Bridge India takes on the challenges of tackling Covid across India
India is grappling with the COVID-19 situation, while Indian-diaspora-driven organisations across the world have stepped up their efforts to help Indians tide over this most challenging time. UK-based Bridge India, a non-profit think tank dedicated to the discourse on public policy, is one such organisation that has done phenomenal work in the past week. The esteemed Members have reached out for support...
Open Oven: Baking it Even!
With the world witnessing a paradigm shift, food still holds fort as a constant source of relief. Entrepreneurial ventures stocking on comfort and utility food has become the need of the hour. One such immensely popular bakery in Kolkata, India is the Open Oven Bakery. Instituted by Reshma Sengupta, Open Oven has been supplying tasty and healthy baked food...
Samskrtam: the language of culture
An evening to celebrate 'Samskrtam the language of culture' through cultural programmes and an inspiring talk on "Sanskriti and Universal Culture" was organised by Samskriti Bharati UK, along with Nehru Centre and High Commission of India on 1 May. I was honoured to be able to host the programme. The esteemed guests were Mr. Nandkumar G - Head of Communications, Samskriti...
Zoroastrians return to their roots to cultivate a better future
History can be important, particularly when it comes to your ancestry. Your distant past can inform your current culture and identity. Reaching out to touch that past can be rewarding in ways that are hard to imagine, until you finally do it. That's the goal of the Zoroastrian "Return to Roots" programme, to foster community links and a sense...
The Taj Mahal becomes first Indian monument with breastfeeding room
Public breastfeeding still carries a social stigma in India where mothers are expected to be covered head-to-toe The Taj Mahal, built as a monument to a woman who died in childbirth, is set to get a baby feeding room in a first for India where conservative attitudes toward public breastfeeding mean nursing mothers are often shamed and told to cover...
A bowl of traditional Goan Vonn to celebrate Easter
Growing up in the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai in India, I very unwittingly was initiated into our rich heritage of Goan and Indian traditions. Goa - The Portuguese ruled over this beautiful state of sun and gorgeous beaches for almost 450 years up until 1961! That meant that our Goan cuisine and the states religious beliefs had Portuguese influences as...
Vikram Hazra and Soumya Jyoti Ghosh to rock the stage in London and Manchester
Vikram Hazra, an unparalleled name in Indi-jazz-rock-contemporary music returns to UK after nearly 14 years to mesmerise his fans in London at Bush Hall on 1 June and in Manchester at the Band on the Wall on 2 June. Vikram will be accompanied by Soumya Jyoti Ghosh in the concert, titled ‘Song of the Soul’, organised by SAJDA (South...
Back in cinemas, the 2021 London Indian Film Festival
In a challenging year for India and South Asia, the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and its sister festivals in Birmingham and Manchester, will be a love letter to the homelands, continuing to premiere the very best of new indie films from the Indian subcontinent and diaspora, from 17th June to 4th July 2021. Supported by the British Film...
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...
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...
