<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">In this PollTalk senior journalists and political commentators Sheetal P Singh and Suvojit Bagchi focus on the polling trends in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal respectively in the fifth phase of polling, held on May 20, and point out field reports indicate a continuing decline in the BJP’s electoral fortunes. PollTalk anchored by Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Editor of The AIDEM.

5th Phase Polling Too Signals BJP’s Steady Decline

Malayalam (ml)

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English (en)

Hindi (hi)

Telugu (te)

Kannada (kn)

<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;display:inline !important;float:none;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Writer and Senior Journalist Ajaz Ashraf discusses the perspectives in his recently published book “Bhima Koregaon Challenging Caste“ in the context of the history of the Elgar Parishad, the relevance of Bhima Koregaon as a symbol of struggle and the upper caste backlash that has manifested in this background. Ashraf also discussed the Deep State factor in Indian polity. Watch The AIDEM interactions with Venkitesh Ramakrishnan here.

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Bhima Koregaon, Dalit Assertion, Upper Caste Backlash and the Deep State

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_07_0d5e5b8a_7375015915.jpg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-10-29-at-14.26.07_0d5e5b8a.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_07_0d5e5b8a_7375015915.jpg 244w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_07_0d5e5b8a_7375015915.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;Birth: 29 January 1941- Death: 20 October 2024Dr. Robert Twycross, who passed away the past week shall be remembered as a towering figure in the field of palliative care, whose influence touched practitioners and patients across the globe. His saga of service started from the United Kingdom but spread across many countries and continents including Australia , Africa and India.Known as a pioneer and educator, Dr. Twycross devoted his life to alleviating suffering and transforming the way we approach end-of-life care, setting new standards and inspiring countless others to join him on this noble path.&nbsp;My own journey in palliative care was significantly influenced by Dr. Twycross. During my basic training at the Institute of Palliative Medicine, his book Introducing Palliative Care became my foundational text. This book offered more than knowledge; it provided a guiding light through the challenges of understanding and addressing the complex needs of patients facing terminal illnesses. In its pages, Dr. Twycross distilled the essence of palliative care with clarity and compassion, emphasising the profound impact of holistic, patient-centred care. His insights shaped my approach and continue to guide my practice to this day.<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:undefined/undefined;width:75%;" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_3ece11e1_0fa4e3299d.jpg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-10-29-at-14.26.06_3ece11e1.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_3ece11e1_0fa4e3299d.jpg 104w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_3ece11e1_0fa4e3299d.jpg 333w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_3ece11e1_0fa4e3299d.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">Beyond his written contributions, Dr. Twycross was known for his dedication to global education. Recognizing the need for palliative care in resource-limited settings, he actively engaged with communities and practitioners in countries like India, where access to specialised care often remains limited. He invested time and effort, sharing his expertise and training local professionals, so that they could provide quality palliative care in areas where it was most needed. His willingness to cross borders—both geographical and cultural—underscored his commitment to a universal standard of care, ensuring that people everywhere could receive the support they deserve in their final days.&nbsp;Dr. Twycross also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. His teachings encouraged a holistic approach, one that addressed not only physical pain but also psychological, social, and spiritual distress. He advocated for the integration of palliative care into mainstream healthcare, a vision that has gradually come to fruition thanks in no small part to his efforts. His work laid the groundwork for a generation of palliative care professionals, teaching us that care for the dying is about more than easing physical symptoms—it’s about honoring the dignity and humanity of each individual.&nbsp;In reflecting on Dr. Twycross’s legacy, I am reminded of his unique blend of scientific rigour and deep empathy. His ability to communicate complex concepts in an accessible and heartfelt way made him a beloved teacher and a respected leader. Those of us who have been touched by his work carry forward his legacy, striving to emulate his compassion, his wisdom, and his relentless pursuit of excellence in care.<img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:undefined/undefined;width:75%;" src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_2aa65f23_2c221c1a91.jpg" alt="WhatsApp-Image-2024-10-29-at-14.26.06_2aa65f23.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_2aa65f23_2c221c1a91.jpg 104w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_2aa65f23_2c221c1a91.jpg 334w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_Whats_App_Image_2024_10_29_at_14_26_06_2aa65f23_2c221c1a91.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined">&nbsp;As a practitioner who benefited firsthand from his knowledge, I am profoundly grateful for Dr. Twycross’s contributions. His life serves as an inspiration, reminding us of the power of compassion in medicine and the enduring impact that one individual can have on the lives of many. His legacy lives on in the practices and principles he championed, and in the countless lives made better by his dedication to palliative care.</div></div>

