Asian Horizon Network

When Ancy Alexander lost her husband, Aneesh Ananth, suddenly at the age of 44, her counsellor encouraged her to become physically active as a way of coping with grief. Although Ancy had never played a sport before, she decided to try football because it reminded her of her husband, who had loved cricket, tennis and football. She hoped that playing the game would be a meaningful way to honour his memory.

Her search for opportunities to play women’s football led her to Sisters in Sweat (SIS), an organisation founded by former national hockey player Swetha Subbiah and national-level footballer Tanvie Hans. SIS began in 2017 when a group of women came together simply to play football, exercise and have fun. The first session attracted 17 women and was so successful that they wanted to continue meeting every weekend.

Since then, SIS has grown from a WhatsApp group into a larger community offering activities such as basketball, pickleball, swimming, tennis, running, yoga and Pilates. It now operates in seven cities and has more than 12,000 women and girls between the ages of 16 and 60. One of the major challenges it addresses is access. Many sports facilities are dominated by men, which can make women, particularly beginners, feel uncomfortable or intimidated.

For many participants, sport provides more than exercise. It offers confidence, independence and a sense of identity. In a society where women’s lives can often be heavily shaped by expectations and limited choices, sport gives them a space where they can make decisions, compete, have fun and simply be themselves. The rise of women’s recreational sport is taking place alongside significant progress in competitive sport. Indian women athletes such as Manu Bhaker, P. V. Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain and members of the national cricket team have become role models for younger generations. Their achievements demonstrate that women can succeed at the highest levels of sport and inspire others to participate.

The stories of athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds make this progress even more powerful. Asmita Dey, for example, grew up in a small village in Tripura as the daughter of a cycle mechanic. Financial difficulties did not prevent her from pursuing sport, even though her family had to take loans to support her participation in overseas training camps. Similarly, para-athlete Sharmila Dhanker began competing in shot put at the age of 34 after overcoming childhood polio, an early marriage and an abusive relationship. Her journey shows that it is never necessarily too late to begin a sporting career.

Despite these successes, many girls continue to leave sport as they grow older. Research has linked participation in sport with improved confidence, academic performance and career opportunities, yet girls drop out at higher rates than boys. Fear of judgment, lack of confidence, inadequate facilities and social expectations all contribute to this decline. In India, access to sport often becomes particularly limited after girls leave college, while basic requirements such as safe playing spaces and clean toilets remain inadequate.

Organisations such as Sisters in Sweat and Ready Set Girl are trying to change this situation by creating communities where women and girls can participate in sport without feeling that they have to become professional athletes. Their message is that sport does not always have to be about medals, representing a state or playing for the country. It can simply be about enjoyment, friendship, competition and having a space to move freely. The greatest benefit of women’s participation in sport may not be a medal. Sport can give women the confidence and freedom to occupy public spaces, make decisions, travel, develop their abilities and express themselves. For women who play simply because they enjoy it, the act of playing itself is a victory.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.

Few institutions embody the ambition of independent India as powerfully as IIT Kharagpur. The campus stands on the site of the former Hijli Detention Camp, where British authorities imprisoned freedom fighters and killed two unarmed detainees in 1931. Less than twenty years later, the same site was transformed into India’s first Indian Institute of Technology. A place once used to suppress Indian thought became a centre for producing scientists and engineers who would contribute to the country and the wider world.

As IIT Kharagpur marks its platinum jubilee, its history offers a broader message: India achieves its greatest progress when it trusts its own intellectual talent instead of relying on the West to define excellence. The IIT system remains one of independent India’s most successful institutional creations. Its graduates have strengthened Indian industry, contributed to Silicon Valley and gone on to lead major global technology companies. Yet India still does not fully appreciate the scientific and engineering capabilities that exist within the IITs and other leading institutions.

For years, Indian universities have been encouraged to model themselves on institutions such as MIT, Stanford and Harvard. The usual recommendations are familiar: increase research spending, publish more papers, expand tenure systems, improve citation records and rise in global rankings. American universities undoubtedly possess major strengths, and I have spent much of my career working within that system. But India should be careful not to reproduce its shortcomings. American universities invest enormous sums in research and generate significant intellectual property, yet relatively little of that work ultimately becomes companies, products or technologies that directly benefit society. Academic incentives often reward publications and citations more than practical innovation, encouraging researchers to pursue recognition within narrow academic disciplines rather than focus on translating knowledge into useful solutions.

