When Executive Engineer S K Nagarwal reported corruption in railway track laying in West Bengal, his saga with colluding officials and contractors began. Now, supported by the S K Dubey foundation, a citizens' forum has sprung up to protect Nagarwal and other whistleblowers. Varupi Jain reports.

Two different bodies established by successive governments have made recommendations for sweeping changes to the system of representation and governance in urban areas. The opportunity is now at hand to bring these together, and ensure that wards are accessible and accountable to urban residents. Vinay Baindur reports.

An early warning by China on impending floods in the Sutlej river helped avert major loss to human lives in June. Yet, India's disaster preparedness plans have been found wanting. India still does not have reliable information from China about glacial lakes that are prone to flooding the Himalayan rivers, writes Sudhirendar Sharma.

There are many ideas about how change occurs. Each has some strengths and is able to influence government to some degree, for good as well as bad. I prefer advocacy of decency and an autonomy that benefits people directly over other methods, says Ashwin Mahesh.

Two years after being appointed to the National Advisory Council, Aruna Roy has decided to decline a new term. While expressing happiness over some of the work the NAC has been able to do in the past, she now believes that the space for the advisory body to function as a forum for public consultation has diminished.

Four years on, positives seem to be weighed down by negatives -- thanks mainly to the aggressive land acquisition for mega real estate projects by the ruling LDF coalition. P N Venugopal wonders if the government’s confidence is at its low ebb.

With the thrust on Ganga rejuvenation, rivers in India have become the focus of attention from several international players. Manoj Misra points out how this may explain some recent statements from the government's partner in Yamuna restoration, JICA.

Red, yellow and green are not just about traffic lights any more. Colour coding the air quality in cities is a critical step towards dissemination of pollution data among citizens. But does India’s air quality index satisfy all the necessary conditions for optimal use? Sarath Guttikunda has more.

Despite the simplistic articulation of teachers' roles and teaching, including that by PM Modi, and the alignment of education to a broader nationalistic agenda, could there be potential ‘teachable moments’ under the new regime? Shivali Tukdeo and Savitha Suresh Babu explain.

The joint statement on climate change at the end of PM Modi’s recent tour of China has expectedly created considerable hype. Darryl D’Monte takes a balanced view of its import and the real challenges for India in the face of global climate politics.

A new notification from the ministry lays out a process by which illegal units can be granted clearance and “brought into compliance” within the next six months. Manju Menon and Kanchi Kohli report.

The more things change the more they stay the same. Bored by the hyperbole and premature celebrations of a new India in the metros, Videh Upadhyay travels to eastern UP, and gets a firsthand look at power cuts, the power brokers, and the despair of the majority who are simply powerless.

While the old town is chaotic and crowded, on the other side the roads are wide and well maintained. There appears to be a complete disconnect between the two halves of Mirzapur, writes Kalpana Sharma.

If you keep water standing in a glass for a while here, it causes a stain around the rim. Pamela Philipose describes the tribulations and ordeal of women in Mamana village of Uttar Pradesh, as they fight to collect potable water everyday.

September 28 is being observed as the Right to Know day by the Freedom of Information Advocates Network, a global group of NGOs working for better transparency in governments. An India Together report on the recent strides citizen activity has made in India on the right to information.

The new national Right to Information law came into effect on 12 October as citizens groups nationwide – from Karnataka to Delhi -- have virtually been on alert and awaiting the opening of government departments to applications for information. Much remains to be seen and done, reports Subramaniam Vincent.

The new head of the nation's highest body for enforcement of the Right to Information Act has himself been appointed with little public awareness of the process or criteria used for his selection, writes Krishnaraj Rao.

Central Information Commission asks MoEF to make an environment expert panel's report public, outlining arguments that could be used for disclosure of many other documents. Krishnaraj Rao writes.

Voluble among themselves, these women are less comfortable in speaking up at civic meetings when men are present. Policy interventions can only initiate social change, but change itself takes time to unfold. Ashima Sood continues her diary series on Chingrajpara slum, Chhatisgarh.

The government recently imposed a ban on women under 30 emigrating for domestic work and caregiving. But instead of stopping women who want to migrate, it is likely to put them at greater risk to trafficking and exploitative treatment - the very concerns that have driven the ban. Rita Manchanda has more.

Sheila Johnson, the first African-American female entrepreneur to be worth $1 billion, tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher why some women don't help each other, the story behind founding Salamander Hotels and Resorts and BET, and how she's investing in other women's companies.

