Latest posts by Aparna Ray
Can India Win The Fight Against Tuberculosis?
24th March is observed as World Tuberculosis Day and this year, the various stakeholders dedicated to fight tuberculosis - government agencies, the medical community, NGOs and health activists, took time out to take stock of how India was faring in it's fight against the dreaded disease.
Jailed For Exposing Moral Policing, Indian TV Reporter Gets Bail
Television journalist Naveen Soorinje, who was arrested on November 7, 2012 after exposing a shocking incident of moral policing and assault on a group of young men and women by members of a far right-wing fringe group in Mangalore, India, was finally granted bail yesterday by the Karnataka High Court.
Reporters Stand By as Biswajit Das is Brutally Murdered in Bangladesh
On 9th December, 2012, during an 8-hour road blockade programme called by the opposition, 24yr old Biswajit Das was brutally murdered in the open before the eyes of the public and a large number of media personnel who were busy taking photographs and video footage of the incident and did nothing to try and save the young man from his horrific end. Shock and outrage poured in via social media.
Mumbai Terrorist Executed in India, But Will it Bring Peace?
On November 21, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and the only terrorist to be captured alive following the 2008 attack on Mumbai, was executed. His hanging rekindled the debate about the death penalty in India and whether it was likely to deter future terrorist attacks.
New Realities of the India-Russia Defence Partnership
India has traditionally enjoyed warm defense ties with Russia. However, New Delhi’s recent tilt towards Washington has prompted Moscow to enhance its defense and diplomatic states with other South Asian countries, most notably Pakistan.
India: Lending Voice to Social Campaigns Through Street Plays
Aatish is a Delhi-based independent, youth-led theatre group that aims to lend a voice to issues that are often marginalized, using street plays and workshops.
India: Hurrah For Hornbills – Defence Project Stalled in Narcondam
A proposal from the Indian Coast Guards to install coastal surveillance equipments in the Narcondamm Island in the Andaman Sea, has been stalled by the Indian government. This news, coming after months of intensive campaigning against the proposal, has been welcomed by birders, ornithologists, ecologists, conservation activists and wildlife enthusiasts.
India: Husbands to Pay Wives for Doing Household Chores?
The Union Women and Child Development Ministry in India is considering a draft bill which, if passed by parliament, would make it legally compulsory for husbands to pay out a portion of their monthly income to their homemaker wives, for doing household chores.
India: Arrest of Cartoonist on Sedition Charges Sparks Debate
On 8 September, award-winning political cartoonist, Aseem Trivedi was arrested in Mumbai, India, on charges of sedition and is now in judicial custody. Netizens expressed outrage over his arrest, a move they see as politically motivated and an attempt by the government to curb freedom of expression.
Pakistan: Long Road to Peace and Security
As Pakistan enters its 66th year of Independence, it is a good time to take stock of the security situation within the country - in order to understand what role the nation will continue to play in the overall security and stability of the region.
India: Social Media Censorship to Contain ‘Cyber-Terrorism'?
'Are we going to follow the footsteps of Pakistan and China and turn into a Blockistan?' The Indian government has cracked down on various social media sites; some Facebook pages and Twitter handles have also been blocked.
India: Social Media Blamed for Fueling Assam Unrest
'A temporary ban was put on bulk SMS and MMS. Local police swung into action and began arresting people forwarding ‘hate' SMS examples. Social media sites were warned to monitor and remove inflammatory content. About 310 webpages were blocked.'
Global: ‘International Relations’ Out of the Classroom Onto the Web
"IR has a new dimension and is no longer the subject of a few for discussion." - Former IR Student. "Blogging is not an end in itself or a replacement for real research." - IR Professor
India, Pakistan: Working Towards Thawing the Siachen Conflict?
On April 7, 2012, a deadly avalanche hit a Pakistani military camp in the Gayatri Sector, 30km west of the Siachen glacier, killing over 130 people, most of them military personnel. The scale of the tragedy once again brought into focus a long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan over Siachen, often referred to as "the world's highest battlefield".
India, Bangladesh: Water Disputes and Teesta River Diplomacy
Longstanding tensions between India and Bangladesh on how best to share river waters have recently come to head in a dispute over the Teesta River that threatens bilateral relations. At stake, are the lives of countless Bangladeshi and West Bengali people who depend on the river waters for survival.
India: Renewing The Solar Pledge On World Environment Day
On World Environment Day, India, amidst growing concerns of energy security and climate change, renews its pledge to harness solar power in search of cleaner, renewable energy.
Bangladesh: Shawpno Rath – A School For Slum Children
A group of young people have started a school 'Shawpno Rath' (Chariot of Dreams) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the aim of providing schooling to disadvantaged children.
India: Kolkata Joins the SlutWalk Movement
on 24th May, 2012, Kolkata formally joined the global SlutWalk movement, with over a hundred young men and women marching for the cause in the sweltering heat of summer. On the web, netizens bring the event alive through discussions, photos and videos.
Bangladesh: Bloggers March for Murdered Journalist Couple
Three months have passed since the brutal murder of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Till date, the police have been unsuccessful in finding any clues or leads in the case.The couple had been found murdered in their apartment, in the early hours of 11 February, 2012.
India: Entertainment Industry Seeks Court Ban on Torrents and Vimeo
For more than a week now, some ISPs across parts of India have been quietly blocking access to the popular video sharing site Vimeo as well as various torrent sites such as The Pirate Bay, KickAssTorrents, BitSnoop etc. Netizens react.
India, Pakistan Missile Launches: Game Changers or Mere Posturing?
Back-to-back missile tests by India and Pakistan in April have received widespread coverage and comment, both in the mainstream media as well as on social media. Aparna Ray reports.
