Forced to fight their own fight: how Dalit women are caught in the crossfire between misogyny and casteism in India
by Rashmee
Posted on January 30, 2019 / The National
The insults heaped on political leader Mayawati — mainly from women — show the ugly intersection of two kinds of hatred present in Indian society January 30 marks 71 years since Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. One of the clearest signs of his increasing irrelevance in India may be the way he has been all but excised from the debate over … Continue reading “Forced to fight their own fight: how Dalit women are caught in the crossfire between misogyny and casteism in India”
Read MoreThere is only one course for the Palestinians — non-violence
by Rashmee
Posted on December 17, 2017 / The Arab Weekly
I write this from the Indian capital New Delhi, where a massive 11-figure statue is probably the clearest sign that the Palestinians can fight a mighty system and hope to win. The statue commemorates the start of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent struggle against the all-powerful British Empire. It depicts the Salt March, begun by Gandhi to … Continue reading “There is only one course for the Palestinians — non-violence”
Read MoreWhy the ‘Great Man’ theory applies to Trump
by Rashmee
Posted on January 26, 2017 / The National
We do not yet know if Donald Trump will prove to be a good president, but the “Great Man” theory of history began to apply to America’s 45th commander-in-chief from the minute he took office. That’s not just because he became head of the richest, most militarily powerful country in the world. The “Great Man” … Continue reading “Why the ‘Great Man’ theory applies to Trump”
Read MoreIn the age of re-tweet rage, Mahatma Gandhi’s localism creed is relevant
by Rashmee
Posted on July 9, 2016
Do you recognize this feeling? “I’m outraged. I’m exhausted from being outraged. I can’t afford not to be outraged. It’s outrageous.” Ty Burr wrote those lines in the Boston Globe after a few hours of being Twitter-bombed with requests to share in the communal fury surrounding the following: “A) Donald Trump’s use of a Jewish … Continue reading “In the age of re-tweet rage, Mahatma Gandhi’s localism creed is relevant”
Read MoreNelson Mandela was no saint. He was just a far, far better man than most
by Rashmee
Posted on December 8, 2013
As South Africa holds a day of prayer,it’s worth remembering that Nelson #Mandela was a great man who had his great contradictions. So to Zakes Mda, who knows how to tell a good story, which is why he’s won multiple South African and British literary awards.When the story is about Nelson Mandela – and it’s a simple … Continue reading “Nelson Mandela was no saint. He was just a far, far better man than most”
Read MoreR.I.P. Nelson Mandela: As with Mahatma,a light has gone out of our lives
by Rashmee
Posted on December 6, 2013
I remember, like it was yesterday, the day Nelson Mandela walked free from prison. I remember where I was and I remember what I was doing. My friend and colleague, S Prasannarajan and I were putting The Times of India to bed. It was Prasanna’s debut as chief sub and I was his deputy. Mr … Continue reading “R.I.P. Nelson Mandela: As with Mahatma,a light has gone out of our lives”
Read MoreOne humanity, one justice: Remembering Wembley 1988, on Mandela’s 95th
by Rashmee
Posted on July 18, 2013
It’s hard not to get emotional as one listens, 25 years on, to Mark Knopfler, playing Wembley that June. It was the concert that finally persuaded the world’s leading broadcasters to stop using the word “terrorist” to describe Nelson Mandela. (And arguably, for Mr Mandela to be released from 27-years in prison 18 months later.) … Continue reading “One humanity, one justice: Remembering Wembley 1988, on Mandela’s 95th”
Read MoreToday’s news is tomorrow’s Winston
by Rashmee
Posted on April 26, 2013
News that Winston Churchill’s jowly, glowering face – sans the cigar – is to adorn the British five-pound note from 2016 gives one pause for thought. Notaphilists (people who collect banknotes, as opposed to numismatists, those who collect coins) will be racing to scoop up prize examples of the doomed fivers, which bear the face … Continue reading “Today’s news is tomorrow’s Winston”
Read MoreFrom India with love: ‘Nano’ houses for Haiti
by Rashmee
Posted on February 5, 2013
Here’s a sunny, unreported addition to the well-worn but well worth repeating story about Haiti’s housing crisis – 500,000 permanent homes needed over the next decade and no one knows how, or if ever, this will happen. But, if all goes to plan, a private Indian company will soon start to build 300 houses for … Continue reading “From India with love: ‘Nano’ houses for Haiti”
Read MoreThe Pocahontas Principle of off-the-grid living
by Rashmee
Posted on December 11, 2012
Slate has kicked off its brand new photo blog (called Behold) with a look at photographer Lucas Foglia’s study of “off-the-grid” lifestyles increasingly being adopted by people in the southeastern United States. It has a lot of rather bucolic and wholesome photographs (children drinking raw goat’s milk straight from the natural dispenser put in place by … Continue reading “The Pocahontas Principle of off-the-grid living”
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Rashmee has lived and worked in several countries in the past decade, including Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Tunisia, the UAE, US and UK