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Devyani Onial
Devyani Onial is National Features Editor at The Indian Express, and heads the Sunday Eye (the paper's Sunday magazine section). She is a long-form journalist known for her deep-dive profiles, cultural features, and reporting from the Himalayan region. Professional Focus Her work is characterized by a strong interest in the arts, history, and environmental issues related to the hills. Her reporting beats include: Himalayan Narratives: Deeply connected to Uttarakhand, she writes extensively on the ecology, history, and politics of the hill state. Biographical Profiles: She specializes in intimate "At Home With" features of legendary figures like Ruskin Bond, Irfan Habib, and Nayantara Sahgal. Cultural Commentary: She explores film, literature, and social shifts, often through a lens of dissent and identity. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025) Her recent portfolio features significant interviews and historical retrospectives: 1. High-Profile Interviews & Profiles "Nayantara Sahgal on the Emergency and her rift with cousin Indira Gandhi" (June 29, 2025): A rare interview with the 98-year-old author at her home in Dehradun. "Ruskin Bond at home in Landour" (April 26, 2025): A look back at the author’s 91-year journey and his views on Landour's transformation into an "Insta destination." "At home with Irfan Habib: The History Keeper" (Jan 25, 2025): A profile of the legendary historian as he reflects on 75 years of the Indian Republic. "Sudhir Mishra on Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and his new series on the Emergency" (June 28, 2025). 2. Uttarakhand & The Hills "New Year Postcards: 'Women fought for Uttarakhand…we hope for a safer place'" (Jan 1, 2025): Recounting the 1994 statehood struggle and the current anxieties of activists. "Are Uttarakhand’s pine trees to blame for the fires?" (May 19, 2024): A historical and ecological investigation into the "pine cone" problem in Mussoorie and Landour. "The Purola Story: How an Uttarakhand town discovered 'love jihad'" (June 23, 2023): Exploring how social fault lines are weaponized in small hill towns. 3. Education & Society "All about a girl: The first girl to graduate from a 50-year-old boys' school" (Nov 9, 2024): A feature on Shekinah, the first girl at Colonel Brown, a historic Dehradun residential school. "Old Rajinder Nagar... and what series and films don't show" (July 31, 2024): An analysis of the crushing pressure on UPSC aspirants following the tragic deaths in coaching centers. Signature Beats Devyani is particularly noted for her literary-historical approach. She has written extensively on Jim Corbett, defending his legacy as both a hunter and a naturalist (specifically arguing against the renaming of Corbett National Park). She also curates the "Explained Books" section, recently covering the legacies of the Mughal Emperor Humayun and...
More From Devyani Onial - Page 4
Respect court’s decision, but instability is hampering state: Harish RawatSubscriber Only
April 23,2016 00:36:46 AM
Harish Rawat said that the Supreme Court stay order hasn't dampened the Congress's morale.
Sat, Apr 23, 2016
Ambika Soni on Uttarakhand crisis: Everything will become clear on April 29Subscriber Only
April 23,2016 00:36:32 AM
Ambika Soni met Chief Minister Harish Rawat and other MLAs over lunch and will be in Dehradun until Saturday evening
Sat, Apr 23, 2016
Uttarakhand HC quashes President’s rule: Laddoos in Cong, wilted garlands in BJPSubscriber Only
April 22,2016 01:31:19 AM
Rawat said people of the state suffered a lot due to the political instability.
Fri, Apr 22, 2016
Kids would peep in, ask how’s Shaktiman… now he’s goneSubscriber Only
April 21,2016 03:07:55 AM
Wounded during a BJP protest, Dehradun Police horse dies days after he was fitted with prosthetic limb; accused MLA says he will build a memorial.
Tue, Jul 12, 2016
Shaktiman learns to walk again — with shoe, prosthetic leg from USSubscriber Only
April 17,2016 02:37:52 AM
The shoes have come all the way from the US, to be donned on his right hind foot to give him support as he learns to walk on his other new prosthetic leg that too was flown from Virginia last week.
Tue, Jul 12, 2016
JNU row: TV debates where anchors played judge and jurySubscriber Only
February 23,2016 04:41:24 AM
Looking back on a week of TV debates where the anchors played judge and jury on JNU students and ‘anti-nationalism’
Tue, Feb 23, 2016
Music in the house: Can you hear Noor Jehan?
December 27,2015 01:00:18 AM
In Old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk, hear the hits of yesterday come alive on the gramophone.
Sun, Dec 27, 2015
Bet on the blues: Do you long for a blue sky?
December 13,2015 01:19:01 AM
A child’s first canvas has always been a house and a family standing below a crayonned blue sky. But must the blue sky now become a mere memory, to be lugged back from vacations and longed for at all other times?
