- Saturday, April 20, 2024
The Indian Premier League, or IPL as it is commonly known, is sporting extravaganza that is at par with the likes of club football tournaments in Europe and Super Bowl in the United States, due to its immense popularity. According to the data released by India’s top broadcasting body, Broadcast…
EIGHT people from India have been honoured in Time magazine's prestigious list of the 100 most influential people of 2024. World Bank president Ajay Banga, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Olympian wrestler Sakshi Malik and actor-director Dev Patel are among the Indians on the list. It also…
RAM NAVAMI was celebrated on Wednesday (17) across the country with joyous processions and special prayers, as Ayodhya's Ram temple witnessed grand festivities to mark the first Ram Navami after its consecration, a day described as a "generational milestone" by prime minister Narendra Modi. Modi greeted people on the festival,…
Jos Buttler hit an unbeaten 107, outshining Sunil Narine's explosive century, as the Rajasthan Royals clinched a nail-biting two-wicket win against the Kolkata Knight Riders on the final ball, achieving a record-equalling IPL chase of 224 at Eden Gardens on Tuesday. Rajasthan were once in big trouble at 121-6 by…
Sunrisers Hyderabad set a new Indian Premier League (IPL) benchmark by scoring an all-time high of 287-3 in their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, securing a 25-run victory. This game not only surpassed Hyderabad’s previous record of 277 but also marked the highest aggregate score in a T20 match, with…
Rohit Sharma's brilliant century could not steer Mumbai Indians to victory as they fell short by 20 runs against Chennai Super Kings in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash on Sunday. Chasing a formidable target of 207, Mumbai ended at 186-6 despite Rohit's unbeaten 105 at the Wankhede Stadium in…
A FABULOUS forty-year career in fashion has seen Neeta Lulla embark on a fantastic journey filled with many magnificent moments. The legendary designer has mixed couture creations and beautiful bridal outfits with award-winning work in hundreds of high-profile movies and dressing A-list celebrities. She has also become a strong symbol…
The Imperial College London quiz team, which included computational science graduate from Kolkata Sourajit Debnath, has emerged as the winner of the champion’s trophy of ‘University Challenge’. The win in Monday night’s final aired on BBC makes the London-based university one of the most successful in the show’s history, winning…
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's performances helped Chennai Super Kings (CSK) defeat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven wickets on Monday and get back to winning ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ravindra Jadeja returned bowling figures of 3-18 while Gaikwad made an unbeaten 67 as…
JOS BUTTLER hit an unbeaten 100 to trump Virat Kohli's first century of the IPL season as Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets on Saturday (6). Buttler reached his ton, from 58 balls, with a six in his 100th IPL match when Rajasthan needed one for victory…
A London-based computational science graduate from Kolkata is part of the Imperial College London team that has entered the finals of BBC's 'University Challenge' quiz competition. Sourajit Debnath, 31, will join his four-member team as they go head-to-head with University College London (UCL) in the grand final to be telecast…
If you thought 200 runs in a T20 game was a big deal, Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) batting performance on Wednesday will make you rethink about the format, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL). West Indies' Sunil Narine scored a smashing 39-ball 85 to lead KKR to the second-best…
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Monday penned a note praising legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. He wrote, "Satyajit Ray has inspired us all. You can keep discovering and rediscovering the layers every time you watch his cinema. He has shown how inspiring cinema can be as a medium and how it can…
VIRAT KOHLI batted out the innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru with his second straight Indian Premier League half-century on Friday (29) but Kolkata Knight Riders still cruised to a seven-wicket victory. Chasing the home side's 182-6, Kolkata reached their target with 19 balls to spare when skipper Shreyas Iyer hit…
THE actress Shelley King, best known for playing Yasmeen Nazir in Coronation Street and Jay Harper in Angels, has talked to Eastern Eye about a children’s street charity in Kolkata which will be marking its 25th anniversary on November 9, 2024. King, who herself lived in Kolkata till the age…
Harshit Rana's resilience in the final over and Andre Russel's muscling fifty helped Kolkata Knight Riders survive Heinrich Klaasen's six-hitting spree and score a thrilling four-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL match here on Saturday (23). Klaassen almost turned the match on its head with a 29-ball 63…
