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The FIFA World Cup becomes not only a football competition but also an international celebration every four years. All over the world, millions of fans stay awake at unusual times, gather at caf&eacute;s, and flood social networks with their forecasts, joys, and disappointments.

India is also a participant of this festival.

From busy showings in major cities to discussions during night hours on whether Argentina, Brazil, or France will win the cup, Indians follow the World Cup with amazing interest. But while celebrating this event, one question keeps appearing every four years:

&quot;Why is<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce95gvpn535o"> India,</a> a nation of over 1.4 billion people and millions of football fans, unable to participate in the most important football event?&quot;

There are some interesting statistics here.

India is one of the <a href="https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/fifa-world-cup-reaches-over-100-million-viewers-in-india/">largest media</a> markets for the FIFA World Cup. Hundreds of millions of fans are watching the 2026 World Cup in India through TV and streaming services.

But when it comes to performance on the field, the scenario is completely opposite. The Indian team has never participated in the FIFA World Cup. On the contrary, countries like Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Iran have been taking part in the tournament regularly, whereas India is an outsider to the same.

This is often attributed to cricket.

<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/indian-sports-economy-crosses-2-billion-mark-cricket-accounts-for-89/articleshow/129753506.cms">Cricket</a> definitely is dominant in Indian sport in terms of funding, sponsorship, infrastructure, and media coverage. But to attribute this failure only to cricket would be oversimplification.&nbsp;

Even countries that have lesser number of people and less financial capacity have succeeded in becoming football-playing nations. Croatia, having fewer people than several cities of India, reached the finals of the World Cup in 2018 and semi-finals in 2022. Likewise, Morocco became the first African nation to reach a semi-final in the World Cup in 2022. This was not achieved in one day. It took decades of hard work to reach there.

A perfect example of such an event is the current year&rsquo;s World Cup, which saw <a href="https://www.espn.in/football/story/_/id/49265781/cape-verde-incredible-world-cup-run-captured-hearts-earned-respect">Cabo Verde </a>come up with something spectacular. The nation is home to less than half a million people compared to most Indian cities and towns. However, Cabo Verde is among the success stories from the ongoing competition. This team had never qualified to play in any World Cup prior to now, but in their debut tournament, they went unbeaten in the group stage by drawing against football powerhouses like Spain, and giving two-time World Cup champions Uruguay a run for their money. Not even defending champions like Argentina could easily beat them in the knockout stage of the competition when they took the match into extra time before losing 3-2.&nbsp;

This is where India has traditionally fallen short.

For a long time, football in India lacked a robust youth base. There were few opportunities for young players to get quality coaching, compete in leagues, and get professional training. The transition from playing football at the school level to the professional level was vague.

Fortunately, things are starting to change now.

The introduction of the <a href="https://www.the-aiff.com/competitions/isl">Indian Super League</a> in 2014 has helped put the spotlight on Indian football. There have been more football academies, more participation of children in football at school levels, and better training for young players from an earlier age. This may not yield results in World Cup qualification efforts soon, but the development of football takes time. Japan spent decades developing itself into a football power after starting the J-League in the early 1990s. Currently, it is one of the most successful Asian countries in football and regularly qualifies for the World Cup.

It looks like India can expect to follow the same path.

However, some positive signs can be seen. Kerala, West Bengal, Goa, and several northeastern states still contribute talented players as well as devoted fans. The establishment of domestic leagues as well as local tournaments creates the atmosphere of football culture gradually.

It should be noted that there is an interesting facet of India&#39;s attitude to the World Cup which frequently remains unnoticed. Even though India does not have its national team participating in the tournament, people of Indian origins appear to be represented in the World Cup.

One of the most remarkable stories from the current World Cup involves <a href="https://www.brut.media/in/articles/sports/football/who-is-tahsin-mohammed-jamshid-the-19-year-old-with-kerala-roots-in-qatar-s-world-cup-squad">Tahsin Mohammed </a>Jamshid who represents the Qatar national team and whose roots originate from Kerala. Born and brought up in Doha, the son of Indian immigrants from Kannur, Tahsin comes from a football-loving family. His father, Jamshid, used to be a football player representing Calicut University before moving to Qatar. Many years later, his son made it to the top league in football. It was an emotionally significant event for many fans in Kerala.

It is not just Tahsin. The players from India who have participated in the World Cup include people playing for teams like New Zealand, Australia, and DR Congo. Such stories reflect the fact that talent from India associated with football is indeed playing at the highest levels already, although there is a need for creating an environment for nurturing such talent in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Emotional ties between India and football have been exemplified very well by the visit of <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/india-a-passionate-football-nation-honour-to-return-messi/article70117139.ece">Lionel Messi</a> to India in 2025. Thousands of fans flocked from Mumbai to Kolkata and many other places in India during the trip taken by Messi just to meet him. This reflects the reality that while statistics might show otherwise, India is a country of football lovers who live and breathe the game. It is hard to think of another nation where fans cheer for their favorite team even though they are from a different part of the world.

However, perhaps the greatest transformation has occurred psychologically.

