Prakash Kumar

India had been contemplating the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty for several years. However, the recent ghastly attack in Pahalgam and the surge of public sentiment demanding action against Pakistan compelled India to unilaterally suspend the 65-year-old treaty, which had been mediated by the World Bank. Ideally, this step could have been taken back in the 1990s, but India, on humanitarian grounds, refrained from scrapping the agreement which is the lifeline of Pakistan agriculture. In recent years, however, China’s construction of massive reservoirs and hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra River—which may eventually reduce its downstream flow into India—has been a major factor prompting India to consider similar measures with Pakistan. Notably, the Indus River originates in Tibet (China), with India being the first downstream nation. The Indus water system comprises six rivers: the eastern rivers—Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi—were allocated entirely to India, while the western riv...

  A Valley of Voices: My Memoir from Kashmir With the recent ghastly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 27 lives, I found myself drawn back down memory lane—revisiting reflections from my journey through the Kashmir Valley. What follows is not analysis or opinion, but a deeply personal account of what I saw, heard, and felt. It’s an attempt to look beyond headlines and hashtags, and into the human stories that too often go unheard. Ten years ago, I travelled deep into the Kashmir Valley, from Baramulla to Anantnag, using local transport—trains, auto-rickshaws, shared taxis, minibuses, and motorcycles. Along the way, I interacted and mingled  with many people from all walks of life, including school and college students. At that time, even railway coaches/platform toilets were sealed to prevent their use by militants. I found that most people I met were simple and focused on their daily survival, working hard to meet basic needs. At the same time, I sensed a deep-rooted g...