A bug, an Apple and a $100,000 payout
How a hacker from Ghaziabad thwarted what could've been one of the worst ever sign-in exploits
The Morning Context / June 2020
Writer, The Morning Context. Earlier: The Ken, Reuters, Hindustan Times, and DNA | UNFPA Laadli awardee
How a hacker from Ghaziabad thwarted what could've been one of the worst ever sign-in exploits
The Morning Context / June 2020
How the Q&A site lost the plot with its Quora Partner Program and questionable moderation
The Morning Context / February 2020
From mismanagement and bickering to funds misuse and unequal representation, here’s how things ended for a once-promising collective in the open knowledge movement
The Morning Context / November 2019
Polygraphy, brain mapping and narcoanalysis are not only inadmissible in court, but also unscientific and unethical. Why is India still using them to solve crimes?
The Morning Context / January 2021
The Indian Performing Right Society is the world’s fastest-growing copyright society. It’s also suffering penny-pinching streaming platforms, and a mutiny
The Morning Context / September 2020
Machine learning and algorithmic muscle aside, there’s plenty of human intervention that goes into mapping India’s roads, buildings and landmarks
The Morning Context / November 2020
The 2020 desert locust infestation isn’t just a plague. It’s a confluence of diplomatic, environmental and ecological complications
The Morning Context / September 2020
The untold story of how Atlas Cycles, once India’s most beloved bicycle brand, undid itself
The Morning Context / August 2020
In 2020, the police in Delhi NCR arrested a slew of people involved in tech support scams. This story is about the scambaiters who helped make this possible
The Morning Context / January 2021
How limited supply, database confusion, cold chain hiccups, and politicking could impede immunisation efforts
The Morning Context / December 2020
An ornamental plant introduced over 200 years ago is invading forests, displacing wildlife and endangering livelihoods. And that is just the beginning
The Morning Context / October 2020
The gloves are off in the clash between US-based Yoga Alliance and India’s Yoga Certification Board. But that’s only half the story.
The Morning Context / May 2020
A public interest litigation case in the Supreme Court lays bare the reality of blood transfusions in India
The Morning Context / February 2020
A new breed of Indian bottled water is black, alkaline, volcanic or emerges from secret springs with promises of health and unmatched purity. Does the science add up?
The Morning Context / July 2020
COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown is affecting the way Indians sleep. The repercussions are far-reaching and frightening
The Morning Context / October 2020
For generations, companies have been trying to solve for customer service. A deep dive into why they continue to do a piss-poor job of it
The Morning Context / December 2019
The esteemed research institution, which plays a critical role in environmental impact assessments, is being threatened with divestment. And that poses a threat to its independent identity
The Morning Context / November 2020
As concerns mount over an impending mental health crisis due to the pandemic, we explore the possible implications for young Indian minds
The Morning Context / April 2020
COVID-19 has sparked a debate about whether public health should supersede food choices and local culture. Here's the (bush)meat of the matter
The Morning Context / April 2020
Budget cuts, furloughs, layoffs and business hits are just the start. Marketing will be put to bigger tests in a post-lockdown world
The Morning Context / May 2020
The sound equipment manufacturer is facing the music in all but Asian markets. Will India be kind?
The Morning Context / January 2020
The food regulator in October legitimized adulterated honey, allowing it to be packaged as the real deal. A look at the murky goings-on in the FSSAI
The Morning Context / December 2019
2019 was the year of the Indian emoji. Presenting the conception to birth-and-after stories of the temple, diya, autorickshaw, and sari
The Morning Context / November 2019
India is a sleep-deprived nation, if latest reports are to be believed. What’s worse is that Indians often romanticise not sleeping. But startups focused on ‘sleep tech’ see an opportunity; and it’ll be a while before they hit snooze on their plans
The Ken / July 2019
From pachyderm stress levels to plants hiring insect bodyguards, nature's mysteries often have molecular answers. Presenting the most exciting findings from an ongoing project in northeast India
The Ken / February 2019
Getting food delivered is quick, convenient and cheap. But will the environment pay the ultimate price?
