Every year on the 5th of September, India pauses to celebrate its teachers. The date was not chosen arbitrarily. It marks the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan — philosopher, statesman, and India’s second President — who, when asked that his birthday be celebrated, said that he would prefer it to be observed as Teachers’ Day instead. It was his way of saying: the people who shape minds matter more than the people who hold titles. India has been honouring that request s

Five years ago, most Indians hadn’t heard the word amigurumi. Today, it’s being searched on Google, gifted at baby showers in Chennai, displayed on study tables in Pune, and ordered in bulk as return gifts for birthday parties in Delhi. So what changed? A few things happened at once. The pandemic years gave many Indian women the space to explore crochet and knitting as crafts, creating a wave of homegrown makers and small businesses.