Special News

Ghalib was a great mango connoisseur

Altalf Hussain Hali, an ardent admirer of Mirza Ghalib and himself a poet of no mean achievement once had a very hot debate with the latter's friend Nawab Mustafa Khan Shefta on the topic that Ghalib was the sole Indian poet who had tasted the maximum varieties of mangoes.3:32 PM on December 29

Western music finds growing aficionados in capital

Western music arrived in India with the colonial powers, its influence initially confined to coastal towns. Delhi at that time was under Bahadur Shah Zafar - a poet in his own rights, one who had neither the will nor the power to resist the gradual British influence infusing the existing Indian culture with fresh intake from the West. Music, they say, is international with no language, nationality or borders - so making inroads here was just natural.3:31 PM on December 24

Poet Ghalib to be remembered at unique event

When the kathak maestro Uma Sharma and the shairi of Ghalib go together, the churning produces Andaz-e-Bayan - a three-day commemoration of Mirza Ghalib Dec 26-28 on the occasion of the inimitable poet's 210th birth anniversary. Ghalib was born Dec 27, 1797.9:31 AM on December 21

NRI in Britain like coconuts: brown outside, white inside

NRIs settled in Britain are sometimes called 'Coconuts' by some of their own social commentators. Brown from outside, 'Coconuts' are Indians who are white inside thus implying their 'Britishness' in their language, habits and thinking. Of course, tag is open to a lot of criticism but it does make a point: 'Coconuts' are Indians who have adopted the British way of life all the way and have joined the mainstream of their country's flow.12:32 PM on December 11

Experts suggest 'genuine power sharing' in Sri Lanka

An experts' panel set up by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has called for wide-ranging 'genuine power sharing' to end the ethnic conflict, suggesting among other things a bicameral legislature and two vice presidents from among the minorities.8:31 PM on December 06

NRIs countering religious bias

'Mummy, do we worship a monkey god?' asked a toddler in Britain. Such a question can be asked to any NRI mother, anywhere. The query would be difficult to tackle on the spur of the moment. What NRI children learn in school about their religion and gods is neither sufficient nor adequate - and sometimes incorrect! They have to respond to the comments, taunts and jibes from classmates. So they fall back upon their parents to give them the background; in most cases, they do not get it.9:30 AM on December 05

Russia never ceases to amaze Indian travellers

As our car expedition from St. Petersburg to Mumbai following the footsteps of 15th century Russian trader Afanasy Nikitin winds its way across Russia, endless rolling steppes give way to green meadows and then the Caucasus foothills with their lingering autumn colours.8:30 AM on December 05

NRIs entering the vast Indian market

Sensing India's high performance and huge potential, an NRI business consultant wants to set up an office to earn big money. He wants to know what his options are to establish his company's presence in India.9:32 AM on December 02

A hundred farm suicides a month in Vidarbha

Five months after the announcement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Rs.3750 crore (Rs 37.5 billion) relief package for the distressed farmers in Vidarbha, the suicide spiral has continued disturbingly with reports of five more farmers ending life in the last two days.3:32 PM on November 29

Russia proves enchanting for Indian travelers

Being an Indian in Russia is exciting - especially if you are on a trip like ours. Our group of 14 is on a car expedition from St. Petersburg to Mumbai following the footsteps of 15th century trader Afanasy Nikitin, possibly the first Russian to visit India and keep a record of his travels.9:32 AM on November 26

India Calls. Will you come for Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2007?

The global Indian family has its annual get together - the Fifth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) - Jan 7-9, 2007 in New Delhi. Around 2,000 non-resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs) from over 70 countries attend this jamboree to hobnob with 1,200 Indian delegates and renew their links with their motherland.9:31 AM on November 26

NRIs find cheaper to get married in India

It's cheaper for NRIs to get married in India than in Britain or the US. Really? Now that's an absurd statement especially when one reads about the dream weddings like those of the maharajas that the rich and famous have for their children in India. Yes, you can spend millions of dollars for that 'maharaja' wedding in India to keep up with Joshis (not Joneses) or Mittals or Chatwals.8:33 AM on November 21

The cab killers of Bhora-Kalan

The village of Bhora-Kalan off Manesar in Haryana - home to the Om Shanti Retreat Centre of the Prajapita Brahma Kumari Ishwariya Vidyalaya famous for its spiritual discourses - is in the news for all the wrong reasons. All nine people arrested for committing an unimaginable number of about 35 murders since January 2006 in and around Gurgaon, one of India's suburban boomtowns and an outsourcing destination, hail from Bhora-Kalan.10:30 AM on November 14

Hundreds dying in northeast from AIDS

A large number of people in India's northeast living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are struggling for survival. Hundreds are dying with no access to treatment.10:31 AM on November 12

Pakistan: singed by its own terror tactics

The Pakistani military and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the state within a state as it has been called, must have realized after the suicide attack on an army camp how dangerous it is to play with fire. Yet, for decades, starting from the time of another dictator, Zia ul-Huq, Pakistan has been encouraging the fundamentalists to marginalize the mainstream political parties and to needle India with jehadi attacks.9:32 AM on November 11