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Issue 23

Issue XXIII: Editor’s Note

The ‘economy’ is an elusive term. In all its intricacies and grandiosity, this complex webwork that carries flows of money, people, and capital almost resembles a colourful living being. It breathes, expands and sometimes utterly collapses under its own weight. We can try to keep it healthy and enjoy the opulence it provides or we…

Issue 23

How Does the Western Media Portray South Asia?

Shree Bhattacharyya With the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka, Shree Bhattacharyya does a deep dive into the representation of South Asia by the western media and inspects the neglect, possible biases, and lack of adequate coverage that may be seeping into media attention of South Asia.

Issue 23

Dividing Karnataka

Maya Sharma Over the past few months, the targeting of minorities appears to have become more widespread and on a range of different issues. And the BJP state government does not seem to be coming down as hard as it should on such blatant discrimination. Far from it.

Issue 23

India’s Growth Prospects – Are They Really Deterred by Religious Majoritarianism and Polarisation?

Fahad Hasin In a recent statement, former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan warned that an “anti-minority” image could harm India’s growth prospects due to reduced demand for Indian products in the global market. One might argue instead that proper economic growth could further overshadow and mask the rising religious polarisation in the short-medium run.

Issue 23

India’s Beef With Meat

Lakshya Sharma Food, delicious? Think again, it is much more than what you eat. It is a symbol of identity, a carrier of culture, a link to ancestry, and a mark of pride. Growing from all this, food can also emerge as a locus point of polarization. It transforms from a symbol of care and…

Issue 23

Can India Afford to Make Hindi Its Sole Official Language?

Biplob Kumar Das Amit Shah recently stated that Hindi should become the common language that different states communicate in, replacing English. While the statement has invited considerable criticism from the opposition, there is also a need to critically engage with such a proposal. Biplob Kumar Das writes the about the problems with enforcing Hindi as…

Issue 23

A New Law Aims to Open Government Data to the Public. Can We Trust It to Deliver?

Rutuparna Deshpande Developments in an era of rapid digitization have coursed through many major world events like the global pandemic. At each turn, the data public entities collect from global events–for example, patient numbers and inflation percentages–have shaped how we respond to crises. A new law wants to open this data to the public, though…

Issue 22

Issue XXII: Editor’s Note

The post-pandemic world has seen an upward trend in the discourse around mental health issues. Two years of an anxiety-inducing threat from Covid19 and its many variants, a prolonged period of isolation, and having to adapt to a life-altering “normal” has led to a deteriorating mental health situation around the world. Given such a context,…

Issue 22

Viral Videos and Inspirational Youths: A Conversation With Vinod Kapri

Maahira Jain and Shree Bhattacharyya On 20th March, Vinod Kapri’s video about Pradeep Mehra, a 19-year-old Indian Army aspirant, went viral. The video showed Mr. Mehra’s determination to run back every night from his place of work to his home so that he would be in shape to join the Army, and it inspired and…

Issue 22

The Bridge to Bridgerton

Lakshya Sharma Why is a 21st-century teenage audience hooked to a Regency-era period drama? What about Bridgerton makes it one of the most popular period dramas of our time? Not just Bridgerton, with Downton Abbey dropping their second movie this summer, and The Crown shooting its fifth season, have period dramas become the new go-to…

Issue 22

Racing Ahead: How The Popularity Of F1 Rebounded Globally

Sahil Mohan Gupta After the global success of Netflix’s Drive to Survive (2019), the popularity of Formula-1 racing raced to new heights. What does this success mean for F-1 racing in India? Saahil Mohan Gupta traces the happenings that led to this rapid growth.

Issue 21

Issue XXI: Editor’s Note

Over the last two pandemic-ridden years, there stands an exceedingly strong chance that the word ‘new-normal’ crept its way into every single one of our conversations. Interestingly, the word itself stands as a paradox, as something new is unlikely to ever feel unreservedly normal, especially when it brings hours of covering one’s face with medical…

Issue 21

On Russia-Ukraine, India is Boxed in by History and Geopolitics

Angshuman Choudhury Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has thrown up a delicate diplomatic moment for India. New Delhi today finds itself awkwardly lodged between two major camps, both of which are crucial for its evolving geopolitical, regional and national interests. The net outcome has been India taking a firmly neutral stance on the invasion – neither…

Issue 20

Issue XX: Editor’s Note

The 20th issue of Open Axis explores popular culture. We question how popular culture is framed, why it is both dynamic and malleable. Almost everything that we do – friends we make, conversations that we have, places that we travel to, media that we consume – is predicated upon the prevailing cultural trends around us.…

Issue 20

A Conversation on Intimacy With Aastha Khanna

Lakshya Sharma, Maahira Jain, and Reya Daya Gehariyaan became the first movie in India to have an Intimacy Director. This credit sparked curiosity in many minds. OpenAxis decided to have a conversation with the first Intimacy Coordinator of India, Aastha Khanna, about this new field.

Issue 20

What Will You Miss About Online Classes?

With Ashoka University starting offline classes on campus again after two years, OpenAxis asks the Ashoka student body what they will miss about online classes. Interviewer & Videographer: Jaidev Pant Video Editor: Shree Bhattacharyya

Issue 20

Growing Pains: The Dynamics of Workplace Culture in 2022

Maahira Jain Hybrid work culture in the pandemic brought wellbeing and employee development to the forefront of organizational policies. These shifts in work culture have created a shift in the mindset, and this flexibility of work life is here to stay.

Issue 20

Hindutva Beyond Politics: The Rise of an Alternate Pop-Culture in India

Biplob Kumar Das Since 2014, India has not only witnessed the electoral and political rise of Hindutva, but also an evolution in popular culture that is much more committed to Hindu Nationalism. Industries like Bollywood and independent artists across YouTube are now producing art that espouses Hindutva sentiments.

