Devendra Kumar Budakoti The Indian middle class, while discussing politics in private spaces, often speaks about corruption in the system and among political leaders. Corruption is generally understood as poor governance and the exchange of money to get work done within the government machinery. However, a large majority fail to visualize deeper issues related to … Read more
Devendra Kumar Budakoti The history of the Indian National Army (INA)–Azad Hind Fauj is not prominently taught in Indian school textbooks. Many years after India’s independence, INA veterans were formally recognized as freedom fighters and granted pensions by the Government of India. Among the many factors that contributed to India’s independence, a principal one was … Read more
Devendra Kumar Budakoti & Swagata Sinha Roy The Tamil Hindu diaspora in Malaysia celebrates the annual Thaipusam festival in major towns where temples dedicated to Lord Murugan are located. The most prominent celebration takes place at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, which attracts millions of devotees and tourists each year. Over time, the Batu Caves … Read more
— Devendra Kumar Budakoti & Swagata Sinha Roy The 129th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was commemorated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by the Netaji Welfare Foundation in collaboration with the High Commission of India and the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre. The event served both as a tribute to Netaji’s legacy and … Read more
Devendra Kumar Budakoti & Swagata Sinha Roy While visiting the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Taiping in the state of Perak, Malaysia, our thoughts turned to the Indian soldiers who were killed, wounded, or taken as prisoners of war (POWs) by the Japanese during the Malaya Campaign of World War II. Many among these Indian POWs … Read more
— Devendra Kumar Budakoti India’s legendary woman boxer Mary Kom continues to make headlines even after her retirement from the sport. This time, however, the attention is not for her achievements in the boxing ring but for the public airing of marital discord with her husband on social media and television. After nearly two decades … Read more
— Devendra Kumar Budakoti Come January, and the whole nation is gripped by examination fever as the Class X and XII board examinations approach. February and March have, over the years, become the annual peak season of fear, anxiety, and emotional stress—not only for students, but also for families and communities. Everyone is concerned about … Read more
Many Indian harvest festivals are celebrated around the second week of January, including Makar Sankranti, Bihu, and Ponggal. The Indian diaspora across the world observes these festivals both within the private space of the home and in public arenas such as temples and cultural centres. In Malaysia, where the majority of the Indian population is … Read more
Devendra Kumar Budakoti Over the last few years, parents and social media discussions in Uttarakhand have increasingly highlighted the difficulty of finding brides. A recurring concern is the search for a “suitable boy”—often defined as someone with a government job and, preferably, property in the plains. From a parental perspective, this reflects a desire for … Read more
Devendra Kumar Budakoti The thought of writing on this topic came to me when my padosi, Commodore (R) Ravi Nautiyal, nudged me to share my thoughts on India’s pervasive VIP culture. People like Commodore Nautiyal are often irritated when they see VIPs cutting lines, demanding special privileges, and flaunting their position in public spaces. The … Read more