Aasheesh Sharma

Our cities cannot be smart, until they are accessible for everybody

Contractors hired to remove the barriers in the urban built environment must not be paid till civil society representatives sign off on the projects

Breach the wall of silence: Give State recognition to Indian Sign Language

The country’s population of deaf and speech disabled remains invisible at institutions of higher learning since most of them even fail to even complete school

It’s time India gave serious thought to joint parenting

The Supreme Court has sought the Centre’s response on a petition seeking a “joint parenting plan” to reduce the trauma faced by children of divorced couples. Given the impact that alienation from either parent can have on the child, choosing between the father and the mother without taking a considered view of the possibilities of joint parenting might work against the child’s interests.

2018 Asiad: Why India’s teenage shooting stars are unlikely to blame the system

Some credit for their success must go to India’s robust junior shooting programme which was put in motion after the 2012 London Olympics

Ozil’s retirement rakes up racism debate, which should have no room in sport

World Cup winner Mesut Ozil’s statements shine a light on the role identity and race play in modern-day sport and the ugly side to the concept of diversity

Speaking flawless English should not be a priority for India’s world champion Hima Das

Does anybody have the gumption to question African middle-distance running champions about their accent or diction? Are French footballers, considered the best on the planet for excelling in their core competency, forced to speak in English?

Review: A Bonsai Tree by Narendra Luther

One of the first officers of the IAS, Narendra Luther’s autobiography is particularly interesting for its anecdotes featuring, Nehru, PV Narasimha Rao, and NT Rama Rao, among others

Asking Haryana’s athletes for one-third of their endorsement earnings is the cruellest cut

Sakshi Malik, Yogeshwar Dutt, Vijender Singh and Sardara Singh would have been affected by the directive that has now been put on hold by the Haryana CM

CBSE retests: Our evaluation system has failed India’s exam warriors

Beyond blaming the board, should we be examining whether the evaluation system is overburdened? Are smarter and more effective ways of assessment such as the proposed National Testing Agency the way forward?

For the differently abled, India is still inaccessible

14 months after the passing of the Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, most states are yet to frame the draft rights

Review: Imperfect by Sanjay Manjrekar

One of the most technically proficient batters of his generation, Sanjay Manjrekar’s account of his career humanises the cutthroat world of international cricket

Are bots ready to take over newsrooms? Not for some time to come

One sphere where machines cannot hope to catch up with humans for at least a few years – and thank god for that – is in thought pieces and opinion articles. They haven’t caught up with journalists when it comes to gleaning facts on the ground and getting the texture and context of the story.

Fatwa against Khurshid gives a bad name to the community

Sermons or edicts that run down India’s pluralistic culture, undermine women’s freedom, or promote anachronistic notions should not get the pulpit of religious seminaries

FIFA U-17 World Cup: Don’t expect it to usher in a football renaissance in India

Participating in their first-ever football World Cup in any age group India have a chance to prove their credentials as a footballing nation and also as FIFA U-17 World Cup hosts. But this won’t transform Amarjit Singh Kiyam’s team into world-beaters overnight.

Why is Chandrababu Naidu asking people to have more children?

It’s astonishing that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister cannot comprehend that more people will not automatically translate to fewer robots.

Boris Becker meets Bjorn Borg: From boom to broke

Bjorn Borg and Boris Becker were responsible for a lot of great matches during the playing days and after retirement, they are still creating a lot of drama off the pitch.

Let’s not tarnish the legacy of Kalam, the People’s President

The ungainly row over the placement of the Bhagavad Gita at APJ Abdul Kalam’s memorial in Rameswaram is unnecessary and does great disservice to his syncretic legacy

Mithali Raj, the ‘Captain Cool’ who reads Rumi, is India’s new sporting icon

Will allies force Parrikar’s hand on Goa’s cash-rich off-shore casinos?

Apart from the allegation that the casinos encourage the habit of gambling among the people of the state and thereby undermine public morality, there are serious environmental repercussions that are often pushed to the background.

Bengaluru Metro row: Why coercive implementation of Hindi can’t work in India

Our policy makers should utilise their time better on constructive tasks rather than expend their energies propagating the virtues of Hindi hegemony or language chauvinism

Wives and girlfriends of cricketers can’t be soft targets for online trolls

Cricketers hardly ever bother to hit back at them on social media. And apart from exceptions such as Virat Kohli and Mayanti Langer, the victims do not jump in and engage with abusive trolls

Virat Kohli fails to recognise Mithali Raj: Gender bias at play

Coming from the Indian men’s skipper to the women’s captain, the blunder speaks volumes about the kind of apathy and discrimination lady cricketers face in the country. Is it time to coin another phrase for the gentleman’s game?

Review: Numbers Do Lie by Impact Index and Aakash Chopra

A new book that validates a few longstanding beliefs of cricket aficionados gives credit where it’s due and is an ode to the unsung hero

Where is the outrage over the killing of the e-rickshaw driver who opposed public urination?

The beautiful people who took out candle-light vigils for a model shot dead for refusing to serve a drink have gone missing. Hashtag #JusticeforRavinder, anybody?

Arming women with bats to beat up alcoholics is a bizarre idea

If Madhya Pradesh minister Gopal Bhargava really wants to empower his women constituents, he would be well advised to arm them with education and employment opportunities

Trigger-happy Twitter celebs like Sonu Nigam should be more circumspect

Whether it is the compulsions of staying relevant or the nature of the social media beast that is fuelling these sensationalist tweets, celebrities need to be mindful of what they put out in the public realm

Rijiju’s Hindu conversion tweet is a mischievous attempt to twist facts

Not just is the controversial minister’s statement the latest in the litany of alarmist proclamations made by saffron organisations such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad, it couldn’t have been further from reality, if Census projections are anything to go by

Chidambaram to Badal: A not-so-Lambi history of shoe-throwing

A look back in anger at the assorted activists – some rich some not-so-well-heeled — who vented their anger at the establishment and politicians by hurling shoes at politicians of all hues and nationalities

Why are toxic trolls losing their shirt over Kaif doing the Surya Namaskar?

Don’t have the champion cricketer running for cover for doing the Surya Namaskar

Principal’s resignation reinforces prejudices against trans-people

Manabi Bandopadhyay, first transgender principal of any educational institute in India, has resigned. But the news shouldn’t dampen the spirits of the transgender community of the country