Indians Archives

Is Coronavirus Bringing Out the Worst in Indians?

Yes, coronavirus makes you sick with flu-like symptoms but it also sucks out all the decency out of you. A pandemic that threatens your life as much as it threatens that of others is all it takes for the facade of humanity to slip.

Deepak Gopalakrishnan July 28, 2016

Pop Culture

Kahaani Chor Chor Ki: What If Ocean’s 8 Were an Indian TV Soap?

Meet Debjaani Sagar, the homegrown version of Debbie Ocean from Ocean’s 8. With her gang of desi girls, she’s attempting the heist of the decade in a caper filled with shapeshifting mosquitoes, revenge plots, and reincarnations.

Akhil Kakkar July 22, 2016

POV

Mum + Dad + Beta + Beti: Why Are Indians Obsessed With the Idea of a “Complete Family”?

The minute a couple tie the nuptial knot, their relatives descend upon them and start demanding a baby. When they’ve had one, the family begins chasing them for the second one. Thank God for the “Hum do, humare do” slogans and overpopulation problems, or else this would continue ad infinitum.

Gargi Mehra June 21, 2016

POV

“Apne Ko Kya?”: How Indians Shirk Responsibility

The famous Indian “Apne ko kya?” mentality is a delicate dance of voyeurism and indifference. We want to poke our noses everywhere, without taking on any responsibility. It’s why we love Bigg Boss, which allows us the luxury of looking into the lives of others, and shrug it off just as easily.

Ramjaane June 10, 2016

Gender

Why are Indians So Embarrassed About the Bra?

As Indian girls, we are raised with the strict instruction that our bras should not be hung out to dry like the rest of the dirty linen we wash in public. Perhaps the reason that the bra has come to be a trigger garment is not because men can’t deal with it, but because with all our hiding we haven’t really given them a chance to.

Lata Gwalani June 8, 2016

POV

Why Do Indians Love Giving Free Advice?

We are born completely useless and need to be taught everything. Unless you’re Indian. Then the art of giving free advice is one of those skills that comes naturally to you. But why do Indians love giving advice so much? And how many really follow their own?

Ramjaane June 2, 2016

POV

Dear Indian Parents, Your Kids are Not Your Retirement Plan

The idea of children becoming their parents’ retirement plan, is seeded somewhere in the idea of parents being education sponsors of their children. Toxic codependency has become a habit we desperately need to kick.

Kavya J May 15, 2016

Earth

A Nation of Litterbugs: Why Swachh Bharat Will Always Remain an Unfulfilled Dream

Not only do Indians have an astonishing lack of civic sense, we can also counter it with classic whataboutery. India will continue to top lists of dirtiest cities in the world, until we teach the next generation to pick up after themselves, instead of posing with brooms on social media.

Riddhi K May 2, 2016

Gender

“You’re a Good Girl Na?”: Why We’re Raising Our Girls Wrong

If we need women to break out of the exhausting idea of selflessness, then pressuring them to “be a good girl” is exactly the sort of thing that needs to stop. What we need is a culture that sees dissent and opinion as signs of progress, beyond the myopic view of parental disobedience.

Riddhi K April 30, 2016

POV

Why We Indians Are Nothing Like Our National Animal

Is the tiger the correct choice for our national animal? Maybe not. Because we are nothing like the tiger. A lazy panda is what we should’ve picked.

Ramjaane April 27, 2016