India’s strength lies in its civilizational diversity, its age-old tradition of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (where the world is seen as one family) and no attempt to paint with a monochromatic brush can bring the real Indian canvas to life. Zohran Mamdani’s ideas – plural, liberal and invaluable – resonate with the core of a new India and make him stand out as a leader worth celebrating.
As friends, colleagues, mentees, and admirers gathered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to celebrate her 80th birthday in November 2025, what became clear was that the accolades tell only part of the story and don’t explain why a roomful of people from across the world came to honour her.
The exhibition also sits in conversation with an earlier project co-curated by Hashmi and Walia, exploring the creative and political possibilities of South Asia through art and film. That curatorial lineage expands the meaning of this library project, situating it within a broader feminist and regional tradition of asking uncomfortable questions.
Mamdani represents a different era — one less interested in fitting in, and more in standing firm. Obama deflected when his middle name became a slur in the mouths of opponents. Mamdani pronounces his own name slowly until others get it right. Obama avoided being read through a Muslim lens. Mamdani says being Muslim, African-born, and South Asian is the story — not a liability.
Mamdani’s performance becomes even more striking when the kind of coalition he built in the world’s most multicultural and multilingual city is brought into consideration. Early analysis shows that apart from South Asian American voters, including Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afghan, Sri Lankan and Nepalese, he also won over White, Black and Latino voters in excess of expectations. He did particularly well in the demographic below 45 years in age
With barely five days to go for New York’s mayoral election, it is remarkable that whether or not its Indian American candidate, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, wins has become a sort of a litmus test for the Democratic Party
Trinidad and Tobago’s Republican Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to worship. This freedom must never be surrendered to any authority or circumstance. The celebration of Diwali, deeply rooted in the history of East Indian indentured laborers who arrived 187 years ago from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, remains a testament to their enduring faith and contribution to our society.
While the new H-1B fee represents a very real and immediate hardship—both financially and emotionally—for thousands of Indian families, it could also present a long-term opportunity for India’s tech sector. If Indian companies and the government can adapt quickly, and if U.S. companies continue to rely on Indian talent (albeit remotely), this moment could be a catalyst for transformation.
This year, pop artists like Pakistan’s Aima Baig and Kaifi Khalil, and India’s Gulab Sidhu, presented the image of young South Asia to fans in Norway. There was Kurdish music, Latin American folk with Afro-Caribbean tones; inter-generational pieces and alternative possibilities in the Scandinavian context.
The UAE has several advantages vis-à-vis Golden Visas being offered not just by other Gulf countries, but countries in other regions as well. Indians, like nationals of several other countries, are likely to be more attracted towards the UAE’s Golden Visa given not only the several advantages which UAE possesses, but also the flexibility of the UAE’s golden visa.
UAE possesses specific advantages from an academic standpoint. It hosts branch campuses of several dozen top universities: New York University, for example, has its Abu Dhabi campus as a full-service liberal-arts university. France's Sorbonne University has a branch in Abu Dhabi. Britain's Heriot-Watt, University of Birmingham, Middlesex, and other Western universities have similarly invested heavily in UAE campuses.
Barely twenty years later, in 2023, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially accepted Tasveeri as an Oscar-qualifying film festival. It is so far the only South Asian film festival to be officially recognized as such. This means that Tasveer film festival winners become eligible for submissions to the Oscars.
Ultimately, the recruitment of 100,000 workers presents both opportunities and challenges for Bangladesh. If Bangladeshis can understand Japanese work culture, then it's truly a blessing; however, misunderstanding or violating it poses a risk to the hard-earned trust that has been established between the two Asian countries.
While FY25 has been a success story, sustaining this trend won’t be easy. Bangladesh’s remittance economy relies heavily on labor migration to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. However, labor demand in host countries is changing due to automation, nationalization of jobs (Saudi Arabia’s Saudization policy), and shifting immigration laws. The future of low-skilled labor exports is uncertain
The question must be asked: has the Middle Eastern dream become an Indian nightmare? Migrant workers face compounding insecurities, with the confiscation of passports turning them into virtual hostages. Structural exploitation, poor working conditions, and the intensifying climate crisis disproportionately impact Indian migrants—many of whom are semi- or unskilled laborers from already vulnerable communities.
This was no mere diplomatic courtesy call. India’s renewed outreach must be seen through the lens of historical connection and future potential. Nearly 44 percent of Trinidad and Tobago’s Indian diaspora traces its origins to the indentured labour system—deep roots that have flourished into rich cultural traditions shared in cuisine, music, festivals, and faith.
The good news is our team of scientists and biomedical engineers at Columbia University has developed a stent, The Stentinel, that can continuously scan the bloodstream to find cancer’s first cells and the earliest biomarkers. And, the stent can be programmed to electrocute The First Cell. This approach will democratize medicine worldwide, shifting the healthcare paradigm from one of treating illness to one of maintaining wellness
Activists are asking who creates wealth in the U.S. and does the most difficult jobs? It is immigrant workers who form the backbone of the economy, as participants of a well-attended seminar agreed. The event, titled Union and Community Activists Unite for Immigrant Rights organised by the activist group Boston South Asian Coalition
Featuring the works of 26 young artists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the multidisciplinary exhibition takes South Asia's stories to a global stage. A special half-day event in London last Tuesday, 10 June, titled ' South Asia: people, promise and potential - art, film and discussion' at the Bloomsbury Institute London that brought together the South Asian artists exhibit with a documentary I made in Sri Lanka last year
