An Indian-American Journey
RAJIV SATYAL’S INDIAN-AMERICAN JOURNEY: A comedian’s jovial and touching personal essay about family, community, and identity. With about four million of us Indians in America, no stereotype, let alone a single narrative can capture the essence of our dynamic and diverse community. Yet, comedian Rajiv Satyal’s intimate and inspiring portrayal of his family’s American journey provides a fairly representative snapshot of our journey, identity, and place in the U.S. He tells his theories on being comfortable in America, and on differences between pre-1984 and now on assimilation, learning languages, and mixing with other Indian communities. He tells how he felt after making the “I AM INDIAN” video, and why he made the “I AM AMERICAN” video. Also, in an illuminating interview, Satyal shares more about his bicultural identity with nuggets like, “In high school, I didn’t think of myself as the Brown Ferris Bueller. I thought of myself as Ferris Bueller.” Read more »
BOLLYWOOD: THE UNUSUAL PAST DECADE. Superstars increasingly took a backseat as strong stories with strong women's roles kept film fans hooked, and small-town India came into the picture. Read more »
IS INDIA BECOMING A HINDU RASHTRA? The Citizenship Amendment Bill, which set off protests across the nation, is an attack on our Constitution and on the very idea of India. Read more »
For most Americans, turmeric is a new fad; for Indians, it is an age-old spice that is woven into the fabric of life, far beyond its ubiquitous place in the kitchen. Read more »
When it comes to India’s approach towards Kashmir, what matters is, where do Kashmiris themselves stand? A forceful occupation would prove India’s democracy a sham, and may ensnare for decades. Read more »
Further thoughts on Partition / Emphasize the president’s good points / Weighing in on the Ayodhya decision Read more »
A 2019 study by Vanguard, one of the world’s largest money managers, concludes that a relationship with a financial advisor, especially an independent one, can make a difference for investors. Read more »
Cyberattacks in 2018 probably cost the U.S. over $2.7B in damages. Small companies are especially vulnerable, and large companies expect their vendors and service providers to take precautions. Read more »
HOW TO BE SLIM AND TRIM THIS SUMMER: Faddish diets are not the solution for losing weight and staying fit, but there are other ways to do it. Why Keto, Paleo, and other fad diets are not magic pills. Read more »
A proposed DHS rule would increase filing fees and would impose new filing and fee requirements for many immigration cases. The final rule should include an effective date. Read more »
The popular pair of the 90s will reunite on screen after 10 years, after Luck by Chance, and Chalk and Duster: it's a comedy for Rishi Kapoor (after cancer treatment) and bubbly Juhi Chawla. Read more »
Virginia teens Medhnaa and Kushaan Saran had volunteered at Bal Ashram orphanage in Jaipur with survivors of human trafficking and child labor. Now their nonprofit is Touch of Life Foundation. Read more »
Sri Vaishnavi Ghantasala, from Chattahoochee High School, was presented the Girl of the Year award by Women in Technology (WIT). She has also won second place (USA-Canada) in Telugu Maatlaata. Read more »
Briefs / BOOKS: A Delhi Obsession (Canadian Muslim meets Hindu woman); The Story of a Goat (from Tamil); Dishoom: From Bombay with Love (recipes, memories, photos); Orange for the Sunsets (Uganda, middle school). Read more »
DR. VEENA RAO: THE CANCER FIGHTER. Talk Time has a new host, and her first interview is with a professor at Morehouse College who was awarded a $100,000 grant for her breast cancer research. Read more »
People say their head leads them in one direction and their heart in another. In yoga, we say, you are one. Thought and feeling are not different. One is dry. Another is juicy. Enjoy both. Read more »
