The Supreme Court’s recent blunt reminder that rivers like the Yamuna are ‘national assets’ deserving protection should have shaken the political class awake. Instead, it merely restated what every citizen already sees: our rivers have been reduced to open sewers, their floodplains colonised, their beds choked with silt, and their waters poisoned by untreated waste. The court’s observations on the Yamuna could serve as a mirror for every major river in the country.

Navi Mumbai’s Textile Recovery Facility is transforming textile waste into opportunity through circular systems and community participation. The initiative cuts landfill waste, creates livelihoods, and offers a scalable model for urban India.

Climate summits are all the rage around the world. Students are writing essays. Queues are forming. Stages are decked out. Pledges are being read aloud. Applause echoes. But the Earth is scorching. Poison seeps into the air. The weather's temperament has gone haywire.

Good to see New Delhi recently dazzling with the much-hyped AI Impact Summit. Experts, policymakers, and tech giants from around the world brainstormed the future of Artificial Intelligence. The stage was filled with talk of "Digital Transformation", apps, the cloud, and smart platforms.

India is emerging as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence, ranking third worldwide in AI competitiveness, according to Stanford University’s 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Tool. The rapid rise, measured across AI growth and innovation between 2017 and 2024, reflects India’s digital capabilities, data ecosystem, and strengths in AI talent, research, startup, investment, infrastructure, and governance.

Where the flute once played upon its banks, a haunting silence now prevails. The waters where faith once took a holy dip have now turned into poison.