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Amid debate over Adivasi identity, recalling the icon who helped define it: Birsa Munda
June 11, 2026 06:30 IST
Birsa cannot be understood merely as the leader of an agrarian uprising. Rather, he articulated a broader vision of Adivasi identity, autonomy and self-rule.
Why Mountbatten hastened India’s independence by 10 months, and at what cost
June 7, 2026 11:30 IST
It was in June 1947 that Mountbatten announced, out of the blue, that the British would pack up and leave in 2 months, from the earlier expected one year. We look at the reasons why
Maulana Barkatullah: The ‘first prime minister of India’, whose name Bhopal university wants to drop
June 7, 2026 13:31 IST
Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali, after whom Barkatullah University in Bhopal is named, spent his life abroad, working for India’s freedom. Here is who he was and what he stood for.
Mountbatten Plan at 79: How the June 3 Declaration redrew the subcontinentSubscriber Only
June 4, 2026 09:40 IST
On June 3, 1947, the likes of Viceroy Louis Mountbatten, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah announced that British India would be partitioned. What did the plan propose, and why did both the Congress and the Muslim League accept it?
Behind Lahore bringing back Hindu street names, pride and practicalitySubscriber Only
May 26, 2026 17:08 IST
Lahore Hindu street names: Why is an Islamic country embracing old Hindu names? Why is the change happening now? We explain the past and the present.
Did the Maratha empire have control over Rajputana’s rulers? How a new petition highlights this contested historySubscriber Only
May 20, 2026 10:01 IST
The plea in Bombay HC alleges that NCERT removed a map of the Maratha empire from a social science textbook under political pressure, without relying on historical evidence or expert consultation. Here’s what to know.
Why Raul Castro could face US charges decades after the 1996 Cuba incident
May 16, 2026 12:03 IST
The Trump administration's planned case revives scrutiny of the Brothers to the Rescue incident in which Cuban fighter jets downed two civilian planes, killing four men over waters Washington says were international.
From DK to DMK to AIADMK: How the Dravidian movement has shaped TN’s politics for nearly a centurySubscriber Only
May 14, 2026 15:55 IST
The TVK’s rise has relegated the DMK to main Opposition status and left the AIADMK floundering. But this electoral recasting does not mean an end to Tamil Nadu’s deep-rooted Dravidian politics. Here's a look at its long history in the state
The strange saga of Somnath temple’s ‘lost’ gates a British official ‘returned’Subscriber Only
May 20, 2026 15:26 IST
What was Lord Ellenborough’s proclamation about the ‘gates of Somnauth’? How did the controversy resurface in 1951? We explain.
Expert Explains: On May 10, 1857, how Mangal Pandey inspired a rebellion that rattled the BritishSubscriber Only
May 10, 2026 14:28 IST
The Revolt of 1857 broke out on May 10 in Meerut, 169 years ago. What is the legacy of India's 'first war of Independence'?
Before Vijay, there was Rajaji: Recalling independent India’s first hung Assembly in Madras stateSubscriber Only
May 12, 2026 13:30 IST
75 years ago, independent India witnessed its first fractured mandate in Madras State. The early Constitutional test for the fledgling republic forced Nehru to step in and led to the elevation of Rajaji as chief minister.
On Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary, recalling his clash with Mahatma Gandhi over the ‘cult’ of the charkhaSubscriber Only
May 9, 2026 09:31 IST
Tagore and Gandhi disagreed on a number of issues, but none symbolised their differences more than the spinning wheel. On Tagore’s 165th birth anniversary, we revisit the Gandhi-Tagore debates on the charkha.
After Bengal win, PM Modi invokes Syama Prasad Mookerjee: The life and politics of the Jana Sangh founderSubscriber Only
May 6, 2026 13:26 IST
Among other things, Mookerjee took up the cause of Bengal Hindus in the run-up to Partition, and pressured the Centre to convince Jammu and Kashmir to accept full integration with India. We recall
Recalling Operation Neptune Spear, in which the US killed Osama bin Laden, 15 years onSubscriber Only
May 4, 2026 09:42 IST
As the world marks the 15th anniversary of the raid, the operation remains a landmark moment in modern military history. We recall
What is the 1914 Komagata Maru incident that Diljit Dosanjh spoke about?Subscriber Only
May 1, 2026 23:16 IST
Why were Indian passengers of the ship Komagata Maru not allowed to disembark in Canada? How did the incident affect India's freedom struggle?
PM Modi visits Sikkim to mark 50 years of integration with India: The history, explainedSubscriber Only
April 28, 2026 18:59 IST
After India’s independence, princely states had the option to accede to India or Pakistan, and in certain cases, like those of Hyderabad and Kashmir, a decision was not immediate. Such was the case with Sikkim, thanks to a unique relationship with British rule.
Expert Explains | How Ambedkar laid the foundations of India’s modern labour legislationSubscriber Only
April 28, 2026 09:50 IST
As the Labour Member in the Viceroy's Executive Council (1942-46), B R Ambedkar introduced a slew of pathbreaking legislation for labour welfare. This experience was eventually reflected in the making of the Constitution.
St Francis Xavier row: Why protests broke out against YouTuber Gautam Khattar in GoaSubscriber Only
April 28, 2026 09:49 IST
St Francis Xavier, also referred to as “Goencho Saib” (Lord of Goa), is revered as the patron saint of Goa. The “incorruptible” mortal remains of the Spanish Jesuit missionary have been housed at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa since 1624.
Chernobyl disaster: 40 years on, why nuclear accident remains the most expensive everSubscriber Only
April 27, 2026 09:45 IST
On April 26, 1986, Chernobyl entered global infamy with what would be remembered as the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power generation.
Trump shooting attempt: Recalling the time another US President was targeted in same hotel 45 years agoSubscriber Only
April 27, 2026 09:47 IST
On March 30, 1981, while returning to his motorcade after a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel, then President Ronald Reagan was shot. Who was the attacker and what was his motive?
Before the Iran war, how empires fought for the Strait of HormuzSubscriber Only
April 28, 2026 07:06 IST
The Strait of Hormuz has always been crucial, even before the discovery of oil in West Asia. The Portuguese, the Dutch and the British have all attempted to exert control over the narrow strait over the centuries.
B’nei Menashe: How a ‘lost tribe’ in Northeast India forged ties with IsraelSubscriber Only
April 27, 2026 16:16 IST
The B’nei Menashe of Manipur and Mizoram believe they are the descendants of one of the 'lost tribes' of Israel. Around 250 members of the community landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday under an Israeli government programme.
Resolution 47 on Kashmir: When India ran into ‘power politics’ at the UNSubscriber Only
April 23, 2026 19:22 IST
The UN Resolution 47 was passed on April 21, 1948. Nehru has since been criticised for approaching the UN and 'internationalising' the Kashmir issue. Here's why India went to the UN, and what happened there.
500 years of Mughals: An Expert Explains how Babur came to conquer HindustanSubscriber Only
April 22, 2026 15:18 IST
Babur prevailed despite commanding almost no local support, facing a deeply hostile Muslim population, and wielding a technology that was not entirely new to India. How, then, did he win?
Created around the same time, how Israel, Pakistan have since helped the USSubscriber Only
May 12, 2026 16:23 IST
US-Iran war: Pakistan as the negotiation leader and Israel as the possible spoiler have a significant sway over the conflict. Here's how history led them to this moment.
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