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HomeAuthorsT R Gopalakrishnan

Articles by T R Gopalakrishnan

About T R Gopalakrishnan
T R Gopalakrishnan is Consulting Editor at Citizen Matters. Former Editor In Charge of The Week, the country’s leading English weekly newsmagazine, based in Cochin, relocated to Bangalore in 2018. Born and brought up in Delhi, took a brief stab at engineering at the IIT, Kanpur, but switched to journalism in 1974. As Editor of The Week, was part of the Prime Minister’s media delegation when Atal Behari Vajpayee visited South Africa and Beijing. Was also a special invitee of the South African government prior to their staging their world cup. Was part of a media delegation from developing countries to the US as a special invitee. While at The Week, besides organising the news desk and setting up work systems for ideation and implementation, also did a number of detailed cover stories on a wide range of subjects, business, politics, sports, science and cinema. Main interests are reading and travel.
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A collage created with two pics: an electrical installation on Bengaluru roads, and the lauch of Chandrayaan I by ISRO from Sriharikota.
Governance

Editorial: When installing an electrical pole is more difficult than rocket science

August 29, 2023 T R Gopalakrishnan

In a city with the people, knowledge and skills to successfully land a payload on the moon, pedestrians are never assured of a safe walk!

A woman accepting her free bus pass from the Karnataka Chief Minister on the inaugural day of the scheme.
Governance

Editorial: Think before you promise, not after

June 30, 2023 T R Gopalakrishnan

A government has expert units to design and implement welfare schemes. The poll campaign podium should not be the launch pad for these.

Karnataka Government Budget document released
Governance

Editorial: Budgets must come with a caveat — the numbers mean very little!

March 14, 2023 T R Gopalakrishnan

How much of those amounts get spent? On whom? And what do we have to show for it? These are questions that we want answers to, but find none.

Dr Anil Joshi, Himalayan ecology
Environment

‘Mountain man’ Dr Anil Joshi: “There should be no aggressive development projects in the hills”

January 25, 2023 T R Gopalakrishnan

Hear ecologist Dr Anil Joshi as he shares several concerns and recommendations critical to preserving fragile hill ecology, as in Joshimath.

A polluted Delhi morning, as morning walkers take a stroll near the India Gate. (File photo)
Environment

Editorial: Delhi air alert — Breathing is seriously injurious to your health!

January 11, 2023 T R Gopalakrishnan

One senses a sudden smugness among those responsible for controlling Delhi air pollution, despite AQI reaching dangerous levels in the cold wave.

A girl writing English alphabets on the blackboard in a classroom
Education

Opinion: Why we still need English in our schools and colleges

November 10, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

The centre wants medicine and engineering to be taught in regional languages instead of English, in line with the NEP. But what will it achieve?

A man sitting by the shore in Mumbai's Versova. Mumbai is a city highly vulnerable to climate change-induced sea level rise.
Governance

Editorial: When symbols rule the roost, what hope could our cities have?

August 5, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

Unemployment, climate change, civic issues — our woes are many and multifarious. But do governments ever talk about the things that matter?

A wholesale spice market in India
Economy

Editorial: Inflation statistics don’t lie, they are merely economical with the truth

June 24, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

Ever wondered why, even when the headlines talk of a drop in retail inflation, you end up paying the same for food? Well, you’re not alone.

Cooking oil and LPG prices have spiked, causing every Indian meal to become significantly costlier and often beyond the reach of the ordinary citizen. In the picture, a typical North Indian thali.
Economy

Editorial: Can’t afford cooking oil, gas or vegetables? Eat less, or eat cake

May 25, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

For the urban poor, the sharp rise in prices of cooking oil, gas and other essentials will inevitably mean having to go hungry for longer periods.

Tennis star Ashley Barty
Health

Editorial: Let’s face it, the virus has affected our minds and mental health too

April 12, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

Depression, anxiety, emotional exhaustion are real mental health conditions. Yet, many do not believe that these deserve serious attention.

Nirmala Sitharaman before the presentation of Budget 2022-23
Economy

Editorial: Why do we need this annual Budget Tamasha?

February 22, 2022 T R Gopalakrishnan

For the average citizen, the budget jargon means nothing. The real question is how does it affect him? Has it made his life any better?

The omicron variant
Society

Editorial: Have we learnt any lessons from 2021?

December 31, 2021 T R Gopalakrishnan

A selection of our most important stories published over the 12 months just passing us by, and the lessons they hold for the future.

Odd-even experiment to manage air quality
Environment

Five simple steps can improve Delhi air quality, but will citizens and governments cooperate?

November 23, 2021 T R Gopalakrishnan

The steps needed to manage Delhi air quality are well known. And they don’t involve rocket science. What prevents it then?

Second COVID wave in India badly hit daily wage urban workers
Economy

Editorial: Five key steps to jump start a job scheme for urban workers

November 15, 2021 T R Gopalakrishnan

With slowdown in industries making jobs scarce across the country, a work scheme for urban workers at the grassroots is much needed. And it can be done.

K Sujatha Rao, former union health secretary
Health

“A digitised card cannot solve problems of access and affordability in public health”

October 19, 2021 T R Gopalakrishnan

Q&A with former health secretary K Sujatha Rao on the state of public health infrastructure, government initiatives in the health sector and COVID.

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