COVER STORY
A deep dive into the lives of three cadres from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) with an unending passion for the party, and the risks they undertake at the cost of personal safety.
Outlook Magazine - 25 April 2022
Unsung Heroes of Democracy: There is a churn among the footsoldiers of political parties—some are losing steam, others gaining new zeal
The death of ideology in Indian politics, coupled with the unexpected outcome of an organisational reorientation, has impacted the entry of talented young cadres from working-class backgrounds, who would earlier flood the ranks of the NSUI and the IYC.
The father-son duo of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya are transforming the once violence-loving party into a moderate one to suit the current political environment. The party cadre, though, are unhappy at being denied their regular adrenaline rush of 'tod phod'.
Political cadres not only act as an interface between parties and the masses, they also help in decentralising democracy at the grassroots
Once considered a future PM, Mayawati’s cadre and Dalit voters seem to have lost faith in the BSP
As activist, agent, ticket aspirant, broker, fixer, etc., all rolled into one, the political worker is the least studied element of Indian politics
AAP's recent victory in Punjab and its strong performance in Delhi over three assembly elections show it's ready to fill in as a serious national-level challenger to BJP.
Sticking to its core values of grassroots connect via a decentralised army of voluntary cadres, it has begun to make deep inroads into BJP's stronghold of Gujarat
The party that Sheikh Abdullah founded was nurtured by its radical 'land to the tiller' movement of the 1950s, but these days, leaders seem to be living in the past. Luckily, the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 may be causing a recent resurgence.
The journey of the RSS is baffling to many. Despite political and intellectual opposition, it continues to go from strength to strength. How does one decode the Sangh?
The death of ideology in Indian politics, coupled with the unexpected outcome of an organisational reorientation, has impacted the entry of talented young cadres from working-class backgrounds, who would earlier flood the ranks of the NSUI and the IYC.
The father-son duo of Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya are transforming the once violence-loving party into a moderate one to suit the current political environment. The party cadre, though, are unhappy at being denied their regular adrenaline rush of 'tod phod'.
Political cadres not only act as an interface between parties and the masses, they also help in decentralising democracy at the grassroots
Once considered a future PM, Mayawati’s cadre and Dalit voters seem to have lost faith in the BSP
As activist, agent, ticket aspirant, broker, fixer, etc., all rolled into one, the political worker is the least studied element of Indian politics
AAP's recent victory in Punjab and its strong performance in Delhi over three assembly elections show it's ready to fill in as a serious national-level challenger to BJP.
Sticking to its core values of grassroots connect via a decentralised army of voluntary cadres, it has begun to make deep inroads into BJP's stronghold of Gujarat
The party that Sheikh Abdullah founded was nurtured by its radical 'land to the tiller' movement of the 1950s, but these days, leaders seem to be living in the past. Luckily, the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 may be causing a recent resurgence.
The journey of the RSS is baffling to many. Despite political and intellectual opposition, it continues to go from strength to strength. How does one decode the Sangh?
OTHER STORIES
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh aims to bring about systemic changes through social awakening and character building of swayamsevaks, at an individual level and together as a united front.
Once known as Azimabad, Patna was a centre of dance and music. The sound of anklets and taans of singing by the tawaifs may have fallen silent, but their tales remain alive.
A language that struggles to get recognition in its native land is now one step away from a major international award. Will it pave the way for more Hindi novelists to overcome different boundaries?
Childhood reminisces of encounters with a ghost in sylvan Shillong
