Mainstream Weekly

2020 Bihar Assembly Elections: NDA Managed Power | Ravindra Sharma

Ravindra Sharma — 2020-11-21T08:19:57Z

Background
Retrospectively, in 2015, The RJD and JDU had developed tacit understanding to defeat the BJP and subsequently formed the government making Nitish Kumar (JDU) as Chief Minister and Tajashwi Yadav (RJD) the Deputy Chief Minister. Ram Vilas Paswan's (LJSP) was part of NDA and worn on only two seats. The CPIML won three seats in Siwan, Bhojpur and Katihar Districts. The ignominious defeat of the BJP in 2015 election, hurt the BJP's stalwarts and the RSS, both hatched the conspiracy (…)

- 2020

Bihar Verdict Checked Intolerance and Defeated the Politics of Hate

Ravindra Sharma — 2015-11-21T20:45:27Z

Historical Background of Bihar
Historically, Gautam Buddha was born in Bihar (in Lumbini, now in Nepal). The famous Indian thinker, Chanakya, was from Bihar and so was Aryabhatt. Between the 5th and 7th centuries, many eminent Chinese Buddhist scholars—such as Fa Xian, Xuanzang and Yi Jing—visited India and studied at the Nalanda University (in Bihar). During the Mughal empire, handicrafts, agriculture and architecture of Bihar prospered considerably and Sanskrit remained as popular as (…)

- 2015

Bringing Great Wall and Taj Mahal Closer

Ravindra Sharma — 2010-02-08T06:46:29Z

TRIBUTE
Famous Indologist Ji Xianlin and noted China scholar Mira Sinha Bhattacharjea's departure from the scene in 2009 may be recorded in the “creative history” of India and China as a grievous loss. While Prof Ji passed away on July 11, 2009, Prof Mira died on December 13, 2009, leaving a deep void in China-India relations. Prof Ji was 98 and Prof Mira 80; yet both were “active and alert”. Scholars of Indian Studies in China and Chinese Studies in India know that “passion conquers” the (…)

- 2010

Chinese Intellectuals: State versus New Left

Ravindra Sharma — 2009-10-05T13:13:52Z

The following is based on interviews with Chinese intellectuals These interviews are part of a project entitled “Chinese Politics and Ideology since Tiananmen”, sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research. The author visited China in April 2007, and interviewed 25 leading intellectuals of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and the Hong Kong University of China. As per the agreement, the names of Chinese intellectuals have not been mentioned. However, those of the proponents of the New (…)

- October 2009

Ethnic Violence Shocks Xinjiang (New Territory)

Ravindra Sharma — 2009-08-05T08:23:39Z

The latest ethnic violence between Uighur Muslims and Han Chinese, that erupted in China's Xinjiang province on July 5, has captured the attention of the global media and China watchers. The violence has deeply shattered the social-political life of the province, generating deep frustration among the local inhabitants; the orgy of violence was so powerful that a disturbed Hu Jintao, the President of China, had to leave the G-8 summit in Italy and rushed back to Beijing. The Chinese rulers (…)

- August 2009

UPA Must Change the Fate of Seven Hundred Million Downtrodden Indians

Ravindra Sharma — 2009-06-13T13:32:22Z

Post-Election 2009
As the fragrance of the democratic festival is almost over, and Dr Manmohan Singh's new team has taken oath on May 22, the verdict of Election 2009 must be analysed with all humility and objectivity to arrive at a meaningful conclusion. The well-wishers and proponents of Indian democracy must be happy to note the fact that a “teacher-turned-Prime Minister”, who has never contested any election, has became the champion of democracy and secularism. Certain points are worth (…)

- June 2009

Veteran Historian and Versatile Personality

Ravindra Sharma — 2008-06-02T09:23:18Z

On May 4, around 11 am, a close friend of mine telephoned me to inform that Professor Suhas Chakravarty is no more. I broke down. I rang up to Dr K.K. Panda to confirm the news. The news was correct. I passed the news to Dr V.C. Bhutani (a close associate of Prof Suhas). Three of us attended Prof Suhas' condolence meeting at the India International Centre. His condolence meeting gave a message—that a sincere, honest, dedicated, competent and missionary man is still honoured by the Indian (…)

- May 31, 2008

UP Polls Outcome : End to Mandal-Masjid Politics and Emergence of Mayawati

Ravindra Sharma — 2007-06-02T10:38:00Z

The results of the UP elections have created avid interest among social scientists. Importantly, Dalits are emerging as the new ruler of modern India. The emergence of the BSP as a new ruling party will make a serious impact on the future course of Indian politics, striving, demanding and bargaining for more power in the years to come. Indian politics is witnessing a phenomenal change: the shift of power from the upper castes to the backward castes to Dalits. Interestingly, in the UP (…)

- June 02, 2007