If you’re familiar with Indian culture, you’ve likely heard a thing or two about the red dot. It is called a bindi in Hindi, and in my mother tongue, Gujarati, a chandlo. I have a special relationship with this red dot, one that I only realized several years ago. Ever…

This article is also available as a podcast on Apple, Google, or Spotify. Diwali is absolutely my favorite time of year. It marks both the Hindu Festival of Lights and the New Year for many Hindus throughout the world. The multi-day celebration also symbolizes victory of good over evil. To…

“In case there is a loss in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will deploy from the ceiling compartment located above you… Please make sure to secure your own mask before assisting others.” Anyone who has ever taken a flight can recognize this phrase from the initial safety briefing, but it’s that…

In broad daylight on April 10, 2021 in Delhi, India, a forty-year old man, Harish Mehta, stabbed his twenty-six year old wife of eight months, Neelu Mehta, to death. Among other tensions in their marriage, he had been upset over her decision to work in a hospital, wanting her to…

In September 1995, 30,000 activists and 17,000 participants streamed into Beijing for the opening of the Fourth World Conference on Women. For the next two weeks, representatives of 189 countries discussed and developed historic commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment around the globe. The final product of the conference…

On the Indian National Girl Child Day, I dedicate this piece to all of my desi sisters. I see you. I admire you. Born from a country where parents may not know the sex of their baby, for fear that if it is a girl, they won’t want her. And…

I like to think I’m a generally positive person: I take time each day to note what I’m grateful for, I laugh a lot (maybe too much), and I overall try to maintain an upbeat demeanor. When the pandemic hit, I wanted to make sure I maintained my positivity, so…

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” ― Anne Lamott ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We live in a world where we glorify the hustle. You worked for 10 hours? Well, I worked for 12. You slept 5 hours? Oh, but I only got 4. Business…

I recently came across pictures from my sophomore year in college. In them, I look my best: my body is at its leanest, my hair is shining, and my eyes are glowing. Anyone who sees these images would think I’m thriving. In fact, I almost had myself fooled. Yet, when…