My passion was to strengthen SAARC, and I strongly felt that Rao’s decision was not appropriate.
A Malayali journalist's discovery of Cuba
Castro, like many Malayalis, loved moringa, a key ingredient for sambar, a south Indian staple. The 2010 Haiti earthquake prompted Castro to accelerate his goal of providing nutritious food for the poor. Dr. Concepcion Campa Huergo, founder of Cuba's Finlay Institute, visited Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, leading India to ship tons of moringa seeds to Cuba for cultivation.
Ven. Ananda Mangala: The Sri Lankan monk who became an Indian citizen and was revered by Gandhi and Nehru
From Ananda Meemanage he became Ven. Ananda Mangala, when he donned the yellow robes of a Buddhist monk at the age of 40. Nehru sent him on a private mission to Missamari and Buxaduar to keep track of the fleeing Tibetan refugees. His mission was akin to espionage as the Chinese military buildup was already on and Nehru wanted to have a realistic picture of the border situation.
A daughter's emotional cross-border journey
It is unbearable to even imagine being forced to leave your hometown or risk being slaughtered simply because you belong to a different religion. But I did not find any bitterness in Bani Singh's eyes for Lahore or my country, Pakistan.
How a Boston museum inspired Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animation film
The connection between Isabella Stewart Gardner and two Pakistani filmmakers highlights the universal power of art. As Gardner's museum inspires visitors, The Glassworker seeks to expand Pakistani cinema and animation, globally presenting the country’s artistic heritage.
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Ghazal king Pankaj Udhas: A soft, reassuring emblem of diaspora yearning
For diaspora Indians around the world, Udhas became an emblem of their pining for their home back in India with his 1986 raging hit “Chitthi Aayi Hai” from the movie ‘Naam’, written by Anand Bakshi and composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal.
Nationalism a dominant frame in global media narratives; India no exception
The mainstream Indian media, a section of which has mostly been a subject of the nationalist government’s monopolistic control, has often served the ends of the dominant elite
Macbeth on the banks of the Sabarmati
Sharply directed by Massimiliano Troiani, Sarabhai’s ‘Macbeth’ is an allegorical musical interpretation of this Shakespearean classic about power at any cost.
Who is afraid of AI? It will always be a slave rather than a master
There is no feeling or empathy in AI. It can churn huge numbers and will be able to analyze, “think” and react to external inputs but has no wisdom and feelings. Till that happens humans will always have an upper hand.
Ameen Sayani: The father of radio entertainment in the Indian subcontinent
Since his was the only hit parade of its kind for at least two and half decades, Sayani became a formidable name within the Hindi cinema industry.
Ekushey February: Embodying a nation's zeal for its culture and heritage
The whole world now recognizes the spirit and zeal for our culture and heritage. Bangladesh's people's sacrifices will be truly appreciated and commemorated when every nation imbibes the sense to pay proper homage to their linguistic heritage.
The ubiquitous influence of social media and rise of unsocial beings
Facebook has become a tool for spreading hatred, sexual perversion and extremism. When people comment on sensitive topics like religion and gender, many cross the line of decency.
Studying the science of migratory birds - and what they tell us about the state of the environment
Keeping track of the migratory birds visiting the university campus, and how the impact of climate change would impact the migration of migratory birds, are among the subjects being promoted for research in universities across the globe. These include Beijing University, Royal University of Bhutan, University of SJP in Sri Lanka, HNB Garhwal University in India which are in the network of the Green TERRE Foundation.
Dhaka's hazardous air quality: Official indifference aggravating public health crisis
In response to public interest litigation filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), Bangladesh's High Court recently issued a nine-point directive to authorities to tackle the capital's life-threatening air pollution.
Nepali journalists express solidarity with Gaza colleagues; Hindutva influence questioned
During the conversations that took place afterward, the journalists discussed why Nepal’s government, press, and civil society have not been more vocal about what they termed as a genocide being enacted by Israel in Gaza.
Midnight's Third Child: Stories of Bengal that evoke a sense of yearning and connectedness
The essays cover distinct areas, exploring minority experiences and a wider Bengal, including, inevitably, West Bengal.
The art of Nandalal Bose and his message of nationalism
A democratisation of art, drawing from folk culture that is in direct contact with the realities of those who live close to the cycles of nature, represents a modern outlook that draws inspiration from contemporary reality.
Of wars, their hyped virtual reality and pocket wars
The hyped technology has led us into a frenzied time where we either switch between TV channels or move our fingers on our smartphone screen for the next reel or newsfeed. Stuck within the labyrinth of visual images we are yet to find a new strategy to recover the lost humanity.
Peacebuilding on stage: ‘Gandhi and Jinnah’ in a cathartic reenactment of South Asia’s tragic past
Against this backdrop, the staging of Dr Ahmed’s “Gandhi and Jinnah Return Home” in the Washington D.C. area offered a rare opportunity to witness peacebuilding at play. In one of the play's scenes, Jinnah and Gandhi resurface to debate the costs of partition alongside contemporary Indians and Pakistanis. After many rounds of dialogue, the two embrace one another.
