Sabhnanis Still in Jail

Varsha and Murlidhar Sabhnani (read details here) are still in jail.
A Long Island Indian-Indonesian millionaire immigrant couple, the Sabhnanis were arrested in May for enslaving and torturing their Indonesian maids. Seen as a flight risk because of their wealth and international connections (from New York to India to Indonesia), bail was set for $3.5 million [...]

Lachrym-usic

Yesterday was Father’s Day and while I never write about things like that, I figured I’d make an exception this time around because, hey! It was a Sunday! About three quarters of the way in, I suddenly remembered why I never write about this sort of thing - it depresses the hell out of me.
It [...]

Pratibha Patil, President of India

Say hello to President Aunty.
The Indian political class has made such an all out fetish of incompetence in governance for so long that it now finds itself in a position where they can’t even get together and choose a figurehead. Even when they’ve known for years that this day was coming.
To cut a long story [...]

RIP: Indar Jit Rikhye

As an Indian, it’s entirely possible that you haven’t heard of Major-General Indar Jit Rikhye at all, much less his passing on May 21st, bringing an end to a distinguished life at the age of 86.
That’s a pity, because at a time when a newly resurgent India seeks meaning in the success of doubtful celebrities [...]

Anand Jon Update

A while back, I brought you news that India-born designer Anand Jon was facing charges of assault and sexual misconduct with minors. At the time, while some asked me not to jump the gun and deem him guilty, still others came forward with what they assured me were personal tales of his wild behavior.
Well, it [...]

Ford Tells BCCI to Beat It

Indian cricket continues to entertain albeit in ways painful to those who love it most. For others, like me, who couldn’t care less it’s the best comedy in town.
So, I don’t know if you’ve heard but Team India is looking for a coach. It’s sort of like the Flying Dutchman advertising for a captain but [...]

Aliens in America

How could an American sitcom about a Pakistani called Raja Musharraf possibly go wrong?
That’s what the executives at the CW thought. Earlier this year, they made the decision to can the excellent Veronica Mars – a critically acclaimed TV show that’s been fighting a ratings slide in its third season and was incidentally my favorite [...]

Grey’s Anatomy Fires Isaiah Washington

I don’t want to spoil things or anything for those of you Grey’s Anatomy viewers who’re not on the US schedule, but Isaiah Washington is history as far as the show is concerned.
The news apparently came as a surprise to Washington but if rumormongers speak true (and don’t they always?), all he had to do [...]

Rajasthan BJP: Poster Party

It’s an ill wind that blows no good, as Rajasthan BJP legislator Suryakant Vyas found out recently. Had it not been for the late Gujjar-Meena crisis that swept Northwestern India, Vyas, a state legislator, would have been knee deep in trouble over an outstanding act of sycophancy: he and fellow BJP member Hemant Bohra printed [...]

The Reunion

I am afraid I will say things like I hate you and you killed my father to my mother if I see her again…
I really didn’t want to go home this Christmas. It wasn’t even as though we ever celebrated it as a family even though my sister and I were dazzled as kids [...]