Issue 20

Documenting the Knights of the Western Ghats

Kalyan Varma The Lion-tailed Macaque is one of the world’s most endangered primates in the world. Marked by a distinctive silver mane, this species faces imminent extinction due to human activities. In this photo essay, acclaimed filmmaker and photojournalist Kalyan Varma journeys through the ancient rocks and rainforests of Southern India’s Western Ghat range to…

Issue 20

The Veil of Spirituality

Lakshya Sharma We occasionally hear news of people being deceived in the name of spiritual peace. But when people begin facing prosecution and jail time for their irrationality, it is time that we examine how alert we are on the path of spiritual peace

Issue 20

What is Ukraine’s Best Bet?

Saaransh Mishra While it is important to understand the roots of the invasion, pragmatically, the major concern right now is Ukraine defending itself against an indisputably mightier Russia. So, what exactly is Ukraine’s best bet?

Issue 20

The Economic Cost of Putin’s March Towards Kyiv

Rutuparna Deshpande As Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces continue their onslaught of Ukraine, disruptions to the global economy are starting to show their corrosive effects. How has this war bruised India’s economy?

Issue 19

Issue XIX: Editor’s Note

As the world recovers from a bruised way of living that a two-year-long pandemic and multiple lockdowns had inflicted upon us, humanity looks for respite. We turn towards our loved ones, we turn towards our communities, and we turn towards art. With art as a symbol of our perspective – one that has been forever…

Issue 19

Lata Mangeshkar: The Sweet Sound of Indian Unity

Ashwini Deshpande Lata Mangeshkar sang of harmony and love and her persona united India across divides — class, caste, religion, gender, linguistic. As we bow our heads collectively in her memory, we would do well to revive and strengthen the inclusive India which is defined by the sweet sound of her music.

Issue 19

India Art Fair 2022: Director Jaya Asokan On What to Expect This Year

Jaya Asokan Even though there is an active and growing interest in digital art, photography, performance art and so on, the buying we are seeing currently largely remains in the domain of more traditional art forms like painting, prints and sculpture. The fair is the perfect place to discover art, across a range of mediums,…

Issue 19

Another Decade, Another Drama: The Crown’s Controversies

Lakshya Sharma “Grief is the price we pay for love” – HM The Queen. A beautiful statement issued by our beloved queen on the death of Her Husband. The longest reigning female monarch in history has been in power forever. Here are the seven big dramas of her life.

Issue 19

Oops, I Got Influenced Again!

Lakshya Sharma “Somebody is Influenced!” is something we all have said to our friends and acquaintances at some point in our lives. But who influenced them? How are they able to influence them? What do these “influencers” have that separate them from the “influenced”?

Issue XVIII: Editor’s Note

The last year has been a rollercoaster for people around the globe. One might even come close to calling it a fever dream of sorts, with some months bringing us respite and optimism about a possible covid-free future, while others had us wrapped up in blankets, back to hosting virtual Christmas parties. Three mega covid-waves…

Issue 18

Keeping Up With Covid

Reya Daya Almost a month after the onset of the third wave, most Covid ICU beds across the country remain empty. Trends across Europe follow suit, with Omicron cases resulting in fewer hospitalizations. This begs the question – can India begin to live with the virus, and what will our new normal look like?

Issue 18

Harvesting a Vote Bank

Biplob Kumar Das Contesting on the backdrop of a successful year-long farmer’s agitation, the political parties in UP and Punjab have made several promises for farmers, ranging from MSPs to crop loss compensation and more.

Issue 18

What Constitutes a Constitution?

Adit Shankar A political tussle over the demand for a new constitution raises interesting questions about our relationship with the constitution, especially as it is increasingly perceived to be under threat. Open Axis explores this relationship.

Issue 18

Morphing a Monument

Ujjwala Shankar The decision to extinguish the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate elicited both admiration and outrage, but there might be problems with both reactions.

Issue 18

Call of Duty: A Surgical Strike on the Discrimination in the Indian Army

Shree Bhattacharyya With each march at the Beating Retreat, one can feel the echoes of generations of people who have selflessly served their country and continue to do so. However, among the assemblage of people who serve the country, there lie those who are grappling with their sexuality and are fighting to be recognised regardless of their gender.

Issue 18

Money, Money, Money- Always Funny in the Twitter World!

Jaidev Pant, Lakshya Sharma, Maahira Jain While ABBA may have written this song when Twitter was a thing of the future, money today is still funny, especially in a rich man’s world. The editors of this issue compile some of their favourite memes from the 2022-23 Union Budget.

Issue 18

Of Dance and Crumbling Havelis…

Justin McCarthy The renowned kathak dancer Birju Maharaj was a consummate master of rhythm, line and movement, and could improvise endlessly in expressional dance while himself singing a melodic line. In the light of his demise, Justin McCarthy writes on Indian dance today while simultaneously critiquing his own public writings on dance.

Issue 17

And ACTION! Towards a greener Bollywood?

Aritro Sarkar Like most Hindi blockbusters, making Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara cost thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide. Ten years on, is the industry ready to move towards sustainable film production?

Issue 16

Issue XVI: Editor’s Note

Today’s environmental movements face an unusual advisory – the crisis of communication. As the world around us rapidly moves on from one story to another, take a pause to read our latest issue dedicated to exploring the culture of reading. In the 16th issue of OpenAxis, our writers will give you a glimpse into the…

Issue 15

Get ready for Ruddy: Detective fighting crime in the wild

Devanshi Daga Rohan Chakravarty, founder of Green Humour is back with a new book: Naturalist Ruddy: Adventurer, Sleuth, Mongoose. But how did he come up with it during the pandemic? In a video chat with Devanshi Daga he opens up about his artistic journey, a love of birds and drawing people to the wild.

Issue 15

Issue XV: Editor’s Note

Adapt to restore ecosystems and protect communities. Mobilize major climate finance. Collaborate and accelerate actions that keep the 1.5-degree target within reach. These are the COP 26 focus areas at Glasgow’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), between October 31 – November 12, 2021. As global leaders discuss the doable, we feature interviews with doers. Ordinary…

Issue 14

The revolution begins from the street (art)

Devanshi Daga With street art gaining momentum in India, Devanshi Daga discusses the street as a social space, the impact of street art on its large audience and the messages it seeks to convey about the environment through discussing the works of three Indian street artists.

