Here's a sneak peak into the cultural events that took place in this year's Durga Pooja. Versatile performances from different parts of the country to add all the more vigour to this vibrant festival.
This article dissects Qala's lead single 'Ghode Pe Sawaar', through a feminist lens.
Has the popularity of social media hastened war news reporting or sensationalism? Does the youth of today find themselves torn between deciphering real news and misniformation? This article aims to look beyond the surface and uncover the answers to these questions and more.
On March 13, 2026, India's government introduced the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, which swiftly passed both houses by March 25 and became law despite widespread protests from trans activists, lawyers, and opposition parties. The bill scraps self-identification for gender—upheld in the 2014 NALSA Supreme Court judgment—replacing it with mandatory medical certification by a board and District Magistrate approval, while limiting recognition to hijra, kinner, and intersex groups, effectively sidelining trans men, women, and non-binary individuals. It also imposes severe penalties, including life imprisonment, for "coercing" others into transgender identity, which critics fear could criminalize family and allies. Activists like Krishanu, Raghavi, Aryan Pasha, and Kanmani slammed it as unconstitutional (breaching Articles 14, 15, 19, 21), arbitrary, and reminiscent of colonial-era laws like the Criminal Tribes Act, with protests erupting in cities from Delhi to Hyderabad. Amid global anti-trans backsliding (e.g., TGEU's 2025 index, US and UK developments), figures like Aakar Patel of Amnesty International India decried it as state overreach on inherent identity. Affecting ~487,803 trans persons (only ~32,500 with ID cards), the law unravels hard-won rights, framing the fight as one for the state's recognition of self-naming over official control.
Video Controversy SynopsisA video from April 9, 2026, showing 11,000 liters of milk (worth ₹5.5–7.7 lakh) poured into the Narmada River during a religious ritual sparked national outrage online, pitting devotion against accusations of waste, excess, and environmental harm.Public BacklashSocial media users condemned the act as irresponsible amid food insecurity and river pollution risks, arguing the milk should have fed the needy instead of treating the river like a "sink."Defenses and Expert WarningsSupporters defended it as sincere faith, but environmentalists like Subhash Pandey and Ajay Dube highlighted ecological damage: the organic load depletes oxygen, harms aquatic life, drinking water, and local communities.Broader ImplicationsThe Narmada's cultural significance amplified the debate, turning a local ritual into a flashpoint on balancing tradition with ethics, responsibility, and river health—raising timeless questions on when devotion crosses into waste.
Bennett University has launched BENNETT DIALOGUES, a fortnightly talk series conceptualized by Chancellor Vineet Jain (Times Group MD) to help students grasp global geopolitical shifts. Led by Prof. Dhiraj Singh (Head, Centre for Media & Technology), it features informal fireside chats and Q&A with experts in geopolitics, business, and media. The series aims to connect world events to everyday impacts, like how the US-Israel-Iran war affects India's petrol and LPG prices. The inaugural edition on April 21 explores "The War in West Asia," with Times Now's Zakka Jacob and Dr. Waiel Awwad (Syrian-origin expert on West Asia conflicts, based in Delhi). Prof. Singh highlights its blend of Times Group media legacy and Bennett's academic excellence, benefiting media, liberal arts, business, and law students.
On April 8, a fragile ceasefire briefly eased global tensions after 40 days of war between Israel, Iran, and allies, announced by Trump on Truth Social and confirmed by Iran and Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif, who brokered it. Celebrations ensued worldwide as markets surged and oil prices fell, until Israeli jets struck Lebanon that morning, killing 357 civilians in what Beirut dubbed "Black Wednesday," while Israel excluded Lebanon from the deal. No formal agreement exists; conflicting statements emerged immediately, with Pakistan and Iran insisting it covered Lebanon, but Israel and the US rejecting that after a Trump-Netanyahu call. Lebanon, already devastated with over 2,000 deaths since March, was sidelined in a multi-front conflict involving Hezbollah, Iraqi militias, and Gulf interceptions. Post-ceasefire issues mounted: Iran kept the Strait of Hormuz choked, charging exorbitant fees and slashing traffic from 110 daily ships to four. Historic US-Iran talks in Islamabad on April 11 collapsed, prompting a US naval blockade that doubled down on the disruption, halting all oil route traffic (20% of global supply). The two-week truce window lasts until April 22 amid ongoing messages, but optimism fades after the deadliest civilian day coincided with its announcement.