The Ken / June 2019
In August 2018, scientists announced that they had finally sequenced the wheat genome — something long considered impossible. It took 13 years and 200 researchers from around the world, including 18 Indian scientists. This is their story
The Ken / September 2018
India has no official guidelines for indoor air pollution. Neither does it have a regulatory body for air purifiers. Even so, private players seem poised to make a meal of policy failure as India’s air quality becomes one of the worst in the world
The Ken / November 2018
Beef, mutton, and dairy without bovines. Pork without pigs. Chicken and eggs minus the hens. How long will it take for scientific and commercial breakthroughs in plant and cell-based meat to hit Indian shores?
The Ken / May 2019
Two ageing scientists have spent over a decade advocating for a modified IST. Will their research hold ground in the future, or become just another entry in India’s chronicles against time standardisation?
The Ken / April 2019
A deep dive into the elaborate world of packaged food and how companies manufacture flavour in the battle over your taste buds and your wallets
The Ken / January 2019
Over the past two years, AMD has gone from an also-ran to challenge Intel’s decade-long dominance in the chips that power personal computers—and India is bang in the middle of the fight
The Ken / March 2019
India is on its way to becoming the world’s largest importer of American almonds. Iranian, Afghan, even Kashmiri flavours have lost favour with the Indian market
The Ken / May 2019
Imprecise as the science is, Indian states are insisting on cloud seeding even as a scientific initiative to establish its efficacy is ongoing
The Ken / December 2018
India’s cloud kitchen market is replete with deals, acquisitions, and eye-popping funding. But how do delivery-only kitchens really function, and what’s it like to run one? Here's a ringside view
The Ken / March 2019
As more new vaccines get introduced, a number of Indian parents are beginning to opt out of vaccinating their children, mirroring the Western anti-vax movement
The Ken / November 2018
As collective reliance on traditional timepieces wanes, Morbi, the town that birthed India's unorganised clock industry, is swallowing its pride and morphing into India's ceramics hub
The Ken / January 2019
From black-market import groups on WhatsApp to stores across the country, Korean “functional cosmetics” have well and truly arrived, snail mucin and all
The Ken / March 2019
From “steely” and “cassis” to flirty and fruity, the changes in the wine dictionary signal the overall shift in wine packaging, consumption patterns and taste. Mostly because millennials couldn’t care less about high-brow alcobev
The Ken / May 2019
The heist at Hyderabad's Nizam Museum is only the tip of a monstrous iceberg. From mismanagement to laughable security, here's what puts India's cultural heritage at stake
The Ken / September 2018
There's a clamour for no-fuss cacti and succulent plants among urban Indian millennials. But while these spots of green are welcome in shrinking spaces, collective demand for them may not be without thorns
The Ken / October 2018
From Meghalaya's 'World Cup' cicada to the dancing frogs of the Western Ghats, a deep dive into the wondrous world of animal courtship
Hindustan Times / February 2017
Stories from India’s fledgling, but impassioned community of self-professed UFO investigators
Hindustan Times / May 2017
For generations, a small group of migrants from Balochistan – in present-day Pakistan – have been serving as stuntmen in Indian films
Hindustan Times / December 2016
A profile of Kate Lister, the woman behind @WhoresofYore
DNA / May 2016
The birth, rise and fall of the great Indian gossip column
DNA / April 2015
The Indian Jewish population is five times lower than that of the Parsis. In their dwindling numbers, we find ourselves all the poorer of a rich (and underrated) culinary legacy
DNA / April 2016
A dive into the wacky, wonderful fan fiction universe pivoted on India's longest-running TV show
DNA / February 2016
A report on the travails of spot boys, the unsung heroes of the Hindi entertainment industry
DNA / July 2016
I lived for two weeks in a rainforest in the Western Ghats. Here’s what it was like.