Issue 14

Issue XIV: Editor’s Note

With the leaders of the world – most of whom chosen by us – preparing to meet at the critical Conference of Parties 26 (COP26) gathering in the first weeks of November, this axis of environment and politics, is one whose outlines are becoming increasingly apparent. Before we get to unpacking what may be in…

Issue 13

Bats in a pandemic: Why should we care?

Devanshi Daga In India’s National Wildlife Week, Devanshi Daga connects several 2021 studies and a leading Indian field scientist’s focus on bats. What our attitudes are and what can shift them?

Issue 13

The End Of The Zoo: Has The Pandemic Changed The Way We See Zoos?

Aritro Sarkar In 2020 – 2021, when you and I have had to forcibly stay indoors, the idea of captivity itself has come to be belatedly resented, although it took the human experience of a generational pandemic for that to happen. In that light, how do we look at zoos, as venues premised on this…

Issue 13

Issue XIII: Editor’s Note

India’s 67th National Wildlife Week from 2– 8 October, 2021 is focusing on Forest & Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet, thematically. Through the 1950s, this commemoration went from a single day Wildlife Diwas to a whole week. Since then annually, Indians shine a torch on understanding what we have, what we are losing and what is shifting, in the life…

Issue 12

An extract from India and Asian Geopolitics: The Past, Present

Shivshankar Menon The problem is that several generations in India have been taught a version of history that ignores that India has for much of its past been well connected to the world and its prosperity and security have waxed and waned in direct proportion to that link.

Issue 12

Delineating the Consumption of Luxury Goods in a COVID-hit World

Muskaan Kanodia The COVID-19 pandemic shook the luxury goods industry from its bubble, putting their revenue and loyal clientele at stake. Not only did the brands face economic downfall but were also socially and culturally challenged to create more inclusive products. With visions of recovery and rebounding in 2021, luxury brands have a long road…

Issue 12

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai

Rujuta Singh The city of dreams is known for its gritty underworld as much as its glittering movie sets. The life of disgraced encounter specialist Sachin Vaze may help us see the link between the two.

Issue 11

Issue XI: Editors’ Note

The past year saw COVID-19 and lockdowns as the only issues one extensively engaged with, both in their personal and professional lives. The question, “how has the pandemic been treating you?” slipped into every catch-up conversation with peers, friends, family and colleagues. With the current surge of cases in India once again, it is safe…

Issue 11

Examining India’s Falling Rank on the World Happiness Index

Aanya Poddar As the world is getting wealthier, it is also becoming increasingly unhappy. Talking specifically of India, it has just dropped down on the World Happiness Index released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. This article explores India’s relationship with its neighbors and the reasons for the observed trends on the happiness index.

Issue 11

The Cost Of Peace in Afghanistan

Akanksha Mishra The rising violence by the Taliban in the past few weeks raises pertinent questions about its moderation and commitment to peace, as well as the U.S.’s priorities in Afghanistan. Should the U.S., in its haste to end the war, agree to a deal that will leave Afghanistan at the mercy of the Taliban,…

Issue 11

To Have Loved and Lost

Advaita Singh Paid leaves for parents after stillbirths or miscarriages are certainly a social issue. However, the effects of grief on productivity make it an economic issue in tandem. This gives the opportunity for inclusive legislation that can improve economic conditions and boost economic growth.

Issue 11

The Curious Case of the Electoral Calendar

Vaibhav Parik The fact that the ECI has conducted swifter elections in much larger states with equally (if not more) complicated situations, should refute any claims that they are not capable enough or do not possess the required resources. The fundamental question then is not that of the ECI’s capability, but of its prerogative.

Issue 11

The World ‘Wild’ Web and Why It Is No Place for A Woman With An Opinion

By Devika Goswami As the pandemic strengthened our online presence, it also led to violence against women spilling over to online spaces. Women who use social media as a part of their jobs, such as politicians, journalists, activists, academics, celebrities and artists, routinely face harassment for openly expressing their views online. To what extent is…

Issue 11

100 Days of Biden

Karantaj Singh The Biden administration has been highly optimistic by promising to meet an expansive agenda that includes controlling the coronavirus pandemic, enabling economic recovery, revising US climate policy and reviewing their health care system. Biden has also taken active steps to reverse Trump’s isolationist policies and decisions, alongside catalysing the process of restoring America’s…

Issue 11

Electric Vehicles in India: Focus on the Consumer, not the Car

By Rohan Pai India’s growing environmental concerns have pushed the Government of India to re-evaluate its energy choices, and look into sustainable modes of production. Some of the key initiatives being carried out are focused on the electrification of vehicles, and the long-awaited launch of Tesla Motors in the Indian market. These initiatives will be…

Issue 11

What makes the News?

By Madhulika Agarwal In this ever dynamic world, it often feels like multiple things are taking place simultaneously making it extremely difficult to keep up. But, with the overload of information available, how do the news outlets decide what to pick and what to leave behind? Who decides what makes the news?

Issue 11

Girlhood in Isao Takahata’s Only Yesterday

By Saadia Peerzada Coming of age films largely rely on romanticization of youth and fail to explore the humane aspects of the same. With Studio Ghibli coming to Netflix internationally in 2020, how does it bring its exploration of the human experience to the coming of age genre? How does Takahta’s Only Yesterday break away…

Issue 11

The Frailty of Quasi-Federalism in India

Saaransh Mishra The structure of federalism adopted by India to tackle post-independence challenges appears to be compatible with the unitary agenda of the Central government. Additionally, the BJP’s majority forming the Centre and its recurrent tendencies to bypass state governments’ and its citizens pose an extreme danger to federalism, which is one of the basic…

Issue 11

E-commerce Platforms and The Continued Mistreatment of Delivery Personnel

Samyukta Prabhu & Rohan Pai While Amazon’s Twitter antics have made news for all the wrong reasons, it has taken attention away from the delivery workers’ strikes worldwide. Hectic shifts, decreasing pay and lack of basic benefits are problems faced by delivery personnel across several e-commerce platforms. This article highlights the poor working conditions faced…

Issue 11

Has Mercedes Slowed Down F1 Revenue Growth?

