Touching Chords, Raising Questions: What Will People Say?
Culture and tradition weave the tapestry of our identity. Every community takes pride in the customs they follow and the values they adhere to. It is hoped that these beliefs are practiced by one generation after another. But can the legacy be comfortably handed down at the crossroads where the winds of a new culture blow against the existing...
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: Oli Khan’s Surma Takeaway to distribute thousands of free hot meals to frontline workers in the UK
The holy month of Ramadan 2020 will be remembered in history for coinciding with one of the worst pandemics of all time, and this has changed the way Ramadan is being observed globally this year. However this has not dampened the spirit of compassion and generosity during this sacred time. Celebrated chef Oli Khan FRSA and Surma takeaway in Stevenage have...
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...
Opinion: Those who do not learn from history end up repeating it with even more dire consequences
Sant Bhindranwale, an unelected and self-appointed leader, promised Sikhs extra rights and benefits in a secular and democratic country, India, where equality for all is enshrined in its constitution. He offered the Sikhs more benefits than the elected Chief Minister of Punjab could give them. He played on the human weakness of wanting to get something for nothing. The result...
First line of defence against coronavirus
I am a commoner. We commoners only read and hear about wars, tsunamis, fires, murders, diseases. For us these things are just news, these are things that only happen to someone else. Our strongest opinions are often limited to the dining table of our house. To put it simply, we're just part of a large 'Janta'. But what if...
International Mother Language Day – the challenges with immigration
In 1999, following an initiative by Bangladesh, UNESCO declared that 21 February would be International Mother Language Day, and it's been observed every year since the turn of the millennium. The date has significance because it was in 1952 that thousands amassed in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, to protest against the suppression of their native language. Preserving culture The goal for this day...
KASHISH 2023: Powerful Pride documentary Legendary Children [All Of Them Queer] debuts at KASHISH
LEGENDARY CHILDREN 39 min | Documentary Short | United KingdomDir: Rob Falconer Legendary Children is a powerful and timely documentary that shares the stories of many of the original Gay Liberation Front (GLF) pioneers of the 1972 and first European Pride event, interviewing them at the 50th anniversary Pride march in London 2022. It comes at a time where...
Swarnavel Eswaran’s first feature film Kattumaram (Catamaran) gets a standing ovation at BFI during LIFF 2019
Kattumaram (Catamaran), the coming-of-age tale of Tsunami-survivors in a small village where a conservative maternal uncle supports his orphaned niece and nephew while they struggle with their simple but complicated lives, has been very well received by London film-lovers. As a part of the London Indian Film Festival, LIFF 2019, Kattumaram had its European Premiere at the iconic BFI...
Lockdown Diaries: Mira Kaushik OBE spearheads an online platform to celebrate dance through UK’s performing artists
During lockdown, one of the things we art audiences are missing the most is being able to watch live performances. In the generosity of the universe, many top artists have been performing online for free. However, for London-based producer director and performing arts consultant Mira Kaushik, there was still something missing. “While the desire for viewing performances was being satisfied...
