Is the year already over? Are we okay? 2025 felt like an entire century and yet, at times, like a blur. The internet was awash with The Summer I Turned Pretty memes. Zohran Mamdani became New York City’s first Indian-origin and Muslim mayor. Usha Vance became Second Lady. The Met Gala saw multiple debuts, from Shah Rukh Khan to Kiara Advani. And, of course, AI was everywhere, including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and OpenAI’s Sam Altman brokering a deal that propelled the latter to a whopping $830 billion valuation.
Below, we reflect on some of this year’s most notable moments for South Asians globally — across business, entertainment, politics, fashion, sports, and more. What would you add? What did you find yourself remembering anew?