Hindustan Times / May 2017
The unsung heroes and torchbearers of Sindhi cinema
DNA / April 2015
What it takes to be a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's disease
DNA / July 2015
A pivotal part of any film unit, film caterers are little heard about and little thought of. A tribute to, and conversations with, old-timers who fed Bollywood for decades
DNA / May 2015
A profile of Abhirami, the first autonomous humanoid robot in India
DNA / December 2015
The recognition of transgender identities goes beyond the hijras and most importantly, the male-female binary. An examination of core issues affecting transgender Indians, with inputs from stakeholders across the spectrum
DNA / November 2015
A profile of current CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani, tracing his journey from film distributor to Modi acolyte
DNA / August 2016
Honouring Khamisa, Bombay's oldest lingerie shop
DNA / May 2015
How street art became Mumbai's tie that binds
DNA / December 2014
Random thrill rides for some but a serious pursuit for others, roller coasters fuel a billion dollar industry. A lowdown on the roller coaster subculture and its many fans
DNA / November 2015
A 1,752-strong collection of scale model cars, a fleet of Japanese robots, traditional Indian toys… inside the world of vintage collectibles, and the people who love them
DNA / August 2015
The weird and wonderful world of Mumbai's mannequin industry
DNA / March 2015
Head tonsuring at Tirumala Venkateswara, one of the world's most visited places of worship, is a turning point in the lives of millions. A look into the lives of its barbers, and their aspirations for the future
DNA / July 2015
By imposing archaic dress codes and stringent conditions on women students, colleges are sending out a dangerous message by encouraging moral policing and rape culture
DNA / September 2016
The provenance of a beloved south Indian staple, its many versions and diverse recipes
DNA / August 2015
What’s an award season without the burnished statuettes Bollywood loves and aspires for? Vijay Sonawane tells the story behind Filmfare and other trophies
DNA / July 2016
Examining the rise of anxiety disorders in our dystopian cities
DNA / September 2016
That there are no prints available for Dr Madhurika, the 1935 film revolving around birth control, is a loss for cinematic heritage and feminist history
DNA / May 2016
An ode to the Madras check, one of India's greatest fabrics that weaves together the disparate worlds of Matunga and Manhattan
DNA / April 2015
A paean to exemplary animal moms and the life lessons they impart
DNA / May 2016
Playing the scheming saas or the golden-hearted matriarch with equal finesse, Lalita Pawar is one of Hindi cinema's unforgettables
DNA / April 2016
An estimated 70 million Indians suffer from rare disorders, the treatment of which can run into crores of rupees annually. Poor awareness and the absence of a national rare disease policy only adds to this burden
DNA / April 2016
Was Kartikeya older or Ganesh? Was he more powerful than Shiva himself? And who was Ashokasundari? Discussions with historians, mythologists and other scholars help retell the story of a family of gods
DNA / September 2015
India's leading chefs on the craziest patron requests they've dealt with
DNA / November 2014
Unwieldy and smelly for some and a nutritious powerhouse for others, the humble jackfruit is a produce like no other
DNA / February 2016
Dinkache laadu in Maharashtra or gond ke laddoo in north India may be ‘pregnant women food’ for some and the epitome of uncool for others, but it is the ideal winter go-to sweet
DNA / December 2015
What matrimonial ads over the decades tell us about the paradoxical nature of Indian society
DNA / February 2015
The incredible life and times of Malayalam cinema's "softcore superstar"
DNA / August 2015
Whether it was the 1990 Gulf War or the Yemen crisis, Air India and erstwhile-Indian Airlines played a pivotal role in rescuing thousands from conflict zones. The national carrier's crew on what it's like to conduct an evacuation flight
DNA / April 2015
If acting were a religion, the Roshan Taneja School of Acting would be the pulpit. A profile of the octogenarian acting guru who’s trained some of India’s finest thespians
DNA / March 2016
A visit to a leprosy colony and rural development centre for rehabilitated patients reveals the many hurdles that lie ahead for the leprosy-afflicted
DNA / March 2015
Asexuals not only forge new citizenships in largely sex-focused LGBTQIA spaces, but also redefine mainstream notions of love and sex
DNA / February 2016
There are all kinds of love. And while the world may mock those who fall in love with inanimate objects, a lot more research is needed before we start to comprehend their amorous emotions
DNA / February 2016
Millennials may bank on Evernote and Google Calendar, but these digital tools are no match for Kalnirnay — the Indian almanac that's a universe unto its own
DNA / July 2015
The little-known, but fascinating history of Scandinavian noir
DNA / January 2015
The announcement of Nancy Drew growing up to be a NYPD detective prompts one revisit childhood years, when the world seemed neatly divided along gender lines between the teen sleuth and, of course, Hardy Boys
DNA / November 2015
In which Cyrus Broacha and Kunal Vijayakar talk about everything from Donald Trump to being sued by J Jayalalithaa
DNA / May 2016
India may not have Santa schools like in the US, but Santa Clauses here too hone their craft to the best of their abilities and given tools.
