Open Magazine - Top Stories

#Independence Day 2026: ‘Small Dreams Will No Longer Suffice’: PM Modi Sets 2047 Deadline for Viksit Bharat
#Independence Day 2026: ‘Small Dreams Will No Longer Suffice’: PM Modi Sets 2047 Deadline for Viksit Bharat
2 min read
In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, PM Narendra Modi declared that India will become a developed nation by 2047, urging the country to think bigger as he pointed to its economic rise, m ...
Testament of a Radical Liberal
16 min read
Liberalism is not a repudiation of patriotism and to reclaim it is not to mimic the West but to rediscover a native grammar of freedom
The Ides of August: The idea of freedom
9 min read
Diplomatic postings in Singapore and Pakistan have given the author a ringside view of how the intersection of history and politics alters the idea of freedom
Freedom Issue 2026: Editor's Note
3 min read
Behold Gandhi the Hindu: How Sanatana Dharma Shaped India’s Independence Movement and Nationalism
12 min read
He tackled Jinnah, Ambedkar and the Christian missionaries with philosophical panache when his belief in Hinduism came to be directly challenged
H-1B Extension Fee Explained: Why US Firms May Still Choose to Keep Skilled Indian Workers
4 min read
A new USD 4,000 fee will hit certain H-1B extensions from September 9. But for companies that have already invested in an experienced worker, economists say the cost of replacing that talent could be ...
From Dak Babu to Drone: India Post Takes the Mail to the Skies
3 min read
A 12-km mountain journey that takes more than two hours can now be completed in seven minutes. India Post is deploying drones across remote routes in Himachal Pradesh and Assam to carry letters, parce ...
‘The Actor’s Whisperer’: How Mark Rydell Turned Performances Into Oscar Gold
2 min read
From Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in ‘On Golden Pond’ to Bette Midler in ‘The Rose’, Mark Rydell had a rare gift for drawing career-defining performances from actors. The Oscar-nominated filmmake ...
Trump Has Tariffs. Lula Has a Reciprocity Law. Brazil is Now Preparing to Hit Back
2 min read
After Washington slapped new tariffs on Brazilian goods, the Lula government has begun formally examining retaliatory measures against the US. Diplomacy remains the first option, but Brazil is making ...
open magazine cover
14 Aug 2026 - Vol 05 | Issue 33

Freedom Issue 2026

Shashi Tharoor on being radical liberal | Ram Madhav on how Gandhi used his Hinduism | TCA Raghavan on a diplomat's travels in history | Sumana Roy on the novel beyond the Booker | Carlo Pizzati on the dissolution of Borders
Behold Gandhi the Hindu: How Sanatana Dharma Shaped India’s Independence Movement and Nationalism
Testament of a Radical Liberal
Freedom Issue 2026: Editor's Note
The Capital of Mobilisation: Delhi and the unfinished argument of the Republic