Category: Editorial

Good, not ugly: On the 70th National Film Awards

Film awards regained some prestige by sticking with good cinema 

The National Film Awards appeared to be facing a credibility crisis in recent years following some questionable choices and glaring omissions. For instance, last year, the award for ‘Best Feature Film on National Integration’, for The Kashmir Files, encapsulated the general political thrust of the awards, where, during the screenings, cinema theatres became platforms for communal sloganeering. Thus, the 70th National Film Awards, declared earlier this week, came as a sort of surprise, somewhat redeeming the prestige associated with the highest cinematic honours. Malayalam film Aattam, directed by debutant Anand Ekarshi, became an interesting choice for the Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay and Best Editing winner, especially in the era of the #MeToo movement. Without ever slipping into preachiness, the film-maker uses the subtle chamber drama to analyse male behaviour after a woman raises an allegation of sexual abuse within a theatre group. The award also comes at a time when protests and debates are roiling the country after the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. Kannada film Kantara, which won Best Popular Film, and also fetched its director Rishab Shetty the Best Actor Award, taps into folk traditions to raise contemporary environmental concerns. Bhoota Kola, a tribal ritualistic performance from coastal Karnataka, is the centrepiece, with Shetty’s frenzied interpretation in the climax going a long way towards the film’s success as well as getting him the national award.

One commonality between these films is the lack of a formula, especially the kind dictated by corporate studios. Aattam, in fact, originated from a theatre group, giving its working-class members a chance at cinema; they play themselves in the film. Nithya Menen’s Best Actress award is also an unconventional choice — as the effervescent Shobhana in Thiruchitrambalam, hers is not a typical award-bait role. Yet, within the film’s scheme, it was a stunning performance which raised its overall effect by several notches. The awards reinforce the recent trend of South Indian cinema surpassing Bollywood, which, despite its humongous budgets, has been finding it hard to match the consistent quality of content from regional industries. It is also heartening that the juries and the larger public have started discovering more meaningful content from the southern industries. The National Awards in the 70th edition seem to have fulfilled, to an extent, the purpose for which they were instituted: to celebrate good cinema.

Meaning of the word :

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Omissions	Omissions refers to instances where something is left out or not included, often unintentionally. It is derived from the verb “omit,” which means to leave out or exclude something.	Exclusions Neglects Oversights Exceptions	Inclusions Additions Completions Involvements
Encapsulated	Encapsulated means to express or show the most important facts about something	Contained Enclosed Wrapped Summarized	Opened Revealed Unprotected Expanded
Preachiness	The quality of seeming to want to give moral advice, even when this is not wanted or needed.	Moralizing Lecturing Didacticism Sermonizing	Objective Neutral Reserved Neutral
Humongous	Humongous is an informal adjective used to describe something that is extremely large or enormous.	Huge Gigantic Massive Enormous	Tiny Small Compact Microscopic

Two States: On elections to Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana

Elections to Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana are of great Import

Assembly elections for Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), to be held from September 18 to October 1, will test India’s democratic institutions and, especially, the Election Commission of India (ECI), to the fullest extent. This will be the first election for J&K since it lost its statehood and Ladakh was carved out as a separate UT without an Assembly in 2019. After a a three-phase poll in J&K and a single-phase one in Haryana, the counting of votes will be on October 4. Curiously, the ECI has said that elections that are due in Maharashtra and Jharkhand will be announced later. In 2019, Haryana and Maharashtra went to the polls together. Security concerns and festivals have been cited as the reason for holding these elections in batches of two each. Falling within the first year of the 2024 general election, these four Assembly elections, and then the one in Delhi, will be notable for the political signals that will emanate. Of import will be the J&K exercise, as a new elected government can be the first step to a durable political process after J&K’s reorganisation five years ago. The enthusiasm that the electorate showed in the general election and the recurring incidents of violent insurgency are two aspects of the situation in Kashmir. Elections could open the possibility of the emergence of new political actors. An election process that is demonstrably fair and transparent is essential for a healthy democracy, and in Kashmir’s case, no less so.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) went in for a changing of the guard in Haryana ahead of the general election to dilute the discontent against the party and its governments at the Centre and the State. The Agnipath short service scheme that was introduced by the Centre is a topic of intense interest in a State where many young people look to the military for a career option. The Congress is hoping to benefit from the double anti-incumbency and a disarray in the non-Jat social coalition that propelled the BJP to the top in 2014. The impact of the Assembly elections will not be limited to the two States/UTs. The general election had loosened the BJP’s grip over the country’s politics and given the Opposition a fresh lease of life. Whether that trend holds or there is a reversal is to be seen. Politics within the BJP, among the National Democratic Alliance partners, between the BJP and the larger Sangh Parivar, and between the BJP and the Opposition, could all be influenced by these elections. The BJP and the Congress both know that the stakes are high, giving this round of elections an added edge.

