Perpetual Sources of Energy: Shifting Dynamics of Global Realities

 

Among all the living animals, humans are considered the most intellectual because of their ability to apply knowledge. The prime evidence for it is the discovery of fire. From that moment onward, human advancement has been closely tied to the use of energy resources to expand possibilities and fulfill growing aspirations. However, such energy was produced from fossil fuels, which are neither sustainable with nature nor unlimited in amount. Hence, to extend the perpetual existence of humans, demand for perpetual sources of energy arises.

Although nothing in the universe is truly “perpetual” in the absolute sense, for humanity, it signifies the sustained survival and progress of humankind across generations. Perpetual sources of energy can be referred to as naturally replenishing energy resources that are effectively inexhaustible on a human timescale. Unlike fossil fuels, these sources don't diminish and rely on ongoing natural processes. For example, solar energy, nuclear energy, hydropower etc. are called perpetual because their availability is sustained by continuous planetary or cosmic processes and not finite reserves.

The need for perpetual sources of energy can be seen in our daily lives. Excessive use of thermal energy through fossil fuels is leading to the problems of global warming, climate change, and environmental degradation. For instance, the extensive use of petroleum in automobiles is leading to the combustion of fossil fuels, releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other pollutants into the atmosphere. The solution proposed is a shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs), but it is not a comprehensive solution that resolves every underlying problem, because their batteries rely heavily on rare earth metals like lithium, which are finite and concentrated in limited regions of the Earth. A long-term and sustainable solution is to innovate vehicles that would run on perpetual energy sources, therefore providing a pathway towards sustainability. 

Technological evolution has transformed renewable energy from an alternative to a mainstream energy solution. High-efficiency solar panels, offshore and floating wind turbines, enhanced geothermal systems, smart grids, AI-driven energy management, etc. are key technologies introduced that improve reliability and efficiency and encourage decentralized energy generation, along with supporting economic growth and job creation. Technology bridges the gap between availability and usability, making perpetual energy practical at scale.

Out of all the technologies, one of the most feared, yet considered as one of the cleanest and unending sources of energy, is nuclear energy, a source that the whole of humanity is counting on. There are generally two reactions: Nuclear fission and Nuclear fusion. We have achieved significant progress through the development of nuclear fission technology, which has greatly contributed to modern energy production. At the same time, we look towards nuclear fusion with optimism, as it holds the promise of being a cleaner, more abundant, and potentially more sustainable energy source for the future. China's experiment of the 'Artificial Sun' maintained a fusion plasma for a record-breaking 1.066 seconds in 2025. However, there are public concerns about the instability of fusion and fission reactors due to past examples that instill fear about their probable meltdowns, therefore causing a slowdown in the research and development of the project.

Apart from technological shifts, market & investment shifts, political shifts, and social shifts are also taking place simultaneously. Markets are gradually redirecting capital towards renewable energy sources, prioritizing long-term infrastructure investments over short-term profits. There has been an increase in green finance, ESG investments, carbon markets, etc. and platforms like Shark Tank are helping new entrepreneurs balance economic benefits along with nature. This transition ensures economic stability while adapting to new energy systems. In the political sphere, nations are aligning on the same lines of climate change action through conferences like COP 28. Energy conservation is aligned with climate diplomacy and global cooperation; therefore climate policies and international agreements are getting formulated, like the net-zero target. France, along with 13+ other countries, plays a central role in the global effort to advance nuclear fusion through the ITER project by pooling technology, funding, and expertise. 

Public awareness regarding climate risks has increased demand for clean energy, and now consumers increasingly prefer energy-efficient appliances and decentralized solutions like rooftop solar. Such social acceptance is becoming a tool in the transition of perpetual sources of energy. Society is gradually transitioning from a mindset of energy abundance to one of energy consciousness. However, it is a slow shift, and the pace of this transformation remains inadequate. Given the urgency of environmental and resource challenges, this shift must accelerate significantly. But there have been cases of corruption due to on-purpose disruptions created to distort the core idea of perpetual energy sources by oil giants, MNCs and coal companies.

The shift toward these energy sources reflects humanity’s evolving relationship with nature, technology, and responsibility. As global realities change, perpetual energy stands at the center of a sustainable and resilient future. As Jimmy Carter rightly said, “We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now we can control our future instead of letting the future control us”.

-Shlok Nanda

सृजक और बोधक, कला वस्तुतः किसे परिभाषित करती है?

