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India is paying a price for losing its grasslands (Environment Feature)

Naliya (Kutch) | Friday, 2018 11:45:04 AM IST

Wiry shrubs and clumps of brown-green fill the semi-arid landscape of Kutch in western India. Many of these patches have, over the years, made way for "more productive" agricultural land. This greening of "wasteland" is, however, degrading a precious and ... read..

Beyond religion: Muslim cooperative society helps transform lives of Hindus, others (IANS Special Series)

Patna | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

Kamla Devi, Pankaj Kumar, Geeta Devi and Sanjay Singh, all Hindus, share one thing in common. Their lives have been transformed through "interest-free" loans provided by a Muslim cooperative credit society in Bihar, yet another example how integrated Indi ... read..

Setting an example: Temple, mosque, gurdwara join hands in this small UP town (IANS Special Series)

Maholi (Uttar Pradesh) | Sunday, 2018 2:45:24 PM IST

With inter-community violence reported from many parts of India in a society increasingly polarised on religious and caste lines, a small town in Uttar Pradesh is setting an extraordinary example where a temple, a mosque, and even a gurdwara, have joined ... read..

Vehicles figure in Pune overtakes human population

Pune | Thursday, 2018 5:45:05 PM IST

Pune has notched up another distinction: The total number of vehicles here has surpassed the human population, considered a first for any urban area in the country, officials said. ... read..

Cultural Festival of Tibet kicks off

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2018 2:15:05 PM IST

The Central Tibet Administration (CTA) has launched a three-day Cultural Festival of Tibet at India International Centre here. Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit inaugurated the festival as its chief guest. ... read..

Jayamma's story: From victim to crusader for sex workers (IANS Special Series)

Hyderabad | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Jayamma Bhandari was orphaned at the age of three and spend her childhood in grim poverty. She was forced into the sex trade by her husband. But unlike other victims who are forced into the murky business, she decided to challenge her destiny -- becoming, ... read..

From Kashmir to Indonesia, NGO involves mothers to counter radicalisation (Feature)

Casablanca (Morocco) | Friday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

With the growing threat of terrorism-linked radicalisation across countries, an international NGO has initiated a campaign across Europe and other countries to involve mothers and women to be the first line of defence against the rise of extremist ideolog ... read..

Palau: Where immigration clearance is subject to environmental protection pledge (Environment Feature)

Dakhla (Morocco) | Wednesday, 2018 11:45:06 AM IST

For the first time in the world, a tiny island nation in the Pacific Ocean has made it mandatory for visitors to sign a pledge not to harm its fragile environment -- before entering the country. The Republic of Palau, an archipelago of around 200 natural ... read..

Save our girls: Change comes from below for Rajasthan's women (IANS Special Series)

Jhunjhunu | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Sending her elder daughter Manushree to an English-medium school in Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) was a distant dream for Sushila Thakan some eight years ago. Though she had her husband's moral support, she received little cooperation from her in-laws after she g ... read..

Ajmer-based artist captures the myriad nuances of Krishna

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

"When Krishna is your muse," says Ajmer-based artist Ashok Hazra, "the art that captures the myriad nuances of this blue-skinned deity is bound to be both enigmatic and spiritual". And inspired by the Srinathji form of Krishna in Nathdwara of Rajasthan, H ... read..

Siliguri artist bags 10 lakh cash prize, 3-month residency in Scotland

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

Biplap Sarkar is a fresh and talented artist from Siliguri but his artistic journey has found new boost after he was announced as the seventh recipient of Glenfiddichs Emerging Artist of the Year 2018. ... read..

Fighting climate change: How a 'crazy' engineer solved Ladakh's water crisis (IANS Special Series)

Leh | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

Years back, on a harsh winter morning in Ladakh in the northernmost Himalayas in India, a young and curious boy in a remote mountain village of the cold desert observed water coming out of a semi-frozen pipe, collecting in a small crater on the ground and ... read..

Equal pay for equal work still a distant dream for Indian women (March 8 is International Women's Day)

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 3:45:04 PM IST

There is an increasing focus on women's empowerment and gender equality in our public discourse and every year it reaches its peak on the occasion of International Women's Day. But how much of equality actually exists when it comes to wages or pay scale i ... read..

Entries open for new Rs 25 lakh literary award

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2018 2:45:07 PM IST

Entries have opened for the inaugural edition of a literary award that breaks down language barriers and recognises the full cosmopolitan breadth of contemporary Indian literature. The award provides the winner with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh and if the w ... read..

