Reader’s Digest has been the world’s biggest-selling magazine for nearly nine decades. It is also India’s largest-selling magazine in English. Beneath the fun and excitement of its pages, the Digest is, above all else, a serious magazine that never loses sight of the fact that, each day, all of us confront a tough, challenging world. To the millions who read the Digest, it is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Deep within its widely varied package of humour, real-life dramas and helpful information, there is in every issue of the Digest a subtle power that guides people in every aspect of their lives.
Reader's Digest India • VOL. 61 NO. 12 DECEMBER 2020
OVER TO YOU • NOTES ON THE October ISSUE
Reject, Revive and Innovate: What the Pandemic Teaches Us • Definitive lessons gleaned from India’s fight against the pandemic
GOOD NEWS • For A Better Planet
POINTS TO PONDER
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
MY Thank you YEAR • How writing 365 notes of appreciation reconnected me to what’s important in my life
Humour in UNIFORM
Wakey, Wakey • Caffeine is mostly safe, and might even prevent dementia, but it comes with risks
Winter Air, Beware • Combat poor cold-weather air quality with these expert tips
News FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
AS KIDS SEE IT
GO KNIFELESS, SCARLESS AND SUTURELESS”
Kindness in the Time of Covid • From making face masks for hospitals to making music to entertain neighbours, the COVID-19 crisis is sparking countless acts of generosity. Here are stories from around the world
FIGHT OFF VIRUSES • How to strengthen your immune system
IS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM VULNERABLE? • Certain health conditions can mean your immune system is less able to fight off a viral infection. If you have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions, take every precaution to protect yourself, and talk with your doctor about whether it’s necessary to adjust your treatments.
LAUGHTER THE BEST Medicine
THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER
A SCREAM IN THE WILD • Alone and pinned under a grizzly, Colin Dowler reached for a pocketknife and struggled for his life
An Ode to Resilience • Glimpses from an extraordinary year filled with struggles and collective strength
LIVING WITH CASTE • On the tyranny of exclusion that marks Dalithood
ALL in a Day’s WORK
WHEN SECRET SANTAS GO ROGUE
CHRISTMAS in an UNLIKELY SEASON • How could my children and I share in the joy of the season during a time of terrible sadness?
LIFE’S Like That
OH, CHRISTMAS TREE!
Write to Be Free • Controversies pushed his back to the wall, but having won the 2020 JCB Prize for Literature, author S. Hareesh has vindicated himself and his writing
RD RECOMMENDS
WORLD WIDE WEIRD
GET MORE RD • CONNECT WITH US BEYOND THESE PAGES
Quit Playing Games • Chhalaang hopes to be an uplifting sports film, but misses the mark
Winter by Amrita Sher-Gil • Oil on canvas, 1939 101.2 cm x 115 cm
ME & MY SHELF • From Vadodara to the British Parliament, Meghnad Desai has lived a remarkable and illustrious life. Author of books such as The Raisina Model, The Rediscovery of India and Hubris, the economist and politician has recently released his autobiography, Rebellious Lord.
ATTENTION, PLEASE! • What information registers in our brains depends on what our attention allows in. And who regulates this filter? You do!
It’s All Relatives
BRAINTEASERS
JIGSAW SUDOKU
WORD POWER • This holiday season many of us turn to spiritual matters and end-of-year reflection. This contemplative quiz is full of words that refer to holy, soulful or meditative practices. After...