Panaji, June 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) Goa on Saturday celebrated the monsoon feast of Sao Joao, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, which comes on June 24 every year, amidst heavy rainfall.

The feast of Catholic prophet Saint John the Baptist comes exactly six months before Christmas and has its roots in a Biblical tale.

The feast is locally known as 'Zanvoyanchem Fest', which means the feast of son in-law, wherein the newly-married son in-law is invited for lunch by his mother in-law.

Many tourists also join the celebration in coastal area, which is home to a large section of Goa's Catholic population, where amid the din of drums and rhythmic, ear-splitting thump of the thick, fibrous coconut leaf stems slapped hard against the ground, the state celebrates the monsoon feast of Sao Joao.

During the celebration, Sao Joao revelers wearing wreaths of flowers and leaves locally called copels, dive in and out of wells and ponds across their respective villages, as a mark of celebration.

The state government had also organised the aSao Joao' celebration program in Old Goa, wherein many people participated and danced to the tune of local music.

Revelers were seen singing the Konkani songs specially composed on this feast and jumping in wells and ponds. The state government tried to promote this festival by attracting tourists so they can explore the tradition of Goa.

Source: IANS

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By Janvi Sonaiya

Ahmedabad, June 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) In the midst of the glitz and glamour of her latest outlet launch in Ahmedabad, Anita Dongre, the quietly composed fashion maven, reflected on her journey. She shared her experiences and insights, offering a glimpse into her world of creativity, leadership, and conscious fashion.

"I had my share of failures, but people just look at the success. It's been a long journey," Anita revealed. "One of the major failures was when I was launching my brand AND some 21 years ago. The collection was rejected by most stores, so I opened my own store and got into retailing and fashion."

She is a quiet entrepreneur. She is the person behind western-wear for women under the brand AND, boho chic fashion Global Desi, bridal couture and pret options by Anita Dongre (including menswear), handcrafted jadau jewellery through Pinkcity, and luxury indo-western designs with Grassroot.

As a leader, Anita has embraced the role of mentorship and talent recognition. "Today, my role as a leader is to recognise great talent and to mentor them," she explained. "I am learning to be a good leader through books. It's something I am always trying to do better."

Amidst the challenges of leading a large team, Anita maintains a simple and disciplined lifestyle. "I live a very basic life," she shared. "I wake up at 5.30 am, start my exercise at 6.30 am, and by 8.30 am, I am at work. Every day brings new challenges when you work with 700 people. I work like a labourer and strive to do better every day."

Anita added: "In my head, I'm 28 years forever, and that's how I remain relevant from the 1980s to today. I am still excited about life, still eager to go to office every day, and creating a new collection is still the highest point of my life."

Passionate about conscious and mindful fashion, Anita emphasised the importance of living and buying mindfully. "Conscious and mindful fashion. Living mindfully, buying mindfully," she expressed, embodying her commitment to a sustainable and ethical approach.

Anita's family has played a significant role in her journey. "The best part of working with my family is they are so loyal and supportive," she acknowledged. However, she also acknowledged the challenges that come with familial ties: "The worst is that many times, I am not taken so seriously just because I am their sibling! Over the years, my mom has been my biggest support system. She is my role model."

Drawing inspiration from legendary Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, Anita's passion for design has remained unwavering. "I did my thesis in college on Giorgio Armani. I found him inspiring. He was in his 80s, full of life and still designing. He still goes to office every day," she shared. In recent years, Anita has found inspiration in designers who prioritise conscious fashion, particularly Stella McCartney. She believes in the power of collective efforts to make the world a better place.

Anita's dedication extends beyond the realm of fashion. With a growing concern for animal welfare, she aims to transition towards non-violent and vegan fashion. "What I have done is just a drop in the ocean. I want to keep designing. I have so many ideas in my head," she expressed. As time becomes a pressing factor, Anita is determined to contribute even more and create a positive impact.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, June 24 (SocialNews.XYZ) An aestheticallly carved sandalwood box by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US President Joe Biden, was made by Mohit Jangid, a Jaipur-based National Award winning artist.

Made of sandalwood brought from the forests of Mysore, the box has come into global limelight for its exquisite beauty and carving.

Jangid's family said that their ancestors used to initially made almond boxes.

A total of 11 people from the artist's have won the National Award for their unique craftmanship. The family has also set several world records.

Mohit is the fourth generation artist of the family.

"We had sent this box for the collection of Central Cottage Emporium in Delhi. It was from here that a team from the Prime Minister's Office selected it as the gift," he said.

"The box is 15 inches in height and consists of different parts. The carving is based on the peacock theme. A peacock figure is made on the top of the box, as well as all around it with fine carvings in different styles.

"It took two months to make the box. The specialty of Mysore sandalwood is that it is oily. Due to the oil, its brown colour comes out and the carving on it also comes out in a wonderful way. This box is designed in a different way, inside which there are many compartments, in which different things can be kept," he added.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had gifted a sandalwood 'Krishna Pankhi' (fan), also made by Mohit, to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Source: IANS

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Panaji, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday co-chaired the first steering Committee Meeting for the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, in the presence of other committee members.

Sawant said that discussion regarding the overall preparation for 54th IFFI in Goa was held.

Last year in November, the nine-day gala event featured 280 films from 79 countries.

Thakur had urged people to send suggestions to make the next IFFI (54th edition) more better.

"This is such a destination, that no place can replace Goa (to host IFFI). Goa has made its identity in the film arena of the country and the world," he had said.

National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in collaboration with the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) organises IFFI in Goa.

The IFFI, founded in 1952, was held for the first time in Goa in 2004. The festival has since found a home in the coastal state as in 2014, Goa was declared the permanent venue for this festival.

Source: IANS

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By Sukant Deepak

New Delhi, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Disclaimer: You really do not have to be a foodie to enjoy Zac O' Yeah's 'Digesting India: A Travel Writer's Sub-Continental Adventures With The Tummy: A Memoir A La Carte' (Speaking Tiger).

Even as it treads the diverse Indian food landscape - unheard of dishes and unique food habits, this Scandinavian-born author, settled in Bangalore, who has been exploring the sub-continent for over three decades now never ceases to surprise himself, and the reader with the everyday magic of India.

This time, he discovers it through food - as he journeys the country through the pleasures of drinking beer in Bengaluru, toddy in Kerala, eating boiled vegetables and masala-less curries in Sevagram, the Mahatma's ashram in Maharashtra, or the rich 'lal maas' in royal Rajasthan.

The writer, who has 15 books including several fiction and non-fiction bestsellers to his credit, tells IANS that even before the Pandemic struck, he had been thinking of donating his boots to a museum considering he had been travel-writing for 25 years.

"When I started out in the previous millennium, one carried a portable, non-electrified typewriter in the backpack and sent stories by post to the magazines, it was a very Hemingway lifestyle still in the 1900s. Today, it is all about social media handles and hand sanitisers, and nobody swills gin and tonic for anti-malarial protection anymore."

Feeling like a "dinosaur", he thought it was time to focus on writing about history, rather than travel because that's where dinosaurs belong. "I think when the pandemic came, lots of people found reasons to rethink their lives and what they value about being on this planet. I thought if I cannot go forward right now, it would be the perfect time to look backward instead. So, what initially looked like the end of my career, actually turned out to be the beginning. And this book is a result of that. So more than just a book about the best food you can eat in India, it's existential philosophy in an enjoyable and adventurous format."

Though it is a memoir, he did, during gaps in the lockdowns, revisit some favourite places, to see how they fared, however, the book is largely based on past experience as he mostly focuses on old and time-tested restaurants that have survived, in many cases, for over a hundred years and are likely to remain relevant for centuries to come.

"And many of the Indian cuisines I explore are thousands of years old. That's where the research comes in, one has to check old sources - like say Sangam poetry to see what was written about millets in their poems, for example, and it actually gives a very interesting perspective considering that 2023 has been declared the year of millets, which is considered to be a power food that can save the world today, while in fact it was considered a royal food already then in ancient India. In between, humans perhaps lost sight of millets though in the south Karnataka region, millets never ceased to be relevant. I have been a great fan of ragimudde for decades, ever since I was introduced to it at a roadside shack around 2001. Best food ever."

This founder-director of Bangalore's 'World-Famous Semi-Deluxe Writing Programme', the first semi-professional writing school in India whose recent works include the novel 'Tropical Detective' and the travelogue 'A Walk Through Barygaza' says that writing about Indian food is a great challenge, and a very interesting one. Adding that in the past three decades, he has learned to appreciate the complexity of Indian food as this country is like an endless ocean of very different culinary philosophies.

"In South, food is very rice-based, even rotis are made of rice such as the lovely akki roti I had for lunch yesterday, then you go north and suddenly you are tempted by tandoori naans and aloo parathas, and if there's rice at all on the table it will usually be in the form of mutton biryani. In the book I describe overland journeys and how just by moving from one town to the next, maybe only an hour away, you find yourself negotiating an entirely different food culture."

Ask him if anything like 'Indian food' exists, and he is quick to assert that one cannot speak of an 'Indian food' but it should always be rephrased as the 'foods of India' which reflects the diversity of Indian culture in general. Adding that while in the West they think they know what Indian food is - tandoori chicken and palak paneer, which could probably be called the national dishes of Sweden considering how people in his home country love that classic dhaba combo, he says, here in India the scene is way more fascinating.

"Once I was besotted by aloo bonda, then my love became vada-sambhar, then I got a passion for mackerel recheado, then grew a life-long love for ragimudde, in between I had an affair with Bihari litti-chokha, and I also could not resist ker-sangri in Rajasthan, then I fell for pandi kari, and more recently I've been completely bewildered by the tribal foods of the Northeast and how they cook there - I even went to stay with a lady in Garohills last year and was her kitchen helper in order to understand how she cooked their typical dishes, like different kinds of dried fish. But when it boils down to what it boils down to, I think the best food in the world is probably dal-roti. When one just needs to eat well, like if you're on a long trek in the Himalayas, nothing beats a bowl of dal and hot rotis. Having said that, I also think UNESCO should grant world heritage status to masala dosa and Udupi."

