Karan Thapar is a super-looking genius who’s young, friendly, chatty and great fun to be with. He’s also very enjoyable to read.
Articles by Karan Thapar
Appraising the Constitution on its 75 anniversary
Scholars have criticised the Constitution for being colonial. The RSS claims it’s not rooted in an Indian ethos. So, in what sense has it been good for India?
Updated on Feb 02, 2025 10:40 AM IST
24 Akbar Road, home of Aung San Suu Kyi
“Last week, when the papers started to reminisce about 24 Akbar Road, I realised I knew it before it became a political office”
Published on Jan 25, 2025 07:56 PM IST
Issues that will come under Trump 2.0 fire
What sort of relationship is Trump likely to pursue with China and Xi Jinping? And what will be the implications for India?
Updated on Jan 18, 2025 08:07 PM IST
India is a fine country after all, as Brits found
W.D. & H.O. Wills once issued a handbook with guidelines for British soldiers arriving in India. It was intended to ease their sojourn in our land
Published on Jan 11, 2025 08:05 PM IST
Political parties should endorse dual citizenship
Citizenship is not just a privilege conferred by birth. It can also be a reflection of multinational parentage as well as an expression of self-identification
Published on Jan 04, 2025 08:21 PM IST
The delightful, rude world of put-downs
Witty insults showcase cleverness and restraint. Karan Thapar shares memorable put-downs from notable figures as we welcome the New Year.
Updated on Dec 28, 2024 10:45 PM IST
Subtle and seductive charms of Abu Dhabi
The wonders of Abu Dhabi include its cultural gems. The Louvre and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are two obvious examples
Published on Dec 21, 2024 07:56 PM IST
Why I refuse to address guests on my show as sir
Sir, as understood in British English, is deferential. It would place the interviewee on a pedestal, above the interviewer.
Published on Dec 14, 2024 08:09 PM IST
The strange feeling of hatred towards the Other
What allegedly happened eight centuries ago — and it’s a belief, not a fact — is of relevance to history but hardly reason to demolish a dargah.
Published on Dec 07, 2024 08:08 PM IST
Misandry cannot ensure safety of women of UP
The proposals reveal an astonishing level of distrust of men. They presume women are not safe in the company of male tailors, hairdressers and shop assistants
Published on Nov 16, 2024 08:15 PM IST
Portrait of an icon: Ratan Tata, up close and personal
Thomas Mathew's book reveals Ratan Tata's personal life, including his childhood, loves, and quirks, showcasing a complex figure behind the industrialist.
Updated on Nov 09, 2024 08:11 PM IST
The wonder that was India in ancient times
The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World is, therefore, not just about the wonder that was India but its influence on the rest of the world.
Updated on Nov 02, 2024 07:27 PM IST
HARDtalk made guests squirm, viewers happy
I predict the BBC will come to regret the scrapping of HARDtalk. More importantly, it will leave its loyal viewers poorly informed
Published on Oct 26, 2024 08:35 PM IST
A posthumous Bharat Ratna for Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata was a great businessman, a visionary industrialist and a warm, compassionate, and good human being. But that could be true of many others. What marks him out is that he was venerated
Updated on Oct 19, 2024 08:59 PM IST
After Gaza war, image of Israel has been battered
Justice for Palestine has become a cause not just for the United Nations but, more tellingly, in Washington. And it’s voiced most strongly on the university campuses of the western world
Published on Oct 12, 2024 08:14 PM IST
The case against bans, including on cigarettes
There are a thousand good reasons not to smoke; a million good arguments to persuade me against it. But if I still choose to do so, don’t seek to ban me. Don’t preclude my choice.
Published on Oct 05, 2024 08:57 PM IST
Attracted to the world of words, like bees to honey
Shashi Tharoor's love for words shines in his book "A Wonderland of Words," exploring English's quirks, from Indianisms to clever figures of speech.
Updated on Sep 28, 2024 09:18 PM IST
Sita, a man of wit who stood by what he said
“Sita was also an attentive listener with a formidable memory. In fact, the range and accuracy of his memory was a powerful weapon in interviews. ”
Published on Sep 21, 2024 08:20 PM IST
HH Asquith, on the precipice of propriety
Precipiceis the story of Herbert Henry Asquith, the Earl of Oxford and Asquith, who was pM of Britain from 1908 to 1916, and his infatuation for Venetia Stanley, an aristocratic socialite
Published on Sep 14, 2024 08:59 PM IST
The good life of the Raj in a Calcutta hotel and club
A recent trip to Kolkata revealed lingering colonial charm at The Glenburn hotel and the Bengal Club, where tradition and elegance persist.
Updated on Sep 07, 2024 09:17 PM IST
A strange accusation, and malice in Faujiland
The tale I have to tell is so strange, most people wouldn’t even find it credible as fiction. And yet, believe me, it’s true
Published on Aug 31, 2024 09:07 PM IST
The man who knew how to retrieve lost moments
Natwar Singh had this instinctive skill of knowing how to retrieve lost moments. It was one of his most winning qualities.
Published on Aug 24, 2024 09:10 PM IST
Neeraj-Arshad warmth echoes shared culture
Punjabis share a unique bond across India and Pakistan, rooted in shared culture and history, transcending political divides. This connection explains the camaraderie between athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem.
Updated on Aug 17, 2024 08:57 PM IST
Heed those WhatsApp warnings on fraudsters
WhatsApp messages often warn us to guard against door-to-door salesmen and to never share our credit card pin code with people claiming to be from the bank
Published on Aug 10, 2024 09:08 PM IST
The Gymkhana Club’s ungentlemanly move
In a move that is bizarre and insulting to its members, the club has decided members must deposit money for dining, etc in advance. They must have a ‘positive credit balance’ to dine at the club or use the services of the Bar
Published on Aug 03, 2024 09:30 PM IST
Glimpses of British summertime cheer
A glimpse of a sunny summer day in Britain, with London warmer than Delhi, ice cream in the park, and the joy of a British countryside pub.
Updated on Jul 27, 2024 09:22 PM IST
Why we say clip-clop, and never clop-clip
“I can’t compare myself to Henry Higgins, but the delightful rules of the English language never cease to fascinate me”
Published on Jul 20, 2024 09:14 PM IST
Three lessons for Indian politics from British polls
Now there’s an opportunity to see Blighty differently. And this time we, in India, can learn a few invaluable lessons as well.
Published on Jul 13, 2024 09:13 PM IST
A charter for Parliament to improve its functioning
Is the Lok Sabha living up to our expectations? What changes are needed to convince the Opposition that the voice of the Indian people is given time and, therefore, adequately heard?
Published on Jul 06, 2024 09:30 PM IST
Claim to prohibition is immoral, ahistoric
If safe and cheap alcohol is available for all adults to buy, within all the accepted conditions of the law, few people would risk their lives drinking hooch
Published on Jun 30, 2024 12:00 AM IST