Walking for a cause: Srishti Bakshi's 3,600-km journey aims at empowering women (Societal Feature)

New Delhi | Saturday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

Eleven states, 3,600 kms and 260 days. One woman is on a mission to cover the entire stretch from Kanyakumari to Kashmir -- on foot, and all alone. Meet Srishti Bakshi who has taken up this mission to create awareness about the security and social status ... read..

How a woman mayor made Indore a clean and litter-free city

Indore | Wednesday, 2018 1:15:04 PM IST

Prem Sharma sells gutka and cigarettes near the Vijay Nagar square, but the most visible part of his tiny business is the dustbin that he dare not lose. Similar is the case with all small and big businesses across the city. ... read..

101 designed elephants at first Elephant Parade India

Mumbai | Monday, 2018 10:45:05 PM IST

Politicians, celebrities, artists and designers came together on Monday at Gateway of India here, where, in a stunning display, 101 artistic elephants have been assembled to celebrate the launch of the first Elephant Parade India. ... read..

Flying high: Changing the narrative on disability (IANS Special Series)

Pune | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Divyanshu Ganatra was just 19 when glaucoma claimed his eyesight. Being a nature's boy who revelled in cycling, climbing mountains and trekking, confining himself to the four walls of a room was a situation he was not ready to accept. So he fought against ... read..

Discovering India's little known African tribe

Junagadh (Gujarat) | Sunday, 2018 11:45:04 AM IST

It was a much-awaited trip to the Gir National Park, abode of the majestic Asiatic Lions. At the end of the two-day visit, not only did I come back enthralled at having spotted a pride of lions feasting on their kill in the wild but also fascinated at lea ... read..

Leading lensmen assemble in Jaipur

Jaipur | Saturday, 2018 3:15:05 PM IST

Some of the most renowned figures from the world of photography have assembled here to participate in the third edition of "Jaipur Photo", an international photography festival held every February in the pink city. ... read..

Delhi Literature Festival begins

New Delhi | Saturday, 2018 11:45:04 AM IST

The sixth edition of the Delhi Literature Festival began featuring a promising line-up of speakers and writers of varied genres. ... read..

Making of a writer: How Ashwin Sanghi's wife awakened the writer in him

New Delhi | Friday, 2018 3:45:04 PM IST

When summer was at its peak and all his friends had left for vacations, a young member of a Marwari business family was packed off to spend time at its many mills and workshops. There he was taught the "hunar", or skills, of business, so that he could one ... read..

The publisher as the writer of a novel for himself (Book Feature)

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 12:15:04 PM IST

When Ashok Chopra set off on a career in publishing, it was a totally different world -- but along the way, as he was climbing up the ladder and making a mark in the publishing space, the industry itself was undergoing massive transformation. More than fo ... read..

Khaled Hosseini pens 'intensely moving' refugee story

London | Wednesday, 2018 7:15:04 PM IST

The author of "The Kite Runner", "A Thousand Splendid Suns", and "And the Mountains Echoed" is all set to return with a new book later this year. Billed as a "lyrical and intensely moving story" around the refugee crisis, Khaled Hosseini's next is titled ... read..

Lit fest to show women power in contemporary Indian literature

Mumbai | Wednesday, 2018 4:15:04 PM IST

From a Jnanpith laureate to Sahitya Akademi award winners, from a sex worker-turned-author to a domestic help-turned-writer, the upcoming LIC Gateway LitFest here will feature more than 50 women writers from varied backgrounds. ... read..

Distinct divide in news preferences between Hindi, English readers: Survey

New Delhi | Wednesday, 2018 4:15:04 PM IST

There is a steep divide in the news preferences of Hindi and English readers online and findings of a survey, announced on Wednesday, show that while nationalistic, religious and political themes attract Hindi readers, the news around entertainment and ce ... read..

Kashmir's laugh doctor: He wants to bring mirth back to Kashmir's depressed lives (IANS Special Series)

Srinagar | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Long before it was infected by violence and its streets reverberated with sounds of slogans and gunfire, Kashmir was a place where one could hear laughter in every household in the evenings when Nazir Josh, Kashmir's very own "Charlie Chaplin", used to co ... read..

Literary Portrayals on 70 Years of Indian Independence

New Delhi | Saturday, 2018 3:45:04 PM IST

Indias National Academy of Letters organised a national seminar on "70 Years of Indian Independence" on Friday as part of its ongoing Festival of Letters. Eminent scholars and writers presented their views on the literary portrayals that have found light ... read..

Is translation a means of retelling stories, experts discus

New Delhi | Saturday, 2018 3:45:04 PM IST

What is the role of translations in bringing many unknown stories to the fore? Can translation be used as a means of retelling narratives? Several experts came together at a symposium organised by the Sahitya Akademi here to deliberate on the topic. ... read..

