Why “Southasia” as one word? Because we look at the region differently.
Himal Southasian is Southasia’s first and only regional magazine of politics and culture. Independent, non-nationalist, pan-Subcontinental – for over 35 years now, Himal has challenged orthodoxies and covered the region with imagination, rigour and irreverence, often defying national censorship regimes and taboos to tell stories that no one else can or will. In a place where nationalism, bigotry and barbed-wire borders mean many neighbours can barely talk to one another, Himal helps Southasians find common cause and voice, with essential stories about their own homes and everything and everyone around them.
We tell Afghans about Indians, Sri Lankans about Bhutanese, Nepalis about Malayalis, Bengalis about Baloch, Mizos about Mumbaikars, Tamils about Tibetans, and so on – and we tell the rest of the world about this often overlooked and misunderstood region, home to more than a quarter of humanity. Without wishing violence on any nation state, Himal injects “South Asia” with a fresh sensibility – a Southasian one, which recalls some of the historical unity of our region and imagines a democratic, equitable, sustainable and interlinked future.
That’s also why we have Himal’s iconic Right-Side Up Map (it’s not upside-down!), with a startling new perspective on Southasia to dislodge ingrained views.
Started from Kathmandu in 1987 as a cross-border magazine of the Himalaya, Himal expanded its horizons in 1996 to cover all of Southasia – from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east, from Tibet in the north to the Maldives in the south. After 15 years as a print monthly and then a few years as a quarterly, Himal was forced to suspend publication in 2016 after prolonged harassment by the Nepal government. It has since found a new base in Colombo as an online magazine, with a remote editorial team working from across the Subcontinent. Our stories, podcasts, online events and extensive archives bring some of the region’s best journalists and thinkers to audiences in Southasia and the Southasian diaspora, as well as to scholars of the region all over the world.
Follow Himal’s work on our homepage and in our archive.
Social Media
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Newsletters
“Southasia Weekly" is a weekly update on Himal's latest stories and upcoming events, plus a roundup of the week's regional news — delivered to your inbox every Friday.
“Southasia Review of Books” is a monthly newsletter threading together our latest reviews and literary essays, curated reading suggestions, interviews with select writers and updates on the world of Southasian publishing.
Sign up to receive our newsletters here.
“Letter from the Editor” is a monthly, members-only update from the Editor, Roman Gautam, giving you the inside scoop on Himal and the view of Southasia from our team’s many vantage points across the region. Become a member here.
Podcasts
"State of Southasia" is a biweekly podcast where we speak to some of the best minds from the region to unpack crucial issues affecting our politics, cultures, environments and societies.
"Southasia Review of Books" is also a biweekly podcast where we speak with celebrated authors and emerging literary voices from around the region.
Listen to Himal Southasian’s channels on YouTube, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or on our website.
Events
“Screen Southasia” is a monthly online screening of great Southasian documentaries, both established classics and exciting recent releases, run in collaboration with Film Southasia. Sign up to watch this month's documentary and receive future updates here.
The “Himal Fiction Fest” is our twice-a-year showcase of short stories from emerging voices in Southasian fiction and translation.
Follow Himal on social media, sign up for our newsletters or become a member to get updates on upcoming events.
ROMAN GAUTAM
EDITOR
RAISA WICKREMATUNGE
DEPUTY EDITOR
SHWETHA SRIKANTHAN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
NAYANTARA NARAYANAN
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
NEHA RAJBHANDARY
ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
RITIKA CHAUHAN
AUDIO PRODUCER AND FACT CHECKER
SUJITH DE SILVA
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
FOUNDING EDITOR
KANAK MANI DIXIT
FOUNDING ADVISORS
AFSAN CHOWDHURY
DEEPAK THAPA
MITU VARMA
JEHAN PERERA
BEENA SARWAR
MANISHA ARYAL
RAJASHRI DASGUPTA
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
HANA SHAMS AHMED
SARAH ELEAZAR
AMISH RAJ MULMI
LAXMI MURTHY
AZRA NASEEM
VIJAY PRASHAD
THOMAS RUTTIG
48 Rosemead Place
Colombo-7
Sri Lanka
For editorial matters, write to editorial@himalmag.com
For all queries on membership, write to membership@himalmag.com
Himal Southasian is supported by the Open Society Foundations and our membership programme. Our funders have no influence over the editorial direction or output of Himal Southasian.
ISSN 10129804
Library of Congress Control Number 88 912882