India
Republic of India Bharatiya Ganarajya Southern Asia AREA 1.3M mi²; 3.4M km² ARABLE 52% POP 1.4B (±1092/mi²; 417/km²) GOV’T Federal parliamentary republic CAPITAL New Delhi (±35M metro) GDP/CAPITA $9,800 UNEMPLOYMENT 4.3% IN POVERTY widespread (% NA) % WEALTH HELD BY TOP 10% 22% LIFE EXP 68 years MEDIAN AGE 30 yrs INFANT MORT 31/1K live births LITERACY 81% INTERNET USERS 56% LANGUAGES Hindi, English (widely used in politics and commerce), Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati (among 22 official languages) RELIGIONS Hindu 80%, Muslim 14%, and Christian, Sikh, other/unspecified 2% each HEALTH 3% of GDP expenditure EDUCATION 4% of GDP expenditure MILITARY 2% of GDP GDP BY SECTOR Agriculture 18%, Industry 27%, Services 55% PCVs 1961–1976 CURRENT: 0, TTD: 4,325 |  India If you are looking for fruit that is as delicious as it is pleasingly displayed, this Punalur shopkeeper has it. He also sells tea and snacks, both salty and sweet, and fresh green coconuts, which he will split open for you with a machete. Coconuts are an important cash crop in the southwestern state of Kerala, where Punalur is located, and both coconut liquid and coconut meat are especially valued refreshments in the torrid hot season that precedes the monsoon in South India. |
Adult Books
Tomb of Sand
By Geetanjali Shree, Translator Daisy Rockwell
Genre: Novel
Publisher: HarperVia, HarperCollins, 2023
Language: English
Print length: 624 pages
ISBN-10: 0063299402
ISBN-13: 978-0063299405
Goodreads Ratings: 3.7/5 | Amazon Ratings: 4.2/5
Summary:
The story revolves around an 80-year-old woman who, after the death of her husband, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and liberation, confronting her past and redefining her identity. A playful, feminist, and utterly original epic set in contemporary northern India.
“Heart-wrenching but brimming with life… A lasting joy.” —The Financial Times
Awards:
Winner of the 2022 International Booker Prize.
Kids' Books
The Mumbai Street Siblings: Amit’s Sweet Surprise
By Karina Vunnam, illustrated by Trân Hà Trang
Publisher: Creative Nudge Press, 2024
Format: 34 pp, col. illus.
ISBN-10: 1966193009
ISBN-13: 978-1-96619-300-5
Age Range: 4–8 yrs.
Summary:
Amit and his older siblings, Anita and Sunita, live surrounded by the markets and alleyways of Mumbai. When Amit smells sweet jalebi, an Indian treat, he leads them all on an adventure from which they all learn important lessons about love, family, and determination.
Includes Hindi/English vocabulary, facts about Mumbai, and a discussion guide for parents and teachers.
Films
Film: All We Imagine as Light
Director: Payal Kapadia
Genre: Drama
Release Date: 2024
Language: Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi with English subtitles
Run Time: 115 minutes
Synopsis: The light, the lives, and the textures of contemporary working-class Mumbai are explored and celebrated. Centering on two roommates who work in a city hospital—head nurse Prabha and recent hire Anu, plus their coworker Parvaty—the film alights on moments of connection and heartache, hope and disappointment.
Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes rating 8.5/10. Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2024. Manohla Dargis in The New York Times called it “flat-out wonderful, one of the finest films of the year.”
Available: Rent or buy on Fandango at Home
Music
Arijit Singh: Best Of Arijit Singh 2024