Delhi Lit Fest returns with diverse speakers

New Delhi | Friday, 2018 4:15:04 PM IST

The sixth edition of the three-day Delhi Literature Festival is all set to kick off from February 23 at Dilli Haat. Featuring a diverse mix of writers of commercial and literary books, the upcoming literary gathering promises to be a lively affair for boo ... read..

How Darul Umoor is turning madrassa graduates into change agents of society (IANS Special Series)

Srirangapatna (Karnataka) | Sunday, 2018 12:45:05 PM IST

Surrounded by a cluster of coconut trees and at a stone's throw from the tomb of 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan in this town near Mysuru, Darul Umoor at first glance looks like a farmhouse. But inside, it is a unique coming together of science and spirit, ... read..

Stage set for 'Difficult Dialogues' on gender equality (Curtainraiser)

Panaji | Thursday, 2018 3:15:04 PM IST

Leading experts, policy makers and renowned personalities have begun to gather in this e Western Indian state for the "Difficult Dialogues" forum, an annual conference tackling the most vital issues facing South Asia. The third edition in the series will ... read..

Modi highlights 'importance of stress-free examinations' in new book

New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 1:45:04 PM IST

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused his attention on the "importance of stress-free examinations" and has called on the young students to "pursue knowledge over marks". In a new book, "Exam Warriors", he authored, Modi has set out to provide " ... read..

Major focus on translations among publishing houses in India

By Saket Suman New Delhi | Thursday, 2018 12:15:05 PM IST

Millions of copies of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garca Mrquez have been sold globally. Everybody saw Mrquez's name on the cover but little attention was paid to Gregory Rabassa, whose translation of the novel into English was declare ... read..

Nikita Singh's 'Letters to My Ex' to release on Valentines Day

New Delhi | Monday, 2018 2:45:05 PM IST

With just over a week to go for the Valentines Day, readers of popular fiction may have something exciting in store for them. Nikita Singh, bestselling author of ten novels, has announced that her next book "Letters to My Ex" will be released on this Vale ... read..

Hyderabad trust shows zakat's potential to bring change through education (IANS Special Series)

Hyderabad | Sunday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

One of the five pillars of Islam, "zakat" is mandatory charity for every well-to-do Muslim. And Hyderabad Zakat and Charitable Trust (HZCT) has shown how this obligatory form of charity can be channelised to bring change in society through education. ... read..

Feeding the hungry: Cancer doesn't detract him from his life's mission (IANS Special Series)

Chandigarh | Sunday, 2018 1:45:34 PM IST

He is 83 years old and has been serving free food to the poor and needy for over three-and-a-half decades. He is fighting cancer and has sold off assets to keep his community service going. And, despite the odds, there is no let-up in the enthusiasm of bu ... read..

Multiple sessions on journalistic, reportage writing at JLF 2018

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2018 5:45:04 PM IST

From the award-winning investigative stories blowing the cover on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church by The Boston Globes Spotlight team to the only writer to have ever gone under cover in North Korea, the programme at the 11th edition of ZEE Jaipur Lite ... read..

Himalayan littering leading to brown-bear habit changes (Environmental Feature)

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2018 12:45:04 PM IST

Large-scale littering in the Himalayas by trekkers and campers have led to Himalayan brown bears -- a critically endangered species close to extinction -- being drawn to human detritus and losing their natural abilities to hunt. Conservationists say such ... read..

Inspiring change: When a once-arid village becomes a national model (IANS Special Series)

ProtoVillage (Andhra Pradesh) | Sunday, 2017 1:15:35 PM IST

John F. Kennedy said "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try". These words of one of America's best-known presidents probably inspired a former engineer in India to try to transform what was once a bone-dry region into a green oasis sim ... read..

'Rasta' shows poor Muslim girls the path to education (IANS Special Series)

Khoda (Uttar Pradesh) | Sunday, 2017 2:45:04 PM IST

Ten years ago, when three women walked into Shabnam's one-roomed home here one afternoon, her six- and seven-year-old daughters, Sana and Shaima, were school dropouts. They were attending a nearby madrassa as the family could not afford their school unifo ... read..

Putting education over marriage: Hope-filled story from Bihar (Societal Feature)

Bumuar (Bihar) | Friday, 2017 12:15:04 PM IST

Sixteen-year-old Anjali Kumaris determination to study and fulfil her dream of becoming a school teacher has given her the strength and confidence to stand up against child marriage. She is one of the dozens of girls who are a part of a unique initiative ... read..

