Smart journalism on South Asia(ns) you won't find anywhere else.
May 16, 2022
How an Unusual Calendar Became a Symbol of Indian Culture
Fifty years since its inception, Kalnirnay has become an essential household tool and a point of connection for the diaspora.
Sushmita Pathak
May 13, 2022
Northeastern Actors are Finally Getting Their Shot at Bollywood Stardom
Streaming platforms have led to more regional cinema, diverse storytelling, and long-awaited opportunities for northeastern actors. Will mainstream Hindi cinema follow?
Makepeace Sitlhou
May 9, 2022
Dismantling the Brown “Glow-Up”
The concept of getting hotter with age — also known as “glowing up” — isn’t new, but South Asian TikTok influencers question what this trend really celebrates.
Sadaf Ahsan
May 5, 2022
Subhas Chandra Bose: A Legacy of Contradictions
The Bengali leader who fought for India’s independence admired both Nazi Germany and Soviet Communism. Some have tried to erase his story; others have co-opted him.
Kapil Komireddi
May 2, 2022
Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: 2022
This May, a roundup of 15 stories that celebrate South Asian American life, love, culture, and history.
The Juggernaut Editorial Team
April 4, 2022
Celebrating Dalit History Month: 2022
In celebration of Dalit’s History Month, here are some of our stories on Dalit history, culture, politics, literature, film, and more.
March 3, 2022
Celebrating Women's History Month: 2022
This March, read some of our best stories on icons across film, music, food, business, comedy, and more.
February 14, 2022
Our Top 15 Stories on Love: 2022
From interracial relationships to how South Asians fell in love with Korean dramas, dive into our favorite stories about love.
March 29, 2022
How Cartier Built an Empire by Claiming Indian and Islamic Art as its Own
From its Tutti Frutti collection to bejeweled cases, the French luxury jewelry house has long appropriated Eastern influences, calling it aesthetic exchange.
Sneha Mehta
March 24, 2022
How ‘The Dropout’ Recasts Sunny Balwani as the Angry Brown Man
The new Hulu series generously gives founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes a back story while only villainizing her counterpart, who faces similar charges of fraud.
March 17, 2022
Meet the Indian Family Behind Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations
Since 2019, an emerald dye from Chemworld International has been a key part of one of the country’s most unique Irish traditions.
Natasha Noman
March 7, 2022
Indra Nooyi is an Optimist
We chatted with the former PepsiCo CEO about crypto, support structures for thriving families, how she came to love pizza, and much more.
October 31, 2021
"Play by Play"
Our October 2021 crossword.
Kapil Mehta
&
Sally Hoelscher
September 30, 2021
"Kitchen Talk"
Our September 2021 crossword.
Sid Sivakumar
August 28, 2021
"Across the Pond"
Our August 2021 crossword.
Priyanka Sethy
Matthew Stock
July 30, 2021
"Inner Child"
Our July 2021 crossword.
Will Nediger
May 4, 2022
Revisiting ‘Fauji,’ the Genesis of King Khan
Thirty years since Shah Rukh Khan’s silver screen debut, we reexamine the dreadful show with a star-making performance.
Siddhant Adlakha
April 29, 2022
Kevin G. Was Ahead of His Time
‘Mean Girls’ used the mathlete and badass M.C. for comedic relief, but ultimately he gets the last laugh.
Ishani Nath
April 26, 2022
Meera Syal Refuses to Be Disappointed
The star of 'Goodness Gracious Me' and 'The Kumars at No. 42' brought audiences unapologetic portrayals of South Asian womanhood — and she's just getting started.
Shrai Popat
April 25, 2022
Irani Bakes Spread Through India. Now, They’re Disappearing.
As Parsi cafés shutter, Irani bakes that have become teatime staples — from mawa cake to nankhatai — are at risk of vanishing, too.
Mallika Basu
March 2, 2022
How Maggi Created a Generation of Experimental Cooks
The iconic instant noodles packet turns 40 in India, its biggest market, this year. Here’s how Maggi, despite a 2015 ban in the country, reshaped snacks and meals forever.
Shirin Mehrotra
February 23, 2022
Rowdy Rooster Wants You to Fall in Love with Indian Fried Chicken
Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya — behind New York City restaurants Adda, Dhamaka, and Semma — just launched their first quick-serve concept.