Kavya Satish F1 has lost 129 million viewers since 2008, resulting in sponsors losing their incentive to use F1 as a way to advertise. What is it about the sport that has led to this loss – and what implications does it hold for its future?

Issue 11

Vote Banking the Temple Beautification Drive

By Muskaan Kanodia The drive to beautify temples might create history for the political parties and the government, but can it justify decades of individual and family histories that are simultaneously being erased from the cities?

Issue 11

Assam Assembly Election: Litmus Test for CAA and BJP

By Ridhima Manocha After less than 18 months of violent protests erupting against CAA in Assam, Assam’s assembly elections are underway. While the BJP has remained tactfully silent on CAA, the opposition has made Anti-CAA sentiments a plank to rally against BJP. Will the Assembly election be a litmus test to show if BJP will…

Issue X: Editors’ Note

In the past year, a major breakthrough in Science has been the Covid-19 vaccine but as the pandemic continues to take centre-stage in our lives—we wish to use this issue as an opportunity to highlight other important developments in Science and Technology. As footage from NASA’s Perseverance Rover driving on Mars’ terrain first came in,…

Issue 10

Power, Violence and The State: Can one exist without the other?

Rujuta Singh The idea that the state should have control over legitimate violence is widely accepted around the world. However, with several incidences of police brutality in the past year, this power is beginning to be questioned. Do states use violence to legitimize their sovereignty, and should this power be curbed?

Issue 10

Women in STEM: Nipped in the Bud.

Rama Akondy, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University. Learned behavioural traits that are important for developing STEM career goals in children such as decision making, critical thinking, curiosity and making independent choices outside of care-giving duties are either neglected or actively discouraged in a girl child from a young age.

Issue 10

Delhi’s Water Crisis: Not Just a Water Shortage Issue

Rohan Pai At the surface level, the Delhi-Haryana water dispute might seem like a problem with a straightforward solution, but in reality it is riddled with legal and political baggage that pose a serious threat to the availability of water for Delhi in the future. It is the need of the hour for elected representatives…

Issue 10

The Power Under My Burqa — Sri Lanka’s Proposal to Ban the Burqa

Harshita Bedi Sri Lanka’s ruling government recently announced a proposal for banning the burqa as well as more than 1,000 Islamic schools as they are seen to propagate ‘religious extremism’. With a clear Sinhalese Buddhist majority within the country as well as the current ruling government, why are markers of the minorities like the burqa…

Issue 10

University Spaces: Where the ‘Personal’ Becomes the ‘Political’

Ariba Universities can be understood as spaces where “private lives of people come together as public.” That is, where the personal becomes the political. These resistance movements, therefore, necessitate academic freedom in universities. Without the freedom to read and express ideas that do not adhere to the boundaries defined by the status quo, it is…

Issue 10

Decimating the Ego: Exploring the Discourse Around Dreams, Drugs and the ‘Trip’ to Scientific Discovery

Ashana Mathur The inspiration for scientific discoveries like The Theory of Relativity, the structure of DNA and the discovery of Insulin, literary masterpieces like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Frankenstein, Satisfaction and The Terminator, lies at the intersection of dreams, psychedelic drugs and the unconscious mind. A recent breakthrough, in which scientists were able to…

Issue 10

The Viability of Utopia Today

Alexandra Verini Does imagining perfect worlds serve our present or our future, or do utopias simply set us up for disappointment and failure?

Issue 10

Commodification of Female Passing Bodies in the Age of OnlyFans

Madhulika Agarwal With everything getting digitalised, sex work too is moving online, offering more liberty to the content creators of the same. However, a lot of conversation regarding online sex work focuses only on the progressive aspect of it, choosing to ignore the dangers that come associated with the same.

Issue 10

‘Mining’ Nothing but a Grave

Tanish Bafna With the Parliament gearing up to pass a new cryptocurrency bill, investors and entrepreneurs are desperately scrambling to keep a dialogue open with the government. Given that the State is unlikely to change its stance, will India be potentially missing out on the next big thing since the Internet?

Issue 10

New Beginning for Humanity or Anarchy?- A look into Space Laws

Saman Fatima While both of these projects are still in the making, with predictive claims for the future, the presence of these ideas makes one question how society would be structured in the future. These projects also leave room to think about climate change, the future of the earth and who will be offered an…

Issue 10

Unpacking History: The Nexus Between Politics and Academic Freedom

Open Axis Staff Time and again, the freedom of universities, faculties and students in places around the world has come into question by the state and has often been curbed through laws and regulations. In some instances, even violence has been used to clamp down on the freedom of these voices. This piece shall explore…

Issue 10

Menstrual Health in Rural India

Ananya Rao The state’s emphasis on sanitary pads above all other forms of menstrual hygiene, without the ability to provide enough, is not only economically expensive and environmentally unsustainable but also weans women away from traditional methods such as cloth without providing a viable alternative. Further, the solution is also ineffective as it does not…

Issue 10

Silence of the Players: The FIFA World Cup and Human Rights in Qatar

Shourjo Chatterjee Many footballers who are aware of the situation unfolding in Qatar are likely to face some degree of moral conflict or external pressure whether or not to use their reach to advocate change, or even a complete boycott. The risk of losing one’s place in the team, being restricted from speaking out by…

Issue 10

Covid-19 Vaccines: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Amrita Singh What are the differences between all the Covid-19 vaccines out there? Why does the Pfizer vaccine have to be stored at -70 degrees Celsius? Is it true that Covaxin can give you Covid? What are vaccines, anyway? This article explains how the immune system actually works, how vaccines confer immunity and why the…

Issue 10

The Road to Mars – A Tale of Betraying and Befriending Physics

Kartik Tiwari To millions like me, it remains an incredible source of optimism to know that the first human who would walk on Mars is, arguably, studying in some school right now; a hopeful reminder of the fascinating days that we will witness in our lifetime and a humbling inspiration for the work that is…

Issue 10

Politics of Postering – What the Walls Say in Tamil Nadu

Nandan Sankriti Kaushik From larger-than-life banners, to small party symbols painted on walls along roads, these political references are a part of the states’ everyday life. It’s impossible to go anywhere without noticing a political symbol, a word of glowing praise emblazoned onto a wall, or the smiling face of a political leader.