Renowned DJ Alan Walker is set to enthrall the Indian audience. Alan Walker will perform from September to October this year, covering places like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Hyderabad, Pune, Shillong, Chennai and Kolkata. The Norwegian musician will be touring in support of his WalkerWorld, the first installment of…
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS are set to commence their Indian Premier League title defense against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, marking a potentially pivotal season for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who resigned as captain on Thursday (21). Dhoni played his last international in 2019 but remains one of the country's most popular players, and…
A 2022 report showed that Amazon Web Services (AWS) had plans to extend data centres into four regions of India within two years. These regions, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai, were part of AWS's larger vision of reaching 32 such local areas in 26 countries by 2024. Better Customer Experiences…
Cricket's 'Super Bowl' Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to return this week with a blockbuster opening clash between defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a South Indian derby at their home arena--MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. Making it more special actors Akshay Kumar,…
Five short films from India, Spain, the Philippines, the UK, and the US showcasing LGBTQIA+ narratives that resonate with resilience and authenticity are being screened in 10 cities across India. British Council in partnership with British BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival launched the 10th edition of the 'Five Films…
WHILE it’s true that stand-up comedy first gained prominence in western culture, India’s comedy scene has emerged as one of the fastest-growing in the past decade. In recent years, there has been an influx of top talents who have presented humour in a unique way and risen to prominence with…
INDIA's navy recaptured a ship from Somali pirates off the Indian coast Saturday (16), the military said, rescuing the crew and ending a three-month takeover of the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier MV Ruen. The December hijacking of the ship was the first time since 2017 that any cargo vessel had been…
LEGENDARY actor Shashi Kapoor left behind a remarkable body of work that ranged from commercial Hindi cinema entertainers to Englishlanguage projects that opened the doors for Bollywood stars in international projects. He broke creative ground, tackled taboos and added a new dimension to big screen entertainers. This resulted in a…
KAUSHIK RAY has been drawn to creativity from a young age, a passion he finally pursued last year by quitting a full-time job as a lawyer to focus on filmmaking. This bold step led him to direct the short film, The Lime Green Shirt, which is being screened as part…
THE First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, was at the Indian High Commission in London last Thursday (29) to announce that 2024 would be a year of close collaboration between his country and India. “Wales in India”, his government said in a formal statement, “is a 12-month series of events…
Kanpur's Vaibhav Gupta has won the singing reality show Indian Idol 14 after besting co-contestants Subhadeep Das Chowdhary from Kolkata and Rajasthan's Piyush Panwar. Gupta, 19, was awarded with a cheque of ₹25 Lakh (approximately £23,791) from Sony Entertainment Television and a Brezza from co-sponsors Maruti Suzuki India Ltd in…
Actor-producer Anshuman Jha on Monday said his critically acclaimed film Lakadbaggha will be adapted into a comic book series and the first volume will be released at ComicCon 2024. The action-thriller follows the story of animal-loving vigilante Arjun Bakshi (Jha), who unearths an underground illegal animal trade cell functioning from…
IN yet another deadly attack on Indian Americans in the US in recent months, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India and a student of Washington University, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who migrated to the US from West Bengal last year…
One of India’s leading fashion designers, Sabyasachi Mukherjee is entering the world of beauty with an exclusive range of 10 stunning new lipsticks steeped in luxury and Indian heritage. The 50-year-old designer, best known for his genre-defining bridalwear, is bringing the limited-edition lipstick collection in collaboration with Estée Lauder. The…
THE London mayoral election is on May 2, so it’s not that far away. If I were Sadiq Khan, I would be pleased privately by Lee Anderson’s comments about him on GB News: “I don’t actually believe that the Islamists have got control of our country, but what I do…
THE money-spinning Indian Premier League (IPL) will likely begin its next season on March 22, but will keep its fixtures flexible to accommodate the country’s general election, the national cricket board announced last Thursday (22). Defending champions Chennai Super Kings, led by 42-year-old former India captain MS Dhoni, will face…
