June 21, 2026
Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan has dissolved, with its constituent parties struggling individually. The Left parties, which delivered 16 seats in 2020, have seen a significant decline, winning less than ten seats collectively this time. This electoral setback raises questions about the future direction of the Left in Indian politics. Representational Image NEW DELHI: The Mahagathbandhan stands dismantled in Bihar — and its constituent parties have fared no better on their own. While the two larger players, the RJD in Bihar and the Congress at the national level, will regroup and continue the fight, the real setback has been for the three Left parties.In 2020, they delivered an impressive 16 seats to the alliance’s tally of 110. This time, however, they could not even reach double digits collectively. The scale of this decline raises a deeper question: where does the Left go from here?The declineFive years ago, it was the Congress that denied RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav a shot at the chief minister’s post. While the grand old party won 19 of the 70 seats it contested, the Left parties performed far better, fielding 29 candidates and winning 16.The CPI(ML) Liberation had delivered the strongest showing, with 12 wins from 19 seats — a strike rate of 63 per cent. The CPI and CPI(M) added two seats each, contesting six and four constituencies, respectively.This time, however, the picture is starkly different. With counting in its final stages, the CPI(ML) Liberation has won only two seats and the CPI(M) just one — neither is leading anywhere else. The CPI, meanwhile, has been wiped out entirely.The drop in vote share, however, is marginal. The Left front has slipped only slightly — from 4.64 per cent in 2020 to 4.18 per cent this time (with counting still underway).What went wrong?The election effectively became a referendum on the 20-year tenure of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar — and the JD(U) chief passed with flying colours. Powered significantly by his core support base of women voters — whose turnout across both phases was nearly nine percentage points higher than that of men — the NDA delivered a performance reminiscent of its sweeping 2010 victory.The Mahagathbandhan’s collapse was also fuelled by its own disunity. With each constituent staking claims to a larger share of seats, the alliance never finalised a formal seat-sharing pact. The CPI(M) and CPI together sought 35 seats — 24 and 11, respectively — six more than what the three Left parties had contested collectively in 2020. Ultimately, the Left fielded 33 candidates: 20 from CPI(ML) Liberation, nine from CPI and four from CPI(M).Despite fighting under a common banner and projecting Tejashwi Yadav as their chief ministerial face, the partners never achieved real coherence on the ground — and each paid the price.What next for Left?Having already lost its traditional strongholds of West Bengal (2011) and Tripura (2018) — states it had governed for decades — the Left Front now remains in power only in Kerala. There too, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who made history by leading the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to re-election in 2021 and breaking the state’s pattern of alternating governments, will have completed a decade in office by the time Kerala votes again in 2026.Ironically, the Left’s main challenger in Kerala will be its current ally in Bihar — the Congress, which heads the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in the southern state.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Misa-Priyanka Ko Dickey Mein…’: Yashwant Deshmukh’s Message to RJD–Cong After NDA’s Bihar WinAir India Bombing Returns To Spotlight, CSIS Warns Canada Of New Extremist Networks And Rising RisksSix Ways Nitish Kumar Proved ‘Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai’ As NDA Registers Big Win in Bihar Assembly Polls‘Full Stop to Many Questions’ Chirag Paswan Hails PM Modi, Nitish as NDA Soars Past 200 SeatsKerala Teenager Dies in Dubai After Rooftop Fall While Trying To Take Photos of Low-Flying PlanesPakistan’s Costly Lobbying Blitz Won Access To Trump As India Faced The Harshest Tariffs, Claims NYTChilling Terror Attack Masterplan: How Medical Professionals Built A 5-Step Nationwide Bombing PlotBihar Assembly Poll Results: NDA Touches 200-Seat Lead, Congress Intensifies SIR, Vote Chori AttacksFirst-Time Woman Voter in Danapur Explains Why Nitish Kumar Scored Massive Landslide Win in BiharIndia Negotiating Multiple FTAs To Boost Free Flow Of Capital And Trade: Piyush Goyal123PhotostoriesTop 5 platinum producing countries that generate over 90% of the world’s total platinum5 foods to combine with leftover rice for better nutritionMeet the eagles with the biggest wingspans on EarthLearning with purpose: 5 quotes by Dr BR Ambedkar that students can carry for lifeMeet Pooja Deol, Sunny Deol’s wife and Dharmendra’s daughter-in-law with surprising royal connection10 kid-friendly yoga asanas to improve memory power and concentrationBeetroot Peel Tea: How to make it and its benefitsDiabetes management: Top 6 everyday foods that keep your energy and blood sugar in check5 winter style tips every petite woman needsManga Mala of Kerala to Dholbiri of Assam: Indian brides carry a piece of culture in their wedding jewellery123Hot PicksAlinagar Election ResultRaghopur Election ResultBihar Election Result 2025Gold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingBihar Election CandidatesAlinagar Election ResultKargahar Election ResultPrashant KishorChirag PaswanAssembly Election BiharRaghopur Election ResultMahua Election ResultPune Bridge AccidentAnta Election Result

Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan has dissolved, with its constituent parties struggling individually. The Left parties, which delivered 16 seats in 2020, have seen a significant decline, winning less than ten seats collectively this time. This electoral setback raises questions about the future direction of the Left in Indian politics. Representational Image NEW DELHI: The Mahagathbandhan stands dismantled in Bihar — and its constituent parties have fared no better on their own. While the two larger players, the RJD in Bihar and the Congress at the national level, will regroup and continue the fight, the real setback has been for the three Left parties.In 2020, they delivered an impressive 16 seats to the alliance’s tally of 110. This time, however, they could not even reach double digits collectively. The scale of this decline raises a deeper question: where does the Left go from here?The declineFive years ago, it was the Congress that denied RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav a shot at the chief minister’s post. While the grand old party won 19 of the 70 seats it contested, the Left parties performed far better, fielding 29 candidates and winning 16.The CPI(ML) Liberation had delivered the strongest showing, with 12 wins from 19 seats — a strike rate of 63 per cent. The CPI and CPI(M) added two seats each, contesting six and four constituencies, respectively.This time, however, the picture is starkly different. With counting in its final stages, the CPI(ML) Liberation has won only two seats and the CPI(M) just one — neither is leading anywhere else. The CPI, meanwhile, has been wiped out entirely.The drop in vote share, however, is marginal. The Left front has slipped only slightly — from 4.64 per cent in 2020 to 4.18 per cent this time (with counting still underway).What went wrong?The election effectively became a referendum on the 20-year tenure of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar — and the JD(U) chief passed with flying colours. Powered significantly by his core support base of women voters — whose turnout across both phases was nearly nine percentage points higher than that of men — the NDA delivered a performance reminiscent of its sweeping 2010 victory.The Mahagathbandhan’s collapse was also fuelled by its own disunity. With each constituent staking claims to a larger share of seats, the alliance never finalised a formal seat-sharing pact. The CPI(M) and CPI together sought 35 seats — 24 and 11, respectively — six more than what the three Left parties had contested collectively in 2020. Ultimately, the Left fielded 33 candidates: 20 from CPI(ML) Liberation, nine from CPI and four from CPI(M).Despite fighting under a common banner and projecting Tejashwi Yadav as their chief ministerial face, the partners never achieved real coherence on the ground — and each paid the price.What next for Left?Having already lost its traditional strongholds of West Bengal (2011) and Tripura (2018) — states it had governed for decades — the Left Front now remains in power only in Kerala. There too, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who made history by leading the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to re-election in 2021 and breaking the state’s pattern of alternating governments, will have completed a decade in office by the time Kerala votes again in 2026.Ironically, the Left’s main challenger in Kerala will be its current ally in Bihar — the Congress, which heads the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in the southern state.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Misa-Priyanka Ko Dickey Mein…’: Yashwant Deshmukh’s Message to RJD–Cong After NDA’s Bihar WinAir India Bombing Returns To Spotlight, CSIS Warns Canada Of New Extremist Networks And Rising RisksSix Ways Nitish Kumar Proved ‘Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai’ As NDA Registers Big Win in Bihar Assembly Polls‘Full Stop to Many Questions’ Chirag Paswan Hails PM Modi, Nitish as NDA Soars Past 200 SeatsKerala Teenager Dies in Dubai After Rooftop Fall While Trying To Take Photos of Low-Flying PlanesPakistan’s Costly Lobbying Blitz Won Access To Trump As India Faced The Harshest Tariffs, Claims NYTChilling Terror Attack Masterplan: How Medical Professionals Built A 5-Step Nationwide Bombing PlotBihar Assembly Poll Results: NDA Touches 200-Seat Lead, Congress Intensifies SIR, Vote Chori AttacksFirst-Time Woman Voter in Danapur Explains Why Nitish Kumar Scored Massive Landslide Win in BiharIndia Negotiating Multiple FTAs To Boost Free Flow Of Capital And Trade: Piyush Goyal123PhotostoriesTop 5 platinum producing countries that generate over 90% of the world’s total platinum5 foods to combine with leftover rice for better nutritionMeet the eagles with the biggest wingspans on EarthLearning with purpose: 5 quotes by Dr BR Ambedkar that students can carry for lifeMeet Pooja Deol, Sunny Deol’s wife and Dharmendra’s daughter-in-law with surprising royal connection10 kid-friendly yoga asanas to improve memory power and concentrationBeetroot Peel Tea: How to make it and its benefitsDiabetes management: Top 6 everyday foods that keep your energy and blood sugar in check5 winter style tips every petite woman needsManga Mala of Kerala to Dholbiri of Assam: Indian brides carry a piece of culture in their wedding jewellery123Hot PicksAlinagar Election ResultRaghopur Election ResultBihar Election Result 2025Gold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingBihar Election CandidatesAlinagar Election ResultKargahar Election ResultPrashant KishorChirag PaswanAssembly Election BiharRaghopur Election ResultMahua Election ResultPune Bridge AccidentAnta Election Result

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

NEW DELHI: The Mahagathbandhan stands dismantled in Bihar — and its constituent parties have fared no better on their own. While the two larger players, the RJD in Bihar and the Congress at the national level, will regroup and continue the fight, the real setback has been for the three Left parties.In 2020, they delivered…

Read More
Mohammed Safwan Shanu: Dubai-based Indian expat dies after sudden on-field collapse during cricket match | World News

Mohammed Safwan Shanu: Dubai-based Indian expat dies after sudden on-field collapse during cricket match | World News

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

A 38-year-old Indian expatriate who had lived in Dubai for nearly 15 years, died after collapsing during a routine cricket match.Mohammed Safwan Shanu hails from Bhatkal in Karnataka Safwan was batting during a weekly Sunday morning cricket game when he suddenly collapsed on the pitch at around 7.10am. Teammates rushed to help and called an…

Read More
Vidya Balan on why she said ‘yes’ to Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ instantly: ‘Was waiting for Riteish to approach me’

Vidya Balan on why she said ‘yes’ to Riteish Deshmukh’s ‘Raja Shivaji’ instantly: ‘Was waiting for Riteish to approach me’

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Vidya Balan expressed immense pride and excitement about joining the Marathi film ‘Raja Shivaji,’ focusing on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life. Born and raised in Mumbai, she considered it a significant cultural moment. Balan eagerly accepted Riteish Deshmukh’s offer, calling it a matter of great pride and a treat to be part of such a grand…

Read More
Salman Khan flaunts ripped physique in shirtless picture, says “This is without….”: What is the secret behind the superstar’s fitness? |

Salman Khan flaunts ripped physique in shirtless picture, says “This is without….”: What is the secret behind the superstar’s fitness? |

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Photo credits: Instagram/@beingsalmankhan Bollywood superstar Salman Khan stunned his fans on November 3 by sharing a shirtless picture on Instagram. The picture, revealing his ripped abs and sculpted physique, left everyone awestruck. Salman Khan, 59, wrote “Kuch haasil karne ke liye kuch chhodna padta hai.. Yeh bina chhode hai”, meaning “To achieve something one needs…