As the conversation veers towards the fact that the viewpoint of an 'outsider' is mostly enriching, he remembers a chat with psychoanalyst, Sudhir Kakar, who made him realise that it is only when one goes abroad and stays outside one's home country for some time, that one begins to understand one's country.

"When one is where one is, he/she takes everything around for granted. So it is travel that broadens one's vision. This is why Gandhi, to take one example which I discuss in my book, became the Mahatma - he went abroad in his late teens and returned when he was a successful professional, and he was able to see then what needed to be done to end colonialism. Of course, that's to slightly simplify things, as it took until 1947 to achieve that, and many others contributed too, but his experiences from abroad were definitely crucial. And it also changed his perspectives on Indian food habits too. So, the insider-outsider vision can be very useful as it makes one examine things rather than take them for granted. And that's the beauty of travel, you go somewhere and you become more aware of yourself - if you are mindful enough to notice the possibility. And once you become aware of yourself, you become aware of many other things that you may have been blind to before."

Source: IANS

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Gorakhpur, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Gita Press in Gorakhpur has refused to accept Rs one crore cash reward for the Gandhi Peace Award.

It said that it would only accept the citation and not the cash prize.

The jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unanimously selected Gita Press as the recipient of the award.

The announcement of the Gandhi Peace Award was made on Sunday. The prize includes a reward of Rs one crore, a certificate of appreciation and a plaque.

Refusing to accept the honorarium, Gita Press in a statement suggested the government should spend the money elsewhere. Gita Press said it would only accept a certificate of appreciation.

The decision to award the Gita Press did not go down well with the Congress. Party leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the move, and called the selection of Gita Press for the award a "travesty".

He also said that giving the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 to Gita Press, would be like "awarding Savarkar and Godse". He argued that Akshaya Mukul, an author, had written a biography titled 'Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India'. Ramesh said the book talks about Mukul's "stormy" relations with Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Gita Press for winning the prize and commended its contribution to the field.

Gita Press, based in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, is one of the world's largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, an official statement said.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Congress criticised the government for conferring Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 to Gita Press saying that the decision is a travesty and is like awarding Savarkar and Godse.

"The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 has been conferred on the Gita Press at Gorakhpur which is celebrating its centenary this year. There is a very fine biography from 2015 of this organisation by Akshaya Mukul in which he unearths the stormy relations it had with the Mahatma and the running battles it carried on with him on his political, religious & social agenda. The decision is really a travesty and is like awarding Savarkar and Godse," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet criticising the government.

The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur, in recognition of its "outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods," according to an official statement.

The jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously decided to select Gita Press as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize, as per the statement issued by the Ministry of Culture.

Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world's largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Gita Press for winning the prize and commended their contribution in the field.

"I congratulate Gita Press, Gorakhpur on being conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021. They have done commendable work over the last 100 years towards furthering social and cultural transformations among the people. Gita Press," PM Modi had tweeted on Sunday.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rajkamal Prakashan Samuh is holding an online book fair till June 25 on their website.

Apart from all the books published by Rajkamal Prakashan, those by 350 new authors will also be available at the online book fair. Readers will not have to pay any delivery charge for purchasing books at the fair.

This is the second online book fair by the group. Last year, readers from more than 40 countries 'visited' the first edition.

The separate category of the 350 books, published specially for the fair, boasts 75 novels, 40 story collections, 65 poetry collections, and more than 25 books on criticism.

Executive Director of Rajkamal Prakashan Samuh, Amod Maheshwari, said, "We are committed to publishing the best books and making them accessible to as many readers as possible. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, events like World Book Fair and other similar gatherings couldn't take place for two years. Keeping in mind the needs of readers, we organised an online book fair."

Source: IANS

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By Kavya Dubey

New Delhi, June 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rampant addiction to substances may seem like a contemporary problem, but the use of psychotropic intoxicants long predates the awareness of the menace of drug addiction.

Dispelling common myths surrounding addiction, and delving into the new understanding of the issue and the menace it has come to be, Dr Anirudh Kala, a Punjab-based psychiatrist, in his third book 'Most of What You Know About Addiction Is Wrong' (published by Speaking Tiger), presents a meticulously detailed, comprehensive and insightful account of the very phenomenon of engaging in psycho-active substances and what leads it to become the menace of addiction.

Speaking at the book launch, Kala opened his address with a reminder: "People took opium and were by and large functional. You could have a four-hour-long discussion with someone on politics and be surprised that he is regularly opiated."

The difference, though, is that people are dying from overdose, and getting infected with hepatitis and HIV from shared needles, Kala said, pointing out that jails have a significant number of inmates held for drug-related crimes but these are the people who need treatment and rehabilitation.

Dr Atul Ambekar, a fellow psychiatrist who has also written the foreword to Kala's book, highlighted the "draconian" NDPS Act and how it is not the solution but the major contributor to rampant addiction, which is both a public health concern and a policy matter.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, prohibits production, manufacturing, cultivation, possession, sale, purchase, transport, storage, and/or consumption of any psychotropic substance or narcotic drug.

Ambekar explained the twin concerns of drug addiction and the NDPS Act with reference to the historical context. Indian society, which may not have celebrated the use of psychoactive substances, but nonetheless had space for their use, granting them social acceptance, which in turn kept in check the problem of addiction and the escalated situation of people dying from it.

"Usage does not mean addiction," he clarified. "We socialise over drinks but we may not be alcoholics." Explaining further, he emphasised the fundamental human need for an altered state of mind from time to time.

"It is a common need to periodically want to feel different, as much as a human needs food or sex or sleep. Some people use art, rock climbing, mysticism (for this purpose)," he said, marking a shift from substance to behaviour, both of which could lead to addiction.

"It becomes addiction not from regular use but from its salience -- when a lot of mind space is taken up by the intoxicant," Ambekar emphasised. "Addiction is as much a disease as diabetes or hypertension is."

The experts also highlighted the predisposing factors for addiction: traumatic experiences and genetics are significant determinants of who gets addicted and who doesn't.

Contrary to common perception, however, they maintain that mere availability of substances may have an impact on its use, but not on its addiction: "Alcohol is freely available but most Indians are teetotalers."

The problem of drugs is a problem of policy

Ambekar went on to talk about the legality and policy matters surrounding substance abuse and addiction. "When opium was available, there were fewer addicts," he said, adding that "most of the problems related to drugs are a problem of policy matters."

He specifically pointed out three pitfalls of the NDPS Act.

The law puts all psychoactive substances in the same category without any distinction based on effect and intensity upon procurement or consumption.

Further, it criminalises personal consumption, thereby stigmatising it and, in turn, making it challenging to provide suitable treatment on time and addressing the public health concern at large.

Finally, the NDPS Act restricts doctors from prescribing certain drugs, making treatment difficult as they are systemically rendered vulnerable to stand criminalised.

Going back to colonial times, Ambekar pointed to the genesis of the prevalent notion that foreign alcohol is urban and elite; native substances such as 'bhang' and 'charas', which were regularly consumed and not considered an aberration, were regarded as rustic, and socially lowly.

India's native intoxicants were vilified, but today, the world has realised that alcohol is much more harmful and cannabis has far greater uses than recreational intoxication.

In India, a drug dealer makes more money from narcotics than from the native bhang, with the same amount of risk and punishment involved.

Hence, it makes business sense to peddle the more harmful and damaging synthetic drugs like heroin and cocaine than selling or consuming the native, natural intoxicants.

Kala is of the view that personal consumption should not be criminalised, and that possession of a certain small amount of psychotropic substances should not make one liable to legal action. Only then can drug addiction be destigmatised and proper treatment be meted out.

He asserted that the awareness of the "responsible use" of any intoxicant is the method of keeping the danger of the "chronic illness" of addiction at bay.

Drawing an analogy and holding colonial schemes responsible to an extent, Kala said: "Homosexuality was not a crime until the British arrived. And they have legalised it now. Likewise for addiction."

(Kavya Dubey may be reached at kavya.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2021 is to be conferred on well-known publisher Gita Press, Gorakhpur.

The jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after due deliberations on June 18, 2023 unanimously decided to select Gita Press, Gorakhpur as the recipient of the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2021, in recognition of its outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.

Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world's largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagvad Gita. The institution has never relied on advertisement in its publications, for revenue generation.

Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by Government of India in 1995, on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhi.

The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.

The award carries an amount of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft or a handloom item.

The past awardees include organisations such as ISRO, Ramakrishna Mission, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Akshaya Patra, Bengaluru, Ekal Abhiyan Trust, India and Sulabh International, New Delhi among others.

The prestigious award has also been awarded to luminaries like Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and Julius Nyerere, former president of Tanzania among many other personalities.

Some recent awardees include Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (2020), Bangladesh.

Source: IANS

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By Janvi Sonaiya

Ahmedabad, June 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) While Gujarat was battling with one of the worst cyclones this week, there was another wave too - this one was of feminism.

At the experimental theatre space Prayogshala in Ahmedabad, a bunch of young girls could be seen in loose black clothes, without makeup, dancing to Bollywood songs on unchoreographed steps - everything liberating that a woman would do in her room; they were doing it on stage.

In Gujarat, people cannot afford to take a stand - be it political or feminist, because no one wants to do anything that might disturb his/her dhandha, business. Here, 'Voh Ladkiyon Wala Natak' comes as a breath of fresh air. The all-woman, non-linear piece of theatre (rebellion actually) is centred around women and their take on love, lust, anger, frustration and various other emotions. This Gujarat-based production has also performed at Thespo Theatre Festival, Mumbai.

