Birsa Munda, the legendary tribal rebel who died more than 120 years ago, is at the center of a heated political battle. Sangh Parivar outfits are using his memory to co-opt Adivasi identities into the saffron fold while demanding that tribals who have converted to ‘non-indigenous’ religions, such as Christianity, be excluded from the Scheduled Tribes list. Adivasis maintain that they are distinct from Hindus with their own religious and cultural identity. Central to this battle is Birsa...

Impact investing, which aims to achieve positive social or environmental results alongside financial returns, is considered a big opportunity in India. Impact funds usually earn a market rate of return, which flies in the face of the belief that investing in social or environmental priorities is important but not profitable. Avishek Gupta, MD and CEO of Caspian Debt, speaks to All Indians Matter about the impact investment landscape.

There are several structural problems with the way exit polls are conducted in India – from inadequate sample sizes to the blending of irrelevant historical data into the projection, an improper understanding of the demographics, voters withholding their true choices from researchers and many more. Also, inadequate budgets mean pollsters cut corners. It’s a flawed exercise and even harmful at times, as we saw with the stock market surge based at least partly on exit poll results and the...

The data shows that India’s roads are among the most unsafe in the world. In 2022, more than 4.6 lakh accidents were reported in which 1.68 lakh people lost their lives and nearly 4 lakh were injured. The impact of accidents is felt well beyond the tragedy itself – the economic loss alone is equivalent to 3.18% of the GDP, or Rs 8.17 lakh crore in 2022-23. Such incidents strain the healthcare system and result in a loss of productivity. Often, it’s families’ breadwinners who perish. So, road...

 It is estimated that India’s digital lending market will grow to an astounding $515 billion by 2030. While there are serious challenges such as data privacy and predatory practices, the RBI has stepped in to protect consumers. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

 An estimated 12,000 Indians die every day due to blood shortage. What’s more, access to safe blood is not a given in the country. As we observe Blood Donor Day on June 14, India has a great gap to bridge when it comes to blood safety and supply. Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, Member Secretary of the Thalassemia Patient Advocacy Group and a respected voice on blood safety, speaks to All Indians Matter.

 A new survey shows that India tops the world in workplace burnout, with 59% of respondents reporting symptoms. While a range of factors – from the competitive job market to urban stress – can be blamed, burnout can have worrying physical and emotional impacts. The social stigma around mental health doesn’t help either. Focusing on work-life balance, as well as physical and emotional wellness, is vital. And it’s not just up to the individual; the organisation must do its bit too. Please...

India rose eight places to 127 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2023. But it’s still worse off than even Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan at 103. Among the many factors pulling India down, from educational attainment to political empowerment, is the gender pay gap. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Generic drugs are a great way of making healthcare more affordable to those who really need it. They are becoming increasingly popular and seem to have strong government backing. However, doctors claim that they being arm-twisted into prescribing them even when there are questions about their quality endangering patient safety. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

I came across a musical Daastangoi performance, ‘Jo Dooba So Paar’, by chance. And it showed me how the arts can bring people together. It’s much needed, especially in these times of great social fissures. The show embodied the message of harmony that the intertwined lives of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau delivered and reminded us that communities across the world are in need of something to bring them together as a unified society. All Indians Matter speaks to Ajitesh Gupta, lead and...

The recent gangrape of a Brazilian tourist in Jharkhand underscores why India suffers from a serious perception problem. Several foreign governments have issued advisories to women tourists asking them to be careful while travelling in India. Tourism industry leaders have also demanded greater safety measures. As women travellers leave scathing reviews and horrifying news reports of sexual assaults appear with alarming regularity, tourism numbers are not reviving in India. The UN World...

India is a late starter in the quest for lithium as it transitions towards new-age energy. It has picked up five lithium blocks for mining in Argentina and is looking for more across the world. If it has to reduce its dependence on China for lithium and to catch up with it, India will need to pick up pace not just in mining but also processing of the ore. But it’s not easy, takes a long time and there are serious environmental concerns. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians...