The rice preparations, Biryani and Pulao are two delicious dishes loved around the world, each with its special taste. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, these dishes have changed over the years, influenced by various cultures. Even though both are made with rice, the flavours, and their history make them unique…
While the world remembers the colossal battles and heroes of World War II, another war unfolded far from the spotlight, claiming millions of lives: the Bengal Famine of 1943. In a powerful new documentary series, Three Million, BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service bring to light the devastating…
The sixth episode of Karan Johar’s streaming show Love Storiyaan, titled Love Beyond Labels, has been banned in six countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Indonesia, and Egypt. The series, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on the occasion of Valentine’s Day, focuses on the love story of six…
Popular actress of yesteryears Anjana Bhowmick died in Kolkata on Saturday, family sources said. She was 79. Anjana who had been ailing for some time died at a private hospital in Kolkata at around 10:30 am, they said. She was admitted to the hospital due to respiratory problems on February…
Tobacco major British American Tobacco is looking to trim its £15 billion stake in the Indian cigarettes-to-hotel conglomerate ITC, according to media reports. The maker of Lucky Strike and Dunhill cigarettes announced this alongside a large annual loss of over £17 bn and a mixed outlook. BAT currently holds over…
Veteran actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty has been admitted to a hospital in Kolkata. Chakraborty, 73, reportedly expressed uneasiness on his return home from a film shoot and was rushed immediately to the hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. More details regarding his health are awaited. Chakraborty was recently named as a…
Actor Saif Ali Khan was on Tuesday discharged from the hospital, a day after he underwent elbow surgery here. The 53-year-old actor was reportedly admitted to the city's Kokilaben Hospital after an old injury got triggered while performing an action sequence on his new film. On Tuesday afternoon, Saif was…
Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan, who passed away on Tuesday afternoon, was laid to rest with state honours in Kolkata on Wednesday. He also received a gun salute as part of his final rites. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was in attendance at Rabindra Sadan, where the mortal remains…
TALENTED golfer Avani Prashanth is leading a four-member Indian team of two men and two women, at the prestigious Australian Masters of Amateur Championships and the Australian Amateurs this month. The 17-year-old, who has decided to hold off her plans to turn pro, will feature in both events alongside Heena…
Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan has died at the age of 55. The musician had been battling cancer, and on Tuesday, he breathed his last at a hospital in Kolkata. Ustad Rashid Khan is the great-grandson of the legendary Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan Sahab, the founder of the Rampur Sahaswan…
Ustad Rashid Khan, the celebrated voice that made Hindustani classical music accessible to countless listeners, died at a Kolkata hospital on Tuesday after a four-year battle with prostate cancer. The classical singer was 55. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. "We tried our best but…
Popular Bollywood couple Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan joined the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) on Wednesday as the owners of the final and last team of Kolkata. Kareena took to her Instagram handle to share the exciting news with his followers. “Cricket, a tradition we cherish, a…
MEIYANG Chang’s remarkable ascent has led him from a career in dentistry to becoming a popular singer, TV host and actor in India. This included making a mark on Indian Idol, winning the reality TV show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 4 and becoming runner-up on the equally challenging series Fear Factor:…
National Award winner Suriya on Wednesday said he has joined the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) as the owner of team Chennai. The ISPL is India's first tennis ball T10 cricket tournament that will be played inside a stadium, according to a press release. The inaugural edition is scheduled to…
RRR star Ram Charan on Sunday said he has joined the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) as the owner of team Hyderabad. The ISPL is India's first tennis ball T10 tournament that will be played inside a stadium. The inaugural edition will feature 19 high-intensity matches, boasting a line-up of…
