Anil Trigunayat Even before US President Donald Trump took over the White House for the second time, he had ensured a ceasefire in the two-year-old Israel-Hamas war. Since, for the incoming president, it was tactical to please both his friend,…
Urvashi Prasad India’s Union Health Budget 2026-27 and the release of the country’s first evidence based lung cancer guidelines have sparked important conversations about whether our health system is keeping pace with global standards. These announcements are not just policy…
The Strauss-Howe generational theory suggests that every 80 years or so, civilisations undergo an archetypal generational shift. This theory aligns with the cyclical approach of Indic traditions, which are unlike the linear Western traditions. As we enter the 80th year of Independence in 2026, our nation stands at the cusp of a new social, political, and economic climate.
What do you call someone who comes down like a tonne of bricks on ambitious youngsters with career aspirations but crumbles like a cookie in the face of a market-leading company flexing its dominance? The rest of the world terms them bullies. In India, we call them regulators.
Public policy scholar Thomas Dye defined public policy as what governments choose to do and choose not to do. Annual budgets make this definition tangible. They are not merely fiscal documents. They are political and economic statements that reveal priorities, constraints, and institutional intent. Equally important, they reveal what remains deferred. In health financing, omissions often matter as much as allocations.
On February 6, 2026, the IMPRI Gender Impact Studies Centre (GISC) hosted a panel discussion as part of its 7th Annual Series of Thematic Deliberations. The session, titled "Gender, Social Inclusion and Union Budget 2026–27," was moderated by Professor Vibhuti Patel.
As 2025 draws to a close, viewed from the window of a public health professional, the year offers a clear reminder that health leadership is not merely about systems, policies, or technologies. It is about trust, continuity, and the courage to make long-term choices amid uncertainty.