SIAF’s 25th Dusherra is a blazing success
The Scottish Indian Arts Forum (SIAF) celebrated its flagship event Dusherra on 13 October 2019 at the top of Calton Hill, Edinburgh. More than 1,500 people braved the heavy rain and celebrated 25th Dusherra from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. The celebration started with a special reception by Lord Provost of Edinburgh at the City Chambers, Edinburgh on Friday evening – 4th...
Triumph of good over tear-gas: an extraordinary story of Hong Kong Bengali Association’s Durga Puja
‘Wherever you go, a bit of Calcutta will go with you. I know, because it’s happened to me. And every Puja, I am overcome by the magic of Bengal. It’s a feeling that’ll never go away.’ Vir Sanghvi ‘If you want a city with a soul: come to Kolkata’ True that! The Kolkata virus never quite goes away, and the infection...
The first Diwali at Scottish Parliament symbolises camaraderie of communities
The first Diwali hosted in the Scottish Parliament was celebrated this year on the Hindu auspicious day of Vijaya Dashami and the 20th Anniversary of the Scottish Parliament on 8th October. The coinciding celebrations of important festivals and events with significant community leaders was a deliberate plan to symbolise the camaraderie between the communities. The five-day-long Hindu festival of lights, representing...
A ride too far
Baramulla, North Kashmir April 1990 The Vale of Kashmir was brimming with voices of dissent and there was a surge in violence, murder and mayhem triggered by religious uprising in the state. The trouble in the valley was abetted primarily by the military leadership of neighbouring Pakistan and supported by the religious fundamentalist forces who had fallen prey to the...
Remembering the Mahatma
Some figures from history fade with time, but others not only endure, they thrive and become something greater. Gandhi is one of those who has transcended into the mainstream culture of India, Africa, the Americas and in the UK. The year 2019 is iconic, as it celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the Indian leader who shook the world in...
Cambridge physicist-activist-student-leader believes India can help mankind
He is a scientist, poet, writer, four-time elected student leader at Cambridge University, and activist. Dr. Mrittunjoy Guha Majumdar has led a varied life which currently sees him as a postdoctoral affiliate at Trinity College studying the foundations of quantum mechanics under Professor Brian Josephson, who is an all-time great of Physics and a Nobel Laureate. Having been born in...
British Asian Trust’s anti-trafficking programme in India saving hundreds of children
When ten-year-old Sadhil was brought to the Tabaar centre in Jaipur, India, his body was scarred, his face swollen and he desperately needed food and medicines. Sadhil was rescued from a bangles-making factory in Jaipur, where he suffered unsurmountable torture as a bonded child labourer. Sahdil grew up in one of India’s poorest states, Bihar, where nearly 40% of the population is...
Remembering Saint Sankardev and his enduring legacy
The Indian panorama offers a scintillating view of a potpourri of culture and tradition that the country can boast of. The tapestry of each state is woven by a rich cultural heritage that is distinctive and firmly embedded to its soil. Warmly nestled in the north-eastern part of India is Assam. The name at once resonates with the...
Delicious ambiguity drives dancer to greater heights
She is a Gold medalist in her Masters in Bharatnatyam dance, an actor, and a lawyer. Suhani Dhanki Mody, an established silver-screen actress, has recently relocated to London after her marriage and plans to concentrate on her career as a Bharatnatyam Danseuse. A lawyer from the well-known Government Law College at the University of Mumbai, the multi-talented Suhani has...
More scholarships for Indian students through LSE’s new India programme
In a positive move for the education sector in the UK, Boris Johnson has reversed the restrictive immigration policy for international students that drastically slashed the time for foreign students to find a job after graduating, from two years to four months. The policy, introduced by May as Home Secretary in 2012, had proved extremely detrimental to Britain’s popularity as...
