Echoes of Pandora
A Farewell to Political Pandora
For nearly five years, Political Pandora has been a home for voices, ideas, and imaginations that dared to look beyond the ordinary. As September 2025 comes to a close, we take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate what we created together.
Farewell Illustration by Vasundhara Srinivas
A Letter from
the Editorial Board
Dear Readers and Members of Pandora,
It’s been nearly five whole years since we started Political Pandora.
When we launched, we were a group of overly ambitious kids who wanted to create a passionate community of thinkers, writers, students and activists while creating an impact with words. And we really did, in ways too vast to measure. Every article, artwork, video, and column carried the spirit of this community, one that is bold, stubborn, passionate, and unapologetically opinionated.
We dived in headfirst, armed with far more passion than experience, and slowly, with each article and illustration, Pandora grew into something far beyond us. It became a space for discovery, for writers, for artists, for readers, and for all of us together.
We built something that went beyond just a publication. Pandora became a space where many first-time writers discovered their voices and seasoned ones wrote free from censorship, where illustrators sparked new conversations, and where those conversations grew beyond the page into something larger than ourselves.
Over the years, the journey hasn’t been one-directional. You’ve been part of shaping it. Your engagement, your contributions, your responses, and your encouragement made us listen more closely, think more deeply, and keep refining what we put out.
From the beginning, we set out to look beyond the “what” of the news, to show the “who” and the “how”, i.e. the people and communities living through it. That was built into Pandora from day one.
At our organisation, we’ve never believed that journalism is neutral.
And seeing you care, not passively but actively, is what pushed us further, from highlighting neglected corners of the globe to making sense of culture and policy in our own voice. Nothing has motivated us more than your commitment to this shared mission.
Over the past four years, Pandora’s readership has expanded to more than 160 countries. In that time, we have had the privilege of platforming over 50 writers, from first-time contributors to seasoned authors, as well as academics, researchers and activists. Our over 20+ illustrators and artists shaped a visual identity that distinguished Pandora and gave it depth. With more than 100+ contributors and guest contributors from over 20 nations, Pandora has grown into a community of passionate individuals whose work speaks with clarity and conviction.
Together, we realised dreams that once seemed impossible. A climate desk that uncovered overlooked angles, a culture magazine shaped by our own community, and academic columns that carried the raw political charge our writers needed to express. And we still carry ten times as many ideas waiting in the wings.
However, dreams need more than just passion. They need time, energy, and a kind of stamina that’s hard to keep up endlessly. As editors, after much reflection, we’ve decided to pause Pandora’s operations starting October 2025. The pause is indefinite. We don’t know when or in what form we’ll return, but it’s a step we need to take to preserve both the soul and essence of Pandora and the people behind it.
What defined Pandora was not just the words that made it onto the page, but the invisible labour behind them. We debated fiercely over edits, wrestled with deadlines, and got on late-night video calls to redo articles and write on urgent news. We spent hours pouring over pieces, figuring out how to make pieces sharper, more accessible, more responsible. And through that constant trial and error, we developed not just as editors and writers, but as collaborators who built trust in one another.
What started as a handful of students became a network spread across continents, held together by the shared belief that words and ideas can still matter.
For many of us, Pandora became a classroom, a workshop, and many times, a sanctuary. We experimented with different forms, from long-form essays, cultural commentary to policy deep-dives, and often failed before we succeeded. But in those experiments, we learned that imperfection was part of the process. The fact that we could take risks without fear of ridicule or dismissal is what allowed Pandora to hold its distinctive voice amidst a sea of sameness.
Above all, we carry forward the friendships, the mentorships, and the solidarity that came from building something together. What we leave behind is not just an archive of articles but a record of how much can be done when curiosity, conviction, and creativity collide—to brandish our rebellion for causes we care about, and issues that need spotlighting and solutions.
We recognise that the timing could not be worse. Amidst all of the censorship, surveillance, and general distrust of traditional media houses, Pandora has grown to be one of the very few publications across the globe whose integrity can be counted on unwaveringly. We publish what we are passionate about, unafraid of being defunded, censored, or disliked by the algorithm, and that is part of what made us different.
To our writers, illustrators, and contributors, we thank you for pouring your time, energy, visions, and voices into this.
To our readers, we thank you for listening, caring, responding, amplifying our advocacy, and furthering what has become our collective mission. Pandora has always been about platforming and spotlighting voices that otherwise get drowned out, and in that sense, the effort perseveres.