Read More
Representative AI image It’s easy to judge people who fell for scams. Many times, one simply thinks, “they should have known better”, label them foolish, naive, careless, or ignorant. After all, warnings are everywhere. Banks keep issuing alerts, digital platforms run awareness campaigns and news regularly reports on the latest frauds and cybercrimes.​Yet, when one looks more closely at how scams actually work, fraud is rarely the result of low intelligence or a lack of information. People who are cautious in one context can be disarmingly vulnerable in another. Those who pride themselves on scepticism can make impulsive decisions under pressure. The question, then, is not why people fail to “know better,” but why knowing better so often fails to protect them.The answer lies not in ignorance, but in psychology.​Scams succeed because they are engineered to move past rational judgement rather than confront it. Understanding the psychology behind fraud requires setting aside moral judgement and confronting an uncomfortable truth: vulnerability to scams is not an exception but a human trait. Frauds happen not because people are foolish, but because scammers exploit how people think, react, and cope under emotional stress.​Why even cautious people fall for scamsIf knowledge were a substitute for preventing fraud, scams would not be this pervasive. The fact is that some of the most articulate, tech-savvy, and financially educated individuals are duped into cash transfers, sharing credentials, or clicking links that under normal circumstances they never would have trusted.The reason is that scams do not challenge what people know; they manipulate how people feel and think.As Dr Radhika Goyal, PhD (Psychology), said, in her insights shared with TOI , “Scams work by bypassing rational thinking and triggering automatic emotional responses. Even highly educated or careful individuals rely on mental shortcuts in daily life to make quick decisions. Fraudsters design situations that feel urgent, personal, or threatening, pushing the brain into ‘survival mode’.”When this happens, the emotional brain (which reacts fast) overrides the logical brain (which analyses slowly). In that moment, intelligence offers little protection, because the scam is not engaging logic, it is exploiting trust, fear, or hope.”Dr Medha, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Patna Women’s College (Autonomous), Patna University, situated this vulnerability within a well-established psychological framework, as she talked to TOI.“Even cautious, intelligent, or well-educated individuals can fall victim to scams because fraudulent schemes exploit normal psychological processes rather than ignorance. From a psychological perspective, scams function by bypassing rational thinking and activating emotional and automatic responses” she said.She further explained this through Kahneman’s Dual-Process Theory. The psychological biases scammers exploitFraudsters do not rely on random manipulation. They repeatedly exploit predictable cognitive biases that guide human behaviour in legitimate social settings.These biases are not flaws, they are mental shortcuts that help people function efficiently in everyday life. By pretending to be, say, a bank representative, an authority from a government department, an important executive, and short-circuiting the time it takes to reach a decision, scammers tap into compliance ahead of skepticism and reasoning. This insight into behavior is vital, because it helps to re-understand fraud not just as trickery using clever telling, but at its root, an exploitation of psychology, using guilt, fear, and other trigger mechanisms.​​Dr Radhika Goyal identified several of the most commonly used psychological levers. Meanwhile, Dr Medha linked these tactics to foundational psychological theories. Authority-based scams, she notes, draw directly from research on obedience.“Scammers are effective because they take advantage of fundamental psychological theories that explain how humans perceive, decide, and behave in social contexts. These theories highlight that human decision-making is often guided by automatic, emotional, and socially conditioned processes rather than deliberate reasoning,” she said.Further elaborating on individual behaviour, she added, “Individuals have a strong tendency to comply with perceived authority figures. Scammers exploit this bias by impersonating officials such as bank representatives, police officers, or government agents. The presence of authority cues—formal language, uniforms, or official symbols—reduces resistance and critical questioning, leading individuals to comply even when requests are unreasonable. -This has been supported by Milgram’s theory of obedience.”Emotional manipulation, she added, is equally deliberate.“Strong emotions such as fear, hope, guilt, or affection activate the limbic system, which can overpower rational control mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex. Scammers intentionally evoke emotional reactions to impair logical evaluation and promote impulsive decisions,” the assistant professor added, citing Damasio’s Affective Decision-Making Theory.Scarcity is another powerful tool.Dr Medha explained how scammers can trigger “scarcity bias” to trap people. Citing Cialdini’s Persuasion theory, the professor explained, “Scarcity bias occurs when people assign greater value to opportunities perceived as limited.”Scammers exploit this by saying things such as- “Offer valid for 24 hours”, “Only a few slots left”. Another tactic that fraudsters use is “fear of missing out (FOMO)” which “shifts thinking from evaluation to action”, explained the professor.Emotional stress blinds peopleOne of the most troubling aspects of fraud is that victims often recognise warning signs, but only in hindsight. Emotional stress plays a key role in this temporary blindness.“Emotional stress narrows attention. When someone is anxious about money, scared of legal trouble, or feeling lonely, their brain prioritizes relief over verification,” said Dr Goyal.Further explaining the psychological mindset of the people under stress, she added, “Under stress, people focus on solving the immediate emotional discomfort — “How do I stop this problem right now?” — instead of asking critical questions.”Red flags may still be visible, but the brain temporarily ignores them because emotional safety feels more urgent than accuracy. This is why scams often target people during vulnerable moments — late at night, after a loss, or during financial uncertainty.Dr Radhika Goyal, PsychologistDr Medha described the same process at the neurological level:Emotional stress such as fear of loss, financial pressure, or loneliness activates the limbic system, particularly the amygdala, which prioritizes emotional survival responses over careful analysis.Dr Medha, Assistant Professor, PsychologyFurther talking about the stress factor, the professor said, “This heightened emotional arousal weakens the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, reducing logical reasoning, impulse control, and risk evaluation. As a result, individuals rely more on fast, intuitive processing rather than deliberate, analytical thinking, even when warning signs are present. Stress also narrows attention to emotionally relevant cues, causing people to overlook inconsistencies or red flags that would normally signal fraud. Consequently, the desire to quickly relieve emotional distress overrides caution, making individuals more vulnerable to deceptive