Mainstream Weekly

The Importance of Being Hidma | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2025-11-29T10:50:03Z

It was the late 1990s. Anu, my late wife, had just returned from spending 3 years in Bastar with the armed guerrillas. She would often say it was the best years of her life, though it took a toll on her health, finally leading to her death. Though her arthritic knees gave her much problems and she would regularly stumble over the rough terrain, she was much loved by the simple tribals. Having picked up a spattering of Gondi (she would say it was akin to Tamil), she would talk at length of (…)

- 2025

Sonu Surrender & its Significance/Insignificance | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2025-10-18T04:59:04Z

(This article is in response to recent news reports in India on the surrender by a Maoist leader, Sonu and his associates[[Sonu

- 2025

Rape & Murder In Kolkata Hospital | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2024-08-17T01:56:00Z

On 9 August 2024 (exactly a year after the 17 year old Jadavpur University student killed himself due to ragging 31 year old junior doctor, ‘ Abhaya' (from Panihati in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district), at the R.G Kar Hospital in the heart of Kolkata, was found dead - apparently gang-raped and brutally killed on the night of August 8/9th 2024 at about 3 am. She was initially reported missing by colleagues. Later that morning, at about 8 am the trainee doctor's body was discovered in (…)

- 2024

Hindutva Fascism and the Future of Indian Politics | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2024-02-03T03:44:12Z

(Paper Presented at a Conference in Trichy (Tamilnadu) on January 7th 2024)
In much of India, Hindutva has got into the bloodstream of not only the middle classes but even of the lower classes/castes including sections of Dalits. Let alone left thought even the democratic thoughts of Ambedkar seem to be on the back burner. Whichever party is in power, even at the state level, they seem more involved in appeasing the Hindutva sentiment with soft Hindutva than countering it with democratic (…)

- 2024

Boycott Israeli Products/Companies in India - End Occupation of Palestine | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-12-23T02:21:00Z

Israel has a huge manufacturing base in India together with massive import/export trade. India is one of Israel's largest trading partners. We need to call on the people of our country to boycott all Israeli products and companies to lend support to the Palestinians and counter Zionist fascism.
The following are some products either owned by Israel or with a strong Israeli connection which should be boycotted: Pepsico, Coca Cola, Sprite, Milo, Oral B, Energiser, Maggie, Kit Kat, Barbie, (…)

- 2023

The Environmental Holocaust In India | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-08-25T17:47:26Z

The media in the last month have been full of the havoc caused due to excessive rain, flooding, landslides, etc In fact as Modi was delivering his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort a cloud burst washed away the Shiv Rawadi temple in Shimla — in an upmarket area — taking the lives of at least 12 people including children On that day Shimla witnessed landslides at two places — the other at Fagli, in which too at least 5 lives were lost.
Meanwhile the Indian Express (Aug 16) reported (…)

- 2023

Freedom: Corroded And Stained | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-08-18T21:48:08Z

We have just celebrated the 77th year of our independence. While much euphoria was generated by the media and politicians it is the right time to take stock as to where we have reached in this journey forward and what is the likely future for the new generations growing up.
Oxfam India's briefing ‘Inequality Kills', published Jan 16 2023, has revealed “that the collective wealth of India's 100 richest people hit a record high of Rs. 57.3 lakh crore (USD 775 billion) in 2021. According to (…)

- 2023

Life of D.D. Kosambi: Brilliant Intellectual & Humanist | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-07-22T01:43:39Z

On his 116th birth anniversary (July 31st, 2023) we not only remember Kosambi (31 July 1907 — 29 June 1966) but seek to emulate his spirit. While most left intellectuals today are more preoccupied with building careers or absorbed in petty intrigues, one could, on this auspicious occasion, learn from DDK's total focus on research and the interests of the people. Without such focus, discipline, and single-minded effort nothing great can be accomplished in life. We will be condemned to a (…)

- 2023

The D.D. Kosambi Research Foundation: Goals and Strategies | Kobad Ghandy

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-07-07T19:02:10Z

The D.D. Kosambi Research Foundation and Library is a Society being set up to do basic and in-depth studies into the vexed problems and questions facing our country and the world's people. It will only have one criterion — a burning desire to seek the truth, irrespective of the ideology one holds. Pre-conceived ideas will not be encouraged as we have recently found many left/liberal narratives seriously flawed. Today much of the truth lies below layers of obfuscation, and confusion abounds (…)

- 2023

CPM's 34-year rule in West Bengal (Part 2): Party Machinery, State Terror and Control on the People | Kobad Ghandy with inputs by Raktim Ghosh and Bonhihotri Hazra

Kobad Ghandy — 2023-06-30T22:27:50Z

(This Part 2 of 'CPM's 34-year rule in West Bengal', Part 1 is available here )
by Kobad Ghandy with inputs by Raktim Ghosh and Bonhihotri Hazra
The CPIM party machinery was all dominating in the West Bengal state during their rule. In every social, political, cultural and even in personal matters the CPIM ‘dada's' interference was a must. Initially they began with some attempts at land reform but slowly that too degenerated into the old structures that existed earlier. It all started (…)

- 2023