This is not the end of Pandora. As we halt operations, we hope that it can find a new way of being with you.
We hope you use it as an archive. We need you to use it as an archive. For the perfect balance of sharp intellect and creativity in media analysis, return to our entertainment essays. For Indigenous voices on land rights, urgent climate news, and policies that matter, explore our climate section. For all things culture, sociology, and impeccable design, Pandora Curated is still here for you. And if it’s sharp commentary, researched long-form pieces, and expert analysis on global issues you’re after, immerse yourself in our columns, opinion essays, politics coverage, and cultural critiques.
Whatever you do, dear reader, don’t stop searching. Let curiosity continue to drive you to ask beyond the “what” into the “who”, “how”, and “why”. Keep reading.
We hate to say goodbye, we really do.
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With gratitude,
The Pandora Editorial Board
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Adi Roy
Co-founder, Editor-in-Chief and Head of Design
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Thenthamizh SS
Co-founder and Managing Editor
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Tatenda Dlali
Associate Editor (Climate)
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Anish Paranjape
Associate Editor (Entertainment)
Farewell Illustration by Yashashree Arawkar
Reflections of a Community
Hear the voices of some members of Pandora as they reflect on our journey.
Vaishnavi Manju Pal
Columnist
Over the past year, writing Frames of Reference for Political Pandora has been one of the most fulfilling creative and intellectual experiences of my life. This space became more than just a column; it became a home for my political and academic curiosities, a place where I could explore the intersections of memory, culture, and justice with both rigor and vulnerability.
The Frames of Reference series gave me the kind of political and academic joy that is rare to find. Each piece was a challenge and a privilege, an opportunity to delve deep into questions that matter to me and, hopefully, to others as well. What made this journey even more meaningful was the incredible Pandora editorial team, who gave me utmost editorial freedom. They trusted my voice and ideas fully while offering the kind of thoughtful feedback that sharpened my writing and pushed me to grow as a thinker and storyteller.
Political Pandora was never just a publication; it was a collective, a group of people committed to honest, nuanced, and radical conversations about the world we inhabit.
I am deeply grateful for every conversation, every edit, every deadline rush, and every moment of solidarity that came from this space. This is not a goodbye, not really; it is a see you later. The frames may shift, but the work, the questions, and the politics will continue.
Thank you, Political Pandora, for giving me a community!
Vasundhara Srinivas
Senior Illustrator
I still remember being 15 minutes late to my interview because I miscalculated the time. Thenthamizh and Adi patiently waited for me, and I will always be so grateful for that small but meaningful act of kindness. From that very first day, Political Pandora became a space that pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best possible ways. It gave me the chance to experiment with my style, create on subjects I had never imagined illustrating before, and learn how to approach difficult and complex topics with both courage and care. Along the way, I grew so much, not just as an illustrator but as a person. What makes it all the more special is the people: a truly talented, passionate, and inspiring group of individuals leading a platform that is as powerful as it is heartfelt. I feel lucky to have been part of it, and even luckier to have learned and shared so much here.
Ananya Karthikeyan
Contributor
Four years ago, in a Medium post, Toby Lowe proposed that community is "a group of people who share an identity forming narrative---a group of people who share a story that is so important to them that it defines an aspect of who they are, people who build the history of their communities into their own personal history." This is perhaps the closest I can ever get to expressing my complex feelings for Political Pandora.
From the start, Pandora was an act of resistance—against the kind of hyper-individualism that tells us intellectual work is a solo performance, and against the creeping anti-intellectualism that reduces politics to soundbites and reels.
We insisted that thinking together mattered—even when it was messy, inefficient, and inconvenient, that writing critically wasn’t indulgence but necessity. And in an age where people happily let algorithms finish their thoughts for them, we chose the harder route: long arguments, long drafts, and even longer editing marathons. We wrote, rewrote, and argued for hours through so many timezones because we believed words mattered enough to fight over, and the words that made it through were sharper, stranger, more alive.
The price of community, I’ve learned, is discomfort. Discomfort when your first draft is torn apart on an editing call, when your arguments are pushed harder than you thought you could defend, when someone points out a blind spot you didn’t even know you had. But that discomfort was the point because it meant growth. And I can equivocally assure you that it was wholly worth it.
bell hooks wrote that community is a site of care that capitalism cannot replicate; Ash Amin and Nigel Thrift remind us that it is kept alive by repeated acts. For Pandora, those acts were the small, unglamorous ones: the care of taking each other’s words seriously enough to challenge them, the care of understanding when our personal lives blazed past deadlines, the care of refusing to let thought collapse into superficial sloganeering.
