Objects in the rear view mirror appear closer than they are

December 10, 2024

We’ve all been there. Driving along, a sudden pang of regret for a missed opportunity, a harsh word spoken, a path not taken, jolts us. The past, like a persistent shadow, intrudes upon the present. Our minds, much like the rearview mirrors of our cars, often fixate on what’s behind...

Schadenfreude – The Darkness Within

November 9, 2024

As the most advanced creatures on Earth, human beings are undoubtedly the most complex. We experience a vast range of emotions, many of which we still struggle to fully understand and it is not uncommon these days to seek help to fully comprehend the entire spectrum of human emotions. While...

Artificial Intelligence: Is it going to replace human creativity?

October 28, 2024

For the last few years, since Artificial Intelligence and other associated creative writing tools became popular, small-time aspiring writers like myself have been quaking in our boots, wondering if AI would send us packing to the land of anonymous mediocrity, leaving only the literary bigwigs to roam the literary earth....

Toxic co-dependency masquerading as true love

October 22, 2024

Romeo-Juliet, Heer-Ranjha, Sohni-Mahiwal - what is the recurrent theme in all these love stories which have been glorified as the pinnacle of true love? The common thread is that these lovers loved each other so much that they could not live without each other. These tales have been passed down...

Empathy not judgement needed to help fight drugs addiction

October 16, 2024

In our fast-paced, consumerist world, everything - even a human being - is often judged by their perceived utility and ability to serve the needs of the collective. Those who dutifully participate in the relentless “rat race” are celebrated and rewarded, their worth validated by their output and success. But...

The hidden power of setbacks: Embracing failure for growth and transformation

September 26, 2024

Encountering obstacles is a vital aspect of our human journey. It either acts as catalysts for building resilience or provides an opportunity to take a necessary pause for introspection. But, we live in a society consumed by an intense obsession with success, where social media platforms and professional networks are...

Women’s Safety: Half-Century of Shattered Promises

September 18, 2024

On a chilling November night in 1973, the corridors of Mumbai’s King Edward Memorial Hospital bore witness to a tragedy that would haunt the nation’s conscience for decades to come. Aruna Shanbaug, a vibrant young nurse dedicated to her calling, descended into the hospital’s basement, unaware that her life was...

From Society’s ‘Shoulds’ to a Woman’s ‘Coulds’: Dismantling the Glorification of Self-Sacrifice

September 10, 2024

“We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man.” This poignant statement by acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie cuts to the heart of a pervasive issue in societies worldwide: the glorification...

From Legacy to Luminary: Daddy’s Little Girl’s Quest for Identity

August 22, 2024

Indira Gandhi once lamented, “All my games were political games; I was, like Joan of Arc, perpetually being burned at the stake.” She was acutely conscious of the relentless scrutiny and judgment she faced due to the towering and influential political legacy she had inherited. Nonetheless, she tirelessly endeavoured to...