In the eighteenth century, Jews were a tiny minority in India when the Honorable East India Company (HEIC) was expanding its land acquisition in that country. There were three groups of Jews in India. Cochin Jews of Malabar (now Kerala); a mix of an ancient group and later arrivals from Spain after Christian reconquest in…

“We travel not for trafficking alone. By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned. For lust of knowing what should not be known, We take the Golden Road to Samarkand.”                                                                   James Elroy Flecker Polskie gry kasynowe: Tradycja spotyka nowoczesność Historia polskich gier kasynowych Polska ma długą historię związaną z grami hazardowymi. Już od wieków…

Indians who served in subordinate posts in the army, Survey of India, Indian Medical Service and civil service were exposed to the wider world. The Raj introduced modern education in India and encouraged its servants to educate their children. When officer corps of Indian army was opened for natives, this generation became the pioneers. Independent India and…

In the Indian subcontinent, soldiering was a hereditary profession of certain groups. In the Hindu caste system, birth determined the individual’s assigned role. One was to perform the role of farmer, trader, religious leader, or soldier based on the membership of the community assigned that role by the society. This system was continued even among…

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasulallah Pakistan commonly known as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) recently made headlines in Pakistan by staging another round of violent protests. Since its inception, TLP has created a law and order situation in Pakistan almost every year. A small number of Barelvi low level clerics emerged as a pressure group to prevent the execution…

Thanks, Sir. I think you got it right about potential risks for the region. I know that in polite conversations, these topics are not discussed but in the real and cruel world people talk about their dreams and delusions and it is directly proportional to the level of their knowledge or ignorance. This has been at least…

The chaotic United States withdrawal from Afghanistan and the consequent vacuum rapidly filled by the Taliban surprised everyone. Large amounts of weapons, especially aircraft falling into the hands of the Taliban raised some concerns. However, these fears are exaggerated. The Taliban is an insurgent force engaging in a protracted warfare focused on hit and run…

The Afghan National Army (ANA) had disintegrated in the aftermath of the Soviet withdrawal and subsequent civil war. The new ANA post-American occupation is a more recent phenomenon and has an interesting history. In the first few years after the U.S. arrival in late 2001, security was provided by militias of local warlords. The U.S. had no…

The recent revelation about use of Pegasus software for surveillance of mobile phones by several governments surprised very few. It simply confirmed what most of us believe that surveillance is now part of modern life. This information is not new. In 2013, details about National Security Agency (NSA) running an electronic surveillance program on massive scale…