| Greetings from India! You're reading Meanwhile, Back Home, our daily newsletter specially curated for our overseas readers. While you were asleep, it was a whirlwind of a day here in India. We've got the top highlights lined up for you.
Hello, reader Back home, it’s been a week of tense diplomacy as the shock of the Pahalgam terror attack continues to reverberate far beyond Kashmir. While India and Pakistan continue to engage in the global narrative battle, something unexpected has happened — Kabul and Ankara have condemned the violence, thereby aligning with Delhi’s position. India’s outreach to Afghanistan — led by top diplomat M Anand Prakash — marks a significant moment, especially as Kabul tries to reset its image amid worsening ties with Islamabad.
 Spotlight
In a landmark move, the Union Cabinet has approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in India’s next nationwide Census. This marks a major shift in policy—official caste data (beyond SC/ST) hasn’t been collected since 1931. Here’s a quick breakdown of what this means: 📌 90-year gap For the first time since pre-independence, broader caste data will be formally gathered—not just through state-led surveys, but as part of the official national Census. 📌 Why the change now? The Centre argues that state-level caste surveys, especially by opposition parties, are politically motivated and inconsistent. The national Census aims to provide uniform, credible data. 📌 Political posturing Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a dig at the Congress and INDIA alliance, saying they’ve historically used caste data as a political tool. Vaishnaw alleged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) promised but never delivered a caste census.
☕ Spill the Expresso Havoc movie review: Tom Hardy is back with Havoc, Netflix’s latest blood-soaked action thriller from The Raid director Gareth Evans. Ditching martial arts for gunfights, Evans crafts a noir filled with bullets, brains, and brooding. Hardy plays a corrupt detective chasing redemption and triads amid Christmas gloom. Though stylish and visceral, Havoc stumbles with clunky dialogue and a tangled plot, leaning too hard on genre clichés, writes Rohan Naahar. That being said, its explosive action and brutal set pieces stand out from Netflix’s usual fare. Havoc delivers enough punch to keep you watching if you crave mayhem and carnage.
🚨 Must Read Tharoor on Phalgam: When it comes to foreign affairs, there are few as erudite as Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor – a former diplomat with a distinguished career at the United Nations. Writing for The Indian Express, Tharoor wades into the question of the hour: what would be the appropriate response to the Pahalgam attack? He lays down the dilemma; on one hand is the Prime Minister’s vow of strong retribution, and on the other hand, the Minister himself had famously declared that “this is not an era of war.” What does he think? First, do not blame ordinary Kashmiris or other Muslim citizens. Next, he bats for calibrated military and diplomatic measures — from targeted strikes and cyber disruption to global isolation of Pakistan’s military establishment.
📚 Book Nook Something new Introducing Book Nook, your escape into the world of books—featuring genre-based recommendations, honest reviews, and upcoming Editors’ Picks. Whether you're into thrillers, memoirs, or classics, there will be something for every kind of reader. Today, we dive head-first into the secrets of the British royal family with recommendations for gripping biographies and scandalous memoirs. From Diana’s untold truths to Harry’s headline-making Spare, these reads pull back the palace curtains. Perfect for royal enthusiasts and The Crown fans, this roundup is just the beginning of what Book Nook has in store.
📰 In Other News ABVP’s JNU resurgence The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP’s) resurgence in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), once a Left stronghold, signals an ideological shift on Indian campuses mirroring the BJP's national rise. Winning a central panel seat and matching the Left in the School of Social Sciences, the ABVP has made historic inroads. From Ladakh to Goa, the RSS-affiliated student group has grown its presence across universities, especially in BJP-ruled states such as Assam and Himachal Pradesh. With high-profile endorsements and a growing political alum network, the ABVP’s influence now rivals its ideological opponents in traditional bastions. That’s all for now. Until next time, Aishwarya Khosla
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