Where previous generations would be supporting their football by backing a foreign team every four years as neutral supporters of the tournament, today&rsquo;s young footballers dream of playing for India in the World Cup.&nbsp;

This dream counts.&nbsp;

India qualifying for the FIFA World Cup is unlikely to happen within one generation of players or even one successful league season. It requires investment, good coaching, proper infrastructure, and patience on the part of all stakeholders.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, for the first time in many years, the discussion has moved from &ldquo;Will India ever qualify?&rdquo; to &ldquo;When will India qualify?&rdquo;

As another World Cup fires up the passion of millions of Indians, it is evident that India celebrates other people&#39;s goals, other people&rsquo;s victories, and other people&rsquo;s trophies.

The day will come soon enough when India might stop being a spectator at football&#39;s biggest spectacle.

On that day, it will be much more than a sporting achievement. It will be a fulfillment of a dream cherished by an entire nation.

India and the FIFA World Cup: A Story of Passion Without Participation 

The country felt immense pride when India won its third T-20 world cup recently, there might be an argument like why a country having so much problem should care about the sports. The fact of the matter about the sports is that they are one of the matters which critically unites people across the country together without any difference. As sports are extended habits of human society which shapes people&rsquo;s cognitive thinking and encourages them to engage in social conversation.&nbsp;

As sports have many positive effects India should make use of it. The Olympics of 2036 is very <a href="https://gamesbids.com/eng/summer-olympic-bids/why-indias-strong-push-to-host-the-2036-olympics-and-suggesting-new-sports-like-yoga-and-kabaddi-is-the-wrong-approach-in-the-iocs-new-bidding-world/">crucial</a> for a developing country like India to host. As the 2030s are becoming the decade for Asian countries in the field of development of sports like India is hosting commonwealth games in 2030 and 2031 Men&rsquo;s cricket world cup along with Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia is hosting 2034 Fifa world cup then this would be the 2036 Olympics of India.&nbsp;

Why to organise the Olympics 2036 ?&nbsp;

Critics point to India&#39;s development gaps, air quality, and infrastructure shortfalls as reasons to avoid an <a href="https://www.thequint.com/climate-change/indias-bid-to-host-olympics-2036-air-pollution-might-be-a-roadblock">Olympic bid</a>. But these gaps are also the argument for bidding: an Olympic deadline creates political and financial pressure to fast-track transport, housing, and environmental projects that might otherwise stall for decades. The risk is real, Olympic hosting has a history of cost overruns and underused venues, but if infrastructure spending is planned with post-Games use in mind, the Games can function as a forcing mechanism for development India already needs, not just a two-week spectacle.&nbsp;

India is not performing well in the Olympics, criticising the infrastructure of the country and so on. When Neeraj Chopra got a gold medal, people took immense pride saying India got a medal. Yes ! The medals will improve when countries have capacity to improve, the hosting of the Olympics 2036 will give a way for that. The classical example would be <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359888138_The_Impact_of_the_2008_Beijing_Olympic_Games_on_China_and_the_Olympic_Movement_The_Legacy">China</a> as before the 2008 Beijing Olympics the number of athletes who participated from China increased three times than earlier one. That also changes the medals winning ratio among athletes. The people who are demoting sports as a secondary matter have to understand that for some it provides livelihood, for the understanding of that one who thinks why there are no or less medals for India &lsquo;the medals will increase&rsquo; when the athletes who are participating for the country increase.

&nbsp;

The Olympics are one of the important aspects which shape the <a href="https://time.com/7371910/the-olympics-diplomatic-power/">foreign policy</a> of the country, the people have to understand the influence of countries&#39; interaction with each other. It shapes the connections of people to people from different nationalities, which can strengthen the ties between countries. The argument can be made with India&rsquo;s past of having international summits like the AI summit that happened recently highlighting the problems, externalities can be possible for a diverse country like India but the fear of past events. There is no denial for the argument that India has to improve its infrastructure but that shouldn&rsquo;t affect the nation&rsquo;s decision on future events. Externalities and gaps should not stop India from developing its infrastructure and fulfilling the gaps for the event which will happen after ten years.&nbsp;

There has been a significant increase in the sports participation of Indian youth in many sports by the games like &lsquo;Khelo India&rsquo; which also provides chances for tribals as &lsquo;Khelo India tribals&rsquo; to engage in the same ladder as non-tribals. It increases the connection between the people across the country even for the people who are not connected. It shows that India has the capabilities to host sports events, in the ten year future the gaps can be filled. The country which has diverse populations, sports and physical activities will connect and unites the people in the same banner. What is greater than the feeling of representing the country in an international event? When the person wins, it means the country wins.

India’s Olympic Dream: Building Towards 2036

As long as there has been AI there is one question that keeps on arising: Can Ai replace graphic <a href="https://www.coursera.org/articles/will-ai-replace-graphic-designers">designers</a>? Recently, I listened to multiple podcasts featuring graphic designers, creative directors and tech leaders. Every single one of them says the same thing &ndash; Ai is not replacing graphic designers. Rather, ai is becoming a very useful tool which makes designers work more <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024160689">effectively</a> and efficiently.