Issue 10

Banking on the Government

Advaita Singh Trade Unions all around the country are protesting because they believe that the privatisation is bad for the economy. This article explores the role of Public Sector Banks to understand the impact of privatisation.

Issue 9

Issue IX: Editors’ Note

As the world approaches the one-year anniversary marking the global shutdown due to COVID-19, it is important to reflect upon how life has been altered at its behest. The ninth issue of OpenAxis, hence, attempts to encapsulate the various spheres of human functioning that have been reimagined and transformed in the light of the pandemic.  …

Issue 9

What’s in Your Pocket – Your Office or Your Sanitizer?

Ariba While multiple online sources guide one to a productive and healthy work-life balance during the lockdown, a year into it, conversations are shifting to that of an eager return to the workplace. Opinions on the way “this is the end of the office as we know it” along with changes that could be observed…

Issue 9

Humouring an Ill-Humored Audience

Ashana Mathur With the recent arrest of Munawar Faruqui, the court order against Kunal Kamra and Rachita Taneja, it is quite evident that the general public perceives political comedy quite differently today. So how did comedy suddenly become so offensive? How has our relationship with comedy changed? And is there any scope for political satire…

Issue 9

Ancient Pandemic, Modern Eyes

Mali Annika Skotheim A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, it is difficult to read Thucydides’ account of the Athenian plague without seeing parallels in our own time.

Issue 9

Caste (In)Justice: Inadequacies in Addressing Gender and Caste Violence

Shreyashi Sharma The law is brought to life by the human hand that upholds and implements it. If the human hand continues to be governed and conditioned by these structures of patriarchy and caste, then it is impossible for the law to be effectively applied in letter and spirit. How can such a law ever…

Issue 9

The Growing (In)Significance of the Nobel Peace Prize

Saaransh Mishra Nobel laureates are meant to be harbingers of peace in this excruciatingly peaceless world that we inhabit. In order to set healthy precedents, the onus is on the Nobel Peace Committee to award this significant honour only to the ones that can leave a legacy for future generations to follow, and currently it…

Issue 9

Democratizing Art: How the Pandemic Has Transformed Art Spaces

Muskaan Kanodia Virtual Tours for Museums around the world were initially made for in-person support to make the galleries accessible and their experiences better. However, with a worldwide lockdown, the virtual experience has encouraged many of us to explore uncharted territories of art history and museums sitting at our desktops in pyjamas. This has made…

Issue 9

All Bets Are Off: Trust and Antitrust Among Large-Scale Corporations

Gauri Bhawkar The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how profitable large firms, such as Amazon and Facebook, can be even during times of global turmoil. Is there a check on how firms can become so all-encompassing such that consumers can’t avoid purchasing their products even if they tried – and what implications does this phenomena hold…

Issue 9

Alliance of new parties alone may not be enough: Mrinal Borah on Assam 2021

Jyotirmoy Talukdar With Assam elections due in April 2021 and the first phase beginning on 27th March, various parties aim at defeating the ruling BJP- alliance in the state. Currently, Akhil Gogoi, an Assam activist who has been in prison for more than a year continues to strongly influence Assam politics. Jyotirmoy Talukdar and Mrinal…

Issue 9

On Building A Virtual Therapeutic Relationship

Avantika Bhatia Rising mental health concerns are being increasingly recognized as a significant implication of the pandemic. Psychotherapists are on the frontline of providing support for these concerns while adjusting to the new online medium of conducting therapy. What does it mean to do therapy online? How can one establish a framework for therapy and…

Issue 9

Food Beyond the Mess: Why Campus Outlets are Invaluable to Indian Colleges

Devika Goswami The pandemic meant nearly a year-off campus for college students. Of the many things lost, the shared memory of food is difficult to measure and yet an important part of the college experience. How do campus outlets positively shape student life and support small business owners? How might the pandemic change this shared…

Issue 9

Dating From A Distance

Harshita Bedi For the longest time we have been told that once we find that special someone, our life becomes better, happier and worth living. While many choose to disagree with this view, it cannot be denied that humans are social beings who have been collectively living in a society and mating. With the pandemic,…

Issue 9

Novak Djokovic: The Controversial Champion

Kartikay Dutta Novak Djokovic is a dangerous man to idolize, and a dilemma within himself. Everyone should want to be him, but nobody should. The border is too smudged for there to be a clear line down the middle — the Venn diagram of Djokovic the tennis star and the person has to be considered…

Issue 9

Under the Precipice Rolls the Sea

Tanisha A When you’re working with a zero budget project, you have to rely on a lot of things outside of your control to capture a frame that tells the story you want it to tell, how you want it to.

Issue 9

WhatsApp With India’s Travel Plan?

Tisha Srivastav Tisha Srivastav writes on the first two months of a buzzing Indian WhatsApp group post-Lockdown. With zero fake news, it coordinated a spirited effort to rethink responsible travel in India.

Issue 9

Evaluating the Implications of Privatization in India’s COVID-19 Inoculation Drive

Anjana Ramesh India’s vaccination drive has witnessed considerable private sector involvement – from the development of vaccine candidates, to their mass-production. The recent announcement confirming the allowance of private distribution of vaccines has furthered this involvement. What implications does privatization of inoculation drives hold for India and its public healthcare capabilities?