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Dr. Robert Twycross - A Global  Pioneer in Palliative Care

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Indian Coal Giants Pushed for Lax Pollution Rules While  Ramping  Up  Operations

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0004_d0e9ab916a.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0004.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_d0e9ab916a.jpg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_d0e9ab916a.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_d0e9ab916a.jpg 750w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_d0e9ab916a.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">Writer and Kathakali enthusiast Sreekumar Kakkad pays tribute to the life and art of Kathakali maestro Sadanam Narayanan Namboodiri, better known amongst art lovers as Narippatta, and points out that his was a creative personality poised betwixt genius and discipline. Narayanan Namboodiri passed away at Karalmanna in Kerala on October 23.<hr>A protagonist whose performances are marked by the magical touch of creative brilliance and masterly precision to the classical school, Sadanam Narayanan Namboodiri, better known amongst art lovers as Narippatta, commanded an imposing presence, which took centre stage of the Kathakali repertoire in Kerala. He was an ardent follower and active proponent of the Kalluvazhi Chitta. An enjoyable blend of sportive spontaneity and meticulous technical perfection defined his approach to art. His dramatic delineations delightfully transcend the time – space limits of the arena and transported the audience’s imagination to worlds of epic grandeur.Hailing from a respected family of Northern Kerala, Narayanan Namboodiri had his initial training at home under the tutelage of Govindan Bhattathirippad and Chethalloor Kuttappanicker. Later at the Sadanam Kathakali Academy, renowned Kathakali Guru and master-performer, Padmasree Keezhpatam Kumaran Nair mentored and groomed his pupil’s inherent talent to perfection. He pursued his higher studies with the Government of India Scholarship for two years.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1080px;" id="attachment_30378" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30378"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0004_770x470_413afdb61d.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0004-770x470.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_770x470_413afdb61d.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_770x470_413afdb61d.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241023_WA_0004_770x470_413afdb61d.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30378">Narayanan Namboodiri / Image Credits: Sreedevan Cherumittam</figcaption></figure>A septuagenarian who inherited the true legacy of classical Kathakali lineage which is chaste and robust, this versatile genius excelled equallyin a range of characters from Pacha and Kathi to Minukku and Vellathaadi. His significant contributions to his art include new mudras for Nalacharitham, and choreographic methodology for Darukavadhom, Vamanavatharam, Balidanam and Bhaktikeerthi. He has collaborated in the publication of Kathakali Plays in English- Translation of popular stories of Kathakali, by Jane Pillar, Canada.Highly inventive and open to new ideas, this prolific artiste nurtured an inclination within him to explore new vistas for his artistic pursuits. He has travelled widely and performed across the globe, including in countries such as Italy, Poland, England, Germany, Finland, France, Dubai, Qatar, UAE (Ras Al-Khaimah), Bahrain, South Korea, Singapore. He has also conducted Kathakali demonstrations and workshops for art enthusiasts at several places in different countries.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:853px;" id="attachment_30380" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30380"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241024_WA_0022_c265c85e25.jpg" alt="IMG-20241024-WA0022.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241024_WA_0022_c265c85e25.jpg 104w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241024_WA_0022_c265c85e25.jpg 333w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241024_WA_0022_c265c85e25.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241024_WA_0022_c265c85e25.jpg 666w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30380">Naripatta during Kathakali; Kathi Vesham (കത്തി വേഷം) / Image Credits: Shyam Kakkad</figcaption></figure><figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:853px;" id="attachment_30384" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30384"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241024_WA_0018_a00108fa38.jpg" alt="IMG-20241024-WA0018.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241024_WA_0018_a00108fa38.jpg 104w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241024_WA_0018_a00108fa38.jpg 333w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241024_WA_0018_a00108fa38.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241024_WA_0018_a00108fa38.jpg 666w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30384">Naripatta during Kathakali; Kuchela Vesham (കുചേല വേഷം) / Image Credits: Shyam Kakkad</figcaption></figure>He has associated with a number of major projects both in India as well as abroad. The art festivals at Kalakshetra, Chennai, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, and Kolkata have had a lasting impact and has brought in many aficionados closer to the art of Kathakali. His workshops for European artistes organised by Kerala Kalamandalam, Prana Company by Mishcel and by ARTE, Paris have also attracted widespread attention.Apart from being the visiting faculty at School of Drama, Calicut University, he had taught at Sadanam Kathakali Academy, Keralakalakendram, Asthikalayam, and Nrithyopada Creative Ensemble. Several overseas students also have been trained by Sadanam Narayanan Namboodiri, underscoring his stature as a seasoned Guru par excellence.Sadanam Narayanan Naboodiri who has endeared a