Karina Pandya

  Finding yourself and creating yourself can be one of the most overwhelming and often challenging things to do in life. Often, when we reach 18 or, at the latest, 21, we think we have everything figured out, but this is far from perfect. It’s the time when not only are we allowed to drive, but we also start our careers and are given our first taste of independence and freedom.     Although being an adult is generalised, there are stark differences in the maturity of both. At 21, we are generally told to find ourselves as if we had actually misplaced our personality somewhere between college lectures and Instagram reels or forgotten it on a bookshelf. At this age, it is the time to try to backpack, to flirt with veganism, join a poetry or book club; basically, do anything and everything. There is no clear sense of direction. It is at this age that we say yes to nervousness, no to stability, and we think that we have found ourselves after having visited a booksto...

After the release of  New York Wakes to Culture , I knew I had to write a book that captured the vastness and chaos of Mumbai. But this one was different—shaped not just by structure, but by the city itself. While I followed a similar narrative format—seven journalism interns and one lead character, Mahi—this time, each intern had a specific lens through which to view the city: Culture, Crime, Love, Disparity, Mythology, Historical Context, and Transportation.  This wasn’t just a compression chamber of experiences—it was a newsroom furnace. Each chapter was inked in urgency. And each intern—Mahi, Mariya, Kiara, Aditya, Vihaan, Ritvik, and Shiva—didn’t just live on the page. They lived inside me. They bickered, stumbled, fell in love, and grew—like every writer’s inner voice racing against a deadline. Ironically, I had no deadline. I wrote as per my whims, driven only by inspiration and the pulse of Mumbai. The Indian Express setting wasn’t imagined—it was symbolic. It mirrored...

  When people hear the word epilepsy, they often think of seizures and that it is just one more “neurological condition”. However, what they don’t know is that living with such a condition can weigh you down tremendously, and that is more than just the neurological condition, but also battling the side effects of the medications as well. What people don’t realise is the number of pills that are required to fight such a neurological condition. Some of the most common side effects include weight gain, foggy mornings and the silent battle that is assiduously fought.   I have been living with epilepsy for 30 years now, having been first diagnosed with this condition when I was 9 years old. While my current medication combination includes Brivazan 100 Mg, Lacoset 150 Mg, and Fycompa 2 Mg, the medicines that I have been taking since my diagnosis in 1995 have over time progressively changed. While the medications have been effective in seizure control, I have been silently fighting u...

In a world that celebrates the loudest voices, Kiara Ahuja stands out not by shouting, but by listening. At 21, Kiara is one of those rare individuals who doesn’t need to make noise to make an impact. With slightly tousled hair and eyes that seem to notice everything, she moves through life with a steady purpose, driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand the world, one story at a time. Hailing from Mumbai, she blends seamlessly into the city’s chaos. You’ll spot her riding a packed local train with a pen behind her ear and a notebook tucked under her arm, scribbling down fleeting conversations or headlines that haven’t made it to print yet. Whether she’s sitting in a café eavesdropping for inspiration or navigating the vibrant confusion of a newsroom, Kiara is in her element when the world is buzzing around her. Standing at 5’4”, with a fair complexion and a flush that deepens when she speaks passionately, she may look unassuming—but make no mistake: Kiara carries a quiet fire. ...

Tucked between the sacred and the swarming lies Mahim—a place that feels like a time-lapse between Mumbai’s storied past and its restless present. It’s only fitting that Mariya Mirza represents this transitional neighbourhood, where ancient shrines coexist with traffic snarls, and the aroma of street food dances through narrow lanes lined with aspirations. At just 21, Mariya is sharper than your morning espresso and twice as energising. She’s not just another intern ticking boxes—she’s the one subtly redesigning the list while meeting every deadline on it. Whether her hair is straightened or neatly pulled back into a ponytail, Mariya carries an unmistakable air of purpose. Her aesthetic is minimal—makeup that enhances but never shouts, crisp collared shirts, and knee-length skirts that mirror her structured approach to chaos. But don’t mistake her orderliness for predictability. Behind that calm exterior is a relentless mind—constantly analysing, planning, creating. She’s the girl who ...

If there’s one person who could narrate a traffic jam and make it sound like a blockbuster, it’s Shiva Prasad.  At 22, he’s not just a boy from Andhra Pradesh—he’s a walking, talking narrative, wrapped in unruly curls and colourful shirts! Shiva’s hair has its own personality—thick, dark, and unapologetically wild. Those curls frame his face like nature’s way of saying,  "This one doesn’t follow rules."  Every now and then, you’ll catch him running a finger through them, as if rearranging the thoughts he’s about to spill next. He’s got that rugged charm, the kind that makes you curious. A slightly rough-around-the-edges vibe that feels real. No filters. No pretence. Just stories—raw, full of life, and dripping with detail. You’ll rarely see Shiva repeat an outfit. One day it’s a teal shirt, the next day burnt orange, always paired with trousers that say,  “I’m here for comfort, not conformity.”  His style is as expressive as his tales—bold, individualistic, and ...

In the bustling city corners where ambition meets attitude, you’ll find Ritvik Jain—sharp, composed, and unmistakably charismatic. At just 21, Ritvik has already mastered the art of making an impression without saying a word. His spiky, neatly trimmed hair is always in place, like he knew the camera might catch him mid-thought. Beneath thick, expressive eyebrows are intense, dark eyes that seem to weigh every word before it’s even spoken. And those cheekbones? Razor-sharp. Like his focus! But here’s the curveball: Just when you think he’s all edge and enigma, a pair of deep dimples show up—unexpected and disarming. Even in the middle of a heated argument, they have a way of softening the blow. You’ll forgive him. You won’t even know why. Clean-shaven and crisp in style, Ritvik doesn’t just enter a room—he ' owns'  it. With a walk that combines confidence and calm, he moves like someone who knows where he’s going and doesn’t need to prove it to you. He’s the kind of guy wh...