The top 1% of Indians earns 22.6% of the national income and holds 40.1% of the wealth. This inequality is among the worst in the world, finds a recent study. This ‘Billionaire Raj’ has been pronounced since Narendra Modi came to power, the report said, and is founded on “an authoritarian government with centralisation of decision-making power, coupled with a growing nexus between big business and government”. There is an urgent need to redistribute wealth through a reform of the tax code, a...

Micro-entrepreneurship can be one of the solutions to poverty and a means of sustainable income generation in developing countries like India. Central and state governments have launched several programmes to aid micro-entrepreneurship but has enough been done and what more is needed to raise income and employment levels, especially in rural India? Amit Patjoshi, CEO of Palladium India, which runs micro-entrepreneurship programmes, speaks to All Indians Matter.

 If the Iran-Israel conflagration expands into a regional conflict, it would affect India on multiple levels – from energy security to input costs of various industries, inflation and stock prices, not to mention strategic interests. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

A recent report warns that India is on its way to becoming the “cancer capital of the world”. While tobacco and alcohol abuse remain among the major drivers, artificial preservatives, junk food, cellphone towers, food adulteration and exposure to pollutants are leading causes too. The solution spans not just more screening facilities but also greater awareness and the use of data for evidence-based policy decisions. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty gives India control over the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers, while Pakistan manages the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Now, as populations burgeon and climate control wreaks havoc on water resources, India says the treaty must be renegotiated. The Indus Basin aquifer is the second-most stressed in the world but on it rely millions of Indians and Pakistanis. It’s their water security at stake as the two countries tussle over the agreement. Please listen to...

The rise of right-wing nationalism and intense polarisation is defining political debates and electoral outcomes across the world. So, many believe that the outcome of the US and Indian elections will be make or break for global democracy. What does the hard swing towards the right mean for all of us? Rohit Tripathi, a policy advocate on a wide range of public issues spanning the halls of the US Congress to policymakers in India, speaks to All Indians Matter.

Unsafe, contaminated water is killing millions of Indians and dragging down the economy. There is a desperate need to clean and conserve our water sources, and for policies that ensure sustainable use of the world’s most precious resource. India has 16% of the world’s population crammed into a landmass that’s one-third the size of the US. What’s worse, it has only 4% of the world’s fresh water. Safe water supply, therefore, is a pressing national need. Please listen to the latest episode of...

India has more land under cultivation than any other country and is among the leaders in the production of rice, spices, milk, eggs and wheat. Yet, our food system is under immense pressure. It faces many challenges, ranging from depleting natural resources to climate change, fragmented land holdings and increasing urbanisation. Meanwhile, populations are expanding and diets are changing, which means that people are demanding more from the land. What’s needed is a multi-pronged approach that...

Professor GN Saibaba is finally free. But not before his severe disability was tested by horrifying conditions and treatment in jail. His acquittal is a significant blow for human rights and freedom but there are way too many political prisoners still in jail for anyone to celebrate. And they are in jail because the state fears the truth coming out. It fears the truth being recognised as the truth and the backlash that will follow. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

Stress levels in the workplace are through the roof, with a high proportion of the workforce reporting mental health issues. This often results in ailments such as depression, heart attacks and strokes. The megood news is that businesses are acting to mitigate what many believe is a crisis. Abha Dandekar, founder of Elephant in the Room, set up to address mental well-being in the workplace, speaks to All Indians Matter.

India’s relationship with the Maldives has had several twists and turns. The latest diplomatic impasse, in the backdrop of China’s rising influence in the archipelago, could have a significant impact on India’s trade and maritime security. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

As our dependence on digital technology for virtually every aspect of life – from work to financial transactions – rises, so does our vulnerability to cyber fraud. Over the past few years, there has been a quantum leap in such crimes. Are you doing enough to protect yourself? Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.

India’s Constitution and Constitutional values are under attack and our institutions are being captured to further an ideology antithetical to the idea of India. How did such a situation come to pass and what lies ahead? All Indians Matter speaks to Pushparaj Deshpande, managing trustee and director of Samruddha Bharat, who has co-edited ‘The Great Indian Manthan’, a collection of essays on the state, statecraft and the republic.