tactics.”Why victims often stay silentEven after realizing that they’ve been swindled, victims often opt not to speak out. In most cases, this is not because they lack information or do not care, but due to complex factors involving psychological, social, as well as structural barriers that ultimately favor the fraudsters.Shame and self-blame are some of the deterrents. Victims often internalise responsibility, believing they were “careless” or “gullible,” despite scams being deliberately engineered to exploit normal human trust and authority cues. Admitting the fraud can feel like admitting a personal failure, particularly for educated or financially savvy individuals. Fear of judgement adds to the reluctance. Victims worry about how family members, employers, or peers will see them, especially when the loss involves large sums or repeated transactions. In a professional environment, disclosure may be seen as reputationally damaging, reinforcing the instinct to stay quiet.There is also a general feeling that nothing worthwhile will come out of reporting and that what has been lost is irretrievable. This perceived futility discourages reporting, even where formal channels exist.In this context, confusion and intimidation also prevail. Frauds involve tricks and mind games that include numerous platforms, jurisdictions, and phony identities. Victims often do not know to whom they need to report, what evidence will be required, or fear being dragged into long and stressful investigations. Some are even threatened bluntly by the scammers, further suppressing disclosure.Dr Goyal pointed to shame as a central barrier. “Shame is a major barrier. Victims often blame themselves, thinking, ‘I should have known better.’ This self-blame is intensified by social stigma that equates being scammed with being foolish.”Talking about the feeling of shame leads to isolation, she added, “Fraudsters deliberately reinforce this shame, telling victims to keep the matter confidential or warning them they will ‘get into trouble’ if they speak up. Unfortunately, silence protects the scammer and isolates the victim further. Psychologically, it is easier to stay quiet than to confront embarrassment — even when reporting could prevent harm to others.”Meanwhile, Dr Medha explained that self-blame is deeply tied to identity. “Victims often internalize the fraud as a personal failure, believing they should have been more careful, which leads to self-blame rather than attributing responsibility to the scammer. Shame triggers avoidance behavior, causing individuals to hide the experience to protect their self-image and social identity.”“Additionally, cognitive dissonance makes it emotionally uncomfortable to admit having been deceived, especially for educated or competent individuals. Together, shame, damaged self-esteem, and fear of stigma significantly reduce the likelihood of reporting scams, despite the importance of doing so,” she added.Breaking the psychological gripAs scams operate at the emotional, mental level, resisting them requires psychological interruption. In general, fraud succeeds not because the victims are uninformed, but rather because jacked-up emotions temporarily displace rational judgment. Scammers create a situation that instills urgency, fear, or excitement, forcing fast decisions, narrowing attention, and suppressing doubt. In such a state, one may even fail to notice flagrant red flags. The best counter remains pause: slowing down, stepping away from the communication, or delaying any action, which breaks the emotional momentum on which scams depend.A second opinion is equally important. Bringing in a trusted third party reintroduces perspective and exposes inconsistencies that are hard to see under pressure. In practice, the strongest defences against fraud are behavioural — time, distance, and verification — rather than just knowledge.Dr Goyal emphasised on simple but effective pauses. Meanwhile, Dr Medha framed resistance as “mind over manipulation.””Using Mind Over Manipulation — Scams succeed when emotion outruns reasoning. Breaking a scam requires slowing down emotion, widening perspective, and re-activating rational control,” she said.She outlined concrete steps: A human vulnerability, not a personal failureThe main point to understand in this is that fraud thrives in the space between emotion and reason. It succeeds, not because people lack intelligence, but because they are humans; capable of fear, hope, trust, and urgency. Con artists structure their approach based on these universal characteristics, taking advantage of the instances where the responses are instinctual, meaning where a reaction exceeds the boundaries of logical processing.The susceptibility to a scam is not an anomaly but a side effect of human instincts in pressing circumstances. Recognising this distinction is critical. It shifts the narrative away from personal failure and towards systemic manipulation. When victims understand that they were targeted through deliberate psychological engineering, shame loses its power and reporting becomes more likely. This, in turn, improves visibility into how fraud networks operate and where safeguards fail.The more society moves away from blaming victims and towards understanding the psychology of manipulation, the harder it becomes for fraudsters to win. Awareness framed around human vulnerability encourages openness, earlier intervention, and collective defence; thus, weakening the conditions that allow scams to spread unchecked.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Slavery Destroys Heritage’: PM Modi’s Big Message After Unveiling Sacred Buddha Piprahwa RelicsBCCI Asks KKR To Release Bangladesh Player From IPL After Outrage Over Attacks On Hindu MinoritiesGovt Sends Notice To Elon Musk’s X On Grok AI Chatbot Misuse, IT Ministry Seeks Action ReportUttarakhand Minister’s Husband Sparks Outrage With ‘Bihar Girls’ Remark, Congress Hits Out At BJPPakistan Backs China’s Claim That It Mediated In Conflict With IndiaShankh Air Founder Speaks Out As Airline Eyes March Launch, Targets Intl Flights By 2029’Their Islamist Ideas…’: Ex-Bangladesh Minister Hits Out Over Attacks on Hindus And Christians’Very Petty & Shameful’: Shashi Tharoor On Row Over KKR Selecting Bangladeshi Player In IPLINLD President Calls For Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal Type Uprising In India Politics, Triggers RowBJP Claims Rahul Gandhi Ties To ‘Anti-India’ Panel Over US Lawmakers’ Umar Khalid Letter123PhotostoriesWhy some teens can’t get along with their parents: Sadhguru explains the real reason for the clash10 Indo-Chinese dishes to keep you warm during winter seasonJanuary 3, 2026 Full Moon: Powerful Affirmations For Your Birth DateNutrition fact of the day: Spinach doesn’t supply usable iron unless paired with vitamin CWhy toddlers feel big emotions in small situationsRelief for Bengaluru commuters: Kamaraj Road Fully Open After 6 YearsBengaluru: Nexus Mall prioritises expectant mothers with new ‘pink parking’ facilityHow to make Chicken Biryani in a Kadhai at home3 homemade replacements for protein powder shakes to tryBaby names meaning home, family, and togetherness123Hot PicksOperation SindoorVande Bharat Sleeper TrainJanuary Bank holidayGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingSan Francisco 49ersBrittany MahomesNoah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield Net WorthWayne Gretzky Daughter Net WorthSidney Crosby LifestyleLeBron James vs Stephen Curry Net WorthTom BradyLeBron James WifeCam ThomasCharlie Kirk

