Wear a mask! Be Covid Safe!

What is a story? The dictionary definition is dull; it reads “a description, either true or imagined, of a connected series of events.” They are so much more! Stories are connections; between writers and readers across the world, between ancestors and their descendants, between friends and families. Stories are the way we connect and bond at the grandest and simplest of levels - they are the lifeblood of our cultures and societies. I realised this when travelling back home from school on the bus last year. I was sitting, thinking; I knew I wanted to write an article about storytelling, but...

We are often told not to regret past events, that there's nothing we can do now, considering what's already been done. However, we are also told that we can learn from the past and become better people. By reflecting on our wrongdoings and improving on them, we can do better in the future. So what should we do? First of all, it is good for the mind not to think any more if we suffer from the mistakes or unavoidable circumstances of the past, or if we scold ourselves too much. If you're struggling with what's already done and can't concentrate on your work, it's better to send the past neatly...

Every morning for weeks and days; A girl stood by its soaring waves. Her feet covered in sand and water, Her mind lost in the thought of her father. Her whole soul was silent as a grave, Yet her mind was not that much brave. She stood there and mumbled some words, And also tried to talk to the birds. She surely might had been a peaceful one, But now she was angry at someone. Many a times she stepped back, And tried to scold the water and sand. Yet I was not able to see, The cause of her pain and her agony. Until one day she spoke out loud, To the waves that always went in and out. “NO MATTER...

A few weeks back, I was watching It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, a Korean drama that dealt with a number of mental health issues such as Antisocial Personality and Dissociative Identity Disorders. All was good until I stumbled upon the comment section, which housed a rather insensitive conversation around mental illness. I wasn’t surprised though, being an Asian myself, and that’s when I realized just how normalized the stigma around mental health is even in Asian American communities. For many years, Asian Americans from a wide range of cultures have been considered the “model minority”. This...

Why did that happen? Was it my fault? Maybe he didn’t hear me when I asked him to stop? Was that normal? If it was normal why do I feel scared? All of these questions flooded my 14 year old mind after it happened. I’m 23 now and as I reflect on my experiences with men over the years, all of the hurt and the trauma I know it stems from this point. I also know that I'm not alone, there are so many women walking around with the weight of the experiences they have had following them as they go through life. I feel I have neglected to fully realise the extent of the inequality and mistreatment of...

I hear the birds singing outside. "Wake up" they seem to say, "Wake up!" I tell myself It is time to change. It is time to be the change. There is no problem in resting for some time, but when there is a huge call out there, a whole world begging for light, we have to explode brighter than a supernova and keep on shining, so we can light each other's candles. Light it up let's defeat the dark. Wake up from inside. Every day, wake up. We are taking the call for making this land a better place, for bringing people hope and grace.

This poem is dedicated to all our frontline heroes that are risking their lives to save humanity during the pandemic. Days are spent trying to find the elusive cure, When the haunting will halt is far from sure. Our scrub clad heroes are putting their lives on the line, As they strive to keep the victims alive. But who will save our saviours? They desperately try to rip our blindfolds And erase the naivety that is clouding our minds, All while shielding us from the riptide. But who will save our saviours? Our frontline heroes try to ease the pain, And many have lost their lives but not in vain...

“The Ladakh region is a natural carbon sink and making it carbon neutral paves the way for many other regions in India to embark on this carbon neutrality journey. It will be now interesting to see how this announcement is operationalized and replicated in other parts of the country. It will also be intriguing to see how large businesses will respond to this call”: Narendra Damodardas Modi (Honorable Prime Minister of India). Even though there is no well-settled goal of becoming a carbon-neutral country in India but Ladakh is becoming one of the cleanest regions in South Asia with a carbon...

Throughout the covid-19 pandemic which has now hit its year and 11 day mark from being declared a global pandemic, a message of, "stay home save lives," has flooded the media and has been a common directive of many leaders when hoping to curb the growth of the pandemic. However, holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas and the breaks from work and school that come with them, have led to a widespread desire to travel. Many go about traveling with precaution and safety; wearing a mask, taking a viral test before traveling and after, etc. But sometimes this doesn't always create an...

It is not easy to healing. While everyone is trying to chase their dreams and at the same time, you are fighting with yourself. It's not easy to find happiness in the darkness. When every single thing seems useless, life became unreasonable. It's hard to get your soul back when your mind put a war against your heart but you can defeat it As I did. Yes, it seems hard but not impossible. All you have to do is to believe in yourself, there's only you who can help you. It's ok if no one listens but you listen to your inner voice. Don't let your mind fool your heart. So get up, you are strong...

I know that myself, something bothers me and that even in myself. But what exactly bothers me, I didn't know for a long time. That's why I'm telling you my story now, how I managed to love and accept myself: I started to sit down and go through my whole life in my mind. What has strengthened me? And what has weakened me? I wrote this down in a book, where I often collect my feelings and thoughts. On the basis of these notes I could see what I liked, but the points I liked were very important and I put them in the foreground. Through this I started to accept myself better! I also realized that...

Does hither come when called to come hither? No. It comes knocking in the dead of dusk Words cannot be heard when they’re so bitter Leaving you as empty as a hollow husk They say expect the unexpected but is it possible When the unexpected is not even a possibility? Shock comes to sadness comes to boredom comes to misery Previous connections and conversations become past history Waiting for a ping or a ding, got a notif! ... It's delivery One more game couldn’t hurt, press play again, one more victory? Mindless repeat, endless habit, was yesterday today or is tomorrow yesterday? Laying in bed...

What do you use your car keys for - opening your car, locking your car, holding your house keys with them? They’re actually also used as a self-defense mechanism by women all over the world. Holding the keys in between their fingers with a tight grip makes women feel secure that, in case they are attacked, there is a tool they can use to protect themselves. The safety concern of women has always been present, yet the situation isn’t improving. We shouldn’t need to clench the keys between our knuckles, carry pepper spray in our purses, or check underneath our car before getting in. This has...