Sun, Dec 13, 2015
Neighbourhood watch: In conversation with Kishwar Naheed
December 13,2015 01:00:03 AM
Pakistani feminist poet Kishwar Naheed on her poem that became an anthem for women’s rights, challenging tradition, and the lessons India can learn from Pakistan.
Sun, Dec 13, 2015
Historian Pathak to return Padma, cites ‘intolerance’Subscriber Only
November 03,2015 02:56:29 AM
Former professor of History at the Kumaun University in Uttarakhand and a founder of the Nainital-based People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research (PAHAR), Pathak received the Padma Shri in 2007.
Tue, Nov 03, 2015
Hamid Ansari visits Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm temples in CambodiaSubscriber Only
September 18,2015 02:45:25 AM
After Angkor Wat, Ansari and the Indian delegation also made a pit stop at Cambodia’s other stunning temple, the Ta Prohm, where, too, India was involved in its restoration and is set to start a new phase of restoration soon.
Fri, Sep 18, 2015
Cambodia’s Genocide Museum: A high school that became Khmer Rouge torture cellSubscriber Only
September 18,2015 02:38:10 AM
It was a high school when the Pol Pot regime took over it after coming to power. As the classrooms changed into cells and the cries of prisoners replaced the cheerful laughter of children, S-21 entered the modern lexicon of horror.
Fri, Sep 18, 2015
Cambodia visit: Hamid Ansari calls for efforts to boost bilateral tradeSubscriber Only
September 17,2015 04:09:01 AM
Cambodian Deputy PM Sok An urged Ansari to get Bollywood to shoot in Cambodia and reiterated the demand for a direct flight between the countries.
Thu, Sep 17, 2015
Explained: Assessing AurangzebSubscriber Only
September 07,2015 00:00:11 AM
A religious zealot, an able administrator, a narrow-minded ruler are some labels that the sixth Mughal emperor bears. Was he India’s cruellest despot or just a religious conservative who lacked the flair and imagination of his ancestors?
Mon, Sep 07, 2015
Humans of New York inspires a home page: Muslims of IndiaSubscriber Only
January 18,2015 02:19:53 AM
Though the subjects of the page are all Muslims, the followers include non-Muslims too.
Sun, Jan 18, 2015
Months on, San Francisco editor Sarah Lacy is ‘sad to be this right’ on UberSubscriber Only
December 10,2014 00:29:50 AM
After the Delhi rape case, Lacy tweeted saying she is “really sad to be this right” when she urged women to block Uber.
Wed, Dec 10, 2014Battleground Amethi: Congress faces a tough contest from AAP, BJPSubscriber Only
May 04,2014 00:53:22 AM
The Congress has rarely faced a contest here. Not this time, as the the BJP’s Smriti Irani and AAP’s Kumar Vishwas take on Rahul Gandhi.
Sun, May 04, 2014
‘I was trying to make sense of the jungle mosaic across a territory as big as France’Subscriber Only
April 06,2014 00:46:06 AM
Pradip Krishen on his new book on the trees of central India, and why he won’t direct a film again.
Sun, Apr 06, 2014
With a father’s hug, N D Tiwari accepts his son Rohit ShekharSubscriber Only
March 04,2014 02:15:40 AM
At a press conference, Tiwari patted Shekhar, and spoke about his relationship with Ujjwala’s father.
Tue, Mar 04, 2014
Tehelka sexual assault case: The one and many Tarun TejpalsSubscriber Only
December 01,2013 01:16:17 AM
A talented,ambitious journalist,a flamboyant editor - Tejpal kept pushing the envelope till 2 days in Goa.
Sun, Dec 01, 2013A Muggle MurderSubscriber Only
August 17,2013 05:57:00 AM
An Afghan war veteran cracks a whodunit. You know who wrote it,of course
Sat, Aug 17, 2013
‘It’s a misnomer that to appeal to the youth you have to write chill,chill,chill thrice’Subscriber Only
August 04,2013 01:21:52 AM
Adman and lyricist Prasoon Joshi speaks about growing up in small-town India,advertising as "transparent" hyperbole and his debut as a scriptwriter with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. This session was moderated by National Features Editor Devyani Onial
Sun, Aug 04, 2013Azamgarhs Weaves and MelodiesSubscriber Only
April 04,2013 03:20:40 AM
The few times that Azamgarh has found itself in news has been because of its terror tag.
Thu, Apr 04, 2013
Azamgarhs Weaves and MelodiesSubscriber Only
April 04,2013 00:36:18 AM
The few times that Azamgarh has found itself in news has been because of its terror tag.
Thu, Apr 04, 2013
When young people want to carve out a regional identity,they go to KhusrauSubscriber Only
March 07,2013 01:06:44 AM
Two exhibitions on Amir Khusrau celebrate the pluralist philosopher.
Thu, Mar 07, 2013Journalism of Courage
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