Major tech companies even use ai as a helper not replacement when it comes to the design process. Many of the leaders use Ai as a tool for accelerating assets production, image generation, layouts, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/07/28/harnessing-ai-for-pitch-decks-a-guide-to-ai-generated-presentations/">pitch decks</a>, client mock-up presentations. Since the importance of design is greatly determined by people who create, the most popular strategies revolve around empowering the designer rather than firing him or her. Hence, design value is now shifting beyond the mere production of pixels. The true value of design consists of judgement, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391738337_Survey_of_Cultural_Awareness_in_Language_Models_Text_and_Beyond">cultural awareness</a>, strategy and emotion.These are deeply human skills Ai still cannot fully match.

Design is often believed to consist of colour and typography selection. The truth is that the role of designers is to solve business problems. <a href="https://www.designweek.co.uk/graphic-design-among-most-at-risk-jobs-from-ai-report/">Designers</a> should consider all factors to make sure their projects meet brand guidelines, the appropriate target audience and solve the issue that a business faces. AI will produce good visuals but it won&#39;t know how to read clients&#39; expectations, corporate culture, psychological needs of customers or build an emotional narrative.

How I use AI every day!

I use AI technologies such as ChatGPT, Claude &amp; Gemini almost every day. They enable me to generate content, proofread texts, check facts, extract text from different documents, make summaries and brainstorm ideas. All these activities used to require a lot of my time before. AI performs the vast majority of routine tasks, allowing me to concentrate on visual communication and design itself.

One project which used to take hours is now completed significantly faster. In many cases, AI has helped me to decrease my production time almost by half. This does not imply any loss of quality. This just means that I have more time for creativity and strategic work with clients. Many premium AI subscriptions now cost almost the same as a designer hourly rate. This shows that AI is becoming a source of professional productivity, not a replacement for creative people. Designers who learn to use Ai well will produce better work in less time. 
 
Print media still depends on designers 
AI is getting stronger in digital design, but print media still needs technical skills. Designers must prepare files for brochures, packaging banners, newspapers, business cards, hoarding and many other print formats. Software like Adobe Creative Suite and CorelDRAW still lead professional print production because print needs a level of precision that Ai cannot fully handle yet.

Print has a legacy that spans a period of over one thousand years starting from woodblock printing in China to the invention of the printing press in India. Today, even when print jobs are created, there are numerous technical considerations in printing. AI assists designers in identifying mistakes even before they are printed; thus, minimizing errors, saving paper and lowering costs.

The future is for the designer using AI

AI is <a href="https://www.creativeboom.com/news/its-official-ai-is-coming-for-your-graphic-design-job/">revolutionizing</a> the design industry but is not replacing designers. The designer&rsquo;s job is evolving from mere creative visualization to problem-solving, branding and smart creative thinking. This change in job roles is well-supported by research conducted on the topic; for example, the World Economic Forum&#39;s Future of Jobs Report 2025 showed that even as demand for traditional execution-oriented design jobs is falling, the need for UI/UX design and creative analysis is increasing, a uniquely human skill that Ai fails to perform.

Ai is the assistant. The designer is still the decision maker

Will Ai replace Graphic Designers?

There have been disruptions in supplies through conflict, and poor governance has worsened the situation. It is not LPG that is scarce but <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/middle-east-conflict-pushes-india-to-rethink-lpg-imports-as-omcs-continued-to-absorb-price-shocks/articleshow/131872658.cms">planning</a>, affordability and belief in the state. The energy crisis begins at home, as testified by history. It&#39;s always an outside impact. It could be the oil shock in <a href="https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/publications/the-1973-oil-crisis-three-crises-in-one-and-the-lessons-for-today/">1973</a>, or it could be the tensions in West Asia today, but it is always&nbsp; a Global conflict that reveals a home weakness. They even bang on the kitchen door- sometimes it is a late gas supply, sometimes a <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/lpg-price-hike-government-says-rates-in-india-among-worlds-lowest-despite-46-jump-in-global-benchmark/article71072406.ece">hiked bill</a>, sometimes it is the concern of what one will eat tomorrow.

The LPG crisis that is currently occurring gives us the true picture. It is easy to fault the war in the West Asian region, the Strait of Hormuz disturbance or the instability of the world energy market. All that is correct. But this is the whole truth here. What we do not want to see is that the crisis has just been revealed by the war. The issue on the ground is back home, in a policy framework that is strong in regular circumstances and weak in bad ones.

It is not as if the dependence of <a href="https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/one-narrow-strait-millions-of-cylinders-india-s-lpg-crisis">India</a> on imported LPG was something new. Any nation that imports almost all the cooking gas that it uses must have been placed in a position to prepare for disruptions and not come up with a system that begins to tremble with the smallest change in the world order. But, that was just what had happened. The current tension has merely highlighted the fact that the LPG policy in the country has been more of a sudden growth than a sustainable progress.

It is at this point that the model fails. The LPG crisis is largely referred to as a shortage.&nbsp; The term is too simple and straightforward. In fact, it is not a product, not merely a lack of supply, that India, as a nation, is lacking but rather a lack of preparation. The <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/energy/in-protecting-politically-sensitive-household-consumers-from-lpg-shock-economically-vulnerable-groups-being-exposed-to-war-driven-price-surge-experts">poorest</a> families are the first to be bitten when supplies are reduced, and the prices rise. A refill to a household that already spent its monthly cash is not a routine purchase. When it becomes not so affordable, trust also decreases. And where there is a decrease in trust, panic, anxiety, and fear soon follow.

