Vikas Swarup, Q&A Author Discusses New Book, Writing Process, and Diplomacy
Former diplomat and author Vikas Swarup (left) with journalist Vir Sanghvi (right) during the book launch of The Girl with the Seven Lives at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on July 19. | Photo Credit: Vitasta Kaul The appreciation he received for his “authentic portrayal” of women in his
The More Thunderous the Chanting of Jai Sri Ram, the More Sita Fades Out: Ranabir Chakravarti
Ranabir Chakravarti finds the Sangh Parivar’s projection of the singularity of the mode of veneration of Ram in the tradition of the Ramcharitmanas problematic. | Photo Credit: By Special Arrangement Dissecting the Sangh Parivar’s muscular reimagining of Ram, historian Ranabir Chakravarti traces how this narrow view clashes with India’s rich
Tripura’s Forgotten Risha: The Ancient Fabric Making a Comeback
Once upon a time, not so long ago, tribal women of Tripura carried the forested landscape of the tiny north-eastern State in their hearts in the form of a narrow band of cloth with intricately woven patterns of butterflies, birds and leaves that they wore on their breasts. Called risha,
Mosuo: China’s Last Matrilineal Society
WATCH | Mosuo: China’s last matrilineal society The Mosuo, only 40,000 strong, run their world differently from most: women are in charge. | Video Credit: Camera and editing by Samson Ronald K.; Presentation by Saatvika Radhakrishna; Supervising producer: Jinoy Jose P. On the shores of the picturesque Lugu Lake in
Why Is Ukraine’s Theater Scene Thriving Amid War?
“For these occasions I choose a beautiful dress, do my makeup, and wear perfume. These are rare opportunities we lost during the war,” Olena Vdovychenko, a theatergoer living in Kyiv tells DW. For her, the theatre is a beautiful escape. It had always been special—long before the Russian invasion. And the daily air
James Baldwin, Influential Writer and Civil Rights Figure Turns 100
James Baldwin in London on February 22, 1965. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives James Baldwin was born in the New York district of Harlem in 1924, when the world was already deeply racist. Poverty was rampant and there was police violence. Baldwin grew up with eight siblings. His stepfather
Why We Must Read More Women Writers | Celebrating Women In Translation Month (#WITMonth)
Writers, especially those from different backgrounds, experiences, and cultural contexts, must be given a voice that would enable readers to experience the world through someone else’s eyes. | Photo Credit: Aaron Burden/Unsplash As someone who began reviewing books online at the age of 11, research biologist and book blogger Meytal
Tribute | James Baldwin: Remembering the Iconic Writer and Civil Rights Activist in his Centenary Year
Thinking with Baldwin. Yes, this happens when you read an author and cannot get their words out of your head. Their words become the background music to your thoughts. For this to happen, writers must be incredibly in love with life while in search of their roots, battling their own
Controversy | Justice Hema Committee Report Reveals Harassment Female Actors Face in Malayalam Film Industry
The much-awaited report of the Justice Hema Committee, the government-appointed panel in 2019 that studied issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, comprises explosive accounts of harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment being faced by women. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives The Justice Hema Committee report released on August
Destination India: Foreign Artists’ Vivid Portrayals of Colonial India (1857-1947)
The English geographer, historian, and cartographer James Rennell, known for his strikingly accurate maps of India, wrote in the preface to his 1788 book, Memoir of a Map of Hindoostan; or The Mogul Empire “…almost every particular relating to Hindoostan is [sic] become an object of popular curiosity.” Rennell, of course, was using the