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.
India Today
FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
THE BEST OF INDIA • A celebration of the very many things our country has got right in its independent existence and the many famous Indians who made our lives happier, healthier, more prosperous and just plain better along the way. From culture to agriculture, dams to Bollywood blockbusters, victories on the battlefield to the Olympic podium and much, much more. Here are some reasons to be cheerful about the past 75 years—and the years ahead
The Power of Democracy • Moments of collective action—and sometimes individual courage—that changed the political landscape for the better
Unchaining India • India’s journey from penury to prosperity has been a roller-coaster ride. These momentous decisions steered it past troughs and upheavals and helped to create a modern, global powerhouse
Business at the Summit • Pushing India’s industrial growth needed visionaries with exceptional entrepreneurial zeal. Here are Top 10 pioneers who immensely contributed to the country’s wealth creation
Big, Bold and Powerful • Ten mega public infrastructure projects that have had a profound impact on post-Independence India’s overall development
GUTS AND GLORY • Two months after Independence, the Indian military was engaged in the first of the many wars and conflicts it would fight to safeguard the country’s national security. I have looked at battles that were won and contributed significantly to influencing the post-war geostrategic landscape and the shaping of India’s frontiers. The emphasis on India’s frontiers is essential, as most of the wars have been a result of disputed borders. Some notable omissions could strike readers. The 1962 war was not considered because the focus was on battles that India won. The Haji Pir battle of the 1965 war was a strong contender, but missed out as the territory gained was returned after the war.
Worldly Wise • Diplomacy is a process; real successes and failures sometimes manifest years after the event. What is hailed as a triumph today may be perceived as an optical illusion or even a debacle later. This listing also filters out the foreign policy achievements that are the accumulated outcome of technological progress (such as the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion of 1974) or military power (the battlefield victory in Bangladesh in 1971 or the Kargil war), although both categories of achievements had a significant diplomatic aspect. This is a listing of known and less well-known diplomatic achievements that showcase Indian diplomacy’s ability to seize opportunities, think out of the box, and hold its nerve in the face of intense global pressure.
A Harvest of Plenty • Over the past 75 years, India has turned from a ‘ship to mouth’ situation to being more or less self-sufficient in the basic staples
A Robust Pulse • In a subcontinental spread like India with a highly populous federal polity, the health challenges are many and achievements vary across states. That said, in the past 75 years, there have been several areas of success. These include…
THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW • The best moments in Indian judicial history came when the courts looked not at the law but at the first principles of...