That is why the argument of misreporting does not hold that well. Yes, media coverage may enhance fear. Small-scale events can appear to be a crisis that has entered the country as a whole due to sensationalist headlines in the news. It is easy to fault the media since it shifts the attention away on the part of governance and suggests that there is nothing wrong with the system and it is simply being overblown. An effective working system does not fail because of this sort of exaggeration. It is supposed to safeguard and reassure the people. But all is panic, followed by a reply, confidence, followed by action. This is not being proactive in governance. This is a reactive behaviour due to the fact that it is too late. The crisis can be observed to bring about delays and unequal distribution in different cities. An example is that a panic buying spurt in <a href="https://theprint.in/india/bengal-long-queues-outside-cooking-gas-agency-offices-petrol-pumps-operating-normally/2876084/">Kolkata</a> increased demand to nearly the two times normal level in recent weeks, and the cylinders were being diverted to the black market rather than making it to the consumers. In certain parts of North India, Delhi, citizens were unable to purchase gas on the spot and had to wait a considerable period of time, as some gangs were storing around <a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/delhi/2026/Mar/17/over-600-cylinders-seized-from-godown-in-delhis-mundka">600+ cylinders</a> illegally. &ldquo;These are not isolated disruptions&mdash;they are clear signs of a system under strain.&rdquo;

Thus, this should not be regarded as something that just occurred in a war and will therefore pass. It should be regarded as a problem in policy terms. The crisis shows how an outside shock is translated into distress within the home when internal systems are weak. and how there is always a gap between announcing and actually carrying out reform. It is not the actual shortage of LPG that is present at that time, but that of the state. A government is unable to cushion its economy against all shocks. But it can help that shock from becoming a crisis. That is the ultimate trial of the government. And according to that test, we must say that the LPG system of the country has failed under this situation.

The LPG Crisis in India 

<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359199408_AN_OVERVIEW_OF_THE_ARTS_AS_A_LANGUAGE_OF_COMMUNICATION_EXPRESSION_AND_EXPERIENCE_A_DISCOURSE">Art</a> has always been an important medium of connection between people which transcends time, language and cultural barriers. It has always been a powerful tool of communication across ages and has always been intertwined or a byproduct of the politics at which time it was created.

Early evidence as ancient as the Mesopotamia or Egyptian civilisations show that the kings or the ruling class commissioned their <a href="https://www.respectegypttours.com/blog/ancient-egyptian-god-statues">statues</a> and effigies to be made and displayed for the people to see every day and remember who was in power. Through sculptures, paintings and architecture, rules and regimes have always communicated their<a href="https://americascollection.com/education/art-and-politics-visual-expressions-of-power/?srsltid=AfmBOooVHbcnJNDCSX9BVl4isNofHEZRS-RL_mkUnB2Nx3M2J0ML6Q9T"> ideologies</a>, asserted their dominance and sought to influence public perception. While the mediums and styles have evolved, the underlying purpose of using art as a tool for political propaganda remains a constant thread through history.

Art in itself has never been apolitical and cannot be seen devoid of the context. Art and artists are influenced by the surroundings they exist in. Examples of this can be seen in the art produced in colonies by colonisers like the paintings made by <a href="https://www.moma.org/artists/2098-paul-gauguin">Paul Gauguin</a>. A French painter who moved to Tahiti, at the time part of the French Polynesian islands to paint primitive subjects. His paintings feature Tahitian women and landscape. Another example of this is the oleographs and paintings of<a href="https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/blogs/painting-through-colonial-lens-how-british-prints-shaped-how-southern-india-was"> Indians royals</a> painted during the colonial rule where they were painted in their traditional attire and jewellery with medals pinned onto their chest bestowed onto them by the British Raj. These portraits were then circulated and ridiculed by the press in Britain calling the Indian rulers feminized for this extravagant fashion. Their perceived femininity was stated as one of the reasons for the British to assert their rule upon them. Times and mediums changed, the Nazis used propaganda films, the Americans used patriotic films such as Marvel&#39;s Avengers and <a href="https://lccollege.org/2024/05/positive-influence-of-captain-america-on-american-society-as-propaganda-during-world-war-ii-1941-1945/">Captain America</a> in times of war to influence the masses. In one case movies were used to incite hatred towards a community and another to increase trust in a country&#39;s army and its values. But both despite their purposes had politics in them.

There are many instances of art being used by people in power to further their agenda but it has also been a medium for the oppressed and voiceless to express their opinions especially during suffragette and Black Lives Matter movements (BLM). Graffiti is one such medium which has been used by the <a href="https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-graffiti-artists-propelling-vision-black-lives-matter-movement">BLM movement</a> to occupy spaces and imaginations of people.<a href="https://www.melodigging.com/genre/chutney"> Chutney music </a>an Indo-Caribbean genre of music originating from Trinidad and Tobago which is a fusion of Bhojpuri folk music and Caribbean music honours the heritage of the people who are descendants from indentured labourers. Art gives voice to the marginalized and brings them to the spotlight. In the villages of Bihar another artform thrives, the<a href="https://www.memeraki.com/blogs/posts/sujani-the-quiet-archive-of-bihar-s-women?srsltid=AfmBOoosuPiojz7P5yw6IjSxIrfMLPqn-7CmonA_RWs0pQVNYzyRKl9n"> art of Sujni</a> made by the women of the village with old cloths and sarees put together and fine needlework which illustrates stories of harvest and mean leaving for distant places to earn. The stories woven by their thread showcase the reality and struggles of their everyday life.

