Author: Dr. Natasha Sumbal

“I’ll be fine. It’s probably just the cold.” That was my first thought on a chilly February morning while I was serving as Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC), Mardan. I was in the field, carrying out official inspections, when I noticed an unusual heaviness on the left side of my face. The weather was cold, and I brushed it aside without much thought. But by the time I returned home, something felt undeniably different. One glance in the mirror was enough. As a gold medalist in Otorhinolaryngology, years of medical education had trained me to recognize subtle abnormalities. My respected teacher,…

The ban on the first season of India’s Got Latent was never merely about a comedy show. It became a mirror reflecting the disturbing transformation of digital culture, where vulgarity is mistaken for wit, obscenity for originality, and controversy for success. The FIRs registered against several individuals associated with the show did not emerge in isolation; they were the culmination of growing public concern over the unchecked descent of online entertainment into a race to the bottom. Social media has fundamentally altered the economics of attention. In today’s digital marketplace, outrage travels faster than reason, scandal earns more than substance,…

As the summer sun scorches the plains of South Asia, another kind of heat grips millions of households. For students, parents, and teachers, this is examination season—a period when aspirations, anxiety, and relentless preparation converge. Across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, the weeks leading up to competitive entrance examinations for medicine, engineering, and other highly sought-after professions are often described as a pressure cooker. Every mark matters, every hour counts, and every decision can shape a student’s future. It is during this intense period that coaching academies assume extraordinary importance. For millions of students, these institutions are not merely supplementary…