Issue 9

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge On Zoom?

Ridhima Manocha The wedding industry in India has been the second largest wedding industries in the entire world and it’s estimated to be 50 billion dollars in India. However, with the onset of COVID-19, it came to a near halt as safety measures took the priority while a big fat wedding took the backseat. As…

Issue 8

Issue VIII: Editors’ Note

Still reeling from the financial losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, India plunged into the new year shaken by widespread protests and environmental disasters while simultaneously hoping for economic revival. Ankur Bhardwaj explores the ramifications of the jump in India’s fiscal deficit from 3.5% to 9.5% of the GDP, in the Revised Estimates of the…

Issue 8

Budget 2021 and Fiscal Deficit: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Ankur Bhardwaj This steep revision in fiscal deficit estimates for the current financial year (2020-21) as one of the highlights of the Budget. If we take a closer look at fiscal deficit revision and the path the government wants to take in the future, we find three important points to underline – the good, the…

Issue 8

Wages for Housework: Giving Wives Their Due?

Ashwini Deshpande Since the suggestion is about valuing women’s work in India, a good starting point would be to explicitly recognize their contribution to household enterprises as workers, on the same footing as the men, and share the earnings from the household enterprise fairly.

Issue 8

Feminist Bollywood, Really?

Geetanjali Chanda It is common to witness individuals who are vocal about the misogyny that is prevalent within Bollywood music, to be seen tapping their toes to the same problematic lyrics on a dance floor. Is it ever okay to listen to music that is degrading to a particular gender? And if we do, does…

Issue 8

The Ineffectiveness and Brutality of Economic Sanctions

Saaransh Mishra The rational logic behind sanctions is that since actors are concerned about economic outcomes, they would be compelled to commit to certain behavioral norms as a result of expression of official displeasure through sanctions. Yet surprisingly, in a landmark study spearheaded by economist Gary Clyde Hufbauer showed the success rate of sanctions at…

Issue 8

Racy Raj Tales: Miscegenation in British India

Ipshita Nath Recent feminist historiography has revealed that such rumours stemmed from biases and prejudices rather than actual realities, and were meant to perpetuate the fear of the ‘Other’ among the British officers/community/etc. in India. However, such notions served to deepen the prejudice against interracial marriages.

Issue 8

From Reddit to Revolution: How Memes Propel Movements

Aarohi Sharma The surge in GameStop stock drastically altered current understandings of the United States stock market. At the heart of this rise in stock value were disillusioned users on the internet, and countless memes. How was a movement propelled by internet memes – and what does that imply for our understanding of online spaces?

Issue 8

Development: A Disaster in Disguise

Muskaan Kanodia In recent years, India’s trajectory mapping the disasters and calamities has gone up at an alarming rate. However, is it fair to dismiss and disregard them as acts of nature without bearing the responsibility of their occurrence? By increasing development projects in highly sensitive and fragile areas, will India’s economic policy be able…

Issue 8

(Mis)leading Spotify Chart Toppers: What is India listening to?

Rohan Pai Spotify’s algorithmic mechanisms tend to create a deluding image of what is actually trending on the ground. Brown munde, a Punjabi song by AP Dhillon, has been a chart topper for nearly three months now. Alongside homegrown artist AP Dhillon is The Weeknd, an American pop singer who is currently #1 in the…

Issue 8

Digital Detox in Isolation

Ridhima Manocha At a time of the COVID pandemic when screen time is at an all-time high, a digital detox is being touted as a solution for mental well-being. But is it too late and futile to deprive yourself of all technologies?

Issue 8

Can Banksy Bring Dadaism Back To Life?

Shrishti Agrawal Banksy’s work, ranging from Kissing Coppers and Unwelcome Intervention to Hammer Boy and Girl with a Balloon, embraces social commentary through provocative visual depictions. But the true essence, the philosophy behind his art is often related to the 20th-century art movement, dadaism.

Issue 8

Boomers’ Guide to Gen Z: Intro to Texting 101

Devika Goswami Prerequisites: anyone who’s been hit with an “ok, boomer” or is still confused about why people keep texting “ded” after a joke. By the end of this piece, you will understand why Gen Z is so hell-bent on texting instead of calling, what in the world ‘ghosting’ even means and why that full-stop…

Issue 8

Remembering SOPHIE

Madhulika Agarwal SOPHIE’s loss is enormous for the music industry, but it is an even bigger loss for her family, friends and fans, whose lives SOPHIE coloured with compassion above everything else. They will live up to her legacy and keep honoring what was so close to her heart.

Issue 8

The Economy Of Stories

Varsha Ramachandran Why reimagine Juliet in 2020, as opposed to creating a new Desdemona or Laila or Heer? What about these particular characters makes us want to bring them to life again, albeit in a new socio-political scenario, or a reimagined world? I argue that it is our need for familiarity.

Issue 7

Issue VII: Editors’ Note

Straying from a long-standing tradition of burdening the New Year with all our hopes, dreams and expectations, with our first Issue of 2021, we bring you a newfound sense of cautious optimism. Aditya Burra revisits the recent test series between India and Australia to commemorate the heroics of Miya Bhai Mohammed Siraj whose grit paved…

Issue 7

The Biden-Harris Campaign: Representation or Presentation?

Madhulika Agarwal Kamala Harris is widely popular for being one of the most progressive US politicians right now. She goes by the nicknames “Top Cop” and “Progressive Prosecutor”. According to her campaign, part of this “progressiveness” comes from the fact that unlike her colleagues, she is neither white, nor male. But, is that all that…

Issue 7

Godspeed, Miya Bhai

Aditya Burra Despite the “good other” comments that he attracts, or the vitriol that he has to face on social media, the identity of Mohammad Siraj, Miya Bhai is one that he wears proudly, defiantly, and effortlessly, one that is expressly similar to his bowling action

Issue 7

The Violence We Inherit

Harshita Bedi With the current showcase of violence within the farmers’ protests, various views regarding ‘who is responsible’ for it have surfaced in the media. Does each view with regards to the violence witnessed in the protest have a history? Is there something hereditary about our views on violence as a country?