So, yes, Pandora is going on hiatus. It stings to say that. But if this community has taught me anything, it’s that ideas don’t vanish just because the structure holding them pauses. Pandora will linger in every edit I make to my essays, in adding -em dashes and clinging to difficult thought. Pandora will linger in my belief that Pandora isn't gone, she's just catching her breath. Pandora will linger in the fact that I don't believe any of us are really finished with this project.
And so, when Pandora comes back, I believe she'll come back a little more experienced, a little more knowledgeable and little more refreshed. And the community of Pandora will go back to editing deadlines, long calls and biting humour. All will be well in my world again.
Vansh Yadav
Columnist
It was after a long break from writing when I joined Political Pandora as a columnist. Stemming from my previous experiences with different publications, I was quite skeptical if Pandora's editorial is just going to be as rigid and repressive as my earlier encounters with different magazines. Fortunately, Pandora happened to be utterly contrary to everything I had been dreading. It was here that I realised editorial processes can function to foster better articulation in my writings instead of demarcating and distorting my ideas under the garb of ‘clarity and readability’. It was only here that I felt the editorial team wasn’t indispensable being feared.
However, as soon as I was settled into the Pandora ecosystem after penning down a few articles, my chronic thumb-wrist disease kicked in and I was immediately off of writing. Having dealt with insensitivity for my disease, I was yet again ready to bid my goodbye and leave pandora for good. However, keeping alive the Pandora tradition of unflinching solidarity, the team offered me a break from my monthly writing responsibilities for as long as it takes for the illness to fade out. Taken aback by the situation, I was dearly waiting for the day I’ll come back to resume my role as a columnist. Amidst all the hope, the news of Pandora's closing came as a disheartening shock to me. Closure of Pandora almost feels like a shattering of hope; especially at a time when we witness the world around us getting slowly engulfed by the reactionary forces of the right wing.
At last, I'll say nothing more extraordinary than that I believe. I believe the Pandora team, regardless of what new endeavours they embark on, will do wonders and inspire a lot more people like me.
Preeti Thakur
Digital Engagement Coordinator
I joined Pandora as a Digital Engagement Intern and eventually grew into the role of Digital Engagement Coordinator—a journey that has been nothing short of transformative. Pandora has always stood for excellence, and that spirit was reflected not only in its powerful stories but also in the way every graphic, every post, and every piece of content was crafted. For me, Digital Engagement was more than a role; it was a window that connected our audience to the vast and dynamic world of Pandora. The most rewarding part was getting to read these incredible articles firsthand and shaping social media content that invited others to experience them too. Along the way, I had the privilege of working with some of the most talented, creative, and passionate people I have ever met. Being able to see the whole process of an article coming to life, from the early draft to the final piece, has left a mark on me. Pandora has not just been a workplace it has been a community, a learning ground, and a home. This experience will remain one of the most cherished chapters of my life.
Swetha Prabakaran
Illustrator
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to illustrate for Political Pandora’s climate department, columns team and two issues of the curated magazine. This experience has allowed me to expand my skillset as a designer and illustrator, and has enhanced my conceptual thinking skills, whilst critically engaging with the brilliant articles that I’ve illustrated for. I’m pleased that my illustrations have supported articles that range from a variety of topics, including architectural themes, but most importantly, cultural, social and environmental sustainability. Best wishes to the entire team for their future endeavours!
Sam Stashower
Entertainment Writer
With Pandora, I was able to do the kind of writing I had always wanted to do, in a more professional context than I’d ever been a part of. Being a member of such a professional, intelligent, organized team was initially very intimidating, but it very quickly became a source of deep pride for me. I know every writer here will end up on their feet and will continue their incredible work in other venues, but I also hope this isn’t the end for our team. I would like to thank you all for how welcoming you were, and for your incredibly insightful feedback on my articles, not to mention your exemplary work on your own. I’ve had a blast, and I know I’m going to keep writing from here on out.
Adil Ashraf Mayo
Climate Writer
Being part of the Pandora team has been an enriching experience. As a working professional, one often misses the joy of finding true camaraderie among like-minded people, and Pandora reminded me of that. It gave me a platform to engage in public debates I deeply care about, while also reigniting a sense of enlightenment through exposure to the eloquently expressed ideas it has put out.
