Category Archives: South Asia

When Worlds Collide #63: Looking for Real Cities in Sri Lanka

Posted on 21 April 2013 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 21 April 2013 I enjoyed the mid April traditional New Year holidays for a very practical (and selfish) reason. When much of the country shuts down, … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Development, ICT, Poverty, Public perceptions, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development, Transport, Urban issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #53: Saving Lives on India’s ‘Mean Streets’

Posted on 10 February 2013 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 10 February 2013 Sometimes it takes a personal tragedy to open our eyes to monstrous realities. A few years ago, 17-year-old Shivam Bajpai was struck down … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Development, Disaster, Innovation, Public health, Road Safety, South Asia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #51: When Your Home Becomes a ‘Gas Chamber’

Posted on 26 January 2013 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 27 January 2013 The new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report, released in December 2012, says air pollution has become one of the top 10 killers … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Pollution, Biofuels, Energy Conservation, Environment, Environmental management, Poverty, Public health, South Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A New Look at Our Planet – and Island of Lanka – at Night…

Posted on 6 January 2013 by

I couldn’t write the When Worlds Collide column this week. Instead, here is a news feature I wrote for Ceylon Today, published on Sunday 16 Dec 2012: It helps to take a look at the bigger picture once in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Energy Conservation, Environment, South Asia, Space Travel, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #43: Toilets or Telephones? That’s the Wrong Question!

Posted on 25 November 2012 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 25 November 2012 November 19 was World Toilet Day. It highlights a major development challenge of our times. This international day of action “aims to break … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Development, Culture, Environment, ICT, Sanitation, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development, Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

When Worlds Collide #23: ‘Slow Murder’ by Subsidised Diesel Fumes

Posted on 7 July 2012 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 8 July 2012 Sometimes well-meaning yet ill-informed environmentalists can be their own worst enemy. By barking up the wrong tree, they distort public sentiments and even … Continue reading →

Posted in Air Pollution, Environment, Environmental management, Environmental policy, Public health, Road Safety, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development, Transport | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Worlds Collide #21: Walking in Rio with Three Friendly Ghosts…

Posted on 24 June 2012 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 24 June 2012 As government officials, activists, researchers and journalists from around the world converged in Rio de Janeiro this week for the UN Conference on … Continue reading →

Posted in Communicating Development, Environment, Environmental policy, Film making, Journalism, Science Journalism, South Asia, Sustainable Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When Worlds Collide #17: We are All Children of the Monsoon!

Posted on 26 May 2012 by

Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 27 May 2012 For the past few days, while enduring Colombo’s heat and high humidity, I’ve been hoping for a timely monsoon. A billion and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Climate change, Communicating Development, Disaster, Environment, Environmental management, History, Indian Ocean, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Sustainable Development, Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments