Coffee And Conversations

@faribanawa is an acclaimed journalist, author, speaker, and podcaster whose career spans more than 25 years, bringing powerful, human-driven stories to light from around the world. In a candid conversation Fariba opens up about her groundbreaking work. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/…

A huge thanks to @HooghlyReview and editors, @ankit_raj01 and @TejaswineeRC for publishing my cultural essay, Tanghulu Delight. This little piece was inspired by my trip to the Victoria Park Flower fair in Hong Kong, during the Chinese New Year break, 2025. The flower fair is one of my favourite places to go to each year, and the family knows by the end of the trip, our home will look like it’s hosting a flower fair of its own 😊🌺 I remember this particular day being very cold, in fact it might have been the coldest that February. Comparatively this year was unusually warm, we were in T shirts compared to sweaters and jackets last year. My favourite part apart from all the plants I can buy, is watching families having fun - Hanging out around food stalls, kids running around with their pinwheels, and folks choosing auspicious plants and flowers to take back home. thehooghlyreview.com/tanghulu-delig… The accompanying photos are by me taken at the fair. A couple are below here, including one of the Tanghulu Stall 🍓

Pennsylvania poet, Linda M. Crate shares her heartfelt poems in celebration of Women’s month. coffeeandconversations.in/reading-nook/l… #coffeeandconversationsmagazine #poetry #poems #womensmonth #lindacrate @thysilverdoe

Thank you so much @HooghlyReview for publishing my little cultural essay, Tanghulu Delight. Also, I’m thrilled to share space with @sadiekaye who is as always brilliant with humour :)

"Tanghulu Delight" by Shikha S. Lamba (@ShikhaSLamba) thehooghlyreview.com/tanghulu-delig… 2/3

Hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life. I’m still crying, ten minutes after having read the last page. Please, read it if you haven’t already.

✨NEW✨ Vardi Ka Samman: Respecting the Uniform is an initiative by the inspiring father-daughter duo, Maj. Gen. Ashim Kohli (Retd.) and Akshi Kohli, to recycle old defence uniforms into useful products for the socially disadvantaged. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/…

Grateful to Hong Kong Women in Publishing Society @HKWiPS for publishing three ekphrastic poems of mine in their 24th issue of IMPRINT. I’ll be sharing them one by one. Ducula at Dawn was inspired by a photo I clicked at the Hong Kong Bird Aviary. Here’s a little story about that day. When I took my camera out to click pictures that day, I didn’t check my settings. It was only when I came back home and looked at the pictures on my computer that I realised that whatever setting my camera was on, resulted in deep, darkish, intense images. I absolutely loved them. I love this photograph because within the dark foliage, this bird just stands out, almost in an ethereal way. The third image sums up my poetry/writing year as neatly as possible. I’m so grateful for the opportunities that came my way, some with tangible impacts in the real world. If my writing can continue doing that, I will consider it a huge blessing. Thanks for reading 😊🙏🏼 IMPRINT is available for purchase at @BookazineHK

Dear friends, I’m thrilled to share my interview with the inspiring @faribanawa . 🌺 Fariba Nawa is an acclaimed journalist, author, speaker, and podcaster whose career spans more than 25 years, bringing powerful, human-driven stories to light from around the world. Her book, Opium Nation: Child Brides, Drug Lords and One Woman’s Journey through Afghanistan, was a finalist for the 2012 Pen USA Award, and remains a go-to recommendation for anyone seeking to understand Afghanistan, even 14 years after its release. Nawa also co-founded On Spec Podcast, bringing “independently produced, unvarnished, and transparent field reporting” with “nuanced and intimate perspectives” far beyond the headlines. The team is currently uncovering institutional abuse faced by migrant women, while their previous investigation, Lethal Dissent, offered a rare glimpse into the hidden war against Iranian dissidents living in exile. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/…

Thank you for spotlighting my work! @ShikhaSLamba

@faribanawa is an acclaimed journalist, author, speaker, and podcaster whose career spans more than 25 years, bringing powerful, human-driven stories to light from around the world. In a candid conversation Fariba opens up about her groundbreaking work. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/…

@faribanawa has been described as “brilliant” and “iconic”. Her journalistic work is awe-inspiring and courageous. These past few months, getting to know the woman behind the award-winning journalist, author and podcaster has truly been a privilege. Independent journalism that not only seeks the truth but also strives to make lives better and safer is more essential than ever. The quote on the homepage of the On Spec Podcast website, “Stories that make you think, feel, and act to do good beyond your borders” resonates deeply with my soul and captures the spirit of Fariba and her team’s work. Thank you, Fariba, for this candid conversation and for your relentless pursuit to bring justice where it is needed through the stories you tell. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/… @OnSpecStories

It’s an honour @faribanawa 😊

Steliana Cristina Voicu is an award-winning Romanian poet who has been published in over 40 journals and magazines worldwide. She shares her Haiku with us this month. coffeeandconversations.in/reading-nook/s… #coffeeandconversationsmagazine #poetry #haiku

Women in Afghanistan burn portraits of Taliban leaders, chanting “Death death to the Taliban.” The protest follows new Taliban rules allowing husbands to physically punish wives and children if no broken bones or visible wounds result. Women leaving home without permission face up to 3 months in prison. In court, women must be fully veiled and accompanied by a male guardian, even when accusing their husband of abuse.

Rex Tan, journalist by trade and a poet at heart, shares two of his poems, Mynah and Migrant’s Song with Coffee and Conversations. coffeeandconversations.in/reading-nook/r… #coffeeandconversationsmagazine #poetry #rextan #poems #poetrycommunity

✨NEW✨ Award winning documentary filmmaker and photographer, Sonali Devnani, speaks to @ShikhaSLamba about her new, powerful documentary film, The Divine Hustle, that explores the monetisation of faith and spirituality in India. coffeeandconversations.in/conversations/…

Currently reading an old favourite again by @Elif_Safak before our @HKWiPS bookclub meeting. Hong Kong readers, non members can join also. Details bellow.

Ramadan Mubarak. Wishing you a blessed, happy and peaceful Ramadan. 🌙