The South Asian stories you to know
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The Myth of the “Smelly” South Asian
From colonial disgust to “imagine the smell” memes, the racist trope is back. But the real question is: who decides what stinks?
South Asians Are Hitting Menopause Before Everyone Else
And we’re not talking about it enough.
Why So Many South Asian Men Are Mama’s Boys
The epidemic even has a name: Raja Beta Syndrome.
Captured in Cape Town: The Murder of Anni Dewani
Her husband was a key suspect. But the investigation’s focus on his bisexuality may have hindered justice.
India Molded Math. Then Europe Claimed It.
We all know the quadratic formula and the Fibonacci sequence. Why don’t we talk about their roots?
What Really Happened to Suchir Balaji?
Police dismissed the OpenAI whistleblower’s death as a suicide. His parents say there’s more going on.
Is Bengali Really the World’s Sweetest Language?
The linguistics behind the sounds of the subcontinental tongue.
Saravana Bhavan: Dosa, With a Side of Murder
Around 20 years ago, a Chennai court convicted the infamous restaurant chain’s founder of murder. What happened next was equally surprising.
The Berkeley Murder that Changed America
Prosenjit Poddar, a Bengali student at UC Berkeley, fell in love. What followed would transform medical law.
What Makes Shah Rukh Khan A Superstar
How King Khan romanced audiences for over three decades, and why they’re still smitten by his charm.
Why South Asians Love to Gossip
There’s more to the habit than tattling.
Mother Teresa, History’s Most Notorious White Savior?
The controversial figure fetishized the suffering of Indians — yet the Catholic Church made her a saint.
Why India Doesn’t Have a National Language
Can a country with over 1,635 tongues ever unite under one?
Hate-Watching the Ambani Wedding
The months-long, reportedly $600-million affair shows us the power of Asia’s richest family. But it also gave us the ick.
Is South Asian Blood Thicker Than Water?
In the U.S. and U.K., family estrangement is on the rise. The subcontinental diaspora is finding they aren’t immune.
Home is Where Your Shoes Aren’t
A viral article claimed it’s rude to ask guests to remove their shoes. South Asians would like to have a word.
How A Bowl of Fruit Became a South Asian Love Language
Affection comes in a various forms, but for many, the purest gesture is freshly washed, cut, or prepared produce.
When Did the Dupatta Become “European”?
South Asian netizens are both laughing and fuming over the cultural co-option.
Sathya Sai Baba, the God-man Who Preyed on His Followers
Despite pedophilia allegations and efforts to expose him, the multibillion-dollar cult of the guru continues to live on.
Gaja Gamini is Great, But Not Enough
Aditi Rao Hydari’s back flabs in ‘Heeramandi’ made people feel seen. Yet, body inclusivity for South Asians still feels far off.
Jay Shetty: Modern Monk or Wellness Moneymaker?
The guru is passionate about spreading love and making you happy — but only if you pay up.
Boroline, the Bengali Miracle Cream
The Indian antiseptic ointment has outlasted the British, Partition, and copycats. Its formula for winning isn’t what you think.
What’s the Deal with Neils?
The name has never been particularly popular in the U.S. — unless, of course, you’re Indian American.
How Fazlur Rahman Khan Engineered the Modern Skyscraper
The Bangladeshi American set the standard for tall buildings globally, from the Hancock Center to the Burj Khalifa.
Black and Brown Love
Black and Brown couples don’t have it easy. Marrying Brown can be difficult, but for Black partners, it’s especially hard.
Deepika Padukone is Building an Empire
The launch of 82°E, her self-described “self-care” brand, is only the start for the Bollywood superstar.
Why South Asians Prefer the Mother’s Side
Scores of South Asians swear the dad’s side of the family sucks. Is it just evolution or something else?
Black TikTok, Brown Culture
With perfect pronunciation and killer Bhangra moves, Black TikTokers are going viral taking on South Asian music.
The Bollywood Bahu Effect
Does marrying into a dynastic Hindi film family mean less autonomy? Fans are convinced Alia Bhatt is the phenomenon’s latest victim.
Bikram Choudhury, the Sexual Predator Who Built a Yoga Empire
How a boy from Bengal founded Bikram Yoga and minted millions, only to abuse his students and escape justice.
Does Yale Discriminate Against Asian Americans?
Eleven Asian American students looked at their admissions files. They were surprised by what they found.
When South Asian Women Choose to Go Child-Free
They may face criticism for their choice. But it’s not stopping them from celebrating their lives.
Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: 2023
This May, a roundup of 15 stories that celebrate South Asian American life, love, culture, and history.
“Naatu Naatu” at the Oscars: A Cultural Triumph Gone Wrong
South Asians asked why there were no Indian lead dancers on stage. The Academy and the dance troupe responded with excuses.
How Bollywood Failed Parveen Babi
One of the highest-paid actors of her time is largely remembered through her lovers and by her illness. While others profited from her tale, she died alone at 51.
Why the West is Afraid of Color
The colorful (and enraging) history of how neutrals and monochrome became the preferred Western aesthetic.
