-The Hindu Kochi (Kerala): Majority of women in India do not use sanitary napkin because of the high cost of the product, says Arunachalam Muruganantham, an Entrepreneur who was named one of the 100 most influential persons by Time magazine last year. The school dropout who started his life as a welder at Pudur in rural Coimbatore, has revolutionised the sanitary napkin making industry by developing an innovative machine that costs less...

-The Hindu Guguloth Shanthamma, from a small hamlet in Mangalavaripet, left her hard-hearted husband behind to start a new life; she now runs an eatery Warangal (Andhra Pradesh): When life takes a beating, many surrender. But not Guguloth Shanthamma who left behind her hard-hearted husband to start a new life that promises security and happiness. Hailing from a small hamlet in Mangalavaripet of Khanapur mandal, she rose up to become a successful Entrepreneur...

-Economic and Political Weekly   The runaway growth in states of subsidised solar pumps, which provide quality energy at near-zero marginal cost, can pose a bigger threat of groundwater over-exploitation than free power has done so far. The best way to meet this threat is by paying farmers to "grow" solar power as a remunerative cash crop. Doing so can reduce pressure on aquifers, cut the subsidy burden on electricity companies, reduce...

-BBC It's a riot of colours - yellow marigolds and bright pink roses spread out in the sun. But the people spreading the joy this festive season cannot see it themselves - they are all visually challenged. They take in tonnes of flower waste produced by temples and hotels in Delhi and turn it into organic skin-friendly colours for Hindu festivals. The Society for Child Development, which runs this programme, says the process does...

-The Hindu Obamacare and other such examples make a compelling case for seeking the right combination of roles for the public and private sector in health reform in India Nail or screw? Which is best to join pieces of wood? In carpentry, the answer is that each offers benefits depending on the application. With health care reform, the choice of public or private sector financing, delivery and regulation is subject to a...