Written by a young Gujarat-based writer Chaitali Das, the play opens up with a conversation around masturbation and why it's alright if women want to experience desire and pleasure. A reference to a vibrator in a play in Gujarat - is worth noting.

In another scene, a youngster Durga (a reference to the goddess) is seen fighting against Mahishasura but in the middle of the yuddha (war) -- Durga gets a phone call from her family (Lord Shiva) about where the milk is? What's the OTP? And who will bring their little Ganesha home? With humour, they address the glorification done around women and multitasking.

One of the leading characters in the play, Kamala, is played by Preeti Das. She is Laadli awardee journalist, now, an academician, who talks about feminism through comedy and theatre.

Das said, "These young girls were tired of the male narrative in theatre and in life in general and therefore, they came up with their side of the story." Other team members include Teertha, Anannya, Aayushi, Neha, Lipi, Yashi, Kanksha, Chaitali, Snigdha and Paridhi.

There are moments in the play where one could feel like they said out loud, what you have been feeling and experiencing as a woman for so long. After all, the idea of suppression is universal. At the end of the play, the women come together and talk and talk...and a character says "Ladkiya to sirf baate kar sakti hain, nahi!" (Women can only talk, right!?) With this, the houseful audience gave thundering applause.

The end brings more questions than answers. Can violence ever be called love? As a housewife, what is my purpose in this relationship? Is it alright if women don't meet the beauty standards set for them?

The play gives the feel-good factor of breakfast, not the satisfaction of lunch. But the silver lining is, some at least scratched the surface in a state where everyone else is too scared of taking a stand - politically or otherwise.

Source: IANS

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Panaji, June 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday announced that the history of Goa Revolution Day (June 18, 1946) will be introduced in the History text book of Class 11 from the next academic year.

Sawant was speaking at the state-level function of Goa Revolution Day at Martyr's Memorial at Azad Maidan Panjim.

Extending his greetings on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day, the chief minister said: "On June 18, 1946 Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Dr Juliao Menezes led the initiative to resist persecution by Portuguese rulers and people of the Goa started mass revolution to take back their homeland from Portuguese.

"History of Goa revolution day is already included in the syllabus of IV standard Gomantak Bhal Bhartiya textbook. However this history will also be introduced in the History text book of Class 11 from the next academic year," Sawant said.

Sawant informed that within one and half month the pending pension of Freedom fighters will be processed immediately.

Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai said that freedom is not only confined to political but also social and economic freedom.

"We can proudly say our system is developing day by day and our Indian Constitution is accepted as one of the finest in the world," he said.

Pillai also recalled the contribution of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia and Dr Juliao Menezes, who fought against the Portuguese regime and said their contribution should be passed on to the new generation.

"Goa having the highest per capita income will be able to make the best, affluent State in the country," he said.

Source: IANS

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By Vikas Datta

Nevil Shute Norway (1899-1960) shortened his author's name to Nevil Shute to guard his engineering career "from any potential negative publicity" from his novels - as per his memoirs (the predictably-named 'Slide Rule: Autobiography of an Engineer', 1954).

However, he shouldn't have bothered - being as renowned in his engineering endeavours, including having a key role in developing the R100 airship for Vickers and then heading his own aircraft construction firm that made a multi-engine bomber trainer for the Royal Air Force during World War II.

This background was well reflected with Shute's heroes often being pilots or even aircraft designers - 'No Highway' (1954) has metal fatigue of the aircraft chassis as a key plot point!

He begin writing in 1923 though his first two (novellas 'Stephen Morris' and its continuation 'Pilotage' (1923-24), about a young pilot taking a dangerous mission) were only posthumously published in 1961, and his first published work was 'Marazan' (1926), where an escaped convict, framed for drug-running, rescues a pilot who helps him clear his name.

The next was 'So Disdained' (1928) where the protagonist, who discovers his friend is spying for the Soviets, does not report him but surreptitiously foils his bids - and finally takes on Soviet spies with the help of Italian fascists! (remember it is pre-Hitler times).

'Lonely Road' (1932) was, however, where Shute displayed his flair for innovative writing with a surrealistic, dreamlike first chapter and his first flawed hero, in this case, one foiling a conspiracy to influence the coming British elections.

A masterly intertwining of romance and an attempt (not all ethical) to revitalise a community - impacted by lack of economic opportunities - was explored in 'Ruined City' (1938) - a theme Shute would reprise in the more famous 'A Town Like Alice' (1950), which also brings in the horrors of the war in the Far East - and as well the resilience of people who faced them.

'What Happened to the Corbetts' (1938), which was prescient about the effects of aerial bombing of cities, can be considered the first of his WWII novels.

The others were 'Landfall: A Channel Story' (1940), where a young RAF pilot comes under a cloud after sinking a 'British' submarine before his girlfriend comes to his aid, 'Pied Piper' (1942) about an elderly teacher on holiday in France suddenly responsible for taking seven children to safety as the Germans invade, and 'Pastoral' (1944) about an unhappy love affair impacting a bomber pilot's performance and imperilling his crew - it climaxes with an unforgettable scene with the hero, alone in his damaged aircraft waiting for the time till he can safely land.

Shute's wartime-themed works also included 'Most Secret' (1942) about unconventional attacks on Germans on the French coast - but due to its sensitive nature, its release was held back till the war ended.

The fanciful 'An Old Captivity' (1940) about a pilot, in Greenland on a mission, suffering a drug-induced flashback to the Viking era, was the first with a supernatural theme - a motif that would be reprised in 'In the Wet' (1953), with some extraordinary time travel, and criticism of socialism.

The sombre 'Requiem for a Wren' (1955), set in Australia, could also be included here as all its protagonists are grappling with the effects of the war.

Shute's postwar works grew a bit more to be vehicles of his views - dislike of post-war Britain (which led him to emigrate to Australia in 1950) figures in 'The Far Country' (1952) and of the 'White Australia' policy in 'Round the Bend' (1951) - his own favourite - about an aircraft engineer finding a new religion based on good work.

While cross-cultural romance 'Beyond the Black Stump' (1956), and unconventional romance 'The Rainbow and the Rose' (1958) are part of his Australian corpus, his most famous novel (thanks to its film adaptation starring Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner) was the dark 'On the Beach' (1957) about a nuclear holocaust depopulating most of the world and a few survivors in the Melbourne region living it up as they await their turn.

However, for those piqued by Shute, three of his representative best could begin with 'Round the Bend' - which has usual Shute tropes - aviation professionals as heroes, exotic locales spanning from the Gulf to South Pacific in a thought-evoking story.

'The Chequer Board' (1947) is about a cereal salesman, after a wartime wound is pronounced a death sentence, wondering about what happened to three distressed comrades in a hospital and decides to use his remaining time to find out. The search for the three - a rather immature RAF pilot concerned about marital infidelity, a commando accused of murder, and a black GI, who attempted suicide after being accused of rape - is eyeopening.

Then there is his final novel 'Trustee from the Toolroom' (1960), showcasing how a mild-mannered English mechanical whiz, working in a low-paying job at a specialised technical newsletter, has to mount a desperate mission into South Pacific to safeguard the legacy of his recently-orphaned niece, how he fares on a "mission impossible" that takes him all around the world, and most important, what makes it possible.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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Prayagraj, June 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Plans are afoot to convert the age-old film centre located in Prayagraj's Civil Lines area into a museum.

The proposed museum will showcase the rich legacy of the film history of North India.

An amount of around Rs 4 crore will be spent on the project, said officials.

The dilapidated centre which was once part of education extension department, was earlier proposed to be auctioned a few years ago.

The new museum will be one of its kind.

The Smart City authorities would be taking the help of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for making this closed centre a museum.

The centre was established in 1938 to make educational films during the British rule and was the only film centre in North India at the time.

Mission manager (technical) of Prayagraj Smart City Limited, Sanjeev Sinha said: "After reading the history of the movie centre, it was found that the projector and sound system here was better than the cinema halls of Mumbai. Projectors were taken from the centre in buses to show films in schools and other places and big stalwarts of the cinema world used to come to the cinema hall to give lectures to the students of cinema."

After converting it as the film museum of North India, it will be the centre of attraction for the tourists as well, he added.

In its hey days, the Centre used to make short films to propagate education and as such it had the best cameras, high quality trolleys, cranes, and recording equipment of those times.

But since 1990, the process for making educational films was discontinued and all the equipment has been locked up since then.

The Centre had made films on Maithilisharan Gupta, Sumitranandan Pant, Mahadevi Varma, Acharya Mahavir Prasad etc.

Also, films were made on biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, former President Rajendra Prasad, former Vice President Dr Radhakrishnan, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malviya etc.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The sixth edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival is scheduled to take place between December 15 and 23 in Panjim, Goa. The key focus will be on supporting artists and creative expressions from the South Asian region.

With a mandate of making art accessible to everyone, the programming of the nine-day inter-disciplinary festival rests on the pillars of creating an environment of engagement, participation and amplifying local interaction.

Spanning across disciplines of Performing, Visual, Culinary, and Performance Arts and Craft, this year's curators will be marrying the tapestry of traditional and folk cultures with the contemporary idiom, with an aim to reimagine and recreate a visual vocabulary across the arts. Spread across multiple venues, important cultural spaces such as the Old GMC Complex, the Art Park, and Nagalli Hills Ground, among others, will be home to creative stimulation.

The curation line-up of the 6th edition brings together a diverse set of individuals. Sandeep Kumar Sangaru and Anjana Somany will be curating the section on Craft.

Quasar Thakore Padamsee who curated last year's theatre section of the festival is back to helm the Theatre segment of the festival that will showcase an eclectic selection of plays.

Food is an indispensable aspect of the festival, and for this edition, Chef Thomas Zacharias and The Locavore Team, will take visitors through a gastronomical journey that ties people and cultures.