Horror in Hounslow: The Chohan Family Case
In 2003, a family of five vanished from their London home. What followed was a shoddy police investigation.
The Legacy of British Colonization in South Asia
Sixteen stories about the British empire, the royal family, and how they changed the subcontinent.
The Tesla Cliff Crash is Yet Another Cry for Help
In January, Dharmesh Patel tried to kill himself and his family. The tragedy unveils glaring gaps in mental health resources for South Asian men.
How the West Deemed Eating With Your Hands “Uncivilized”
And why the practice persisted in South Asia anyway.
Did Romantic Kissing Originate in India?
For years, researchers traced the practice to ancient Sanskrit texts. Recent evidence suggests that theory might not be the whole story. Or is it?
How the West Reduced ‘The Kama Sutra’ to Sex
The ancient Indian manuscript has long been a guide to love — and life.
Parminder Nagra Should Have Been a Superstar
'Bend It Like Beckham' turned Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers into overnight celebrities. Why didn’t it do the same for its British Indian stars?
How Cartier Built an Empire by Claiming Indian and Islamic Art as its Own
The French luxury jewelry house has long appropriated Eastern influences, calling it aesthetic exchange.
The Queer Legacy of ‘Bend It Like Beckham’
The film bent the rules so that others could break them. We examine its impact 20 years later.
How Ghee Took Over U.S. Grocery Shelves
The recent global rise of the clarified butter is striking for an ingredient steeped in centuries of culinary history.
South Asians in Therapy: Challenging Norms and Taboos
As therapy becomes more mainstream and accessible, a new generation is reclaiming their mental health.
The Cultural Appropriation of Dalit Music
For Dalit artists, performances are tools of cultural resistance. But many have glamorized and sanitized this history.
How America’s Patel Brothers Won the Indian Grocery Game
For many new immigrants, the store was a saving grace in a world full of Wonder Bread and Ruffles.
Chippendales: How a Bengali Tycoon Became a Murderer
Gruesome deaths transformed an erotic nightclub for women into a real-life murder mystery.
Why Brown Moms Love Princess Diana
The South Asian women who came of age in the 1980s viewed Lady Di as both a contemporary and a cautionary tale.
Rekha, Amitabh, Jaya: A Silsila of Deprivation
Decades later, Bollywood’s most infamous love triangle seems even more tragic than we first thought.
Why Bollywood Loved — and Lost — Fawad Khan
It’s been years since fans have seen the iconic Pakistani actor in Hindi cinema. But they can’t seem to forget him.
The Myth of the “Smelly” South Asian
From colonial disgust to “imagine the smell” memes, the racist trope is back. But the real question is: who decides what stinks?
South Asians Are Hitting Menopause Before Everyone Else
And we’re not talking about it enough.
Why So Many South Asian Men Are Mama’s Boys
The epidemic even has a name: Raja Beta Syndrome.
Captured in Cape Town: The Murder of Anni Dewani
Her husband was a key suspect. But the investigation’s focus on his bisexuality may have hindered justice.
India Molded Math. Then Europe Claimed It.
We all know the quadratic formula and the Fibonacci sequence. Why don’t we talk about their roots?
What Really Happened to Suchir Balaji?
Police dismissed the OpenAI whistleblower’s death as a suicide. His parents say there’s more going on.
Is Bengali Really the World’s Sweetest Language?
The linguistics behind the sounds of the subcontinental tongue.
Saravana Bhavan: Dosa, With a Side of Murder
Around 20 years ago, a Chennai court convicted the infamous restaurant chain’s founder of murder. What happened next was equally surprising.
The Berkeley Murder that Changed America
Prosenjit Poddar, a Bengali student at UC Berkeley, fell in love. What followed would transform medical law.
What Makes Shah Rukh Khan A Superstar
How King Khan romanced audiences for over three decades, and why they’re still smitten by his charm.
Why South Asians Love to Gossip
There’s more to the habit than tattling.
Mother Teresa, History’s Most Notorious White Savior?
The controversial figure fetishized the suffering of Indians — yet the Catholic Church made her a saint.
Why India Doesn’t Have a National Language
Can a country with over 1,635 tongues ever unite under one?
Hate-Watching the Ambani Wedding
The months-long, reportedly $600-million affair shows us the power of Asia’s richest family. But it also gave us the ick.
Is South Asian Blood Thicker Than Water?
In the U.S. and U.K., family estrangement is on the rise. The subcontinental diaspora is finding they aren’t immune.
Home is Where Your Shoes Aren’t
A viral article claimed it’s rude to ask guests to remove their shoes. South Asians would like to have a word.
How A Bowl of Fruit Became a South Asian Love Language
Affection comes in a various forms, but for many, the purest gesture is freshly washed, cut, or prepared produce.
When Did the Dupatta Become “European”?
South Asian netizens are both laughing and fuming over the cultural co-option.
Sathya Sai Baba, the God-man Who Preyed on His Followers
Despite pedophilia allegations and efforts to expose him, the multibillion-dollar cult of the guru continues to live on.
Gaja Gamini is Great, But Not Enough
Aditi Rao Hydari’s back flabs in ‘Heeramandi’ made people feel seen. Yet, body inclusivity for South Asians still feels far off.