Word	Meaning	Symons	Antonym
Emanate	“Emanate” means to come out or flow from a source.	Radiate Exude Issue Emit	Absorb Recede Contain Inhibit
Discontent	“Discontent“ the state of being unhappy with something.	Dissatisfaction Unhappiness Displeasure Restlessness	Contentment Satisfaction Happiness Pleasure
Incumbency	“Incumbency” the period during which someone has a particular official position:	Tenure Officeholding Responsibility Reign	Vacancy Absence Resignation Departure
Propelled	“Propelled” means to drive or push something forward or onward with force. It can also mean to stimulate or motivate someone or something to move or progress.	Driven Pushed Thrust Motored	Hindered Retarded Stopped Repressed

Freedom notes: On the Independence Day speech and beyond

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first Independence Day speech in his third term in office — the eleventh since 2014 — sought to signal continuity and authority, particularly in the context of the fact that he is now leading a coalition government. He called for a uniform civil code, terming it a secular measure agnostic of religious faiths, ‘one nation, one election,’ and increased safety of women against the backdrop of the sexual assault and murder of an on-duty doctor in Kolkata recently. Mr. Modi said there were attempts to destabilise the economy of the country, echoing the BJP’s view on a recent report by U.S.-based short seller Hindenburg Research that has accused the head of stock market regulator SEBI of conflict of interest. Mr. Modi criticised the continuing trend of dynastic politics and suggested that one lakh first generation young leaders should enter electoral politics at various levels, and also expressed hope for peace being restored in Bangladesh. Reviewing his two terms in power, he claimed that India has made great strides in manufacturing, and in fighting corruption, and vowed to stay the course regardless of obstacles. The desirability of a uniform civil code, or more youngsters in politics or fighting corruption is not in question. But unfortunately, all these remain contentious issues, largely due to the government’s partisan approach.

That Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was seated in a back row of the audience at Red Fort where Mr. Modi delivered his customary address is instructive. The government’s explanation for this breach of precedent, that the seats in the front rows were given to members of this year’s Olympic team, is hardly a reasonable one. The government needs to be less unilateral and more consultative if it is truly committed to advancing a unified national agenda in the seventy-eighth year of India. A uniform civil code in a country as diverse as India requires consensus building, and ending the opportunistic use of the issue to attack the Muslim community. The government cannot fight corruption by investigating only Opposition leaders and overlooking serious charges against functionaries such as the SEBI chief. Criticism of the government is not a conspiracy to destabilise the nation, and labelling it as such is appealing only to a diminishing number of people. Independence Day should be a good occasion as any other to remember that the nation is not the government, and certainly not synonymous with the party in power. The freedom is for keeping the government of the day accountable to the people through a political process.

Word	Meaning	Symons	Antonym
Coalition	A coalition is a group of individuals, organizations, or countries that come together to achieve a common goal or purpose.	Alliance Partnership Union Bloc	Division Separation Disunity Fragmentation
Agnostic	The term “agnostic” generally refers to a person who is unsure about the existence of deities or the supernatural.	Skeptical Doubtful Uncertain Questionin	Theistic Certain Confident Believer
Destabilise	In a political sense, destabilising a government or regime involves actions that disrupt its stability, potentially leading to chaos or a loss of control.	Disrupt Undermine Weaken Shake	Stabilise Secure Strengthen Maintain
Opportunistic	“Opportunistic” refers to someone who takes advantage of opportunities, often in a way that is self-serving or pragmatic.	Strategic Calculating Pragmatic Advantageous	Altruistic Principled Unselfish Ethical

