One of the earliest satirical pieces I wrote for this blog was on the subject of formulaic letter-writing in Indian English as prescribed by school teachers. It was a spontaneous act of rebellion against the many times in my life that I've been told I didn't know how to write respectful letters to prescribed proformas. … Continue reading “Why are you go to hell?” →

“আজি হতে শতবর্ষ পরে কে তুমি পড়িছ বসি আমার কবিতাখানি কৌতুহল ভরে?” “Who are you, a hundred years from today, reading my poetry with curiosity?”- Rabindranath Tagore It is common knowledge that every young Bengali man dabbles with poetry. If I may be permitted, I’d like to add to the cliché. Every young Bengali man … Continue reading Is Rabindranath Tagore relevant today? →

All desis living in North America, regardless of country of origin or current citizenship status, hold one truth to be self-evident. As soon as the prospect of visiting relatives in South Asia begins to materialize, we begin the long-winded process of squirreling away trinkets which will be used for gifting purposes. It is as self-evident … Continue reading How to buy gifts in America for desis in India →

While Pakistani friends are trying to forget the semifinal match of the 2011 World Cup played between India and Pakistan, I'm having a hard time remembering it. I was in Anaheim, California for a conference. On Tuesday night, I had a work-related meeting which lasted longer than anticipated. I stumbled into bed and fell asleep, … Continue reading Anyone remember what happened at Mohali? →

I first saw the news story this morning in the Times of India mentioning that "postmenopausal women are prone to fractures." The story highlighted research presented at the European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis. Curiously, the research was also mentioned in a press release by the International Osteoporosis Foundation comparing the prevalence of bone fractures … Continue reading Passing off wrong numbers concerning public health →

For nearly a week now I have been watching the tragedy caused by the earthquake and tsunami unfold in Japan. I have also been following the incredible human tales of suffering, heroism, fear-mongering, and apathy widely reported in its aftermath. Some experts have loudly proclaimed that the destruction is punishment for some grave “sin” that … Continue reading Ramblings on earthquakes as “punishment” and the rescue of survivors as “miracles” →

o·bit·u·ar·y (-bch-r) n. A published notice of a death, sometimes with a brief biography of the deceased. I must have been no more than thirteen when I last saw my paternal grandfather at our ancestral village, nestled in a corner of eastern India. Generations before me including my grandfather and father had grown up there … Continue reading The dictionary: an obituary →

“Sir ji, did you call for me?” asked Mishra as he entered Mirza’s office. Mirza was twirling a round glass paperweight on the rectangular slab of cut glass covering his oversized mahogany desk and staring intently at the screen of his computer. In the right corner of the desk was a stack of files, each … Continue reading India: where there are 300 ways to cook a potato →

On February 11, after ruling for nearly thirty years, Hosni Mubarak stepped down as President of Egypt. What form of government Egypt will have in the near future remains to be seen, but the toppling of the dictator was widely hailed as a victory for protesters, who had converged on Tahrir Square in Cairo making … Continue reading Tahrir Square and India’s forgotten rebellion →

As reported in The Great Beyond, in December 2010, the Department of Science and Technology of India, in its infinite wisdom decided to sponsor an award with Proctor & Gamble to be given to the research team which can come up with the best skin-whitening agent. To win, the skin-whitener must be safe to use … Continue reading How to get a fair and lovely face for matrimonial purposes →