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Articles by Ashwin

Over time, curiosity has led Ashwin to explore subjects as varied as religion, history and geopolitics, faith and reason, entrepreneurship and leadership. Many of these explorations found their way into Op-Eds, essays, and commentaries published in major newspapers and magazines. Here you’ll find a selection of those writings—each one an extension of his ongoing dialogue with the world around us.

The jewel that broke the British crown could also write the epitaph of America’s empire
Times of India | 01 September 2025





45. Revenge, Served Cold
In The Godfather, Mario Puzo wrote, “Revenge is a dish that tastes best when served cold.”
Times of India | 23 May 2025





44. India’s Got Lament
We must lament the erosion of the line between immorality and illegality.
Times of India | 19 February 2025





43. Revive Ancient India’s Lobbying Skill
Indian-Americans Should Take a Page From the Jewish Playbook
Times of India | 17 January 2025



Kurukshetra—the great battleground that witnessed the Mahabharata—lies in Haryana. And probably for good reason.
Times of India | 12 October 2024


41. Indo-US Relations : Predictable Unpredictability
Chanakya, the master of statecraft, provided an ancient framework for foreign policy in his Arthashastra.
Times of India | 20 August 2024





The Ram Mandir will finally be inaugurated on January 22, 2024.
Times of India | 22 January 2024




39. Whose Land Is It Anyway?
Ask the most vociferous supporters of the Palestinian cause and they will tell you that Israel is a colonizer, one that deprived Palestinians of their lands.
Times of India | 24 October 2023





38. War of Words: The Indian Narrative
Bharat is a land of stories and storytellers. Wandering bards recited our stories over generations and we built a treasure house of tales including our itihasa and puranas.
Times of India | 25 July 2023



37. The Panchbhoota of World Peace
Shri Manoj Sinha ji, Prof Umesh Rai ji, Shri Ajay Kashyap, Shri Prakash Antahal, Organizers of Jammu University, national and international speakers and delegates, students, and so many dear friends that I deeply admire and respect.
Youth 20 Consultation | 19 April, 2023

36. Can't We Sell Without Sermonizing?
Recently a matrimonial site published an ad that gradually reveals the bruises of a woman as the colours of Holi are washed off her face. While gender violence is a serious issue, does it need to be associated with Holi?
The Times of India | 05 April, 2023



35. Maha Akhand Bharat
At the recently concluded Times Now Summit, Samir Jain, the vice-chairman of this newspaper group said, "This is not the time of Mahabharat. Akhand Bharat is history. This is the time for a Maha Akhand Bharat."
The Times of India | 03 December, 2022


Fixing India’s Justice Delivery System
Kautilya’s Arthashastra—written around 2300 years ago—says, "Judges shall discharge their duties objectively and impartially so that they may earn the trust and the affection of the people."
The Times of India | 25 November, 2022

33. Sanatana Dharma: The Ancient Liberal Doctrine
What is a ‘liberal’? I asked Google Baba. He answered that a liberal is one who ‘respects or accepts behaviour or opinions different from one's own’. Next, I asked Swami Webster.
The Times of India | 01 August, 2022

From Siraj ud-Daulah to Zelenskyy, they would have done better had they been guided by fear
The Times of India | 17 March, 2022


31. Maeeshat, hifazat, abadiyat … The new J&K strategy
Modi’s emphasis on economy, security & demography more realistic than Vajpayee’s doctrine.
The Times of India | 14 January, 2022


30. The Big Bhang Theory: India’s Cannabis Law Needs Change
Legend has it that the shade of a tall cannabis plant once brought Lord Shiva relief from the blazing sun. Curious, he chewed some of its leaves and felt so invigorated that he adopted its usage—hence the use of cannabis in Shiva worship.
The Print | 15 November, 2021

29. Walking the Dharmic Path To Secularism
What does the term ‘secular’ mean? Strictly speaking, secularism means separation in entirety of church and state. In a secular nation, the government must stay away from anything religious. But India fails entirely if that is indeed the definition. How could a government have codified and modified Hindu personal law in the 1950s if it was secular?
The Times of India | 15 September, 2021

28. Let's Not Talk About It
A virus that was possibly spawned in a Chinese laboratory has played havoc with the world over the past two years. As I write this, there have been 209 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 4.4 million deaths globally.
The Week | 19 September, 2021



27. Covid’s Silk Road
The term “Silk Road” can mean different things to different people. In 2013, someone called Ross Ulbricht was arrested by the FBI for narcotics trafficking.
The Times of India | 21 July, 2021




In recent weeks there has been much talk about the government’s Central Vista Redevelopment Project with the Supreme Court having cleared the final roadblocks.
The Times of India | 12 February, 2021




