Bharat Ratna shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan’s birth place in this Bihar town is crumbling despite politicians making promises over the years. In this election, it is barely a talking point for candidates. Politicians have repeatedly made promises to develop Bismillah Khan’s birthplace. But, over nine years after his death, local residents are disappointed with state […]
Amid small and big communal flashpoints, Hindu-Muslim harmony in Uttar Pradesh, widely called the “Ganga-Jamuna tehzeeb“, is still alive in the country’s most populous state. It may be difficult to believe but a leading Muslim cleric recited Hindu ‘shlokas’ (hymns) during the ongoing Moharram here. And Muslims came out in large numbers in Allahabad to […]
Acid attack victims, having opened a cafe called ‘Sheroes’ near the Taj Mahal, took another ginger step forward on Friday as they walked the ramp to tell the world that real beauty lies in one’s spirit and soul, not skin. The unique fashion show was organised by Max, leading international value fashion brand, to celebrate […]
By way of relief from the cacophony that passes for debate on prime time television, India’s ace anchor, Barkha Dutt, did a memorable interview the other night with historian Romila Thapar. It was memorable because the context against which this thoughtful conversation took place was so shoddy, and bleak. A man had been lynched at […]
The 2015 Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to Scottish micro-economist Angus Deaton, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Monday. According to an academy statement, Deaton, 69, was awarded “for his analysis of consumption, poverty, and welfare”, Xinhua news agency reported. “More than anyone else, Angus Deaton has enhanced the understanding […]
The election pledge by BJP allies HAM and LJP to extend job quotas to the private sector if the BJP-led alliance wins the Bihar elections has upset the state’s upper castes. The move by the Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) is seen as an attempt to cut into the traditional […]
On May 12, 2014, a fortnight before the Narendra Modi government assumed office, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, had categorically asserted that women were not suited to be fighters pilots. “As far as flying fighter planes is concerned, it’s a very challenging job. Women are by nature not physically […]
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US investors, India on Thursday gave a major tax concession to foreign companies that don’t have a permanent set-up in India but operate out of countries with which New Delhi has double tax avoidance treaties. Technically, the ministry of finance has decided to amend the Income Tax […]
Riding the success of an Agra cafe run by acid scarred survivors, the gutsy women have now decided to spread their wings and take their achievement to three other cities, including the national capital. Triumphing over tragedy, the five women involved in the cafe are determined to move on in life and are looking forward […]
By Aijaz Nazir With hundreds of families across the country preparing Eid-ul-Azha in the last week of September, the ban on sale of meat, including beef, has come as a huge setback for the traders who were expecting a good business during the festive season. Akbar Qureshi, a meat trader in the Mankhurd area of […]