| Greetings from India! You're reading Meanwhile, Back Home, our daily newsletter specially curated for our overseas readers. While you were asleep, it was a whirlwind of a day here in India. We've got the top highlights lined up for you.
Dear reader, Do you subscribe to the adage The West vs The Rest? Or, to the school of thought that the West is in decline and the East poised to dominate? In his latest piece, C Raja Mohan unpacks this persistent but misleading narrative. While China’s rise has reshaped global dynamics, Mohan argues it has not offered a compelling democratic alternative. Instead, he points to ongoing authoritarianism and internal contradictions across the East that weaken its claim to leadership. Referencing Amitav Acharya’s new book, The Once and Future World Order, Mohan explores a refreshing idea: a “multiplex” world where power is shared and global norms are negotiated, not imposed. Yet, he cautions, soft power still flows Westward, attracting the brightest minds from repressive regimes. The West’s ideals, liberty, reason, science, still matter. And unless the East grapples with its own demons, it will not replace the West.
💡Spotlight An elusive trio of terrorists, a peak named Mahadev, and a silent chase across rugged ridgelines. Operation Mahadev spanned 17 days and was powered by a flicker of electronic intel. It ended in a decisive gunfight that brought down the men behind the deadly Pahalgam attack. Here is how it unfolded: 📌 Satellite signals: A satellite phone used by the terrorists on July 11 and again on July 27 near Mahadev Peak lit the path for investigators. Surveillance tech tracked their RF signals, narrowing down the region. 📌 The terrain Dense Dachigam forests, caves, and 13,000-ft elevation made for perfect hideouts. Security forces combed through these rugged ridgelines despite the immense difficulty. Local nomads familiar with the area quietly passed information that helped pin down the hideout. 📌 The final strike At 11.30 am Monday, the three wanted men (Suleiman, Afghan, and Jibran) were found resting in a makeshift tent. A three-hour firefight ensued. All were killed. The trio was positively identified as those responsible for the April 22 massacre of 26 civilians. Cartridge matches and eyewitness confirmations sealed their fate.
☕ Spill the Expresso GenZ meets Tulsi: A GenZ viewer recently dove into Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, and emerged charmed. Watching Tulsi before she married Mihir and seeing Baa’s saint-like calm felt like opening a time capsule. Sure, the background music was louder than the dialogue and the joint family drama felt like a Marvel crossover, but it worked. The show’s slow, sentimental storytelling struck a nostalgic chord. In an OTT-obsessed world, this ’00s soap felt refreshingly simple. As the reboot approaches, even GenZ might be ready to tune in or at least binge a few episodes with their moms.
🚨 Must Read Matcha snag Matcha is everywhere in lattes, cakes and even on your Instagram feed. But as global demand for this Japanese green tea explodes, producers in Japan are struggling to keep up. The problem is Matcha is not mass-produced. It is hand-picked, shade-grown, stone-ground, and painfully slow to make. Add labour shortages, heat-damaged crops, and shrinking farmland, and we have a supply bottleneck on our hands. Even top brands are limiting sales. So, for now, expect your favourite matcha fix to be a little harder to find.
📚Book Nook The return of Kiran Desai Kiran Desai is back with a bang after 19 years. Her much-anticipated novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny has earned a spot on the 2025 Booker Prize longlist. The novel, a sweeping tale of love, memory, and migration, follows two Indian protagonists across continents. This is her second Booker nod after The Inheritance of Loss (2006). If Desai wins, she will join an elite club of two-time Booker winners. The book releases this September, but it is already one of the most talked-about titles on a longlist that spans the globe and genres. Check out our ‘Reader’s Guide to the 2025 Booker longlist’. That’s all for now. Until next time, Aishwarya Khosla
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