I will especially miss my exchanges with Tatenda, whose critical comments greatly helped my articles, and the excitement Thenz often brought when sharing news about Pandora. More than anything, I am grateful for the sense of community and inspiration this space has given me. I hope to always stay connected with Pandora's people even after we begin walking down our separate paths. I am sure all of them will create great impacts in their careers and ambitions.
Mukta Nitin Desai
Illustrator
Pandora has been more than a publication — it’s been a home for voices, ideas, and creativity. Since it was my very first internship, it’ll always be extra special to me. Thank you Adi and Thenz, and the whole team, for being such wonderful people to work with. Though Pandora is closing, the inspiration and spirit it gave will stay with me always. Farewell, and thank you for everything.
Eshal Zahur
Senior Copyeditor
To me, it's a bit of bittersweet shock to be writing this message, and I never thought I would see the day. I joined Political Pandora years ago, during the pandemic, as just a kid who needed a place to write about the issues I was most passionate about. I still remember when I was still in school and writing articles on this platform was what I cared the most about. I wanted to write, and I didn't know where to start. Pandora gave me a voice and a place, and I got to meet such passionate, sweet, amazing people who are writers just like me! Honestly, Pandora became such a big part of my life, whether I was on the editorial board or a senior copyeditor or simply writing articles. I'll hold all the lovely memories close to my heart.
It's been such a huge journey growing up together with Pandora, and seeing what all we have accomplished in the past few years. I have grown a lot too, and even if Pandora isn't a part of my life anymore (though I sure hope it will be again) I will be forever grateful for all the people I met, the skills I learned, the passion I got to pursue through this platform. It's hard for me to believe it won't be here anymore. I truly wish the best for our entire community, and hope we go far, far, ahead in life.
To everyone in Pandora and who is seeing this post ---- please never stop writing about what you are passionate about. Never stop having opinions of your own. It's important for us to write, to express ourselves through our words, and that is what we stay alive for. I hope I see Political Pandora again!
With so much love and gratitude,
Eshal
Arianna Feola
Climate Writer
Political Pandora is a lively community of smart, opinionated, and highly passionate minds and hearts. When I joined the Newsroom, first, and the Climate Department, after, I had the honor to work in close contact with talented writers, designers and editors. Political Pandora taught me that speaking up for our values and ourselves is a rather impactful contribution to our societies and aids our generation to engage with our present and build possible futures.
I invite everyone to speak up, resist, and continue Political Pandora’s mission.
Harnoor Kaur Uppal
Curated Writer
Rarely have I come across a platform that feels like home for my voice. The community at Pandora has given me that rare space where I truly feel heard, seen and at ease. Pandora, for me, was not just a platform but a sanctuary. A sanctuary for my thoughts, memories and expressions. Thank you for giving me a space to publish my ramblings :) and most importantly, thank you for protecting and nurturing voices like mine. I’m so grateful for my time here!
Yashashree Arawkar
Illustrator
The diversity here in terms of the content, voices, representations, ideologies is incredible! In a world that's getting increasingly divisive, it felt refreshing to consume and create necessary viewpoints critical, investigative journalism.
Illustrating for Political Pandora has been a very fruitful journey for me. It presented a compelling creative challenge to visually translate their powerful stories.
Zahra Khalid
Columnist
My introduction to Pandora was a matter of fate. I was pursuing my Master's in International Peace Studies at Trinity College Dublin. During my course I was enthused with radical ideas of imagination, hope and peace, with my subjectivity—Muslim Woman from India, at the centre. These overwhelming ideas tantalized my learnings of the contemporary world and made me crave sharpness, not just in my dreams but my voice—that speaks a single language: from the margins, of the subalterns.
I searched for spaces, especially magazines, where I could write and share, global political commentary on issues of migrants, citizens, aliens and refugees with a stroke of creativity. In my search, fortunately I found the opportunity to write for Pandora's community and I am more than grateful for the same.
My time at Pandora as a Columnist, has been a journey in itself. A beautiful, virtually hand-held journey of writing and creativity, that polished my critical voice. During this journey, I also had the privilege to discover fine critical voices that spoke of issues central to me. From issues tackling Climate, Entertainment; Dalit Emancipation, Decolonization—Pandora embodied the spirit of painstaking journalism for me.
As I find myself at a loss of words to what Pandora personally means to me, I bid thee goodbye. However, this farewell is not without the hope; I am certain we will find, Pandora and Pandora's voices, speaking truth to power, once again. So long, farewell, until we meet again.
Original Illustration by Swetha Prabakaran
