Kamala Thiagarajan
@Kamal_t
Followers
14,962
Following
6,574
Media
90
Statuses
8,327
Journalist. Pulitzer Center grantee. Bylines in the New York Times, Guardian, BBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post. coffee lover & idea chaser.
Madurai, India
Joined May 2010
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Liam Payne
• 670728 Tweets
Argentina
• 488366 Tweets
hobi
• 262855 Tweets
Trudeau
• 235430 Tweets
Mutuse
• 177699 Tweets
Bear
• 165573 Tweets
maya
• 97626 Tweets
snapchat
• 93668 Tweets
Fox News
• 93545 Tweets
Genaro García Luna
• 89396 Tweets
LIAM DIED
• 76900 Tweets
CHOQUE
• 71272 Tweets
Buenos Aires
• 69593 Tweets
NO PUEDE SER
• 65911 Tweets
Tyler
• 63860 Tweets
Felipe Calderón
• 48646 Tweets
Bret Baier
• 45752 Tweets
Palermo
• 42809 Tweets
Meech
• 40732 Tweets
Directioner
• 31646 Tweets
LIAM IS DEAD
• 31577 Tweets
ESTOY EN SHOCK
• 29771 Tweets
Hannah
• 24393 Tweets
Sergio Muñoz
• 20741 Tweets
Bluesky
• 19719 Tweets
スーパームーン
• 16079 Tweets
#تيتو_يرعي_o15
• 14057 Tweets
Polly
• 10664 Tweets
Pinned Tweet
Hi, I'm a science journalist, based in Madurai, Southern India. I've been reporting for the international press for the last 20 years, delving into climate change, health, development and infectious diseases. Here's looking back on some of my work in 2023! Thank you for reading!
69
196
1K
No quarantines for fully vaccinated travellers coming from the US and Europe into the UK, but fully vaccinated students from India studying in the UK have to quarantine in hotels for 2 weeks (even though the UK uses Covishield). Tell me again how this isn't discriminatory.
229
1K
6K
Tamil Nadu is now providing oxygen to other Indian states, because we have adequate supply. We've vaccinated pretty quickly too. We are locking down, but not severely. There's got to be a public health message for the rest of India here.
130
791
4K
One of the mysteries of public health that I will probably never understand: how can so many people in India have such a raging Vitamin D deficiency when our ☀️🌞 shines so brightly through the year!!
331
283
3K
When Tamil Nadu feels a COLD wave, you know the world has gone crazy.
45
203
3K
Omigosh, did India just accept a mother's name as legal guardian on the PAN card?! Never thought I'd see this day.
49
183
3K
A thread about reporting from small town India: When I moved to Madurai in '99, most people thought (and one of them even told me to my face) that my career in journalism was over. What could you possibly report from a small, sleepy town? (1/16)
141
502
2K
Wow, it took 38,000 lawsuits to get Johnson & Johnson to stop selling its talcum powder. It was used widely in India too, even by adults, but is now accused of asbestos contamination linked to cancer.
26
379
2K
When a little boy in my city donated Rs 1,000 from his savings for Covid relief, the newly elected Chief Minister thanked him and sent him a shiny new bike in return. I can't remember when I've ever praised a politician, but I was touched by the gesture.
21
99
2K
On a reporting project a few years ago, I met a young doctor named Chlorophyll and found out that her sister is called Hemoglobin. Apparently, their father loved science!
132
98
2K
I wonder why J- schools don't ever teach you the skills you need to freelance. It's a whole different ball game from traditional news room reporting and it can be far more rigorous and profitable.
61
130
1K
Wow, what a mess the Indian examination system is. First the government insists on NEET for medical qualification and now it can't seem to conduct it at all. To be young in India today is a horror story
61
375
1K
In what may be a first across the country, 577 private hospitals have earned a malpractice notice from the Karnataka state govt and have been asked to return the money they stole from patients. Never thought I'd see this day!!
