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

“RESPONSE FOR THE MAHAYUTI IS PALPABLE” • With the five-phase election for the 48 LS seats in his state now over, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is confident that his and the Modi government’s performance will give the ruling Mahayuti an edge. Edited excerpts from an interview with Sr Associate Editor Dhaval S. Kulkarni

Star Wars in the Poll Firmament • Locket and Rachana in Hooghly, Hiran and Dev in Ghatal—two pairs of actor-turned-politicians slug it out in the polls

AAP’S SORDID SAGA

What’s Cooking?

FOLK LURE

SITA AUR GEETA (2024)

THE LAST LAUGH

A NEUTRAL TURN

THE POLITICS OF RESERVATION • CASTE QUOTAS HAVE BECOME THE MOST FRACTIOUS AND POLARISING ISSUE IN ELECTION 2024, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE THE FINAL OUTCOME

WHERE THEY STAND ON CASTE QUOTAS

OBC RIDDLE • There has been no caste census since 1931, which estimated OBCs to be 52% of population. This is what the Mandal Commission also used. Sociologists say the numbers could be much higher—the Bihar survey found OBCs to be 63% in the state

THE MUSLIM QUOTA QUESTION

“Congress is pushing Muslim League agenda and Left propaganda” • BJP national president JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA is confident his party and its allies are on track to breach the 400-mark. In an exclusive interview with Group Editorial Director RAJ CHENGAPPA and Deputy Editor ANILESH S. MAHAJAN, he says the BJP had been preparing for the polls two years in advance, while the opponents have come underprepared and are not even showing the resolve to fight. Edited excerpts

RACE TO HARVEST THE FARM VOTE • AMID AGRARIAN ANGST IN THE NORTHERN STATES, THE BJP HAS DEPLOYED A PRAGMATIC APPROACH IN ITS OUTREACH TO FARMERS EVEN AS THE OPPOSITION TRIES TO WOO THIS LARGEST VOTING BLOC OF INDIA

THE STATE OF FARMERS • EVEN AS THE AVERAGE MONTHLY INCOME OF AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLDS TOUCHED RS 10,218 IN 2018-19, A LARGE PROPORTION CONTINUES TO SUSTAIN ON MEAGRE MEANS—AS MANY AS 68% HAD TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME LESS THAN RS 10,000. FOLLOWING IS A STATEWISE BREAKUP

WHAT’S PROMISED TO THEM

IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE FROM THE MOST CREDIBLE SOURCE • Subscribe and get upto 81% discount

NITISH PLAYS THE END GAME • AMID FREQUENT ALLIANCE SHIFTS, AN UNDERCURRENT OF ANTI-INCUMBENCY AND RISING OPPOSITION, CHIEF MINISTER NITISH KUMAR FIGHTS TO PROTECT HIS LEGACY OF GOVERNANCE AS WELL AS HIS OWN FUTURE

HOW NITISH IS PLACED

WHY THE TRIBAL VOTE IS CRUCIAL • THE 47 MPS FROM THE TRIBAL RESERVED SEATS ACROSS INDIA FORM A CRUCIAL CHUNK OF PM MODI’S ‘400 PAAR’ CAMPAIGN. WINNING THEIR VOTE MAY NOT BE AS EASY AS IT WAS IN 2019

WHAT THE TRIBALS FEAR

BJP’S VANVASI PITCH

CONGRESS’S ADIVASI SANKALP

SUKHU LEADS A DESPERATE FIGHTBACK • RIDING ON TWO CONSECUTIVE CLEAN SWEEPS, THE BJP RELIES ON MODI MAGIC IN HIMACHAL. A FRACTIOUS CONGRESS, LED BY ITS BELEAGURED CM, TAKES HEART FROM ITS 2022 ASSEMBLY POLLS WIN

THE BIG ISSUES

INDIAN ARMY FACES THE GORKHA QUESTION • THE PANDEMIC AND NEPAL’S OPPOSITION TO THE AGNIPATH SCHEME HAVE STALLED GORKHA RECRUITMENT IN THE INDIAN ARMY. THEIR FALLING...