DNA / December 2015
From cats and cattle to emus and horses, greater Mumbai's only animal hospital treats them all. The story of the man at its helm, Lt Col (Dr) Khanna, weaved in with tales of abandonment, lack of awareness and other challenges
DNA / January 2016
What is it about Wibs bread that makes so many Mumbai sandwichwalas swear by it?
DNA / January 2015
The story of one of Mumbai's most iconic street foods
DNA / April 2015
There was once a brand of Indian butter far more popular than Amul. A recounting of my family's – and others' – love for the once-legendary Polson's butter
DNA / July 2015
From corporate espionage and family litigations to the occasional 'thrilling case', Mumbai's private detectives dabble in it all. But their world is quite removed from those of their fictional counterparts
DNA / July 2014
Limca Book of Records' long-time editor Vijaya Ghose is committed to showcasing the eccentric, the wondrous and the perseverant. The 78-year-old judges without judgment, a profile of courage despite the many challenges in her life
DNA / May 2015
The life and times of GV Iyer, India's first – and so far, only – Sanskrit film director
DNA / May 2015
Everybody deserves a good send-off is his mantra. Meet John Pinto, the world's only MBE undertaker for whom body preservation is both art and science
DNA / August 2014
Probal Gupta's solo stree vesham routines in Kathakali take inspiration from paintings, folk tradition, other dance forms and Shakespeare too
DNA / May 2016
Nandshankar Mehta’s Karan Ghelo, the first Gujarati novel, tests one's patience but remains a historical account whose importance cannot be undermined
DNA / June 2015
A fitting tribute to Mumbai's famed local trains and a must-read for both fans and critics of the country's oldest passenger rail network
DNA / March 2015
National Award-winning authors Aniruddha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal's 'Gaata Rahe Mera Dil', which whittles down almost six decades of Hindi film music into a mere 50 songs, is a labour of love – though not without fault
DNA / August 2015
Anand Ranganathan pens a love story, but it is his portrayal of the Mizo insurgency that wrenches at the heart.
DNA / August 2015
A handy list of copyright-free resources across genres – poetry, essays, comics, drama scripts, history, and philosophy – for those hungry for information, but didn't know where to look
DNA / October 2015
Where does patriotism end and jingoism begin? Is standing for the national anthem mere conditioned behaviour? And how do nationality and identity get synced?
DNA / August 2015
India’s only wildlife taxidermist Dr Santosh Gaikwad on the joys, rigours and importance of his profession
DNA / August 2014
There's Something Special about Cheap Jack. A visit to the quintessentially-Bandra institution for bits and bobs that make up Christmas – and a little bit of nostalgia
DNA / December 2015
Why the Hermes 3000 typewriter was the machine that defined my childhood
DNA / August 2015
Where I recount the time I queued for the famed and patented Tirupati or Sri Vari Laddu
DNA / July 2015
The one and only Margaret Atwood on superheroes, hate mail, book blurbs and what's next for her
DNA / January 2016
The world's first legally-recognised cyborg on the untapped potential of cybernetics and the need to make technology intrinsic
DNA / October 2014
On his childhood, BBC Sherlock's female characters, and the portrayal of LGBT characters on TV
DNA / December 2014
An exhaustive tête-à-tête with one of the world's best producer-DJs
DNA / December 2014
Bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith, one of the star attractions Zee Jaipur Literature Festival 2016, talks about his different worlds, from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency to 44 Scotland Street, and his kind of gentle, 'positive realism'
DNA / January 2016
The surgeon, public health researcher and bestselling author on why we need to shift focus from just good health and survival to general well-being
DNA / December 2014
Journalist, author and lecturer Mona Eltahawy talks about her first book, the need for a common ground between secular and religious feminists, and the revolutions she wants to see in west Asia and North Africa
DNA / November 2015
Every strong woman is a witch, says India’s most fabled Wiccan
DNA / November 2014
About theatre, her love for travel, the most challenging roles she's essayed, and haywire connotations of the terms 'bold' and 'feminist' in India
DNA / August 2015
Mumbai's once-plentiful Mangalore stores are slowly being relegated to the shadows
DNA / October 2014
Meet the self-anointed gatekeepers of Indian morality
Motherland / May 2014
The unsung wig makers of Bollywood
The Caravan / July 2014
India is a leading e-waste importer and the world's fifth highest e-waste generator. Where does it all go? Given the hazardous nature of the business, what are the safeguards taken by recyclers and the humble kabadiwala?