Snigdha Sur
January 28, 2022
How India Made Ice Cream a Dessert of its Own
Once the mainstay of the colonial elite, ice cream — thanks to American GIs and Indian entrepreneurs — soon became the ubiquitous and flavorful treat that it is today.
Meher Mirza
February 16, 2022
Opinion: Eileen Gu and the Hyphenated American Dream
The Chinese American skier’s choice to represent China in the Olympics is thrillingly subversive. But is her story so different from that of our immigrant parents?
Bryant Sharma
January 18, 2022
Opinion: R.K. Narayan’s Idyllic Malgudi Might Not Be Enough
The famed short story writer created a utopia that rarely mentions caste or politics. It is the place where we may want to escape, but not where we can live.
Priya-Alika Elias
October 19, 2021
Opinion: How the U.S. Failed Evacuation Efforts in Afghanistan
The U.S. administration congratulated themselves on their evacuation efforts in Afghanistan. A volunteer on the ground in Kabul writes about how botched these efforts really were.
Ruchi Kumar
October 15, 2021
Opinion: Aryan Khan is Paying the Price for Being Muslim in India
Though they couldn’t find any drugs on him, officials arrested Shah Rukh Khan’s son during a drug raid and denied him bail — a reminder that being Muslim in India means living at the government’s mercy.
Poulomi Das
April 27, 2022
A Guide to Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis — And What Comes Next
For the first time since its 1948 independence, Sri Lanka has defaulted on its debts as it plunges deeper into an economic and constitutional crisis.
April 5, 2022
Where is Bobby Jindal?
The once-rising star of the Republican party — the second Indian American to be elected to Congress — has receded from the public eye, leaving us to examine his mixed legacy.
Mrinali Dhembla
March 23, 2022
What Makes The Kashmir Files Controversial
The blockbuster film has repurposed the true story of the horrific mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits for political gain, fanning calls for violence.
Meher Manda
April 11, 2022
How Aditi Shah Built a Following By Teaching People to Be Still
Peloton’s only South Asian instructor is bringing yoga and meditation to the digital space while honoring their roots. And now, she’s Puma’s latest ambassador.
April 8, 2022
Simone Ashley on Who Gets to Be Seen as Sexy and Desirable
The Bridgerton star chats about shifting narratives, *that* haldi scene, and why she keeps her Kate Sharma-inspired playlist close to her chest.
April 1, 2022
Arooj Aftab Creates Music As if it Were a Living Thing
The Grammy-nominated artist leans into intuition, experimentation, and improvisation to make music that isn’t meant to be a quick hit, but something deeper.
Aamina Khan
March 22, 2022
Love is Blind’s Sita Aunty Shares Her Secret to a Successful Marriage
Shake’s mother, the dating reality show’s unlikely hero, explains her secret to a successful marriage (hint: it isn’t meeting someone on a reality show).
July 19, 2021
How Amar Bose Engineered Today’s Sound
A curious Bengali American kid with a love for tinkering built a multi-billion-dollar company and changed the way we listen to music.
Atul Bhattarai
May 11, 2021
“The Great Escape”: Sri Lanka and the Maldives Bear the Brunt of COVID Vacations
India’s elite continued to vacation in the island nations amid a raging pandemic.
May 6, 2021
“Be Careful”: WhatsApp Forwards Spread Fear and Misinformation
Messages intended to increase awareness of potential COVID transmission among South Asian Americans, but the impact has been more alarming.
May 5, 2021
To Be a Non-COVID Patient in India Right Now
With the country’s overburdened healthcare system focused on fighting COVID, non-COVID patients assume lowest priority.
February 17, 2022
How South Asians Fell in Love with Tennis
Though no Grand Slam singles champion has emerged from the subcontinent, the sport has created superfans in both the diaspora and the homeland.
Bhavya Dore
February 9, 2022
Could Carrom Make it to the Olympics?
The beloved board game in India has long faced challenges in becoming an international sporting sensation. Some players and associations are trying to change that.
Sukhada Tatke
August 5, 2021
India’s Siddis and the Olympic Dream
India has won only 33 Olympic medals since 1900 — none in track and field. Now, new local sports programs are working with Siddi athletes to produce Olympic glory.