क्या कभी ऐसा हुआ है कि आप किसी साधारण-सी चीज़ के सामने ठहर गए हों, अँधेरे में टिमटिमाती एक छोटी-सी लौ, जो हर झिलमिलाहट के साथ जैसे कुछ कह रही हो, खिड़की पर गिरती बारिश की बूँदें, या सांझ के समय अचानक नारंगी हो उठा आकाश और भीतर कुछ हल्का-सा बदल गया हो? जिसका कोई विशिष्ट नाम न हो और न कोई अर्थ, फिर भी वह क्षण आपको छू गया। वह शांत, अनकहा सा स्पर्श, शायद वहीं से कला शुरू होती है। हमेशा किसी कैनवास या मंच पर नहीं, बल्कि उस अदृश्य पल में, जहाँ कोई दृश्य और उसे अनुभव करने वाला मन आपस में मिलते हैं। कला केवल वह नहीं जो हम देखते हैं, बल्कि वह है जो हमारे भीतर घटती है। और यदि हर व्यक्ति के भीतर कला अलग रूप में जीवित होती है, तो प्रश्न स्वाभाविक है कि कला वास्तव में किसकी है? उसे रचने वाले की, या उसे महसूस करने वाले की?

कला रचने वाले के लिए वह अत्यंत व्यक्तिगत होती हे क्योंकि उसमें उसके अनुभवों की छाप होती हे, और उसकी पीड़ा, उसका आनंद, उसका विरोध, उसकी सोच, सब कुछ कहीं न कहीं दर्ज होता है। हर रचना कहीं न कहीं अपने सृजनकर्ता को दर्शाती है। वह केवल रंग या शब्द नहीं होती, वह किसी के भीतर की दुनिया का विस्तार होती है। लेकिन जैसे ही कला रचयिता के हाथों से निकलकर दुनिया के सामने आती है, कुछ असाधारण घटित होता है। दो लोग एक ही चित्र के सामने खड़े होते हैं, एक की आँखें नम हो जाती हैं, तो दूसरे को कुछ नहीं लगता ओर वही कोई आकर कह देता है, “ये तो मेरा पाँच साल का बच्चा भी बना सकता है”। वही चित्र परंतु सच बिल्कुल अलग-अलग और शायद तीनों ही अपने-अपने स्थान पर सच हैं।

कलाकार बस एक चिंगारी जगाता है, पर वह आग कितने दूर तक फैलेगी यह कहीं न कहीं अनुभव करने वाला तय करता है। कला कोई एकतरफ़ा संवाद नहीं है, बल्कि वह एक मौन वार्तालाप है, जैसे आशय और व्याख्या के बीच चलने वाला संवाद। कलाकार अपनी भावनाएँ, अपने विचार, और अपना संघर्ष अपनी रचना में घोल देता है, लेकिन अर्थ वहीं समाप्त नहीं हो जाता। वह आगे बढ़ता है, हर उस मन में नया रूप लेता है जो उसे देखता या सुनता है। और शायद सबसे रोचक तथ्य यह है कि सृजनकर्ता स्वयं भी पहले एक अनुभव करने वाला होता है। समाज, संस्कृति और अपने समय से प्रभावित, उसकी कला उसी दुनिया का प्रतिबिंब होती है जिसे उसने महसूस किया है।

इसके साथ-साथ समय भी अपनी शांत और अनदेखी भूमिका निभाता है। वैन गॉग को उनके जीवनकाल में नज़रअंदाज़ किया गया था पर आज वही चित्र लाखों लोगों को छू जाता हैं। सदियों पुरानी कोई कविता आज भी अलग अर्थ लेकर सामने आ सकती है। कला शायद वैसी ही रहती है, पर हम बदलते रहते हैं। और जब हम बदलते हैं, तो उसके अर्थ भी हमारे साथ बदलते जाते हैं। 

आखिरकार कला को कौन परिभाषित करता हे, सृजक या बोधक? शायद कोई नहीं, इनमे से किसी एक को चुनना मुश्किल है पर कला शायद उसी जगह जीवित रहती है जहाँ अभिव्यक्ति और अनुभव एक-दूसरे से मिलते हैं। कला केवल रचने वाले को नहीं, और न ही केवल देखने वाले को परिभाषित करती है। वह उस अदृश्य धागे को जन्म देती है जो दोनों को जोड़ता है। वही संबंध, वही संवाद, शायद उसकी असली पहचान है। कला किसी की संपत्ति नहीं होती, उसे बस अनुभव किया जाता है। और शायद, यही उसकी सबसे बड़ी शक्ति है।

-प्रीती सागु

Is 'Shadow' Economy growing larger than the system casting it?

