Notes of Nagesh

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P.M. Bhargava: The Rebel in the Lab Coat

By Chuppala Nagesh Bhushan The rebel in the lab coat What a cussed Indian biologist can teach institutions about beauty, dissent and the price of conformity WHEN India's Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) opened in Hyderabad, the country's press did not know quite what to make of it. Reporters accustomed to government buildings whose only reliable landmark was the smell of their toilets found themselves inside a building of glass, art and clean lines. They dubbed it "Zanadu" and sniffed that it looked suspiciously like a five-star hotel. Questions were duly asked in Parliament. Why should a state laboratory be draped in contemporary sculpture and architectural flourish? The man responsible, P.M. Bhargava, would have considered the outrage a compliment. A molecular biologist by training and an irritant to bureaucracy by vocation, Dr Bhargava spent a career arguing that the pursuit of truth and the pursuit of beauty were not separate projects but th...

Mohan Bhagwat's American sermon clashes with India's sectarian reality

The Universalist Paradox Mohan Bhagwat's American sermon clashes with India's sectarian reality On 29 August 2026, a man who heads an organisation accused of fostering mob violence against minorities stood before 5,000 admirers inside Manhattan's Madison Square Garden and preached a gospel of universal oneness. Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), delivered a 42-minute address titled "Universal Oneness Celebration" that spoke of diversity celebrated, human dignity affirmed, and the irrelevance of creed. Outside, protesters burned the Indian flag, displayed effigies garlanded with shoes, and chanted "RSS Murdabad" — a contradiction so stark it nearly cancelled out the speech itself. A Sermon and Its Shadow The occasion was billed as an interfaith dialogue, with 180 religious leaders from 30 countries reportedly assembled to witness Mr Bhagwat's embrace of pluralism. He told his audience that any Hindu who believ...

The Democratic Street

The Democratic Street A Defence of Contentious Politics in Constitutional Republics Every constitutional republic is built on a founding tension: the pull between institutional stability and popular mobilisation. The standard theory of citizenship implies a one-way journey — from the street to the statute. Once a democratic framework exists, the argument goes, the raw energy of the people should be channelled through the refined instruments of the courtroom, the parliament, and the ballot box. Critics of "street politics" often reduce this to a stark choice between civilisation and chaos. To mount a serious defence of the street, however, one must first take the opposing case seriously — to argue it at its strongest before answering it. That is the purpose of what follows: a purva paksha , the classical method of stating an opponent's position with full force before contesting it. 1. The Case Against the Street: Confronting the "Mob Rule" Critique ...

Mastering the Psychology of Wealth: A Summary of Behavioral Disciplines

1. The Wealth Paradox: Why Riches Often Fail to Last Behavioral economists observe a recurring phenomenon: the "Countdown Timer" of sudden wealth. While many view a significant windfall as a finish line, the data suggests it is often the start of a rapid descent. A landmark Sports Illustrated investigation revealed that 78% of NFL players face significant financial distress or bankruptcy within just two years of retirement. Similarly, 70% of lottery winners are broke within five years. Without a systemic architecture of discipline, wealth is merely a temporary state of abundance destined for Intergenerational Wealth Destruction . In contrast, consider the "Stubborn Longevity" of families like the Bonts in Switzerland, who have maintained substantial wealth for over 400 years through world wars, depressions, and digital revolutions. The difference lies not in their investment formulas, but in their behavioral operating system. Comparing Wealth Archetypes: New ...

అదృశ్య అంత్యక్రియలు: భారత్‌లో కొత్త కుల గణన విఫలం కావడానికే రూపొందించారా?

అదృశ్య అంత్యక్రియలు: భారత్‌లో కొత్త కుల గణన విఫలం కావడానికే రూపొందించారా? ఏడాది క్రితం, భారత ప్రభుత్వం జాతీయ కుల గణన నిర్వహిస్తామని ప్రకటించినప్పుడు అది ఒక చారిత్రక మలుపులా అనిపించింది — సామాజిక పారదర్శకత కోసం పెరుగుతున్న డిమాండ్‌కు ప్రభుత్వం అయిష్టంగానైనా తలొగ్గినట్టుగా కనిపించింది. కానీ నిశితంగా గమనిస్తున్నవారికి ఆ సంబరం తొందరపాటుగానే అనిపించింది. దీని అంతానికి అధికారికంగా ఎలాంటి ప్రకటనా రాదు, బహిరంగ అంత్యక్రియలూ జరగవు. బదులుగా మనం చూస్తున్నది ఒక "నిశ్శబ్ద ఖననం" — పరిపాలనా విధానం ముసుగులో, చల్లని రాజకీయ లెక్కల ఆధారంగా, పట్టపగలే ఒక ప్రాజెక్టును కూల్చివేయడం. కుల గణనను రద్దు చేయడం లేదు; దాన్ని "సాంకేతిక విధ్వంసానికి" గురిచేస్తున్నారు — మొదటి గణన అధికారి తలుపు తట్టకముందే విఫలమయ్యేలా రూపొందించారు. మొదటి ముఖ్యాంశం: "ఓపెన్-ఎండెడ్" ఉచ్చు భారత రిజిస్ట్రార్ జనరల్ (ఆర్‌జీఐ) తీసుకున్న ఒక సాంకేతిక నిర్ణయం వాస్తవానికి ఈ గణనకు మరణశాసనంగా మారింది: ఓపెన్-ఎండెడ్ ప్రశ్నల వినియోగం. గుర్తింపు పొందిన కులాల జాబితాతో కూడిన నిర్మాణాత్మక డ్రాప్-డౌన్ మెనూను అందించే బదులు, గణన...

How much of India’s population is living in multidimensional poverty?

How much of India’s population is living in multidimensional poverty? India’s multidimensional poverty rate fell from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-21, according to NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index. But the state-wise picture remains very different. In 2019-21, Bihar had the highest multidimensional poverty rate at 33.76%, followed by Jharkhand at 28.81% and Meghalaya at 27.79%. At the other end, Kerala recorded the lowest rate at 0.55%, followed by Goa at 0.84%. NITI Aayog’s more recent estimates suggest that India’s multidimensional poverty rate fell further to 11.28% in 2022-23. However, these 2022-23 figures are extrapolated estimates based on the 2015-16 and 2019-21 data, rather than estimates from a new NFHS survey. NITI Aayog does provide state/UT-wise projected figures for 2022-23 as well. So, this map uses the NFHS-5 (2019-21) state-wise figures, which remain the latest comparable survey-based state-level dataset. Source: NITI A...