INDIA INSIGHT
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India’s law on marital rape: Do we get the problem?
My most recent story for CNN on why marital rape is legal in India has to be the most debated piece I’ve written so far. While many men and women have supported it, sadly, a significant backlash has mainly come from Indian men.
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Why Emma Watson’s speech might not cut it in India
This blog post is published on The Huffington Post here.
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India, don’t dodge the rape crisis spotlight
I received my first hate mail a few months ago. But it didn’t dishearten me – Winston Churchill’s famous words came into my head: “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
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Delhi gang rape: Getting rid of the criminals, getting rid of the crime?
Last week, the Delhi High Court upheld the death sentences of four men accused of raping and murdering a student on a moving bus – a case that caused fervent outrage amongst Indians and led to a subsequent change in anti-rape laws. Although the defence will appeal, many Indians who demanded the death penalty may…
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Remembering Pandit Nikhil Banerjee: Pioneer of the sitar
Although he is not as well known in the western world as Ravi Shankar, any Kolkata citizen will know the name of Pandit Nikhil Banerjee and his legendary status in Hindustani classical music. As I write this piece, in a few hours, 27th January 2014 will mark his 28th death anniversary.
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Indian protesters: I salute you
We laid to rest the embodiment of a powerful soul last week. Someone who had the overwhelming courage to not only think the seemingly impossible, but believe in it enough to defy his opponents and make it true.
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Keeping chivalry alive in India: Men respond to rape crisis
Many female travelers are scrubbing India off their destination lists after the horrific gang rape and murder of a Delhi student in December 2012. According to the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, 35% less women visited India in the three months after the attack compared to the same period last year. Since December, rapes have persisted and mass protests have…
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The day telegrams came to a final STOP
Indians awoke on Monday to find their 162-year-old telegram service rendered obsolete, superseded by SMS, e-mail and Twitter. Arguably one of the oldest victims of the digital age, telegrams were the fastest communication method from the 19th century. This article is published on cnn.com – read more here. Follow @MonicaSarkar
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While Indian football sleeps, its young hopefuls dream of playing abroad
“Theatre of Dreams” reads the plaque on the classroom door of Manchester United Soccer School in Mumbai. Nutritional advice and tactics are scribbled on the whiteboard and a Wayne Rooney portrait hangs on the wall. But if the future of the domestic sport lies at the feet of new talent, youngsters are dreaming of playing…
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Violence against women is a crime the world over
The tragic case of the Delhi gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman last year forced India to take a long, hard look at itself in the mirror and decide how to change.
Monica Sarkar 