Namita Bhandare

We must say ‘no’ to insensitive advertisements featuring women. If we are to change the way the industry sees women, then that change comes from the effectiveness of the industry to regulate itself. Namita Bhandare writes. The ad you won’t be seeing has led to outrage, the sacking of senior advertising executives and an apology […]

Hand on heart, how many of you cheered, or at least felt a bit relieved when you woke up to news of the death of Ram Singh, one of the principal accused in the Delhi December 16 gang-rape case? Namita Bhandare writes. Hand on heart, how many of you cheered, or at least felt a

They might inspire fear, but the boards also bring parents closer to children. HT Image From the corner of my eye, I spy my daughter waving out to the dog, again. Normally, this wouldn’t set me off on a state of panic. But with just a day to go before the Board exams start, this

Our failure to protest loudly enough makes us complicit with weak governance. It’s a silence that threatens democratic ideas and places every citizen, regardless of ideology, at peril, Namita Bhandare writes. HT Image The right to be offended is now an all-inclusive Indian sport that unites citizens from Tamil Nadu to Kashmir, Jaipur to Kolkata,

The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate should know that national pride lies in not wanting the world to look at India in admiration. It lies in making your country a better place for its citizens. Namita Bhandare writes. The man who hopes to be India’s next prime minister is talking about national pride. It will be

In the small room they call home, the family of the girl known as Delhi’s Braveheart is trying to come to terms with its loss. Already there is no evidence that she lived here only a month ago. Namita Bhandare writes. In the small room they call home, the family of the girl known as

Despite numerous attacks, there are no street protests demanding justice for the victims of acid violence. No campaigns for the basic demand for the ban of acid sales, writes Namita Bhandare. Speaking in a clear, sing-song tone, Laxmi says she cannot forget that day on April 22, 2005 when acid was thrown on her face.

Things are changing: Gender issues are now a part of the mainstream discourse, writes Namita Bhandare. Just over a month ago would you have imagined thousands, men as well as women, marching in protest against rape? Just over a month ago would you have imagined that an online petition could cancel a New Year concert

Never before has India’s lack of leadership been as depressingly obvious as it has been in the past few weeks. Never before has the moral vacuum that accompanies those in charge been so apparent. Namita Bhandare writes. HT Image Never before has India’s lack of leadership been as depressingly obvious as it has been in

A terrible thing happened to a girl who was trying to get back home after a movie. To not respond or speak or rage or demand change would make us less than human, writes Namita Bhandare. How many went to bed that night with the same questions? What kind of human does this to another?

A memorial is not just about building the tallest, biggest, grandest statue. Namita Bhandare writes. On the day before his death anniversary, BSP head Mayawati was disrupting Parliament to press for a memorial to Bhim Rao Ambedkar. The government was scheduled to make an announcement at noon. “Why not now?” she asked as members of

In death, people have ceased to be objective about late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Namita Bhandare writes. The life-size effigies strung up on lamp-posts were terrifying – at least to a child. In the late sixties/early seventies, they symbolised the South Indians who the Shiv Sena was determined to drive out of Bombay, as