16
248
1K
It's fascinating, the way small shops in Madurai arrange their fresh produce. The eye-catching colours, geometric precision, the drama inherent in the apple and banana clusters swaying from the ceiling. Beware of cheeky kids who tend to pull from the middle of the triangle! 😅
34
128
1K
450 hours of footage shot over 5 years, The Elephant Whisperers is a love story between humans and elephants and also captures the surreal beauty of Tamil Nadu's forests. It has earned an Oscar nomination in the documentary short film category.
14
187
1K
My heart goes out to everyone who has watched a loved one struggle to breathe during India's 2nd wave, while wracked with exhaustion and guilt for battling the black market for oxygen cylinders. I'm sorry that one official statement erased your lived reality and your pain.
10
189
934
9 cities in India were rated as the hottest today (and I don't mean that in a good way) with temperatures soaring past 40 C!! We're tiptoeing into summer while riding a heat wave. And YET, we don't have a comprehensive health policy to deal with heat from any political party yet
15
169
745
Two years ago, I wrote an article for
@thewire_in
on the hardships endured by the salt workers of Tamil Nadu. Reporting from the blazing heat of a salt mine, every inch of my body felt like it was on fire. I couldn't imagine how salt workers could spend a lifetime doing this work
20
232
646
When Tamil is one of the official languages of Singapore, why can't it have that recognition in India❓Makes no sense to me why India would ever need just one national language, when it has the richest diversity.
51
121
660
If you have a child studying in 9th standard in the ICSE syllabus in India, are you aware that they have a poem in their books called Skimbleshanks: the railway cat. The poem is an allegory that depicts the terrors of authoritarian rule. The night mail train won't leave 1/3
11
102
652
For NPR, I wrote about the often rocky lives of the women seaweed harvesters in India's Pamban Island, and the many challenges they face. I'm very grateful to the folks
@pulitzercenter
whose unstinting support helped me report in this remote area.
34
187
639
Journalists, I highly recommend Transkriptor. It's a paid service, but half the price of Otter. And I love that the transcription comes with time stamps (easier to correct mistakes) and it's fairly accurate. It's saved me oceans of time this month!
30
66
635
I'm glad I don't cover the elections in India. It's a depressing beat.
10
14
565
If you live in a small town and dream of journalism, then this thread is for you. Don't believe anyone who says that the heart of Indian reporting has to be in its cities. While I write many stories that aren't about Madurai at all, the ones that are are close to my heart.(END)
50
53
540
As a woman journalist in India, I encounter way too many arrogant men who make the mistake of assuming that 1) I am completely ignorant and they are the guardians of all knowledge 2) they must offer unsolicited advice at regular intervals 3) They are above criticism
#ThereISaidIt
18
86
514
@BasuAshis
I do think that complaints about food odors--no matter what the nationality is--is a very white bias. How are Indian students troublesome?
5
14
467
India has the most spectacular fossils on the planet, from vast beds of dinosaur eggs to strange prehistoric creatures new to science. I wrote about the journey of Indian paleontology, how it continues to thrive despite the abject neglect for
@BBC_Future
21
175
515
How can journalists be registered members of political parties and still call themselves journalists? I left a group recently where so many Indian journalists justified this.
36
94
489
Yesterday was the only day in a long time when India didn't report a Covid related death. Not a single one. I hope we've turned a corner now.
8
63
433
What do you say to a middle-schooler who asks if the UN is useless because it can't stop its member countries from invading others?
61
28
401
Learning how to pitch a story is the best thing you can do for yourself as a freelancer. It's a skill that will ensure that you are never short of work. I love sending out pitches. It's my fav part of freelancing. If you need help in this area, feel free to DM.
16
44
377
For the
@BBC_Travel
, I wrote about Arwi, the long lost language of Arabic traders who once made Tamil Nadu their home--and how this combination of Arabic and the local tongue spread to other parts of India and East Asia. Do read!
17
97
358
Pro tip for freelancers: Read all those best of 2022 stories that editors are putting out now. It's a great way to get a sense of a publication's spirit and coverage. Esp helpful if you intend to write one of those stories next year!
6
48
358
My mother-in-law's doll collection dates back 30 years, each one lovingly collected and painstakingly stored. This is part of her Gollu (a display of dolls that feature in Hindu mythology). Happy Puja and Vijaya dasami to all who celebrate. Wishing you peace, love and light!
