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Politics
COVID-19 pandemic and India
By Pramod Mathur India <Spotfilm> CEO, AJA Senior member NEW DELHI: An Extraordinary Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit was convened on March 26, 2020. The aim was to discuss challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and forge a coordinated global response. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had a telephonic conversation with the…
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East Asia
Education in India
For millennia, ancient India was one of the foremost seats of learning in the world with famous universities like Taxila, Nalanda and Vikramshila, visited by scholars and monks from China, Tibet, Korea, among others. For example, the 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk, Hiuen Tsang, spent 15 months studying and learning…
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South East Asia
The Menace Of Fake News
Last April, the office of the Indian Cabinet Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Ms. Smriti Irani, issued a directive. It lay down new guidelines punishing journalists for publishing fake news. Understandably, there was fierce and widespread criticism from the journalists. “These norms are an attempt to intimidate and muzzle the…
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West Asia
Arabian Tales
Generations in India have grown listening to the “The Arabian Tales” (“One Thousand and One Nights”). The story of Aladdin, Sindbad, and of course, the story of Alibaba and the Forty Thieves; all of them carried a universal appeal. Each fable read aloud to young children before bedtime always…
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South Asia
Woes of the Third Generation Asian
As traditional Asian societies prepared to venture into the New Year, it may be pertinent to introspect on how family units fared socially and financially thus far. How societies evolved and to which direction future generations are headed. In most countries, much has happened politically in the past seventy years.…
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East Asia
Military standoff between India and China at Doklam Plateau
On July 2015, Indian member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, speaking at the Oxford Union Debate, made pertinent comments regarding the British. Making references to a common phrase used to illustrate the sheer extent of Britain’s power in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, he said, “No wonder that the sun…
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South Asia
Climate change: India and Donald Trump
Folk tales in any culture of the world provide wisdom. It is always wise to give heed to them. One story in the Indian folktales, “Panchatantra”, goes like this… Once there was a king, who had a pet monkey. This monkey was a fool, but was treated royally and moved…
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East Asia
Korean presidential scandal: Dynamics of Corruption
Mahatma Gandhi said, “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” However, Indian politicians are bent upon proving Gandhi wrong. They continue to vie with each other in amassing wealth by using every tool in the rule book. Throughout human history, the rich and powerful…
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South East Asia
Demonetisation of Currency in India
Last year, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi gave an unscheduled live televised address to the nation on November 8 at 8.15 pm. He suddenly announced that high denomination currency notes, all of 86% currency in current circulation, will no longer be legal tenders after midnight. The political circles and…
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East Asia
From Confucius to Gandhi
What makes the South Korean industry and economy robust? Hard work…sincerity…honesty or simply the righteous character of each and every citizen? The first thing that strikes a visitor is the calm demeanor and smiling face of the host. Aggression of any kind is missing…in the body language of a common…
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