Stories about South Asia from January, 2022
COVID-19: You can’t have a recovery using the same bad medicine
A new collaborative report attempts to piece together the “missing receipts” from the IFI-supported COVID-19 response, documents several shortcomings, and raises critical questions for the ongoing pandemic response.
To flee or not to flee? That is the question in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans are facing the bleak prospect of a full-blown economic crisis, and one in four, mainly the young and educated, say they want to leave the country.
How Assamese Villages use traditional wisdom to guide climate preparedness
For credible early warning systems for natural calamities, villages in the northeast Indian state of Assam rely on the observations of elders based on their traditional experiences and folk beliefs.
‘Rebel’ candidates risk it all: Elections in Bangladesh
Electoral violence in fact has flared up within the ranks of the Awami League itself, as prospective candidates compete to be nominated by the party.
Mourning the death of the Bengali author and publisher who opened a door to world literature
Qazi Anwar Hussain singlehandedly popularised the mystery-thriller genre in Bengali literature, published translations of world classics and gave the Bengali readership the taste of Western, mystery and classic literature.
Fans mourn Narayan Debnath, creator of the first Bengali comic-strip superhero
On January 18, 2022, Indian comic artist and illustrator Narayan Debnath passed away at the age of 96 in a hospital in Kolkata after prolonged illness. His fans are mourning on social media.
‘Rehmat’ or ‘zehmat'? Learning to cope with the trauma from rain in a Pakistani metropolis
In Karachi, where monsoon season often means days without electricity, flooded roads and property damage, is rain truly a "rehmat" (blessing) from nature or a "zehmat" (misery) for city dwellers?
Bulli Bai, Sulli Deals cases highlight rising communal misogyny in India
More than a hundred Muslim women in India woke up to find themselves up for auction on an app on the morning of January 1, 2022. It has since been taken down.
Women weavers in Assam weather the pandemic and climate change through community groups
Women across 210 villages in Assam have created a network of self-help groups to promote traditional skills such as weaving and gardening to supplement their family income during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heavy snowfall kills tourists at a hill station in Pakistan
At least 23 people, including women and children have died in cars that were stranded due to heavy snowfall in the Murree hill station area near the capital of Pakistan.
Twitter turns white as people share images of snow in Kashmir
Snow-clad mountains, scenic valleys and houses draped in snow — these are glimpses of winter in India's Kashmir region, as shared by Twitter users.
Understanding monsoon culture in Nepal
Nepali Sanskritist and scholar Gautama Vajra Vajracharya explains his studies on the Vedic frog hymns, and the meaning of the name of Vasudeva, father of Hindu deity Kṛiṣhṇa.
Indians give Chinese places hilarious names after China renames 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh
As China renamed 15 places in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, Indians on Twitter responded by renaming Chinese places with Indian names.
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