South Asian Chaat
Edited by Mithila Rajagopal and Mahvish Qureshi
Welcome back to all our readers! Special thanks to all our readers who left comments on articles! We also invite you to join our facebook group ‘South Asian Chaat’ – to be kept more up to date on all deadlines and other notices. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts on the new webiste and how we can improve it.
Our November issue is sure to inform, intrigue and entertain you. India’s progress today and fascinating history set the tone for this month’s issue. A forceful argument on Raj Thakerays’ methods adds spice to this setting. Don’t miss part 1 of a charmingly written semi-fictionalized story that seems set to tug at your heart strings and open your eyes. Also find out if latest Bollywood movie ‘Kidnap’ is up to the mark.
As always feel free to contact either mrajagopal@brynmawr.edu or mqureshi@brynmawr.edu with article ideas, written articles, or questions about anything and everything!
Please note: All opinions expressed in the articles and comments do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine or the editors.
Nature’s Force in South Asia – A stark reminder amidst progress
~Mahvish Qureshi and Mithila Rajagopal
While the political state of South Asia may be as tumultous as ever, there is a lot of progress being made by South Asia, such as India’s launch of its first moon mission (read about it in this issue). However despite this progress and the raging politics, it is important to take time out of the busy day of many South Asians as they witness yet another earthly disaster in the area. On October 29, 2008 over 160 people were killed due to an earthquake of 6.4 magnitude in South-Western Pakistan, in the Balochistan province. While many are grieving over their losses, it is bringing back the painful memories of the last earthquak to hit Pakistan not so long ago. On Oct. 8, 2005 Azad-Kashmir, or the Pakistan administered region of Kashmir was hit with an earthquake rating up to 7.7 on the richter scale. Only last year Bangladesh was hit by Cyclone Sidr, in the western coast of the country alongside the border with India. There were power outages thorough out the whole country as the death tolls rose. So in this issue we would like everyone to not only take time out of their day to remember the victims of the most recent earthquake but to look back at the past and remember allt he victims and survivors of the previous earthquakes, and cyclones which have hit South Asia not so long ago. We encourage people to take a look at the many organizations which are helping raise money for the victims and the surviving family.