 Every economy has two faces: the part that appears in budgets, tax returns, stock markets, and government statistics and another one which exists behind it that is far larger, quieter, and often more powerful. It is not printed in reports, yet it shapes prices, politics, and even people’s dreams. This is the shadow economy. It is the parallel system of unreported, untaxed, and illegal money that flows through societies like an invisible river of black money. The troubling question today is no longer whether this shadow exists, but whether it has grown so large that it now begins to distort and overpower the formal economy. What was once a hidden leak in the system now risks becoming the system itself.

The biggest contributor to this economy is tax evasion. Many of us don't know that only about 1.6% to 2% of Indians pay income tax! As a result, the government is unable to generate expected revenue through taxes, because of people evading taxes through loopholes like under-reporting of income, benami transactions, and round-tripping techniques. We need to understand that every rupee that is lost through tax evasion is a rupee stolen from building classrooms, hospitals, roads, research and development etc. Low public investment leads to low productivity further resulting in slow growth. Ironically enough, by definition, black money is the kind of money that the government is unaware of, but people in the government often understand its workings better than anyone else, and many even participate in it. A junior officer pays the one above him to secure his posting and that officer pays the one above him, creating a vertical chain of corruption.

The elite class hides their money, the middle class pays taxes honestly but gets fewer to no public services in return. Honest firms fall behind tax-evading counterparts and so formal job creation stagnates. The price of almost everything in the economy can be matched to your wallet as everything has become purchasable, from saving yourself from traffic challans to getting promotions and contracts. And things start to look really bad when the cost of two innocent lives come down to an essay to back an affluent teenager. In such cases the black economy acts as a shield for the wealthy people and thus a price tag is put on the life of a common man.

The shadow economy is a master at nourishing organised crime and somewhere threatens national security as illegal trade is practised like drugs, arms trafficking, or mining depending upon unaccounted cash flows. Mafias thrive through a three-way nexus between businessmen seeking shortcuts, politicians offering cover, and officials enabling illegal operations. As these networks expand, systems like Hawala channels grow stronger and ultimately become the connecting link to foreign criminal and extremist groups. What starts as local corruption can escalate into a national security risk if gone without surveillance.

As infamous as the shadow economy already is, it's not a big problem for society, at least not as big as normalising it. In popular culture the shadow economy is no longer portrayed as destructive, but rather stylised and aspirational. This cultural normalisation seeps into real life. A large section of youth aspiring for government jobs quietly sees public service not as a duty, but as access to stability, authority, and under-the-table income.

One of the most dangerous aspects of the shadow economy today is not secrecy, but acceptance. Black money has stopped feeling illegal and started feeling normal. From bribing a traffic policeman to avoid a challan, to paying in cash for land, to distributing money during elections... These acts no longer shock society. The shadow economy is not sustained only by criminals or elites. White-collar employees accepting cash components, professionals under-reporting income, businesses avoiding GST, consumers demanding “no-bill” discounts, this ordinary participation normalises illegality. The system survives because compliance has become selective and convenience now overrides ethics. Its impact on the environment is equally destructive. Illegal mining deteriorates landscapes, riverbeds, and ecosystems. Wildlife smuggling, timber theft, and unregulated construction projects damage biodiversity and violate environmental safeguards. These activities survive precisely because black money shields them from scrutiny.

The ever-present shadow of the ‘shadow’ economy stretches and contracts with policy, enforcement, and public attitude. Black money bends the shape of markets, and sectors that easily absorb black money get over-inflated like real estate, gold, luxury goods, and thus, prices become unfair for the layman. The shadow economy is not just a financial problem, rather a moral and institutional one. It quietly erodes trust, rewards dishonesty, and punishes those who try to play by the rules. When corruption becomes normal, legality starts to feel optional, and that is when a society begins to lose its spine. The greatest danger today is not that black money exists, but that people have learned to live with it, adjust to it, and even depend on it.