Title: Single digits: On India at the Olympics

India’s return of six medals from the just-concluded Paris Olympics can be termed underwhelming at best. The nation secured one silver and five bronze medals, down from seven at Tokyo 2020 that included a gold and two silvers. At a time when the country is looking to diversify its sporting excellence, has found exuberant support from the government and big corporates, and was aiming for a double-digit medal yield, the Olympic fortnight belied expectations. There were indeed new heroes — shooters Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, and wrestler Aman Sehrawat are now household names. The men’s hockey team finishing on the podium for a second straight time and Neeraj Chopra adding a silver to his historic javelin gold from Tokyo are top-notch efforts. But the dependence on a select few to repeatedly deliver, the near-zero presence in disciplines such as swimming and gymnastics, and wrestler Vinesh Phogat being disqualified for being above the weight threshold cast a dark shadow. The need of the hour is thus to broaden the base, increase participation and distribute funding more equitably to usher in a grass-roots revolution. The onus is also on the Union Sports Ministry to bring errant federations — often dens of nepotism and corruption — in line with the National Sports Code, fix accountability and decentralise governance.

As much as the Olympics is about winning and the shaping of national identities, it is also the greatest stage on earth to showcase the triumph of human will. This was best exemplified by the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, the first since Emil Zatopek in 1952 to collect medals in 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon, Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the first woman to win three consecutive 1,500m titles, Cuba’s Mijain Lopez, who won a fifth individual gold on the trot in 130kg Greco-Roman wrestling, Novak Djokovic, who at 37 and with a surgically repaired knee, won the elusive singles gold in tennis, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who braved incendiary attacks on her gender to rise to the top. Sweden’s Armand Duplantis broke the men’s pole vault record for an astonishing ninth time (6.25m) while swimmer Katie Ledecky, gymnast Simone Biles and hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone achieved transcendence by stretching their numbers to nine, seven and four Olympic golds, respectively. France did well as a host, winning 16 golds, its best figures in a century. The star was 22-year-old swimmer Leon Marchand, who bagged four golds to position himself as the best of this generation. Athletics, in the post-Usain Bolt era, was on the lookout for one such champion, but as Paris proved, that is a tough act to follow.

Word	Meaning	Symons	Antonym
Disciplines	“Disciplines” refers to distinct branches of knowledge, fields of study, or areas of expertise.	Fields Areas of study Branches	Indiscipline (lack of discipline) Disorder (lack of order or structure) Chaos (complete disarray)
Exemplified	“Exemplified” means to show or illustrate something by providing a clear example.	Demonstrated Illustrated Showcased Represented	Obscured Concealed Hid Confused
Incendiary	Something that is designed to start fires. For example, an “incendiary device” or “incendiary bomb” is a tool or weapon specifically created to cause a fir	Inflammatory Provocative Combustible Agitating	Calming Peaceful Soothing Incendiary

Scientists need greater funding for research, not national awards 

Later this month, 33 scientists will be awarded the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP), the current government’s revamped approach to independent India’s long tradition of annually awarding scientists with promise. The rejig is in doing away with the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) awards, once awarded to scientists under 45 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It comprised a certificate, a cash prize and some additional monetary benefits. The RVP replaces it with a medal and a certificate and, renaming it the Vigyan Yuva-SSB. There are also other RVP awards — the Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Ratna and Vigyan Team awards. The latter will be for scientists over 45 who have made distinguished contributions in science and technology over their entire career as well, as for teams of scientists and technologists with exceptional contributions.

