By Madhu Hebbar This is a 3-part series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (this article) Hindutva, like all nationalisms, is context-dependent, shaped by India’s pluralistic yet fragmented society and its history of external domination. Far from being supremacist, it reflects a pragmatic response to historical challenges, with a global outlook that critics overlook. The principle swadesho bhuvana trayam* exemplifies…
By Madhu Hebbar This is a 3-part series: Part 1, Part 2 (this article), Part 3 Left-leaning academics, particularly in Western and Indian secular institutions, frequently criticize Hindutva as a monolithic, aggressive ideology that marginalizes non-Hindus, especially Muslims and Christians. This critique, often rooted in postcolonial, Marxist, or secular universalist frameworks, reveals a native bias within academia—a predisposition to view…
By Madhu Hebbar This is a 3-part series: Part 1 (this article), Part 2, Part 3 Nationalism, a force that binds people through shared identity, culture, or values, takes diverse forms across the globe, each shaped by its historical and cultural context. From the civic nationalism of the United States to the ethnic nationalism of 19th-century Europe, from Swami Vivekananda’s…
By Madhu Hebbar Western academia and media exhibit a stark double standard in their treatment of world religions. Islam, with 1.9 billion adherents across 57 majority-Muslim countries, is often handled with caution, shielded by accusations of “Islamophobia” and “orientalism,” even when addressing its deficits in gender equality and democracy. Hinduism, practiced by 1.2 billion people, mainly in India, faces…
By Madhu Hebbar Teachers are the cornerstone of society, shaping minds, igniting curiosity, and guiding individuals toward their highest potential. In Hindu culture, reverence for teachers, or gurus, is a sacred tradition rooted in ancient scriptures and stories that celebrate the transformative power of the teacher-student relationship. The Hindu American community in the United States, through programs like Guru Vandana…
By Madhu Hebbar Since 2001, Islamic countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan, have donated billions to U.S. universities, raising concerns about their influence on academic narratives, particularly antisemitism, Hinduphobia, and portrayals of Hindutva as fascist. Reports from the National Association of Scholars (NAS) and the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) document financial…
By Madhu Hebbar On April 22, 2025, a horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists, predominantly Hindu, in the scenic Baisaran Valley. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility, admitting to targeting victims based on their religious identity. The attack, one of the deadliest in India…
By Madhu Hebbar On April 22, 2025, the idyllic Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district became a scene of unimaginable horror. In one of the deadliest terror attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, militants affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), massacred 28 people, including 24 Indian…
