Latest Updates from Guest Column

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: If not special category state status, Odisha at least deserves special treatment from the Centre. Battered periodically by natural calamities like cyclones and floods the state has a strong case for being put in the special category in terms of financial assistance. The damage caused by a series of disastrous cyclones […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Chilika, the largest brackish water lake of Asia, has turned into a plumed wonder with hundreds of migratory birds presently lazing in its cerulean waters. This is the best time of the year to visit the lagoon when it is bathed in exotic colours with winged guests making all kinds of noises. […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The figures keep changing. The latest claims put the number of people who received money under the KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme without fulfilling the eligibility criteria at 45,965 which is nearly 14,000 more than what the earlier statistics provided by the government had shown. These bogus […]

By Sandeep Sahu At a time when the whole nation is celebrating the sesquicentennial year of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, the School and Mass Education department of the Odisha government is justifiably drawing flak for rewriting history in respect of what perhaps is the best known event in the life of the Father of […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik deserves kudos for demanding ‘National Maritime Heritage Festival’ status for the Cuttack Balijatra which has come to symbolise the great maritime tradition of Odisha. The coast of Kalinga, as the state was known in ancient times, was dotted with important ports which were fulcrums of trade and […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: There is no dearth of political analysts who believe that chief minister, Naveen Patnaik has been winning elections by default, implying that the Opposition is either too weak or lacks the stomach for a fight. It is easy for such an impression to gain ground as Patnaik seems to have made […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Last week Sundergarh police arrested a quack who had been working as a doctor at a government-run health centre. While the mystery of how his fake MBBS degree managed to pass the scrutiny of those who recruited him still remains unresolved there are reports of another charltan masquerading as a doctor […]

By Sandeep Sahu Any praise from any quarters warms the cockles of the praise receiver. And when it comes from no less than the Prime Minister of the country, it is a positive cause for celebration. But as events in the Rajya Sabha on Monday showed, there are times when praise can also cause embarrassment. […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The issue of formation of a legislative council in Odisha, which will make the state legislature bicameral, is back in focus with ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) likely to push for it during the winter session of the Parliament that commenced on Monday. Odisha Assembly had passed a resolution for the […]

By Sandeep Sahu The Indian women’s fascination for – even obsession with – gold has long been the subject of much mirth, ridicule and unflattering jokes among men. But what has gone under the radar – perhaps because it’s the men who dominate public discourse – is that Indian men are not far behind their […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s mangrove forests are facing a threat like most of its other natural resources. There are disturbing reports about mangroves in Bhitarkanika, one of their best known habitats, being cleared to facilitate illegal prawn culture and construction activities. Nurtured by brackish water, mangroves are a unique plant species found in the […]

By Sandeep Sahu The excuses ranged from the laughable to the bizarre. “The debate took place between 1-3.30 pm, which is peak lunch time. So there is nothing unusual about the fact that some MLAs had gone to the lobby to have lunch. Many of them are diabetic and can’t miss lunch. But they followed […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: The focus during elections in this country is always on TV debates. No wonder the first TV debate between Tory leader, Boris Johnson, who is seeking a fresh term as Prime Minister, this time with a clear majority, and his main rival, Labour boss, Jeremy Corbyn has hogged much media attention. […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Forest officials recently arrested 22 fishermen and seized three trawlers at Gahirmatha marine sanctuary for violating the ban on fishing. The 1360 sq km sanctuary, the only one of its kind in the state, is out of bounds for fishermen round the year. They cannot fish within 20 kms of the […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: As mercury plunges and icy winds blow across this capital city scores of homeless people are sleeping rough on pavements and shop fronts with pretty little protection against the cold. Deaths are not uncommon. Homelessness is a growing problem here with roughly 9000 people forced to spend their nights in this […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The statistics are horrifying. As many as 119 elephants have been electrocuted in the state in the last 11 years, most of them falling victim to sagging overhead wires. Of these deaths, 24 occurred in 2018-19. The giant beasts have also been falling to the bullets of poachers and dying on […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Islamic State (IS) chief, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may have killed himself by detonating a suicide vest to avoid capture by the US forces inside a tunnel in Syria on October 26 but his violent legacy is still being discussed amidst fears that his followers may soon re-group themselves under a new […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Two hardcore Maoists, who gave up arms in the hope of leading normal lives, took the wedding vows in a temple in Angul district the other day. The ceremony marked their return to the social mainstream, something that many rebels secretly crave for but find hard to achieve because of their […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The success of the first-ever day and night cricket test match in India played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens had created a buzz. That India won this pink ball contest with ease has only made the fans more euphoric about test cricket, like the two shorter versions of the game, being played […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: As the polling day — December 12 — draws closer there are clear indications that it is going to be a close race between the Conservatives and the Labour Party. The gap between them, according to the latest Britain Elect poll, has narrowed to just seven points. Britain’s first December election […]