generationof art lovers and connoisseurs with his tasteful and refined presence on and off the stage, has also featured in a number of films and documentaries. These include Nottam (the documentary on Guru Padmasree Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair), and films on M. R. Bhattathiripad (MRB), social reformer, cultural leader, and litterateur who played a significant role in the history of Kerala, Padmasree Mattannur Sankara Marar, directed by Shri. M.R. Rajan and in Kaliyarangathe Kalapam, a Doordarshan production on the Kathakali legend Kottakkal Sivaraman. He is the recipient of Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi’s Gurupuja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship for excellence in art. Apart from his theatre endeavour he has also made his mark on the mini screen, playing the titular role in the much acclaimed socio-political TV caricature series, Munshi.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:884px;" id="attachment_30385" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30385"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0003_4c8cdb551a.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0003.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0003_4c8cdb551a.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0003_4c8cdb551a.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241023_WA_0003_4c8cdb551a.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30385">Naripatta in the TV Program – Munshi</figcaption></figure>The legacy Narippatta Narayanan Namboothiri has left behind is that of an uncompromising stand on the purity of his art which is founded on a lifelong effort to learn, understand and assimilate the basic principles propounded by the great Gurus of Kathakali. The project he had undertaken as part of a fellowship awarded by the Ministry for Cultural Affairs vouches for his unflinching commitment and boundless reverence towards the priceless heritage of his Guru, the Kathakali doyen, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1280px;" id="attachment_30379" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30379"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241024_WA_0021_1cc770ebf0.jpg" alt="IMG-20241024-WA0021.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241024_WA_0021_1cc770ebf0.jpg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241024_WA_0021_1cc770ebf0.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241024_WA_0021_1cc770ebf0.jpg 750w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241024_WA_0021_1cc770ebf0.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30379">Preparation for the role of Hanuman&nbsp;/ Image Credits: Shyam Kakkad</figcaption></figure>In order to perpetuate the visions of the guru, he wished to evolve a pedagogy which offer the students a contemporary interpretation of the finer elements of stylistics and theatrics methodology professed by Guru Padmasree Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, while in essence staying rooted to the current Kathakali repertoire and respecting the classical values. His research and fellowship work were not a mere documentation of the dry diktats of the masters but a passionate odyssey of an artist of more–than-half-a-century’s experience, into the annals of the art and into his own inventory of perceptions.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:1280px;" id="attachment_30382" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30382"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241024_WA_0020_7d533dd478.jpg" alt="IMG-20241024-WA0020.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241024_WA_0020_7d533dd478.jpg 234w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241024_WA_0020_7d533dd478.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241024_WA_0020_7d533dd478.jpg 750w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241024_WA_0020_7d533dd478.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30382">Hanuman in Lavanasura Vadham&nbsp;/ Image Credits: Shyam Kakkad</figcaption></figure>This creative odyssey explored novel vistas leading to the modernisation of the present day Kathakali training turfs, after a thorough validation of the organic growth of Kathakali training techniques up till the last leg of the 20th century.Further, it was also an empirical and normative study of the Guru’s experimental departure from the erstwhile classical teaching methodology, in an era which witnessed a paradigm shift in the feudal based social structure of Kerala. This period marked a stage in Kathakali history, where the art with its retinue of teacher- performers bade farewell to the edifices of aristocracy in search of its new patrons of the democratic age.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:853px;" id="attachment_30381" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30381"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241024_WA_0019_045c67ee59.jpg" alt="IMG-20241024-WA0019.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241024_WA_0019_045c67ee59.jpg 104w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241024_WA_0019_045c67ee59.jpg 333w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241024_WA_0019_045c67ee59.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/large_IMG_20241024_WA_0019_045c67ee59.jpg 666w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30381">Hanuman in Lavanasura Vadham&nbsp;/ Image Credits: Shyam Kakkad</figcaption></figure>The research that he carried out as part of the fellowship was also a grave and committed attempt to formulate a notated lesson plan for Kathakali thereby putting forth an all- new methodology in Kathakali teaching. This was aimed at immensely increasing the scope for formulating more universal and scientific ways of future documentation and preservation of the art. There is little doubt that Narippatta, alias creative poise personified would be sorely missed by students and connoisseur of Kathakali, but one can be equally certain that his artistic legacy will be taken forward by generations to come.</div></div>

