The Hindu Editorial Analysis – 20 June 2025

Learn English Vocabulary – The Hindu EDITORIAL – 20 June 2025

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Capital charter
Delhi needs to solve the infrastructure deficit and the housing crisis

Nearly four months into her tenure as Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory (NCT), Rekha Gupta seems to have more agency and resources to address Delhi’s infrastructure issues and economic woes. The governance deficit seen during the previous government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) due to political differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre is noticeably absent now. Interacting with a cross-section of society at The Hindu Mind, a platform for leaders from all fields to converse with curious minds, Ms. Gupta said that she wanted to be known as someone who is dedicated to resolving the daily duress of the people of Delhi. Problems abound. From electricity to education, transportation to public infrastructure, and sewage treatment to water availability, there is a litany of issues that plague the national capital. Ms. Gupta blamed the previous AAP and Congress governments for the situation. It is true that the AAP’s style of governance provided succour to the poorest segments, but shallowed out the promise of Delhi as an investment destination and an enabler of the middle-class dream for housing facilities and jobs. AAP used Delhi as a staging post of its chief Arvind Kejriwal’s electoral ambitions.

That said, no incumbent can succeed by blaming predecessors. The one in charge currently is the one answerable. Ms. Gupta said the Minto Bridge underpass in Connaught Place in central Delhi would no longer flood in the rains, and she was proved right this week when the city received a heavy downpour. But numerous other places in the city were waterlogged, and this is just a small part of the challenges. Ms. Gupta said all the water logging points in Delhi have been identified, and a nodal officer has been put in charge for each of them, who will be accountable. This must be enforced strictly. Haphazard and unpredictable land use regulations over the decades are one of the main reasons for Delhi losing out to surrounding places as a destination for housing and office space. The land pooling policy in the capital which has been meandering, now needs to be urgently streamlined and implemented. Thousands of people who have invested their hard-earned money with the dream of a house in Delhi cannot be punished for policy confusion that is not their fault. Schooling in Delhi needs to have predictable regulation, and both private and public schools must follow standards. Huge disparities in school educations can have cascading ill effects for the society. Freeing up Delhi’s so-called agricultural land for planned development must be a priority, and the Chief Minister seems to be cognisant of this. Ms. Gupta said a new Master Plan for the city will account for all these, and the fact that the BJP is in power at the Centre, NCT and in all Municipal Councils of Delhi will make things easy. It is a great chance for Ms. Gupta to lead a definitive transformation of the national capital.

A new cycle
India begins its quest for the Test Championship with young players

Less than a week after South Africa emerged triumphant in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), a new cycle has begun. Bangladesh is already in Sri Lanka, busy playing a Test, while a more high-profile series will commence once India takes on England at Headingley in Leeds from Friday. A new-look Indian squad under the stewardship of Shubman Gill will step out for duty while a clean break from the past has been implemented due to the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R. Ashwin, and the omission of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. A tour of the Old Blighty is never easy and that has been the case since 1932 when India made its Test debut at Lord’s. Series triumphs were etched in 1971, 1986 and 2007, but otherwise it has been a tale of Indian batters floundering against swing under whimsical English skies. Even as India beat Australia in its backyard over the last decade despite the loss in the last encounter, England has remained a tough place to tour. However, cricket’s spiritual home has also gifted some special Indian memories like B.S. Chandrasekhar’s spells, the 1983 World Cup victory, Dilip Vengsarkar’s three consecutive hundreds at Lord’s, and the Test debuts of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, to name a few.

A sense of a beginning is evident in cricket’s birthplace and seen in that light, Gill and his men are in the right place. Ravindra Jadeja, K.L. Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Karun Nair, busy charting a comeback, constitute the seniors in a unit high on youth with even Gill being just 25. The Punjab star has to deliver on two counts, both as batter and skipper. A 35.05 average after 32 Tests does not reflect the quality innate in him. It is not just that the batting core has changed as even the slip-cordon will have new personnel, and the way Gill guides his outfit through this transition will determine how India will fare in the latest WTC cycle. Bumrah will remain the spearhead but with workload management being the key, he will not play all the five Tests at stake. His old ally Mohammed Shami will be missed but in Mohammed Siraj and others, Bumrah has a set of talented fellow pace bowlers. Squaring against them would be Ben Stokes and his men busy relishing home advantage with Joe Root being the anchor among their batters. In a challenging tour stretching all the way to August 4, Gill, in tandem with vice-captain Rishabh Pant, gets an opportunity to forge a fresh and strong Indian unit.

