Today, 14 August, marks Independence Day in Pakistan, and India’s Independence Day follows tomorrow. There is much to mourn for Southasia every August – the British withdrawal from India in August 1947 brought with it the immense tragedy of Partition – but the end of colonial subjugation is still a moment to mark and celebrate. And it’s not just in India and Pakistan that August anniversaries matter.

Bangladesh, too, saw freedom from British rule in August 1947 – though of course a long and bitter struggle for independence from Pakistan lay in store. For Nepal, though it was never formally colonised, the British exit from the Subcontinent was still a pivotal moment in its struggle for democratic freedom. Bhutan saw the end of British protectorate status in August 1949. Afghanistan marks its Independence Day on 19 August, to commemorate its freedom from British rule with the Treaty of Rawalpindi in 1919. (August also marks the anniversary of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, though with the return of the Taliban that landmark is not one to celebrate for many Afghans.)

So how’s independence going for us as of August 2025? There’s a lot to be said there, and a lot of if far from comforting. One thing that’s definitely not going well anywhere is the media, which across Southasia is overwhelmingly unfree, un-independent, undemocratic.

You already know the problems: corporate capture, government dependence, the collapse of traditional business models in the internet age. And I’m sure that you – just like me – complain a lot about it. The question is: what are you doing about it?

I know what we’re doing at Himal. We’re fighting every day for an independent, reader-funded future for this magazine, so we can keep serving all of Southasia with the rigorous, uncompromised journalism it deserves and needs. We’re doing our part. And now we need you to do yours. 

We’re counting on readers like you to become paying Patrons of Himal to secure our future. We’re not beholden to any government or corporation or any outside interest, and we’re fighting to keep it that way. Join our battle for independence – for Himal and for Southasian journalism! 

Happy Independence Day to everyone celebrating this month. And, one more time, happy Southasian Heritage Month, which ends in a few days. Let’s count our blessings, and keep struggling for the freedoms we all deserve.

All best

Roman