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...
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...
Havas Guruhi: When Music Crosses Borders
'No culture can thrive if it attempts to be exclusive' Poised with confidence, a young man in the spring of 2019 beautifully sang the iconic Bengali patriotic song Akla Cholo Re, penned by Rabindranath Tagore. The venue was the Embassy of Bangladesh in Tashkent. The year before, with equal ease, he presented at a Delhi concert, among other melodies, his...
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...
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...
Lockdown Diaries: The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe remember VE day in London
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) commemorated the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day or VE Day in London, by following the national two minute silence at 11am on 8 May. At 11.15am, the resident priest at the Zoroastrian Centre, Ervad Yazad T Bhadha commenced reciting the Stum-no kardo in front of the fire in the Setayash Gah,...
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...
Lockdown Diaries: Teenager Jai Aswani on a mission to feed the hungry in India by collecting 100 tonnes of food grains
Our initiative Mission 100 Tonnes was born out of distress calls we received from old age homes, orphanages, and pet shelters in Chennai, during the government-imposed lockdown in India three weeks back. Since then, there has been no looking back for us. The number of marginalised people requiring help during the unprecedented time of the COVID-19 outbreak has increased...
Dalit organisations in the UK demand justice for Manisha Valmiki
The brutal gang rape and death of 19-year-old Manisha Valmiki, belonging to a lower caste from Hathras in the the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and the police action thereafter has sent shock waves all over the world. This brutality committed by perpetrators from an upper caste, as caste motivated hate crimes, must be condemned in the strongest...
Inappropriate phrasing spoils Hong Kong’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2020
This year's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was held 21 March in Hong Kong. It should have been a proud moment for a community who has struggled hard to overcome the obstacles from institutional discrimination and unfair policies to be where we are, but sadly that was not the case. Let me introduce myself, my name is Jeffrey Andrews and...