Issue 7

Pets of the Pandemic

Vanishree Research indicates that the pandemic has showcased an increase in the adoption of pets, as a distraction from the uncertainty and discomfort. How has the relationship between the pet and the owner changed during the pandemic? And what impact does the opening up of the world and transiting back to life before COVID, have…

Issue 7

Regional Rap for a National Cause

Rohan Pai With Indian rappers carving out their own niches by choosing to represent and reach out to their people with regional vernacular, they provide a voice to the communities that were never heard before, while also instilling a sense of belonging to the larger community of India.

Issue 7

“Mark as Read” to “Mark has Read”: Privacy Policies in India

Debayan Gupta One thing is very clear: individual-level policies are insufficient. Most people do not (and cannot be expected to) have a deep understanding of privacy issues – just like we don’t all have a deep understanding of food safety norms. Some kind of aggregated negotiation tactic, then, appears to be the only solution.

Issue VI: Editors’ Note

Come December, we always look back at the year gone by – introspecting, making resolutions for the coming year, and subconsciously accepting that these promises won’t be followed through. 2020 has been different. We have seen the repercussions of being lax with our concerns about safety. We have had a lot to think about, much…

Issue 6

Technology will change, but what about ethics?

Shrishti Agrawal Many of the ethical dilemmas we face today are an outcome of technology. While it is essential to use technology ethically, maybe we need to take a step back, and ask: Is it morally right or wrong to use it in the first place?

Issue 6

2020: A year to forget or remember?

Rohit M Nair One must be wary before equating 2020 as solely the year of the pandemic: a flurry of natural disasters have quietly made their appearance in the background, declaring that climate change is here and now. Where do we go from here?

The Job Market in 2021

Zahabiya Kinkhabwala (Naukri.com) Unemployment has been the lowest in decades after companies laid-off and furloughed employees in record numbers in a crashing economy. With the economy in a constant state of flux and the uncertainty of the job market and remote working conditions, anxiety about employment is high, especially for new graduates entering the workforce.…

Issue 6

Indie Films You Probably Missed and Must Watch

Utkarsh Bansal Edited by Tanvi Achwal Even without theatres, 2020 had a constant flow of movies to watch. Inevitably, some of the smaller releases slipped through the cracks. Here are five recommendations to remedy that!

Issue 6

Garden of Feedin’

Deepti Jayakrishnan I’m living a lifestyle that’s been meticulously organized into little unhealthy blocks. Every day is the same day, and that day is Self-Love Saturday. How far can I take my pursuit of umami without crossing the limits of self-care?

Issue 6

What was Fashionable in 2020

Isha Deshmukh When we think of the fashion industry and COVID, we think of malls and fashion shows. What other elements does the industry consist of? Here we examine ways in which 2020 affected and changed the fashion industry in ways that haven’t been heavily discussed.

Issue 6

How Can Environmental Movements Be Successful?

Mehek Bhargava With the climate crisis upon our heads, it has become even more important to urgently mobilize people. How have recent environmental movements garnered interest and what role does social media play in their success?

Issue V: Editor’s Note

On October 16, Samuel Paty, a history teacher, was beheaded by a Muslim man in Paris, France, over his use of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons on the Prophet Muhammad during a lesson on the freedom of speech. On October 29, three church goers were also stabbed to death by a Tunisian man in Nice. These…

Issue 5

Remembering Maradona

Aritro Sarkar Diego Maradona stood with the world at his feet, driven to his exalted status globally pretty much through his ridiculous talent and skill alone.

Issue 5

Understanding the French Principle of Laïcité

Shrishti Agrawal While the principle of laïcité was intended to instill secularism in France, it was created at a time when the French Constitution did not need to worry about the practices of many religions. Although the complete removal of religion from public spaces may have worked in the past, growing religious and cultural tensions…

Issue 5

Bidenomics For America and The World

Karantaj Singh President elect Joe Biden seems to have very different views from President Donald Trump on most socio-political issues, and his economic policies seem to be very different as well. So what will Bidenomics mean for America and the world?

Issue 5

Dosa: A Culinary Marvel

Shrishti Agrawal The Dosa is a culinary gift from South Indian cuisine that has become a popular breakfast snack all across India. Although debates about the origin continue to persist, what most can agree upon is that the Dosa is not similar to a pancake or crepe.

Issue 5

Family Law: UAE’s New Marketing Strategy

Karantaj Singh ‘Progressive’ isn’t the first word that comes to mind when speaking about the Middle East. But the recent changes made in the UAE family laws, shows that the country is adapting to norms of the 21st century.

‘It’s only words’ – The Normalisation of Hate Speech

Purnima Mehrotra Until recently, Love-Jihad was just another popular phrase used as hate speech. But with it now having informed the creation of unimaginable divisive and intrusive marriage laws, it is time to reexamine the impact of this vitriol on our lives. Is hate speech just that — only words? Or is it something much…

Editor’s Note: Issue 4

Image: REUTERS/Mark Makela (All credits to the owners) CNN’s Van Jones broke down with tears of relief on live TV, minutes after President-Elect Biden was projected as the winner of the election. The basic decency and empathy in Biden’s victory speech were jarring as it finally faced us with the vitriol that President Trump had…

Breathe Again

Maya Mirchandani America breathes a sigh of relief and joy on the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice President elect, narrowly defeating incumbent President Donald Trump. But what does the path forward look like in a country with deep fissures made apparent in the election?

Issue 4

The Infamous Smog: Crop burning and much more

Hiteshi Ajmera Year after year, almost every newspaper prints scathing columns condemning the smog that settles in the Delhi-NCR region due to crop burning. Why do farmers continue to burn crops? Is the smog caused solely due to crop burning?

The COVID-19 Vaccine: Will It Flatter To Deceive?