Clothing sizes are broken and as shopping has shifted online, the problem has worsened. WSJ retail reporter Suzanne Kapner breaks down the issue and explains what startups are doing to solve it. Photo: oonal/Getty Images

Fashion designer Eileen Fisher on trend-free fashion and the limits of technology.

Markets in Asia refuse to shrug off worries in Europe. The WSJ's Deborah Kan speaks to Hong Kong Digital Editor Jake Lee about how fears over contagion in Europe are impacting Asia.

The world’s first Porsche, built in Nazi-era Germany, is going up at auction. WSJ’s Dan Neil got to take the 1939 Type 64 Berlin-Rome Rennwagon for a drive. Photo: Jack Schroeder Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Dozens of new electric-vehicle models are expected to arrive at dealerships in the next few years. We followed eight Wall Street Journal reporters in four countries to see if they, and the world, are ready to make the switch.

Godiva’s Executive Chef Chocolatier, Thierry Muret, took a unique path to find his dream job. WSJ met Muret to learn how he turned a chemistry degree into a job working with chocolate.

Ayesha Curry, home and hospitality entrepreneur, tells WSJ's Veronica Dagher what she's teaching her children about money, how she approaches spending and the importance of setting goals.

Jonathan Van Ness, host of “Queer Eye” on Netflix, reveals his favorite member of the Fab Five, shares self-care tips for the Instagram age and predicts his own future.

Musician Imogen Heap gives advice for aspiring musicians, shares favorite lyrics and explains why she’s interested in a human-machine collaboration for an upcoming project.

Speaking at The Wall Street Journal's D.Live conference in Hong Kong, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn said a merger within the group is one option to prepare the company for future challenges.

Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, shared his insights and quoted Yoda, the Star Wars Jedi master, during a conversation with WSJ Editor in Chief Gerard Baker at the CEO Council meeting in Tokyo.

Oprah Winfrey, Rex Tillerson, and Abby Wambach were just a few of the notable people chosen to give commencement addresses that stressed integrity, truthfulness, and courage. Here are some highlights from this year's speeches.

The Massachusetts governor struck a deal for N95 masks from China, but he needed a way to transport them. The New England Patriots plane ended up making the delivery. Photo: New England Patriots

The Netflix documentary series "Tiger King" sheds light on the culture of tiger ownership in the U.S., but doesn’t reveal how prolific this culture really is. This video explains the patchwork of state laws that makes private ownership of tigers hard to regulate. Illustration: Carter McCall/WSJ

President Trump outlined new federal guidelines on April 17 to reopen the country, saying governors should take a "phased and deliberate approach" to restart their state economies. Photo: William Volcov/Zuma Press

Jennifer Catron boarded Carnival’s Costa Luminosa on March 5 for a transatlantic cruise. Her video diaries provide a window into life on board the ship as the coronavirus scare became a full-blown pandemic.

Forget artificial intelligence for board games. Alibaba used artificial intelligence to predict the winner of a popular Chinese reality TV singing competition – and got the winner and finalists all correct.

Max Levchin’s financial technology startup Affirm Inc. has raised a $100 million in Series D, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Daniel Wiener, CEO of Adviser Investments, sees huge opportunities in health care, regardless of political battles over coverage.

Senior Editor Jack Hough looks at the latest issue. About 90% of market volume is money pouring into index funds and formula-driven funds. What that means for ordinary investors. Oil could be headed to $60. We have stock picks for energy investors. And how to invest electric cars while avoiding risk? Consider shares of Borg Warner.

Sharon French, head of Beta Solutions at Oppenheimer funds, explains factor investing, and what's working now.

Alphabet and Facebook will no longer be part of the tech sector once S&P and MSCI change the way they classify companies.

The Left party workers are keenly aware that the election for the 15th Lok Sabha is the severest test for the party ever since it took power in Bengal 32 years ago.

Disaster Mayawati must be a warning signal to the ever growing queue of prime ministerial aspirants.

'Dr Manmohan Singh's contribution is to end the strategic isolationism of India.' K Subrahmanyam, the doyen of India's national security experts, on the prime minister.

In 2007, Mayawati won extensively in OBC strongholds and lost in some SC ones — those who voted for her were actually voting someone else out

'If the Left can get its plans and policies in place and is able to influence the direction of the new government, then we will join,' says powerful CPI-M leader Biman Bose.

BJP spokeperson Ravi Shankar Prasad says, 'It is the time for the real Manmohan Singh, the economist Manmohan Singh, to show his mettle in stemming the rot of the manufacturing sector, the industrial sector, the agricultural sector.'

'It has everything to do with the West Bengal government's policies. They were too much in a hurry. They should not have hurried through with the land acquisition,' feels RSP leader T J Chandrachoodan.