What is particularly encouraging is that many Indian IITs are beginning to move in a different direction. Having worked closely with IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur, I have witnessed a significant transformation from the environment I encountered when I began studying Indian engineering education nearly two decades ago. Indian universities were once often inward-looking and wary of industry, with academics assuming that they alone could determine which problems deserved attention. Increasingly, that mindset is changing. Leading institutions are seeking partnerships with industry, promoting translational research and encouraging technologies to move from laboratories into practical applications.

My own experience reinforces this change. After shifting the R&D activities of my Silicon Valley company, Vionix Biosciences, to the IITs, I have seen the extraordinary technical ability, motivation and ambition of their faculty and students. Across engineering, physics, biotechnology, medicine and artificial intelligence, I have encountered people willing to work on extremely difficult problems. Their capabilities are especially striking at a time when many talented graduates in the West are being drawn toward fashionable areas of technology.

The IITs are increasingly competing with each other not simply for prestige, but for measurable impact. They want faculty to address meaningful challenges, students to build things, research to produce technologies and innovations to become companies, products and practical solutions. Government policy has contributed to this shift, but so has the determination of institutional leaders.

The major obstacle now is bureaucracy. Excessive approvals, committees and administrative procedures—many rooted in structures inherited from the colonial era—consume time and energy that could otherwise be directed toward research and innovation. Leaders such as Suman Chakraborty at IIT Kharagpur are trying to make their institutions more entrepreneurial and impact-oriented, but they continue to operate within systems that can slow meaningful change.

The government should therefore give these institutions much greater freedom. IIT directors need more autonomy, unnecessary reporting requirements and outdated regulations should be eliminated, industry partnerships should be simplified, and institutional leaders should have greater authority to remove bureaucratic resistance. Most importantly, India should stop asking the West to define what a world-class research university must look like. Instead, Indian science and engineering should be organised around the problems that matter most to India and humanity.

That means pursuing deep research in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, engineering and artificial intelligence while applying those disciplines to challenges such as clean water, early cancer detection, affordable healthcare, energy storage, food security, pollution and advanced manufacturing. Practical problems should not be treated as inferior to fundamental research; solving them often requires major scientific breakthroughs.

The strongest model would bring together the complementary strengths of industry, universities and government. Industry can identify urgent real-world problems, universities can provide scientific expertise and young talent, and governments can fund long-term missions that are too large or uncertain for individual companies to pursue alone. Making these partnerships easier could become one of India’s greatest competitive advantages.

Imagine IITs competing not primarily on placement salaries, citation numbers or international rankings, but on which institution develops the cheapest cancer diagnostic, cleans polluted groundwater most effectively, creates a breakthrough battery, reduces agricultural losses or develops technologies that improve millions of lives. IIT Kharagpur’s platinum jubilee should therefore represent more than a milestone. The institution began as a declaration that independent India could shape its own destiny. It went on to become the foundation of the IIT system. Its next chapter could make an even more important declaration: India does not need to imitate the world’s leading research universities. It has the talent and opportunity to build a model of scientific and technological excellence that is uniquely its own—and perhaps better suited to solving the problems of the future.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Hindustan Times.

Former US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a serious allegation about the Trump administration's approach to Iran, claiming that discussions about using nuclear weapons have taken place at the highest levels of the US government. Greene made the claim in a post on X amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran. She alleged that nuclear weapons were being discussed as part of US strategy toward Iran and warned that such a move could have devastating consequences.

The allegation, however, has not been independently verified. Greene did not publicly provide documents or other evidence to support her claim, and there has been no official confirmation from the White House that President Donald Trump is preparing to use nuclear weapons against Iran. The claim comes as Iran's nuclear programme remains one of the most sensitive issues in relations between the two countries. Washington has repeatedly maintained that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has rejected accusations that its nuclear activities are aimed at producing one.

