Latest stories

Zohra Segal: Begum Ballerina

A dancer, actor, and revolution all packed into one, Segal embodied carefree womanhood on and off screen.

‘Swades’ and the NRI Burden

The 2004 Shah Rukh Khan film broke away from the fantasy of overseas glamour. Instead, it showed us the political responsibility of returning home.

The Shifting Tides of India’s Seafood Traditions

Though plentiful and sustainable, shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters, and snails barely make an appearance in popular accounts of Indian seafood.

How Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan Weaves Nuance into Marginalized Identities

Whether it’s caste, gender, class, or sexual orientation, the director behind "Masaan" and "Geeli Pucchi" dissects every theme with refreshing sensitivity.

Biden is Embracing FDR’s Radicalism — With a Crucial Difference

As he channels the World War II-era president in setting his agenda during the first 100 days, Biden is relying on Kamala Harris as his partner.

How Twitter became India’s COVID E.R.

Jaded by the health care system, Indians are taking to social media, offering and requesting help to save lives. But this is no feel-good human story.

How Trader Joe’s Became Known for Its Indian Food

The American grocery chain inadvertently built a line of products — from lamb vindaloo to spicy chakri mix — that appeal to South Asians and non-South Asians alike.

Valarie Kaur: “Grieve with Us, Stand with Us, Reach Out to Us”

The civil rights lawyer, filmmaker, and Sikh American activist speaks out about the recent Indianapolis shooting, which killed four Sikh Americans.

Beyond Indianapolis: The Enduring Trauma of Anti-Sikh Violence in America

“I have been spat at and asked to go back, just because of our clothing, just because of our skin color, just because of our articles of faith.”

How the Mrs. Sri Lanka Incident Stirred the Pageant Pot

The uncrowning and recrowning of Pushpika De Silva is causing many to question why one’s marital status — and beauty pageants — matter in the first place.

Why You Can’t Help But Love Strings

What set the Pakistani pop rock group — which disbanded after 33 years — apart was a fortuitous blend of timing and talent.

The Weight of Parsi Toddy

How an ancient tradition cemented itself in Parsi kitchens, and why it is now fading away.

How India Made Chess and its Champions

The country that invented the ancient game is now producing some of the world’s biggest chess champions.

Why Memories of Burma Live On in Chennai

Wealth faded, political rifts widened, but the Indian-Burmese connection lives on.

How a Nepali Drama Deconstructs Male Ego

Filmmaker Khyentse Norbu’s latest, “Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache,” captures a man’s journey through the chaotic rift between the spiritual and the modern.

How Posto Became Bengal’s Comfort Food

The rise of poppy in Bengali cuisine went hand in hand with the British love for tea.

Charles Sobhraj: The Serpent Who Charmed India

The BBC-Netflix co-production shows the serial killer for what he is: a cold-blooded escape artist and convicted international criminal.

How Recent Senate Hearings are Confirming our Fears of Sexism

In the taxonomy of American power, vocal women are castigated for taking up any space at all.

A Year into Lockdown, South Asian New Yorkers Share their Stories

Six South Asians — the Asian subgroup with the highest number of positive cases and hospitalizations — lay bare their pandemic experiences.

How Sanjena Sathian of “Gold Diggers” Creates Magic

The writer reveals how her debut novel uses the unreal and ineffable to answer questions about identity, ambition, and our place in history.