PERSPECTIVES

Breaking the Class and Cultural Barriers: Why Kabir Khan’s ‘83’ Moved Middle-aged Indian Men to Tears

The movie 83 had been in the making for a few years now. When I…

The Unbearable Lightness of Swiping Right: How Dating Apps and Hookup Culture Have Made Us Averse to Meaningful Relationships

Dating nowadays is more difficult than jumping out of an airplane. The chances of surviving…

Making the Connection: How We Raised Our Adopted Children to be Proud of Their Indian Selves

We were noticed. We were ignored. We were stared at. We were talked about. We…

Melting Pot of Cultures: How My American Parents Shaped an Indian Adoptee’s Life

Thanks to advances in DNA testing and a dash of Hollywood theatrics (I’m looking at…

Two Views of Time to Contemplate in 2022: Netflix’s ‘Don’t Look Up’ and ‘Decoupled’

As we go through the rituals of the end of one year and the beginning…

Coming to America: They Couldn’t Find a Box That Fit Me. And I Couldn’t Fit Into the Box They Shoved Me In

In my early twentiestwo suitcases, seventy pounds eachI arrived in America. Where are you from?A…

2021: A Year When HungerMitao Rallied Indian and Asian American Communities to Fight Hunger Amid the Pandemic

Here we are, 2021 is coming to an end. What a year it has been!…

A Clear Reflection in Cloudy Waters: How I Navigated 2021 Through Turbulent Transition to Adulthood

The 21st year of the 21st century has been anything but ordinary. As we approach…

2021 and the Tale of Two Homes: I Feel Guilty Not Merely for Surviving the Pandemic But Surviving It in Comfort

It’s surreal to think it has been two years of the pandemic, of quarantining and…

On the Bright Side: 21 Things That Happened This Year That Made My 2021 One for the Books

I have annual end-of-year traditions that typically revolve around reflections, mainly because I know without…

2021 Was All About Family, Pursuing My Passions and Getting Out of the Comfort Zone

As I spent Christmas day at home with my family this year, I looked back…

The Impermanence of 2021: How Theater Helped Me Survive the Year of Dystopian Pandemic

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutesHow do you measure? Measure a year? —…