Bickram Ghosh along with Ricky Kej will curate the Music section with a wide range of concerts covering diverse genres.

Geeta Chandran and Mayuri Upadhya will put together classical, experimental, and contemporary dance performances and workshops.

The Visual Arts curators for this edition will be Veeranganakumari Solanki and Vidya Shivadas.

This edition will also feature a set of special curators including Zubin Balaporia (Music), Elizabeth Yorke and Anusha Murthy with Edible Issues, who will be the special curators for culinary arts, while Bhagyashree Patwardhan will return to curate a project around local Goan design practices.

There will be additions to the list of special curators closer to the festival.

Source: IANS

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Imphal, June 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Eminent theatre personality Ratan Thiyam on Wednesday pulled out of the Manipur peace committee, constituted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last week to facilitate the peacemaking process among various ethnic groups of the state.

Thiyam, a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner in 1987, said that only with the intervention from the Centre, can the Manipur crisis be solved.

"Despite over a month long ethnic crisis, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) remained silent. For 2,000 years, people of 35 communities have been living together cordially and harmoniously. We are very peace-loving people," Thiyam, 75, told the media.

He said that sincere political will is necessary to resolve the prevailing ethnic crisis in Manipur.

A former Chairperson of the National School of Drama (from 2013-2017), Thiyam has earlier appealed to the religious leaders of the state to take up a proactive role in restoring peace and stability.

The 51-member peace committee, headed by Governor Anusuiya Uikey, was set up to pursue peace among various ethnic groups by holding dialogue and negotiations between conflicting parties or groups in the state where devastating ethnic violence since May 3 killed over 120 people and injured more than 350.

Leaders and representatives of the Meitei, Kuki, Naga, Muslim, and Nepali communities are the members of the peace committee, which also included Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, a few state Ministers, MPs, MLAs, leaders from different political parties, former civil servants, educationists, litterateurs, artistes, social workers and representatives of different ethnic groups.

However, in a major setback to the government's efforts to restore peace, an important Meitei civil society organisation on Tuesday announced its withdrawal from the peace committee while an apex Kuki organisation expressed their unhappiness over the committee's unilateral formation and objected to inclusion of Chief Minister Biren Singh in it.

Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) Convenor Jeetendra Ningomba said that they are "extremely dissatisfied" with the composition of the peace committee. "COCOMI rejected this committee since the sentiments of the people living in the valley region are very high against the Kuki militants groups and we had demanded the govt that first they should withdraw Suspension of Operations with the militants," Ningomba had told the media. He said that peace cannot be achieved in Manipur unless the pressing issues of narco-terrorism and illegal immigration are effectively addressed, but the government did not do anything.

On the other hand, the Kuki Inpi Manipur(KIM), in a statement, said that its President was nominated as a member of the peace committee without prior and proper consultation and information, and the group objected to the government's unilateral decision.

"It must be put on record that the Manipur government led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has lost all credibility by orchestrating communal attacks and sponsoring radical and extremist groups as Arambai Tenggol and Meetei Leepun against the Kukis," a KIM statement had said.

Kuki-based civil society organisation Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) has also condemned the inclusion of Chief Minister Biren Singh in the panel.

The ethnic violence began in Manipur on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised by a tribal student body in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday felicitated 16 artisans who excelled in the field of handicrafts with State Award and State Merit Award for 2020 and 2021 at the Delhi Secretariat here on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Kejriwal said that unemployment has "increased significantly" in the country and in such a situation handicrafts could play a significant role in generating employment opportunities on a large scale.

"For this, it is necessary for the government to encourage artisans. If the government provides financial assistance and skill training to craftsmen, it can create employment opportunities at a higher level in the field of handicrafts. The Delhi government will work towards this direction," he said.

He said that there are thousands of craftsmen in Delhi and a plan would be formulated to bring them all on one platform.

Kejriwal said that discussions should be held with the artisans on how they can take their crafts to a higher level.

"I believe that they would need financial support. If we can arrange for proper financial assistance, artists can significantly improve their art," he said.

As per the government data, there are over 20,000 handicraft artists in Delhi. Also, there are young individuals who are engaged in some form of creative work.

"If we attempt to connect all these artisans through advertisements, we can reach approximately 200,000 artists in Delhi. If we can turn their creativity into their source of employment, they will not only find jobs but also enhance their creativity... We will work towards this goal and soon hold a meeting to develop a plan for it," Kejriwal said.

Source: IANS

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By Vikas Datta

And yet the same Maulana Syed Fazlul Hasan 'Hasrat Mohani' (1875-1951), who could be as radical, stubborn, and even cantankerous in his political career, has to his credit, some of the most exquisite and evocative love poetry ever created in the Indian subcontinent.

While "Chupke chupke raat din ansu bahana yaad hai..." - that hauntingly crafted memory of young unsuccessful but unforgettable love - is the best known since B.R. Chopra's "Nikaah" brought it back into public consciousness by the golden-throated Ghulam Ali's rendition, the lesser-known ghazal: "Roshan jamaal-e-yaar se hai anjuman tamaam/Dahka huya hai aatish-e-gul se chaman tamaam" is no less a serenade to the beloved.

'Hasrat' had more treasures in his oeuvre to showcase various facets and motifs of romance - be it the hyperbolic "Aur to paas mere hijr mein kya rakha hai/Ik tere dard ko pahlu mein chupa rakha hai" (which seems to have inspired "Aur is dil mein kya rakha hai..." from Sanjay Dutt-starrer "Imaandar"), the 'cruelty': "Waqif hain khub aap ke tarz-e-jafa se ham/Izhar-e-iltifat ki zahmat na kijiye", memory: "Phir aur taghaful ka sabab kya hai khudaya/Main yaad na aaun unhen mumkin ki nahi hai", or exuberance: "Chup nahi sakti chupane se mohabbat ki nazar/Padh hi jaati hai rukh-e-yaar par 'Hasrat' ki nazar", to take some aspects.

Hailing from Mohan village (Unnao), a few kilometres north of Lucknow, 'Hasrat' could have not withstood the pervasive impact of the Lakhnavi school. "Aaine mein woh dekh rahe the bahar-e-husn/Aaya mera khayal to sharmaa ke rah gaye", "Gham-e-arzu ka 'Hasrat' sabab aur kya bataun/Mere himmaton ki pasti mere shauq ki bulandi", and "Sher mere bhi hain pur-dard va lekin 'Hasrat'/'Mir' ke sheva-e-guftar kahan se laaun", are some examples.

The influence was most marked in his most famous work: "Chupke chupke raat din..." where the tender descriptions of the various stages and moods of love make a compelling case that 'Hasrat' had an unusually fertile imagination or a vividly colourful adolescence, along with a gift for matchless phrasing.

Take the initial memory: "Baahazaaran iztiraab-o-sad-hazaaran ishtiaq/Tujhse vo pahle pahal dil ka lagana yaad hai", the resulting loss of poise: "Tujhse milte hi vo bebaak ho jaanaa mera/Aur tera daaton mein vo ungli dabana yaad hai", the playfulness: "Khench lena vo mera parde ka konaa daffaatan/Aur dupatte se tera vo munh chhupanaa yaad hai", the sudden urge to tease: "Tujh ko jab tanha kabhi paana to az-rahe-lihaaz/Hal-e-dil baaton hi baaton mein jataana yaad hai", and, of course, hidden trysts: "Do-pahar ki dhup mein mere bulaane ke liye/Woh tera kothe pe nange paaon aanaa yaad hai".

There is also the fear of parting: "Aa gaya gar vasl ki shab bhi kahin zikr-e-firaaq/Woh tera ro ro ke mujhko bhi rulana yaad hai", and its actualisation: "Waqt-e-rukhsat alvida ka lafz kahne ke liye/Woh tere sukhe labon ka thar-tharaana yaad hai" but also the cherished memory: "Chori chori ham se tum aa kar mile the jis jagah/Muddaten guzri par ab tak wo thikana yaad hai".

But it will be unjust to slot 'Hasrat' only as an incurable romantic, despite his mindset as revealed above and even his appearance - when he reached Aligarh Muslim University to study in traditional dress (sherwani, flared pajamas) and a 'paandan' in his hand, he was promptly named 'khalajaan' (auntie dear).

His true contribution came in his revival of the Urdu lyric tradition - by unshackling it from artificiality that had accrued from its existence of courts of decaying and decadent principalities to make it a platform that could convey more common-place but realistic thought, and deep feelings.

'Hasrat' has to his credit 13 'diwans' comprising over 700 ghazals and other verse forms, "Nukaat-e-Sukhan" on poetical techniques with examples from contemporary Urdu poetry, "Sharah-e-Diwan-e-Ghalib" which examines some of Ghalib's ghazals, "Mushahidat-e-Zindaan", an account of his life behind bars and conditions in the Raj's jails, anthologies of his writings and some English translations of his own works.

And, 'Hasrat', who frequently visited the Braj region during Janmashtami, also wrote verses dedicated to Lord Krishna, both in Urdu and Awadhi.

"Aankhon mein noor-i-jalwa-i-be-kaif-o-kam hai khaas/Jab se nazar pe unki nigaah-i-karam hai khaas", "Kuch hum ko bhi ataa ho ki ae hazrat-i-Krishn/Iqlim-i-ishq aap ke zer-i-qadam hai khaas", and "'Hasrat' ki bhi qabool ho Mathura mein haziri/Sunte hai aashiqon pe tumhara karam hai khaas" is one example.

And in Awadhi: "Birha ki rain kate na pahaad/ sooni nagarya padi ujaad/Nirdai Shyam pardes sidhaare/Ham dukhiyaran chodchaad/Kaahe na 'Hasrat' sab sukh-sampat/Taj baithan ghar maar kiwaad."

