Latest stories

We’ve published over 1,650 stories at The Juggernaut diving into South Asian culture, politics, history, profiles, business, and tech. Here are all of our stories for you to peruse, with the most recent first.

Padma Lakshmi (Shyama Golden for The Juggernaut)

The Evolution of Padma Lakshmi

Her latest show “Taste the Nation” is just the culmination of who she’s always been: an authentic food writer, history nerd, and steward of culture.

Snigdha Sur

Ruhel Islam’s Gandhi Mahal Indian restaurant burned down during protests in late May — not far from the Third Precinct police headquarters in Minneapolis. (Krithika Varagur)

“Let My Building Burn”

Restaurateur Ruhel Islam is one of several South Asian Americans demonstrating a new kind of allyship with Black Lives Matter — one that is more vocal, forceful, and humble.

Krithika Varagur

Pakistani American poet Ifti Nasim (Hafsa Ashfaque for The Juggernaut)

Who’s Afraid of Ifti Nasim?

The swashbuckling life and legacy of a Pakistani American gay icon.

Alizeh Kohari

Sushant Singh Rajput died on June 14, at age 34. (Radio Rani for The Juggernaut)

Opinion: Sushant Singh Rajput’s Suicide is Yet Another Wake-Up Call

We shouldn’t have to wait until someone attempts suicide to talk about mental health issues.

Siri Chilukuri

Lawmakers, community organizations, and unions — including Pramila Jayapal — gathered in 2017 on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol to voice concerns about the Trump administration’s budget. (AFGE)

Pramila Jayapal Goes Against the Grain

The first Indian American woman in the U.S. House is not afraid to fight for progressive policies.

Kiran Misra

Street food in Mumbai, India. (Vidya Balachander)

Amid COVID, Indian Street Food Vanishes

The COVID-19 lockdown has left street food vendors wondering how they’ll reclaim their hard-won places in the heart of cities.

Vidya Balachander

Because of their light skin and willingness to go on the stage, Jewish Bollywood stars such as Nadira (Florence Ezekiel) — pictured on right — ruled the silent era. (Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival/Shalom Bollywood)

The Jews of India

For 2,000 years, India has been home to a small but prominent Jewish community. So what makes India one of the safest places for Jews in the world?

Michaela Stone Cross

Hakka Chili Chicken at The MasalaWala in New York City. (The MasalaWala)

Indo-Chinese Is More Than Fusion

Indo-Chinese food takes the most electric, savory, and often spicy flavors from certain Chinese dishes and dials them up tenfold.

Priya Krishna

This month, Meena Harris published children’s book “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea.” (Meena Harris)

“Everyone Can Do Something”

Entrepreneur Meena Harris talks about Black Lives Matter and her latest book: no one can do everything, but every person can play a role in effecting change.

The Juggernaut

BuzzFeed creative producer and TikToker Swasti Shukla (@iamswastishukla) makes both universally relatable and South Asian-specific TikToks, drawing on her upbringing to help her content hit home. (Swasti Shukla)

The Diaspora on Brown TikTok

South Asian Americans are navigating the fine line between sharing funny videos and perpetuating stereotypes.

Natasha Roy

Fair & Lovely ad excerpt (Fair & Lovely)

How Skin Whitening Became a $23 Billion Industry

With persistent colorism and the rise of consumerism, the idea of fair skin manifested as a product you could buy.

Anna Purna Kambhampaty

Black and Brown Love

Black and Brown couples don’t have it easy. Marrying Brown can be difficult, but for Black partners, it’s especially hard.

Michaela Stone Cross

(Illustration by Abhilash Baddha for The Juggernaut)

Bringing Brown to the Black-and-White Grid

How crossword puzzles depict South Asian cultures, and the forces trying to change that.

Natan Last

Community organizers in Virginia have advocated for the state to lift its ban on rent control. (Asian American Pacific Islander Civic Engagement Collaborative)

What’s Really Killing Us?

Many South Asian Americans were facing poverty and other systemic issues long before the coronavirus hit. Now, the virus is making them much worse.

Ashish Valentine and Anna Luy Tan

Opinion: How Do We Move Forward?

Reducing the suffering of others is a habit, not a momentary concern.

Dhruva Balram

The New York Times newsroom, pictured in 1942. (Marjory Collins/U.S. Library of Congress)

American Newsrooms Are (Still) Too White

Recent newsroom snafus — yet again — highlight a stark problem in journalism: the media industry doesn’t reflect the audiences they serve.

Vignesh Ramachandran

Scene from a protest in New York City. (Meghna Rao)

Opinion: Why I Protest

It was Black America that embraced South Asians, who often refuse to discuss race.

Meghna Rao

Anti-Blackness Goes Back To Ancient Times

Thinly veiled racism is still prevalent in the South Asian community today, but its history dates back centuries.

Sabrina Malhi

Giving Dal Its Due

On the long history of the lentil in South Asian motherlands and its resonance during the pandemic.

Sarah Thankam Mathews

The model minority myth (Abhilash Baddha for The Juggernaut)

Revisiting the Model Minority Myth, 20 Years Later

Two decades after the publication of ‘The Karma of Brown Folk,’ Vijay Prashad revisits his seminal book and advocates for concrete change today.

The Juggernaut