Hi ! Welcome to my creative workspace
I am a full-time freelance journalist, science writer and a travel blogger, based in Shillong, India. With six years of reporting experience, I specialise in writing about diverse subjects such as science, health, climate change, heritage, food, sustainability, and how they intersect with travel, architecture and anthropology.
My reported features can be found in The New York Times, National Geographic, Nature Medicine, The Guardian, BBC Travel, Smithsonian Magazine, The British Medical Journal, Travel+ Leisure, The National UAE, Nikkei Asia, Hakai Magazine, South China Morning Post , Architectural Digest, BBC Future, among many other digital and print publications.
In addition to my journalistic work, I also curate a family travel and lifestyle blog, named PolkaJunction.
Get in touch to commission reported assignments and writing projects
If you’re a PR person, please know that I never solicit story ideas from publicists for my writing projects. So get in touch accordingly!
Drop me an email at polkajunction@gmail.com
or
Read a few sample reported stories and write-ups
- All niches
- Food & Agriculture
- Travel
- Arts & Architecture
- Culture & Heritage
- Global Development & Sustainability
- Science & Technology
- Health & Wellness
The New York Times
The Oldest Plant-Eating Dinosaur Has Been Found in India
Researchers say the find highlights how much more there is to learn about Earth’s prehistory with fossil digs on the subcontinent.
National Geographic
Searching for traces of the ancient Chola dynasty
One of the world’s most remarkable—and little known—empires comes to life in south India with new heritage tours.
Nature Medicine
India’s social health activists are tackling cancer in rural communities
They focus on primary health and disease prevention through behavioral change, while building trust with the local community.
The New York Times Style Magazine
The Indian Embroidery Atelier Whose Inheritance Is Intricacy
In a region revered for its meticulous needlework, a collaboration between Chennai craftspeople and the scion of a Parisian couture house has opened a portal to the world’s grandest runways.
Hakai Magazine
From Fish Waste to Community Wealth
A grassroots project in India is turning fish guts that once polluted beaches into a useful commodity.
BBC Travel
Owing to its nativity, perennial abundance and affordability, the banana is India’s go-to fruit for nearly every occasion and is deeply woven into the country’s cultural fabric.
Travel+Leisure Asia
On a week long road journey across Mauritius, I encountered littoral villages, charming national parks, and remnants of the great Indian migration. And, here is a first hand account of this paradisiacal island.
Nature Medicine
How to be a good science communicator
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public have turned to scientists and doctors for vital information. But science communication is a skill in itself, so we asked the experts to share their tips.
BBC Future
The world's fastest-growing source of food
The green fronds that grow along much of India's shoreline have large potential as a sustainable food source, while helping to fight climate change.
The Guardian
Making waves: the hit Indian island radio station leading climate conversations
With its unique blend of gossip, jokes and songs mixed with serious global issues, Kadal Osai has built a devoted audience
Hidden Compass
Stolen heritage, recovered artifacts, and sacred rituals from antiquity — an improbable amalgam of forces meld together in this Quest of mine.
Smithsonian Magazine
How microbiologists craft stunning art using pathogens
Scientists mix microorganisms with agar, a jelly-like substance from seaweed, to create amazing illustrations in petri dishes
South China Morning post
The permanent record
Published in both — print and digital
Some of the fragile murals in the Ajanta caves in western India are thousands of years old – and photographs of them have just been added to an archive deep in the Arctic.
National Geographic Traveller Food (UK)
Spring issue 2021
Published in both — print and digital
Contribution in the cover story on breakfasts from around the world. I wrote about the south-Indian staple, Idli, in this write-up.
BBC Travel
Dosa: India's wholesome fast-food obsession
While South Indians have eaten this go-to breakfast food for thousands of years, it has evolved into a fast food item to be eaten at just about any time, day and night.
The National UAE
One kothu roti at a time: how Sri Lanka’s Hela Bojun Hala eateries empower women
The low-cost roadside restaurants are run by local ladies who serve up delicious and nutritious dishes in a jiffy
SilverKris
The SQ | Neighbourhood Spotlight
Published in both — print and digital
A four-page feature on the Lodhi neighbourhood of India's capital, Delhi.
