Columns

Departing from the familiar references to Kautilya's Arthasastra, the finance minister, in his budget speech, quoted from the 'immortal' Shakespeare's Hamlet "I must be cruel only to be kind". The FM did not but Shakespeare continued: "Thus bad begins ..." Sitaram Yechury writes.

At last a rail budget that serves the nation and doesn't push for petty political gains.

The emerging crises, and fighting qualities, of the US education system hold lessons for the coming Indian Budget. Samar Halarnkar writes.

Poor Dinesh Trivedi. The relatively saner face of Trinamool Congress is facing flak from his boss Mamata Banerjee for daring to take one tiny step towards initiating reforms in user charges, Gautam Chikermane writes.