Subconsciously, art and the artist get influenced by the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364138568_On_the_problem_of_interaction_between_art_and_politics_in_the_context_of_contemporary_culture">socio-political</a> climate they exist in lent politics should deliberately not intervene in creative processes to change the artistic outcome. The interference in the free flow of ideas distorts the final product. In conclusion, art&#39;s indelible link to politics spanning elite propaganda from ancient kings to colonial caricatures and wartime films, as well as the subversive voices of the marginalized through graffiti, chutney music, and Sujni embroidery reveals its dual role as both mirror and hammer of society. This interplay underscores that no creation exists in isolation; it is shaped by, and shapes, the socio-political currents around it. Rather than seeking an impossible apolitical purity, we must champion unfettered artistic freedom, allowing art to bridge divides, amplify the silenced, and propel meaningful.

Politicisation of Art Through the Ages

Art is a form of expression. Art does not exist in a vacuum. When the law is quiet, society is in dismay, and hope is shattered, art emerges as a voice of freedom, a mirror to history, and, as rightly said, the voice of the voiceless. If <a href="https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/who-was-anne-frank/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21527316865&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADkxeltHhZuH2J_kzyr5vreS76vOe&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwxITRBhBYEiwA6mZm7QfYQBZ6J3anh_MCgvmblUTrlWLZgQn6qIO2TqlJTBOqXxxCHvcxnhoCjlMQAvD_BwE">Anne Frank</a> hadn&rsquo;t written her diary, a form of art, the world would never have understood life in hiding during the Holocaust. Art has been the expression of fear, freedom, and oppression since the dawn of civilization. The murals in the caves told the story of emotions, experiences, and innovation, which continued till today. The artists all over the world have used art to document oppression, show resistance, and challenge the authorities.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Art is also used as <a href="https://johncanningco.com/importance-of-patronage-in-the-arts/">patronage</a>. Kings commissioned poets, painters, and sculpture makers to reinforce their authority. The art was used as a medium to legitimize the ruler. Today also, the leaders use the expression of aesthetics to reach the wider audience. In later ages art helped the religious moment to gain importance, and the political class tagged along the religion to be a part of art as history. The art has changed forms, from canvas to canvas, yet the hold over the audience remains strong.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Alongside this, there always existed a side that told the truth. Art was always based on the intentions of the artist. It has shaped the political standing in the world. Literature is one such form of art that recorded inequalities, voices of the illiterate, and worked as a critic with aesthetics. <a href="https://www.forwardpress.in/2020/06/kabir-fearless-sociologist-who-challenged-conventions/">Kabirdas</a> is one such example that wrote political satires, questioned caste divisions and orthodox practices, and provoked thoughts for a spiritual egalitarian society. Literature, perhaps, is one of the most enduring forms of politics. For example, George Orwell, in his famous writings, &quot;1984&quot; and &quot;Animal Farm,&quot; reflected his views on <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357311809_Totalitarianism_in_George_Orwell's_Animal_Farm">totalitarianism</a>, politics, and the use of propaganda. Politics and art are intrinsically fused. Even during the Renaissance, art was used as a medium to mobilize, unite people, and document the atrocities towards people. The <a href="https://www.thecollector.com/french-revolution-in-5-iconic-paintings/">French Revolution</a> is one of the examples where the painting was seen as a sentiment of the nation. There was the use of allegory, as seen in one of the paintings &quot;Liberty Leading the People,&quot; where a woman, Marianne, is seen leading the masses into the fray, symbolizing freedom and politics. The Portrait of <a href="https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10199832/1/Kumar_Tagore%20and%20Bengal%20School_Smarthistory_Feb%202024.pdf">Bharatmata</a> by Abindranath Tagore was used to awaken the nationalist conscience of people and helped the people to imagine the nation as a serene mother figure, mobilizing the anti-colonial sentiments.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Visual art has been a form of mirror to turmoil in nations. Paintings often showcased the hard realities of the world in subtle strokes. The Third of May by <a href="https://smarthistory.org/goya-third-of-may-1808/">Francisco Goya</a> captures the horror of the war and reflection of politics of the time. Architectural designs, too, are a reflection of politics. For example, the <a href="https://polsci.institute/international-relations-world-history/berlin-wall-cold-war-tensions/#google_vignette">Berlin Wall</a> was a reflection of politics during the Cold War. When it was destroyed in 1989, it was turned into a canvas for artists, reflecting hope, freedom, and politics. Similarly, the India Gate is a reflection of politics, reminding people of the sacrifices that were made during the war.&nbsp;