Representative AI image It’s easy to judge people who fell for scams. Many times, one simply thinks, “they should have known better”, label them foolish, naive, careless, or ignorant. After all, warnings are everywhere. Banks keep issuing alerts, digital platforms run awareness campaigns and news regularly reports on the latest frauds and cybercrimes.​Yet, when one looks more closely at how scams actually work, fraud is rarely the result of low intelligence or a lack of information. People who are cautious in one context can be disarmingly vulnerable in another. Those who pride themselves on scepticism can make impulsive decisions under pressure. The question, then, is not why people fail to “know better,” but why knowing better so often fails to protect them.The answer lies not in ignorance, but in psychology.​Scams succeed because they are engineered to move past rational judgement rather than confront it. Understanding the psychology behind fraud requires setting aside moral judgement and confronting an uncomfortable truth: vulnerability to scams is not an exception but a human trait. Frauds happen not because people are foolish, but because scammers exploit how people think, react, and cope under emotional stress.​Why even cautious people fall for scamsIf knowledge were a substitute for preventing fraud, scams would not be this pervasive. The fact is that some of the most articulate, tech-savvy, and financially educated individuals are duped into cash transfers, sharing credentials, or clicking links that under normal circumstances they never would have trusted.The reason is that scams do not challenge what people know; they manipulate how people feel and think.As Dr Radhika Goyal, PhD (Psychology), said, in her insights shared with TOI , “Scams work by bypassing rational thinking and triggering automatic emotional responses. Even highly educated or careful individuals rely on mental shortcuts in daily life to make quick decisions. Fraudsters design situations that feel urgent, personal, or threatening, pushing the brain into ‘survival mode’.”When this happens, the emotional brain (which reacts fast) overrides the logical brain (which analyses slowly). In that moment, intelligence offers little protection, because the scam is not engaging logic, it is exploiting trust, fear, or hope.”Dr Medha, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Patna Women’s College (Autonomous), Patna University, situated this vulnerability within a well-established psychological framework, as she talked to TOI.“Even cautious, intelligent, or well-educated individuals can fall victim to scams because fraudulent schemes exploit normal psychological processes rather than ignorance. From a psychological perspective, scams function by bypassing rational thinking and activating emotional and automatic responses” she said.She further explained this through Kahneman’s Dual-Process Theory. The psychological biases scammers exploitFraudsters do not rely on random manipulation. They repeatedly exploit predictable cognitive biases that guide human behaviour in legitimate social settings.These biases are not flaws, they are mental shortcuts that help people function efficiently in everyday life. By pretending to be, say, a bank representative, an authority from a government department, an important executive, and short-circuiting the time it takes to reach a decision, scammers tap into compliance ahead of skepticism and reasoning. This insight into behavior is vital, because it helps to re-understand fraud not just as trickery using clever telling, but at its root, an exploitation of psychology, using guilt, fear, and other trigger mechanisms.​​Dr Radhika Goyal identified several of the most commonly used psychological levers. Meanwhile, Dr Medha linked these tactics to foundational psychological theories. Authority-based scams, she notes, draw directly from research on obedience.“Scammers are effective because they take advantage of fundamental psychological theories that explain how humans perceive, decide, and behave in social contexts. These theories highlight that human decision-making is often guided by automatic, emotional, and socially conditioned processes rather than deliberate reasoning,” she said.Further elaborating on individual behaviour, she added, “Individuals have a strong tendency to comply with perceived authority figures. Scammers exploit this bias by impersonating officials such as bank representatives, police officers, or government agents. The presence of authority cues—formal language, uniforms, or official symbols—reduces resistance and critical questioning, leading individuals to comply even when requests are unreasonable. -This has been supported by Milgram’s theory of obedience.”Emotional manipulation, she added, is equally deliberate.“Strong emotions such as fear, hope, guilt, or affection activate the limbic system, which can overpower rational control mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex. Scammers intentionally evoke emotional reactions to impair logical evaluation and promote impulsive decisions,” the assistant professor added, citing Damasio’s Affective Decision-Making Theory.Scarcity is another powerful tool.Dr Medha explained how scammers can trigger “scarcity bias” to trap people. Citing Cialdini’s Persuasion theory, the professor explained, “Scarcity bias occurs when people assign greater value to opportunities perceived as limited.”Scammers exploit this by saying things such as- “Offer valid for 24 hours”, “Only a few slots left”. Another tactic that fraudsters use is “fear of missing out (FOMO)” which “shifts thinking from evaluation to action”, explained the professor.Emotional stress blinds peopleOne of the most troubling aspects of fraud is that victims often recognise warning signs, but only in hindsight. Emotional stress plays a key role in this temporary blindness.“Emotional stress narrows attention. When someone is anxious about money, scared of legal trouble, or feeling lonely, their brain prioritizes relief over verification,” said Dr Goyal.Further explaining the psychological mindset of the people under stress, she added, “Under stress, people focus on solving the immediate emotional discomfort — “How do I stop this problem right now?” — instead of asking critical questions.”Red flags may still be visible, but the brain temporarily ignores them because emotional safety feels more urgent than accuracy. This is why scams often target people during vulnerable moments — late at night, after a loss, or during financial uncertainty.Dr Radhika Goyal, PsychologistDr Medha described the same process at the neurological level:Emotional stress such as fear of loss, financial pressure, or loneliness activates the limbic system, particularly the amygdala, which prioritizes emotional survival responses over careful analysis.Dr Medha, Assistant Professor, PsychologyFurther talking about the stress factor, the professor said, “This heightened emotional arousal weakens the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, reducing logical reasoning, impulse control, and risk evaluation. As a result, individuals rely more on fast, intuitive processing rather than deliberate, analytical thinking, even when warning signs are present. Stress also narrows attention to emotionally relevant cues, causing people to overlook inconsistencies or red flags that would normally signal fraud. Consequently, the desire to quickly relieve emotional distress overrides caution, making individuals more vulnerable to deceptive tactics.”Why victims often stay silentEven after realizing that they’ve been swindled, victims often opt not to speak out. In most cases, this is not because they lack information or do not care, but due to complex factors involving psychological, social, as well as structural barriers that ultimately favor the fraudsters.Shame and self-blame are some of the deterrents. Victims often internalise responsibility, believing they were “careless” or “gullible,” despite scams being deliberately engineered to exploit normal human trust and authority cues. Admitting the fraud can feel like admitting a personal failure, particularly for educated or financially savvy individuals. Fear of judgement adds to the reluctance. Victims worry about how family members, employers, or peers will see them, especially when the loss involves large sums or repeated transactions. In a professional environment, disclosure may be seen as reputationally damaging, reinforcing the instinct to stay quiet.There is also a general feeling that nothing worthwhile will come out of reporting and that what has been lost is irretrievable. This perceived futility discourages reporting, even where formal channels exist.In this context, confusion and intimidation also prevail. Frauds involve tricks and mind games that include numerous platforms, jurisdictions, and phony identities. Victims often do not know to whom they need to report, what evidence will be required, or fear being dragged into long and stressful investigations. Some are even threatened bluntly by the scammers, further suppressing disclosure.Dr Goyal pointed to shame as a central barrier. “Shame is a major barrier. Victims often blame themselves, thinking, ‘I should have known better.’ This self-blame is intensified by social stigma that equates being scammed with being foolish.”Talking about the feeling of shame leads to isolation, she added, “Fraudsters deliberately reinforce this shame, telling victims to keep the matter confidential or warning them they will ‘get into trouble’ if they speak up. Unfortunately, silence protects the scammer and isolates the victim further. Psychologically, it is easier to stay quiet than to confront embarrassment — even when reporting could prevent harm to others.”Meanwhile, Dr Medha explained that self-blame is deeply tied to identity. “Victims often internalize the fraud as a personal failure, believing they should have been more careful, which leads to self-blame rather than attributing responsibility to the scammer. Shame triggers avoidance behavior, causing individuals to hide the experience to protect their self-image and social identity.”“Additionally, cognitive dissonance makes it emotionally uncomfortable to admit having been deceived, especially for educated or competent individuals. Together, shame, damaged self-esteem, and fear of stigma significantly reduce the likelihood of reporting scams, despite the importance of doing so,” she added.Breaking the psychological gripAs scams operate at the emotional, mental level, resisting them requires psychological interruption. In general, fraud succeeds not because the victims are uninformed, but rather because jacked-up emotions temporarily displace rational judgment. Scammers create a situation that instills urgency, fear, or excitement, forcing fast decisions, narrowing attention, and suppressing doubt. In such a state, one may even fail to notice flagrant red flags. The best counter remains pause: slowing down, stepping away from the communication, or delaying any action, which breaks the emotional momentum on which scams depend.A second opinion is equally important. Bringing in a trusted third party reintroduces perspective and exposes inconsistencies that are hard to see under pressure. In practice, the strongest defences against fraud are behavioural — time, distance, and verification — rather than just knowledge.Dr Goyal emphasised on simple but effective pauses. Meanwhile, Dr Medha framed resistance as “mind over manipulation.””Using Mind Over Manipulation — Scams succeed when emotion outruns reasoning. Breaking a scam requires slowing down emotion, widening perspective, and re-activating rational control,” she said.She outlined concrete steps: A human vulnerability, not a personal failureThe main point to understand in this is that fraud thrives in the space between emotion and reason. It succeeds, not because people lack intelligence, but because they are humans; capable of fear, hope, trust, and urgency. Con artists structure their approach based on these universal characteristics, taking advantage of the instances where the responses are instinctual, meaning where a reaction exceeds the boundaries of logical processing.The susceptibility to a scam is not an anomaly but a side effect of human instincts in pressing circumstances. Recognising this distinction is critical. It shifts the narrative away from personal failure and towards systemic manipulation. When victims understand that they were targeted through deliberate psychological engineering, shame loses its power and reporting becomes more likely. This, in turn, improves visibility into how fraud networks operate and where safeguards fail.The more society moves away from blaming victims and towards understanding the psychology of manipulation, the harder it becomes for fraudsters to win. Awareness framed around human vulnerability encourages openness, earlier intervention, and collective defence; thus, weakening the conditions that allow scams to spread unchecked.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Slavery Destroys Heritage’: PM Modi’s Big Message After Unveiling Sacred Buddha Piprahwa RelicsBCCI Asks KKR To Release Bangladesh Player From IPL After Outrage Over Attacks On Hindu MinoritiesGovt Sends Notice To Elon Musk’s X On Grok AI Chatbot Misuse, IT Ministry Seeks Action ReportUttarakhand Minister’s Husband Sparks Outrage With ‘Bihar Girls’ Remark, Congress Hits Out At BJPPakistan Backs China’s Claim That It Mediated In Conflict With IndiaShankh Air Founder Speaks Out As Airline Eyes March Launch, Targets Intl Flights By 2029’Their Islamist Ideas…’: Ex-Bangladesh Minister Hits Out Over Attacks on Hindus And Christians’Very Petty & Shameful’: Shashi Tharoor On Row Over KKR Selecting Bangladeshi Player In IPLINLD President Calls For Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal Type Uprising In India Politics, Triggers RowBJP Claims Rahul Gandhi Ties To ‘Anti-India’ Panel Over US Lawmakers’ Umar Khalid Letter123PhotostoriesWhy some teens can’t get along with their parents: Sadhguru explains the real reason for the clash10 Indo-Chinese dishes to keep you warm during winter seasonJanuary 3, 2026 Full Moon: Powerful Affirmations For Your Birth DateNutrition fact of the day: Spinach doesn’t supply usable iron unless paired with vitamin CWhy toddlers feel big emotions in small situationsRelief for Bengaluru commuters: Kamaraj Road Fully Open After 6 YearsBengaluru: Nexus Mall prioritises expectant mothers with new ‘pink parking’ facilityHow to make Chicken Biryani in a Kadhai at home3 homemade replacements for protein powder shakes to tryBaby names meaning home, family, and togetherness123Hot PicksOperation SindoorVande Bharat Sleeper TrainJanuary Bank holidayGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingSan Francisco 49ersBrittany MahomesNoah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield Net WorthWayne Gretzky Daughter Net WorthSidney Crosby LifestyleLeBron James vs Stephen Curry Net WorthTom BradyLeBron James WifeCam ThomasCharlie Kirk

