Tag: Columnist Ashutosh Mishra

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Has Odisha changed for the better in the last 20 years? With chief minister, Naveen Patnaik setting a record of sorts by winning five back to back elections any discussion on the state is bound to revolve around this question. While ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders can be biased about […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Our capital city is being hailed as the new sports capital of the country. While that might be slightly over the top there is no denying the fact that Bhubaneswar now has world class infrastructure as far as hockey is concerned. It was accorded the honour of holding Men’s World Cup […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: A section of the media has reported that Keonjhar district administration has decided to use sal leaf plates and disposable paper cups in a bid to reduce the consumption of plastic. Sal leaf plates, popular known as “ khali”, have been part of socio-cultural life of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts. They […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Chief minister, Naveen Patnaik seems keen to ensure that his 5T formula of governance is followed both by civil as well as the police administration. Ahead of the launch of his government’s Mo Sarkar initiative, which is one of the steps towards making 5T effective, he has urged police officials to […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: It is often said that the next world war would be fought over water which, considering its fast depletion, has become a resource more valuable than oil. Yet water conservation is yet to become a priority area for the government. While huge quantity of water is wasted daily in both rural […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Fake beneficiaries have pocketed more than Rs.170 crore disbursed under the KALIA ( Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation ) scheme, an initiative being widely hailed as the panacea for the problems afflicting the state’s farming community. This revelation has thickened the controversy surrounding this financial assistance programme that covers […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: The difference hits you in the eye once you arrive in the city of London. In fact, it was visible to us soon after landing at the Gatwick airport. Cleanliness and discipline were remarkable. Everything was orderly with the staff ready to help newcomers at every point. The long queues at […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: As we came out of our apartment in Lewisham the sky was clear blue and the entire area was soaked in bright sunlight. It was a cheerful day inviting you to explore a bit of the city. The bus from Lewisham to O2, one of the landmarks of the city thronged […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Battle lines have been drawn in Bijepur with Election Commission announcing the by-poll schedule for the western Odisha constituency made famous by chief minister, Naveen Patnaik’s victory from there in the recent election. The bye-election has been necessitated by Patnaik’s decision to quit the seat in favour of his pocket-borough of […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: Apart from the mounting problems of Prime Minister, Boris Johnson who, still reeling from calls to explain his relationship with an American model-turned-tech entrepreneur, sustained a fresh blow with Supreme Court quashing his attempt to suspend the Parliament for five weeks, the other big story in the British newspapers is about […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: Barely two months into office Prime Minister, Boris Johnson is facing one of the toughest challenges of his political career with calls for his resignation getting louder. The crisis surrounding him and his government has deepened following a ruling of the British Supreme Court that he had suspended the Parliament unlawfully. […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: Tribal Odisha continues to fascinate foreigners. Browsing through the newspapers here I came across a promotional travel write-up on India with a nice photograph of the Konark sun temple at the top. The piece titled “ Another India” sought to highlight the “ little-visited eastern tribal state of Odisha ( formerly […]

By Ashutosh Mishra Bhubaneswar: Growing awareness about environmental issues is a healthy sign. It is nice to see people taking part in events like the rally against climate change held in the state capital on Friday. Thanks to such campaigns the issue is now being discussed even in lower middle class drawing rooms. Climate change […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: Weekends are fun time in this city with people in a holiday mood. It is also time to explore a bit of history that lies scattered everywhere here. The Tower of London is full of history. The best thing about the place is how it has been preserved and the attempt […]

By Ashutosh Mishra London: Thames is a beautiful river and a major tourist attraction of the city. It is part of city’s life. The view of the river from any of the bridges over it is breath-taking. But watching it from inside the London Eye, the giant wheel that is an iconic city landmark, is […]