Editorial

Last week, Temjen Imna Along Longkumer, Nagaland Minister for Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, was in the eye of the storm because of a comment he made in a television talk show. Anyone can agree or disagree with what he said ~ but he has a right to his opinion, as does everyone on whatever issue. Besides, no individual or collective has the prerogative/sole proprietorship of any issue, as all issues affect and impact on the lives and future of lakhs of people. So what did Imna Along say, which...

Rarely our thinkers, analysts and scholars put into perspective and share well-thought and well-studied seemingly irrelevant issues with the public, which may directly or indirectly impact us ~ if not now, perhaps later. There would be disagreement and differences on these perspectives but they would also provoke minds and provide glimpses of issues from various angles. Dr. Salikyu shared one such refreshing perspective recently, titled: Nagaland and India’s Foreign Policy, on an issue rarely discoursed in the public domain, which was published in all our English Dailies on June 17,...

Physical assaults of doctors make headlines every so often ~ a few instances across the country did recently. And, such instances have been rightly condemned. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been exerting pressure on the Government to legislate more stringent laws on such assaults to protect doctors and other health personnel for decades. Any form of violence against anyone is abhorrent and must be censured ~ especially at a time like this when health personnel are at the front of fighting the pandemic. One hopes that someday, doctors would...

Free Will is divinely gifted but it doesn't come with out consequences ~ therefore responsibilities. It also doesn't come with a user's manual ~ Free Will is free will, after all. So, while life is the most precious gift, it also is not free of hard choices and tough decisions, which makes life challengingly precious and beautiful. Imagine life without Free Will, choices and decisions ~ we wouldn't be human beings. So, because Free Will entails numerous choices and decisions every day ~ an integral part of human life ~...

As on June 13, our State Immunization Officer informed that Nagaland administered a total of 3,43,671 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 2,88,955 persons. On June 14, he informed: out of the total doses administered in the State, frontline workers - 59,418, healthcare professionals - 15,701, people above 45 years - 1, 1,30,376 and 18 to 44 years age group - 83,460. He further informed that a total of 54,716 beneficiaries received the second dose of the vaccine completing the full course of vaccination. They comprise: frontline workers - 28,124, healthcare...

At the concept, practice and direction "education" has taken today fears of students missing out on online lessons are justified. But online education is an exclusive privilege inaccessible to children on the wrong side of the digital divide. Then again, online accessibility is dependent on numerous factors ~ even those with smartphones, laptops, PCs, etc., are often off-lined due to power and network issues even in urban areas in Nagaland. This issue has been repeatedly red-flagged by the Eastern Naga Students' Federation (ENSF), the All Nagaland Colleges Students' Union (ANCSU),...

Beliefs, political, economic, cultural, social and religious ideologies, ethics or moral compasses, biases, prejudices, bigotries, educational history, family ethos and environment, and several other factors make the persona of leaders at all levels, which greatly impact the country and beyond. In fact, human history is an inter-play of the kaleidoscopic mosaic of the personalities, preferences, pet peeves and pleasures ~ therefore, the priorities ~ of leaders. This inter-play has produced both positive and negative consequences evident in the oscillation of progressive strides and regressive lapses of countries and the global...

Beliefs, political, economic, cultural, social and religious ideologies, ethics or moral compasses, biases, prejudices, bigotries, educational history, family ethos and environment, and several other factors make the persona of leaders at all levels, which greatly impact the country and beyond. In fact, human history is an inter-play of the kaleidoscopic mosaic of the personalities, preferences, pet peeves and pleasures ~ therefore, the priorities ~ of leaders. This inter-play has produced both positive and negative consequences evident in the oscillation of progressive strides and regressive lapses of countries and the global...

If we go by recent trends of the numbers of detected COVID positive across Nagaland, which our Health authorities issue daily, we cannot fail to notice the infection's shift towards interior Nagaland. About three weeks ago or so, Dimapur and Kohima showed the highest number of positive cases. Now slowly our interior districts are showing an increasing number of positive cases. Although the spread of infection to rural areas was predicted and forewarned, this trend is worrisome for several reasons ~ foremost being the fractured health infrastructure and service in...

How many can play musical chair, merry-go-round and see-saw simultaneously? Very few. In Nagaland, that honour goes to our political parties and politicos. Except for a few ideologically faithful notables, most have floated and flittered from party to party like bees from flower to flower and moths from light-bulbs to tube-lights. To be sure, they are not the only ones in India ~ this floating and flitting seems to be a very "Indian" virus, rife in Nagaland too. So, playing musical chair, merry-go-round and see-saw simultaneously prevents political parties and...