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Narippatta’s Art and Life: A Personification Of Genius and Discipline

<img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0012_770x359_4aaecc07a7.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0012-770x359.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0012_770x359_4aaecc07a7.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0012_770x359_4aaecc07a7.jpg 500w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/medium_IMG_20241023_WA_0012_770x359_4aaecc07a7.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><div class="post-body clearfix single-blog-header single-blog-inner blog-single-block blog-details-content" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(85, 85, 85);font-family:Manjari;font-size:17px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;padding:0px;text-align:left;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;"><div class="entry-content clearfix" style="box-sizing:border-box;counter-reset:footnotes 0;margin:0px;padding:0px;">Former senior bureaucrat EAS Sarma, who has held high positions in the union government over several decades, has demanded that the Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) should immediately intervene against the unilateral and unjust tariff hike by private Telecom companies. He said this in an <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://countercurrents.org/2024/10/telecom-companies-have-unilaterally-hiked-tariffs-to-raise-additional-profits-of-over-rs-100000-crores-per-year-should-not-trai-raise-its-voice/">open letter</a> to TRAI chairman AK Lakhoti. In the letter, he questioned the regulatory authority’s silence as well as of the department of telecommunication’s (DoT) over “unilateral” tariff hikes by private telecom companies.The former government of India secretary said he had written a letter on July 10, 2024, too, drawing the attention of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and DoT to the steep hike in tariffs by two telecom majors, which had “allowed them to pocket tens of thousands of crores of rupees at the cost of millions of helpless customers.”<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:739px;" id="attachment_30367" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30367"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0014_67cd6438d2.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0014.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0014_67cd6438d2.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0014_67cd6438d2.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30367">Airtel, Jio and Vi are the major network providers in India.</figcaption></figure>Sarma, in the letter dated October 22, 2024, also highlighted grave concerns over the Union government’s change in the spectrum allocation policy to “favour” American tycoon Elon Musk.“Only the other day, the concerned Minister, ignoring the directions of the apex court in the 2G spectrum case, readily agreed to accede to Elon Musk’s demand for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, suggesting that the present government’s policies are more amenable to diktats from domineering overseas service providers than to the sane directions of the apex court!”, said the letter.The letter made a pointed reference to Airtel’s Sunil Bharti Mittal’s recent statement seeking a “further tariff hike to boost digital infrastructure”, Sarma said he was marking a copy of his letter to the Cabinet Secretary “to order an independent enquiry so that acts of malfeasance, if any, on the part of all those concerned (TRAI and DoT) may come to light, for the Parliament and the public to discuss and act urgently.”&nbsp;Read the Full Text of the letter below.ToShri A K Lahoti, Chairman, TRAIDear Shri Lahoti,I write this in continuation of my <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://countercurrents.org/2024/07/the-two-telecom-companies-have-unilaterally-hiked-tariffs-to-raise-additional-profits-of-over-rs-100000-crores-per-year-should-not-trai-raise-its-voice/">earlier letter</a> of 10th July 2024, questioning the unilateral action on the part of private telecom operators to hike tariffs, with both TRAI and the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) behaving as though they had no concern whatsoever to safeguard the customers’ interests.In my letter cited, I cautioned both TRAI and DOT that the last steep tariff hike by the two private telecom operators allowed them to pocket tens of thousands of crores of rupees at the cost of millions of helpless customers.