“Dry universalist conceptions of refinement and formal aesthetics belie the reality of forest and river as the living fundamentals from which beauty and joy derive and are continually renewed. And it is these that are being degraded when corporations denude the land. Not only are language, art and culture being lost. After the green cover goes away, nothing will survive.” (Prof Kanji Patel in the Editorial. FEATURE)
 

“Most representations and identity constructions of adivasis, from colonial times to the present, have come from non-adivasis. …  Such conceptions of ‘adivasi-ness’ have given rise to cultural stereotypes. … The assumption encoded in this gaze is that the adivasi inhabits a different world set apart from the rest of the Indian nation and its people; it essentialises adivasi people and their cultures and defines them as the Other.” (Dr Gopika Jadeja in the Editorial. FEATURE)
 

According to Prof RK Gupta (in the pic), who recently breathed his last, it is only the weak and insecure in all fields—including academics—who believe in groupism and coterie activity. He was against all forms of superficial, trendy and dilettante activity. (In Memoriam Prof RK Gupta (17 Aug 1936—10 Jun 2025) by Sachidananda Mohanty, LITERARY SECTION)

“Literature, for me, is also about this magic – the modes in which you receive it from literature maybe different from what science brings you but the magic, at an elementary level, is the same”—says K Sridhar, Physics Professor Azim Premji University, in the interview by Nalini Priyadarshini. (LITERARY SECTION)

Life is filled with the mundane, so much so that the mundane becomes the supreme. Most often, the innate feelings of a child are ignored by way of habit or by lack of sensitivity. In Come Tomorrow by Albina Arjuman, the vulnerability of childhood is depicted profoundly. (FICTION)

The most exhilarating experience of childhood is riding a bicycle and making friends with the chap or gal living in the neighbourhood. Rufus and his bicycle by Dinnesh Amgadda is a nostalgic collection of such fond memories. (FICTION)

Akbar’s poems carry a quiet sorrow – the kind that settles in after life itself has defeated you. It is a hushed grief that runs through each line, unspoken yet deeply felt. (POETRY)

Sanjukta Dasgupta’s poems delve into the depths of human emotion, surfacing kernels of wisdom. With an observant eye, she breathes life into whatever she turns her gaze upon. (POETRY)

Aparna Singh highlights how Chaitali Sengupta’s translation revitalizes Louis Couperus’s mythic imagination, preserving its fable-like charm while exploring themes of transformation and redemption. The Princess with the Blue Hair beautifully illustrates how generosity enriches both the giver and the receiver. (BOOK REVIEWS)

Dhrishni Saha emphasizes how Lavanya Mohan’s Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees simplifies financial concepts, making wealth management accessible and practical. Mohan’s engaging approach empowers readers, particularly women, to navigate financial independence with confidence. (BOOK REVIEWS)