Author: Lavina Melwani

Even as tensions build between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, one can’t help but remember the softer, gentler things these two neighbors – originally one country – share in common: a love for mangoes and gulab jamun, a passion for cricket, Bolly]wood – and of course, ethnic fashion

ooking for a real fun, feel-good experience? Take a trip on ‘Mission Mangal’ to Mars with Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan, Sonakshi Sinha, Tapsee Pannu and a gang of talented Bollywood actors,  reenacting India’s historic mission to Mars.

The Trump Administration has just introduced the new Public Charge Rule which will only make it tougher to get a green card or become a citizen of the US if you’ve ever been on public assistance.

The revocation of Article 370 has brought many changes to Jammu and Kashmir. We spoke to Kashmiri pandits in the US about their reactions.

Racism of course comes in many shapes and forms, from hurtful remarks to all forms of injustices – economic disparities, educational and financial walls, voter suppression, loss of possibilities for people of color, for people who are different.

Indian-American children did very well in the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee – here’s the back story

The Much Loved Philosopher-Saint who passed away last year just before his 100th birthday would have been 101 this August, which is being observed as Forgiveness Day. He was gentle, humorous and had all the answers to life’s complexities.

At a time when refugees, asylum-seekers, migrants and illegal immigrants are regarded as trouble-makers, scum, inconvenient and expendable in America and immigration is itself the new four-letter word, there comes a powerful protest from award-winning author Suketu Mehta, himself the son of immigrants.

She’s the only woman chef at the world-famous Rainbow Room which is one of Manhattan’s most celebrated restaurants and which also has a members only exclusive club

“Our Dreamers are American in every way but on paper. Yet, by cruelly ending DACA, the Trump Administration brought fear and uncertainty into the lives of countless Dreamers. House Democrats are honoring our promise, and their bravery, by ensuring Dreamers can continue to bless our nation.”

Six of the eight winners of the Scripps National Spelling Bee had used a coaching service called SpellPundit and the result was big success.

V]ikas Khanna’s life has been no bowl of gulab jamuns – he was born in a middle-class home in Amritsar with a club foot. He struggled with his disability  and had to overcome bullying by the other children. His is the classic story of the immigrant, coming to America with little money and big dreams.  

Yesterday is Danny Boyle’s sweet, surreal summer fable about the Beatles and stars Himesh Patel and Lily James with Kate McKinnon & Ed Sheeran.

Creating a space for voices which are seldom heard has been the passion for Myna Mukherjee, director of Engendered, a New York-based human rights organization which recently held the first ever South Asian Queer Leaders Summit in New York. You heard some strong, individual voices including those of Sunil Pant, Nepal’s first openly gay parliamentarian who worked to get same sex marriage rights for the community there

Age is just a number! Shelly Chopra Dhar is all about breaking stereotypes. She proves that everyone has one life to live and can do anything with it. Dhar, 62, is the debutante director of ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga’ and attended film school only when her fourth and youngest child was in middle school.

Mintu Pandher, a Sikh Indian-American, has been very successful in the American trucking industry

The end of 377 has changed life for the LGBTQ community in India – take a look at a gathering in New York to find the roots of this movement

Madhur Jaffrey, & Priya Krishna discuss the arc of Indian food in America, & their new books – Instantly Indian Cookbook and Indian-ish at IAAC’s event at DAG

Tulsi Gabbard, 38, outspoken, thoughtful and at the same time controversial, is certainly a viable candidate. She has been the US Congresswoman from Hawaii since 2013 and is also a soldier, having served in both Iraq and Kuwait.

Trump’s Build America Visa: Non-Starter or Game-Changer? [dropcap]F[/dropcap]or HI B visa holders, recent months have been stressful ones – they don’t know if their glass is half-empty or half-full or totally empty  as they wait to hear the latest from the White House on their future in America. Should they be putting a down payment on their dream house in America, which has become like home – or should they be packing their bags for Canada? Life was complex enough for many dealing with H1 B and H4 visas without a new wrinkle being added in to the immigration high…