TRT World - Author: Nilosree Biswas

Nilosree Biswas

Nilosree Biswas

Nilosree Biswas is an author and filmmaker who writes about history, culture, food and cinema of South Asia, Asia and its diaspora.

Nilosree Biswas is an author and filmmaker who writes about history, culture, food and cinema of South Asia, Asia and its diaspora.

Articles from author

The painter of petals and power: Jean-Baptiste Vanmour and the Ottoman Empire’s most ornate age

Each spring, tulips blanket Istanbul in colour, recalling an era when the flower symbolised imperial grandeur. At its heart was French painter Jean-Baptiste Vanmour, who chronicled the Ottoman court with a diplomat’s eye and artist’s hand.

The painter of petals and power: Jean-Baptiste Vanmour and the Ottoman Empire’s most ornate age

The painter of petals and power: Jean-Baptiste Vanmour and the Ottoman Empire’s most ornate age

Postmarked nostalgia: The quiet return of Eid cards

Before emojis and forwards, there were Eid postcards—colourful, handwritten, and brimming with emotion. As digital fatigue grows, a quiet revival is underway, led by artists, archivists, and nostalgic hearts.

Postmarked nostalgia: The quiet return of Eid cards

Postmarked nostalgia: The quiet return of Eid cards

The scent of bread at dawn: A journey through Kashmir’s living bakeries

In homespun tandoors across the Valley, generations of kandurs keep Kashmir’s soulful bread traditions alive—especially during moments of shared joy and celebration.

The scent of bread at dawn: A journey through Kashmir’s living bakeries

The scent of bread at dawn: A journey through Kashmir’s living bakeries

Eid-e-Gulabi: When Holi painted the Mughal Empire in colours of pluralism

From the Mughal courts to Sufi shrines, Holi was once more than just a festival of colours—it was a vibrant testament to India’s syncretic past, where emperors, poets, and commoners alike joined in the revelry of ‘Eid-e-Gulabi.’

Eid-e-Gulabi: When Holi painted the Mughal Empire in colours of pluralism

Eid-e-Gulabi: When Holi painted the Mughal Empire in colours of pluralism

From $1 to $63k: Rare Indian 'Hajj note' spotlights unique history

The La'l Note, a unique Indian currency issued to Muslim pilgrims travelling to Hajj in the 1950s and 1960s, has become a rare historical treasure worth over $63,000.

From $1 to $63k: Rare Indian 'Hajj note' spotlights unique history

From $1 to $63k: Rare Indian 'Hajj note' spotlights unique history

Baklava: The Turkish delight that's winning over India

The flaky delicacy has quietly made its way right into the heart of India's sweet universe and is here to stay. Here's how it got there.

Baklava: The Turkish delight that's winning over India

Baklava: The Turkish delight that's winning over India

To preserve cultural heritage, India must embrace pluralism, not politics

Critics say bias and funding issues are driving the selective upkeep of monuments, to the detriment of Indian history.

To preserve cultural heritage, India must embrace pluralism, not politics

To preserve cultural heritage, India must embrace pluralism, not politics

What's the controversy over the tomb of India's second Mughal emperor?

The mausoleum of 16-century emperor Humayun in New Delhi is a popular tourist spot and a UNESCO heritage site.

What's the controversy over the tomb of India's second Mughal emperor?

What's the controversy over the tomb of India's second Mughal emperor?

Why India is still struggling with an unrelenting rape crisis

A month after the sexual assault and murder of a Kolkata doctor, demands for justice and women's safety continue to reverberate.

Why India is still struggling with an unrelenting rape crisis

Why India is still struggling with an unrelenting rape crisis

Bangladesh halted hilsa fish exports to India ahead of a key holiday. Why?

The move comes amid rising tensions between the two countries following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to New Delhi in August.

Bangladesh halted hilsa fish exports to India ahead of a key holiday. Why?

Bangladesh halted hilsa fish exports to India ahead of a key holiday. Why?