But poetry was just a part of the life of 'Hasrat', who disproved Percy Bysshe Shelley's description of poets as "unacknowledged legislators of the world" by being a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted free India's constitution.

This crowned a four-decade stint as an outspoken, unbending freedom fighter - where he simultaneously was member of the Congress, the Muslim League (but steadfastly opposed Partition), and the Communist Party of India, stood up to Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbai Patel, championed 'Swadeshi' before the Mahatma, demanded full independence when both the Congress and the Muslim League were content with dominion status, and coined the "Inquilab Zindabad" slogan.

However, his political contribution has, over the years, been forgotten - or obscured - and it is as a poet only that 'Hasrat' is remembered in both India and Pakistan - in the names of schools, roads, libraries, and institutions in Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Karachi and on postage stamps (Pakistan in 1989, India in 2014).

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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Ayodhya (UP), June 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The two sacred rocks brought from Nepal to Ayodhya will be preserved at the Ram Mandir complex but they will not be used in the making of Ram Lalla's idol.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust that manages the temple, said that it was a tough decision to rule out the ancient rocks from Nepal for the idol.

"After several tests, the Nepal rocks were not found to be suitable for Ram Lalla's idol as they developed cracks. However, the trust has decided to retain these rocks at the Ram Mandir complex itself so that devotees can worship them. They are 'devshilas' and will be given full respect," a trust member stated.

Meanwhile, renowned sculptors are carving out three idols of Lord Ram from the rocks of Karnataka and Rajasthan. The best of them will be installed in the sanctum-sanctorum of the temple.

"The trust has decided to use the Karnataka and Rajasthan rocks for Ram Lalla's idol," the member added.

Ganesh Bhatt of Karnataka is making the idol from Nellikaru rocks (black stones), which are also known as "Shyam shila" or "Krishna shila" due to their resemblance to Lord Krishna's complexion.

Satya Narayan Pandey of Rajasthan is expected to make an idol from white Makrana marble stones. Famous sculptor Arun Yogiraj of Mysore will carve out an idol from another rock sourced from Karnataka.

The two devshilas (ancient rocks) from Nepal's Gandaki river in the Muktinath area had reached Ayodhya on February 2 this year. They weighed at 14 and 26 tonnes.

The trust has planned a grand ceremony on Makar Sankranti in January next year when Lord Ram's idol depicting his childhood will be enthroned in the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ayodhya temple.

Source: IANS

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By Sheikh Qayoom

Srinagar, June 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kashmiri musician Mohammad Muneem, popularly known as Alif, who shot to fame with the recently-released wedding song 'Kya Karie Korimol', has released his latest number, 'Fitna Fitoor'.

Alif became a household name in Kashmir for hits like 'Ride Home' that won him the best folk song at Indian Independent Music Awards (IIMA).

He is now on a roll with his next track, which is streaming on YouTube.

'Fitna Fitoor' delves into the profound theme of resilience and the human journey towards self-discovery amid chaos and uncertainty.

The song encapsulates the notion that true strength lies in holding onto belief, and waiting for the light to break through the darkness.

It metaphorically portrays humanity being tossed in a turbulent sea, oscillating between weaker moments and strong moments, creating and destroying, and then finally being reborn as an all-new being.

Through its captivating lyrics and evocative melodies, 'Fitna Fitoor' explores the inherent struggles and the relentless pursuit to overcome obstacles, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the human soul.

In a world filled with chaos and madness, this powerful composition encourages listeners to find their own paths to triumph, to persevere, and to be reborn as their new selves.

Beautifully shot with surreal imagery and featuring Alif himself, the song showcases his grasp over a unique style of fusion that brings together poignant contemporary poetry and free-spirited instrumentation.

Alif started his musical journey in 2008, and went on to win an award at the Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival 2018 for the single 'Lalnawath', and the IRAA Awards for the track 'Like a Sufi'.

He also teaches songwriting and Urdu poetry at Pune's Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce and is a co-founder of 'Muzi Club', a company offering music training services. He is an adept storyteller who also conceptualises and directs videos for himself and others.

Alif's Kashmiri poem 'Korkun' was published by Seagull in their anthology 'Reclaiming Plurality Amid Hatred'.

He said that 'Fitna Fitoor' is both a documentation of lived experiences and an articulation of bigger social realities.

"I believe that any medium has the potential to become the purveyor of a meaningful idea or thought. Fitna Fitoor is also a dialogue with the self and the world and is about the search for the light that is within and around but which escapes unnoticed as we thrash around, looking for something nameless," he said.

Alif recently made a powerful impact with an episode in Coke Studio Bharat. He will also be featuring in Season 2 of the Amazon Prime Series 'Made in Heaven'.

Source: IANS

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Jammu, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) organised a 'Meet-the-Author programme at its premises in Jammu on Wednesday.

JKAACL said that it hosted Urdu ghazal writer and poet Pritpal Singh Betab, who "shared his journey of literature with the audience".

The initiative intends to have a direct interaction between a writer and the audience.

"These interactions shall aid the exploration of various life aspects and works which act as creative inspiration for the writers," JKAACL said.

It said that under the initiative, the JKAACL shall host and meet authors of seven different languages: Urdu, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri, Punjabi, Gojri, and Pahari.

"The event will be held every weekend," JKAACL said.

The 'Meet-the-Author' initiative was launched under JKAACL Secretary Bharat Singh.

"Authors are the face of society. They represent the inner thoughts of the social fabric through their ink, and it is indeed a special skill," Singh said in his address.

He said that JKAACL has started this initiative to promote direct interaction with the authors whom we have read in books.

"This would enable the audience to know about their life, literary intellect, and the struggle they faced. It shall be a source of inspiration for all," he said.

Singh said that it is a priceless opportunity to interact with these authors/writers and learn from their literary journeys.

The dignitaries and writers at the event included Padamshree Jitender Udhampuri, Ahmed Shanas, besides renowned poets and authors of other languages.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bhutan Echoes, the literary festival in Bhutan has announced the return of Drukyul's Literature Festival (DLF) for its 12th edition with the theme 'Reconnecting and Reviving'.

From August 4 to 6, festival-goers can expect a lineup of over 35 in-person sessions and programmes celebrating the rich tapestry of literature, art, and culture.

The Royal University of Bhutan auditorium will be the festival venue and several pop-up art exhibitions, music performances, interactive workshops, spoken-word open mic nights, poetry readings, and film screenings will be organised.

This year's festival aims not only to provide an escape into the realm of stories but also to explore the pressing issues we all confront in this new reality. From redefining travel and rebuilding human connections post-pandemic to addressing environmental concerns, the economy, and holistic well-being, DLF 2023 offers something for everyone.

The author line-up includes Vikas Swarup, Pawo Choyning Dorji (writer, and director of Bhutan's first Oscar-nominated film ('Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom'), French artist Benjamin Flouw known for his children's books on nature, Geetanjali Shree, author of the first novel translated from an Indian language to win the International Booker Prize, Binod Chaudhary.

Previous festival directors and producer Namita Gokhale, writer, publisher, and director of Jaipur Literature Festival, Mita Kapur, writer and CEO of Siyahi, and Pramod Kumar KG, Managing Director of Eka Archiving Services, will also attend the festival.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Get set for a show of Bengal's masters, 'Bengal Beyond Boundaries' -- which will see works by both past and contemporary artists as Aakriti Art Gallery, between July 6 and 16, is bringing to Bikaner House in the national capital seminal works by Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Hemen Majumdar, Somnath Hore, Rabin Mondal, Ganesh Pyne, Arpita Singh, Jogen Chowdhury, Anjolie Ela Menon, Paresh Maity, and several others.

Conceptualised by artist Jogen Chowdhury and curated by Uma Nair, the exhibition seeks to place the history of the Bengal School as one that is born of the reflection of human understanding and affinity for a love of nature as well as the recording of human history through a fine selection of hand-picked works.

The show will have paintings, drawings, prints, as well as sculptures. Arranged in chronology, the exhibit exemplifies the ingenuity as well as the ethos of modern and contemporary art practices.

"A rank of works that transcend time the images of human figures as well as expressionist works will reflect the incessant human desire to explore the macrocosmic and the microcosmic through the experience of memory as well as history. These works will offer many journeys of discovery and contemplation and signify the enduring need for artists to provide a context and commentary around artistic journeys," says curator Uma Nair.

The hallmark of the show will be the coming together of many big names in the art fraternity who have been practitioners for decades to young new upcoming talents.

The artists, printmakers, and sculptors have unravelled internal 'journeys of discovery' to provide an insight that focuses on the finest details of communication as well as the contemplative idiom in the creation of their own art. The show will include a quest that reaches out to capture the known as well as the unknown, it blends into a narrative of a prism of social, and cultural as well as a memoir of personal and public contemporary developments born out of the leaves of memory and Bengali heritage.

Divided into Bikaner House's maze of galleries in the Centre for Contemporary Art, the show will feature the breadth of mediums artists worked within, including sculptures, drawings, paintings, and graphic works, as well as representations from Aakriti Art Gallery's archival collection built up over decades.

From the early Kalighat mythic moorings to contemporary characters to the complexities of politics and power and faith and fervor this show is a novel look at present-day practices in the light of the past.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) The second edition of the Bihar Museum Biennale will be inaugurated on August 7 at the Bihar Museum in Patna.

Organised by the state government's Department of Arts, Culture and Youth Affairs, the first-ever Museum Biennale in the country and the world was opened in March 2021 in a hybrid format providing a gateway to the richness and treasures of Indian museums and also bringing together a highlight of key collections from various museums across the world.

The biennale aims to sensitise the public to the importance and significance of museum culture in India and facilitate an understanding of the Indian culture, building a strong sense of identity, nationhood, and the self. Dr Alka Pande will be the chief curator for the forthcoming event.

