Tribute to Sushma Swaraj, the transformational leader who achieved so many firsts

People are still struggling to come to terms with the biggest loss of Indian politics. Sushma Swaraj played a prominent role in Indian politics. People will always remember Sushma Swaraj as a dynamic leader. She set new standards in politics. She lived with Indian traditional values while she made her mark in global politics. She was one of the most...

Trupti Patel: the first woman to become the Hindu Faith representative and Trustee to the Interfaith Network UK

The world is changing, with an ever-increasing desire to improve the inclusivity and diversity across all walks of life. One positive sign of this was when Trupti Patel was voted in as the first female President of The Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) back in 2014. She has now become the first women Hindu Faith representative and Trustee to the...

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Manchester’s dance students win prestigious award

At a recently held UK-based dance contest held at the Balaji Temple in Birmingham, acclaimed choreographer Sonia Sharma's students won the 1st prize for Best Cinematic Dance in a competition organised by the National Council of Kerala Hindu Heritage, UK. The winning dancers aged between 11 to 14 years represented the Greater Manchester Malayalee Hindu Samajam. The winners - Kirun Biju,...

Grand launch of the 2019 Raksha Bandhan celebrations in Glasgow

The ancient Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan that celebrates the love between brothers and sisters was celebrated this year among the Armed Forces and Scotland Police to symbolise their work of protecting (raksha) the UK borders and the civil society, thereby showing gratitude and brotherhood among the organisations and civilian groups. Organised this year by the Hindu Forum of Britain...

Art exhibition brings traditions to life for future generations

The end of July saw London basking in sun, but also basking in the creative talents of Sushma Johari Madan. An exhibition called “Ancient Belief or Science” was held at the Nehru Centre in London, UK which gave the public a chance to see paintings which embodied and exemplified the ancient beliefs, stories, traditions, and myths of India. Each work...

MCR Uni engages with Bengalis to promote peoples’ traditional music

Manchester University enhanced its engagement with the South Asian diaspora at a recently held workshop on live performances of Bengali folk music.   Manchester University academicians and art historians from Modern India and humanities departments, engaged proactively with the South Asian diaspora in Manchester through an event and workshop: SINGING HERITAGE: AN AFTERNOON OF BENGALI FOLK SONG PERFORMANCE, in end July....

Publisher of “The House of Commons Book of Tribute Messages to Nelson Mandela” gets in more supporters for ending poverty

At a recent cultural programme evening Nrutyotsav, organised by Sarjan Nartan Academy, the Founder of "The House of Commons Book of Tribute Messages to Nelson Mandela" and organiser of the Nelson Mandela Book Charity Balls, Nic Careem, invited Jasu Vekaria MBE and Suryakanth Jadva to leave a hand-written message in the book. Famed choreographer and dance teacher Neha Sachin presented...

The Pandit of multiculturalism and diversity at Sky taps on the power of inclusivity

The ICC World Cup Cricket’s results may have been a huge disappointment for Indian fans globally, but for the perceptive business leader Debarshi Pandit, the Head of Multicultural Business and Special Projects at Sky Media (Sky's advertising sales arm) UK, this provided the perfect opportunity to tap the incremental revenue opportunities from multicultural ad campaigns in the exceptionally diverse milieu. Debarshi...

Ratha Yatra in Edinburgh draws huge crowds

In an incredible Ratha Yatra festival organised by the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Odhisha Society of Scotland (OSS), nearly a thousand people gathered in Edinburgh to celebrate the 4th edition of the festival on 7 July. The event was made big this year with people coming in from Glasgow, Dundee, New Castle and Manchester. The Isckon Leshmagaow were also a...

Krishna in the land of Islam – a story of two devotees and their unfaltering faith in him

Turkey is a secular country, but 99% of the population are Muslims. According to some spiritual groups, this poses a challenge for other religions to co-exist within the country. The teachings of Sri Srila Prabhupada has, despite the limitations penetrated into the heart of Turkey and ISKCON continues to draw Muslims as devotees. Unlike many countries in Europe and in...