DNA / May 2015
A chronicle of India's dysfunctional relationship with sex
DNA / February 2015
With 50,000 exhibits in 29 theme rooms, Stuttgart's SchweineMuseum is a labour of porcine love, headed by a remarkable owner-curator
DNA / October 2015
The quest for Mumbai's best falooda, bhurji and guava cheese
DNA / December 2014
Indians across the corners of our geography have been locking lips since time immemorial
DNA / December 2014
Australian cartoonist Gavin Aung Than, whose Zen Pencils is one of the most popular web comics, on his art and a connect that goes beyond the web comic fan space
DNA / December 2015
Consumed by their passion for antique furniture and objets d'art, three men are taking forward the legacy of antique restorer Mahendra Doshi
DNA / September 2014
'Too short' or 'too tall', these people don't fit society's definition of 'normal' and often find themselves on the margins of mainstream life. But they have taken on the challenge imposed by their height to forge their own identities.
DNA / June 2015
Assyriologist, philologist, and board game expert Irving Finkel is that rare historian who makes you want to trash the future in favour of the past
DNA / January 2016
Body shaming is the refuge of the insecure. But so ingrained is the desire for slenderness that anyone with some girth is considered flawed
DNA / September 2014
An end-of-season quest for Mumbai’s best sitaphal or custard apple ice cream
DNA / February 2015
The tendency to center our sexual abuse discourse on the male perpetrator-female survivor prototype is a threat to the well-being of those who don't fall in this category
DNA / November 2014
The hunt for Bombay's best white wine sangrias
DNA / May 2015
Conflict reportage may no longer be a male-only territory but challenges remain, with many female journalists still battling stereotypes
DNA / March 2015
The seamy underbelly of film certification in India
DNA / January 2015
Sanjay Khatri talks about the trials and tribulations of being India's first male ballet dancer
DNA / October 2014
Why Mudassar and Kainat Khatri, whose seven-year-old son Raheesh is the world's youngest drag racer, are exemplars for parents everywhere
DNA / February 2015
Indian Paranormal Society CEO and founder Gaurav Tiwari on UFO sightings, places that fail to live up to their haunted reputations and his most hair-raising experience as an investigator
DNA / November 2014
About the many ethical issues plaguing India's multimillion dollar surrogacy business
DNA / August 2014
One half of the Midival Punditz duo on their latest album, why genres should be done away with, and more
DNA / April 2015
There's no such thing as 'the typical Mensan' – apparently
DNA / September 2014
The most reputed manufacturers of cuckoo clocks have been family-owned for generations and so is Mumbai's Well Known Watch House, one of India's only two cuckoo clock service stations
DNA / October 2015
French violinist and conductor Augustin Dumay is on a mission is to make classical music more accessible to people
DNA / September 2014
The wonder that is Kunqu opera
DNA / December 2014
How a pan-Asian rendition of the Mahabharata threw new light on India's greatest epic.
DNA / January 2015
What it's like to be a professional clown
DNA / November 2014
Can a teeming Mumbai resolve the conflict between citizen convenience, hawker rights and open spaces?
DNA / April 2015
Germaine Greer's views may not always resonate with contemporary feminists, but her importance in the women's liberation movement can't be undermined
DNA / November 2015
Real life vignettes of what it's like to live with elderly parents
DNA / May 2015
Dinesh 'Maximouth' Upadhyaya has 176 records to his credit, mostly for stuffing his mouth with grapes, pencils, tennis balls, and what have you
DNA / July 2014
The term ‘champ’ is sometimes thrown around loosely, but not when it comes to WNBA star Tamika Catchings
DNA / February 2015
About Devika Rani and a certain Najmul Hasan – the man who almost brought Bombay Talkies to a standstill.
TBIP / October 2013
Brooklyn-based Maximón Monihan, Sheena Matheiken, and Janeva Zentz on their acclaimed debut feature 'Voice of the Voiceless' and subaltern influences: magical realism, skateboarding and Malcolm X.
TBIP / January 2014
Chronicling the life of one of India’s best known film festivals, through all its ups and downs.
TBIP / October 2013
Afghan auteur Siddiq Barmak on his award-winning film 'Osama', Irani cinema influences, and his favourite Indian filmmakers
TBIP / November 2013
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