In the 20th century, movements like the <a href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/new-african-american-identity-harlem-renaissance">Harlem Renaissance</a> in the United States showcased how art can become a carrier for marginalized communities to reclaim identity and stand against systemic racism. Through literature, music, and visual art, Black artists asserted their cultural pride and challenged racist narratives that had long existed. Even in modern times, art continues to report and commentate on the conflict and inequality. Whether it is through protest art, digital art, or performance art, art continues to engage with issues such as war, climate change, gender issues, and government violence. Though in modern times, the claws of the political class have dug through several artists to speak out against the government, the desire for expression never fades. The watch may have intensified, but the movement of resistance has also intensified. <a href="https://saspublishers.com/media/articles/CCIJHSS_86_85-90.pdf">Social media</a> has shown the potential of art in mobilizing the people. The medium may have changed, but the intent has remained the same.&nbsp;

Most importantly, the approach of art lies not in what it represents but in how it makes people feel. The painting of The Third of May 1808 may make people feel empathy Spanish people; the poetry of Kabir may make people think of caste inequalities ; the novels of George Orwell&nbsp;

may still make people feel uneasy. Art goes beyond the confines of political discussions by using the appeal of emotion and imagination, yet are intrinsically fused.&nbsp;

Ink, Clay and Resistance

As I grew up in Kerala, I never knew how fascinating Kerala politics was to others until I shifted to Hyderabad. As I work in the public policy academic arena, I have heard a lot of discussions on health sector, literacy, party ideologies and in all these conversations, the speakers often referred to the Kerala model. The significance of the Kerala model was something I failed to observe earlier, but happy that I could notice it now. It also made me realize the importance of being politically aware.

The fascination with Kerala politics extends beyond just election results. It is the everyday political engagement and accountability embedded in its culture. People across generations actively engage in political discussions, where they question governments, analyze policies and shape their opinions. This culture of constant political engagement in tea shops, buses, colleges, workplaces and homes explains why governments in Kerala face unusually high levels of public scrutiny. Once governments are elected, they are continuously evaluated. This voter behaviour has been followed for many years.&nbsp;

Kerala has long been known for alternating power between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) as Keralites ensure that the government&rsquo;s power is limited to a five-year term with two exceptions. The UDF&rsquo;s victory in the 2026 election, where <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_My_India#:~:text=Axis%20My%20India%20received%20significant,considered%20among%20the%20most%20accurate.">Axis My India</a>&rsquo;s predictions underestimated the scale of their victory, reflected a significant shift in public sentiment. The LDF, which had made history by retaining power in 2021, saw a dramatic fall from <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/2021_Kerala_election_result.svg">99 seats</a> to 35. Thus, this election result reiterates that a dissatisfied electorate is the outcome of poor governance and just the day of marking ink on the index finger is enough to&nbsp; change power.

When the LDF won and <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/infographics/2026-04-29/kerala-assembly-elections-results-2026/index.html?year=2021">returned to power in 2021</a>, it was widely attributed to its handling of the Covid-19 crisis, particularly under the leadership of then Health Minister <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._K._Shailaja">K.K. Shailaja</a>. Yet, the same electorate that rewarded performance also questioned the decision of her removal from the cabinet. The electorate remained attentive to controversies and governance issues that followed. Therefore, political loyalty in Kerala is not fixed. Once the government earns it, it is re-evaluated. This shift shows how public support can change if the expectations are not met. The broader political landscape reinforces this pattern.&nbsp;

The BJP is also cautiously strengthening its presence in Kerala politics. It created history by winning its first ever parliamentary seat from Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. This was followed by another breakthrough in the 2025 Local Body election, where they <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kerala-local-body-polls-2025-results-live-updates/article70391419.ece">gained control</a> of the Thiruvanathapuram Corporation, which was the LDF dominant area for the past 4 decades. And now in this Legislative Assembly election, the BJP won 3 seats.

What makes this culture even more striking is how early it takes shape. During my college days, campus politics was very visible and it remains so. Student organizations such as SFI, associated with the LDF ideology and KSU, aligned with the UDF, actively shaped political discussions on campus. My college was known as a &ldquo;Chenkota&rdquo;, a term used for campuses that consistently elect SFI representatives, symbolizing a &ldquo;red fort.&rdquo;

As an NCC cadet, we were not allowed to actively participate in student politics, but we had the duty of ensuring that the vote counting remained fair. Still, I witnessed how seriously students debated issues, defended ideologies and spoke with political conviction.&nbsp;

Kerala voters are known for their willingness to change power. Governments are rarely allowed to settle into complacency. No party in Kerala is free from criticism or controversies. Public memory remains sharp and vigilant. The past controversies continue to shape the electorate&#39;s present choices. While Kerala made history by democratically electing a communist-led government for the first time in Asia in 1957, it differed from that of Bengal and Tripura, which witnessed long uninterrupted Left governments. Instead, it has sustained a competitive political environment where power is regularly contested and redefined. The rivalry between the LDF and UDF is not just a political contest. It is a mechanism of accountability. This keeps governments responsive and voters engaged, ultimately benefiting the latter.&nbsp;

Thus this unique culture in Kerala politics is so compelling to outsiders. Kerala politics is about a society that treats politics as a daily practice, not a periodic obligation. The real meaning of democracy can often be seen here, where governments can genuinely change based on the will of the people.

Why Kerala Politics Fascinates Many?

