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👁 onial

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...