25. India’s Draupadi Moment
India is a country where soldiers chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ or ‘victory to mother India’ as their call to arms.
The Times of India | 08 October 2020




24. Want To Preserve Secularism In India? Well, Preserve The Hindu Ethos First
August 5, 2020 marked the Bhoomi Pujan of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. I have noticed that many have been genuinely anguished by this event.
Swarajya | 08 August 2020



23. The Dragons Within
The recent clashes in Galwan between India and China are a stark reminder of how complicated the relationship between the Elephant and the Dragon is.
Navbharat Times | 08 July 2020



22. The Problem of Distory
In recent weeks we have seen a spate of statues being pulled down. A statue of the confederate Robert E. Lee and the British slave-trader Edward Colston.
Times of India | 06 July 2020




21. Quantum Theory of Ideas
It is quite normal to believe that ‘cold’ is the opposite state of ‘hot’. But the state of coldness is merely the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness is the absence of light.
Times of India | 09 March 2020


20. The Philosopher and the Scientist
There is an interesting story in the Srimad Bhagvatam about a king called Kakudmi. He had a beautiful daughter of marriageable age.
The Man | 01 March 2020



19. Kindred Spirits
I always knew that one of my books in the Bharat Series was going to be about the flow of knowledge and ideas between China and India.
Outlook Traveller | 01 February 2020


18. The Truth Often Lies
Popular mythological fiction writers of today are often asked why we ‘distort’ the ‘accepted’ narrative of our epics and puranas.
Times of India | 10 December 2019



17. Yeh Dil Maange More
Now that PM Narendra Modi and his cabinet have been sworn in, I thought of sharing some thoughts with you about what I believe should be priorities (not that my views count).
TOI Blog | 31 May 2019


16. The Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva of Holi
Every festival in India is imbued with alternate meanings. For example, Holi is often called a “spring festival” signifying the transition from winter into summer.
TOI Blog | 20 March 2019




15. First Journeys
The journey that changed my life was a chance visit to Srinagar, Kashmir. It was not my first time into Srinagar but it was the first journey that inspired a new avatar.
India Today Spice | 14 May 2018




14. Kalachakra and its Significance in the Modern World
The Buddha is said to have preached during the last year of his life at a place called Dhanyakatakam in the present-day Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Open Magazine | 05 February 2018




13. How To Beat Stress & Succeed in Exams
Most schools and colleges are busy telling students what they should learn but they never seem to tell them how they should learn.
Higher Education Review Magazine | 01 December 2017


12. Legends of Diwali: Boodhi Diwali
Most of us associate Diwali with the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya on the darkest new moon night of the month of Kartika.
Sunday Mid-Day | 15 October 2017



11. Deconstructing The Indian Billionaire
On a flight to America, I was watching the popular HBO sitcom Silicon Valley. In one of the episodes, a wealthy investor is plunged into gloom.
Sunday Mid-Day | 31 October 2016


10. Worshipping the Wealth Trinity
In India, we have always worshipped trinities. Hindus worship the female trinity of Lakshmi-Saraswati-Kali as well as the male trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva.
Huffington Post | 27 October 2016




09. Holi High
One is 114 times more likely to die from overdosing on alcohol than from cannabis, reports a study from the Scientific Reports journal.
The Asian Age | 01 March 2015


08. Five Things Lucky People Do
Let me tell you the five most important things that most lucky people seem to do: Luck hates loneliness. It’s almost impossible to be lucky alone.
Rediff | 05 December 2014



In the Chinese calendar, 2015 is called the year of the sheep. Do keep this in mind when you read the rest of this article that attempts to show you how to be luckier in the New Year.
Telegraph | 01 December 2014


06. The Prophecies of Ashwin Sanghi
“I always avoid prophesying beforehand, because it is a much better policy to prophesy after the event has already taken place,” quipped Churchill famously.
The Man | 01 September 2014




05. Where is Harsha?
Allahabad, or the Garden of Allah, was once known as the Site of Ritual Offerings. After all, the ancient town of Prayag (which translates from Sanskrit to “site of ritual offerings”).
New Indian Express | 01 April 2014




04. The Journey Is The Destination
My fondest memories of my childhood are centred around one particular train journey that my family would repeat each year during Diwali.
Railbandhu | 01 May 2013



03. Certainties, Conspiracies & Cliff-hangers
Fact is stranger than fiction. You have heard this particular statement hundreds of times without giving it much thought.
Mandate | 01 April 2013


02. A Tale of Two Martins
"I am ashamed of being an Indian male." There, I've said it. And as expected, I am equally ashamed of the statement that I have just made.
Times of India | 14 January 2013


01. A Big Bore
What is spirituality? Numerous sages, philosophers and thinkers down the ages have attempted to answer that question.
TOI Speaking Tree | 09 December 2012