It seems that on the battlefield that the internet is, India &lsquo;lost&rsquo; the &lsquo;war&rsquo;. The Indian approach towards strategic communication needs to change and it needs to change now.&nbsp;

Warfare has changed, the battlefield has shifted to your pockets. <a href="https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/01/25/vietnam-the-first-television-war/">Vietnam War</a> (1955&ndash;1975) is widely recognised as the first televised war where footage from the war reached the living room of ordinary Americans overnight, in the 21st century it reaches in your pocket within seconds. If the 20th century brought the wars to living rooms in the form of official news via broadcasts, the 21st century has transformed even washrooms into war rooms with platforms such as X and Instagram providing a constant barrage of unverified &lsquo;news&rsquo; masquerading as official broadcast. Although some say that &lsquo;silence is best&rsquo; in diplomatic circles, in this era of deepfakes and AI (Web 3.0), silence is no longer a shield - it&rsquo;s a target. Strategic communication needs to move from the fringes of military doctrine to the forefront.&nbsp;

In the initial few hours post the commencement of Operation Sindoor on 7th of May, the internet was filled with <a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2150213&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=2">misinformation</a> by (Pakistan) sponsored fake accounts. By 10th of May, these fake accounts had convinced the world that India had lost the war with 6 of India&rsquo;s jets downed by the Pakistani&rsquo;s with even the Pakistani PM amplifying these lies. The truth was that India achieved complete air dominance due superior military doctrines and equipment as later verified by major military analysts. We managed to inflict significant damage to various Pakistani military establishments. But it seems that on the battlefield that the internet is, India &lsquo;lost&rsquo; the &lsquo;war&rsquo;. Increasingly, a trend has emerged where asymmetry in military and economic power is being countered through increasing investments in enhancing the capabilities of controlling the &lsquo;narrative&rsquo;. Domestically it earns them stability, internationally it earns them praise and militarily it wins them a virtual war for cents on the dollar.&nbsp;

A comparative analysis conducted by the OSINT team of India Today reveals the pitfalls in India&rsquo;s approach towards strategic communication. USA&rsquo;s Operation Epic Fury provides us with a stark contrast to Operation Sindoor. Over the initial five days of the conflicts, the communication output from the USA significantly overshadowed India&#39;s. The USA released 18 press releases and 38 social media posts, along with hosting 11 press conferences and participating in 9 interviews. In contrast, India&#39;s public response comprised 9 press releases, 18 social media posts, and 8 press conferences, notably holding no interviews. The frequency of official briefings (including all official communications) averaged 15.2 for the USA with India lagging behind at 6.8. The result is worrying - while a majority of the international and national audience is still pondering over the details of Operation Sindoor, the Americans have already initiated an inquiry into what kind of lapses in their doctrine led to a school with 300 children being targeted. The Iranians have not been able to claim victory and the audience

knows well to not rely on unofficial sources as the frequency of official sources provides them with sufficient information.&nbsp;

The Indian approach towards strategic communication needs to change and it needs to change now. The source of information on the American operation ranges from their President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of War to the CENTCOM. They have been upfront, frank and direct in their approach. In the age of permanent crises, the tri-services along with all relevant stakeholders such as the MEA, the PMO, the NSA need to devise a communication strategy with clear goals. The primary source for information relating to warfare and achieving military objectives should be the tri-services. The loss of personnel and machines, if any, should also be communicated clearly. The external manifestations or the information related to the management of international relations with other countries as well as handholding of the foreign press should be done by the MEA. The PMO should constantly keep the country in the loop catering to both national and international audiences. His strong voice and authority as the leader of all Indians should act as the voice of political stability and hope in the treacherous sea of misinformation. Indians need our PM&rsquo;s Mann Ki Baat during such tumultuous times the most - direct and unfiltered.

Mann Ki Baat by Enemies of the State: Strategic Communication Warfare

India&rsquo;s healthcare system faces deep structural issues and a&nbsp; plethora of imbalances. Home to over 1.4 billion people, India also represents one of the world&rsquo;s largest and most diverse patient populations. Yet , the healthcare system continues to struggle with critical shortages-insufficient medical professionals, limited financial resources, and persistent geographical barriers that restrict equitable access to healthcare, particularly across rural and underserved regions. The country operates with a doctor-patient ratio of <a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2197614&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1">1:1811</a>, with a staggering 75% of doctors serving 25% of the urban population, while 65% of the&nbsp; Indians living in rural areas are left with severe shortages ,especially specialist access. The country spends just around&nbsp; 3.34% of its GDP on healthcare and, out-of-pocket health expenditure (OOPHE) push&nbsp;<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13044129/">39 million</a> Indians below the poverty line every year due to the same. India has a disproportionate share of the world&#39;s disease burden as well. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)&nbsp; account for<a href="https://ncd.mohfw.gov.in/ncdlandingassets/aboutus.html"> 63% </a>of all deaths in the country.&nbsp;

This is not merely a crisis ; overall it reflects deeper structural challenges within the healthcare system. Given&nbsp; the context, integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into healthcare , may&nbsp; be one of the most powerful solutions currently available to&nbsp; address&nbsp; the systemic gaps and&nbsp; to transform healthcare.

What Is Artificial Intelligence And Why Does It Matter?

