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The family has about 13 acres of land and maintains some milch animals for the sustenance of their living. Age 82, Bahadurgarh Jandian village resident Mahinder Kaur makes slow steps, back bent from decades of working outdoors, but her determination to pursue the defamation suit she has lodged against Bollywood actress and BJP MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut, is unshakeable.

Kangana apologized today in a court in Bathinda for her tweet during the 2020-21 farmers' protest and was released on bail after depositing a bail bond of Rs 50,000.

The octogenarian speaks slowly but firmly, "She (Kangana) never met me. I will never forgive her. She is a big actress and political leader, and I am a small farmer. But she brought me here to the court at this age. She must know how much her visit is going to cost the state exchequer and the public inconvenience caused due to it. She says that her statement was misunderstood, but it is not so."

Mahinder, who was not present in court today because of illness, was being represented by her husband, Labh Singh, who was present in court for the hearing.

The old couple resides with their son, Gurdas, in a very old, unplastered house close to the bus stop. The family possesses about 13 acres of land and maintains some milch animals for the sake of maintaining its livelihood. Even though she is not in good health, Mahinder performs most of the household work because her daughter-in-law expired last year.

Her son Gurdas, who is bedridden due to a severe illness and wears a urine bag, states, "My mother worked in the fields all her life, but now she has become weak. My father is also old. I do as much for them as I can." The family has employed someone to work in the fields.

Labh Singh also says, "Ladayi ta ladni pendi hai (the battle has to be fought). She (Kangana) has gone to court and asked for an apology, but God alone knows what's going to happen now. God has given us the strength, otherwise we are nothing."

For this simple farming couple, court battle is never about politics or fame. It is all about dignity.

In an eye-opening turn of events in the education sector in India close to 8,000 schools in the country have reported zero student enrolment in the 2024-25 school year- but they have over 20,000 teachers combined. Yes, you read that right. The Ministry of Education data show that in 7,993 schools there are no children in school, yet the payrolls are filled with 20,817 teachers to service the non-existent classes.

West Bengal is in the lead with 3,812 schools and a staggering 17,965 teachers in its staff. The next two states include Telangana and Madhya Pradesh with 2, 245 and 463 zero-enrolment schools that have 1,016 and 223 teachers respectively. There are 81 such silent schools in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, such states as Haryana, Maharashtra, Goa and even union territories such as Delhi have no such bizarre numbers.

It is an outrageous ineffectiveness that should be immediately addressed by reform. The figures are somewhat better on the fact that the number of zero-enrolment schools is reduced to 38 percent in comparison to the astounding 12,954 of the last year to the current 7,993.

The education officials acknowledge the fact that school management is a state government business, many of whom are currently consolidating schools, rationalising staff, and attempting to make sense of this mess. Still the question remains heavy: why hold on to thousands of teachers on payroll without students to teach?

With India making a case for equity and quality in education, this paradox seems to portray a warning note, that resources are important, but accountability is equally important. Enough is enough, we must no longer spend on empty classrooms and we must invest in education, which actually serves the children.

This unsettling open-picture of the education infrastructure in India needs to rouse political leaders, policy makers, and citizens alike into taking action, since every seat left vacant is a wasted chance to build a prosperous and literate country.

The Delhi Police has just solved a murder case of Ramkesh Meena, the 32-year old UPSC aspirant whose charred body was found earlier this month in a gutted down apartment in Gandhi Vihar, North Delhi. First, it was assumed that the incident was a fire outbreak, but the investigations found out that it was a planned murder case disguised as an accident by the perpetrators.

Amrita Chauhan, a 21 year old forensic science student, the live-in partner of Ramkesh Meena, and her ex-boyfriend Sumit Kashyap, both residents of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh were also arrested in relation to the crime. Police claim that Amrita Chauhan killed Ramkesh with the assistance of Sumit Kashyap and Sandeep Kumar. The three supposedly burned the body, sprinkled ghee and wine on the body and turned on a gas cylinder to create the illusion of an accidental fire.

The motive behind the crime reportedly involved private videos that Ramkesh possessed, which Amrita wanted to use for revenge. The murderers also took advantage of the fact that Amrita was a student of forensic science and set up the crime scene in such a way that it felt like an accident, in order to attempt to evade the investigation and escape being caught.

This case shows a bleak picture in which academic knowledge or specific skill sets as is the case with forensic science does not ensure moral uprightness or  immunity from involvement in criminal activities. The investigative skills of Delhi Police helped them to get through the various layers of the crime and finally get the culprits to justice.

All-in-all, this Ramkesh Meena murder case is a stark reminder that success in academics or professional skills alone cannot shield one from life’s realities and help them run away with their ill motives. True expertise lies in combining knowledge with integrity, empathy, and strong moral values. Students preparing for their futures must focus not just on excellence in their chosen streams but also on developing sound character and emotional resilience for a responsible and impactful life.

The cold desert climate of Ladakh is marked by scant rainfall, thin atmosphere, intensive sun radiation, and harsh winters. In the backdrop of barrenness, wild edible greens have survived, adapting to endure characteristics like waxy or hairy leaves that check transpiration loss and impart hardness, to eke out this high-altitude terrain at 2,800–5,500 m above mean sea level.