In theory the total number of awards, under all categories, is capped at 56, though those selected for this year are fewer than the ceiling. The team award has been conferred on the Indian Space Research Organisation’s ‘Chandrayaan-3 team’, which certainly has over three members. These may well be technicalities and, being the first edition of the prizes, could be transitional. The list of awardees spans a wide range of fields from astrophysics to agriculture, and this is not unique to the RVP, the awardees are overwhelmingly from centrally funded and the most elite of India’s scientific and research institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, CSIR and atomic energy institutions. The RVP awards were instituted after the Ministry of Home Affairs and heads of science departments concluded in 2022 that there were too many awards being given out by individual scientific departments and that it was necessary to trim them and raise their ‘stature’ to national awards. While distinguished scientists have always received the Padma awards, just as those in other fields, the original schema for scientist-specific awards was to encourage them to stick to research, whose outcomes are not always immediately tangible and whose impact is not immediately assessed. Much like Olympic medals, Nobel Prizes continue to elude Indian scientists and this has been a touchy topic for many governments. The national awards are not a substitute or catalyst for the Nobels. The government should not assume that scientists only crave honour and recognition. Too many scientists in India labour with minimal funds, substandard equipment and a discouraging milieu, forcing them to compete at the cutting edge of research with their hands tied. Raising the budgetary allocation and making scientific research more rewarding in India will do greater service to science than tokenism.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Revamped	It implies that something has been changed or modified to be better, more modern, or more effective than it was before.	Revised Updated Renewed Upgraded	Worsened Degraded Neglected Outdated
Conferred	“Conferred” generally means to have given, granted, or bestowed something, typically an honor, title, degree, or privilege. It can also refer to holding a discussion or consultation with others.	Granted Awarded Presented Entrusted	Withheld Refused  Deprived Revoked
Overwhelmingly	“Overwhelmingly” is an adverb used to describe something that is done or felt to a very great extent, typically in a way that is powerful, dominant, or difficult to resist.	Extremely Vastly Greatly Completely	Slightly Minimally Partially Weakly
Crave	“Crave” is a verb that means to have a strong desire for something, often an intense longing or yearning for something specific, like food, attention, or an experience.	Desire Thirst for Need Want	Dislike Reject Despise Avoid

Title: ​ Reassuring resolve: On the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee’s move

The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has for a ninth straight meeting chosen to keep benchmark interest rates unchanged as it continues to battle retail inflation that has stubbornly stayed above its medium-term target of 4% for 57 months and is beginning to undermine consumer confidence. Laying out the rationale, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das was emphatic that there was no room for complacency given the risks that persistently elevated food price pressures posed to households’ inflation expectations and broader monetary policy credibility. Elevated food prices, he stressed, had not only slowed disinflation in the April-June quarter but had also extended their momentum into July with high frequency food price data pointing to sizeable month-on-month increases in key vegetable prices. Citing Department of Consumer Affairs data, he said tomato prices had surged 62% sequentially, while onion had become almost 23% costlier than in June and potato prices had increased 18%. Food prices, with a weight of about 46% in the overall Consumer Price Index, could not afford to be overlooked, not just for their impact on headline inflation but far more significantly because consumers related the most to the impact food prices had on monthly household budgets. He indicated, without explicitly referencing it, that a suggestion in the Economic Survey urging policymakers to consider delinking food prices from the inflation targeting framework made little sense in the circumstances.

The MPC, which voted by a 4-2 majority to hold interest rates and keep the policy stance focused on the withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation aligns to the target, also raised its projection for headline retail inflation in the July-September quarter to 4.4%, 60 basis points higher than the 3.8% pace projected in June. The rate panel also posited slightly faster inflation in the third fiscal quarter than it had forecast previously, lifting the projection by 10 basis points to 4.7%, in a clear sign that the near-term inflation outlook appears less reassuring than it did just two months ago. And while Mr. Das noted that, in June, vegetable prices had contributed about 35% to headline inflation, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, in an analysis, forecast price pressures in vegetables to ‘sustain well into the festive season through till early November’, adding pressure on retail headline inflation. Core inflation may also have bottomed out according to the MPC, which flagged the risks of spillover from food prices, as well as the impact mobile tariff revisions may have on broader non-food inflation. Policymakers hearteningly reiterated the truism that without ensuring enduring price stability, growth may at best be tenuous.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Complacency	Complacency refers to a sense of self-satisfaction or contentment with the current state of affairs, often coupled with a lack of awareness or concern about potential dangers or problems.	Self satisfaction Smugness Contentment Apathy	Vigilance Concern Awareness Alertness
Stance	“Stance” refers to a person’s attitude or position on a particular issue or topic. It can also refer to the way someone physically positions their body, especially in sports or physical activities.	Position Attitude Viewpoint Posture	Indifference Neutrality Uncertainty Disinterest

Title: ​ ​ ​ Up but out: On Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic campaign 