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday announced his association with the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) as the owner of team Mumbai. The ISPL is India's first tennis ball T10 cricket tournament that will be played inside a stadium, according to a press release. The inaugural edition is scheduled to be…
After visiting Japan and Italy, the third season of the Our Man In... series brings James May to India, with the popular presenter touring Mumbai, Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra, Kolkata, Darjeeling, and more scenic and vibrant tourist destinations. Prime Video on Tuesday dropped the trailer for James May: Our Man in…
Alolika Bhattacharjee Guha entered the set of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) as a homemaker and left as a millionaire who not only won prize money but also hearts with her exuberant personality. Alolika became a viral social media sensation after the quiz show's host, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, shared a clip…
Chandan Roy Sanyal's directorial debut Suzie Q has been selected to be showcased at the prestigious Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2023. The film is a journey of its lead character Suzie Q played by the versatile and acclaimed actress Parno Mittrah. Taking to Instagram, Chandan Roy Sanyal shared this…
FORMER Spain and Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia believes that Indian football can touch global heights if the players are given exposure to different leagues abroad and young talents and coaches are trained methodically. The 45-year-old, who was part of the ISL [Indian Super League] title-winning Atletico de Kolkata side in…
INDIA’S prime minister Narendra Modi responded to a ‘thank you’ note by Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger. After concluding his India trip, the legendary rocker shared a note written in Hindi on X. His note accompanied a video of him singing Dreamy Skies from Hackney Diamonds, the band’s new album.…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to a ‘Thank you’ note by the legendary rockstar Mick Jagger. After concluding his India trip, the British rock band The Rolling Stones lead vocalist shared a note written in Hindi on X. His note accompanied a video of him singing 'Dreamy Skies' from…
ROHIT SHARMA's undefeated India will look to end a 10-year global title drought in front of 130,000 fans in the World Cup final against five-time champions Australia on Sunday (19). India have racked up 10 straight wins at the tournament as they seek a third World Cup triumph to add…
AUSTRALIA's Mitchell Starc believes Sunday's (19) World Cup final against India at Ahmedabad's 130,000-capacity stadium will be "loud and a spectacle of cricket". Five-time champions Australia edged out South Africa by three wickets in a tense chase of 213 in Kolkata on Thursday (16) to make their eighth World Cup…
TRAVIS HEAD starred with bat and ball as Australia set up a World Cup final clash with India after a tense three-wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata on Thursday (16). Chasing a tricky 213 for victory, Australia wobbled after Head hit 62 but Steve Smith (30) and Josh Inglis…
INDIA's Virat Kohli struck a record 50th hundred and fast bowler Mohammed Shami's seven-wicket haul proved equally crucial as the unbeaten hosts overpowered New Zealand by 70 runs in a high-scoring match on Wednesday (15) to march into the World Cup final. Kohli's 117 and a blistering 105 from Shreyas…
GERMAN goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn has launched his academy in India, aiming to “transform the landscape of football education” and development in the country. He has entered into a partnership with Pro 10 in Maharashtra. The Oliver Kahn Academy aims to become the hub for complete football education that would…
DAVID CAMERON has replaced James Cleverly as Britain’s foreign secretary, but just how the job is done at the coal face is explained by Andrew Fleming, who took over last week as the new British deputy high commissioner in Kolkata. Just before leaving for India, Fleming sat in the Page…
INDIA captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat in the first World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday (15). The venue, where India won their last 50-overs World Cup title, has hosted four day-night contests so far at this tournament with three…
Rock legend and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is in India, soaking in the Diwali flavour and how! The rock-and-roll star posted a series of pictures on his official Instagram handle, taking in the sights and sounds of the Festival of Light on the streets of Kolkata. Along with the…
TWO Indian cities joined New Delhi to be among the world's worst 10 for pollution on Monday (13) morning, with smoke heavy in the air a day after revellers let loose with firecrackers for Diwali - the annual Hindu festival of light. The capital New Delhi took, as it often…
MITCHELL Marsh blasted his second big century of the World Cup as Australia primed themselves for the semi-finals by cruising to their seventh straight victory with an eight-wicket win over Bangladesh on Saturday (11). Australia lost Travis Head early in their chase of 307 but fellow opener David Warner (53)…