"The climatic factors favor a short growing season when feral plants like seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), wild rhubarb (Rheum australe), and mountain herbs such as caraway (Carum carvi) and somlata (Ephedra gerardiana) contain good quantities of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. In an agriculture-poor nation, these wild edible plants are human, animal, and identity lifesavers," says Bilal Mir, senior assistant professor, Department of Botony, University of Kashmir.

 The study documented 52 wild food plants in 25 plant families and 40 genera, 288 for the various purposes which the plants serve among people. Most used were Himalayan thyme (Thymus linearis) for medicinal and culinary purposes and Caperbush (Capparis spinosa) as a flavor food.

As per IUCN Red List and North-Western Himalayan database, of the food plants documented in the study, one was a critically endangered, two were endangered, and three were vulnerable species. Pink arnebia (Arnebia euchroma), Himalayan thyme (Thymus linearis), and garlic (Allium carolinianum) were the most endangered ones.

Describing the results of the study, Ladakh senior author and research scholar, CSIR–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, Zohra Batool says, "The most common (plant) families were Brassicaceae, followed by Polygonaceae and Asteraceae. Most of the wild edible plants were used as vegetables, followed by use as ingredients in local foods, spices, and tea."

The local traditional knowledge of the safe and sustainable use of wild plants has been passed on traditionally by Amchi healers and elders who work in a traditional Himalayan system of medicine.

Threats to wild edible plants

The major threats to Ladakh's wild edible plants are reduction in knowledge about the plants, unscientific utilization, overgrazing, natural calamities, road construction, and being excavated for fuel.

"Destructive harvesting is draining natural stocks, and troops, tourism, and roads are destroying alpine pastures and river valleys," Mir says, and he is not associated with the study.

Climate change is also altering snowfall distribution and lowering cold habitats, compelling high-altitude organisms such as Ladakh onion (Allium przewalskianum) to move to even greater altitudes. Overgrazing by animals hinders regeneration of wild greens such as Himalayan nettle (Urtica hyperborea).

With indigenous knowledge loss among younger generations, there is a greater risk of neglect mixed with overuse. Commercialization of species like seabuckthorn also adds pressure to ecosystems, with non-native species competing out against alpine plant species under threat.

Today, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are teeming with content as diverse as mankind itself, yet that's just a small fraction to become the highly sought-after "viral" content!

Have you ever wondered why a specific post goes viral and spreads like wildfire across the internet? The secret is in the understanding of Psychology that happens in the backend of why we click, share, and scroll until infinity.

Behind each viral content is something incredibly powerful: emotional engagement. This is the truth: we don't just sit there watching content. We react, we empathize, and above all, we share. So why do we share them? To basically connect, hear ourselves, and to transform others in ways that speak to our own emotions. Now let's explore the psychological triggers that get us consistently clicking the share button.

Content that prompts awe, joy, excitement or amusement gets shared because it's just that good. Think about the cute puppies' video, couple romantic love stories of young and old couples, or beautiful vacation spots. All such types of content provoke a sense of happiness and excitement, and our very first instinct is to share the joy with our friends and followers. It is our nature as humans to always want to share the good things and bond with our social networks. In fact, studies even indicate that content evoking high-arousal positive emotions is most likely to go viral. For instance, a video cheering for the lovely scenery of Bali or the bubbly vitality of Paris makes individuals feel proud and happy and share and express their cultural pride.

For most of us, the phrase "final exam" signals the end of a journey, a breath of relief, and the beginning of a new life. But for one remarkable person from Chennai, education is not a destination, but a lifelong journey. His name is Professor Dr. V.N. Parthiban, affectionately known as the “repository of degrees” and the “walking encyclopedia of knowledge.”

A Promise That Changed His Life

Professor Parthiban shares that his extraordinary journey began with a promise to his mother. After barely passing his first degree and disappointing his mother with low marks, that moment became a turning point in his life. He decided not just to pass but to excel and vowed to make his mother proud one day.

Studying Since 1981

That promise to his mother slowly transformed into a passion, a thirst for knowledge that has remained unquenched even after four decades. Since 1981, he has never stopped studying. What began as a goal to perform well in one exam has now become an insatiable hunger for learning.

Over 150 Degrees and Diplomas

His achievements are astonishing. Professor Parthiban has earned over 150 degrees and diplomas so far. His academic journey resembles the entire course catalog of a university. He holds multiple master's degrees in subjects like Economics, Public Administration, Political Science, and Law. He has completed 12 M.Phil. degrees and is currently pursuing his fourth PhD.

Spending 90% of His Salary on Education

Professor Parthiban finances all his studies himself, dedicating nearly 90% of his salary to education, including university fees, books, and study materials.

Eyeing 200 Degrees Now

He says his journey is not over even after acquiring over 150 degrees. His next goal is to achieve more than 200 degrees.

His story is proof that learning has no age limit, and with dedication, education becomes the most beautiful lifelong journey.

This inspiring story shows how passion, commitment, and a promise can fuel endless educational achievements, motivating learners of all ages.