The Guardian
Food to go? Covid threatens Hyderabad's famous street food carts
Despite government loans and staff trickling back to work, the pandemic has made survival precarious for the city’s vendors
Atlas Obscura
At This Banana Farm, the Bunches Grow in 430 Shapes and Sizes
India’s “plantain man” has traveled widely to build a collection of unusual varieties.
The National UAE
Tigers, ancient temples and haunted forts: the little-known treasures of Sariska
Even if you don't spot any of the rare felines, there's still plenty to do and see in this corner of Rajasthan
The National
'Trashionable' Indian weaver spins saris from bananas and pineapples
C Sekar wants to reduce the impact of fashion on the environment even as he leads his community back to its glory days
OnManorama
The sacred Indian hues of Mauritius...
Named Dina Arobi by the Arabs, the island of Mauritius has changed hands from the Portuguese to the to the Dutch to the French and the British. Yet, it has an undeniable influence and entangled history with India and how!
Adventure.com
Can India’s sacred instrument save itself from extinction?
Even before the pandemic, the gigantic, gorgeous, hand-made Saraswati veenas of Southern India were at risk of extinction. I explore how this centuries-old instrument, and the craftspeople who make it, are trying to adapt with the times.
Whetstone Magazine
Vetiver's super blades of green are rooted in India
The grass has cultural and historical significance in India, apart from being extensively used in south-Indian cuisine
Yoga Journal
The Pandemic Has Wrecked Our Routines. These Ayurvedic Tips Can Bring Them Back
After a year-plus stuck at home, your daily habits likely need a tune-up. Add these rituals—starting today.
TripSavvy
The Complete Guide to Dharamshala, India
Dharamshala is a picturesque hill town in the lap of the Dhauladhar range. It is more of a laid-back and calm destination to spend a long weekend. Plan your trip to Dharamshala with this comprehensive guide.
Travel and Leisure (India)
Look Beyond Biryani & Dig Into These 4 Deccan Dishes Of Hyderabad, Instead
A list of four iconic dishes of Hyderabad and the best places to enjoy them in the city
The Hindu BusinessLine
The three Nusa islands, off the shore of Bali in Indonesia, bring you up close with beauty — of nature and people
Discover India
Sangam, meaning ‘confluence’ in the Tamil language, brought together poets and scholars of ancient southern India, known as Tamilakkam. It heralded prosperous times for Tamil literature and arts, some of which have been chiselled across temples of the Sangam land
Architectural Digest India
Architectural Digest India
Check out these luxury heritage properties that are just 450 kms away from Delhi
Looking for the perfect place to head to, for the long weekend? Here are six luxurious heritage resorts that fall within the 450 km radius of Delhi
The New Indian Express
Nut crafter of Alibaug: A factory technician, who fashions art objects out of coconut waste
He has converted its first floor into an art gallery called Ashirwad Kala Dalan, which contains over 400 artefacts.
Manorama
Sita Eliya: The land blessed by Sita's divinity in Sri Lanka...
Situated just a stone’s throw away from Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, and dubbed the Serendib in Arabic and Ceylon by the colonists, Sri Lanka is a gem of a destination that remains vastly unexplored....
The National UAE
Sri Lanka's musical tuk-tuks blare Beethoven as they deliver fresh bread
Known as choon paan, the vehicles deliver baked goods while playing everything from classical music to Tamil tunes
OnManorama
Parvada Bungalows in Uttarakhand is the brain child of this gritty lady from Chennai...
Owing to the trend of ‘staycations in villages and mountains’, rural tourism in India has slowly but steadily evolved, amid the on and off lockdowns. At the helm of this welcome change across the rural landscape of Uttarakhand, is a lady hailing from Chennai, Vasudha Sondhi, who runs a tranquil private boutique resort named 'Parvada Bungalows' at village Parvada...
Silver Kris
Experience the grandeur of South India’s Chola Dynasty on the Ponniyin Selvan trail
UNESCO-designated temples, lush islands and ancient bridges offer a dazzling perspective on Tamil Nadu’s most powerful ancient kingdom