As a Curtain Raiser to the Biennale, the museum will present a photography exhibition titled "Brasilia 60+ and the Construction of Modern Brazil" from June 21 to July 22. This exhibition pays tribute to the notable achievements of Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil, as it celebrates 200 years of independence.

Brasilia, an idea that emerged in the early 19th century, gained immense significance over time and was eventually inscribed in Brazil's constitution. In 1956, President Juscelino Kubitschek recognised this idea and selected Lucio Costa's urban plan, the "Plano Piloto", as the winning concept for the new capital.

The renowned Brazilian modernist architect, Oscar Niemeyer, skillfully captured the inherent beauty of Brasilia by integrating Costa's meticulous urban layout with distinct buildings that exude functional, rhythmic structures, intricately designed facades, and minimalist, clean, and linear designs.

The exhibition showcases the artistic documentation of Brasilia, capturing its unique character, essence, and architectural intricacies. It features a collection of photographs that depict symbolic palaces such as the Parliament, the President's residence, the President's office, the Ministries, and a significant number of apartment buildings. These architectural marvels paved the way for the capital's transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960, forever shaping the urban landscape of Brazil.

Another exhibition titled 'Nature Strikes Back' by the Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain will be on view from June 22 to July 21 inviting visitors to explore the darker side of nature and its delicate relationship with human existence. While documenting the deterioration of the environment, the haunting beauty of his images captivates viewers, inviting them to contemplate the intricate balance between man and nature.

The exhibition features a series of evocative black-and-white photographs, each offering a unique perspective on the decaying remnants of our environment. Both exhibitions have been curated by Dr Pande.

Anjani Kumar Singh, Director General of Bihar Museum, talking bout the forthcoming biennale said, "We promise a transformative experience as this new iteration aims to surpass its predecessor, presenting a better-enriched form to connect people, connect cultures, and interrogating museums. With a broadened scope of programming, the grand event will commence with the prestigious G20 exhibition, catapulting the biennale onto the global stage of artistic excellence."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kasauli Club, established in 1880, is hosting the 101st Kasauli Week.

The week-long celebrations that started on Monday were inaugurated by the Chairman of the club, Brig C.S. Pathania.

On Monday, a military seminar and several sports events were held. A seminar by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) on the role of Kasauli and Dagshai in India's Independence, followed by Karma Band Night by specially-abled persons will be organised on June 6.

Yoga and art activities besides sports events followed by Rajasthani folk will be witnessed on June 7.

Similarly, June 8 will see a meditation session followed by a Punjabi night.

In remaining days, several activities including dance classes, magic shows, music, cooking classes, fashion show, and the Members Night will be organised. The beating retreat is scheduled for June 11.

Source: IANS

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By Kavya Dubey

Shikha Akhilesh Saxena, wife of Capt Akhilesh Saxena, a Kargil war veteran, launched her book 'Nation First' (Hachette) on Sunday, June 4, at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. This book is an account of the tumult and agony, as well as of grit and resilience, of an Army wife fighting her worst fears while her husband serves the nation in uniform, not knowing if she will ever get to see him again, or what the next phone call might convey.

Capt Akhilesh Saxena and Shikha were a newly wedded couple when he left for the war. They had been married for only two months and the Captain had not told his family that he would be headed for Kargil.

The artillery officer distinguished himself in the battles of Tololing, the Hump and Three Pimples, but the injuries he sustained in the line of duty had him hospitalised for a year, where he repeatedly underwent surgeries until he was well enough to go back home, but never again to the Army.

Coming from a civilian background, the author drew strength from fellow army wives, and said that although "without the stars on her shoulders, the Army wife stands equally in responsibility with her husband."

Gracing the occasion were General (Retd) Ved Prakash Malik, Chief of Army Staff during the Kargil War who has written the book's foreword, his wife Dr Ranjana Malik who was the then president of the Army Wife Welfare Association, and Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Birender Singh Dhanoa, who led his fighter squadron to carry out daring night-time raids on the enemy which eventually tilted the war in India's favour.

Gen Malik called the book "unique", explaining that "this is a story of a young Captain who narrates exactly what happened. Most books are written on those who never returned. But this is an authentic, first-hand account."

Dr Ranjana Malik's comments on the role of Army wives were insightful and presented a glimpse of their resilience that kept the entire community of soldiers, both on the war front and away in their homes, going.

Instrumental in ensuring emotional support, she said: "We were very busy. The volunteers were active in hospitals, borrowing phones from civilians to make calls to families, even standing by them when the bodies of soldiers arrived home."

Adding that people in India seem to be much less aware of the service and contribution of the Army wives, Dr Ranjana Malik said: "We have done a lot. Even people from abroad extended their acknowledgement and wishes."

Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa's address offered insights into the conditions that fighter pilots braved during the war, from wearing not more than "two layers of Ludhiana inners" in extreme temperatures to deciding when to eject or "save the aircraft."

He mentioned that the "turning point in the war" for the Air Force was the martyrdom of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja.

"A pilot doesn't die like that," Dhanoa said. "[It was evident that] he was captured and then killed. There is no mercy for the enemy. We had to get back at them."

Capt Saxena may have been forced to hang his boots, but he has taken firm steps up the corporate ladder, and is thriving in a career that may be at stark variance with the military, but what keeps him surging ahead is his attitude.

"You never know what life throws at you, so don't bother," he said. "We have just two choices: the victim mindset of blaming and negativity, or a winner's attitude."

He emphasised that one must be mindful of one's state of mind when one responds to a situation. And he credited the Army institutions for instilling this attitude.

July 26 will mark the 24th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas.

(Kavya Dubey may be reached at kavya.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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By Vikas Datta

'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1865), or 'Alice in Wonderland', as it is more popularly known, and its sequel 'Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There' (1871-2) ('Through the Looking-Glass' more commonly) stand high both by themselves, and the adaptations that they have inspired across various media.

The appeal of these two books, by Oxford academic and cleric Charles Luttwidge Dodgson (1832-98), who took the pen name Lewis Carroll, can be gauged by the fact that they have never been out of print ever since their first appearance while being translated into nearly hundreds of languages.

'Alice in Wonderland' has at least been translated into 175 languages, including various dialects and even invented languages like Klingon, and has multiple editions in many of them - more than 1,200 versions in Japanese alone, as per one account. Nabokov was the second to translate it into Russian. 'Through the Looking Glass' has at least 65.

As mentioned, both the stories were born out of the tale recited on that boating trip in May or July 1862, which so entranced its audience - Alice, 10, and her sisters Lorina, 13, and Edith, 8, the three young daughters of then Dean of a top Oxford college (and later varsity Vice Chancellor) Henry Liddell - especially Alice that she requested he write it down for her.

Dodgson began the very next day. A month later, he told her the plot while on another boating trip, and in November that year, he began writing in earnest.

He was thorough in his written work, researching the natural history of the animals featured and taking the opinion of other children before he presented Alice with a 15,500-word plus hand-written manuscript in November 1864.

Even then, he was busy on a more comprehensive work for publication, expanding the work to 27,500 words by adding the episodes featuring the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Tea Party. It was published in November 1865, with illustrations by John Teniel, the long-time cartoonist with Punch magazine (and the first illustrator to be knighted for his work).

The stories' plots are too well-known to repeat here but they cannot be dismissed merely as an escapist fantasy.

Alice's adventures also mark a paradigmatic shift in children's literature. Not only was it the first example of a children's book which seeks to entertain rather than teach morals, but the way she enters fantasy worlds has inspired almost every subsequent heroine of the genre - Dorothy into the Land of Oz, Wendy (Peter Pan) into Neverland, and the Pevensie siblings in the C.S. Lewis' Narnia series.

Like any classic literary work, they can connote different things to different people. Literary experts have detected plentiful allusions to Victorian political and academic matters, most of which are long forgotten, and bountiful examples of word play and puns; mathematicians have teased out various mathematical and logical references and concepts in the narrative; one post-structuralist used Humpty Dumpty's dialogues to explain the concept; and chess experts have discovered a new problem as outlined in 'Through the Looking Glass'.

And then, the distorted worlds of a dream, with their own unnerving 'logic', and on the other hand, the concluding lines of "Alice..." offering a cogent illustration of how the world can impact our dreams came at a time when Sigmund Freud was not even 10 years old!

Then, the impact of Alice's adventures was not restricted only to inspiring retellings in the genre of fantasy, where apart from the eponymous heroine, several characters have been used in other stories - the Cheshire Cat in Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series for one. The character, structure, and form have also freely adapted to teach about subjects ranging from grammar, orchestras, quantum mechanics as well as mocking contemporary politics and economics - of the times of the parodist concerned.

While in Carroll's own lifetime, Anna M. Richards came out with 'A New Alice in the Old Wonderland' (1895), in which a different Alice travels to Wonderland and meets many of the original characters as well as others, the first parody was 'Gladys in Grammarland' (1897) in which some fantastical characters crop up to help a rather unstudious girl with her homework.

Then, H.H. 'Saki' Munro's 'The Westminster Alice' (1902) has Alice meet various British politicians of the time, right from the 'Ineptitude' who currently occupies 10 Downing Street and many other more curious characters, as she understands that lack of logic or sense was not restricted to Wonderland alone. There have been scores since then.

Alice's adventures have been extensively retold, parodied, or have influenced other works, across media - films (Disney's cartoon and Burton's live action one being the most famous), TV and radio shows, opera, plays, paintings, music, comics and manga, video games, and even advertising.

The work has inspired a dozen paintings by Dali, as well crops up in as Joyce's 'Finnegan's Wake' ('Alicious, twinstreams twinestraines, through alluring glass or alas in jumboland').

