You’ve probably heard that introduction before—if not from me, then a generation of other girls named after Aishwarya Rai in that 1993 Pepsi ad. Seriously, there are so many of us that it was called the Sanjana Effect: what Rai did to ‘90s India and its daughters. Her beauty, success, and elusive mix of modernity and tradition would be ours, our parents hoped, if we were given her name from a cola ad.
This, and other uniquely Indian aspirations, are the subjects of my widely-read essays, which appear in The Caravan, ThePrint, VICE, Fifty Two, NDTV, and other Indian and international publications. But enough with that endless praise, more of which can be found here.
What you want to know more about is that book of mine. It’s about how crazy life is in modern India, especially for ‘90s kids, who grew up offline and now live online, amidst 24x7 crises, new forms of technology, media, work, self-expression, navigating a clash in liberal and conservative values that run through their families and their very psyches. If you’ve ever wondered how the last thirty years have affected us societally and personally — the book will speak to you.
It was part of the South Asia Speaks fellowship for outstanding writers, and was repped by Kanishka Gupta. It will be published by Aleph Book Company on Feb 1, 2025.
Follow on Twitter, Instagram, Substack, and LinkedIn to stay hooked. You’ll encounter parody videos, viral tweets, incisive analysis, and infinite selfies, going above and beyond the book’s themes… Follow. Subscribe.
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If you can’t wait until the book is out, here are some excruciating details to keep you occupied. (There’s no other way to talk about achievement anymore.)