It proved to be a tale of so near and yet so far for Vinesh Phogat on a sombre Wednesday in Paris. The 29-year-old wrestler with roots in Haryana was in red-hot form and seemingly the force was with her in the women’s 50kg segment. However, hours before the summit clash against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States, Vinesh’s Olympic dreams of winning a gold fizzled out. In the acutely razor-sharp lines that distinguish weight categories especially in combat sport, India’s ace wrestler was found to be 100 grams above the stipulated 50kg at the 7.15 a.m. mandatory weigh-in before the final bout. This was heartbreak of the extreme kind for the athlete and the funereal effect rippled through an expectant nation hoping for a gold or at least a silver. Having weighed 49.90kg on Tuesday morning, Vinesh acquired a massive halo through the day, toppling defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan and eventually getting past Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinal. At the mixed media zone, Vinesh waved to the scribes but refrained from having a chat. The alarm bells, though, were ringing loud and clear within the Indian contingent as Vinesh and her support staff were conscious about her latest weight being 52.7kg.

The ensuing night was all about pursuing a crash course in losing extra kilos. Extreme measures such as starvation, water being ignored, frenetic exercises and induced nausea were all attempted. Even insomnia occurred and still the weighing machine did not budge on Wednesday morning. With an original body weight of around 55kg, it was extraordinary that Vinesh even attempted to compete in the 50kg bout after finding her regular 53kg category spot resting with the emerging Antim Panghal. The United World Wrestling, the sport’s governing body, is clear about the rules pertaining to body weight: if an athlete fails the weigh-in, he or she will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last. In the larger scheme, Vinesh’s charge towards the victor’s podium, even if it culminated in despair, was seen as a metaphor for a larger battle that she and other wrestlers waged against the former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The allegations of sexual harassment centred around Brij Bhushan cleaved India’s sporting heart; but an administrative system leaning on patriarchy, rebuffed the wrestlers before attempting a belated clean-up. Seen through that prism, the overwhelming angst over Vinesh’s exit is understandable. Rules are sacrosanct, and Vinesh found herself at the wrong end and her retirement announcement has left Indian sport poorer, while she still awaits the verdict of the authorities over her appeal for a joint silver medal consideration.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Distinguish	“Distinguish” is a verb that means to recognize or point out the differences between two or more things.	Differentiate Discern Identify Recognize	Confuse Mix up Overlook Misidentify
Stipulated	“Stipulated” is a verb that means to specify a condition or requirement as part of an agreement or contract.	Specified Stated Set Prescribed	Vague Unspecified Implicit Unstated
Funereal	“Funereal” is an adjective that describes something that is related to or characteristic of a funeral.	Somber Gloomy Mournful Solemn	Cheerful Joyful Lively Festive
Refrained	“Refrained” is a verb that means to hold back or stop oneself from doing something, especially an action that might be impulsive or inappropriate.	Abstained Withheld Desisted Avoided	Indulged Engaged Acted Proceeded
Frenetic	“Frenetic” is an adjective that describes something that is fast-paced, frantic, or wildly energetic, often to the point of being chaotic or out of control.	Frantic Frenzied Hectic Chaotic	Calm Relaxed Tranquil Peaceful

Title: ​ ​ ​​Under overlords: On Centre-Delhi government relations

The Supreme Court of India’s verdict holding that the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Delhi exercises independent authority while appointing aldermen to the Delhi Municipal Corporation, underscores the utter vulnerability of the elected Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi to central overlordship. The judgment by a three-judge Bench rightly relies on the letter of the law governing Centre-Delhi government relations, as well as earlier judgments that sought to strike a balance between the elected regime and the appointed administrator. The final outcome of the latest round of litigation is not surprising, given that Delhi is a Union Territory, but it raises questions about the relevance of having an elected Assembly for Delhi. The Court held that the Lt. Governor’s power to appoint persons with special knowledge in municipal administration is his statutory duty, and is not one that he should exercise on the basis of advice from Delhi’s Council of Ministers. The power is an exception to the constitutional provision that says the L-G is bound by the aid and advice of Delhi’s Council of Ministers on all matters in the State and Concurrent Lists, except for the subjects of public order, police and land. The Court has rejected the Delhi government’s argument that municipal administration, being a State subject, the L-G could not have acted on his own.

