Lost in memory | Review of The Great Épinal Escape by Ghee Bowman

The article was first published in The Hindu on July 4, 2025. I’d never heard of these POWs before — all those Great Escapes & never a brown face among them.” This line in the Epilogue of Ghee Bowman’s The Great Épinal Escape perfectly expresses a reader’s state after finishing the book. The tale of over 500 Indian prisoners of war escaping from a German camp during World War II has lain buried in various archives and libraries until unearthed and excavated by the historian and author. But this book is more than just a story of an escape. Read more on The Hindu  

How Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ affects Indians: From sending money to making investments, and crossing borders

The article was first published in Hindustan Times on July 4, 2025.

Since the 900-page details of what Trump has named ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ are now in, let's break down the immediate impact on Indians.

After the US Congress cleared President Donald Trump's massive legislation about government spending, focus is now on its impact not only in the US but on the world. For India, one of the most visible and direct impacts will be on remittances, that is, the money sent to or invested in India by NRIs. Migration is also in focus... Read more on Hindustan Times Find more Global Indian Top Reads

Why Zohran Mamdani’s New York win does not really hold lessons for progressives across the world

The article was first published in Scroll on July 2, 2025. Social media platforms in India and those used by Indians abroad by are abuzz with exultations over Zohran Mamdani’s position as a frontrunner in New York city’s mayoral election. Reactions combine a mixture of ethnic pride and political relief in the face of the resurgence of Right-wing populism. Comments from members of the Indian diaspora speak of a new era for the American Left in “the greatest city in the world” (oddly, these leave out the bit about American actions around the world that have produced its greatness). Read more on The Scroll Find more Global Indian Top Reads

Jiski lathi, uski foreign policy! Five lessons from Iran-Israel conflict

The article first appeared in The Times of India on June 28, 2025. The recent Israel-Iran-(US) conflict highlights the raw realities of global power, where military and economic might often overshadow international norms. The US backing of Israel demonstrates strategic alliances driven by mutual benefit, while the UN's influence remains limited against powerful nations. Ultimately, technological advancement and economic strength are crucial for global influence, rendering soft power ineffective in protecting a nation. Read more on The Times of India Find more Global Indian Top Reads

Politicians slashed migration. Now they face the consequences

The article first appeared in The Economist on June 22, 2025. LAST YEAR net migration to Britain halved: the country’s population grew by just 431,000, down from 860,000 in 2023. In the final quarter of 2024 some 60,000 people, net, moved to Canada, a drop from 420,000 in mid-2023. In April net migration to America slowed to an annualised pace of 600,000, an enormous fall from 4m or so in 2023. In March net migration to New Zealand was down by 80% from its peak in late 2023... Read more on The Economist  Find more Global Indian Top Reads

Louis Vuitton’s runway has found India — it must now lead the show

The article first appeared in The Indian Express on June 27, 2025. Pharrell Williams’s Louis Vuitton menswear spectacle in Paris on June 25 may be remembered less for its celebrities than for its compass. The collection — titled “Paris to India” — scattered cricket stripes across silk suits, dangled elephant-trunk bags from models’ hands and sent them striding over a snakes-and-ladders set conceived by architect Bijoy Jain. A Punjabi soundtrack co-produced by A R Rahman pulsed through the Louvre courtyard. In 30 brisk minutes, a French mega-brand declared that the world’s most sumptuous fashion conversation now needs India in every sentence. Read more on The Indian Express Find more Global Indian Top Reads