Dear Reader,

Arun Shourie, a man of many parts - economist, author, former editor and union minister - has just published his memoir 'The Commissioner for Lost Causes'. The book chronicles his stints as an editor, and the crusading and trailblazing journalism he led in the 1970s and 80s. The Antulay case, Bofors scam, Bhagalpur blinding case, battle against the Emergency, amongst others, being his particularly memorable campaigns.

In a conversation with Mojo Story, Shourie bemoans the current emasculation of the ‘mainstream media’ and asserts that it is only the “independent media who are doing path-breaking work, work which has never been done in the past”. He particularly points to the stellar journalism of Alt News, Article 14, ThePrint and Mojo Story - incidentally, all grantees of the Foundation - for their “creative response” to the challenge of independent reporting in recent times.

While India has had a degree of success in inoculating its huge population, its vaccination story is also a tale of diminishing of the once-thriving public-sector vaccine makers who now play second fiddle to the private sector, says The India Forum. This, sadly, is due to the sheer apathy and neglect of the government, which may have implications for vaccine availability and pricing in a future pandemic.

The Probe ground reports from Moolchand Basti, on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi where the Delhi Development Authority has been conducting demolition drives and bulldozing farmlands of farmers living on the Yamuna flood plains without even a rehabilitation package in place.

And, Down To Earth brings you a story from Chitapur village in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district which measures its "GDP in tamarind" ! As the staple foodgrains are on a path of diminishing returns, the villagers have taken to tamarind as a profitable and remunerative cash crop.

For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.

Warmly,

Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF

If you have been forwarded this email, please click here to subscribe

Arun Shourie l “Today’s mainstream media and today’s politicians...

Arun Shourie talks to Mojo Story about his life as a crusading editor and remarks on the decline of the mainstream media today. He affirms that it is only the independent media that has kept the flag of fearless journalism flying.

Watch Here

Gutting India’s Public Sector Vaccine Makers

The government’s neglect and under-investment have seriously eroded the public-sector's vaccine making capability, The India Forum says.

Read Here

Yamuna clean-up: Farmers face eviction without rehabilitation package despite proof of land ownership

The Probe ground reports from Moolchand Basti, on the banks of the Yamuna, where farmers despite having documents to prove ownership of their land have been summarily evicted without an iota of compensation.

Watch Here

Chitapur: A village that counts its GDP in tamarind trees

The Chitapur village in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district revers the tamarind tree as a "living currency". Down To Earth reports that tamarind has become the major source of livelihood for the villagers replacing traditional agricultural produce.

Read Here

More from the grantees
India amended rape laws — forgot about police attitude, delayed action, humiliation in court
The 2012 Delhi gang-rape case led to sweeping reforms in laws against rape in India. About a decade later, victims' families say that the justice system still makes them feel like they are on trial, ThePrint reports.
#begusarai में डिग्री कॉलेज की कमी, छूट रही लड़कियों की पढ़ाई
The lack of a degree college in the Bakhri block in Begusarai district of Bihar is resulting in many young girls dropping out of education. Democratic Charkha reports from Bakhri and finds that the nearest degree colleges are in Manjhaul, Asura and Begusarai – all over 35 kms away.
निवाड़ी : फूलों की खेती से चल रही आजीविका|
Khabar Lahariya reports from the Mavai Khirak village in Nivadi district in Uttar Pradesh where farmers have moved from traditional agriculture to the farming of flowers, which is yielding good dividends, with demand throughout the year.
Mumbai's Jogeshwari Caves | Heritage in Our Cities
The new series by Live History India - Heritage in Our Cities - ground reports on the utter neglect of Jogeshwari caves, India's oldest Shaivite cave temple complex built in the 6th century, and its significance in history.

This email was sent to

UNSUBSCRIBE HERE
Independent & Public-Spirited Media Foundation
4/6-1, 1st Floor, Millers Road, High Grounds, Bangalore-560001, Landmark:Opp Manipal Hospital