Vamsikrishna010 mins mins

It’s easy to judge people who fell for scams. Many times, one simply thinks, “they should have known better”, label them foolish, naive, careless, or ignorant. After all, warnings are everywhere. Banks keep issuing alerts, digital platforms run awareness campaigns and news regularly reports on the latest frauds and cybercrimes.​Yet, when one looks more closely…

Read More
Jun 13, 2026, 22:36 IST

Jun 13, 2026, 22:36 IST

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

India’s captain Shubman Gill, right, KL Rahul celebrate their victory (AP Photo) Dharamshala: It’s not easy to unnerve Shubman Gill when he is batting in ODI cricket. The moment he steps out to bat, he slips into a zone where he takes control of the innings. The runs on the board are just a byproduct…

Read More
Pope joins patriarchs from East and West at historic Christian site in Turkey to pray for unity

Pope joins patriarchs from East and West at historic Christian site in Turkey to pray for unity

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

IZNIK: Pope Leo XIV joined Eastern and Western patriarchs and priests Friday in commemorating an important anniversary in Christian history, gathering at the site in Turkey of an unprecedented A.D. 325 meeting of bishops to pray that Christians might once again be united. Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders met on the…

Read More
Ranbir Kapoor told ‘Ramayana’ stories to Raha after shoot, she would ask him, ‘Did you shoot with Hanuman today?’

Ranbir Kapoor told ‘Ramayana’ stories to Raha after shoot, she would ask him, ‘Did you shoot with Hanuman today?’

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Ranbir Kapoor is set to essay the role of Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’. Recently, the makers revealed the first look of Rama teaser on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. Netizens have loved to see Ranbir as Lord Rama even though the teaser overall got a mixed response. The teaser was first launched in…

Read More
Daily Lal Kitab Horoscope Predictions, January 15, 2026: These zodiac signs should stay firm

Daily Lal Kitab Horoscope Predictions, January 15, 2026: These zodiac signs should stay firm

Vamsikrishna05 mins mins

The daily horoscope merges the age-old wisdom of Lal Kitab with the people-centric advice for every zodiac sign. Looking at your stars and the karma, each day offers simple, common-sense solutions to bring harmony to your existence. Follow these simple remedies to balance your emotions and spirit, align your energy, and attain mental peace. Aries…

Read More
Stanford scientists cured Type 1 diabetes in a breakthrough experiment

Stanford scientists cured Type 1 diabetes in a breakthrough experiment

Vamsikrishna07 mins mins

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported a breakthrough in Type 1 diabetes research after successfully curing the disease in mice using a new method designed to “reset” the immune system. The experimental treatment combined stem-cell transplants, insulin-producing pancreatic cell transplants and a much gentler preparation process involving low-dose radiation and immune-targeting drugs. After treatment, the…

Read More
Quote of the day by Julia Roberts: ‘If you love someone, you say it, right then, out loud’ |

Quote of the day by Julia Roberts: ‘If you love someone, you say it, right then, out loud’ |