Jay Shetty: Modern Monk or Wellness Moneymaker?
The guru is passionate about spreading love and making you happy — but only if you pay up.
Boroline, the Bengali Miracle Cream
The Indian antiseptic ointment has outlasted the British, Partition, and copycats. Its formula for winning isn’t what you think.
What’s the Deal with Neils?
The name has never been particularly popular in the U.S. — unless, of course, you’re Indian American.
How Fazlur Rahman Khan Engineered the Modern Skyscraper
The Bangladeshi American set the standard for tall buildings globally, from the Hancock Center to the Burj Khalifa.
Black and Brown Love
Black and Brown couples don’t have it easy. Marrying Brown can be difficult, but for Black partners, it’s especially hard.
Deepika Padukone is Building an Empire
The launch of 82°E, her self-described “self-care” brand, is only the start for the Bollywood superstar.
Why South Asians Prefer the Mother’s Side
Scores of South Asians swear the dad’s side of the family sucks. Is it just evolution or something else?
Black TikTok, Brown Culture
With perfect pronunciation and killer Bhangra moves, Black TikTokers are going viral taking on South Asian music.
The Bollywood Bahu Effect
Does marrying into a dynastic Hindi film family mean less autonomy? Fans are convinced Alia Bhatt is the phenomenon’s latest victim.
Bikram Choudhury, the Sexual Predator Who Built a Yoga Empire
How a boy from Bengal founded Bikram Yoga and minted millions, only to abuse his students and escape justice.
Does Yale Discriminate Against Asian Americans?
Eleven Asian American students looked at their admissions files. They were surprised by what they found.
When South Asian Women Choose to Go Child-Free
They may face criticism for their choice. But it’s not stopping them from celebrating their lives.
Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: 2023
This May, a roundup of 15 stories that celebrate South Asian American life, love, culture, and history.
“Naatu Naatu” at the Oscars: A Cultural Triumph Gone Wrong
South Asians asked why there were no Indian lead dancers on stage. The Academy and the dance troupe responded with excuses.
How Bollywood Failed Parveen Babi
One of the highest-paid actors of her time is largely remembered through her lovers and by her illness. While others profited from her tale, she died alone at 51.
Why the West is Afraid of Color
The colorful (and enraging) history of how neutrals and monochrome became the preferred Western aesthetic.
Horror in Hounslow: The Chohan Family Case
In 2003, a family of five vanished from their London home. What followed was a shoddy police investigation.
The Legacy of British Colonization in South Asia
Sixteen stories about the British empire, the royal family, and how they changed the subcontinent.
The Tesla Cliff Crash is Yet Another Cry for Help
In January, Dharmesh Patel tried to kill himself and his family. The tragedy unveils glaring gaps in mental health resources for South Asian men.
How the West Deemed Eating With Your Hands “Uncivilized”
And why the practice persisted in South Asia anyway.
Did Romantic Kissing Originate in India?
For years, researchers traced the practice to ancient Sanskrit texts. Recent evidence suggests that theory might not be the whole story. Or is it?
How the West Reduced ‘The Kama Sutra’ to Sex
The ancient Indian manuscript has long been a guide to love — and life.
Parminder Nagra Should Have Been a Superstar
'Bend It Like Beckham' turned Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers into overnight celebrities. Why didn’t it do the same for its British Indian stars?
How Cartier Built an Empire by Claiming Indian and Islamic Art as its Own
The French luxury jewelry house has long appropriated Eastern influences, calling it aesthetic exchange.
The Queer Legacy of ‘Bend It Like Beckham’
The film bent the rules so that others could break them. We examine its impact 20 years later.
How Ghee Took Over U.S. Grocery Shelves
The recent global rise of the clarified butter is striking for an ingredient steeped in centuries of culinary history.
South Asians in Therapy: Challenging Norms and Taboos
As therapy becomes more mainstream and accessible, a new generation is reclaiming their mental health.
The Cultural Appropriation of Dalit Music
For Dalit artists, performances are tools of cultural resistance. But many have glamorized and sanitized this history.
How America’s Patel Brothers Won the Indian Grocery Game
For many new immigrants, the store was a saving grace in a world full of Wonder Bread and Ruffles.
Chippendales: How a Bengali Tycoon Became a Murderer
Gruesome deaths transformed an erotic nightclub for women into a real-life murder mystery.
Why Brown Moms Love Princess Diana
The South Asian women who came of age in the 1980s viewed Lady Di as both a contemporary and a cautionary tale.
Rekha, Amitabh, Jaya: A Silsila of Deprivation
Decades later, Bollywood’s most infamous love triangle seems even more tragic than we first thought.
Why Bollywood Loved — and Lost — Fawad Khan
It’s been years since fans have seen the iconic Pakistani actor in Hindi cinema. But they can’t seem to forget him.
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"the website that found a refreshing way to tell a community’s story"
"Premium subscription publication lands new investors"
"challenging mainstream media’s coverage of South Asians"
"giving a voice to the South Asia diaspora"
"100 of the world’s most promising startups to watch"
"one of the top media startups to watch out for"