Dr. Kasturi Pal Are vaccines truly key for our survival in the COVID era? What are the most promising vaccines in the pipelines to combat the coronavirus pandemic? Let us find out what makes an efficacious vaccine trigger a robust anti-viral immunity.

Issue 4

The Next Stage

Abhinaya Penneswaran The lack of a physical setting for performance art due to the pandemic has led to the creation of a new stage for artists and performers.

Issue 4

Reforming Antitrust Law To Regulate Big Tech

Samyukta Prabhu The economics of Google and Amazon seem to fundamentally differ from regular brick-and-mortar stores. Can we factor this into antitrust law? Or are monopolies inevitable in the tech world?

Issue 4

Uncovering Recovery from COVID-19

Mansi Ranka Behind every single statistic is a person. What has going through it all and recovering from COVID been like? We look at some personal stories!

Issue III: Editors’ Note

What did coronavirus, the border clashes and the ban of many apps do for the Indian people? They made discussions surrounding China everyday and commonplace. And yet, we still approach the topic in a myopic manner. The mainstream gaze refracts China under the lens of war, economics, diplomatic relations, concerns about democracy among others. Is…

Forget the Rhetoric: India cannot be the next China!

Karantaj Singh It is going to take a lot of planning, spending and sacrifice if India is going to even be a contender for becoming the world’s factory. The country has abundant raw material and a mammoth working population, but falls short on investments and planning.

Tanishq: Victim of an uncontrollable beast

Anant Rangaswami After being bashed on social media for promoting ‘love jihad’, jewellery brand Tanishq took down their advertisement depicting an inter-faith marriage. A look at the process of news generation and its use of social media shows that this controversy is not a one-off event, but part of a larger systemic problem.

Everyday Forms of Geopolitics

Swargajyoti Gohain We think geopolitics is all about international politics, where nations and national governments are involved. Yet, geopolitics can also shape the personal and social lives of individuals and communities. The geographical location of the border influences decisions about marriage, local elections, commercial exchanges, cultural expressions, regional unities and transnational affiliations.

Putting Civil Society In Its Place

Ingrid Srinath The government seemed to appreciate civil society’s humanitarian response to the pandemic, but the recent amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act are ill-conceived, ill-timed and probably ill-intentioned. What explains this contradiction?

Louise Glück Wins a Prize She Never Needed

Kanishk Devgan Louise Glück recently won the Nobel Prize in literature. Does she really need it, though? And what of all those who say she doesn’t deserve it?

Stoned, Shamed, Depressed – A Conversation with author Jyotsna Mohan Bhargava

Isha Deshmukh Young minds have now become more overwhelmed than ever with social media generating our sense of self and technology assuring us a place in the status charts. How do we deal with impressionable teenagers being exposed to virtues and vices that even adults have difficulty navigating?

Remembering Eddie – 6 Essential Songs

Shaayak Chatterjee Eddie Van Halen brought joy to rock and roll. An idol for an entire generation, he broke the stereotype that virtuosos should always be brooding characters. Twenty days after his death, here are six songs to define his legacy.

Do Social Media Protests Amount To Anything In India?

Isha Deshmukh #DalitLivesMatter is the latest in a series of Indian hashtag protests. But these hashtags are temporary as is the memory of the event that spawned them. Online social movements are more popular than ever. What challenges does India face in adopting these movements? Do they have a lasting impact or are they simply…

A Life on Our Planet: an appeal to all of us, on nature’s behalf

Shrishti Agrawal David Attenborough’s witness statement, A Life on Our Planet, isn’t just another story about the global decline of the natural world. It could create collective consciousness towards the environment and bring about change, if we let it.

Issue II: Editor’s Note

As we continue living our lives online, we are forced to confront and challenge our world through our screens. We debate and deliberate over real-world politics and elections, moderated and manoeuvred by the rules of the internet. With the potential to consume the content of the world, and the ability to have the world as…

Liberalization at the Margins in Hard Times

Bann Seng Tan Trump’s America First doctrine is considered as an invalidation of the United States’ commitment to democracy promotion. However, Trump does not represent a fundamental break in US foreign policy. There is no Golden Age of democracy promotion to harken back to.

Culture Wars: When Private Goes Public

Deep Vakil The revolution of social media in culture wars has been likened to that of industrial weapons technology in conventional warfare. Some of the strategies and tactics deployed are justified by inflating the political stakes to such an extent that no means seem morally unjustified.

Humans v. AI: How automated decision making is a game changer for legal liability

Arushi Massey What can the self-driving car crashes teach us about ethics and responsibility in the digital age? Are the trends shifting legal liability away from Big Tech? Can the State regulate? The intersection of law and technology poses new problems for moral philosophy, legal scholars and regulators. Product Liability may hold the answer.

Am I my Map? Cartography and Reworking Identity

Sanya Chandra Cartography creates an ‘India’ on paper while simultaneously conversations, laws and political mechanisms create the ‘Indian’ in our minds. While robust borders and stagnant maps reinforce security, should we be conscious of them?

Bringing The Boys to Life in Trump’s America

Karantaj Singh Blonde hair, white male, cheeky smile, self-obsessed, xenophobic, erratic, and a public image built over love for his country. Is Homelander Donald Trump in a cape?

How COVID-19 is adding to the existing NPA crisis in India

Shrishti Agrawal The crisis of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) has been looming over the Indian banking sector for a while now. Since lockdowns are being imposed in the country as a means to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, will the sudden slowdown of the economy drive the crisis to its brink?

To End or Not to End Privacy

Debayan Gupta Should governments be given a key to encrypted software? Can we manage to keep this key hidden from hackers? Let’s explore the role of encryption in the privacy and security of our digital lives.

Give Me Liberty, COVID, or Cow Urine

Isha Deshmukh COVID-19 has already claimed more than a million lives. Despite the very real threat, people continue to politicise the virus, deny it and spread baseless facts and treatments. What has happened to our scientific temperament in a time when we needed it most?