The almost forgotten radical message of Iqbal
I am reposting this old blog on Iqbal Day: God, You created the night, I made the lamp You created the earth, I made…
Sayyid Ahmad Khan’s Search for a Modern Muslim
I grew up in Pakistan where we are taught about Sayyid Ahmad Khan throughout our school years as the grandfather of Muslim Nationalism in…
The Speech of Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya (Opposition to Objectives Resolution, Constitutent Assembly of Pak, 12 March 1949)
This is a historic speech and a document that posterity will re-examine. Seldom has one piece of legislation caused so much trepidation. Thanks to…
On Habib Jalib
Kazim Aizaz Alam has sent this piece on the great poet for publication at Jahane Rumi. I was recently introduced to someone who had…
Impressions – White Mughals by William Dalrymple
My bright, young friend Imaduddin has written this excellent, terse review of the engaging book White Mughals. Yesterday when he emailed me this text, I…
Rediscovering Jinnah’s Politics: Pakistan and Democratic Nation-Building in South Asia
A special contribution by Dr. TT Sreekumar Jinnah’s image as an adamant fighter for a separate Muslim Homeland and hence as someone responsible for…
The story of an ivory chair – Murshidabad’s gift to Hastings
Dr Amin Jaffer, the expert on Indian arts and furniture, currently working at Christie’s holds forth in a conversation below. The chair above is…
On Buddha, Silence and Impermanence
The celebrated artiste Vidya Rao from Delhi has sent this tender and profound letter after reading my post on destruction of Buddhas in Swat (and the painting that…
Galli mein Aaj Chand Nikla (The moon has re-appeared in my lane)
This is a great song from a brilliant, but less known film Zakhm (wound). The film dealt with the thorny issue of communalism during…
She Would Not Be Wrapped
For the British, anxious to distinguish themselves from the natives, nothing was more galling than Indians in European attire. The elite women, especially, in…
Civil Services Reform: Pakistan’s Lingering Challenge
There is widespread consensus in Pakistan that the bureaucracy needs reform. However, focusing on the federal level alone and ignoring the requisite changes needed…
ThinkFest Pakistan 2021: Debating Jinnah’s Successes And Failures With Ishtiaq Ahmad
Raza Rumi interviews Professor Ishtiaq Ahmad for his latest, insightful and challenging book on the founder of Pakistan: ‘Jinnah: His Successes, Failures and Role…
New US Administration And Indo-Pak Relations; Is There A Way Forward?
Raza Rumi shares key insights on impact of prospective Biden administration on foreign front, especially in South Asian context, Indo-Pak stalemate and nationalism, and…
A note from Pakistan: Why Gandhi matters beyond India’s borders
A contested figure in Pakistan’s discourse, Gandhi’s ideas and humanism retain relevance for both nations Nation-states write their own histories. Pakistan is no different.…
Legacy of Bhagat Singh – India and Pakistan’s Shared Hero
Watch Raza Rumi in conversation with historian Irfan Habib (in Delhi) and activist Diep Saeeda (in Lahore) about Bhagat Singh’s legacy and why we…
Sartaj Aziz Talks Foreign Policy, India And Nawaz Sharif With Raza Rumi And Faisal Devji
Sartaj Aziz, former foreign minister of Pakistan and author of Between Dreams and Realities: Some Milestones in Pakistan’s History, talks to Raza Rumi and…
Most Bizarre Conspiracy Theories Across The World
Fake news, conspiracy theories and alternate truth are easy to take roots nowadays thanks to development in modes of communications and social media. The…
Who Was First Pakistani Citizen? Hint: It’s Not Jinnah
He was born to Jewish parents in Austria and came from a long line of Jewish Rabbis but ended up becoming the first person…