Lockdown Diaries: Reflections In The Wake of COVID-19
Most of us Indians across the globe perhaps share a similar story at this juncture. We are in the same boat, stranded mentally if not physically. For those of us whose families are far away in India, the question that has inevitably crossed our minds is: “When will we get to go home next?” It's my 83rd day today,...
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...
KASHISH 2020 to screen India’s first gay film ‘Badnam Basti’, lost and found after 49 years
Register for KASHISH 2020 at http://mumbaiqueerfest.com/attend/ Director Prem Kapoor's 'Badnam Basti', India's first gay film released in 1971, only to be lost to obscurity for around five decades, and found in a Berlin archive, will be screened at KASHISH 2020. Considered as one of first Indian films to explore same-sex relationship, Badnam Basti was made in 1971 and features a...
Edinburgh’s community spirit during the “new normal”
We are living in a “new normal”. Social distancing, wearing masks, sanitizing hands, and along with that being “digital/online”. Considering that large public gatherings are not permitted, keeping in mind the current prevailing COVID-19 situations, SABASH (Scottish Association of Bengali Arts and Sanskritik Heritage) and the Scottish Indian Arts Forum (SIAF) organised online Durga Puja and digital Dusherra celebrations...
Kaushalya UK’s upcoming project will share stories to empower and uplift women around the world
An upcoming anthology of women titled ‘The New Woman’ - a project lead by Ritu Sharma, is a collection of 34 stories of women who have undergone transformation through adversity, spread across five continents,. The book will be launched on 27 July. Under the umbrella of Ritu's organisation Kaushalya UK, the anthology will showcase "women who have been broken by...
SHEROES and UK government launch “Women Go Digital” programme to power digital growth for women entrepreneurs and professionals
100 women entrepreneurs to get access to digital transformation training and tools, mentorship and community The UK-India Tech Hub has partnered with SHEROES to launch the “Women Go Digital” programme. The programme offers access to digital tools and skills, mentorship and community to women looking to transform their entrepreneurial and professional outcomes. The Women Go Digital programme is offered for free...
Lockdown Diaries: My fight with coronavirus boredom
My name is Ishaan Saxena and I am a student of year 5 in an international school in Hong Kong. My school has been closed since January end amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Home learning is one job to do but once you finish it, it gets boring. So I thought I could use this time to explore my interest and do something...
Lockdown Diaries: Respecting the anxieties of a five-year-old during the prolonged lockdown period
I am keeping lockdown diaries of my five-year-old daughter Inishka Bhattacharya for research. I talk with her to understand the tensions that she is going through during the lockdown period. All the bits shared at the bottom are her words from my COVID-19 diaries. I thought it would be good to share these as it can help other parents to...
Lockdown Diaries: Ankit Bhuptani’s views on self-isolation and how our actions will define a generation
50 or 100 years from today we will not be able to talk about the year 2020 without talking about this COVID-19 pandemic. I wonder, will a teen of that time be able to believe that all the commercial planes of the world were grounded? Businesspersons, film-stars, industry leaders and other powerful people who hardly had time to eat a meal peacefully,...
Lockdown Diaries: Sumit Pawar makes the most of the lockdown, helps others keep mentally fit in isolation
The uncertain arrival of a highly unwanted guest, the COVID19 was unexpected for most people, including me. In my entire life I never thought or even had a distant nightmare of a scenario where we will have to lock ourselves inside our homes for weeks on end, like this. The beginning of the lockdown was very difficult for a...
