The use of Bharat in an English-language invitation from President Droupadi Murmu to heads of State and governments and chief ministers for an official banquet ahead of the G20 summit has raised an unnecessary controversy over the name of the country. The abrupt departure from standard practice calls for an explanation by the government, more so because there has been no official announcement or notification to this effect. Though variations of the term Bharat are used in several local languages across the country, there are also hundreds of communities and minorities for whom the term may not have the same cultural resonance. Officially excluding one of the names of the country, therefore, calls for wide consultation in an intensely multicultural country such as Bharat/India, says the top edit. Read it here
In other views:
T T Mohan Ram explains why India’s policymakers may be better off moderating their growth objectives. Read it here
Vandana Gombar outlines the buzz around clean energy. Read it here
The second edit discusses the uptick in Covid numbers worldwide and India’s response. Read it here