Swati Subhedar is Senior Associate Editor at Outlook. An alumna of Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, she has worked with several newspapers and online portals in her more than a decade-long career. She enjoys editing and writing human-interest stories.
AIMIM resurgence in the Muslim-majority region has emerged as a decisive factor in explaining the Mahagathbandhan’s failure to convert Muslim-majority constituencies into electoral victories. In some constituencies, the party’s presence fragmented opposition votes, delivering an unexpected advantage to the NDA
In 2024, the Bihar Assembly passed a Bill aimed at preventing question paper leaks and other malpractices in state recruitment tests—an issue that impacts lakhs of students every year. Despite youths being a key vote bank, the issue of paper leaks wasn’t addressed extensively, with the Mahagathbandhan raising it only occasionally
Between 2005 and 2025, around 133.88 million people in Bihar were affected by floods. Despite this, both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan fail to present a credible plan for flood management in their manifestos. The term climate change is not even mentioned anywhere.
In the 2020 Assembly elections, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM’s surprise victories in five seats in Seemanchal led to the BJP-led NDA having an upper hand in the region and the state. This election, the border region, having a big chunk of the state’s 17.7 per cent Muslim population, is a ballot battle to watch out for.
With 14.01 lakh first-time voters—average 5,765 first-time voters per 243 Assembly constituencies—and those between 18 and 29 constituting 24 per cent of the total voters, youths are emerging as a major factor capable of tilting seats
An art salon titled ‘Ten Nights by a Lost River’ explores the theme of power with the help of 18 theatrical installations placed/performed inside the majestic Kangra Fort in Himachal Pradesh
Ishrat Akther put her small village—Bangdara in Baramulla—on the international map. However, despite the stellar achievements, the lack of sponsors is a roadblock that she has to constantly navigate.
This story is not about Banaras, or the ghaats and chaat, it’s about Dhanushdhari, an ordinary man with child-like enthusiasm and a charming smile.
Despite genuine efforts made under the District Mental Health Programme in Uttar Pradesh, the poor are slipping through the cracks. Launched in 2018, the main initiatives of the DMHP include the opening of mann kakshas across 75 districts of the state, the launch of Tele Manas helpline number and the 'dawa se dua tak' programme. A ground report from Lucknow, Barabanki, Unnao, Kanpur and Gonda reveals that the rural mental health crisis needs urgent attention as more people were found at religious places than at the state-operated mental health counselling centres.
In Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, genuine efforts are being made under the District Mental Health Programme to help people with mental illnesses. However, a large section of disadvantaged society is still slipping through the cracks
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