Surviving the Nepal earthquake in 2015: a memoir of a calamity
This is a topic I have written on countless times in my life. And over time, although the topic has remained the same, the days and the events have changed. During my school years, it progressed from the day I got scholarship in fifth grade board exam to being placed at the top of the list in HSC and...
Lockdown Diaries: My fight with coronavirus boredom
My name is Ishaan Saxena and I am a student of year 5 in an international school in Hong Kong. My school has been closed since January end amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Home learning is one job to do but once you finish it, it gets boring. So I thought I could use this time to explore my interest and do something...
First line of defence against coronavirus
I am a commoner. We commoners only read and hear about wars, tsunamis, fires, murders, diseases. For us these things are just news, these are things that only happen to someone else. Our strongest opinions are often limited to the dining table of our house. To put it simply, we're just part of a large 'Janta'. But what if...
What is Global Indian Stories?
Global Indian Stories is all about Indians being able to share their stories with their communities and around the world. Since we launched, we've had the pleasure of a wide variety of stories from countries across the globe. We're proud to present a selection from our archive, to give you a flavour of what globalindianstories.org is all about. Literacy and...
A ride too far
Baramulla, North Kashmir April 1990 The Vale of Kashmir was brimming with voices of dissent and there was a surge in violence, murder and mayhem triggered by religious uprising in the state. The trouble in the valley was abetted primarily by the military leadership of neighbouring Pakistan and supported by the religious fundamentalist forces who had fallen prey to the...
What’s this Big Deal about English-Vinglish?
“Many cool,” said the guy who comes to mow our lawn in the summer and fall. It took us a while to figure out what he meant. It was an unusually breezy afternoon, and when he gestured by putting his arms across his chest, it struck us that he was trying to say that it was very cold that...
Krishna in the land of Islam – a story of two devotees and their unfaltering faith in him
Turkey is a secular country, but 99% of the population are Muslims. According to some spiritual groups, this poses a challenge for other religions to co-exist within the country. The teachings of Sri Srila Prabhupada has, despite the limitations penetrated into the heart of Turkey and ISKCON continues to draw Muslims as devotees. Unlike many countries in Europe and in...
Through the lens from a second home: the journey of an NRI American
A quote from Heraclitus aptly summarizes in paradoxical terms the truth about the story of human civilization : “The only thing that is constant is change.” At times, the pace is too fast to keep up with. As a first generation resident in the United States, I often reflect on the changes related to the Indian diaspora. What I...
Beyond Reasoning
I was born in Pune, India, into a Maharashtrian family inclined towards art, music and education. I inherited an aptitude and flair towards painting and being raised in a cultural environment, only supported that. My father, despite his deep commitment to science as a Professor of Physics, was a connoisseur of fine arts, specialising in drawing portraits in charcoal medium. I...
