Documentaries Club

Much of the current geopolitical mess of Asia, including Afghanistan, Iraq and even Kashmir(see footnote ) can be traced to the ' Great Game ', or the 'Tournament of Shadows' between two imperial powers, British Empire and Tsarist Russia.  A fascinating and self-centered showmanship of territorial expansion was being played out in central Asia. in the 19th century. The Amir of Afghanistan sandwiched between the British lion and the Russian bear. Punch, 30 November 1878. Source:  Middle East Cartoon History British empire having a firm foothold in its crown jewel India, annexed Punjab in 1849, thus gaining a border with Afghanistan.  To the North, the Russian empire took control of Tashkent and Samarkand(in present-day Uzbekistan) in 1865.  By the end of 1890, the distance between Russian and British outposts had shrunk to 33km across the Wakhan panhandle (between Tajikistan and Gilgit-Baltistan).  This narrow strip of land sticking out of Afghan mainla...

The past 5 years will be regarded as a pivotal point in the 21 st century international order. Fueled by an increasing sense of betrayal among the worldwide middle-class by the political elite (often referred to as liberals within this restive crowd) and rise of populist leaders in US, Europe and Asia, more questions will be continued to cast on the future of globalism and the many multilateral institutions that facilitate a global dialogue. In all this chaos, India, led by its own democratically elected nationalist party, has sought to define a greater role for itself. As a rapidly growing economic and military might, it has attracted attention of leaders around the world. What strategic role does India, then, see itself playing in the coming decades and the geopolitical affairs that follow? India has made strong efforts to put itself in the big league with developed countries. Though lagging in fundamental human development parameters such as healthcare, educat...

  Since its independence in 1947, the Indian Republic of 1.34 billion comes together to celebrate its constitution, values, culture and above all, its unity on August 15. It is an important day to not only remember the struggles of several freedom fighters who lay the foundation for an Indian Independence, but also celebrate the various regions of this union model, that despite their vast cultural and historical differences, have come to embrace a common national identity. As we approach the 73 rd Independence Day, it is important to reiterate the maxims of our constitution which the current secular India stands on, defying the skepticism of various critics every year who questioned the United India’s longevity. Toxic fringes in the Indian political circle often falsely project secularism as a ploy by ‘liberals’ to prioritize minority interests in the country, but the term holds quite an opposite importance for India. It is the core component of the constitution ...