Set against a backdrop of religious abuse and suffocating intolerance, Sohali Rauf’s Blasphear is a sharp commentary on the ideas of nationhood, and how its intangible forces act as blind shepherds, leading the masses down paths they cannot question. By Amritesh Mukherjee

Personal Essay by Ajay Patri: ‘Sometimes I like to imagine a parallel universe in which my brother stayed. In this universe, I continued playing cricket after school, continued following the sport with the fervour of most of my compatriots.’

Short story by Sachin Ravikumar: ‘The pink tabebuia is a picture of quiet grace. It does not impose. Its presence is a welcome respite from a noisy, polluted city perennially draped in tones grey or garish… Was this tree really from here? Were we still in Bangalore?’

What’s The Chakkar? Episode 16: We’re reading Krupa Ge and Gary Shteyngart; watching 83; and listening to Aditi Ramesh. Featuring Shaista Vaishnav, Prateek Santram, and Ady Manral. Hosted by Karan Madhok.

Given how the pandemic’s second wave has devastated India, the BCCI’s decision to postpone the IPL should’ve been made much earlier. Cricket, in the time of crisis and tragedy, had felt plain wrong. By Jamie Alter

Basketball star Vishesh Bhriguvanshi won the Arjuna Award this month, joining a prestigious list of sporting greats. Here’s the story of the Varanasi-born baller, and what he represents for the less-celebrated sports in India. - by Karan Madhok.

There is a clear disconnect between Indian sports and films about Indian sports. We love inspiring cinematic stories about sports in India—often ignoring the sports themselves. Jamie Alter analyses this dichotomy.

There are few things that India loves more than cricket and cinema. And yet, the cultural connection between our favourite pastimes have rarely resulted in quality cricket films. Jamie Alter lists some of the best and worst of Bollywood on the willow.

From the school basketball courts to international cricket tournaments, how India’s diversity and divisions can be united under the umbrella of sports - by Adit Joshi in Student’s Corner.