Tracing the nature of the appointing power to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, as amended in 1993, a law enacted by Parliament, the Court noted that the Act identifies different authorities, each with distinct roles. While the Administrator was empowered to nominate 10 persons with special knowledge, the Speaker could nominate some legislators to serve on the Corporation by rotation. And that this showed that it was an independent statutory power. A Constitution Bench had sought in 2018 to lay down a framework to avoid escalation of issues arising from differences of opinion between the L-G and the Chief Minister. Such differences, as well as political acrimony between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, have been the principal driving force behind multiple conflicts and legal tussles over governing Delhi. However, in the ultimate analysis, it is the Centre that enjoys the final say. As the latest verdict on aldermen shows, the Constitution allows Parliament power to enact laws in respect of any matter on which the Delhi Assembly has jurisdiction, unlike other States which have an exclusive legislative domain. Parliament can also amend or supersede any law made by the Delhi Assembly. As legislative and executive powers are coextensive, this effectively means that the Delhi government can be undermined in any way the Centre wants.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Vulnerability	Economic/Social: In this context, vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of individuals or groups to economic or social challenges, such as poverty, unemployment, or social exclusion, which can affect their ability to cope with and recover from adverse situations.	Weakness Susceptibility Exposure Fragility	Strength Security Resilience Immunity
Litigation	Litigation refers to the process of taking legal action or resolving disputes through the court system. It involves the filing of a lawsuit or legal claim by one party (the plaintiff) against another party (the defendant), where the matter is brought before a judge or a jury for a legal resolution.	Lawsuit Legal action Court case Legal proceedings	Settlement Agreement Arbitration Mediation
Tussles	Tussles refer to struggles, disputes, or conflicts, often involving a physical or verbal confrontation.	Struggles Scuffles Fights Conflicts	Peace Harmony Agreement Truce
Supersede	Supersede means to replace or take the place of something or someone, often because the new version is considered superior, more modern, or more effective.	Replace Override Displace Succeed	Retain Uphold Support Maintain

Title: ​ ​ ​Healing a nation: On Kamala Harris and the U.S. Presidential race

With arguably the most unexpected plot twist in the recent history of U.S. politics playing out in the form of incumbent President Joe Biden stepping back from the race for the November election, the hope for building a less toxic and more compassionate paradigm of politics for the next four years has fallen to his nominee, Vice-President Kamala Harris. Ms. Harris, of mixed Indian and Jamaican heritage, has been formally recognised as the Democratic Party’s candidate to take on Republican challenger and former President, Donald Trump, after she secured more than a majority of votes from party delegates just before the Democratic National Convention later this month. Now, Ms. Harris is in the throes of a high-speed dash to the finish line, including a flurry of campaign activity relating to her vice-presidential pick, the optics of the Convention, the presidential debates to follow, and the ceaseless generation of media and online advertising material aimed at swaying voters’ minds in her favour. Her strategy appears to be working — in picking Minnesota’s progressive Governor, Tim Walz, as her running mate, she has partnered with a leader with a reputation for turning Republican districts Democratic. Although Mr. Biden had trailed Mr. Trump by a few points in approval surveys across the critical swing States, Ms. Harris has not only tipped the scale back towards Democrats by a margin of 1.9% based on an updating adjusted average of major national polls, but she has also proven her credentials in pecuniary terms by raising a whopping $310 million in July, including $200 million in the first week after entering the race.

