Algorithmic Anarchy

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the...

min read

The NEET paper leak protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar should have remained a legitimate expression of student anger over the collapse of examination integrity. Instead, as the agitation escalated into clashes with the police, abusive sloganeering and an increasingly radical political campaign, Meta’s algorithms emerged as an invisible force multiplying the unrest. The controversy surrounding the brief removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to the youth in the aftermath of the protests only reinforces that concern. Meta has attributed the takedown to a “technical glitch” and apologised. But when the world’s largest social media platform can temporarily suppress the message of the elected leader of the world’s largest democracy during a politically charged moments, the issue extends well beyond a single deleted post. Who decides what India sees? That question has become impossible to ignore during the Cockroach Janta Party’s protests. Across Instagram and Facebook, users have reported being inundated with CJP videos, reels and protest clips despite never following the organisation or engaging with similar political content. Whether this resulted from coordinated paid collaborations, recommendation algorithms or both deserves a thorough investigation. But the larger democratic concern is that public opinion is increasingly being mediated not by citizens, journalists or elected representatives, but by opaque algorithms designed in Silicon Valley and optimised for engagement rather than democratic responsibility. Meta’s recommendation engine is not a passive notice board. Every piece of political content that reaches millions has first been selected by an algorithm whose workings remain largely hidden from public scrutiny. This is hardly unique to India. Around the world, Meta has repeatedly been accused of amplifying polarisation, misinformation and political extremism because outrage keeps users engaged. From elections to ethnic conflicts and episodes of civil unrest, the company has faced persistent criticism that its commercial incentives reward divisive content over balanced discourse. Democracies cannot afford to outsource the architecture of public debate to corporations whose primary obligation is to shareholders rather than constitutional values. While citizens are entitled to challenge governments and demand accountability, there is an important distinction between a movement that expands because people are persuaded and one that appears to be algorithmically amplified into omnipresence. Equally disturbing has been the normalisation of abusive political language during the protests. When such content is repeatedly amplified through recommendation systems, platforms cease to be neutral intermediaries and become active participants in degrading democratic discourse. Platforms that influence elections, protests and public opinion must explain how political recommendations are generated and why particular narratives receive extraordinary amplification. Silicon Valley companies insist they are merely technology platforms. But their algorithms increasingly exercise editorial power. When software determines which protests dominate national conversations and whose voices disappear, technology has already become politics.

National Sports Day: Beyond Names, Towards a Sporting Nation

Bhalchandra Chorghade
Nov 1, 2025
3 min read

National Sports Day is not just a tribute to Dhyan Chand, but a reminder of India’s potential to become a sporting powerhouse.

India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29, marking the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, regarded as the greatest player in the sport’s history. More than symbolic, the occasion reminds us of the values sports instil and their role in shaping a healthy, disciplined, and aspirational society.

Sports has its own language of identity, with athletes given unique titles based on their disciplines. Volleyball players are ‘spikers’, basketball players ‘cagers’ or ‘hoopsters’, and cue-sport professionals in snooker and billiards ‘cueists’. Boxers are pugilists, weightlifters are grapplers, and badminton players are shuttlers. Cricket, India’s most popular sport, has batsmen, pacers, spinners, and all-rounders. Footballers, too, are dubbed strikers, sweepers, or keepers. These titles are more than playful synonyms; they reflect a culture that celebrates specialisation, skill, and sporting identity.

Deeper significance

Beyond names and terminology lies the true essence of sport. For individuals, it fosters discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and resilience. A boxer learns not just to fight in the ring but to face setbacks with courage. A shuttler develops reflexes and endurance, along with patience and strategy. Grapplers show strength but, more importantly, embody persistence, building capability through years of training.

Sports uniquely mould character. The discipline to follow training, the commitment to stay fit, and the toughness to face victory or defeat prepare athletes for life’s challenges beyond the field. They also foster community and belonging. When basketball hoopsters share the court or football strikers coordinate with midfielders, they exemplify teamwork—a lesson relevant across personal and professional life.

Nation-building

At a societal level, sports are more than recreation; they are tools of nation-building. With its demographic dividend, India cannot afford to ignore the need to channel youthful energy into constructive avenues, such as sports. It fosters physical well-being, inclusivity, and gender equality. The rise of women in boxing, wrestling, badminton, and weightlifting—with icons like Mary Kom, P.V. Sindhu, and Mirabai Chanu—reflects this shift.

Sports also aid diplomacy and international recognition. From the Olympics to the Asian Games, every medal projects soft power and enhances India’s global standing. National Sports Day is thus not just a tribute to Dhyan Chand but a reminder of India’s potential to become a sporting powerhouse.

Recognising this potential, the Indian government has undertaken several initiatives to nurture sporting talent. The Khelo India Programme has become a cornerstone for spotting and nurturing young athletes across various disciplines, providing them with scholarships and structured training. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) has been instrumental in preparing elite athletes for international events by providing financial and infrastructural support.

In addition, the development of sports infrastructure—stadiums, training centres, and academies—has been prioritised in several states. Schemes like the Fit India Movement aim to take fitness and sporting culture beyond athletes to the wider population, encouraging every citizen to make exercise and sport a part of daily life.

Yet, challenges remain. The concentration of resources in urban areas often leaves rural talent under-supported. Moreover, while cricket enjoys massive attention and sponsorship, other sports often struggle for visibility, funding, and media coverage. This imbalance continues to raise questions about whether India’s sporting culture is holistic or cricket-centric. National Sports Day provides an occasion to introspect on this imbalance and to strive towards giving every sport and every sportsperson their due recognition.

Road ahead

As India aspires to win more Olympic medals and expand its presence across international competitions, the need of the hour is a comprehensive ecosystem—one that combines grassroots training, modern infrastructure, scientific coaching, and most importantly, a cultural shift that values sport not merely as entertainment but as an essential pillar of holistic development.

The nomenclature of athletes—spikers, hoopsters, cueists, shuttlers—shows the diversity of disciplines that enrich the sporting world. But National Sports Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves that behind these names lie stories of grit, struggle, and triumph. Honouring them means more than celebrating their titles; it means supporting their journeys, recognising their sacrifices, and embedding the values of sport into everyday life.

In the words of Major Dhyan Chand himself, sports are not just about winning medals but about fostering unity, discipline, and character. On this National Sports Day, India must reaffirm its commitment to nurturing a sporting culture that lives up to his legacy.

2 Comments

Leon Brown

Jun 09

National Sports Day often reminds people that building a true sporting culture requires more than celebrating a few famous champions. Long-term progress comes from investing in grassroots programs, encouraging participation, and creating opportunities for young athletes to develop their skills. As more fans follow different sports, interest in statistics, predictions, and performance analysis continues to grow as well. While exploring resources related to cricket and fan engagement, I came across stake betting, a platform that provides information about betting markets, match analysis, and the factors many supporters consider when evaluating upcoming contests. In the end, a strong sporting nation is created when participation, education, and enthusiasm for competition grow together.

Edited

Tim Smith

Nov 03, 2025

This article really made me reflect on how much sports shape not just individual lives but the broader culture of a nation. Growing up, I watched athletes train relentlessly, and it taught me that discipline, resilience, and teamwork aren’t just lessons for the field—they carry over into everyday challenges. What struck me most here is the emphasis on recognizing every sport and its athletes, beyond cricket’s massive popularity, which is something India is gradually addressing through programs like Khelo India and TOPS. While exploring ways to stay connected with different sports digitally, I came across resources like https://1winapk.pro/ where you can read review and get insights into various sports offerings, even though it’s not for playing. It’s a reminder that…