Editorial Vocabulary

1. Tenure

Type: Noun

Meaning: The period during which someone holds an office or position

Tamil Meaning: பதவிக்காலம்

Malayalam Meaning: കാലാവധി

Kannada Meaning: ಅವಧಿ

Synonyms: Term, period, duration, span, time in office

Antonyms: Brief stint, temporary appointment

Example Sentence: The Chief Minister's tenure has been marked by significant infrastructure reforms.

2. Agency

Type: Noun

Meaning: The capacity or power to act independently; authority

Tamil Meaning: அதிகாரம்

Malayalam Meaning: അധികാരം

Kannada Meaning: ಅಧಿಕಾರ

Synonyms: Authority, power, control, influence, autonomy

Antonyms: Powerlessness, dependence, subjugation

Example Sentence: The new government has greater agency to implement policy changes.

3. Woes

Type: Noun (Plural)

Meaning: Troubles, problems, or distress

Tamil Meaning: துன்பங்கள்

Malayalam Meaning: ദുഃഖങ്ങൾ

Kannada Meaning: ತೊಂದರೆಗಳು

Synonyms: Problems, troubles, difficulties, hardships, afflictions

Antonyms: Joys, blessings, prosperity, success

Example Sentence: The city's economic woes require immediate attention from policymakers.

4. Deficit

Type: Noun

Meaning: A lack or shortage of something required

Tamil Meaning: பற்றாக்குறை

Malayalam Meaning: കുറവ്

Kannada Meaning: ಕೊರತೆ

Synonyms: Shortage, lack, shortfall, insufficiency, gap

Antonyms: Surplus, excess, abundance, plenty

Example Sentence: The governance deficit has hindered the city's development progress.

5. Resolving

Type: Verb (Present Participle)

Meaning: Finding a solution to a problem or dispute

Tamil Meaning: தீர்த்துவைத்தல்

Malayalam Meaning: പരിഹരിക്കുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ಪರಿಹರಿಸುವುದು

Synonyms: Solving, settling, addressing, fixing, clearing up

Antonyms: Complicating, worsening, aggravating, creating

Example Sentence: The administration is focused on resolving the housing crisis.

6. Duress

Type: Noun

Meaning: Pressure or constraint stemming from harsh conditions

Tamil Meaning: வற்புறுத்தல்

Malayalam Meaning: സമ്മർദ്ദം

Kannada Meaning: ಒತ್ತಡ

Synonyms: Pressure, coercion, stress, strain, hardship

Antonyms: Freedom, comfort, ease, relief

Example Sentence: Citizens face daily duress due to inadequate public transportation.

7. Abound

Type: Verb

Meaning: To exist in large numbers or amounts

Tamil Meaning: நிறைந்திருத்தல்

Malayalam Meaning: സമൃദ്ധമായിരിക്കുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ತುಂಬಿರುವುದು

Synonyms: Proliferate, flourish, teem, overflow, prevail

Antonyms: Lack, shortage, scarcity, absence

Example Sentence: Infrastructure problems abound in the rapidly growing metropolis.

8. Litany

Type: Noun

Meaning: A long list of complaints, problems or grievances

Tamil Meaning: நீண்டபட்டியல்

Malayalam Meaning: നീണ്ടപട്ടിക

Kannada Meaning: ದೀರ್ಘಪಟ್ಟಿ

Synonyms: Catalog, list, series, recital, enumeration

Antonyms: Brief summary, short list

Example Sentence: The committee presented a litany of urban development issues.

9. Plague

Type: Verb

Meaning: To cause continual trouble or distress to

Tamil Meaning: துன்புறுத்துதல்

Malayalam Meaning: ബാധിക്കുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ಪೀಡಿಸುವುದು

Synonyms: Afflict, torment, trouble, harass, bother

Antonyms: Bless, benefit, help, assist

Example Sentence: Traffic congestion continues to plague the city's main arteries.

10. Succour

Type: Noun

Meaning: Assistance and support in times of hardship and distress

Tamil Meaning: உதவி

Malayalam Meaning: സഹായം

Kannada Meaning: ಸಹಾಯ

Synonyms: Aid, help, relief, assistance, support

Antonyms: Hindrance, obstruction, harm

Example Sentence: The welfare schemes provided succour to the city's poorest residents.

