We can’t breathe: George Floyd death strikes global chord
The recent death of George Floyd, a 46 year old African American has caused anger and protest around the world. It is not enough to call it a death for it was certainly a custodial murder by the police officers, one of whom was seen pinning Floyd down with his knee. As with Eric Garner murdered by police in New...
Flowers – an environmental poem
I haven’t been able to make much music recently. Processing the news around us has been far from easy. So here’s a different kind of offering, with words and paint, this one is called — Flowers. It rained last night, From a monsoon sky, Soaked my soil, Burrowed its way Deep into my heart, Until I was swollen... Dark earth, Bubbled bright, And it hurt To be brimming with...
Alka Bagri shares her excitement as LIFF’s title supporter for the seventh year
The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2021 is set for it's Gala Opening Night on the 17th June in London, with a positive, power-packed documentary Women Of My Billion (WOMB); in a back-drop of a rather grim Covid scenario in India. LIFF this year is poised to premiere the very best of new indie films from the Indian subcontinent with...
Lockdown Diaries: Abhishek Buddhadev seizes the lockdown as an opportunity, self-isolation as power of growth
Life always gives us the opportunity to improve ourselves, raise our voice, head, and self-esteem to overcome negativity. I was a bullied kid in school and lost the confidence to live life, but I recall the quote of "Do or Die". It's better to Do something else, as I already felt the situation of Dying in my depression. I started...
Lockdown Diaries: Explore new-age Indian classical music learning with Harmoniverse
COVID-19 has brought about a massive transformation in our day-to-day lives. We are not only losing precious time, but also opportunities for exploration, creativity, and transformation, which are essential for a high standard of life. Music - a healer Amongst all the gloom, social distancing and isolation, it has once again proved that music is a healer. Communities around the world...
UK project Mission Shramik Sahyog reaches out to feed migrant workers in India
When lockdown hit India it didn't hit the whole population equally, there were those who were in a much more tenuous situation than others. Although millions around the world were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian migrant workers found themselves amongst the worst affected. Due to the lockdown, hundreds of thousands of Indian workers were unable to leave their workplace....
Lockdown Diaries: Harish Iyer helps sex workers and their families in Kamathipura
Harish Iyer espouses many causes. He was one of the few people who appealed to the Supreme Court against section 377, an archaic law criminalising certain forms of consensual sex between adults and one that was often used against the queer community. He is the only Indian listed in the World Pride Power List by The Guardian, among other...
Lockdown Diaries: Ten-plus-year olds review animation film Sitara, make statements to stop child marriage
Sitara: Let Girls Dream, made by renowned two-time Academy and three-time Emmy Award-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, is the best film we've seen in the last weeks during the Coronavirus lockdown. It is out on Netflix. As sisters aged ten and eleven, we were quite excited when our mum showed us the trailer of the movie about two sisters in the...
Lockdown Diaries: Biker doc Nilay explores India on two wheels to inspire and uplift
They say "smile a while and while you smile, there will be miles and miles of smiles because you smile."Â I have taken this saying so seriously that i create smiles as a full time dentist and ride for miles on end all over the country as a hobby. So for all those who don't know me I am Dr. Nilay...
Lockdown diaries: Think local, think community, support small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic
I live in London and have done all my life. It’s a bustling and busy City with a population of 8 million. You see people everywhere. Hustling. Shuffling. Rushing from here to there. This year, we became accustomed to phrases like lock down, self-isolate, global pandemic, social distancing, wash your hands, wear a mask, Zoom, ‘You’re on mute’, and...
