The Hindu epic Mahabharata is far more than just an epic poem featuring noble ideals, supernatural characters, and atrocious conflicts that end in a manufactured peace. It's not a moral and theological discourse built around a long story, as many academics would have us believe; it stands for the very contemporary notions of policy and diplomatic tactics that we see in the world today, and its lessons echo through our administrative institutions. Illustration by The Geostrata

A lustrous metal that has witnessed history from ancient Bharat to modern-day Viksit Bharat, from the Indus Valley Civilisation to the artificial intelligence era, gold has served as a means of family inheritance, pride, and a reliable economic asset. Illustration by The Geostrata Its nature of scarcity makes it precious, and its ability to act as a safety valve for central banks worldwide makes it unique among other metals. In the Indian economy, this lustrous metal is more