Officials have reported nearly a twofold increase in the number of Indian weddings hosted at star-category properties in Oman this year compared to the same period last year. A representative of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman said Omani officials began communicating with Indian wedding planners many…
ENGLAND captain Jos Buttler said the team have shown a desire to "put things right" in India after a dismal World Cup campaign and are determined to secure a spot in the 2025 Champions Trophy with a top-eight finish. The 2019 champions earned a 160-run win over the Netherlands in…
THE eye-opening drama had its world premiere at the recent Busan International Film Festival. The simple yet effective movie revolves around a couple living in a Kolkata slum. They work as garbage collectors and sift through rubbish for salvageable items, which they bring home and use to tell stories to…
THERE is one fascinating aspect about this week’s big Bollywood release Tiger 3 you may not have realised and revolves around fortunes changing over time. Back in 2014, Arijit Singh was a newcomer, who had suddenly found fame after his fabulous Aashiqui 2 song Tum Hi Ho became a worldwide…
VIRAT KOHLI marked his 35th birthday with his second century of the World Cup and Ravindra Jadeja claimed five wickets as India thumped South Africa by 243 runs in a contest featuring the top two teams in the tournament at the Eden Gardens. South Africa's chase of 327 began shakily…
ENGLAND'S Ben Stokes on Friday (3) conceded that "nothing's worked" in a disastrous World Cup campaign. The defending champions have lost five of their six matches to lie at the bottom of the 10-team table and another defeat on Saturday (4) in Ahmedabad against arch-rivals Australia will end even their…
BANGLADESH prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (1) said the inauguration of three India-assisted development projects in her country has proved that friendly relations between neighbouring countries can accelerate mutual economic development. "I think it is an instance for the world," Hasina said after virtually inaugurating jointly with her Indian…
PAKISTAN captain Babar Azam said on Tuesday (31) that he still clings onto hope that his team can squeeze into the World Cup semi-finals despite the odds stacked against them. "Yes. We are trying to win our next two matches and let's see where we stand," said Azam after a…
Nandini Das has won the 11th British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding with for her debut work "Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire." The award was presented by professor Charles Tripp FBA, the Chair of the jury, during a celebratory event at the British…
PAKISTAN’S chief of selectors, Inzamam-ul-Haq, resigned on Monday (30) over allegations of a conflict of interest linked to the team’s poor performance at the World Cup in India. Inzamam is reportedly accused of holding a position in a company that has contracted several Pakistan players for marketing and commercial promotions.…
THE Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has an upbeat Diwali message for Eastern Eye readers – they, too, can be part of the fight against climate change in Britain if each one plants a tree and strives for a greater diversity of plants, vegetables, flowers and wildflowers as well as creepers…
SHAHEEN SHAH AFRIDI grabbed three wickets while openers Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique cracked half-centuries as Pakistan stormed to a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday (31) to stay afloat in the race for a World Cup semi-final place. Shaheen's 3-23 helped Pakistan dismiss Bangladesh for just 204 in 45.1…
Facing a formidable opponent on foreign soil, England's war-weary cricket team gears up for their World Cup challenge against India at a venue historically significant for intense battles, adding to the pressure of the already tense tournament. The past and present cricket powerhouses meet Sunday (29) in Lucknow not far…
Singer-actor Harrdy Sandhu on Friday announced his first ever all-India tour titled In My Feelings. The musical tour, which will kickstart on November 18 and conclude in December, will travel to cities such as Delhi, Indore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Pune, and Bhubaneswar. Sandhu, known for songs such as "Bijlee Bijlee",…
BRAZILIAN legend Ronaldinho was in Kolkata last Sunday (22) to usher in an early onset of the Durga puja festival. The Durga puja, the grandest festival in the region, traditionally commences on the sixth day (Shasthi) following Mahalaya, but it got rolling on the second day itself with the Ronaldinho…
THE outlook is very bright for British Indian businessmen (and women) if a UK-India Free Trade Agreement is signed – as prime ministers Rishi Sunak and Narendra Modi hope to do by the end of 2023 or at the latest by early next year. A senior Indian government source has…
