India Today

India Today is the leading news magazine and most widely read publication in India. The magazine’s leadership is unquestioned, so much so that India Today is what Indian journalism is judged by, for its integrity and ability to bring unbiased and incisive perspective to arguably the most dynamic, yet perplexing, region in the world. Breaking news and shaping opinion, it is now a household name and the flagship brand of India’s leading multidimensional media group. Additionally, the weekly brings with it a range supplements like Women, Home, Aspire, Spice and Simply which focus on style, health, education, fashion, etc. and Indian cities.

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

India Today

OMICRON ALERT • THE CENTRE UNVEILS A BOOSTER SHOT PROGRAMME AND STATES RUSH TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS AS RISING OMICRON CASES TRIGGER FEARS OF A THIRD COVID WAVE

IS A THIRD WAVE IMMINENT?

WHY WE NEED A BOOSTER

A BILLION PLUS JABS • % coverage against eligible population as of Dec. 25

AHEAD OF THE CURVE • % coverage against eligible population as of Dec. 28

“Covaxin was like India’s nuclear moment” • Dr Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech, speaks to Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa on India’s vaccine prowess and the need for young entrepreneurs to innovate. Excerpts:

“The next decade will be the golden age of India’s vaccine industry” • Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, Pune, spoke to Group Editorial Director Raj Chengappa on the Covid vaccine journey and his plans ahead. Excerpts:

BIG REFORMS OF 2021

INDIA’S MOST VALUABLE UNICORNS • India’s top unicorns represent a mix of sectors including edtech, fintech, e-commerce, gaming, food tech and others

FIRE IN THE SOUL • Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait almost single-handedly turned around the agitation against the new farm laws which at one point looked like a lost cause, staying steadfast even when many other farmer leaders had given up following the R-Day violence. In the end, a seemingly omnipotent central government had to back down, repeal the laws and apologise to the farmers

HEAVY HAND OF THE LAW • The son of a Bollywood superstar is arrested in a drug bust on a cruise ship. But the case backfires, tarring the reputation of the investigating agency, the Narcotics Control Bureau. It also starts a debate on the need to amend laws on drugs consumption

WHY THE CASE AGAINST ARYAN KHAN COLLAPSED

FIRING INTO FAME

THE POWER ARCHITECT • The Ahmedabad-based architect has been associated with several high-profile projects closely tied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi—most recently the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor and the controversial Central Vista redevelopment. In the face of mounting criticism against the Central Vista makeover, Patel has also turned spokesman for the project

The Central Vista: A Picture in Numbers

LIGHTING UP THE SCREENS • Akshay Kumar brought audiences back to the theatres with the release of his BellBottom and then later Sooryavanshi; and Sanya Malhotra entertained audiences at home with two fine performances in Pagglait and Meenakshi Sundareshwar, both released on OTT platforms

CRACKING THE VIRAL CODE • The year 2021 made it clear that to succeed as an artist, you need to deliver both quality and quantity. For YouTuber Bhuvan Bam and music composer Tanishk Bagchi, this balance no longer seems elusive. After years of toil, this is their day in the sun

A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE • India began 2021 with a vaccine, hoping to end a pandemic. Just months later, it was in the heart of a brutal second wave of cases. The year ahead brought huge change: a historic cyclone, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and a note of Olympic hope

TWO TUMULTUOUS DECADES