11. Shallowed

Type: Verb (Past tense)

Meaning: Made less deep or profound; diminished

Tamil Meaning: ஆழமற்றதாக்கியது

Malayalam Meaning: ആഴംകുറച്ചു

Kannada Meaning: ಆಳವಿಲ್ಲದಂತೆಮಾಡಿದ

Synonyms: Diminished, reduced, weakened, lessened

Antonyms: Deepened, strengthened, enhanced

Example Sentence: Poor planning shallowed the city's potential for economic growth.

12. Incumbent

Type: Noun

Meaning: The holder of an office or position

Tamil Meaning: பதவியில்இருப்பவர்

Malayalam Meaning: സ്ഥാനാർത്ഥി

Kannada Meaning: ಪದಾಧಿಕಾರಿ

Synonyms: Office-holder, official, current leader

Antonyms: Challenger, opponent, candidate

Example Sentence: The incumbent must take responsibility for current policy failures.

13. Predecessors

Type: Noun (Plural)

Meaning: Those who held a position before the current holder

Tamil Meaning: முன்னோடிகள்

Malayalam Meaning: മുൻഗാമികൾ

Kannada Meaning: ಪೂರ್ವವರ್ತಿಗಳು

Synonyms: Forerunners, previous holders, former officials

Antonyms: Successors, followers, inheritors

Example Sentence: The new administration blamed its predecessors for the infrastructure crisis.

14. Downpour

Type: Noun

Meaning: A heavy fall of rain

Tamil Meaning: கனமழை

Malayalam Meaning: കനത്തമഴ

Kannada Meaning: ಭಾರೀಮಳೆ

Synonyms: Deluge, cloudburst, torrent, heavy rain

Antonyms: Drizzle, light rain, drought

Example Sentence: The recent downpour tested the city's drainage infrastructure.

15. Waterlogged

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Saturated with or full of water

Tamil Meaning: நீரில்மூழ்கிய

Malayalam Meaning: വെള്ളത്തിൽമുങ്ങിയ

Kannada Meaning: ನೀರಿನಲ್ಲಿಮುಳುಗಿದ

Synonyms: Flooded, inundated, saturated, submerged

Antonyms: Dry, arid, drained

Example Sentence: Many roads remained waterlogged hours after the storm passed.

16. Enforced

Type: Verb (Past participle)

Meaning: Compelled observance of or compliance with

Tamil Meaning: செயல்படுத்தப்பட்ட

Malayalam Meaning: നടപ്പിലാക്കിയ

Kannada Meaning: ಜಾರಿಗೊಳಿಸಿದ

Synonyms: Implemented, executed, applied, imposed

Antonyms: Ignored, neglected, abandoned

Example Sentence: Safety regulations must be strictly enforced in construction zones.

17. Haphazard

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Lacking any obvious principle of organisation; random

Tamil Meaning: ஒழுங்கற்ற

Malayalam Meaning: ക്രമരഹിതമായ

Kannada Meaning: ಅಸ್ತವ್ಯಸ್ತವಾದ

Synonyms: Random, disorganised, chaotic, unsystematic

Antonyms: Systematic, organised, planned, methodical

Example Sentence: Decades of haphazard urban planning created the current housing shortage.

18. Meandering

Type: Verb (Present participle)

Meaning: Following a winding course; proceeding aimlessly

Tamil Meaning: வளைந்துசெல்லுதல்

Malayalam Meaning: വളയുന്ന

Kannada Meaning: ವಕ್ರವಾಗಿಹೋಗುವುದು

Synonyms: Wandering, winding, rambling, drifting

Antonyms: Direct, straight, focused, purposeful

Example Sentence: The land pooling policy has been meandering without clear direction.

19. Streamlined

Type: Verb (Past participle)

Meaning: Made more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary elements

Tamil Meaning: நெறிப்படுத்தப்பட்ட

Malayalam Meaning: ലളിതമാക്കിയ

Kannada Meaning: ಸರಳೀಕರಿಸಿದ

Synonyms: Simplified, optimized, refined, improved

Antonyms: Complicated, complex, convoluted

Example Sentence: The approval process needs to be streamlined to attract more investors.

20. Disparities

Type: Noun (Plural)

Meaning: Great differences or inequalities

Tamil Meaning: வேறுபாடுகள்

Malayalam Meaning: അസമത്വങ്ങൾ

Kannada Meaning: ಅಸಮಾನತೆಗಳು

Synonyms: Inequalities, differences, gaps, variations

Antonyms: Similarities, equality, uniformity

Example Sentence: Educational disparities between schools must be addressed urgently.

