How Pachisi, An Indian Board Game, Became Ludo
byPachisi AKA Ludo, an ancient Indian game which Akbar was addicted to, is now a strategy game taught at business schools.
Editor’s Picks
Memory Of A Flood
byDocumenting stories on floods will help policymakers design better flood-management practices in the future.
Makhan Singh: The Sikh Revolutionary Who Fought For Kenya’s Liberation
byMakhan Singh, AKA ‘Mungu Comrade,’ played an active part in Kenya’s liberation struggle. Yet he remains an unsung hero.
When Fanatical Brahmins & Islamists Tried To Decimate Buddhism
byAshoka, the emperor, spread Buddha’s teachings across India and Asia. Yet, Ashoka’s story is largely forgotten.
Santoshi Maa: The Celluloid Goddess
byJai Santoshi Maa, a Hindi film produced in 1975, went on to become a box office success & created the cult of a goddess.
Rachel Beer: The First Lady Of Fleet Street
byAt a time when women weren’t allowed to vote, a Bombay born Jewish woman became the first woman of the fleet street.
The Eternal Malgudi Days
byMalgudi Days, etched in the hearts and minds of people is eternal. But it can really mess with your heartstrings.
The Curious Case Of Doresh Tov Le-‘amo, India’s First Hebrew Newspaper
byWhat can India’s first Hebrew newspaper, started by a Baghdadi Jew from Bombay, tell us about journalistic integrity?
The Baburnama
byWas Babur a religious bigot? What does his autobiography, the Baburnama, reveal about him?
How A Portuguese Jewish Jesuit Produced The First Printed Tamil Book
byHenri Henriques, a Portuguese priest, produced the first Tamil Printed book with Pero Luis, a Tamil Brahmin Jesuit.
Willoughby Wallace Hooper: Photographer of Death
byAt what point does the photographer change roles from a documenter of tragedy to an indifferent bystander?
The Mathematical Abilities Of Bees
byHoneybees can understand Zero, an abstract mathematical concept that humans have struggled to comprehend for centuries.
Distilled Wisdom: On the Imperfectability Of Life
byThe Principle of the Imperfectability of Life pervades everything we do. But compassion must always take priority.
Why Everything You’ve Heard About India’s First Newspaper is Wrong
byHicky’s Bengal Gazette was not just a ‘scurrilous’ paper filled with scandal & sex. It was a force for the public good.
Bourne and Shepherd: Photography Lessons From 1862
byIn this era of environmental decay, Bournes’ photographs are precious shots of the wild & beautiful India ever made.