India's tallest Christmas tree reaches up to the heavens (Lifestyle Feature)

Mumbai | Wednesday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

Over 10,000 twinkling colourful fairy lights, cherubic angels and fairies, reindeer and snowmen, bells, streamers and festoons, tiny crosses, and a beaming paunchy Santa Claus waving from the "cotton snow" adorn this famous and majestic Christmas tree -- ... read..

UN action set to revive Kenyan lake around which flowers bloom (Environment Feature)

Naivasha (Kenya) | Monday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

The Naivasha wetlands, nestled amidst the volcanic mountains of Kenya's Great Rift Valley, are dying a slow death. Concerned at the impending ecological crisis, United Nations Environment stepped in to initiate a five-year Freshwater Strategy, part of its ... read..

On a wing and verse: Bengal girl gives poetic meaning to broken life (IANS Special Series)

Kolkata | Sunday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

Eight years back, Sathi Mondal was a normal, jovial teenager, enjoying life and dreaming of making it big in sports. That's till a botched-up medical treatment derailed her life's planned journey. Now she can't take a morsel of food or even water through ... read..

The year when Indian fiction reflected the burden of society (2017 In Retrospect)

New Delhi | Sunday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

A novel that takes its readers into the abyss of poverty and patriarchy, thereby narrating the sordid uses of power and the agony it unleashes; a dystopian satire that draws a telling portrait of our times; and finally an international bestseller from Ind ... read..

Month-long fiesta of sales at Dubai Shopping Festival

Dubai | Tuesday, 2017 3:15:04 PM IST

Preparations here are underway to host Dubais annual citywide shopping extravaganza, offering the shopping-lover in all of us a month-long fiesta of sales, exclusive shopping experiences and extraordinary events for the whole family to enjoy. ... read..

Bhai Boolchand, the unsung Indian who launched trade with Ghana (Diaspora Feature)

Accra | Monday, 2017 12:15:04 PM IST

Not much is known about him, but it has now emerged that trade relations between Ghana and India were started by Bhai Boolchand, the first Indian to arrive in the Gold Coast -- Ghana's colonial name -- in 1890. That's some 67 years before the British colo ... read..

Making a difference: Teenager's passion sets an example in Kashmir (IANS Special Series)

Laharwalpora (Jammu and Kashmir) | Sunday, 2017 1:15:04 PM IST

Bilal Ahmad Dar, 18, is ready to start his daily journey into the Wular Lake, said to be Asia's largest fresh-water lake, early in the morning on a bitterly cold December day. ... read..

Max Hospital didn't follow norms: Initial report

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2017 10:15:07 PM IST

In its preliminary investigation report, north Delhi's Shalimar Bagh-located Max Super Specialty Hospital on Tuesday found the hospital guilty of not following the prescribed medical norms in dealing with a 22-week premature newborn, due to which he was d ... read..

"There was never an iota of communal hatred in Ayodhya' (IANS Special Series)

Ayodhya | Sunday, 2017 12:15:04 PM IST

This is a town held sacred for its association with Hindu religious lore, which in latter days acquired the unflattering reputation of being a hotbed of Hindu-Muslim antagonism and religio-political conflict whose reverberations are felt both nationally a ... read..

Arts Spectrum Awards in December, to be given in five categories

New Delhi | Friday, 2017 7:45:04 PM IST

The upcoming Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa this December will host the first ever Arts Spectrum Awards in the South Asia region. Being seen as an attempt to recognise, encourage and promote interdisciplinary art forms, the awards will be presented in f ... read..

Exhibition showcases Indian folk and tribal art forms

New Delhi | Thursday, 2017 3:15:04 PM IST

Two leading art galleries, Exhibit320 and Blueprint12, have come together to create a platform for Folk and Tribal Art. The exhibition resulting from this collaboration offers an invitation to the viewer to discover other regions and artists that epitomiz ... read..

NCPA to host eighth edition of theatre fest

Mumbai | Thursday, 2017 3:15:04 PM IST

One of the most anticipated events in Mumbais theatre calendar is all set to return to the city for its eighth edition at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) with playwrights and actors from a diverse stream of backgrounds and languages. ... read..

34 artists join hands to capture trends in contemporary Indian art

New Delhi | Thursday, 2017 3:15:04 PM IST

An upcoming group exhibition aims to capture the trends in contemporary Indian art and 34 leading figures from the art world have come together to create exclusive works for the show. ... read..