-Krutika Mali

प्रदीर्घ युद्धे : संघर्ष निवारणापासून ते अगतिकतेपर्यंत

दरवेळी युद्ध सुरू होतं तेव्हा एकच भाषा ऐकू येते, “ही शेवटची लढाई आहे.” सुरक्षेसाठी. सन्मानासाठी. सीमांसाठी. अस्तित्वासाठी. पण मग वर्षे जातात, पिढ्या बदलतात आणि युद्ध संपत नाही... आज जगभरात आपण पाहतो, रशिया–युक्रेन संघर्ष तिसऱ्या वर्षात, गाझामध्ये पुन्हा-पुन्हा भडकणारी हिंसा, मध्यपूर्वेतील अस्थिरता, आफ्रिकेतील सशस्त्र संघर्ष आणि आपल्या उपखंडातही सतत तणावाची छाया... प्रश्न असा आहे, ही सर्व युद्धे अजूनही 'उद्दिष्टां'साठी लढली जात आहेत, की ती आता फक्त सवय झाली आहेत? सर्वात जास्त अस्वस्थ करणारी गोष्ट म्हणजे हिंसा सामान्य होणं.

जेव्हा एखादं मूल सायरनच्या आवाजात मोठं होतं, जेव्हा बॉम्बस्फोट ही ब्रेकिंग न्यूज नसून रोजचं वास्तव असतं, जेव्हा सीमा भागात तणाव ही 'नैसर्गिक अवस्था' मानली जाते– तेव्हा समाज हळूहळू संघर्षाशी जुळवून घेतो; आणि ही जुळवणूकच धोकादायक आहे. 

युद्धाची अधिकृत कारणे नेहमीच भक्कम असतात– राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा, दहशतवादाचा प्रतिकार, आक्रमणाला उत्तर, परंतु दीर्घकालीन युद्धात एक वेगळीच राजकीय गती काम करत असते. बाह्य शत्रू असला की अंतर्गत प्रश्न कमी विचारले जातात. राष्ट्रवादाची लाट निर्माण झाली की मतभेद 'देशद्रोह' ठरतात. आपत्कालीन परिस्थिती जाहीर झाली की उत्तरदायित्व पुढे ढकलले जाते. इतिहासात आणि वर्तमानात आपण हे अनेकदा पाहिलं आहे. युद्ध कधी कधी सुरक्षेचं साधन असतं; पण ते सत्तेच्या टिकावाचं साधनही बनू शकतं. हा केवळ राजकीय नाही, तर नैतिक प्रश्न आहे– 

जर शांततेमुळे सत्ता कमकुवत होत असेल, तर काही जणांना शांतता नकोशी वाटू शकते का? आज युद्ध फक्त रणांगणावर लढलं जात नाही; ते अर्थव्यवस्थेतही लढलं जातं. संरक्षण-उद्योग, शस्त्रास्त्र करार, पुनर्बांधणी प्रकल्प, संसाधनांवरील नियंत्रण– युद्ध संपलं तर अनेकांचे आर्थिक गणित बिघडू शकते. म्हणून कधी कधी असं वाटतं – आपण शांततेपेक्षा अस्थिरतेत जास्त गुंतवणूक करत आहोत का? शांतता चर्चा होतात, करार होतात, पण ते वारंवार मोडतात. जागतिक संस्थांमध्ये राजकीय मतभेद, व्हेटो राजकारण, निवडक हस्तक्षेप – यामुळे न्याय सर्वांसाठी समान राहत नाही. जेव्हा लोकांना वाटू लागतं की आंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यवस्थादेखील राजकारणाने नियंत्रित आहे, तेव्हा शांततेवरील विश्वास कमी होतो.

मानसशास्त्रात एक संकल्पना आहे, 'Learned Helplessness.' वारंवार अपयश आलं, आणि परिस्थितीवर नियंत्रण नाही असं वाटलं, की माणूस प्रयत्न करणं सोडतो. दीर्घकालीन युद्धात समाज याच अवस्थेत जातो. गाझामध्ये जन्मलेली मुलं युद्धाला नियती मानू लागतात. अफगाणिस्तानात दशकानुदशके संघर्षानंतर राजकीय उदासीनता वाढते. काश्मीरमध्ये संवाद प्रक्रियेवरचा विश्वास अनेकदा डळमळीत होताना दिसायला लागतो. लोक बदल घडवणारे नागरिक राहात नाहीत, ते फक्त जगणारे बनतात. युद्धाचा सर्वात मोठा पराभव इथेच होतो, जेव्हा माणूस स्वतःच्या आवाजावरचा विश्वास गमावतो... मग खरंच युद्धाची गरज आहे का? हा प्रश्न टाळता येत नाही. हो, काही वेळा संरक्षणासाठी प्रतिकार आवश्यक असू शकतो. पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध? पिढ्यान् पिढ्या चालणारा संघर्ष? सतत भीतीवर उभा असलेला समाज? ह्यांचं काय? खरे पाहता, युद्ध हे कोणाच्याही विजयाचं प्रतीक नसून मानवी विकासाचं सामूहिक अपयश आहे. ते न्यायाच्या संकल्पनेला शांततेची शिकवण देत स्वतः मात्र हिंसेचा मार्ग स्वीकारणाऱ्या दुटप्पीपणालाही उघड करतं.