21. Cascading

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Falling, flowing, or rushing in stages

Tamil Meaning: அடுக்கடுக்காகவரும்

Malayalam Meaning: തുടർച്ചയായിവരുന്ന

Kannada Meaning: ಸರಣಿಯಾಗಿಬರುವ

Synonyms: Sequential, consecutive, chain-reaction, successive

Antonyms: Isolated, independent, separate

Example Sentence: Poor education quality can have cascading effects on society's development.

22. Cognisant

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Having knowledge or awareness of something

Tamil Meaning: அறிந்த

Malayalam Meaning: അറിയുന്ന

Kannada Meaning: ತಿಳಿದಿರುವ

Synonyms: Aware, conscious, informed, mindful

Antonyms: Unaware, ignorant, oblivious

Example Sentence: The Chief Minister is cognisant of the urgent need for housing reforms.

23. Triumphant

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Having won a victory; successful

Tamil Meaning: வெற்றிபெற்ற

Malayalam Meaning: വിജയിച്ച

Kannada Meaning: ವಿಜಯಶಾಲಿಯಾದ

Synonyms: Victorious, successful, winning, conquering

Antonyms: Defeated, unsuccessful, losing

Example Sentence: The team emerged triumphant after a hard-fought series.

24. Commence

Type: Verb

Meaning: To begin or start

Tamil Meaning: தொடங்குதல்

Malayalam Meaning: ആരംഭിക്കുക

Kannada Meaning: ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸು

Synonyms: Begin, start, initiate, launch

Antonyms: End, conclude, finish, terminate

Example Sentence: The cricket series will commence with great fanfare next Friday.

25. Stewardship

Type: Noun

Meaning: The responsible management or care of something

Tamil Meaning: பொறுப்பு

Malayalam Meaning: ചുമതലപ്പെട്ടപരിപാലനം

Kannada Meaning: ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ

Synonyms: Leadership, management, guardianship, supervision

Antonyms: Neglect, abandonment, irresponsibility

Example Sentence: The team's success depends on the captain's stewardship and tactical acumen.

26. Etched

Type: Verb (Past participle)

Meaning: Permanently fixed or established

Tamil Meaning: பதிக்கப்பட்ட

Malayalam Meaning: കൊത്തിവെച്ച

Kannada Meaning: ಕೆತ್ತಿದ

Synonyms: Engraved, imprinted, inscribed, embedded

Antonyms: Erased, forgotten, removed

Example Sentence: Historic victories are etched in the memory of cricket fans forever.

27. Floundering

Type: Verb (Present participle)

Meaning: Struggling or stumbling; having difficulty

Tamil Meaning: தடுமாறுதல்

Malayalam Meaning: ബുദ്ധിമുട്ടുന്ന

Kannada Meaning: ತತ್ತರಿಸುವುದು

Synonyms: Struggling, stumbling, fumbling, failing

Antonyms: Succeeding, thriving, excelling

Example Sentence: The batsmen were floundering against the accurate bowling attack.

28. Whimsical

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Unpredictable and subject to sudden changes

Tamil Meaning: மாறுபட்ட

Malayalam Meaning: അപ്രതീക്ഷിതമായ

Kannada Meaning: ಅನಿಯಮಿತ

Synonyms: Unpredictable, capricious, fickle, changeable

Antonyms: Predictable, consistent, stable, reliable

Example Sentence: English weather conditions are notoriously whimsical and challenging for touring teams.

29. Backyard

Type: Noun

Meaning: Home territory or familiar environment

Tamil Meaning: சொந்தஇடம்

Malayalam Meaning: സ്വന്തംനാട്

Kannada Meaning: ಸ್ವಂತಮನೆ

Synonyms: Home ground, territory, domain

Antonyms: Foreign territory, away ground

Example Sentence: Defeating Australia in their own backyard was a remarkable achievement.

30. Evident

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Clearly seen or understood; obvious

Tamil Meaning: தெளிவான

Malayalam Meaning: വ്യക്തമായ

Kannada Meaning: ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾದ

Synonyms: Clear, obvious, apparent, manifest

Antonyms: Hidden, unclear, obscure, doubtful

Example Sentence: The team's renewed energy was evident in their enthusiastic training sessions.

31. Charting

Type: Verb (Present participle)

Meaning: Planning or mapping out a course of action

Tamil Meaning: திட்டமிடுதல்

Malayalam Meaning: ആസൂത്രണംചെയ്യുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ಯೋಜನೆಮಾಡುವುದು

Synonyms: Planning, mapping, plotting, designing

Antonyms: Wandering, improvising, meandering

Example Sentence: The experienced player is charting a successful comeback to international cricket.

