“Babaji Only Wants To Sell”: A Former CEO Reveals The Inner Workings Of 'Patanjali' Company

Ayurveda giant Patanjali’s rise to success has been nothing short of a phenomenon.

The Haridwar-based company, which sells everything from herbal soaps and shampoos to ghee and honey, has become a favourite among millions of Indian households, chipping away at the dominance of big multinational firms.

Yet, few know about the inner workings of the Rs10,000 crore behemoth founded in 2006 by Acharya Balakrishna and yoga guru Ramdev. The latter rose to fame doing yoga asanas on TV in the mid-2000s, before playing a role in the anti-corruption movement that swept the country earlier this decade, gaining many political enemies in the process.

Speciasl Report: Inside The Surreal Battle For Mind Control Playing Out In Rajasthan's Classrooms

From history to politics to math, text books are throwing caution to the wind, as teachers grow divided.

For someone who is courageously speaking truth to power, 51-year-old Mahavir Sihag is exceedingly soft spoken. On occasion, you have to remind him to speak louder, so that you can hear.

Are Expiration Dates On Medicines Just A Myth?

If some drugs remain effective well beyond the date on their labels, why hasn’t there been a push to extend their expiration dates?

The box of prescription drugs had been forgotten in a back closet of a retail pharmacy for so long that some of the pills predated the 1969 moon landing. Most were 30 to 40 years past their expiration dates – possibly toxic, probably worthless.

Jail Tourism: Pay Rs 500 To Spend Day in Prison In Telangana

Tourists can now spend a night in a colonial-era jail by paying only Rs 500 under the Telangana government's new 'Feel the Jail' scheme.

Under its new program, tourists can rent a cell in the 220-year-old Sangareddy jail and experience how life was for an inmate in colonial times. Those who opt for the "Feel the Jail" scheme will be provided a uniform, a steel mug, basic bedding and a bar of soap. To keep the experience authentic even the food served during the stay will be similar to what used to be served to prison inmates. 

Now, It's Time For Cowpathy - A startup Is Looking To Rule India’s Cow Economy With Dung Soap And Urine Toothpaste

A cow is silhouetted in front of manure at the farm owned by French farmer Franck Pellerin (not pictured) in La Chapelle-Caro, central Brittany, France, September 2, 2015.

You’ve heard of ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical science. So have you about Unani, the Perso-Arabic healing science. Then there is homeopathy.

Now prepare for Cowpathy.

No, it is not a whole new medical system. It is a Mumbai-based company that makes consumer products said to have high medicinal value and completely based on the cow—it uses ingredients such as dung, urine, clarified butter or ghee, and others.

An Open Letter To 'Gau Maa' — And Two Other Mothers

Dear Mother Cow, Even as I write this open letter to you—I am feeling a bit like my mythological namesake, the protagonist of our epic, Ramayana, the Ideal Man and King, Lord Rama. While I am addressing this open letter to you—Gau Maa, original mother—like Kaushalya mata, I am terribly conscious of the other two matas—Kaikeyi and Sumitra—in my case—Mother Earth and Mother India.

I am writing about a spate of things, a posse of issues bothering me; some directly concerning you, like the Hon'ble Supreme Court striking down a government proposal to restrict trade of cattle for slaughter, attempts to demonise and ban eating beef and a nation-wide law to end cow slaughter, or even censor Noble Laureates from mentioning your name in documentaries; and some others, indirectly, like TV debates on the terrorist attack on Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir, a protest named #NotInMyName against lynchings et al.

Empty Promises: These UP Villages Were ‘Adopted’ By BJP Leaders—Only To Be Neglected And Abandoned

‘If the MP appears, we’ll beat him up. And then we'll ask, “Who the hell are you?"’

The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna was launched by Narendra Modi amidst much fanfare a few months into his tenure as the Prime Minister. A "significant" date was selected – October 11 – famed social reformer Jayaprakash Narayan's birth anniversary. Under this plan, Members of Parliament from across political parties choose a village from their respective constituencies and ensure it becomes a "model village", by taking on the responsibility of developing its physical and institutional infrastructure. This process is romantically also termed as "village adoption" or sansad god liye gaon.

Scientists Are Hunting For Genes That Enable Bacteria To Become Resistant To Life-Saving Antibiotics

Disease-causing bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics more quickly than we’re discovering new ones.

From the muddy bottoms of deep ocean trenches to Komodo dragon blood, scientists have scoured Earth’s remote corners in search of molecules that could yield the world’s next antibiotic. They hope to discover powerful new medicines against which bacteria have not yet evolved defenses. It’s a high-stakes pursuit. Disease-causing bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics more quickly than we’re discovering new ones.

Will Slaughter Curbs Lead To Cattle Surplus Or Heading Towards Ecological Imbalance?

As the Centre looks to modify the rules on cattle trade, it would do well to consult experts about how the changes would affect farmers.

With the government’s assurance to the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it would suspend implementation of new regulations on cattle trade, the nation’s cows, bullocks, bulls and buffaloes are back on the front page. The new rules, notified in May, had been greeted by vociferous protests from some state governments. As many pointed out, the regulations made it virtually impossible for cattle to be sold for slaughter – leaving farmers with the enormous burden of feeding old, fallow animals that are of little economic value.

This man quit his job at Google to sell samosas, has a turnover of Rs 50 lakh

Very few find the courage to leave behind a secure and stable life in pursuit of their passion. Munaf Kapadia quit his well-paying job at the multinational giant Google to sell samosas. His conviction and hard work paid off and, today, his company has a yearly turnover of Rs 50 lakh.

