Journalism of Courage
EXPLAINED HISTORY NEWS
Hindi Diwas: How the Constituent Assembly settled India’s language rowSubscriber Only
September 15, 2026 08:11 IST
The language question remained one of the most contentious issues before the Constituent Assembly. On September 14, 1949, after years of debate, it adopted the language compromise known as the Munshi–Ayyangar formula.
Trump bats for a ‘unified’ Ireland: What led to its partition?
September 14, 2026 18:09 IST
The US President’s comments came two weeks after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that a referendum on Irish unification was “off the table” during a visit to Northern Ireland.
The story of the iconic 1,212-pillar temple corridor that framed the Modi-Xi handshake
September 12, 2026 23:04 IST
On Day 1 of the BRICS Summit, PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands in front of the projection of an iconic stone corridor from Tamil Nadu’s Ramnathswamy temple. Here’s what to know about it.
Cinema in Kashmir: How militancy shut movie theatres, film shoots
September 10, 2026 08:00 IST
With Jammu and Kashmir hosting its first international film festival (September 7-10), we explain how the eruption of militancy surfaced in 1989 snapped the valley's connection with cinema.
How India-China ties shaped the fate of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
September 8, 2026 13:38 IST
The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet is particularly challenging given the high-altitude terrain. But for Indian pilgrims, making the journey has also depended on the state of bilateral relations.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: How September 5 came to be observed as Teachers’ Day
September 5, 2026 11:13 IST
September 5 became Teachers’ Day during Radhakrishnan’s presidency. While official accounts credit his wish to honour teachers, another account credits a teachers’ federation and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Why a 1950s excavation is shedding new light on Varanasi’s ancient past now
September 7, 2026 17:44 IST
What can the Rajghat artefacts reveal about Varanasi, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world? And why are the boxes being examined now?
Kharge ‘purification’ row : How the ‘shuddhi’ practice started, evolvedSubscriber Only
August 30, 2026 15:23 IST
The practice of ‘shuddhi’ was popularised by the Arya Samaj. Originally meant to tackle conversion, it has since changed. We explain.
How Gorkha state demand evolved from a 1907 petition to the Centre’s new panelSubscriber Only
August 25, 2026 19:40 IST
A new committee will examine the Gorkha issue to provide a “permanent political resolution”. What is the history of the demand?
Tracing Ashoka in Ujjain: What fresh dig at Vaishya Tekri ‘stupa’ can and cannot revealSubscriber Only
August 25, 2026 13:23 IST
Madhya Pradesh has begun a push to excavate monuments linked to Mauryan-era emperor Ashoka, beginning with Vaishya Tekri. Here's what history reveals about a young prince's life — and love — in modern MP.
Recalling Harchand Singh Longowal, a moderate voice during Punjab’s turbulent timesSubscriber Only
August 20, 2026 16:38 IST
On August 20, 1985, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, one of the most prominent Sikh leaders during Punjab’s insurgency years, was assasinated. Here's a look at his life and politics.
Sergio Gor’s remark, Pakistan’s protest, and the changing US stance on KashmirSubscriber Only
August 23, 2026 18:11 IST
What exactly is the US’s position on Jammu & Kashmir? The answer has shifted with every decade, depending on Washington’s strategic goals.
Why Afghanistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 19Subscriber Only
August 23, 2026 17:10 IST
The Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed on August 8, 1919, marking the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Afghan War. But the then Afghan ruler Amanullah Khan decided to commemorate Afghan independence only 11 days later. We explain.
IIT Kharagpur at 75: How India’s first IIT was born in a former colonial prisonSubscriber Only
August 20, 2026 06:32 IST
The idea for India’s IITs was born in the aftermath of World War II. The Nehru government turned the plan into one of the country’s most important institution-building projects.
What was the Communal Award that pitted Gandhi against AmbedkarSubscriber Only
August 19, 2026 09:53 IST
In August 1932, the British announced the Communal Award. What was the provision for depressed classes that Ambedkar wanted and Gandhi stridently opposed? What eventually happened?
August 15, 1947: How Delhi, Lahore, Calcutta and Karachi saw freedomSubscriber Only
August 15, 2026 14:44 IST
The mood ranged from celebratory to anxious, with people in Lahore not even knowing what country they belonged to. What did these cities have in common and how did they differ?
Expert Explains | On Independence Day, recalling Ambedkar’s warnings, and remedies, for IndiaSubscriber Only
August 15, 2026 13:06 IST
Ambedkar, a leading public intellectual, foresaw issues of caste and regional divides in Independent India. With debates currently on about delimitation and reservations in some quarters, here is what Ambedkar recommended as remedies.
Expert Explains | How a naval mutiny hastened India’s independenceSubscriber Only
August 17, 2026 06:57 IST
As India celebrates its 80th Independence Day, it’s worth recalling the Royal Indian Navy mutiny of 1946, which rattled the British and hastened India’s independence from colonial rule.
Beyond Kashmir, Hyderabad: 4 princely states that initially refused to join IndiaSubscriber Only
August 16, 2026 17:57 IST
The princely states, both pampered and exploited by the British, had maintained a position of semi-autonomy and were the toughest challenge facing free India.
Why Gandhi spent August 15, 1947, in Calcutta instead of DelhiSubscriber Only
August 15, 2026 10:29 IST
Gandhi marked India’s first Independence Day with a 24-hour fast and chose not to celebrate. Yet, on the morning of freedom, some signs offered him hope.
Why August 15 was chosen as India’s Independence Day, and why Pakistan celebrates a day beforeSubscriber Only
August 16, 2026 17:31 IST
How did India and Pakistan end up with different Independence Days? Who chose August 15 as the date, and why? We explain.
Did US manipulate GPS during Kargil War as shown in ‘Operation Safed Sagar’? Ex-IAF chief explainsSubscriber Only
August 12, 2026 09:50 IST
Former IAF Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa (retd), the Commanding Officer of the No. 17 Squadron of the MiG-21s during the Kargil War, details events from the conflict that have been referenced in a new Netflix series.
Kakori Train Action: Full story behind the ‘robbery’ that shook the British RajSubscriber Only
August 9, 2026 16:03 IST
While the basic story of the Kakori Train Action is well-known, in what context was it planned, and what happened after? On its 101st anniversary, we explain.
Britain entered WWI on this day: How its broken promises fueled India’s freedom struggleSubscriber Only
August 4, 2026 17:43 IST
India’s World War I sacrifice raised expectations of self-rule, but Britain’s limited reforms and post-war repression transformed the independence movement.
As parties rush to honour Guru Ravidas, revisiting his legacy of Dalit resistance in Punjab and beyondSubscriber Only
July 31, 2026 13:12 IST
Guru Ravidas remains one of India's most influential Bhakti saints, whose message of equality, Begumpura and dignity of labour continues to shape religion and politics.
Advertisement
BEST OF EXPRESS
Advertisement
Must Read
Advertisement
