Beyond the Plate

Delivery workers across multiple quick-commerce platforms assert that urban regions can no longer do without doorstep delivery. In such a context, why does gig work remain undignified? We’re bringing together three speakers—who have been closely working, organising, and advocating for the rights of gig workers—to highlight ground realities of this economy and discuss the demands of the many workers employed under this system.

Sociologist Prithiraj Borah’s guided walk in Kalyan Nagar involved sampling an array of indigenous Northeastern dishes in the neighbourhood, understanding their local contexts, and how such food can often run the risk of homogenisation.

Once home to nearly 1,00,000 indigenous varieties of rice, just a fraction dominate markets in India today. This online discussion explored the reasons behind their decline, unpacking how the pricing of commercial varieties does not account for social and environmental externalities tied to them, and offered practical ways to make native rice more accessible.

A Malayalam-language film revolving around a newly married woman’s struggles in a conservative, patriarchal household nudges us to think about the harsh realities that gender and labour spawn within domestic spaces.

“Organic.” “Natural.” “Chemical-free.” “Sustainable.” We see these words everywhere—on food packets, menus, and Instagram captions. While they are meant to signal trust, care, and ethics, what do they actually mean? And who gets left out of the story when we rely on labels alone?