Leher Kala is a multifaceted journalist, columnist, and filmmaker associated with The Indian Express. She is widely recognized for her sharp social commentary and lifestyle writing, which explores the nuances of modern Indian society, culture, and human behavior.
Professional Experience & Career Kala began her journalistic journey in 2000 with the India Today Group, gaining early experience in one of India's leading media houses. She subsequently joined The Indian Express, where she served as the Editor of Daily Features for four years, playing a key role in shaping the newspaper's lifestyle and feature content.
In addition to her print journalism career, she has experience in broadcast media, having worked with Aaj Tak. Broadening her creative scope, she ventured into filmmaking and founded Hutkay Films, a production house specializing in bespoke documentary-style celebration movies and biographies.
Expertise & Writing Style Since 2010, Leher Kala has been a regular columnist for The Indian Express. Her writing is known for its wit, observational depth, and ability to critique social trends. Her columns often dissect:
Social Trends & Lifestyle: From the "quiet luxury" of the elite to the changing dynamics of Indian weddings and social behavior.
Cultural Commentary: She writes extensively on the intersection of tradition and modernity in India.
Human Condition: Her pieces frequently touch upon philosophical themes, mental well-being, and the pressures of contemporary life.
Her column has often been titled "On The Loose," reflecting her free-ranging and candid take on the world around her.
Authoritativeness With over two decades of experience in the media industry, Kala has established herself as a distinct voice in Indian lifestyle journalism. Her ability to transition between hard news environments and feature writing, as well as her entrepreneurial venture in filmmaking, demonstrates a versatile command over storytelling in both text and visual formats.
Find all Columns from Leher Kala here

January 28, 2019 01:25 IST
Lessons in etiquette from those in the limelight
Mon, Jan 28, 2019
January 21, 2019 00:08 IST
The 10-year challenge, more than anything, draws attention to how flawed the conversation around growing old really is.
Mon, Jan 21, 2019
January 14, 2019 00:39 IST
Two cricketers made us cringe. Don’t read more into it
Mon, Jan 14, 2019
January 07, 2019 00:55 IST
Where #MeToo infamy has no social consequences.After a PR disaster, it’s worth a shot to try and spin something around what Oscar Wilde once said, ‘every saint has a past and every sinner a future’.
Mon, Jan 07, 2019
December 24, 2018 00:20 IST
In an interview, Army Chief Bipin Rawat has raised some questions like ---what happens to the children when their moms are posted to remote areas, and more pertinently, are we as a nation, ready to see women return in bodybags?
Mon, Dec 24, 2018
December 17, 2018 00:02 IST
Shaktikanta Das, in his new position in the RBI will be surrounded by reliable economists. His challenge will be more about making sound ethical judgments (hopefully), while keeping the powers-that-be, happy. That’s an art in itself, learnt only from the university of hustle and experience.
Mon, Dec 17, 2018
December 10, 2018 00:16 IST
False harassment claims are rare and should not be a priority
Mon, Dec 10, 2018
December 03, 2018 01:04 IST
When rules are not taken seriously by citizens, does it even make any sense to rely so heavily on citizen participation to create a just society?
Mon, Dec 03, 2018
November 26, 2018 01:10 IST
The flying experience is a fast deteriorating one. Queues are longer, leg room shorter and unoccupied space, rarer than ever. Customer feedback will undoubtedly keep India’s airlines on their toes since they stand to lose revenue if their rankings go down.
Mon, Nov 26, 2018
November 19, 2018 01:13 IST
The biggest challenge for the MeToo movement is how to clearly identify authentic complaints, from those that lurk in the perpetual grey zone of what constitutes appropriate behaviour in such a disparate population.
Mon, Nov 19, 2018
November 12, 2018 00:05 IST
Patanjali Paridhan is touted to be an “exclusive one-stop solution showroom”, selling everything from ethnic to formal wear, and more specifically, an original range of “swadeshi” denims.
Mon, Nov 12, 2018
November 05, 2018 00:55 IST
Half the world’s problems would probably vanish the day people stopped dictating to other adults how they should live, and behave.
Mon, Nov 05, 2018
October 29, 2018 00:01 IST
How a choked city killed a beloved festival
Mon, Oct 29, 2018
October 22, 2018 00:05 IST
Offence is not always the best form of defence.
Mon, Oct 22, 2018
October 15, 2018 01:00 IST
Entertaining ourselves to madness. Human beings are not machines. Binge watching isn’t wild debauchery. Of all the vices it’s possible to succumb to — drugs, alcohol, even copious amounts of food — Netflix is, by far the least problematic.
Mon, Oct 15, 2018
October 12, 2018 05:19 IST
... the hashtag army is closing in on it
Fri, Oct 12, 2018
October 08, 2018 00:20 IST
Politicians are not that special.
Mon, Oct 08, 2018
October 01, 2018 00:10 IST
The Supreme Court has ruled that the 158-year-old Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code that made adultery a punishable offence only for men, no longer applies
Tue, Oct 02, 2018
September 17, 2018 01:00 IST
Setting the obscure records straight. The records that matter, and concern us all are, however, far from triumphant.
Mon, Sep 17, 2018
September 10, 2018 00:30 IST
A marriage course is a good idea
Mon, Sep 10, 2018
September 03, 2018 00:07 IST
Etiquette evolves but basic manners stay the same.
Mon, Sep 03, 2018
August 27, 2018 00:08 IST
It's difficult to both, ask for, and accept help. Those lakhs of stranded people in Kerala who have lost homes and livelihoods must also face the frustrating modern conundrum, that not everyone who wants to help, may be permitted to.
Mon, Aug 27, 2018
August 20, 2018 00:45 IST
No news is good news. But good news is not news.
Mon, Aug 20, 2018
August 14, 2018 00:30 IST
What ‘members only’ means in the new world
Tue, Aug 14, 2018

