Cover Story

A Kargil election?
By Sukumar Muralidharan
Peaceful first phase
By V.Venkatesan
The unaligned players
By Sukumar Muralidharan
NCP's battle for survival
By Lyla Bavadam
Interview: Sharad Pawar
`Every alliance will undergo changes'
By Kalyan Chaudhuri
Interview: Mulayam Singh Yadav
Mamata's conditional allegiance
By Kalyan Chaudhuri
TDP: Coming closer to the BJP
By Dasu Kesava Rao

Politics
Left strategy against communalism
Coalition constraints
Slander campaign

Astronomy

Surprises from Chandra
Of supernovae and quasars
Chandra, the most advanced

Elections '99
On the campaign trail: round-up
from States
The battle for Bellary
What the manifestoes say
Greater concern for children
Voting machines arrive

The Armed Forces
Kargil: Unheeded warnings

World Affairs
India, Israel and Arab fears
Furore in Bangladesh over transshipment
On the Wye track
A summit in Central Asia
Pakistan's press under pressure
A radical blueprint for Venezuela
Simmering discontent in Brazil
An economy in the doldrums
Who killed Manickathasan?
A different view of Kargil
East Timor's decision

Livelihood Issues
Palk Bay fishermen's travails
Tackling over-harvesting

Floriculture
The world of bromeliads

Medicine
Interview: Dr. John Copeland
Study group on dementia
For early prevention

Demography
India's billion

Nuclear Issues
Questions about capabilities

Politics & Business
Voters and consumers

Excellence
M.S. Subbulakshmi at 83

Trade Issues
Towards Seattle

The States
Tamil Nadu: Police in the dock
Orissa: The murder of a priest

Obituary
Dr. S. Srinivasan

Special Feature: Healthcare and Education in Karnataka
Academic capital
Interview: Dr. Ramdas M. Pai
Promising avenues
Technology and innovation in healthcare

Columns
Praful Bidwai: Plebiscite on prejudice?
Jayati Ghosh: Balance of payments challenge

Books
The BJP's real agenda

Also
Letters