Features

The Sex Worker as Storyteller

Shahina KK

Nalini Jameela has already written a bestselling autobiography of her life in this shadowy industry. With her second book, due soon, she shares her insights not only into the behaviour of men, but also the art of storytelling as honed by her professional skills

Can’t Get Its Act Together

Jay Mazoomdaar

The Left Front has been the biggest advocate of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), but its own former rule in home state West Bengal saw its worst abuse as well. Forest villagers dependent on tea garden jobs are indifferent to the Act. Families inside the Buxa tiger reserve are keen to surrender their rights for Rs 10 lakh each. But away from tea gardens and outside the tiger reserve, forest communities have bigger demands than the FRA allows. And a desperate forest department twists the Act to retain control.

An Iranian Spark in India

Marian Brehmer

On 12 June 2009, Mahmud Ahmedinejad came to power in Iran in a disputed election, which triggered a short-lived democratic movement. In Pune, which has a sizeable population of Iranian students, there was a flicker of protest, but it was immediately snuffed out. A reminiscence

Being Mrs Veerappan

Pallavi Polanki

Married at 16, widowed at 31, arrested at 35, acquitted at 38, the wife of the forest brigand reluctantly talks about a life she did not choose

Pakistan’s General Problem

Mohammad Hanif

How Pakistan’s Generals turned the country into an international jihadi tourist resort

Self-Goal Parivar

Jatin Gandhi

The BJP has worked hard this past week: jumping to Baba Ramdev’s support before deciding the party line on the man, demanding a special session of Parliament on corruption, re-inducting Uma Bharati. Not to mention, dancing gracelessly at an ill-attended satyagraha in Delhi