent and guard against Covid-19?
If your vitamin D level is below the baseline and deemed deficient, then supplementary vitamin D is advisable, says Dr Komal Shah, a professor at the Indian Institute of Public Health in Gandhinagar
Updated on Feb 12, 2022 05:18 PM IST
Remembering old Goa, and a time gone by
I recently discovered Remo Fernandes has a second talent. He’s an author. Writing about his childhood, he paints a portrait of Portuguese Goa.
Published on Feb 05, 2022 06:36 PM IST
Why the BJP must not appropriate Netaji
Perhaps you know the popular military greeting “Jai Hind” is taken from the INA, but are you aware the INA’s insignia was Tipu Sultan’s springing tiger? Its motto was three Urdu words — ittehad, itmad aur qurbani (unity, trust and sacrifice)
Updated on Jan 29, 2022 08:01 PM IST
A lacerating critique of one of our tallest leaders
Sagarika Ghose’s biography of Atal Bihari Vajpayee has praise and adulation, but what stands out about it is the criticism.
Published on Jan 22, 2022 04:19 PM IST
Budget 2022 and the economic challenges
In a recent paper for Foreign Affairs, Arvind Subramanian says the problem lies with India’s “software”, his quaint term for the country’s key economic policies
Updated on Jan 15, 2022 08:48 PM IST
Landmarks of the first 25 years of Independence
PM Modi, at a recent convocation address at IIT, Kanpur, deplored the ‘fact’ that little was done in the first 25 years after Independence to make India self-reliant. In a letter to the PM, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur explains why he disagrees with the PM
Updated on Jan 08, 2022 06:59 PM IST
Living with death, with dignity, is bravery
We give no medals for it and often we don’t even acknowledge it, but the quiet dignity of those who are bravely dying is a heroism that surpasses valour and strength.
Updated on Jan 01, 2022 08:02 PM IST
Omicron: There is a case for starting booster shots
India’s high seropositivity level of 68% is also unlikely to provide effective protection. South African research shows Omicron causes three times greater reinfections than Delta or Beta
Updated on Dec 25, 2021 07:27 PM IST
Nagaland killings: An apology will raise the Army’s stature
The need to apologise is also corroborated by the belief that it will placate emotions in Nagaland. In other words, an apology is required both because it’s a moral imperative but also because it’s practically helpful
Updated on Dec 18, 2021 07:39 PM IST
Beloved nursery rhymes with horrifying origins
“Jack and Jill”, which used to seem like an innocent frolic, is actually about France’s Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. In 1793, they were guillotined. These dark origins seem to be so for other rhymes too
Updated on Dec 11, 2021 05:58 PM IST
Denying Munawar Faruqui his rights
On January 1, he was arrested in Indore and jailed for 37 days for a joke he never made. Yet, he was booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Quite how, no one explained. If that doesn’t make you laugh, you could cry
Updated on Dec 04, 2021 10:20 PM IST
In the United Nations, the battle of 2006
Shashi tharoor believes Ban ki-moon won the battle to become UN secretary-general because the US did not want a strong secretary-general. But would Shashi have been stronger? Alas, we’ll never know.
Updated on Nov 27, 2021 09:40 PM IST
How LK Advani and Jaswant Singh saw Jinnah
At a rally, Amit Shah asked: “Does anyone feel Jinnah is great?”. He then said, “No one.” However, LK Advani and Jaswant Singh were two former BJP leaders who publicly stated their admiration of him in the past.
Updated on Nov 20, 2021 07:53 PM IST
Of politicians and the free press in a democracy
We have the power to elect or remove politicians, but how much does our good opinion matter to them? This is what I wondered when I read British politician Andrew Mitchell’s autobiography on a flight to London
Updated on Nov 13, 2021 10:53 PM IST
The mystery of the English language
Delightful ambiguity of some words makes English a fascinating language for those who know it but exasperating for those struggling to learn it
Updated on Nov 06, 2021 04:12 PM IST
The Congress and its hypocrisy
The Congress seems like a party struggling to recover its lost fortunes but, inexplicably, rather than make things easy for itself, it’s determined to throw obstacles in its own path. Frankly, it’s doing a terrific job tripping itself up
Updated on Oct 30, 2021 07:16 PM IST