August Kranti

Mrinal Chatterjee

Every year, the month of August evokes memories of India's final and most decisive phase of the freedom struggle. On 8 August 1942, at the historic Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay (now August Kranti Maidan), the All India Congress Committee adopted the Quit India Resolution. Addressing thousands of people, Mahatma Gandhi gave his unforgettable call: "Do or Die." The objective was simple yet revolutionary—end British rule immediately.

The British responded with swift repression. Within hours, Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Azad and almost the entire Congress leadership were arrested. Yet, instead of crushing the movement, these arrests transformed it into a spontaneous mass uprising. Students, workers, peasants, women and ordinary citizens took charge. Across India, demonstrations, strikes and acts of civil disobedience erupted. In several regions, underground networks emerged to sustain the movement, while parallel governments briefly functioned in places such as Ballia, Satara and Tamluk, demonstrating the people's determination to govern themselves.

The Quit India Movement was unlike any previous nationalist campaign. It was largely leaderless after the initial arrests, yet remarkably widespread. Although the British eventually suppressed the uprising through force, censorship and mass detentions, they realised that governing India without the consent of its people had become impossible. August Kranti marked the beginning of the end of the British Raj. Five years later, India achieved independence.

The significance of August Kranti extends beyond history. It reminds us that freedom was secured not only through famous leaders but also through the courage of countless ordinary Indians whose names rarely appear in textbooks. It also underlines the power of collective action, moral conviction and democratic aspiration.

In contemporary India, August Kranti remains a reminder that political freedom must be accompanied by responsible citizenship. The spirit of "Do or Die" need not be understood as a call to sacrifice alone, but as a commitment to defend constitutional values, strengthen democratic institutions and work tirelessly for justice, equality and national unity. That enduring legacy makes August Kranti as relevant today as it was in 1942.

Why are we burning coal?

China and India are the world's top coal consumers, combining to use roughly 70% of the global total, with China consuming over 55% alone—more than the rest of the world combined.

As a 2025 estimate shows, China consumes about 55.6% of global coal, utilizing roughly 92.2 exajoules (over 4.7 billion tonnes) for massive industrial manufacturing and electricity. India uses 14% of global coal demand (roughly 23.1 exajoules) to power its expanding economy and fast-growing grid.

Heavy coal burning has environmental implications. Severe smog and particulate matter degrade public health and lower regional air quality. Coal mining and cooling thermal power plants strain local water supplies in arid regions.

So, why are both China and India using coal? The answer is, coal guarantees baseline electricity needed for rapidly expanding industrial bases and growing populations. Both China and India continue using coal primarily to ensure energy security, meet rapidly rising electricity demand, and maintain affordable industrial growth. Both countries possess large domestic coal deposits, insulating them from volatile international oil and gas markets and geopolitical conflicts.

However, both the countries are scaling up clean energy projects that have begun to curb absolute coal-power generation. India's peak power demand by 2030 is projected to reach approximately 366 GW, driven by rapid economic growth, expanding digital infrastructure, and manufacturing. To satisfy this consumption, the country is targeting an overall power capacity of around 900 GW including 500 gigawatts of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.

Umbrella

Have you noticed, sharing an umbrella is a fascinating social experiment, when it is shared during rain. It begins as an act of kindness and ends as an exercise in geometry. One person keeps the head dry, another sacrifices a shoulder, while a third quietly accepts complete defeat from the knees downward. Yet everyone insists, "We're perfectly covered."