And then there is Lennon's 'I am a Walrus' and 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' which he identified as being inspired by the imagery of Alice, Aerosmith's 'Sunshine' or Tom Petty's 'Don't Come Around Here No More' as well as Jefferson Airplane's psychedelic 'White Rabbit', Pink Floyd's 'Country Song' and Lady Gaga's 'Alice' ('Chromatica', 2020), among many others.

Who says children's books are only meant for kids?

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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By Sukant Deepak

New Delhi, June 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) As a school-going boy, he would always stop seeing men making natural dyes and pigments in one of the bylanes of Bhiwani, Haryana. He remembers finding the process fascinating. This went on for several months until one of them invited him to sit with them.

"Well, for several days I was asked to get tea and do odd jobs -- guess they were testing me. Thank God I passed. It was here that I learnt everything," smiles artist Ram Pratap Verma.

Fast forward to the present: Paintings, stacks of drawings, sculptures, and awards -- they mark their presence almost everywhere in his apartment. Antiques collected over the years are in the balcony, and there is another room full of paintings.

Panchkula-based Verma is busy giving the final touches to the 25 works in natural pigments and acrylic that will be exhibited during his solo show 'Past in Present Tense' at the Nehru Centre in London from July 3 to 7. "In so many ways, the past lives in the present, and gives direction to the future. Through multiple metaphors, I want to narrate my own past which is in sync with my present."

The works to be exhibited have been inspired by the wall paintings in Havelis. In fact, the artist also wrote the book 'Wall Paintings; The Vanishing Treasure' and documented the same in a film by the same title that was released last year. The movie will be released in the UK on July 5.

This College of Art pass-out has documented the remarkable paintings, executed since the 18th century based largely on mythological themes. Spending several months researching the artwork, artists, their styles, the kind of colours they used and how the prevailing situations at that time influenced the artists' works, Verma says multiple times periods and diverse styles came together to create those works on the walls.

He has already started work on the second film which will document the temple art of Madhya Pradesh. "I have completed the still photography part and will be hiring a film crew from Mumbai as I did for the first one. For me, it is extremely important to work with professionals and not compromise on quality," he said.

Investing his own money in the films, he said either one can make art or get trapped in the bureaucratic red tape of procuring funds. "I did try approaching government agencies, but the whole process is so tedious. I may not be from a rich family but do understand that making art is all about giving."

For Verma, it was important to start major work after his wife passed on. "My poet friend Nirupama Dutt would call me often and exhort me to start a project that would keep me occupied. It made all the sense to go back to Fresco paintings which were a part of my growing up. I just hope that a heritage body or a government agency comes forward to preserve them before they vanish owing to neglect."

Source: IANS

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Panaji, June 3 (SocialNews.XYZ) The first edition of 'Goa Environmental Film Festival' (GEFF) kicked off on Saturday with the Oscar winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers'.

The three-day film festival which highlights global issues related to the environment, was inaugurated by state Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral.

Secretary (Protocol) and Nodal Officer of G20 (Goa) Sanjit Rodrigues and Chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board Mahesh Patil were present on the occasion.

Speaking at the inaugural of the Environmental Film Festival, Nilesh Cabral said that 50 films will be screened in the film festival. "Everyone should try to protect the environment. I hope we will make efforts in this regard," he said.

He said that GEFF has been organised on the sidelines of G20 meetings taking place in Goa, however, it will be an annual event from this year.

Cabral informed that films from Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Ireland, Oman, Portugal, Russia, Spain and other countries will be screened during the film festival.

He said that various aspects of protecting the environment could be learnt by watching these films. "Hence I appeal to the student community and general public to watch these films by participating in film festival," he said.

Sanjit Rodrigues said, "I think environment is a very dear subject and a very touchy subject too. As we are working with such a fervour towards nine meetings of G20 in Goa, we thought that there should be a connection with the local population here and thus the film festival idea was put forward which unites people here."

He further said that such films show what is happening across countries with issues related to the environment and how these countries tackle them.

"Film is a great medium to bring such awareness to our level, and is a medium which is acceptable to all. And at the same time we have brought in the local Goan perspective at this film festival. It will help us see how we fare in this medium. I'm happy that the response towards this festival has been overwhelming," Rodrigues said.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) : 'Kabir Granthawali', edited by critic and Bhakti-Poetry expert Prof Purushottam Agrawal will be launched on June 4 at the India International Centre in the Capital.

'Kabir Granthawali' is the most authentic text of the poet's work, published by Rajkamal Prakashan. This Granthawali is the revised and updated form of 'Kabir Granthawali' which was edited by Shyamsundar Das about a century ago.

The release of the book will begin with Shubha Mudgal singing the verses of Kabir, followed by a speech by poet Ashok Vajpeyi. After this, Prof Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit and Prof Sudha Ranjani will interact with Purushottam Agrawal on 'Granthawali'.

Purushottam Agarwal said: "This Granthawali is the basis of Kabir studies. Since 1928, there have been many editions, but the text continues to be the same. Several errors have been missed due to reading mistakes. At the same time, the entire lines of some posts have been left out of printing. As soon as I started a systematic study of Kabir, I also had to grapple with the problems of the text of the Granthawali. I wondered why no scholar paid attention to the revision or correction of this text."

On the publication of the revised and updated version, Ashok Maheshwari, Managing Director of Rajkamal Prakashan said: "We are happy to present the most authentic text of Kabir's work in the form of 'Kabir Granthawali' to the Hindi literary world. Prof Purushottam Agrawal has made this completely authentic by removing the errors left in the book which was edited by Shyamsundar Das, which the literary world has been using for almost a century. The authentic text will be available after nearly a century."

Source: IANS

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Varanasi (UP), May 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) Artisans of GI-tagged woodcraft and zardozi work here have made 15 3-D miniature models of the new Parliament building.

Women artisans have also prepared an 'angavastram' (stole) in Banarasi zardozi craft, showing the images of new and old Parliament buildings.

Both the items have been sent to the Central government and will be available for the public in the coming days.

"Just as the new Parliament building complex was prepared under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a short span of time, artisans including Shalini, Divya, Sanjay Prajapati, Sanjay Chaurasia, Satyam Kumar, Sanoj Kumar, Ajay Pratap Singh, Monika Devi and Meena Pal have worked tirelessly to prepare 15 similar models of the new Parliament building," said GI ex-pert and Padma Shri awardee Rajni Kant.

He added that this has been possible with the guidance and technical support of national merit awardee Rameshwar Singh and state awardee Rajkumar Singh.

"These GI-tagged products of Kashi as well as India's intellectual property, have been sent to the Central government, will be available for the public in the coming days," said Kant, adding that it is expected that it will prove to be one of the most wonderful mementos in the coming times, and a new employment opportunity for the wooden craft artisans of Varanasi.

Source: IANS

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By Vishnu Makhijani

New Delhi, May 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) 'Amar Chitra Katha', which has a legacy of familiarising millions of children with Indian history and mythology through well-illustrated comics, recently launched two books under its 'The Pioneers of Progress' series that depicts the lives of Ardeshir & Pirojsha Godrej and Naval Godrej. In an interview, Preeti Vyas, CEO, Amar Chitra Katha tells IANS about their latest outing. Excerpts:

IANS: How was the project conceived?

Vyas: Our content team has a long wish list of titles for new content. Based on our bandwidth, certain projects take priority. The story of Ardeshir Godrej had also been on our wish list. When we were approached for this collaboration, we knew that it would make a wonderful biography, especially because it included three people and not just Ardeshir Godrej. The two books in 'The Pioneers of Progress' series tell the story of the Godrej family which had a humble beginning in Bharuch in Gujarat before migrating to Bombay to build a multi-billion-dollar empire. We have also published books on the founders of other Indian conglomerates such as Tata and Birla.

IANS: Why were only three individuals chosen from the vast variety of Parsis who have contributed to India's growth?

Vyas: While selecting stories, we do not focus on a particular community but choose to tell tales that would inspire millions. When we started reading the material that was sent by the Godrej & Boyce team, we were thrilled to read the fascinating history of the organisation. They were passionate about 'Make in India' long before it became a mantra for indigenous manufacturing. This series focuses on the values of integrity, employee welfare, hard work, trust, and care for the environment which are portrayed very well in the stories.

IANS: Tell us about the research that went into it.

Vyas: Malini Sehgal, the author of the series, worked in collaboration with Godrej Archives to put these books together. The content was supported by archival material from the 1900s and included letters, agreements, product history, and advertisements. We delved into the 125-year-long history of the company and its various highlights such as the manufacturing of best-in-class safes, India's first indigenous typewriter, the launch of Chandrayaan II, and other highlights. The author read the complete five-volume set biography, and a lot more books by various authors about the history of Godrej to verify facts. She mapped the timeline of the Godrej history to the timeline of landmark events such as the industrial exhibitions and the Swadeshi movement. The stories of Ardeshir, Pirojsha, and Naval transport you to a Bombay of a different era. What really helped was that the Godrej Archives Team of Godrej & Boyce provided photographs, transcripts, and letters to narrate the story in a comic-book format. Each founder had a distinct personality, and it was interesting to capture this. The onus of imagining how the pioneers reacted to the historic incidents or movements was an interesting challenge that Malini handled very well.

IANS: But doesn't the comic book style leave a vast number of readers out of the ambit?

Vyas: We always create comics for 8 to 14-year-olds but our readership has been 8 to 80-year-olds. Comic books capture the interest of a wide range of audiences, from children to adults, who enjoy graphics as well as light and reluctant readers. However, the goal of this collaboration was to reach a younger audience.

IANS: Any chance of the series being taken forward?

Vyas: We are always looking out for new stories to tell and will continue to carry forward our legacy of familiarising millions of children with Indian history and mythology through our comics. Our content has been translated into various languages and also many formats such as animation, webcomics, web articles, audiobooks, and more. We are open to the possibility of further books in the 'Pioneers of Progress' series and its translations for a wider reach.

