Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: 2025
Dive into 20 of our favorite stories that celebrate South Asian American icons, culture, and history.
The Juggernaut
Satyendra Nath Bose, the God Particle Genius
The Bengali physicist discovered the universe’s tiniest building blocks and earned Einstein’s praise — yet history overlooked him.
Tulika Bose
What Does a Pinch of Sindoor Really Mean?
How Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes look sparked a global conversation about the 7,000-year-old tradition.
Neha Kondaveeti
Why South Asians Still Aren’t Getting Enough Protein
Fitness nerds and doctors are telling us to pile on the macro. But for the community, the answer isn’t just “more.”
Olivia Bowden
What’s Really Killing Bollywood
The decline of Hindi cinema isn’t just about streaming or bad scripts — it involves something far more sinister.
Meher Manda
Why Won’t America Let Us Have Mustard Oil?
A 1970s rat study is keeping Bengalis from their aachars and hilsa. They want answers — and their tel back.
The Global Checkered Past of Madras Plaid
How a Chennai-born pattern became both a staple of African resistance and American prep — and what it reveals about colonialism and empire.
Kamini Purushothaman
Is This the End of Gifted America?
In Palo Alto and beyond, South Asian students are seeing honors tracks vanish — along with the vision of excellence they were raised to believe in.
Kiran Sampath
South Asians Are Hitting Menopause Before Everyone Else
And we’re not talking about it enough.
Siobhan Neela-Stock
The Satyajit Ray Film Wes Anderson Couldn’t Forget
‘Aranyer Din Ratri’ (1970) — about four city men and the forest that unmasks them — arrives at Cannes in 4K, its influence sharper than ever.
Poulomi Das
The Tragic, Trailblazing Life of Dr. Anandibai Joshi
The first Indian woman to get a Western medical degree was a child bride, teen mom, and physician-in-charge — all before 21.
Why South Asians are Pursuing Surrogacy
The community is turning to the reproductive option in growing numbers — but who carries the cost and stigma?
Can India Reclaim Its Perfume Glory?
The $62 billion global fragrance industry runs on synthetics. But one country’s ancient, natural traditions are gaining ground.
Jaishree Kumar
That “European” Beadwork? Made in India.
Western fashion houses are claiming they’re bringing beading back. The “Ibiza aesthetic” was never theirs to begin with.
Sanchita Kedia
This Conflict’s Disinformation is Out of Control
What happens when two nuclear powers fight not just across borders, but also online?
Anvee Bhutani
&
Duaa Shah
‘The Royals’ is Ridiculous — and That’s Okay
Could a startup queen, a horse boy prince, and a business-meets-palace plot be exactly what we need right now?
Snigdha Sur
Fake Paneer is Ruining Everything
The soft cheese that fed a nation is now India’s most adulterated food — and poses serious health risks.
Darshita Goyal
Who Gets to Wear the Patiala Necklace?
Cartier let Emma Chamberlain wear its choker, but denied Diljit Dosanjh. For many, it’s a shocking reminder of who still controls Indian history.
Met Gala 2025: Black Dandyism Meets South Asian Glamour
Shah Rukh Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Kiara Advani made their long-awaited debuts, while jewelry and accessories took center stage.
How the West Stole Indian Fashion
Muslin. Cashmere. Paisley. Europe didn’t just loot from the subcontinent — it built empires off its artistry.