Mile Sur Mera Tumhara.

Stand up Comedy doesn't always have to be about body, shame, youth, marriage, love, sex, and cuss words.

She has been able to bring back healthy comedy. And also been able to add some message. Without loosing the comic part anywhere along the way.

GN Devy has termed India as a linguistic civilization. It is indeed.

Enjoy these 8 mins.

Nikhil

https://youtu.be/F30y5bdYOE0?si=9CPsfJ_di7aQPBYu

Elephants in temples are distressed. Cattle in jallikattu is distressed.

Dogs flooding our cities is fine. Let humans be distressed.

It seems that NCERT has formed some committee to study this matter. Various evidences regarding the Maratha map will be discussed by the experts to arrive at some consensus.

As the things are evolving rapidly, I am keeping this video in abeyance. Any video prepared today will be outdated just in a few days. Lets wait for right time.

https://youtu.be/ZwQWtCLE40A?si=tYQInw4I4g0TEbqs

Pravin Swamy has come up with a tantalizing hypothesis to explain why Trump and Munir are coming so close and India is now out of favour. Its because America wants to outsource security of Middle East (West Asia) to Pakistan to cut costs and save American lives. And Pakistani military seems interested in this business.

But we should not forget that Indian subcontinent has been a provider of manpower for many centuries now.

Indentured labour to build railways in Africa, plantation in Fiji, soldiers to die in the two World Wars, cheap labour in Gulf countries today, doctors in Europe, coders in Silicon valley, Farmers in Italy, drivers in Canada, and nurses in Japan.

If Trump now wants to use expendable Paki soldiers to die in the West Asia while he saves America lives, its nothing new. That is how the world has used Indian subcontinent. That has been the biggest export item.

Always.

Nikhil

Main examination is around the corner. This is not the time to surrender. This is not the time to stop. Just persevere.

And, on the other side, you will wonder at yourself with amazement.

“When you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Download the admit cards for Civil Services (Main) Exam, 2025

https://upsconline.gov.in/eadmitcard/admitcard_csm_2025/

Azadi slogan for dogs?

This is a clip of some upsc aspirants protesting the Supreme Court decision to make Delhi streets safe for humans.

I personally think that human life is more important. We regularly read in news that a lot of children are mauled by dogs, nighttime walk in cities is impossible and elderly are carrying sticks while walking on streets. We could definitely debate what to do with stray dogs as long as streets are safe for humans first.

Meanwhile, some students are taking to protest in ORN which is their democratic and legitimate right. It is totally fine. I also understand that only a handful of students are writing Mains exam which is just around the corner. While, for most of the aspirants, Prelims 2026 is faraway and thus they have some time to spare also. Being public spirited person is a good civic value to have.

But in this video, I notice there were a lot of Azadi slogans in this protest. This thing I dont understand. How is it relevant?

To All stray dog lovers,

Don't allow the outsiders to hijack your protest. Your protest is about dogs. Its against Supreme Court decision.

Its not a party politics. Its not about any ideology.

Don't allow outsiders to hijack the protest and redirect your energy towards their political interests.

It happened last year. After the unfortunate death of some aspirants. Outsiders came with political motivation and tried to redirect the whole protest.

They are coming again. If they succeed then it will become easier to suppress the whole thing.

I do not agree with you on this issue of Dogs, but I really wish you all the best. Keep the agenda focussed.

Safe streets,
Nikhil

On this day today, India was partitioned 78 years ago. But it was not the only partition of India.

India was partitioned five times, from 1937 till 1971. From one British Indian Empire, there emerged 12 nations. Literally, 12 different sovereign nations...!

This is a short clip of a great conversation I recently had with Sam Dalrymple on this.

https://youtu.be/8Sk57_xmL0A

This is true. I have some dog lovers as friends. I have seen them discussing a lot of foreign breeds all the times. Some of them may have been imported breeds also.

I always suspected that there existed some sort of underground illegal dog breeds importing business in India. There are also a lot of dog breeders on Punjab side doing legitimate business. Their experise is in high demand in Delhi.

