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...

20,000 celebrate Diwali on the Square 2019 in Birmingham

The West Midlands Combined Authority joined forces with the Consulate General of India in Birmingham in hosting a spectacular extravaganza to celebrate the third consecutive annual event to usher in the Festival of Light on October 19, 2019! This landmark event titled "Diwali on the Square" took place in the most prominent and iconic location in Central Birmingham, the...

KASHISH 2023: Touching short Oas shortlisted for Ismat Chughtai Award

OAS (English Title: Dew Drops)16 mins | Narrative Short | IndiaDirector: Kartika Nainan Dubey Screening on Sunday June 11th 12.45pm at Liberty Cinema, Mumbai Oas is a short film from Kartika Nainan Dubey which intimately explores the story of two women who broke up some time back but are still in love. They explore their feelings, particularly how one of the...

KASHISH 2023 – be fluid, be you!

The 14th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, will be celebrated in-person at Liberty Cinema from June 7-11, 2023, and June 8-10 at Alliance Française de Bombay, with an online festival in the following week, June 16-25. If you're quick you can grab an early bird discount on Full Festival Passes for...

The UK property market scenario post COVID-19

As the globe enters uncharted territory, we wanted to take this opportunity to update you and be transparent to our community of lenders and borrowers. Thus, we’ve put together some FAQ style information for our lender and borrower community to keep you well informed. Frequently Asked Questions by Lenders: Q 1: How does it affect already funded/on-going Projects? A: Our existing projects...

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...

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...

Iranian feature “The Another Self” gets two nominations at Wales Film Festival

Passionate filmmaker Amir Tavakoli tackles a social topic in Iran The challenges faced by transgender communities across the world are similar, but can get extreme in conservative patriarchal societies like Iran and India. A film that has been doing the festival rounds and bravely brings out the nuances of this bold subject in Iran is a feature called The Another Self,...

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...

Multi-faith celebration marks 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak

Multiple faiths truly came together in Edinburgh at an event held to celebrate the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. It was a ground-breaking evening arranged a Muslim organisation, supported by a Hindu organisation, and hosted by the Christian Lord Provost. It was attended by all faiths and was a wonderful showcase of...