Travel. Stories. Poetry.
Rural Sociology by Dr. Dilip Shah is not a page-turner. It is not meant to be. It is an academic text that’s structured, dense, and methodical. For anyone unfamiliar with the rural social structure of India, it serves as a foundational introduction. It presents a holistic view of how caste, economy, land relations, welfare programmes,... Continue Reading →
Living up to its name, The Rapid Rise of China 🇨🇳 by Minakshi Goyal is truly a rapid yet insightful journey through China’s transformation 🚀 Written in simple, magazine-like language, it makes complex political and economic history easy to grasp 📚 From Mao Zedong’s revolution to Deng Xiaoping’s reforms and Xi Jinping’s strategies, this journey... Continue Reading →
In my freshman year (exactly a decade ago! 🎓) Ram G Vallath came for a motivational talk and gave us a signed copy of his book ‘Ouch to Oops’. Back then, I just skimmed a few pages before it gathered dust on my bookshelf 📚 But time has its own plans ⏳. I finally read... Continue Reading →
Ambedkar.A name that resonates with uplifting millions from discrimination. The father of Indian constitution. A prodigy with countless degrees. A life that continues to inspire. Out of all the narratives that make up Ambedkar's remarkable journey, one stands out peculiarly unique. Seen through the lens of a boy made to sit outside the classroom, ostracized... Continue Reading →
No one is a stranger to the big fat Indian weddings - the pomp, glam, and glitter. Beneath the superficial enormity, when one dives deep in, the sociological threads emerge into patterns of reference group behaviour. The buzz around the grand scale of celebrity weddings is known to every corner of the world, credits to social media. These big weddings are not just personal events of the upper classes, but also serve as an inspiration for the middle and lower classes. It becomes an aspirational group, the one towards which individuals look up to. This leads to a mimicking of behaviour and rituals, with anything original hardly left.
People all over the Indian sub continent including the vast diaspora spread across the world celebrate the festivals of Dasara and Diwali with much fervour. These festivals, 21 days apart, are the triumph of good over evil. Festivals of victory and light. Festivals that dawned peace upon the land. But in terms of peace, there... Continue Reading →
P.S: A beautiful art I found in a museum in Jerusalem I read an article in The Hindu about an intimidating experience a journalist had with security forces in Israel-Palestine. He was a part of the Prime Minister of India's team who was in the Middle East on a state visit. His article took me... Continue Reading →
The magnitude of how far women have come in workplaces hits you sometimes. I was sitting in a room with three other women reviewing a document. We stumbled upon a notable personality in society who recently commented that women should be confined to their houses. We heard his whole speech. By the end of it,... Continue Reading →
To answer that, we have to bring our eyes from the high pedestal above the clouds back to the ground. Are our systemic functionalities detached from the ground reality that a majority of Indians never owned a coat or suit in their entire life. How many in India can afford buying all those expensive suits with branded labels?
I go after you, chase youI insult you, tear you down When you fight back, I’ll trip myselfAnd blame you for my fall Yes it’s insane.But do you know my dreams? I once dreamt of a houseNow I hurl stones at others’ houses I dreamt of a fancy carNow I burn tires in protest I... Continue Reading →
Vineesha Badabhagni 