32. Skipper

Type: Noun

Meaning: The captain of a team or ship

Tamil Meaning: தலைவர்

Malayalam Meaning: നായകൻ

Kannada Meaning: ನಾಯಕ

Synonyms: Captain, leader, commander, chief

Antonyms: Follower, subordinate, team member

Example Sentence: The young skipper must lead by example both on and off the field.

33. Innate

Type: Adjective

Meaning: Existing from birth; natural or inherent

Tamil Meaning: இயல்பான

Malayalam Meaning: സ്വാഭാവികമായ

Kannada Meaning: ಸಹಜವಾದ

Synonyms: Natural, inherent, inborn, instinctive

Antonyms: Learned, acquired, developed

Example Sentence: His innate batting talent was evident from his junior cricket days.

34. Personnel

Type: Noun

Meaning: People employed in an organisation or team

Tamil Meaning: பணியாளர்கள்

Malayalam Meaning: ജീവനക്കാർ

Kannada Meaning: ಉದ್ಯೋಗಿಗಳು

Synonyms: Staff, employees, team members, workforce

Antonyms: Employers, management, leadership

Example Sentence: The team management is evaluating new personnel for the upcoming series.

35. Outfit

Type: Noun

Meaning: A group of people working together; team

Tamil Meaning: குழு

Malayalam Meaning: സംഘം

Kannada Meaning: ತಂಡ

Synonyms: Team, group, unit, squad

Antonyms: Individual, solo performer

Example Sentence: The captain must guide his outfit through this challenging transition period.

36. Spearhead

Type: Noun/Verb

Meaning: The leading person or element in an effort; to lead

Tamil Meaning: முன்னணி

Malayalam Meaning: മുന്നണി

Kannada Meaning: ಮುಂಚೂಣಿ

Synonyms: Leader, pioneer, vanguard, frontrunner

Antonyms: Follower, supporter, rear guard

Example Sentence: The fast bowler will spearhead the team's bowling attack in the series.

37. Ally

Type: Noun

Meaning: A partner or associate; someone who cooperates

Tamil Meaning: கூட்டாளி

Malayalam Meaning: സഹകാരി

Kannada Meaning: ಸಹಾಯಕ

Synonyms: Partner, associate, companion, collaborator

Antonyms: Enemy, opponent, rival, adversary

Example Sentence: The experienced bowler was a trusted ally in many crucial matches.

38. Squaring

Type: Verb (Present participle)

Meaning: Facing or confronting directly

Tamil Meaning: எதிர்கொள்ளுதல்

Malayalam Meaning: നേരിടുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ಎದುರಿಸುವುದು

Synonyms: Confronting, facing, opposing, challenging

Antonyms: Avoiding, evading, retreating

Example Sentence: The visiting team will be squaring against formidable home opposition.

39. Relishing

Type: Verb (Present participle)

Meaning: Enjoying greatly; taking pleasure in

Tamil Meaning: ரசித்தல்

Malayalam Meaning: ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നു

Kannada Meaning: ಆನಂದಿಸುವುದು

Synonyms: Enjoying, savoring, delighting in, appreciating

Antonyms: Disliking, dreading, avoiding

Example Sentence: The home team is relishing the opportunity to play in familiar conditions.

40. Tandem

Type: Noun

Meaning: Working together; in partnership

Tamil Meaning: இணைந்து

Malayalam Meaning: ഒരുമിച്ച്

Kannada Meaning: ಒಟ್ಟಿಗೆ

Synonyms: Partnership, collaboration, cooperation, unity

Antonyms: Individually, separately, alone

Example Sentence: The captain and vice-captain must work in tandem to achieve success.

41. Forge

Type: Verb

Meaning: To create or develop something strong

Tamil Meaning: உருவாக்குதல்

Malayalam Meaning: നിർമ്മിക്കുക

Kannada Meaning: ನಿರ್ಮಾಣಮಾಡು

Synonyms: Create, build, develop, establish

Antonyms: Destroy, demolish, weaken

Example Sentence: The new leadership aims to forge a strong and competitive team for the future.

With today’s The Hindu Editorial from 20 June 2025, you've learned 40+ powerful English vocabulary words. Consistent practice like these builds not just your word bank but also sharpens your comprehension and expression for competitive exams and real-world communication.

Keep reading, keep learning! 💪📖

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