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Home / Columns / Shashi Shekhar

Shashi Shekhar

Shashi Shekhar

Articles by Shashi Shekhar

Questions for society after NEET protest: 'Will ministers' exit fix the system?'

Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) supporters during a protest march, at Sansad Marg, in New Delhi, Monday, July 20,

Updated on Jul 27, 2026 04:15 IST

Bitter truths that ‘Satluj’ ignores: Of half-truths and biased narratives

A committee set up by the Centre to examine the content of the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj has recommended that the ban on its public access through online streaming platforms should remain as the film allegedly goes against India’s sovereignty and integrity. The Honey Trehan-directed film is a biopic on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.

Updated on Jul 20, 2026 02:10 IST

The many portents of growing inequality

Income inequality is rising in India, leading to exasperation among the middle class.

Updated on Jul 13, 2026 01:10 IST

Restoring trust after Ram Temple theft controversy

Shri Ram Temple, Ayodhya

Updated on Jul 6, 2026 02:42 IST

A do-or-die moment for regional parties

The contest between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP-led alliance in Uttar Pradesh will be quite interesting to watch.

Updated on Jun 29, 2026 01:08 IST

‘Aya Ram, gaya Ram’: The politics of defection and erosion of democracy

Uddhav Thackeray, Chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), addressed party members at Shanmukhanand Hall in Mumbai on the party's 60th foundation day. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

Updated on Jun 22, 2026 01:47 IST

India needs China-style social discipline for progress

People credit the dictatorial Chinese government for its success. It’s partially true. Chinese cities are saturated with cameras every few metres. You can find monitoring stations at regular intervals, minutely observing people on the streets in real time. (Bloomberg)

Updated on Jun 14, 2026 17:02 IST

The CJP is, predictably, more effective online

The CJP doesn’t even have the backing of intellectual discourse, intelligent comrades, or Hazare-like groundswell of support. Its founder, Abhijit Dipke, used to be an AAP member. (PTI)

Updated on Jun 7, 2026 16:01 IST

What India must do as climate crisis worsens

The way heat is increasing every year has led to heightened concerns of climate-induced seasonal mass migrations in Ganga-Yamuna plains and the coastal areas. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Updated on May 31, 2026 15:06 IST

Reforms are the answer to India’s present crisis

Crisis in petroleum products and related issues have plagued the economy earlier too. The only long-term solution is to decrease our dependence on oil

Updated on May 24, 2026 14:49 IST

Persevering through times of war, scarcity

Between 1962 and 1971, Indians would shout patriotic slogans when trains with Army men would pass. (AP)

Updated on May 17, 2026 15:42 IST

What the assembly poll results say about the BJP

To win West Bengal, the BJP learnt from its past mistakes. The entire focus of the BJP campaign was on the Trinamool’s misgovernance and misbehaviour. (ANI)

Updated on May 10, 2026 15:38 IST

On counting day, a look at the quality of electoral politics

The 92.47% voting in West Bengal and above 80% voting in the three other states and one Union Territory is testimony to the fact that voters have performed their duty exceptionally well. (AP)

Updated on May 3, 2026 17:49 IST

Rights of citizens and the etiquette of public protests

In cities such as Delhi, jams caused by VIP movement or other such actions result in an average waste of 46,000 litres of fuel. A half-hour jam in Delhi can lead to a phenomenal waste of a hundred thousand man-hours of work. (Raj K Raj /HT Photo)

Updated on Apr 26, 2026 16:59 IST

The wages of war, for Trump and Netanyahu

In terms of perception, Trump seemed to have suffered at home because of the war while Netanyahu seems to have bolstered his strongman image at home. (REUTERS)

Updated on Apr 19, 2026 17:03 IST

How Pakistan got to host US-Iran talks

Considering current US-China relations, the talks had to be hosted by a country that could be arm-twisted by both parties. Pakistan fits that bill. This is why strategic experts consider Pakistan a medium, not a mediator (via REUTERS)

Updated on Apr 12, 2026 16:37 IST

In the state polls, a battle of competing narratives

In West Bengal, it would be interesting to see if the Congress and the Left parties — which are fighting the polls separately — can achieve respectable results or merely end up splitting the anti-Mamata vote. (PTI)

Updated on Apr 5, 2026 18:01 IST

The wages of war, and the lessons of history

The US-Israel bombing of Iran for over a month now has killed, among others, over 170 girls and teachers in the Iranian city of Minab. Tehran released photos of the dead girls. Videos and photos of their grieving parents were shared in media and social media, but how many of us cared to look at them? (AFP)

Updated on Mar 29, 2026 16:17 IST

Reducing devotion to unbearable cacophony

It’s no surprise that people in the Capital are increasingly suffering from insomnia, unease and hypertension. Half of the population in the region suffers from one of these ailments (Hindustan Times)

Updated on Mar 22, 2026 14:57 IST

In West Asia, a futile war that serves no ends

. Long wars are not the US’s cup of tea. Meanwhile, every protracted US military venture is a blessing in disguise for China (AFP)

Updated on Mar 15, 2026 16:40 IST

After Nitish Kumar exits as Bihar chief minister

Whoever replaces Nitish as the CM will take a very long time to match his stature. Nitish worked hard to end “the jungle raj” in Bihar. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Updated on Mar 8, 2026 15:48 IST

Securing the authority & integrity of the judiciary

In the last few years, broadsides against the apex court have increased. (Sanchit Khanna/ HT Photo)

Updated on Mar 1, 2026 18:31 IST

Recalling Bandung 1955 in push to democratise AI

The convergence of talent at the summit can be regarded as one of India’s most potent initiatives in the arena of AI diplomacy. (Sanjeev Verma/ Hindustan Times)

Updated on Feb 22, 2026 16:50 IST

Echoes of past distrust in US trade deal debate

Before slipping into a slanging match, we must not forget that we the people of India are the source of our government’s strength (PTI)

Updated on Feb 15, 2026 17:21 IST

Tehran to Jakarta, water shortage is killing cities

Water scarcity is connected to climate and environmental degradation. Along with the entire world, India too is witnessing a quick deterioration of the environment (AP)

Updated on Feb 8, 2026 13:59 IST

India’s guiding document to uphold unity & democracy

We should be grateful to our founding fathers who created the unique document we call the Constitution. It’s our holy duty to preserve the sanctity and the soul of the great text. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 26, 2026 01:49 IST

Polarisation as an election strategy harms the nation

In the recently-concluded BMC elections the BJP, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that share power in the state fought against each other in many seats (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

Updated on Jan 18, 2026 16:16 IST

The US’s muscle flexing risks worsening conflict conditions

The Trump administration is planning to offer heavy compensation to Greenland residents instead of their wealth. This is a new version of “divide and rule” (Bloomberg)

Updated on Jan 12, 2026 11:35 IST

In 2026, the signs of a deeply divided world

Pakistan has always been a rogue nation, but its recent posturing has forced India to prepare for war. (via REUTERS)

Updated on Jan 4, 2026 16:48 IST

Why fixing the environment is the biggest challenge in 2026

The Indus Valley Civilisation also had highly developed agriculture and grain storage systems. In Dholavira in Gujarat’s Kutch area, water was purified using a three-layer sand structure. (HT Archive)

Updated on Dec 28, 2025 16:29 IST

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