जर आपण शस्त्रास्त्रांवर अब्जावधी खर्च करू शकतो, तर आपण संवाद, शिक्षण, आणि समावेशक विकासावर तितकाच खर्च का करू शकत नाही? युद्ध जिंकता येतं, सीमा बदलता येतात, सत्ता टिकवता येते; पण हरवलेली आशा परत आणणं सर्वात कठीण असतं. खरी लढाई सीमांवर नाही ती मानवी मनात आहे. आपण भीतीवर उभं असलेलं जग स्वीकारणार आहोत का? की संवादावर उभं असलेलं जग निर्माण करणार आहोत? युद्ध अपरिहार्य असू शकतं, पण दीर्घकालीन युद्ध अपरिहार्य आहे का? हा प्रश्न कदाचित, आपण सगळ्यांनी विचारायला हवा...

-उत्कर्षा निगड़े 

The Nightingale of India

 

"Can ye measure the grief of the tears I weep

Or compass the woe of the watch I keep?”

Not just a poet, not just an activist, but the Nightingale of India, the voice of the citizens, and the strength of its women, Sarojini Naidu was truly one of a kind. Born on February 13, 1879, in Hyderabad, to a scientist-linguist and a poetess, language was bound in her blood. With her gift of poetry, she produced music, not in a literal sense, but by using her words, she created rhythm in her poems. In one of her renowned poems “The Gift of India” she discusses the martyred Indian soldiers of the First World War. She not only honors their sacrifice but also educates the people about the soldiers’ roles in providing protection.

The poems were the special thing about her, because they expressed the Indian sentiment, the nationalism felt not just by her, but by the vast majority of India. She wrote for the people. Aside from being a weaver of words, she was also a great orator. She advocated for freedom and for women’s rights across the globe, although the media records regarding most of her speeches are lost, her sentiments, her beliefs, and her persistence still reside in our hearts. “We want deeper sincerity of motive, a greater courage in speech and earnestness in action”, she said in one of her speeches.

The poem “Indian Weavers”, wherein the life of the weavers in India was portrayed, she uses the weavers and the hours of the day as metaphors for the journey of life. This poem particularly resonated with millions of her admirers, because it describes the vulnerability of life and the fragility of time.

But was poetry all she ever did? Definitely not. She advocated freedom, she delivered great speeches, and was an ambassador for the freedom struggle of India abroad. She was a fierce, witty woman who never hesitated to stand up for the injustice faced by Indians. Even in the freedom struggle, she never backed away, she led protests even when the other freedom fighters were being arrested left and right. She joined the Indian National Congress, became its first female President, and later the first woman Governor of an Indian state (Uttar Pradesh). This strengthened her movement in the struggle for women’s rights. Becoming the first female Governor inspired many girls, teaching them that women can do something as well as anyone else can.

Padmaja Naidu’s biggest inspiration was her mother, Sarojini Naidu. “A living embodiment of courage and compassion” were the words used by her daughter to describe her.

“Words must serve action, and action must serve humanity” was Sarojini’s advice to her daughter as remembered by her. That is why not only Padmaja, but also other pivotal women like Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (the first Indian and the first female President of the United Nations General Assembly), and many other female freedom fighters chose Sarojini Naidu as their inspiration.

Finally, a day that all the citizens of India should know is the thirteenth of February not simply because it is Sarojini Naidu’s birth anniversary, but also because it is celebrated as the National Women’s Day, because of her efforts and her role in fighting for women’s rights in society. Through her wit and her words, through her confidence and her resilience, she taught us how to soar in the sky of freedom and patriotism, with words and rhythms.

-Isha Barve