The Punjab Cabinet, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, recently approved a raft of policy decisions dressed up in the language of reform, welfare, and public safety. But strip away the government's self-congratulatory press releases and…
The Siliguri Corridor — India’s so-called “Chicken’s Neck” — is not merely a narrow strip of land in North Bengal. At just 20–22 kilometres wide at its narrowest point, it is the single terrestrial artery…
Jeffrey Epstein’s death in a New York jail cell in August 2019 has been officially and repeatedly certified as suicide. Yet if the criminal case ended with his body on a prison floor, the financial…
Rising Donkey Routes, Deportations, and Illegal Immigration Networks: An In-Depth Investigation into Human Smuggling from South Asia. English Version. Introduction. The phenomenon of illegal immigration through dangerous routes, colloquially known as "donkey routes" (ਡੰਕੀ ਰੂਟ),…
It was my privilege to deliver the keynote address at the inaugural session of the three-day World Punjabi Conference at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, on Februray 20, 2026, on the theme, “The Role of…
The curtains have come down on the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi — the first global AI summit ever hosted in the Global South. Over five days (extended to six…
[caption id="attachment_17719" align="alignleft" width="350"] Author Austin Kochar[/caption] Yesterday I sat down with Doug MacMillan from The Washington Post for a conversation about his reporting on ICE detention. It was one of the most illuminating conversations…
India’s pulses story is a political economy riddle dressed up as a food-security success. On paper, we have done much that is “right”: policy attention has deepened, production has climbed, and the state has repeatedly…
Giani Raghbir Singh, the former Jathedar of the Akal Takht who presently serves as the Head Granthi (chief priest) of Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) Amritsar, held a dramatic press conference in Jalandhar today (Wednesday,…
Remember when getting rich required actual work? Those were dark times, my friend. Dark, unenlightened times. Enter the modern Baba part spiritual guru, part lifestyle influencer, and 100% tax-exempt entrepreneur. While you're stuck in traffic…
