Stories written by Ranjit Devraj
Regional editor Ranjit Devraj, based in Delhi, takes care of the journalistic production from the Asia and Pacific region. He handles a group of influential writers based in places like Bangkok, Rangoon, Tehran, Dubai, Karachi, Colombo, Melbourne, Beijing and Tokyo, among many others. He coordinates with the editor in chief and forms part of the IPS editorial team. Ranjit Devraj has been an IPS correspondent in India since 1997. Prior to that he was a special correspondent with the United News of India news agency. Assignments for UNI included development of the agency’s overseas operations, particularly in the Gulf region. Devraj counts two years in the trenches (1989-1990) covering the violent Gorkha autonomy movement in the Darjeeling Hills as most valuable in a career of varied journalistic experience.

DEVELOPMENT: Poor-Country Businesses Assail Lack of Credit, Non- Tariff Barriers

By Ranjit Devraj
Monica Khoromana is hot stuff. Her Malawi- based company exports more than 2 million dollars worth of chili sauce a year to markets as far away as the Netherlands and Singapore.

RIGHTS-INDIA: Elites Sweep Caste Issue under the Rug, Say Dalits

By Ranjit Devraj
India's long-suffering Dalits, or people considered untouchable by high-caste Hindus, are demanding that their problems be heard at the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) later this year.

SOUTH ASIA: Women Have More Clout, but Still Look for Men’s Support

By Ranjit Devraj
While women are ready for the rough and tumble of local politics in South Asia's tumultuous towns and cities, family prestige and the support of their menfolk often remain indispensable for career success.

POPULATION-INDIA: Sikh Leaders Clamp Down on Foeticide

By Ranjit Devraj
Alarmed by the rapid fall in the numbers of girl children in northern Punjab, leaders of the Sikh religion dominant in that Indian state have threatened excommunication for adherents who resort to female foeticides aided by modern technology.

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Fighting Drought With Water Harvesting

By Ranjit Devraj
Dire predictions that arid Rajasthan in western India faces this year one of the worst droughts in living memory hold no terror for the people of this surprisingly green and prosperous village.

TECHNOLOGY-INDIA: Sanctions Have Not Stopped ‘Star Wars’ Plans

By Ranjit Devraj
Undeterred by Western technology embargoes and sanctions, India's government scientists have independently developed nuclear, space and super-computing capabilities that could go into a modest 'star-wars' programme.

INDIA: Plays Down Border Clash with Bangladesh

By Ranjit Devraj
India has played down the massacre of 16 of its border troops by Bangladeshi soldiers this week to avoid straining ties with the friendly government in Dhaka, say analysts.

INDIA: Govt’s Cheap Mobile Phone Worries Cellular Operators

By Ranjit Devraj
The Indian government's plan to offer a cheap mobile phone service is facing stiff opposition from existing providers of the service who fear losing subscribers.

POLITICS-INDIA: No End in Sight Yet to Corruption Standoff

By Ranjit Devraj
India's ruling and opposition parties continued their war of words Monday, trading charges of corruption in high places.

POLITICS-INDIA: Protests Over Curbs on Foreign Delegates

By Ranjit Devraj
Newly revealed Indian government curbs on delegates from some nations attending international conferences in the country, have triggered loud protests.

ECONOMY-INDIA: Small Investors Need More Protection

By Ranjit Devraj
A stock market crash triggered by a rogue trader, which ruined tends of thousands of small investors, has revived demands for tighter controls on India's stock exchanges.

POLITICS-SOUTH ASIA: India Presses Ahead with Kashmir Diplomatic Gains

By Ranjit Devraj
Following up on international diplomatic gains on the Kashmir issue, India has taken another bold step to push forward efforts to bring peace to its troubled province.

ENVIRONMENT-INDIA: Debate Over Delhi Clean Air Drive

By Ranjit Devraj
The early April commuting chaos in the Indian capital has led to fingers being pointed at powerful business interests trying to subvert efforts to clean up worsening urban air pollution.

POPULATION-INDIA: Prosperity Blamed for ‘Missing Girls’

By Ranjit Devraj
Results of India's latest decennial census seem to confirm what demographers have always suspected -- that poverty is not responsible for the country's worsening gender ratio.

ECONOMY-INDIA: IT Firms Face Up to U.S. Slowdown

By Ranjit Devraj
Though not affected much by the slowdown in the U.S. economy, India's famed computer software exporters are taking no chances.

DEVELOPMENT-INDIA: Rediscovering Community Radio

By Ranjit Devraj
In an age dominated by talk of information technology, community development workers in India's villages, are rediscovering the value of old-fashioned radio in tackling sensitive issues such as gender equality and HIV.

INDIA: Satellite Rocket Failure Affects Likely ICBM Plans

By Ranjit Devraj
The failure of India's geo-stationary satellite launching rocket has not only delayed plans to enter the lucrative satellite launch market, but also to acquire inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability.

POPULATION-INDIA: Census Findings Bring Cheer

By Ranjit Devraj
India's population has crossed the one billion mark, but the findings of the latest decennial census have also given much reason to cheer to national development planners.

/ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/INDIA: Countryside Strewn With Priceless Vintage Cars

By Ranjit Devraj
Partha Bose discovered the 1917 model Ford when he stopped by at a remote village in India's eastern Bihar state to change a flat tyre.

POLITICS-INDIA: Scandal May Hobble Defence Modernisation

By Ranjit Devraj
The mid-March shady arms deal expose that has rocked Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government, is likely to hobble badly needed modernisation of India's defence forces, say analysts.

POLITCS-INDIA: After Arms Scandal, Gov’t Hit by Siege Within

By Ranjit Devraj
The right-wing government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reeling from an arms bribery scandal, now has to contend with biting criticism from hard-liners within his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Hindu fundamentalist allies.
« Previous Page — Next Page »
*#*