The life-sustaining Brahmaputra runs from China's Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo. Can China block or divert the flow of Tsangpo and hit India's water supply and soil formation? Pakistan was into scare-mongering after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. This is what experts and data say about China and the Brahmaputra.
In tiger territories across India, a humble toilet and LPG connection at home are saving precious lives. This success story of the Swachh Bharat Yojana and the Ujjwala scheme is unfolding in faraway forests even as overall deaths from tiger attacks rise in India.
Banu Mushtaq's anthology in Kannada was unknown to Indians, let alone readers across the world. It was translator Deepa Bhasthi who shone the light on it as Heart Lamp. Both Mushtaq and Bhasthi have been awarded the International Booker Prize. Indian writing's global success is being penned in the language of translation, opening new chapters and challenges.
Lethal weapons — ranging from missiles to fighter jets to drones, and air defence systems — from multiple countries that saw trials for years witnessed battle-testing in the India-Pakistan mini-war. Over half a dozen Indian and Chinese weapons were war-tested for the first time. As the world's arms manufacturers and strategic experts take note of the limited India-Pakistan war, here's why it will shape all wars to come.
There's a dangerous asymmetry between India and Pakistan. While India is led by a civilian leadership that will keep citizen's best interests in mind, Pakistan's real ruler is General Asim Munir, who could go to any extent to satisfy the deep state. This is crucial as a tenuous truce, tested within hours by Munir's men, takes effect.
Bhoota Kola, a centuries-old ritualistic art practice of the Tulu people of coastal Karnataka and Kerala, is unique because it assigns roles to people from across castes and communities. People from lower castes turn into deities and oracles, and are worshipped by all. 'Dance of spirits' events are held from November to May every year.
Fame and money in cricket isn't just in IPL or internationals. Even without playing professional cricket, scores of Indians are emerging as stars due to gully cricket. The Indian Street Premier League (ISPL), with an IPL-like model, revolutionised tennis-ball cricket. Not just ISPL, scores of tournaments in several states are attracting prominent organisers and sponsors, and promising big money.
The current list of protein-fortified foods being marketed in India is long. Protein jumbo yogurt, protein mueseli, protein coffee, protein cereals, protein pasta and protein water are just a few. Given that Indian diet is protein-deficient, is such consumption of protein-fortified foods good for health? Here's what the experts say.
From breakups and loneliness to toxic bosses and passive-aggressive coworkers, people are turning to AI chatbot, ChatGPT, for life advice. Some are using it as a counsellor, and others for guidance, or just to feel heard. Here's what users, therapists and ChatGPT itself have to say about the phenomenon.
A new breed of farmers in India are going beyond the lure of paddy and wheat MSP, and sowing unconventional cash crops that are in high demand. They are bending the climate and conventional wisdom in the process by growing apples and saffron in Rajasthan, dragon fruit in Bihar and Thai guava in Madhya Pradesh. If the Green Revolution filled stomachs, Green Revolution 2.0 promises to fill bank accounts.
Netflix's Adolescence has sparked discussions about the impact of social media on teens and early teens. Beyond social media, many children immerse themselves in online video games — a world that parents are largely unfamiliar with. Platforms like Roblox and Fortnite expose young players to strangers. There are chances of cyberbullying and exposure to adult content. Here's all about the dark world and how to keep children safe.
From cow milk and buffalo milk to goat and camel milk, the dairy choices are plenty across India now. Dairy alternatives like oat milk, almond milk and soya milk have also flooded the market. There is confusion as to which is the best milk option. India Today Digital decodes that for you after speaking to experts and going through research.
Better connectivity due to a railway line and two cable car projects in Uttarakhand will help both tourists and locals, but it could forever change the essence of the pilgrimage experience to Kedarnath.
Kerala thwarted the tide of narcotics even as drug abuse surged globally at various points in history. However, the southern state is now dealing with a drug crisis that seems to be worse than Punjab's. God's Own Country has seen a scary surge in drug-fuelled violence, as synthetic drugs breach the walls of its schools and destroy homes.
From being empowered by Lord Rama to bestow blessings on all ceremonious occasions to being criminalised under British colonial laws to claiming an akhara in Kumbh Mela, kinnars have carved a distinct religious identity within Hinduism. This is very different from the Hijra traditions. This is all about kinnars, how they are different from hijras, and how they created a place for themselves in the Hindu monastic system.
Pakistan, a nation of 250 million, sent seven athletes to the 2024 Paris Olympics. One returned with a historic gold. Pakistan's sporting story is one of rare brilliance against systemic decay. Much like its cricket, Pakistan thrives on flashes of individual genius while institutions crumble around it.
From abuses in Gaari Geet and Holi meetings, to profanities hurled at the deity at a temple fest in Kerala and expletives being used as conjunctions in everyday life, Indians need no primer on bawdy jokes and cuss words. And that's culture too. A look at that culture even as Indians outrage over Ranveer Allahbadia and Samay Raina.
Shops without shopkeepers in Nagaland's Pfutsero run simply on trust. Managed by women farmers, these shops, bang on the highway, place trust in absolute strangers to pay for whatever they buy. A similar experiment in 15 Kerala schools has provided encouraging results. Here's why trust begets honesty, and how it can spark a chain-reaction of goodness.
Wake up, go to work, return. Repeat. From the outside, a day in the life of an illegal Indian immigrant in the US does not look unusual. But they can neither get a registered job nor a driving licence, and have no legal recourse if they become victims of crime. India Today Digital spoke to several people residing in the US and pieced together a day in the life of an illegal Indian immigrant.
