PERSPECTIVES

Bollywood Director With a Panache for Storytelling Enthralls South Asian Literature and Art Festival

The grand finale on Sept. 13 at the South Asian Literature and Art Festival (SALA)…

‘Chhaunk’: An Afternoon With Abhijit Banerjee at the South Asian Literature and Art Festival 2025

On a golden September afternoon at the South Asian Literature and Art Festival (SALA), I…

Arundhati Roy’s Memoir is a Complex, Searing Tale of Volatility and Brilliance, Of Human Failings and Cruelty

I finished reading Arundhati Roy’s memoir, “Mother Mary Comes To Me” – in three days.…

Why a Brutal Beheading of a Brown Man Was Met With Media Silence While Brutal Stabbing of a Blonde Woman Became a Cause Célèbre?

Imagine a mundane disagreement at work. A motel manager asked an employee not to use…

Dose of Realism: Review of ‘Decolonizing Environmentalism: Alternative Visions and Practices for Environmental Action’

You favor public transportation and barely use your electric car. You recycle, buy FSC-certified furniture,…

Shyam Madiraju’s Masterful ‘55’ Isn’t Just a Film. It’s a Gut Punch Dressed Up As a Street Fable

Jet-lagged and restless after my recent return from Mumbai, I found myself unable to focus.…

The Growing Hatred for Indian Americans: A Reflection on History and Patterns of Scapegoating

I have never been comfortable with the posture of victimhood. Not for the sake of…

The Radiance of Saffron: Exploring the Connections Between Ancient Knowledge and Modern Skin Science

On a recent trip to India, I found myself reflecting on how traditional skincare rituals,…

Audrey Truschke’s Subaltern Interpretation of India Through 120,000 Years of History is Engaging But Limits Its Scope and Objectivity

Audrey Truschke’s ‘India: 5000 Years of History on the Subcontinent’ (Princeton University Press, June 2025)…

This Ganesh Chaturthi, My Mother Took Her First Steps Into a New life, a New Birth

oOn August 27th, 2025, Ganesh Chaturthi coincided with the 10th day of my mother’s passing.…

Open Letter to Congressman Krishnamoorthi About the Democratic Party’s Shameful Silence On Gaza Genocide

Dear Congressman Krishnamoorthi, In response to your numerous appeals for donations, I am sharing my…

From ‘Howdy, Modi’ to Adios Amigo: How the Much-Vaunted Modi-Trump Friendship Imploded

Even those who were dismayed by Trump 1.0, let alone 2.0, couldn’t have foreseen how…

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