PG WODEHOUSE’S step-great-grandson, Hal Cazalet, is going to India at the end of October for a month with a oneman show, Play on Words. Wodehouse’s brand of humour has special appeal for Indians. The show is meant to be “an evening of music, laughter, romance and glamour” to highlight Wodehouse’s…
The sixth edition of the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) India started in New Delhi with the screening of legendary screenwriter Yuji Sakamoto's upcoming venture We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, directed by Nobuhiro Doi. The four-month-long touring festival, organised in association with PVR INOX, will take place in seven cities across…
SUMAN GHOSH adds to his impressive body of work with The Scavenger of Dreams having its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival this month. The multi-award-winning filmmaker presents a powerful drama about a young father struggling to adapt to modernisation and his family’s profession of waste collection. The Indian…
EXPLOSIVE opener Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed seven sixes in a sublime maiden T20 century as India’s men opened their first Asian Games campaign with a 23-run defeat of gutsy Nepal on Tuesday (3). Pakistan also reached the semifinals, crushing Hong Kong by 68 runs, with experienced all-rounder Khushdil Shah taking 3-13.…
Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho has confirmed his upcoming visit to the city of Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal, just ahead of the Durga Puja which is the biggest religious festival of Bengalis in Kolkata. For the three-time Ballon d'Or winner, this will be the maiden visit…
Grammy Award-nominated rapper Raja Kumari is set to kickstart her 'The Bridge World' tour from her ancestral hometown Hyderabad. "I am very excited to start the tour in Hyderabad, my ancestral hometown. The Bridge World Tour is a manifestation straight off my vision board. Paying homage to my roots by…
INDIAN activist Partha Chaudhury is on a war footing as he strides out of the ruling BJP’s regional headquarters in Kolkata armed with passion and pages of voter lists. “We need to meet each and every BJP supporter, and all of this has to be done in less than 300…
In a historic achievement, India's dressage team clinched its first-ever Asian Games gold medal, marking only the second victory in this discipline's history. The quartet of Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Vipul Hriday Chheda, and Anush Agarwalla successfully lived up to the high expectations on Tuesday (26) in Hangzhou. The Indian…
Santiniketan, the renowned location in India’s West Bengal, where poet Rabindranath Tagore established Visva-Bharati more than a century ago, has received UNESCO World Heritage List recognition. The announcement was made by the international organisation via a Twitter post on Sunday (17). "New inscription on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Santiniketan, #India.…
Nandini Das from the UK and Kris Manjapra from the US, both with Indian heritage are among the six global writers announced on Tuesday (12) for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize, for Global Cultural Understanding, a prestigious international non-fiction award valued at GBP 25,000. Nandini Das, originally from India,…
A film festival celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of screen icon Dev Anand will be held later this month, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) announced Monday. Dev Anand, star of films such as Hum Dono, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, CID, and Guide, will be honoured ahead of his birthday on…
With crackers and confetti, dancing and drumbeats, and whistles galore, Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan got off to an exuberant start on Thursday morning with audiences streaming into theatres across India– all the way from Srinagar to Chennai. The thriller in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu is directed by South filmmaker Atlee,…
Bridgerton star Simone Ashley recently enjoyed a meal at Darjeeling Express, a restaurant in Covent Garden, London. The wildly popular restaurant is owned by Kolkata-born British chef and restaurateur Asma Khan and is run by nine women. Ashley, who became a household name after playing Kate Sharma in Netflix’s globally…
INDIA’S government is likely to bring a resolution to rename the country as “Bharat”, media reports have said. President Draupadi Murmu’s invite to G20 heads of state for a dinner later this week came in the name of “President of Bharat” instead of the usual ‘President of India’. This triggered…
LABOUR MP Shabana Mahmood said she was honoured to be appointed shadow secretary of state for justice after party leader Sir Keir Starmer carried out a reshuffle on Monday (4). Days after prime minister Rishi Sunak’s mini reshuffle last week, Sir Keir named Birmingham Ladywood MP Mahmood to the shadow…
