Latest stories

Ashwagandha, the West’s Latest Poster Child

The herb, rooted in Ayurveda, can reportedly treat stress, hair loss, and much more. But why is science so divided on it?

Affirmative Action is No More. Now What?

Many Asian Americans grapple with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling they do not support, yet used their plight to decide the case.

Jay Shetty: Modern Monk or Wellness Moneymaker?

The guru is passionate about spreading love and making you happy — but only if you pay up.

Treating Painful Sex is an Uphill Battle for South Asians

Vaginal pain is more common than people think. For South Asians, getting care is its own challenge.

Hijras in South Asia: The Divine, The Disenfranchised

British rule recast the third gender community as pariahs. Modern South Asian laws have yet to undo the damage.

Modi’s U.S. State Visit Reveals America’s Growing Reliance on India

But was an official state event necessary?

Love and Belonging in ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’

The 1985 queer romance between a British Pakistani man and a skinhead turned immigrant tropes on their head and remains prescient to this day.

DJ Rekha Wants to Make You Dance

The Basement Bhangra founder created a sanctuary for generations of South Asian Americans. The artist isn’t done anytime soon.

How Whiskey Won India

In 2022, the country overtook France to become the world’s largest consumer of the spirit by volume. Now, Indian single-malts are shaking things up.

The Hooded Gown, Suddenly, is Everywhere

As the fashion moment takes over red carpets without crediting Eastern influences, who is the look serving?

Salman Rushdie, the Maverick Who Lived

On the award-winning novelist’s birthday, we revisit how his writing molded the literary imagination of hundreds of millions.

“Jimmy Jimmy Aaja Aaja,” the Bollywood Disco Track That Never Dies

Bappi Lahiri’s 1982 hit song has reemerged in different avatars for decades, from Soviet film festivals to Chinese protests to K-Pop.

South Asia’s Stinkiest Beloved Treat? A Laxative.

How Big Ayurveda turned Hajmola, the lip-smacking digestive aid, into candies.

Goan Food is Much More than Vindaloo

Restaurants have long reduced Goan cuisine, shaped by over 450 years of Portuguese rule, to one dish. That’s now changing — but is it enough?

‘Never Have I Ever’ Stars Reflect on What’s Next: “There’s More to Come”

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, and Richa Moorjani sat down to chat about the last season of the beloved teen comedy.

In ‘Never Have I Ever’ Season 4, Devi Finally Grows Up

In her senior year and the last season, the messy but charming teen proves how far she’s come in her journey to self-love.

Did Romantic Kissing Originate in India?

For years, researchers traced the practice to ancient Sanskrit texts. Recent evidence suggests that theory might not be the whole story. Or is it?

Rekha, Mother of Bollywood Queer Icons

The Hindi film industry painted the actor as a vamp and the other woman. Yet she emerged as a flag-bearer for self-love and queer self-expression.

The Tesla Cliff Crash is Yet Another Cry for Help

In January, Dharmesh Patel tried to kill himself and his family. The tragedy unveils glaring gaps in mental health resources for South Asian men.

Dev Shah is the 2023 National Spelling Bee Champion

The 14-year-old won $50,000 and the coveted trophy. His winning word was “psammophile.”