Her late entry comes with both advantages and risks. On the one hand the Trump campaign has had to scramble and re-focus its critique on her after spending months and even more dollars targeting Mr. Biden, especially highlighting his age, and blaming his administration for alleged failures regarding the economy and job creation, and immigration. Now, Mr. Trump appears to be pivoting to a baser tenor of name-calling and race-baiting, disputing Ms. Harris’s racial identity in uncharitable terms. This, ironically, cedes the high ground to Ms. Harris, potentially giving her the space to cast a broader political net and forge a more inclusive policy agenda that could rise above race politics, reinvigorate the liberal base and values of her party, and allow her to be seen as more than just the alternative candidate to Mr. Trump. The reality is that it is not only the U.S. but also the world that would stand to gain from Washington under the next President holding firm to core democratic values and genuinely working towards peace across the many troubled regions of the world, most immediately in the context of the conflict in Gaza spiralling across West Asia, and Russia’s belligerence in Ukraine.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Compassionate	Compassionate” means showing a deep sense of sympathy, understanding, and concern for the suffering or misfortune of others, often accompanied by a desire to help	Caring Sympathetic Empathetic Kind-hearted	Uncaring Indifferent Callous Cruel
Paradigm	Paradigm” refers to a typical example, model, or pattern of something. In a broader sense, it often describes a framework of beliefs, concepts, or practices that shape how we perceive and understand the world, particularly in a specific field or discipline.	Model Example Pattern Archetype	Anomaly Exception Aberration Deviation
Throes	“Throes” refers to intense or violent struggles, pain, or emotions, often associated with the process of undergoing significant change, suffering, or difficulty.	Agony Struggles Turmoil Suffering	Peace Comfort Ease Calm
Ceaseless	“Ceaseless” means continuous and unending; something that does not stop or come to an end. It is often used to describe actions, processes, or phenomena that persist without interruption.	Unending Continuous Incessant Unrelenting	Intermittent Occasional Sporadic Temporary
Reinvigorate	“Reinvigorate” means to give new energy, strength, or enthusiasm to something or someone. It involves revitalizing or renewing something that has become weak, tired, or less effective.	Revitalize Renew Refresh Restore	Weaken Exhaust Deplete Dull

Title: ​ ​ On target: On the Olympics and Indian shooters

Ever since Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won the silver medal in the men’s double trap shooting at the Athens Olympics in 2004, Indian shooters have always dealt with the pressure of expectations. The stress quadrupled when Abhinav Bindra won the gold in the 10m air rifle category in the 2008 Beijing Games. This success was replicated in the 2012 London Games with Gagan Narang winning the bronze in the 10m air rifle shooting while Vijay Kumar did one better, seizing the silver in the 25m rapid fire pistol competition. And then followed the inexplicable drought in shooting during the subsequent editions at Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. Cut to the latest Paris Games, where all doubts pertaining to whether the shooters would hit bullseye were emphatically laid to rest as 22-year-old Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting. It was also Manu’s turn to exorcise the ghosts of the past as in the previous Tokyo Games she faltered as an equipment malfunction affected her performance. First up, Manu claimed the bronze in the 10m air pistol. Later she combined with Sarabjot Singh to win another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol segment. A hat-trick though proved elusive as she finished fourth in the 25m pistol final.

Manu’s success is a testimony to the rapid strides that Indian shooting has made besides being a tribute to an efficient system that the sporting fraternity has established. Manu is following the path that predecessors Anjali Bhagwat and Suma Shirur, presently a head coach too, had carved. Those were days when funds were meagre and, at times, awkward questions were asked about carrying firearms at airports as the knowledge of shooting as a sport was low. Anjali and Suma did not win an Olympics medal but they inspired their juniors to follow the sport with passion. Manu linking up with her former coach Jaspal Rana, an ace shooter himself, helped add a new dimension. Shooting demands still hands, a sharp eye and a zen mind, and finally Manu revealed that she was in the zone while aiming at the target. Her traits were evident in Swapnil Kusale too as he won bronze in the men’s 50m rifle three positions event. Equally, Arjun Babuta’s fourth-place finish in the men’s 10m air rifle final was a pointer to shooting’s razor thin margins that split ecstasy and agony. There was more grief too in archery, as India continued to fail at the Olympics with Deepika Kumari and company often stumbling at the business end.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Inexplicable	“Inexplicable” means something that cannot be explained or understood. It refers to events, actions, or phenomena that are difficult or impossible to account for or rationalize.	Unexplainable Mysterious Incomprehensible Puzzling	Explainable Understandable Comprehensible Clear
Emphatically	“Emphatically” means expressing something in a forceful, clear, and decisive way. When someone speaks or acts emphatically, they do so with strong emphasis, often to convey certainty, importance, or strong feelings	Firmly Forcefully Decisively Clearly	Tentatively Indecisively Hesitantly Ambiguously
Strides	It refers to long, decisive steps in walking or running. For example, “She made great strides across the field.”	Steps Advances Progress Leaps	Stagnation Retreat Decline Backsteps