Ava’s Ark: an animal lover whose passion is her profession

If it's one thing that anyone close to me knows it is that I am an animal lover and, like with most animals, when our happy spirits meet its always love at first sight. As my passion for animals grew, the need to understand their behaviour and patterns grew as well. I decided to get a certification which would help...

Foodies – Zaman Restaurant

It's easy to miss Zaman, a restaurant situated in the basement of the Old Qubec Street in the heart of the city's cosmopolitan hub. The restaurant was named after the former chef, Mahmud Zaman, rebranded to cater to the Sportsman Casino's global clientèle, located one floor above the restaurant. The multi-award-winner Head Chef Mahmud Zaman has left to join the Palm Beach...

The Chattri Memorial Service: India’s war sacrifices remembered in Brighton

The Royal Armed Forces, veterans associations, relatives of Indian soldiers, and senior members from civic and political life attended the Chattri Memorial on the Downs just north of Patchman on 9 June to remember the war sacrifices of soldiers during First World War, from undivided India. Hindu and Sikh soldiers were cremated in the site of the memorial, having...

Edinburgh’s community spirit is back with a bang for Dusherra 2021

Social distancing, wearing masks, sanitizing hands seemed to be a distant past as Edinburgh residents prepared for the Dusherra event this weekend - 17th Oct 2021. Although, I don’t mean literally. Track and Trace was very much evident at the venue and the sides of the marquee were kept open for more than 50% so that enough ventilation was...

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...

Jiu-Jitsu fires a passion to win gold

In an era of cut-throat, tough competition, you might be forgiven for thinking success at a sport could only come by practising pretty much from the time you leave the womb. You might believe that a 27-year-old picking up Jiu-Jitsu might never achieve any real level of success. Going against these pre-defined notions makes Sankalita Chakraborty's swift rise to...

Ratha Yatra in Edinburgh draws huge crowds

In an incredible Ratha Yatra festival organised by the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir and Odhisha Society of Scotland (OSS), nearly a thousand people gathered in Edinburgh to celebrate the 4th edition of the festival on 7 July. The event was made big this year with people coming in from Glasgow, Dundee, New Castle and Manchester. The Isckon Leshmagaow were also a...

KASHISH 2021: Waves the Rainbow flag at Kala Ghoda with three LGBTQ programs by KASHISH at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival joins hands with Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, one of the oldest festivals in India, to bring an exciting line-up of gay, lesbian and transgender focus short films as well as a panel discussion. Sridhar Rangayan, festival director of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival said, “This is the...

Combating the top 5 online threats to children

Life has changed enormously since the rise of the mobile phone. Perhaps the most important change is the way it's given children direct access to the internet via a device they own themselves. A generation ago, parents' worst nightmares were filled with child abductions, but now they need to worry about the kind of inappropriate content that can be stumbled...

Publisher of “The House of Commons Book of Tribute Messages to Nelson Mandela” gets in more supporters for ending poverty

At a recent cultural programme evening Nrutyotsav, organised by Sarjan Nartan Academy, the Founder of "The House of Commons Book of Tribute Messages to Nelson Mandela" and organiser of the Nelson Mandela Book Charity Balls, Nic Careem, invited Jasu Vekaria MBE and Suryakanth Jadva to leave a hand-written message in the book. Famed choreographer and dance teacher Neha Sachin presented...