The Tibetan gully boys who have found a new groove
Young rappers who grew up in refugee colonies find new connections with their lost homeland through a gritty genre
Who me?
Co-ordinating Editor, Features at The Times of India, Mumbai | Chevening SAJP Fellow | Formerly with The Telegraph, Calcutta
Couldn’t believe what the newspapers said and so I became a journalist! It's been 19 years since and what a life-coach it's been as I wake up to it’s power and value, every morning. A good story isn't always about the president or popstar but everyday people and places with compelling tales. Those are the stories I hope to tell... and find the extraordinary in the ordinary!
How Jodhpur's restored stepwells are becoming cultural hubs
On a typical afternoon at Jodhpur’s Toorji ka Jhalra, an ancient stepwell within the walled part of the old city, one can spot local teens flinging themselves off its intricately carved ledges before vanishing into the cool, green water below only to surface seconds later, grinning. Watching them, it’s almost impossible to believe that this 18th-century relic was a dumping ground, buried under decades of stagnant water, not too long ago. Across the city, multipronged efforts are on to reclaim these subterranean marvels.
In a 1st, 140 Indian artisans weave history for Vatican Library show | Mumbai News - The Times of India
For centuries, the Vatican Library has been a vault of historical records housing some of the world’s most treasured texts including ancient Hindu scriptures. This year, history gets a fresh spin—told not through ink and paper but needle and thread—stitched, woven, and embroidered by Indian artisans.
Why music icons come knocking on this Beyonce collaborator’s door
The last time Robert Randolph set foot in Mumbai, a monkey stole his lunch. “At the Elephanta Islands,” he laughs. “Man, I had a great time. The food, the people… I bought a suitcase full of linen shirts and pants.” That was over a decade ago, when he first played at the Mahindra Blues Festival—guesting with Buddy Guy in 2012, then closing the festival in 2013. Returning for his third stint at the blues fest, “It’s gonna be a high-energy bluesy, rock and roll show,” he promises. “People should come ready to dance!”
Rs 20,000 loan to luxe legend: Sabyasachi marks 25-year milestone
At 50 and on the cusp of celebrating 25 years in the fashion industry with a grand show in Mumbai on Jan 25, couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee is refreshingly unromantic about his achievements. “A lot of people think I’m a big deal but for me, it’s like running any other business. I’m not an engineer nor a doctor. I don’t save lives or build bridges. I make clothes and get an undue amount of attention for that.”
When giving is a way of life
You don’t need a billionaire’s bank balance to make a world of impact. And that’s what a community called Living My Promise (LMP) is proving, by making philanthropy accessible by encouraging Indians with a net worth of Rs 1 crore or more to pledge at least 50% of their wealth to causes close to their hearts.
Wonder drug or worrying fad? Inside the year of Ozempic
Several celebrities, including Elon Musk, Amy Schumer, and Sharon Osbourne, have publicly discussed their use of the drug. Though it’s not legally available in India, 2024 saw Indians stashing boxes of the drug in their carry-on luggage during trips to the US or even jetting off to wellness clinics in the Middle East to shed the pounds.
Drips after sips: IV therapy is the new hangover hack
From aspirin to avocado, hair of dog to hot baths—the tried and failed list of hangover cures is long. This year, a new hero has entered the ring. To undo the aftershocks of a party, people are getting bespoke IV drips instead of a greasy breakfast. But it's not withour risks, warn experts
Can we be the first generation that doesn’t die, asks age-reversal guru Bryan Johnson
A chat with the fascinating techie-turned-age reversal guru Bryan Johnson who’s on a mission to “defeat death” with his intriguing ‘Blueprint’ to slow ageing and a ‘Don’t Die’ community that he’s now bringing to India with the hashtag #MarnaMat
Global Team Including TIFR Confirms Einstein's Gravity Across the Universe
TIFR is part of global team to come up with exciting new study that confirms Einstein’s theory of gravity works the same way across the entire universe. The breakthrough is important because of its precision that could solve new cosmic mysteries
Maharashtra Women Voter Aid Schemes: Promises, Skepticism, and Choices
Political parties are in a bidding war, each upping the stakes to woo women voters. But can a few extra thousands really sway a vote? Some find the handouts meaningful. Others question the timing & if these are enough when other issues need attention
Death by black magic: Why an 11-year-old was sacrificed inside his own school
Last month, an 11-year-old boy died in a ritual murder. Blind faith, lack of awareness and inadequate legal mechanisms allow these practices to continue
TIFR study uses psychedelic drug to trace neuron that can reduce anxiety
The word psychedelic may evoke wild, mind-bending trips out of the ‘60s. But what if the same trippy substances used in LSD & magic mushrooms could be harnessed to treat mental health issues? A TIFRScience
team may have unlocked that
team may have unlocked that
Black is back but guess who is scalping your Coldplay tickets?
Remember dus-ka-tees outside cinemas? Black is back—online. Ticket scalping that crushed Coldplay fans isn’t just for concerts anymore. Tech experts weigh in on how bots skip queues for gigs, matches & train tickets and what event sites could do to prevent it
‘I envy your country, you still have many movie theatres,’ says Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore
Italian filmmaker Giuseppe Tornatore. The man is a curious mix of bittersweet nostalgia for the past and excitement for how AI might level the playing field for future filmmakers
Modern Medicine Collaborates with Traditional Healers to Transform Tribal Healthcare
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! In tribal areas where traditional healers hold more trust than doctors, a tribal health collective is partnering with these vaidyas to bridge gaps in healthcare—making them allies, not competitors, to modern medicine
Biometric Identity Crisis: Hand Transplant Recipients Face Challenges
In a world where biometrics are key to identity, what happens when it doesn’t quite match up? A number of transplant patients find themselves in a twilight zone as surgeries rob them of their digital uniqueness
Pink chaddis to spine models, how small props play big role in protests
In India, civil unrest usually involves chants, posters, street plays, night marches, songs… & sometimes, something more tangible to get a point across - protest props - everyday objects that are hard to miss, harder to ignore & the desperation that drove people to it
Makdi madness: India weaves web of friendly neighbourhood Spideys
Wondering why spandexed crusaders are sprawled on car bonnets or rolling rotis? For young content creators, the Spiderman costume has a special superpower
NHRC issues new guidelines to end discrimination against widows
In May 2022, two villages in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district banned regressive customs against widows, inspiring others. MP Supriya Sule introduced a bill to eliminate these practices. Recently, NHRC issued guidelines for protecting widows' rights, including setting up support cells and maintaining welfare homes
As ‘killfie’ threat mounts, what happened to planned no-selfie zones?
With people losing their lives while trying to capture the perfect shot, 16 'no-selfie zones' were planned in Mumbai in 2016. Eight years later, the much-hyped ‘no-selfie zones’ are nowhere to be found
Michelin meals to logo-less luxe, the new, new status symbols
Michelin meals to logo-less luxe, the new, newer status symbols or what you can call the new flexes of the elite
Meet Kyra, Naina and Zara, the new AI influencers who even get hit on
Whether it’s taking part in pageants, chatting up celebs or becoming the face of brands, India’s rising tribe of AI models is disrupting the influencer industry
Long live longevity! Why everyone is trying to turn the clock back
A greying world has meant a new focus on living longer and healthier. A look at how science and money are coming together in the quest for immortality
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