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Hollywood icon Julia Roberts, celebrated for her down-to-earth charm, shares a poignant quote: “If you love someone, you say it, right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just passes you by. Famed actress Julia Roberts, best known for her roles in ‘Ticket to Paradise’, ‘Leave The world Behind’, ‘Mother’s day’, and ‘Moeny Monster’ to name…

Read More
Tamil Nadu polls: Vijay rejects ‘four-cornered’ contest, says fight is between TVK and DMK | India News

Tamil Nadu polls: Vijay rejects ‘four-cornered’ contest, says fight is between TVK and DMK | India News

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

TVK chief Vijay on Sunday dismissed claims of a four-cornered contest in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections, asserting that the real battle is between his party and the ruling DMK, while outlining a governance model centred on technology and service delivery, PTI reported.Addressing a rally, Vijay said, “It is not 4-cornered or 40-cornered fight. There…

Read More
Skill push: Centre to incentivise states, districts to partner industry for local skill planning; AI to map jobs and workers

Skill push: Centre to incentivise states, districts to partner industry for local skill planning; AI to map jobs and workers

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

The government plans to incentivise states and districts to work closely with industry to identify and address local skill gaps, adopting a hyper-local approach to build a future-ready workforce, a senior official told PTI on Monday.Addressing the CII Smart Manufacturing Summit 2025, Secretary in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Debashree Mukherjee said the…

Read More
Asha Bhosle There are singers who belong to an era, and then there is Asha Bhosle, who treated decades like passing trends she would dip into and then outdo. A vocal sponge, Bhosle was soaking up the pop and jazz greats long before the internet made it easy. “I used to watch Carmen Miranda a lot and try to imitate her style,” she had said in an interview, “like I did later with Shirley Bassey.” Tucked into voluminous saris, the Asha tai who loved dishing out her signature ‘Maa ki Dal’ and jaggery kheer was the same woman who wat-ched Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock three times just to nail the phrasing for ‘Eena Meena Deeka’; who received a letter from the Vatican for her rendition of ‘Ave Maria’; and became the first Indian singer to form a pop group overseas in Britain, the West India Company, in the 1980s. At a time when playback voices in India were still neatly boxed – classical, romantic, devotional – Bhosle was slipping between them. Trained in Hindustani classical music, she said, “If you have the desire and riyaz… you can sing anything.” She wandered into cabaret, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and global pop long before the industry had quite figured out what to call any of it. The turning point, as many stories go, arrived with the Burmans. S D Burman first showed her how to add her own ‘inputs’ to a track to make it work, but it was with R D Burman it started taking root when the duo would sit up until 4am listening to jazz and rock. When he handed her ‘Aaja Aaja’ for Teesri Manzil, she is said to have balked at its Westernised swagger. This wasn’t a tune you could approach like a ghazal. It needed breathless phrasing and a loose shrug. Ten days of rehearsal later, she owned it so completely that it now sounds like it was always hers. That became a pattern. Whether it was the smokey, rhythmic breathing of ‘Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja’ or the pop-ballad ease of ‘Chura Liya Hai,’ Bhosle could adjust her vocal cords to match every mood. By the 1990s, when ‘crossover’ became a buzzword, she was already living it. “I told my son Anand, I’ve sung in practically every Indian language but I haven’t done English,” she said of her jump into the West India Company. It was a leap into the unknown that would have terrified a lesser artist. “Although the music was ready, there was no fixed tune to sing. I had created my own tune and melody,” she said about merging Indian vocals with Western club rh-ythms and electronic music. This ability to improvise allowed her to record ‘Bow Down Mister’ with Boy George, where Indian devotional strains met synth-heavy pop. It could have been a gimmick. Instead, it sounded like a natural extension of what she had alw-ays done with unaffected ease. At 64, she stepped into the centre of the MTV glare. She teamed up with Code Red for the ballad ‘We Can Make It’ and appeared in a music video, matching the boy band and their R&B groove with her silk sari and alaaps. Soon after, she appeared on ‘The Way You Dream’ with REM’s Michael Stipe for his project ‘1 Giant Leap’, a track that drifted into Hollywood with the 2003 action-comedy film ‘Bulletproof Monk’. Bhosle did not so much cross over from East to West as meet it, on equal terms. Cornershop’s ‘Brimful of Asha’ turned her into a cultural reference point, later remixed by Fatboy Slim. Black Eyed Peas sampled her in ‘Don’t Phunk with My Heart’, tucking her voice into 2000s hip-hop. Sarah Brightman lifted ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’ into operatic pop. In 2005, the Kronos Quartet built an album around her, ‘You’ve Stolen My Heart’. She recorded the R D Burman classics with such velocity – three to four songs a day – the quartet struggled to keep up. It earned her a Grammy nomination. Even in later years, she seemed game for unlikely pairings, whether it was a duet wi-th cricketer Brett Lee to collaborations with Pakistani pop si-nger Jawad Ahmed that igno-red the politics of the moment. Which brings us to 2026. Bhosle, well into her nineties, recording ‘The Shadowy Light’ from her Pedder Road home for the genre-blurring British virtual band Gorillaz – her voice against a swirl of hip-hop, dub and electronica, with an old harmonium in the mix – in what would be her final collaboration.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS-Iran Deal HITS DEAD END, Trump SHIFTS TO Pakistan Praise, Replays India-Pak War ClaimMEA Slams China’s ‘Mischievous Attempts’, Rejects Fictitious Names to Arunachal Pradesh LocationsUAE Visit: Jaishankar Conveys PM Modi’s Thanks, Highlights India’s Role In Regional StabilityMobile Internet Ban Extended After CRPF Firing Shocker That Killed ProtestersSwami Vivekananda’s First-Ever Life-Size Statue Unveiled In Seattle, US‘Had Great Difficulty’: Stranded Indian Fishermen In Iran Return Home Via Armenia‘India Is New Engine Of Globalisation, Becoming Attractive Investment Hub’: Former WEF DirectorJaishankar Meets UAE FM In Abu Dhabi, Discusses West Asia Situation And Strategic Partnership”Don’t Assume It’s Over” Rajnath Cautions On West Asia ConflictJag Vikram Leads Way, First Indian Ship Through Hormuz Post Ceasefire123PhotostoriesBest non-American sitcoms of all time: ‘Derry Girls’, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and more10 dishes that make lentils feel anything but ordinarySaas-bahu relationships on Indian TV that were actually wholesome: Devyani-Simar, Sudha-Parvati and more7 iconic breakfasts people eat around the world5 best fantasy dramas to watch on Hulu: From ‘Outlander’ to ‘Attack on Titan’Life lessons hidden in your favourite TV sitcoms: ‘Friends’, ‘The Office’ and more4 simple hacks to keep love aliveMumbai’s top 5 residential buildings redefining luxury and premium livingBefore your blood tests turn abnormal: 6 silent heart warning signs you’re missing, and how to fix them earlyTop temples in India to visit believed to bring wealth and prosperity123Hot PicksIran war ceasefirePAN Card application 2026Purple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingAndhra Pradesh Girl MurderUS Iran talksMI vs RCB Today IPL MatchBadminton Championships FinalPune tempatureTS Inter 1st 2nd Year Result 2026Asha BhosleSara TendulkarSchool Holidays in AprilAyush Shetty