Very very few people want to bring Indian breeds in their houses. Indian dog breeds, evolved in our subcontinent, particularly suitable for this ecology, are rarely found in rich urban household.

But when it comes to city streets.... This is the purest definition of Racism.

Nikhil

PM Modi from Red Fort today said:

“Today, I want to warn the country about a concern and challenge. As part of a well-thought-out conspiracy, the country’s demography is being changed. Seeds for a new crisis are being sown… Yeh ghuspaithiye… they are snatching the livelihoods of my country’s youth. Yeh ghuspaithiye are targeting my country’s sisters and daughters... They are misleading innocent tribals and occupying their land. The country will not tolerate this.” - PM Modi (15 August 2025)

What do you think about this line of thinking?

🔺Do you agree with the PM? If yes, give thumbs up.
🔺If you are a romantic person who imagines borderless world and prefers the term 'undocumented worker', then give thumbs down.

(This is a part of our Mains syllabus in Internal Security related to Porous Borders)

What is this mission in border states exactly? Its mystery... koi naya dhamaka? 🧐🤔

“When demographic change happens, especially in border areas, it creates a crisis for national security… a challenge for unity, integrity and progress. It sows the seeds for social tension. No country can hand itself over to infiltrators… How can India do that? Our ancestors sacrificed their lives and got us Independence… It is our responsibility towards them to not tolerate these things… So today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to say that we have decided to start a high-powered demographic mission… Yeh mission tay samay mein, suvicharit, nischit roop se, apne karya ko karega. Us disha mein hum aage bad rahe hain."

- PM Modi (15 August 2025, Red Fort)

Watch till the end. With passing time, it keeps getting more and more interesting.

I am sure you all will agree with me....:)

https://youtu.be/cahKcDOtkEY

Living in Delhi for about 15 years now, you start gradually absorbing the partition trauma. People have not moved on. People cannot easily move on. We as a nation have not moved on.

Partition is the most central event in the history of 20th century India that defines everything for us, directly or indirectly, in north or in South. We just don't realize it. In the north, the trauma of partition is more easily visible in daily life, that's it.

Those of you who live in ORN should know that this ORN is a land where Punjabi refugees were settled. Parents of your landlords mostly came from Pakistan. There is Peshawar sweets on Shankar road. Sir Gangaram was from Lahore. BLK Max is run by a trust named as Lahore Society. There is Sindhi temple of Krishna near gol chakkar. The largest park in ORN where we sometimes spend evening time is called Sindhi Park. Arya Samaj place here also has roots going to land across the border. You can still find some old people speaking Pashto in local parks here. Their parents came from areas far west, near Peshawar. Its all around you, only if you choose to see.

Recently, I recorded a podcast on India's five partitions with Sam. It was quite insightful. The video should be made available pretty soon.

But even before that happens, I just watched this very short stand up comedy clip by Varun Grover. His family came from Pakiatani side of Punjab. In the first half, it is a typical usual urban cosmopolitan type humor. In the second half although it gets deep. Esp when he speaks of the diya, my eyes got moist. That is the power of good comedy. While making you laugh, it also makes you think.

Do watch it.

https://youtu.be/OgacNVbka8M?si=8QuYj5Ax9XGZm7qp

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Finally, the episode on the Partition is here. It was based on discussion with Sam Dalrymple on his recent book on India's partitions.

This is a part of a new series of podcasts called Akhyan Diaries. Herein, we bring to you those historians whose work is relevant to the UPSC CSE syllabus (GS as well as optional). The discussions will enrich our understanding of History in general but also for UPSC CSE in particular.

In this episode, you will be surprised to know that how large India was, how it was partitioned multiple times, how the idea of Akhand Bharat sometimes supported the partition of India, how Mountbatten was actually pro-India during Partition, what was the role of bureaucrats and, how Patel's decisions were seen as pro-right wing by the author. These and many more... seriously mind-boggling insights.

Enjoy,
Nikhil

https://youtu.be/Y3lp0LSAUXo