34
38
361
Like many Indians, I grew loving Enid Blyton, even while being aware of her many faults. On her 125th birth anniversary, I wrote for
@BBC
about the magic that Blyton still wields in India and why she's so close to people's hearts, even seven decades later.
31
69
343
I grew up in the US as a kid, and I remember asking my immigrant parents why I had such an odd name that everyone mispronounced. Why couldn't they have named me Shelley or Laura or Kelly instead? It's a very different US today. I think it's safe to say everyone knows my name. 😅
30
12
332
OMG the
#IamMrMcAdams
clip. Can't stop laughing.🤣😂🤣 If you're new to journalism, it's a thirty second crash course in everything you must NEVER ever do. 😂😂
6
21
317
I don't usually post anything personal on twitter, but this made me so happy. My daughter performed bharathanatyam at the On The Rocks arts Festival in St Andrew's uni, Scotland yesterday. Sharing her sheer joy of dance!
34
5
305
authority is good, that it is a calming figure, that we need this order and iron handed rule. I was shocked to read the interpretation. What are we teaching our kids? Reminds me of the situation of El Salvador and their president at the moment. 3/3
6
24
297
If we're going to have doctors like this, god save women in this country.
18
19
290
After watching the Harry Meghan docuseries on Netflix, I'm glad India asked our "royals" to step back and sit down after the 1950's. At least we did something right and avoided this feeding frenzy of a horrific institution.
15
21
291
The wealth of talent that lies hidden in a small town can often be breathtaking. A man in Madurai crafts these green 🦜 entirely from fresh leaves and they don't seem to ever wither!
10
19
287
1) A report on Madurai's fascinating jasmine industry, its global reach and startlingly dominant gender bias for the BBC.
2
18
283
A French TV journalist reached out to me to ask if I would take them to Madurai's famous jasmine markets and fields to translate interviews--clearly fixing work. I've gotten many requests since I wrote about it for the BBC several years ago.
4
18
256
I wrote about medical negligence for the BMJ last week. Just this morning, there was a horrific news item that was buried away in the corner of a paper. It didn't even rate a headline. So here's a thread. 1/7
20
126
254
2) The Devilishly Difficult Locks of Dindigul and the dying industry of lockmaking (an hour and a half away from Madurai)
9
25
235
The BJP's report card in Tamil Nadu may be laughable (and I must admit, I laughed quite a bit), but note that their vote share has more than doubled--from 3.6 to 10.6%. Supporters of the hard right are a stealthy bunch and BJP has a local presence now. I wouldn't write them off.
20
45
231
4) Honesty Shops: A school in Sivakasi, near Madurai taught its students honesty in a very novel way. My report for NPR
4
27
218
So happy to share that I have a BBC profile! It's always a joy to see your work in one place, esp if you're a freelancer. If you're interested, you can browse through it here.
29
15
221
@sumanthraman
Even if that's the case, Vitamin D related ailments are on the rise as well. And this ranges from bone to nerve issues. Vit D plays a role in insulin production as well, and as you know, we're a diabetic nation. It's worth looking at these figures and not dismissing it.
12
11
218
@Jasonphilip8
What a cringeworthy interview. This nonsense also puts more pressure on women to have 'normal' deliveries, shaming them for having a c-section when this is clearly out of their control.
14
9
211
I'm doing some Sunday cleaning and it's turning into a nostalgia session. For some reason, books from the Soviet Union flooded Indian book fairs in the early 90s. These are folk tales and fables told in a sweet, lyrical way. Do you remember reading books like these?
36
13
214
I've seen people being very critical of themselves after having made a small mistake. Remember, whatever you may have done, it can never ever be as bad as launching a missile into Pakistan by mistake. So forgive yourself today.
6
23
210
If the cat Skimbleshanks is not on it. People are disoriented without his authoritarian rule. Unless he arrives, the train won't go. When he arrives, he stares at the passengers and he misses nothing. However, the way this is being interpreted in ICSE books is that the cat's 2/3
2
19
201
@utkarsh72_ps
Men who aren't even medical doctors, commenting on women's bodies is far more troublesome. You make societies patriarchal and pathetic.