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:640px;" id="attachment_30366" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30366"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0013_7bf7046bca.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0013.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0013_7bf7046bca.jpg 223w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0013_7bf7046bca.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30366">A comparison of old and revised tariff from Jio</figcaption></figure>There is evidently neither competition nor regulation in the telecom industry, allowing the two private operators to appropriate precious bands of 5G spectrum at unconscionably low prices and, adding insult to injury, blissfully hiking up tariffs whenever they wish, giving one the impression that both TRAI and DOT are openly in connivance with those operators.Only the other day, the concerned Minister, ignoring the <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://countercurrents.org/2024/10/elon-musk-and-satellite-spectrum-allocation-dot-should-earmark-satellite-spectrum-for-strategic-uses-respect-apex-courts-judgement-in-2g-spectrum-case/">directions of the apex court</a> in the 2G spectrum case, readily agreed to accede to Elon Musk’s demand for administrative allocation of satellite spectrum, suggesting that the present government’s policies are more amenable to diktats from domineering overseas service providers than to the sane directions of the apex court!The latest in this series of happenings in the oligarchy-ridden telecom sector is an indication by one of the private telecom operators that he would merrily resort to yet another <a style="background-color:transparent;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(255, 53, 36);display:inline-block;margin:0px;padding:0px;transition:0.4s;" href="tps://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/ndtv-world-summit-airtels-sunil-mittal-calls-for-further-tariff-hike-to-boost-digital-infrastructure">tariff hike</a> “to-boost digital infrastructure”, as if he is doing a gratuitous favour to the nation.Evidently, the concerned private operator takes both DOT and TRAI for granted, knowing well that no one dares to ask him questions. It is bizarre that India’s telecom sector should become a happy playground for domestic and overseas operators with no one to regulate them, or to question them.<figure class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;clear:both;display:block;height:auto;margin:15px auto;max-width:100%;padding:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:733px;" id="attachment_30368" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30368"><img src="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/IMG_20241023_WA_0011_5a160d787a.jpg" alt="IMG-20241023-WA0011.jpg" srcset="https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/thumbnail_IMG_20241023_WA_0011_5a160d787a.jpg 245w,https://strapi.bangalore2.com/uploads/small_IMG_20241023_WA_0011_5a160d787a.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw" width="undefined" height="undefined"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text" style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;font-size:15px;line-height:20px;margin:0px;padding:12px 0px 0px;text-align:center;" id="caption-attachment-30368">Representative image of mobile network traffic</figcaption></figure>What is happening today in the telecom spectrum, whether it is 5G spectrum allocation, or private operators merrily fleecing customers at their will, or overseas service providers dictating DoT’s policies, presents a sad spectacle of the Ministry’s and TRAI’s total surrender to domestic and overseas private oligarchs, a matter that certainly calls for an independent enquiry, as otherwise it is millions of helpless customers who will continue to pay for the unduly huge profits that those oligarchs pocket.I am marking a copy of this letter to the Cabinet Secretary to order an independent enquiry so that acts of malfeasance, if any, on the part of all those concerned may come to light, for the Parliament and the public to discuss and act urgently.&nbsp;Regards,Yours sincerely,EAS Sarma, Former Secretary to the Government of India, Visakhapatnam</div></div>

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