For most IT professionals, landing a job at Google is a dream. Not only does it have a brand value, but it also assures the employee of a good salary and stability. However, Munaf left his job at Google to sell samosas and is now the proud owner of The Bohri Kitchen (TBK) in Mumbai.

Munaf got his degree in MBA a few years ago and left the country after a couple of years of working here, and started his stint at Google. However, after working for a few years for Google, he wished to explore better opportunities. The idea of starting his own business struck him and he returned to India.

Hyderabad's 'Ohri Restaurant' Calls Milkshakes 'Item Bombs' That Are Named After Women Celebs

Hyderabad's Ohri restaurant Hitec City is just about learning this lesson. The restaurant serves milkshakes named after Kim Kardashian, Shakira, Katrina Kaif and Sonakshi Sinha, all listed under a page called 'Item Bombs'. Can someone please explain to them why that's NOT okay?

Over the years, we've seen a lot of dubious advertising under the guise of pinkwashing. Clueless marketeers jumping on the women's bandwagon without really examining what they're trying to say and what's actually being said. But every once in a while comes a marketing ploy so tasteless and brazenly tone-deaf, you can't help but wonder how any sane person could have approved it.

Inside Chandrababu Naidu’s plan to make Andhra Pradesh a sunrise state

Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘Sunrise Andhra Pradesh-Vision 2029’ aims to make the state India’s most developed, overcoming the legacy issues that came with the creation of Telangana.

In the calendar of the state administration of Andhra Pradesh, the second day of the week is not a Monday. Instead, it is designated Polavaram day—after the ambitious multi-purpose irrigation project that entails interlinking the unruly waters of the Godavari and the Krishna to bridge the water deficit in the latter’s river basin.

Search Kiya To Darna Kya?: I Found My Husband On A Matrimonial Site And It Was Only As Fun As Your Tinder Swiping

Dating has traditionally been hard and when I hear the horror stories my friends go through and having gone through them myself, I must admit I can't help but feel a certain sense of relief for successfully choosing the right guy and crossing the border without much incident. (Well, there were incidents before I found the man I married. Many, many incidents but I'll regale you with those stories at a later date.)

Asrar Jamayee: An 80-year-old Urdu poet declared dead by the Delhi government is struggling to survive

Asrar Jamayee’s satire was once awarded by the first Indian President, Dr Rajendra Prasad. Now, even local mushairas don’t invite him.

Asrar Jamayee, 80, an eminent Urdu poet, was declared dead by the Social Welfare Department of South Delhi in 2013, depriving him of his monthly pension of Rs 1,500. Since then, he has been fighting for survival. He lives alone in a rented single room littered with Urdu books (including his newly published ones, which lie under a thick layer of dust) and worn-out shervanis.

Islamic Style: How The Hijab Has Grown Into Fashion Industry?

Muslim spending on fashion is expected to touch $488 billion by 2019.

Nike, the well-known US sportswear company, recently introduced a sports hijab. The reaction to this was mixed: there are those who are applauding Nike for its inclusiveness of Muslim women who want to cover their hair, and there are those who accuse it of abetting women’s subjugation.

How Two Common Medications Were Combined Into One $455-Million Specialty Pill?

Vimovo costs way more than the two individual medicines. So how have its manufacturers managed to make it sell?

Everything happened so fast as I walked out of the doctor’s exam room. I was tucking in my shirt and wondering if I’d asked all my questions about my injured shoulder when one of the doctor’s assistants handed me two small boxes of pills.

What Cow-Loving India Should Focus On: Making More Fodder Available To Starving Cattle

With forests overrun by weed and other unwanted growth, free-grazing lifestock face a grim situation.

Much passion is now generated in our country on the subject of protecting cattle. However, a dispassionate narration of the reality about the fodder situation for them seems to be largely missing. There are 108 million adult female cows in a cattle population of 200 million, according to the National Dairy Development Board. In addition, there are about 100 million buffaloes in the country.

The Harsh Reasons These Housewives In Bangalore Chose To Become Sex Workers

Editor’s note: For decades, sex workers in India have been pushed to the margins, forced to deal with shame and stigma from society. ‘Unheard Stories’ is a series of stories by INNLIVE that aims to bring these narratives to the fore, to build a more inclusive and accepting society.

“I am illiterate and unskilled. I need money to run my household. Now, this (sex work) is my job and I am proud of it as I have sacrificed a lot for my family,” says Jaya Prabha (name changed) with a stoic face. For her, sex work is a lesser evil than watching her children starve.

INNLIVE Explains: The Qatar Crisis And How It Affects India

With four Arab nations cutting their diplomatic ties from Qatar for fostering terrorism, West Asia is headed into a major turmoil in the coming days.

Travel within the region from Doha, the capital of Qatar, is likely to be impossible in the immediate future. Qatari citizens resident in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been given two weeks to return to their home country. Bahrain has also asked Qatari diplomats to leave its territories in 48 hours, though Saudi will continue its services to Qatari pilgrims.

Understanding The Diplomatic Crisis Between Saudi Arabia And Qatar

Saudi Arabia and six other neighbouring and regional Middle Eastern countries severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday in what has been labelled one of the biggest rifts between Arab gulf nations in recent decades.

Enacting the diplomatic cut along with Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen, Libya and the Maldives, Saudi Arabia accused Qatar of supporting and financing Islamist extremism in the gulf region through groups such as Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.