Greene has previously criticised US military involvement overseas and questioned arguments used to justify military action against Iran. Her latest comments appear to reflect her broader opposition to further escalation and her concern that the conflict could move into a much more dangerous phase. Any actual use of a nuclear weapon against Iran would represent an extraordinary escalation. Beyond the immediate destruction and loss of life, it could trigger retaliation, draw additional countries into the conflict and create severe consequences for regional stability and the global economy.

The issue is particularly sensitive because of Iran's location near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for international energy shipments. A major escalation in the region could therefore affect oil prices, shipping and economies well beyond the Middle East. Greene's statement remains an allegation rather than an established development. No public evidence confirms that Trump has ordered or authorised preparations for a nuclear strike on Iran.

The claim is nevertheless likely to fuel debate in Washington over the limits of US military action and the risks of further escalation with Tehran. As tensions continue, statements from the White House and Pentagon will be closely watched for any indication of a change in US policy toward Iran.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from AFP.

India’s Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran has backed the availability of E10 petrol alongside E20, saying the move could ease growing public concerns over the country’s ethanol-blending policy. E20 petrol, which contains 20% ethanol, became the sole petrol variant available at fuel stations nationwide from April 1. The policy is part of the government’s broader strategy to reduce India’s dependence on imported crude oil and lower emissions.

The nationwide shift to E20 has triggered concerns among vehicle owners over fuel efficiency, engine performance and the long-term impact on certain automobile components. Many consumers have taken to social media to demand that lower-ethanol petrol options be restored. In an opinion article published in The Indian Express, Nageswaran argued that offering E10 as an alternative to E20 would help address much of the public anxiety. The article was jointly written with Akash Poojari, a consultant with the Department of Economic Affairs, and the authors clarified that the views expressed were personal.

The intervention is notable because senior government officials rarely publicly advocate an approach that differs from the government’s stated position. The oil ministry had not immediately commented, while the government said last month that it had no proposal to bring back lower-ethanol fuels such as E0 or E10.

The discussion comes amid renewed debate within the automobile industry over the impact of E20. Recent reports indicated that leading automakers had privately raised concerns related to the fuel, shortly before an industry body submitted and subsequently withdrew a letter of complaint to the government. Nageswaran and Poojari acknowledged that available evidence does not establish that E20 causes engine damage. However, they highlighted potential challenges for older vehicles, particularly those equipped with rubber seals and other components that were not designed to withstand higher ethanol concentrations.

India has an estimated 75–80 million older two-wheelers, making compatibility a significant concern. Replacing ethanol-sensitive components across such a large existing fleet could take several years. The authors therefore suggested that policymakers should focus on protecting older vehicles while the broader retrofit process is gradually implemented. Making E10 available alongside E20, they argued, could provide consumers with greater choice during this transition.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.

In today’s 17 August market analysis on Open For Business, Hairianto Diman and Justine Moss are joined by Nick Ferres, Chief Investment Officer at Vantage Point, to discuss the latest market trends and developments.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

On today’s (13 August) episode of Open For Business, Hairianto Diman and Justine Moss discuss the latest market trends and economic developments with Will McGough, Chief Investment Officer at Prime Capital Financial. The conversation explores current market conditions, investment sentiment, inflation, interest rates, and the broader outlook for investors as global financial markets respond to evolving economic signals and changing expectations.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.

Only weeks after basking in the success of the World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino is now facing growing pressure over his position. Infantino has apologised for his controversial proposal to sell the World Cup, but the apology has failed to stop calls for him to step down. The plan has sparked widespread criticism, raising fresh questions about his leadership and whether this latest controversy could prove too damaging. Why did the proposal trigger such a strong backlash, and could it ultimately bring Infantino’s FIFA presidency to an end? Sport reporter Jack Snape joins host Reged Ahmad to examine the growing crisis surrounding the FIFA chief and what could happen next.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.

Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses have rapidly emerged as one of the world’s most popular new tech products, with reports suggesting that more than seven million pairs were sold in 2025. Supporters praise the glasses for making photography and accessibility more convenient, but the technology has also sparked privacy concerns. Critics have dubbed them “pervert glasses,” while some UK pubs and restaurants, including Wetherspoons, have reportedly banned customers from using the devices on their premises.

Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.