5
7
195
I feel very grateful for being able to do what I do--journalism teaches you so much over the course of a lifetime and can be very enriching. And because it's fun, here's looking back on some of my work for 2022. Thank you readers!
6
15
178
My latest for NPR is about the blind women trained to help doctors detect breast cancer early, saving lives in India. One of the organizers told me, "It’s heartening when you think of how these women who cannot see themselves are showing us the way"
8
72
199
In India's scorching summer heat, the ancient practice of chilling water in terracotta pots is inspiring new trends – from cooling towers to screens for buildings. My latest for the BBC.
#climatesolutions
#bbc
10
66
195
3) My 2013 report for the NYT on how a village in Sivakasi overcame female infanticide (Sivakasi is an hour from Madurai)
1
15
194
Rule no 1: Journalists are not bloggers. ❌ There's a huge difference. You cannot offer me money to write about your product in a publication. ❌❌ That is completely unethical. If you did this in person, you would go back with a black eye.
19
15
189
Can lawyers on my TL tell me why bail in India must criminalize poverty? As per law, every defendant is entitled to bail, with few exceptions. But why doesn't the law have a provision for those who just can't afford one? It seems horrific to let them just languish in jail.
22
35
190
Two years of mask wearing may have helped ward off Coronavirus, but everyone I know is sick now (testing negative for covid) but with a coughing fit. One doc says it's because we've lost the immunity we once had because we stayed indoors so much. Some battles you can never win!
30
25
179
India is pretty curious in this way: we've never denied climate change, either in our official government documents or in ongoing public debate, however, in real life, we don't do anything about it either, while suffering its consequences...
9
24
182
I spent the last 4 days trekking through some of the most beautiful rain forests adjoining tea plantations in Tamil Nadu. Guess where?
31
6
164
6) The barefoot village of Andaman is an hour away from Madurai. My report for the BBC.
1
15
159
Twitter finally decided I was blue tick worthy. And while handing it out, it lectured me on how to be responsible. 😉
21
1
159
A condescending male researcher I interviewed oh so kindly told me he could "correct" my work if I sent it back to him for "final approval" to help me get on the "front page." Journalists: If you ever encounter this, DUMP SOURCE AND RUN.
9
15
152
10) I've also reported from the Gulf of Mannar region, three hours away. Here's a story about scientists trying to save a sinking island and reverse climate change.
2
15
154
5) When the forest department was seizing birds from parrot astrologers, I reported on this situation from Madurai for the South China Morning Post.
1
11
151
9) I interviewed a Madurai based professor whose invention on repurposing plastic waste is now being used widely in highways across the nation. My report for the Guardian.
3
13
152
8) A common crime in these parts is when man kills his wife in a fit of anger. She dies, he's arrested, but what happens to the children? KR Raja from Madurai is helping with their education with his charity. Here's his story for Al Jazeera.
2
14
150
7) After a Madurai based hospital pioneered AI based eye care, I reported on it for the Guardian.
1
18
149
This is the toughest news cycle I've ever endured as a journalist. And in 20 years, I've reported on a lot of pain.
8
9
143
12) A piece on Madurai's famous drink jigarthanda for the National News in the UAE.
1
14
146
I'm such a proud mom today! My daughter's first article was published by Aeon's Psyche magazine in the US. If you've loved bharathanatyam, or would like to discover the beauty and magic of a dance form, this one's for you!
What relevance does a traditional dance form like Bharathanatyam hold for a contemporary audience? Why should you attend a performance and what can you expect to see? My recent article for Aeon's Psyche magazine explores these ideas!
#Bharathanatyam
5
9
41
20
9
147
The best skill you can bring to life and work (and which is very underrated) is patience. As a freelancer, it's your lifeblood. Patience with cranky sources, silent editors, first drafts, long edits, tardy payments. Endure, persevere, take baby steps & you win.
5
18
141
11) How a radio station in the Gulf of Mannar run by a fishing community for fishers, is making a deep impact on conveying messages on conservation and climate change.
1
12
139
It always surprises me how very few freelancers tend to be financially savvy. If you don't file your invoices on time or keep writing for publications that never pay you, then it's time to make financial awareness your absolute priority in 2023!
