He Trots THE Air

Her horse had stayed by her side for 25 years. Now it was time to let him go

The Bank Robber on the Bicycle

Tom Justice chased Olympic gold on his bike. Then he used it as a getaway vehicle

THE EVER BELOVED MR BOND

In conversation with the grand old man of Indian storytelling

Bring Back The Handkerchief!

I have used a pocket-handkerchief all my life—and was ridiculed for it. Now, my habit has found its moment

COVID 2.0: What You Need to Know

One year into the pandemic, we’ve learnt a lot about the coronavirus, but new questions have emerged. Here are answers to some of the more pressing ones

It Happens ONLY IN INDIA

“Ok. We like her. We accept the match”

DON'T GO INTO THE VOLCANO

A dream honeymoon hike to the rim of a jungle crater nds with a terrible fall. Now a young bride must get her severely injured husband medical care—by herself

“LET US MEET ON THE BRIDGE”

It broke the young couple’s heart that they had to give up their infant daughter to save her life. They never stopped loving her

If Not Now, When?

As the country and its healthcare infrastructure reels from its biggest public-health crisis, what can we do?

MAKING ARISTOTLE YOUR LIFE COACH

Happiness is both an aspiration and a commodity. For all the smartphones, cars, clothes and real estate our money can buy, we still yearn for our happy place, that somewhere beyond the rainbow.

DYNAMIC DUOS

Researchers are continually finding that certain foods deliver an even bigger health boost when consumed together. Make the most of these nutritious foods by teaming them up

A Tool for COVID-safety

GOOD NEWS for a Better Planet

ME & MY SHELF

Mumbai-based journalist and author Taran N. Khan has written for Guernica, Al Jazeera, The Caravan and Himal Southasian. Her debut book Shadow City: A Woman Walks Kabul won the 2021 Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year prize.

Books

Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020 by Salman Rushdie, Penguin Hamish Hamilton

How To Eat Better For The Planet

You’re environmentally conscious—and hungry. Here are answers to all your eco-friendly food questions

He Created an Eye Saving App

Like almost every set of new parents, Bryan and Elizabeth Shaw started snapping pictures of their son, Noah, practically from the moment he was born.

The Costs of Narrow Nationalism

After taking charge in August 1947 as India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, began writing fortnightly letters to the chief ministers of the Indian Union. In these communiqués—at times persuasive, at others brimming with command—Nehru discusses the emerging blueprint for a young republic. Here is an edited excerpt of one such missive dated 20 September 1953.

The Old Man Versus the Mountain

It wasn’t the first time Bill McDonnell had blazed his own trail in the wilderness. But at 92, he had slowed a bit. And this time, he was really lost

HOW TO LIVE 100 AND LOVE IT!

We’re living longer than ever before, thanks to healthier lifestyles and medical advancements such as vaccines and antibiotics.

Nothing to Sneeze At

Adult-onset allergies are on the rise. Here are some theories why

Life After Death

By sacrificing restraint for sentimentality, Pagglait squanders its promise

He Fixed His Own Heart

When Tal Goles worthy (above) was told he needed life-saving heart surgery in 1993, he said no.

Can I Become Funnier?

We ask comedian Deborah Kimmett

GOSPEL TRUTHS

With his new novel, the increasingly prolific Jeet Thayil brings to the fore women who were once relegated to the peripheries of the Bible

Two Words to Avoid, Two to Remember

A thumbnail lesson in how to bypass the roadblock of regret

THE YEAR I Won THE WAR Against Cigarettes

A pack and a half a day veteran of 36 years’ standing tells of the agony and the ecstasy

The Remarkable Life and Work of Salim Ali

The story of the great scientist, who inspired three generations of Indian naturalists

THE FAIRY-TALE WRITER WHO CHALLENGED A GOVERNMENT

Just like her creation, Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren wasn’t afraid to upset the apple cart

The DOCTOR of Lennox

This memorable pen-portrait was the very first of the Reader’s Digest series titled ‘The Most Unforgettable Character I Ever Met’

The Best Advice I Ever Had

THIS COUNSEL RANG constantly in my ears when I was a boy: “Go the last mile—and enjoy it.” It has stayed with me ever since, comforted me in difficult times and brought me moments of deep contentment.