Tamil Nadu's archaeology department recently released stunning evidence that Chief Minister MK Stalin said showed the Iron Age beginning there. Stalin lost no time in locating the new findings in the political context of the Aryan-versus-Dravidian debate. Regardless of who is on which side of these debates, it is time the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) ended its criminal neglect of an unfolding old civilisation. We need a massive national effort to unearth the secrets of this land. After all, Tamil Nadu is a part of India.
A large number of youngsters are participating in Maha Kumbh 2025, effortlessly blending social media with spirituality. This is what is attracting the Gen Z to the Kumbh Mela, a religious gathering that is believed to draw the spiritually-inclined and the elderly.
Pickleball court: The pickleball rage in India has taken a new turn. The US-born game, which entered the sports scene in India just four years ago, has opened up a new investment option, promising big returns. Players are now putting in money as passion is meeting profits.
In a world where food trends shift faster than you can say "naan", the quiet disappearance of rumali roti from menus in some Indian cities raised concerns. The rumali might have been a casualty of restaurant economics or health concerns, but a roti revolution is ensuring that the iconic flatbread from ulta tawa survives all odds.
The world will be partying to usher in the New Year. However, this is also the worst time to party, with every place crowded and the quality of food compromised. So, why not celebrate solitude in style, and emerge re-energised with a new you to welcome the New Year like you have never done before?
Hotels and resorts in India are way more expensive than those in tourist destinations abroad. India Today Digital found how hotel tariffs in Goa and Jaisalmer were way higher than those in Colombo, Phuket and Hanoi. High hotel rents are pushing Indians to holiday abroad. Hotel industry experts explain what drives tariffs, and offer solutions.
Karan Aujla, a prolific songwriter, channelled his pain into music, crafting songs that resonate globally. Though the world has just discovered him, the 27-year-old Aujla has been working in the shadows for a decade now, collaborating with artists like Jassie Gill and Diljit Dosanjh. This is what makes him a rare phenomenon.
Bhut Jolokia or Naga Mircha from India's northeast was recorded as the world's hottest chilli pepper in 2007. It is becoming a victim of its fame and witnessing an erosion in its heat quotient. Here's what led to the Ghost Pepper losing its sting and what can be done to preserve its heat and unique flavour.
Most Indians instinctively pull the cheeks of chubby babies. India's love for "golu-molu" kids is adding to the obesity epidemic. This is what's at the root of the love for overweight kids and how it is resulting in pre-onset diabetes and hypertension in teenagers.
House rents, stagnant since the pandemic, started zooming from mid-2023 by up to 50%. Even after a year, house rents are surging and haven't stabilised, and landlords are shortening agreement duration and issuing eviction threats for further unusual rent hikes. This has added to anxiety and agony among tenants.
Whisky Culture in India: Women, long considered wine and cocktail connoisseurs, are experimenting and drinking whisky in such large numbers that they are making whisky makers take note and create products for them. This is how women in India are influencing whiskies and shaping the whisky world.
Humare Ram, a theatrical Ramayana retelling, is seeing full houses across the country. This theatre version of Ramayana, in which Ashutosh Rana plays Ravan, gained success while a big-budget movie based on the epic bombed. This is how Humare Ram, a play that answers questions on Sanatana and Dharma, got it right.
For Indians, most things to do with Pakistan have been a love-hate affair. However, Pakistani serials have received enduring love from Indians over the decades and across generations. This is why even the Gen Z in India binge on Pakistani serials along with their Netflix dope.
Bursting of crackers is a Diwali tradition. However, more people might now be consciously choosing to avoid fireworks. Multiple factors could be behind this change of attitude to a tradition that has been an integral part of Diwali celebrations for generations.
The high-stakes world of Futures and Options trading is attracting millions of Indians. It is mostly younger investors who are betting big on F&O despite lacking awareness. Experts see gambling-like behaviour as people keep investing even while losing money. Is there a way of being successful in F&O trading?
Earlier, October marked the transition between seasons, and was a month of mild weather and festivities. However, a rise in global temperatures and a shift in weather patterns have given rise to October heat. And October heat has become a serious health risk, with hospitals in several cities flooded.
Durga Puja Kolkata: The age-old tradition of soil from a red-light district being used for making Durga idols was depicted in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Devdas. The custom is mentioned in the Puranas and is also associated with Lord Ram. However, 'punya mati' has been commercialised now, and the tradition is on the wane.
Professionals in India are among the world's most overworked people. Some sectors are worse than others and people reveal why they find it difficult to switch off after work hours. Health experts tell us how to identify signs of burnout, prevent getting overworked and not getting killed.
The practice of kathavachan, the religious storytelling of Hindu texts, has been around for centuries. The kathavachaks, or spiritual orators, have been revered. Social media, however, is changing the game. If it is boosting the reach of the new-age kathavachaks, it is also subjecting them to intense scrutiny.
The film industry is finding that it needs intimacy coordinators to shoot sex scenes as it requires stunt directors for action sequences. Intimacy coordinators tell us how they help make bedroom sequences as realistic as possible while taking care of the actors' safety and comfort. They also reveal the contents of their toolbox.
Indian Airlines flight IC 814, which was hijacked in 1999, had 26 couples returning from their honeymoon. Ipseeta and Bipin Menon were two of them. From losing their honeymoon photos to a hijacker to surviving on oranges and milk to avoid going to the clogged toilets, they went through seven hells in eight days. This is the IC 814 story of two newly-wed IC 814 survivors stuck in a hijack and how they emerged stronger.