11
17
139
Read about the ingenuity of Dindigul's lock makers in my piece for Atlas Obscura!
14
59
135
This is for over-charging during the peak of the Covid waves, something I've written about for the BMJ here:
3
33
131
It gave me great joy to document my grandpa's 90th birthday celebrations (which involved my grandparents' renewing their wedding vows) for NPR's "weekly dose of wonder" column. For me, this remains an endearing memory of family love and togetherness.
15
16
128
Do you know who is worse than a politician in India? An establishment scientist, a person supposedly dedicated to science but who really is only affiliated to the government and married to its propaganda.
7
12
133
India needs to prevent its politics from being hijacked by a two party system, both of which are horrible. We need a viable national alternative but that seems like a distant dream.
12
21
129
My heart goes out to that 17-year old girl who perhaps confronted violence, physical and mental, all her life. And whom no one--not her own parents, or a criminal justice system or medical care could help. We need tighter medical negligence enforcement. 7/7
5
29
124
You know what I call ATROCIOUS: The statement from Indian pharma that medicines could become "expensive, not always available" if the industry follows good manufacturing practices to curb risks and to maintain quality. So take your pick: harmful medicines, or no medicine?
6
57
128
After I meet a source in person, they often ask if they can connect with me on social media as well. I've always seen it as a way to keep in touch. Recently, and much to my surprise, I was added to a WhatsApp group of Danushkodi fishermen. That's sure been interesting!
4
1
125
Some men always have the gall to ask me this when I disagree with them. In their limited vision, it's derogatory: you consider yourself a "journalist" (outrage)?! My response: Of course I am. I sure as hell am good at my job and don't need a medal from you dude.
@Kamal_t
Seriously.....!? And you consider yourself a seasoned "global south" journalist from Madurai. I should have a cup of coffee with you when I am in Madurai next time.
4
8
115
17
5
122
In spite of the relentless heat, India goes to the polls in two days. Remember, every vote is important. Drop whatever you're doing. Go vote!!
5
23
122
13) A piece on Madurai's resident snake catchers (originally reported for the Atlantic's City Lab, but now Bloomberg News)
1
9
120
@Muralisvelan
Exactly what are you trying to say here? That I'm not a good journalist because I disagreed with you? Judging from the way you harass women, I would be afraid to have a cup of coffee with you.
5
1
115
I'm all for innovation, but I think I must draw the line at beetroot idli.
26
2
121
I've seen that activists who plant trees tend to count each one they plant, as though it were a medal. Instead, they should be keeping track of the ones that survive. Mass tree planting drives often do more harm than good.
14
8
120
So here's a list of all the times I've taken hyperlocal issues from Madurai (in and around the area) to the international press over the years. (2/16)
2
13
117
@JudeSannith24
That sounds kind of strange. I was told that the best time for sun exposure is around noon and from 11 am to 3 pm when the sun' rays are intense. I have never heard of it being of no use though, outside of these hours, so that sounds misleading.
23
4
117
To watch India slide lower and lower on the Press Freedom Index-- we're now 161 out of 180 countries--is like viewing a horror movie on mute. What it tells me is that it's just getting harder and harder to do our jobs.
9
32
116
Fast fashion is exploitative. Bangladeshi textile workers are asking for higher wages and better working conditions, locked in a battle of wills with their government. This is threatening to derail January elections and will have repercussions on the textile industry across Asia
6
25
114
I thought I was sending my words out into a void. But today, change has come! Activists are petitioning politicians for better lives, decent labour conditions and more security for Tamil Nadu's salt workers. It is now a part of the DMK's election manifesto.
2
27
109
my piece for Undark has been republished by the Smithsonian magazine. I am SO thrilled by the byline bonus!!
9
15
111
So heartwarming that two of my BBC stories made it to their 'most popular' list this week. Thanks for reading!
5
1
114
Like many Indian women, I'm pained and shocked over the Gujarat govt's decision to condone 11 men convicted of life imprisonment for the horrific rape of Bilkis Banu. To convict a rapist in India involves going to hell and back. But clearly, women are never free in this country
5
17
112