Salil Kader

Another minor, speeding in a car, takes a life in Mumbai. A 42-year-old cyclist, out on his very first day of cycling to get fitter, is k!lled by a minor(17-year-old) driving at high speed. And now? Another “essay” will likely be written.

Ghulam Yazdani: The Man Who Saved Ajanta Caves ( yesterday was his birth anniversary ) Ghulam Yazdani (1885–1962), a pioneering Indian archaeologist and long-time director of the Hyderabad Archaeology Department, played a decisive role in preserving the Ajanta Caves at a time when they were fragile, under-documented, and at risk of decay. Discovered in 1819 but neglected for decades, Ajanta’s murals needed urgent care. From the late 1920s, Yazdani undertook a monumental photographic and scholarly survey, producing multi-volume works that documented the frescoes in unprecedented detail. His publications not only preserved their visual record but made them accessible to the world. Beyond documentation, he led conservation efforts at Ajanta and Ellora Caves, improving infrastructure and initiating systematic preservation under the Nizam’s patronage. His work earned him the OBE (1936) and the Padma Bhushan (1959), and he trained a generation of Deccan historians. Despite this, Yazdani remains a largely forgotten figure. Yet much of what we see today at Ajanta survives because of his lifelong dedication — a quiet guardian of India’s artistic and civilizational heritage.

A tourist recently said Odisha’s beaches are better than most European beaches. Just look at this - Odisha’s 2nd Blue Flag Beach in Ganjam. Beautiful to the core. 💙