Online auction traces the development of Indian art through 121 works

New Delhi | Thursday, 2017 3:15:04 PM IST

From mother goddess sculptures created over two thousand years ago to Indian Modernism and todays contemporary art, Saffronarts upcoming online auction traces the development of Indian art through 121 works. ... read..

'It is not impossible to clean the Ganga, but it's very difficult'

New Delhi | Sunday, 2017 1:15:04 PM IST

About five years ago, when Financial Times journalist and author Victor Mallet began living in Delhi, he was shocked to discover that the Yamuna -- "this beautiful river of Indian legend and art" -- was chocked with untreated sewage and industrial waste a ... read..

Transwomen turn teachers for Dalit children in Bengal (Social Feature)

Malda/Kolkata | Sunday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

Motherhood transcends gender. Unconditional love knows no caste barriers. ... read..

Hijab is no hurdle: Dream of bakery worker's daughter takes wings (IANS Special Series)

Hyderabad | Sunday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

"I want to become a pilot." When she instinctively answered a question at an event over a decade ago, the dream of a humble bakery worker's daughter had started growing wings. Hijab-wearing Syeda Salva Fatima is now all set to join an airline and is one o ... read..

Jatin Das to exhibit 500 portraits at Lalit Kala Akademi

New Delhi | Wednesday, 2017 5:15:05 PM IST

Eminent artist Jatin Das is all set to exhibit a staggering 500 portraits -- many of which have never been on display before -- at Lalit Kala Akademi here. ... read..

RBI Governor at centre of Ravi Subramanian's next thriller

New Delhi | Wednesday, 2017 5:15:05 PM IST

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan may have stopped making headlines every other day but his tenure is enough inspiration for leading thriller writer Ravi Subramanian to pen a novel with RBI governor at its centre and demonetisatio ... read..

Photo exhibition to mark Indira Gandhi's centenary year

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2017 8:45:05 PM IST

An exclusive photo exhibition is being organised by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust to commemorate the centenary of the former Prime Ministers birth. ... read..

India's first children's literature festival turns 10, host of activities on offer

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2017 4:15:05 PM IST

The literary scene was quite different when Bookaroo -- Indias first childrens literature festival -- began its humble journey. This year, it turns 10 and over 60 award-winning writers, illustrators, poets and storytellers, from 18 countries will enthrall ... read..

Mumbai's clock towers: Witnesses to history (Lead, correcting para 4) (Feature)

Mumbai | Monday, 2017 1:45:04 PM IST

They are not-so-mute witnesses to history, clanging away at intervals of 15 minutes, as if asking us all to grab the moment because time was slipping by. ... read..

Google Arts and Culture unveils its first lab experiment in India

Mumbai | Friday, 2017 7:15:05 PM IST

Announcing the launch of Future Relics, an interactive installation that takes participants on a shared journey, connecting the past with the present whilst looking to the future, Google Arts and Culture unveiled its first lab experiment in India on Frida ... read..

Preserving local culture through a unique museum

Nainital (Uttarakhand) | Friday, 2017 12:15:06 PM IST

One of the most sought-after destinations for tourists visiting Uttarakhand, Nainital has remained an abode of eternal charm, but very few are aware of the Lok Sanskriti Sangrahalaya, a private museum in Bhimtal that houses several rare art objects. Its o ... read..

India holds its top spot for tourism in Dubai

Dubai | Thursday, 2017 3:45:04 PM IST

According to the latest data released by Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), India has retained top spot on Dubais list of source markets for inbound tourism, with 1,478,000 Indian tourists arriving in the city between Jan ... read..

Indradhanush Dilli returns to Delhi for 10th edition, to host numerous events for kids (With Images)

New Delhi | Tuesday, 2017 3:45:05 PM IST

One of the most anticipated festival of arts for children, "Indradhanush Dilli" is all set to return to the Capital for its tenth edition. Organised by Society for the Upliftment of National Arts of India (SUNAINA), in collaboration with Ministry of Cultu ... read..

'I show the small joys that we all have in everyday's life'

New Delhi | Monday, 2017 3:15:06 PM IST

Living up to the artistic legacy of illustrious parents may be a daunting task but Paris-based Maya Burman -- daughter of prominent artists Sakti Burman and Maite Delteil -- seems to have created a successful niche of her own in the art world. And, after ... read..

Women power: How a forest was saved from timber mafia (IANS Special Series)

Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) | Sunday, 2017 12:45:04 PM IST

Armed with just water bottles and sticks, a group of poor tribal women in Muturkham village of Purbi Singhbhum district of Jharkhand trekked miles to the sal forest that surrounded their habitat. Their mission: To save the forest from being plundered and ... read..

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