Before knowing how AI could&nbsp; transform Indian healthcare, it is worth understanding what AI&nbsp; actually is. Even though there is no commonly accepted definition for AI, at its&nbsp; very core,<a href="https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence">&nbsp;Artificial Intelligence</a>&nbsp;refers to the ability of machines to simulate human cognitive functions. It&nbsp; could learn from data, recognise patterns, make decisions, and generate outputs mimicking human intelligence. It is to be&nbsp; noted that it is not&nbsp; a single technology but a family of approaches, each suited to different kinds of problems.

Understanding the different&nbsp; levels at which AI operates and how people are engaged in the entire process&nbsp; could help us comprehend its applications. Assisted AI, for instance,&nbsp; acts as a tool which could&nbsp; supplement human decision-making without replacing them : a radiologist still examines the scan, but&nbsp; AI could identify&nbsp; abnormalities and rank urgent situations, reducing&nbsp; the possibility of oversight. The majority of the clinical AI currently is categorised under this. Augmented AI goes one step further ,makes recommendations that a doctor under time constraints might not have made on their own by actively working with them in real time and synthesising patient history, test results, and symptom data etc. Automated AI could &nbsp;handle defined tasks end-to-end with minimal human intervention , such as an AI system that screens a chest X-ray for TB and&nbsp; could&nbsp; directly trigger&nbsp; a follow-up, without waiting for a doctor to initiate the next step. Lastly ,&nbsp;Autonomous AI&nbsp;represents the systems capable of independent clinical decision-making across&nbsp; various complex, variable scenarios. This still&nbsp; remains aspirational in healthcare today, and for good reason ,the stakes of unchecked autonomy in a clinical setting are also extraordinarily high.

From Pilots to Scaling: India&#39;s Indigenous AI Ecosystem

India is not merely a consumer of global AI health tools&nbsp; but it&nbsp; is also an emerging architect. It has built a strong indigenous ecosystem , proving that solutions can be built for Indian patients, by Indian companies.&nbsp;<a href="http://qure.ai">Qure.ai,</a> founded in 2016, has analysed over 10 million chest X-rays for TB and lung diseases across 1,500+ hospitals in 70+ countries, trained specifically on India-specific disease patterns.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niramai.com/">Niramai</a>&nbsp;uses thermal imaging and AI to detect early-stage breast cancer without radiation or physical contact -at a cost 10x lower than conventional screening - addressing India&#39;s massive early-detection gap where 70% of cases are currently caught at late stage.&nbsp;<a href="https://tricog.com/">Tricog Health</a>&nbsp;has interpreted over 3 million ECGs in real time, connecting rural clinics to cardiologists within minutes and reportedly saving 10,000+ lives through early detection of heart attacks.&nbsp;<a href="https://sigtuple.com/">SigTuple</a>, through its Manthaan platform, automates blood smear and urine analysis in over 200 labs, reducing diagnostic turnaround from hours to minutes in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities - enabling decentralised pathology without specialist cytologists. These companies are not pilots- they are operating at scale, demonstrating that AI can function as a genuine leveller between India&#39;s urban frontier and rural lagging edge.

Bias, Privacy, and other issues

There are a number of issues that require careful consideration when using AI at scale, especially in high-stake domains like healthcare. One of the most pressing issues is <a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/algorithmic-bias">algorithmic bias</a>, whereby AI systems trained on non-representative data generate outputs that are systematically skewed and disadvantage the same groups they are intended to assist. Since health data is one of the most sensitive types of personal information ,its improper use can have serious negative effects on both individuals and society as a whole. Data privacy is equally to be considered . When AI-assisted judgements go wrong, accountability and culpability become unclear; it is rarely evident who is responsible-the developer, the deploying institution, or the clinician. Explainability and transparency are important because opaque AI systems that are unable to defend their results undermine public and clinical confidence. Lastly, as market forces alone tend to deploy AI where profits are highest rather than where need is greatest, equality of access must be actively considered. These are real governance issues that every nation implementing health AI must deal with; they are not mere worries.

&nbsp;

The Governance Imperative: Progress till now

India has already begun building its AI health governance architecture. The&nbsp;<a href="https://indiaai.gov.in/">IndiaAI Mission (2024)</a>&nbsp; has allocated &nbsp; ?10,371 crore to AI compute, datasets, and health AI startups. In 2026, the government launched&nbsp;SAHI&nbsp;(Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Health in India) and&nbsp;BODH&nbsp;(Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI),making it&nbsp; the first low-and-middle-income country(LMIC) with a comprehensive national health AI governance strategy, as recognised by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/southeastasia">WHO SEARO</a>. SAHI rests on five pillars: governance and evidence-based validation; safe and ethical data infrastructure; workforce readiness; ethical oversight and transparency; and equity-centred deployment.

The Road Ahead:&nbsp;

India&#39;s healthcare crisis is real, structural, and urgent. The question is not&nbsp; about whether AI will transform Indian healthcare (the evidence shows it already is!), but about &nbsp; whether that transformation would&nbsp; be equitable, accountable, and governed solely for the public&#39;s welfare. India must now move from strategy to statute, from pilots to procurement mandates, and from aspirational equity language to measurable, enforceable benchmarks.

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