Love in the time of war

When a soldier goes Missing in Action, only families seem to care. A fiction based on this searing fact This work of fiction is based on facts – in fact, it was inspired by the author’s meetings with families of defence personnel who went missing in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. It was propelled by her […]

Public vs private care

If you had to choose between a government hospital and a private one, which would you choose? Both options are daunting for many reasons Lack of equipment and infrastructure, overcrowded wards, multiple non-functioning OTPs, a single MRI machine that is being shared by several government hospitals, unavailability of ventilators and medicines, long serpentine queues and […]

Homing in on security

Many Russian girls come to Delhi on tourist visas to earn a living, find a partner and a secure family environment. Here is a look into their tryst with Delhi There are many Russians and Russian-speaking people in Delhi — especially in Paharganj and Ram Krishna Marg area.  A few also live in Saket, Malviya […]

Misogynist teacher

Students are protesting against Jamia’s Fine Arts Department head and demanding his removal In the session of 2016-17 when I first saw Mr Hafeez Ahmad shouting at two woman students in the Fine Arts Department, I didn’t make much of it. I was a student there, taking evening classes for a course on calligraphy in […]

Bespoke tailoring

In Connaught Place, you can still find tailors and drapers who specialise in men’s suits, though theirs is now a niche service More often than not, a garment is celebrated for its outer appeal and all the embellishment that goes in it. Be it the snazzy fabric, an exotic cut or the most sought-after label […]

The foam & the farm

Despite living near the Yamuna, farmers don’t touch the water; others think it will be drinkable soon Having spent decades toiling over a small plot of land they call their khet (farm), a grizzled Dharampal seems older than the 60 years he claims to be. About 30 of those years have been spent on the […]

Painful makeover

In a year from now, Chandni Chowk’s redevelopment will be done. Until then, however, the buzz in the bazaar is all about the inconveniences faced ‘As you sit stranded in a traffic jam, half-choked by rickshaw fumes and the ammonia stink of the municipal urinals, you see around you a sad vista of collapsing shop […]

In search of a paycheck

The lacklustre Directorate of Employment is hardly a place that can bring hope to the job seekers who knock at its doors On a long stretch of road is a building with all the vibes of a sarkari daftar. Its greying, crumbling walls giving out little hope that it can ensure job security. This is […]