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Aakar Patel

Aakar Patel

The Times of India

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Why Are UP and Bihar Poorer Than Pakistan, Lower on HDI Than Basket Cases, but Kerala Isn't?

25.02.2025 10

The Wire

Aakar Patel

The missing census: A criminal gap in things we should know—and change

The missing census: A criminal gap in things we should know—and change
23.02.2025 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

The Big Ideas That Narendra Modi is Fully Committed to as India’s Leader

05.02.2025 10

The Wire

Aakar Patel

A hit and a miss: Modi’s two big ideas

02.02.2025 20

National Herald

Aakar Patel

The Constitution that wasn’t—or, a Muslim man’s vision of Independent India

26.01.2025 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Washington Diary: ‘Doland’ unfriends Modi

19.01.2025 20

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Do as thy neighbour does

19.01.2025 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Article 19: The problem of our Fundamental Rights

12.01.2025 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

The war over places of worship

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 is a law to ‘prohibit conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of...

05.01.2025 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Manmohan Singh was not a representative of New India

Much has been written and will be written about what Manmohan Singh was. Here are a few lines on what he was not. Manmohan Singh was not a...

29.12.2024 5

National Herald

Aakar Patel

2025: Big shifts in store

What should we look forward to in 2025? I mean ‘look forward to’ in the sense of anticipate rather than welcome. It will be a defining year in...

26.12.2024 4

National Herald

Aakar Patel

What global indices say about the state of the nation

In 2021, I wrote a book called Price of the Modi Years. In one of its chapters, I compared India’s rankings on various global indices that I had...

15.12.2024 40

National Herald

Aakar Patel

A sense of where India stands

The stunning victory of Donald Trump has sharpened focus on America’s relationship with its only peer competitor, China. Eight years ago, Trump had...

01.12.2024 6

National Herald

Aakar Patel

What moral right does India have to lecture Bangladesh?

"What are your thoughts about atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh?” Before I could react, Uncleji took a swipe at me: “Secular Indians like you...

15.09.2024 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Inaction hurts people: Jawhar Sircar

The month-long movement for justice in West Bengal, led by students, women and civil society, has been a battle cry for change. The protestors have...

15.09.2024 8

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Ideology out, convenience in

What is today India’s dominant political force, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has had a history of putting a pause on its ideology for political...

15.09.2024 8

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Bad news for India’s Muslims

Notwithstanding the rose-tinted optics of his visit to Brunei, Narendra Modi’s third term as prime minister is more ‘through a lens darkly’ for...

14.09.2024 4

National Herald

Aakar Patel

From non-alignment to 'none'-alignment?

India is going through another great Renaissance, as ordained by a gentleman whose own educational qualifications are shrouded in doubt and about...

14.09.2024 5

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Transparency on trial: The case against Madhabi Puri Buch

A series of allegations by the Congress party against Madhabi Puri Buch, chairperson of the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI), sent shock...

14.09.2024 9

National Herald

Aakar Patel

The (BJP) king may still reign, but can he rule?

Minority governments have two major concerns: Clearing votes of no-confidence and passing legislation. The first, remaining in office for five...

08.09.2024 10

National Herald

Aakar Patel

The UCC: What the Prime Minister said — and could only say

In his 15 August address, the prime minister said his government would work towards changing India’s personal laws. He said, “After 75 years of a...

18.08.2024 5

National Herald

Aakar Patel

'Newest media' outmatches journalism's biggest names, so a Broadcasting Bill

The NATO definition of the word ‘propaganda’ is: ‘information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or...

04.08.2024 3

National Herald

Aakar Patel

US presidential election: Prosecutor vs felon

Reportedly mentored in her formative years by her maternal grandfather P.V. Gopalan, a progressive Indian civil servant in the Nehruvian era, the...

28.07.2024 3

National Herald

Aakar Patel

Budget 2024: Why the Modinomics don't add up

Supporters of the prime minister have been vocal about their disappointment with the budget — especially aspects which relate to the middle class,...

28.07.2024 2

National Herald

Aakar Patel

India and its freedom to propagate religious restrictions

Do Indians have freedom of religion? Meaning, do they have the right to invite others into their faith and the right to easily leave their faith?...

14.07.2024 1

National Herald

Aakar Patel