(The interview was conducted by Mr. Vishnu Makhijani before his demise)

Source: IANS

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Srinagar, May 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Suhail Salim (30) from downtown Srinagar has embarked on a noble endeavour to preserve and promote Urdu literature in the enchanting valley of Jammu and Kashmir.

Through his literary magazine 'Koh-e-Maran', Salim aims to provide a platform for the young scholars and writers of the region to showcase their contemporary literary creations.

Hailing from the Rainawari area in Srinagar district, Salim is a passionate advocate of Urdu literature. Recognising the need to engage the new generation with this rich language, he conceived the idea of 'Koh-e-Maran'.

The quarterly publication, first launched in July 2021, has swiftly gained recognition as a valuable resource for Urdu language students and research scholars in Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar.

"Urdu literature is a treasure trove of wisdom, emotion, and cultural heritage. Through 'Koh-e-Maran', we seek to revive and rejuvenate this language's significance in Kashmir. We aim to provide a platform for the talented young writers to express themselves and contribute to the literary landscape of our region," Salim said.

In his journey of promoting Urdu literature, Salim has already published several books, with a particular focus on women fiction writers. Notable among his publications are 'Harfi Shehreen' and 'Tabasum Zia Kay Afsanay', both showcasing the remarkable talent of female voices.

Salim's dedication to empower marginalised voices and shedding light on their stories is commendable.

Furthermore, Salim's contribution to the literary community extends beyond his magazine. With nearly 300 articles published in local and national journals, he has offered insightful perspectives on social, cultural, and literary topics. His thought-provoking writings have also garnered attention and respect from his fellow scholars and readers alike.

'Koh-e-Maran' has become a platform not only for budding writers, but also for established literary figures.

Salim dedicated a special issue to the stalwarts of literature in Kashmir, including a 'Women's Special' edition and a tribute to acclaimed poet and Jnanpith awardee, Rehman Rahi. This thoughtful gesture highlights Salim's commitment to honouring and showcasing the diverse voices within the literary community.

Salim's involvement in literary activities doesn't end with his magazine. He actively contributes to the Jammu and Kashmir Fiction Writers Guild, collaborating with like-minded individuals to uplift the literary scene in the region.

Additionally, while pursuing his M.Phil in Urdu literature from the Rajasthan University, he serves as a dedicated Urdu teacher at a local institution in Srinagar, imparting his knowledge and passion for the language to eager students.

When asked about his aspirations for the future, Salim's eyes lit up with determination.

"I envision a Kashmir where Urdu literature flourishes, where young minds are inspired to explore the depths of this beautiful language. Through 'Koh-e-Maran', my aim is to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, nurturing a literary renaissance that will resonate for generations to come," he said.

Salim's dedication to preserving and promoting Urdu literature in Kashmir is nothing short of inspirational.

As his magazine 'Koh-e-Maran' continues to grow in influence and reach, it stands as a beacon of hope for aspiring writers and Urdu enthusiasts in the region.

With Salim leading the way, the flame of Urdu literature in Kashmir shines brighter than ever before.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Nikhil Chandwani has been celebrated as the most-read longform writer on Instagram globally, a truly stunning achievement. This title was officially given to him after he was named the Times Writer of the Year 2022.

Chandwani has won the hearts of his audience on Instagram, where he has more than 1 million followers, and his organic reach is an astonishing 100-130 million per month. He posts educational articles and reels on Sanatan Dharma, geopolitics, and so on.

He has been single-handedly instrumental in creating awareness about the pain of Sindhi Hindus in Pakistan and has helped multiple Hindu families migrate to India. Nikhil's articles and videos on Sindhi Hindus have created ripples across border with Pakistani politicians publicly calling out Nikhil after he recently exposed their country.

But his accomplishments go far beyond Instagram. He is a recognised author, poet and TED speaker, with 14 books to his name. He has also earned international recognition for his creative work.

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to create NYK Daily, a global news platform with more than 2 million monthly readers, valued at $4.4 million.Additionally, as Chairman of the Writers' Rescue Center, Chandwani has mentored many aspiring writers, aiding more than 500 individuals in refining their writing skills.

Before becoming a literary phenomenon, Chandwani made a significant mark in the field of education. He founded The Walnut School of Ideas, an edutech firm with branches in Nagpur and Vijayawada, which he sold for an impressive $2.2 million.

He also produced a feature film, 'Nadi ki Beti - Sundari' (She - The Movie), now streaming on MX Player.

Chandwani has not been confined by traditional boundaries, as evidenced by his partnerships with various respected organisations such as embassies, the Save Soil Campaign, Spotify, Indian Railways, the Ministry of Sports, the US 2022 Elections, Pepsi, and more than 400 other brands.

His articles are engaged with by high-profile figures across many fields and genres. They include US presidential candidates, leading entrepreneurs, politicians and Senators from more than 20 nations, as well as actors, actresses and CEOs of unicorn startups.

On Instagram, Chandwani's verified account, @nikhilchandwani, has amassed a devoted following of 1 million users. His posts typically garner 20,000 to 50,000 likes and are viewed by a large audience of 800,000 to 1.5 million users.

His reels/videos frequently receive between 400,000 to 2 million real views, with a reach of 2-5 million users, firmly establishing him as one of the platform's most viral accounts. His monthly reach on Instagram, remarkably, fluctuates from 80 million to 100 million users, each one of them achieved organically.

In addition to his literary achievements, Chandwani provides advisory services to several startups, sharing his expertise in crafting effective social media campaigns and brand leadership. His influence stretches across funded and non-funded startups worldwide, as well as government organisations seeking to bolster their digital presence.

Nikhil Chandwani's immense contributions to the worlds of writing, education and social media have garnered him global recognition, cementing his status as a significant figure in the digital age. As his following continues to expand and his impact deepens, the world looks forward to the future endeavours of this remarkable talent.

Source: IANS

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By Sukant Deepak

New Delhi, May 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) He says it had to be a memoir of faith...Despite the fact that he was abducted by a Taliban-affiliated group and kept in captivity for five years in Afghanistan. Even when every inch of his skin bore witness to his abductors' hatred.

Pakistani author Shahbaz Taseer, whose book 'Lost to the World: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Five Years in Terrorist Captivity' (Penguin) recently hit the stands, stresses that while he is a Muslim owing to the family and country he was born in, he did not see how practising or devout he was before the life-altering incident. "Still, it is the only religion that I am affiliated with. When I was kidnapped, I discovered my faith. When you have no one - no human being, privilege, and power on earth that can help you, it is only spirituality that you can rely on. And for me, it was Allah," he tells IANS.

Son of assassinated Governor of Punjab (Pakistan), Salman Taseer, Shahbaz himself was not involved in politics, but he was a public figure who represented a more tolerant, internationally connected Pakistan that the militant group IMU condemned.

What followed his kidnapping was nearly five years of torture and constant peril as Taseer was held captive in the ungoverned reaches of Pakistan and Afghanistan, his fate subject to the unpredictable whims and machinations of terrorists. 'Lost to the World' is his memoir of that time - a story of extraordinary sorrow but also of empathy and faith. It is also a tale about resilience.

Taseer countered his captors' narrative of a holy war by immersing himself in the Quran in search of hope and a means to see his own humanity under even the most inhumane conditions, and ultimately to find a way back to his family.

Stressing that it is high time that moderate Muslims raise their voice against terrorism in the name of Islam, Taseer says, "My father was a moderate Muslim, and was shot 29 times just for his opinion. Imagine, in a country of 250 million people, not one person was willing to say a word. So, I do believe moderate Muslims across the world, and not just in Pakistan need to speak up and raise their voices against draconian laws that extremists propagate as Islamic laws; but have nothing to do with Islam."

Recalling his days in captivity, the author says he asked for death more times than he probably prayed for anything else. Adding that explaining the physical pain and lending words to it in the book was easy, but the dehumanizing aspect of it and the intense loneliness he felt just cannot be defined. "There were times when I held the blade close to my wrists, but I just could not do it, it felt like the most cowardly act possible, despite what I was enduring. It would be unbecoming of Salman Taseer's son, who gave up his life for his convictions. Also, I recalled this beautiful line -- 'To give up hope is to give up on the idea of God.' This held me back... In such a dark and lonely place, a miracle seemed like the only thing to save me. Why would I give up on that right then? I started seeing those small miracles'."

Taseer says the point when he moved in with his kidnapper's family, he found pieces of humanity there. "He was a cruel man, I would call him godless, but in his family with his children, I found my happiness, a reason to smile again."

In the book, he writes about Ayah, the kidnapper's mother-in-law who defied the purdah, and shouted for the torture to stop as Taseer was in her house. She gave him access to a shower once a week, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and soap.

"I often wonder how lucky I am to be of sane mind, body, and soul. I don't know how many people have been tortured and survived. As human beings, there is a thin line between our sanity and insanity. Our mind is a very volatile organ and can be broken very quickly. The problem with breaking the mind is, there are very few cases where it has been put back together. In many ways, she took the first step to ensure that if I ever made it home, I would go back a sane man."

Taseer also recalls Ayah, her children, and her grandchildren being murdered in cold blood. "That is something I can never forget. But you know, before leaving, I looked at one of my kidnappers and told him that while he did everything to me in God's name, it is His name that I forgive him. I said this because I did not want to be a prisoner anymore."

And how was it adjusting back to life after his release? The author says it took him a long time to understand what 'normal' was... "My 'normal' during captivity was waking up at ungodly hours, praying five times a day, no food or toilet sometimes. Even now, sometimes, when I want to go to the restroom, I am looking to ask someone for permission. I was so used to sleeping on a hard surface that it was tough to be on my bed. I had to get a bamboo sheet put on my mattress so that it felt like a little bit of the floor. Every time I would hear an aircraft, I would look for cover..," concludes Taseer who wants to write a book on his father next.

(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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