India Archives

From Fan to Fanatic: How to Spot a Die-Hard Cricket Nut

In India, everyone is a cricket fan. But it takes something special to be a cricket fanatic. A die-hard fan does not eat an apple but practises bowling with it. He grows up to be the only uncle in the building who does not get mad when a ball hits his window.

Hardik Rajgor June 18, 2016

First Person

Lessons in Joy from My Autistic Son

I’d hoped that my child, diagnosed with severe autism could be mainstreamed, could be like other children. We didn’t know it but this relentless hope was killing us.

Rita Malik June 17, 2016

POV

The 3 Mistakes of Chetan Bhagat

Dear Chetan Bhagat, you don’t get to play the victim card at a time when women are coming forward to share their stories of real oppression. To whine about how the controversy about your “wooing” chats has prevented you from promoting your latest book only makes you look like a self-serving schmuck.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 16, 2016

Pop Culture

Alia Bhatt: The Shahenshah of Our Generation

Alia Bhatt boasts of the hottest opening streak in modern Indian film history, beating Amitabh Bachchan and the Khans hands down.

Parthshri Arora June 15, 2016

POV

The Case For Not Being Born: What’s the Mumbai Man Who Wants to Sue his Parents Thinking?

There is a philosophical basis for the arguments of Raphael Samuel, the Mumbai man suing his parents for being born. But in carrying out a superficial social-media stunt rather than addressing the issue with any nuance, his intent is hard to discern.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 15, 2016

Sports

By Beating Australia, Has Virat Kohli Conquered the Final Frontier?

Virat Kohli has become the first Indian captain to win a Test series against Australia in Australia, solidifying his legacy and having his name etched in the record books. Could this be the real feather in his cap, the mother of all his achievements so far?

Hardik Rajgor June 14, 2016

Sports

Can India Really Win the World Cup with a Shaky Middle Order?

Should the pattern of India’s top three batsmen firing in every single game break, does India have adequate alternate sources to find runs from? Should the team be worried about its middle order, ahead of the semi-final?

Parth Pandya June 14, 2016

Gender

The Other F-Word

I used to be one of those people who thought feminism was “too loaded a word” and feminists were victim-complexed man-haters. And then, I grew up.

Namaah June 13, 2016

Gender

Candlelight Marches in Assam, Gang Rape in Delhi: Eight Years After Nirbhaya, Sexual Violence Still Plagues Indian Women

In Delhi, a 14-year-old girl was raped by four men aged 17 to 30. In Bengaluru, a 20-year-old nursing student from Assam was raped and murdered. It’s horrific but headlines like these have become far too frequent in 2020.

Arré Bench June 13, 2016

Pop Culture

KBC: The Show Where Not Everyone is a Crorepati, But Everyone’s a Winner

A family can be divided over an issue as serious as politics or as frivolous as what radio channel to play in the car. But have Amitabh Bachchan pop up on the screen, pose a trivia question with four options, and they’ll come together to solve it in a happy ending befitting a Yashraj film.

Dushyant Shekhawat June 13, 2016