Asha Bhosle There are singers who belong to an era, and then there is Asha Bhosle, who treated decades like passing trends she would dip into and then outdo. A vocal sponge, Bhosle was soaking up the pop and jazz greats long before the internet made it easy. “I used to watch Carmen Miranda a lot and try to imitate her style,” she had said in an interview, “like I did later with Shirley Bassey.” Tucked into voluminous saris, the Asha tai who loved dishing out her signature ‘Maa ki Dal’ and jaggery kheer was the same woman who wat-ched Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock three times just to nail the phrasing for ‘Eena Meena Deeka’; who received a letter from the Vatican for her rendition of ‘Ave Maria’; and became the first Indian singer to form a pop group overseas in Britain, the West India Company, in the 1980s. At a time when playback voices in India were still neatly boxed – classical, romantic, devotional – Bhosle was slipping between them. Trained in Hindustani classical music, she said, “If you have the desire and riyaz… you can sing anything.” She wandered into cabaret, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and global pop long before the industry had quite figured out what to call any of it. The turning point, as many stories go, arrived with the Burmans. S D Burman first showed her how to add her own ‘inputs’ to a track to make it work, but it was with R D Burman it started taking root when the duo would sit up until 4am listening to jazz and rock. When he handed her ‘Aaja Aaja’ for Teesri Manzil, she is said to have balked at its Westernised swagger. This wasn’t a tune you could approach like a ghazal. It needed breathless phrasing and a loose shrug. Ten days of rehearsal later, she owned it so completely that it now sounds like it was always hers. That became a pattern. Whether it was the smokey, rhythmic breathing of ‘Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja’ or the pop-ballad ease of ‘Chura Liya Hai,’ Bhosle could adjust her vocal cords to match every mood. By the 1990s, when ‘crossover’ became a buzzword, she was already living it. “I told my son Anand, I’ve sung in practically every Indian language but I haven’t done English,” she said of her jump into the West India Company. It was a leap into the unknown that would have terrified a lesser artist. “Although the music was ready, there was no fixed tune to sing. I had created my own tune and melody,” she said about merging Indian vocals with Western club rh-ythms and electronic music. This ability to improvise allowed her to record ‘Bow Down Mister’ with Boy George, where Indian devotional strains met synth-heavy pop. It could have been a gimmick. Instead, it sounded like a natural extension of what she had alw-ays done with unaffected ease. At 64, she stepped into the centre of the MTV glare. She teamed up with Code Red for the ballad ‘We Can Make It’ and appeared in a music video, matching the boy band and their R&B groove with her silk sari and alaaps. Soon after, she appeared on ‘The Way You Dream’ with REM’s Michael Stipe for his project ‘1 Giant Leap’, a track that drifted into Hollywood with the 2003 action-comedy film ‘Bulletproof Monk’. Bhosle did not so much cross over from East to West as meet it, on equal terms. Cornershop’s ‘Brimful of Asha’ turned her into a cultural reference point, later remixed by Fatboy Slim. Black Eyed Peas sampled her in ‘Don’t Phunk with My Heart’, tucking her voice into 2000s hip-hop. Sarah Brightman lifted ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’ into operatic pop. In 2005, the Kronos Quartet built an album around her, ‘You’ve Stolen My Heart’. She recorded the R D Burman classics with such velocity – three to four songs a day – the quartet struggled to keep up. It earned her a Grammy nomination. Even in later years, she seemed game for unlikely pairings, whether it was a duet wi-th cricketer Brett Lee to collaborations with Pakistani pop si-nger Jawad Ahmed that igno-red the politics of the moment. Which brings us to 2026. Bhosle, well into her nineties, recording ‘The Shadowy Light’ from her Pedder Road home for the genre-blurring British virtual band Gorillaz – her voice against a swirl of hip-hop, dub and electronica, with an old harmonium in the mix – in what would be her final collaboration.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosUS-Iran Deal HITS DEAD END, Trump SHIFTS TO Pakistan Praise, Replays India-Pak War ClaimMEA Slams China’s ‘Mischievous Attempts’, Rejects Fictitious Names to Arunachal Pradesh LocationsUAE Visit: Jaishankar Conveys PM Modi’s Thanks, Highlights India’s Role In Regional StabilityMobile Internet Ban Extended After CRPF Firing Shocker That Killed ProtestersSwami Vivekananda’s First-Ever Life-Size Statue Unveiled In Seattle, US‘Had Great Difficulty’: Stranded Indian Fishermen In Iran Return Home Via Armenia‘India Is New Engine Of Globalisation, Becoming Attractive Investment Hub’: Former WEF DirectorJaishankar Meets UAE FM In Abu Dhabi, Discusses West Asia Situation And Strategic Partnership”Don’t Assume It’s Over” Rajnath Cautions On West Asia ConflictJag Vikram Leads Way, First Indian Ship Through Hormuz Post Ceasefire123PhotostoriesBest non-American sitcoms of all time: ‘Derry Girls’, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and more10 dishes that make lentils feel anything but ordinarySaas-bahu relationships on Indian TV that were actually wholesome: Devyani-Simar, Sudha-Parvati and more7 iconic breakfasts people eat around the world5 best fantasy dramas to watch on Hulu: From ‘Outlander’ to ‘Attack on Titan’Life lessons hidden in your favourite TV sitcoms: ‘Friends’, ‘The Office’ and more4 simple hacks to keep love aliveMumbai’s top 5 residential buildings redefining luxury and premium livingBefore your blood tests turn abnormal: 6 silent heart warning signs you’re missing, and how to fix them earlyTop temples in India to visit believed to bring wealth and prosperity123Hot PicksIran war ceasefirePAN Card application 2026Purple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingAndhra Pradesh Girl MurderUS Iran talksMI vs RCB Today IPL MatchBadminton Championships FinalPune tempatureTS Inter 1st 2nd Year Result 2026Asha BhosleSara TendulkarSchool Holidays in AprilAyush Shetty

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

There are singers who belong to an era, and then there is Asha Bhosle, who treated decades like passing trends she would dip into and then outdo. A vocal sponge, Bhosle was soaking up the pop and jazz greats long before the internet made it easy. “I used to watch Carmen Miranda a lot and…

Read More