Astronomy enthusiasts were treated to a delightful experience on Wednesday, August 30, as a rare celestial event, known as a Super Blue Moon graced the skies worldwide. [caption id="attachment_249758" align="alignnone" width="750"] The Super Blue Moon as seen in the sky above the India Gate, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug. 30,…
Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has said it will take time for the country to produce a singles champion despite the progress in the game. Paes, who has a total of 18 grand slam titles in men's doubles and mixed doubles, said India will have to be realistic with its…
KRISHNENDU MAJUMDAR has called a wrap after three years as chair of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta), to be succeeded by his deputy, Sara Putt. Majumdar was the first nonwhite person to occupy the post since Bafta was set up 76 years ago on April 16,…
CHARLES DICKEN’S classic work, Great Expectations, has been adapted to an Asian setting in a new production to be staged next month at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Pooja Ghai, Tamasha Theatre’s artistic director, will helm a fresh adaptation of playwright Tanika Gupta MBE’s 2011 take on the 19th…
AT LEAST labourers working on a railway bridge being built across a ravine in India's eastern Mizoram state were killed when it collapsed on Wednesday (23), officials said, with others reported missing. Video footage posted by Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga showed a metal frame that had toppled off towering columns…
EXCITEMENT rose in India on Tuesday (22) on the eve of a much-anticipated moon landing, with prayers held for its success, schools marshalling students to watch a live telecast of the event and space enthusiasts organising parties to celebrate. The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was scheduled to…
Excitement rose in India on Tuesday (22) on the eve of a much-anticipated moon landing, with prayers held for its success, schools marshalling students to watch a live telecast of the event and space enthusiasts organising parties to celebrate. The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is scheduled to…
THOSE who pursue romantic love across boundaries of caste, religion or class in India are even today “just asking to be murdered”, says the historian Joya Chatterji, emeritus professor of South Asian History at Cambridge University. She has given several examples of love leading to murder in her new book,…
BANGLADESH has sought an extradition treaty with the UK, weeks after a court in the south Asian nation sentenced its exiled opposition leader in a money laundering case. Earlier this month, Tarique Rahman, 55, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was handed a nine-year prison term and his…
The safety and security of the Indian High Commission in London, as well as its personnel, are being safeguarded through essential measures by the UK, British security minister Tom Tugendhat said. This initiative comes approximately five months subsequent to an attack on the mission by pro-Khalistani groups, which had introduced…
SECURITY minister Tom Tugendhat has announced a new funding of £95,000 to enhance Britain's capability to tackle "pro-Khalistan extremism". The announcement, coinciding with Tugendhat's visit to India, comes amid growing concerns in India over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements in the UK. Tugendhat is in India to bolster bilateral cooperation…
THE marquee World Cup match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will now be played on October 14, one day before the original slot, the ICC confirmed as the world governing body announced rescheduling nine games of the tournament. As per the latest update, Pakistan and England will have three of…
THE horror stories of ethnic violence emerging from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur have greatly distressed the British artist, Marcus Hodge, because the place had appeared like a peaceful paradise to him when he was there in November last year painting polo ponies. Hodge was in Imphal, the state…
INDIA'S clash with arch-rivals Pakistan in this year's ODI World Cup has been brought forward a day to October 14 among eight other fixture changes, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Wednesday (9). The world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad will host the hotly anticipated match, originally set for October…
Rabindranath Tagore's literary works have left a profound impact on Indian cinema and several renowned filmmakers have been inspired by his writings. On the occasion of Tagore's death anniversary today on August 7, here is a list of iconic film adaptations of his works that you should not miss. Pather…
AT LEAST 17 workers were crushed to death in western India on Tuesday (1) when a crane collapsed above an under-construction expressway outside the financial capital Mumbai, disaster response officials said. The crane toppled onto large concrete slabs during the night, with debris then smashing down as labourers worked on…
IT WAS fun catching Shomit Dutta’s play, Stumped, at Hampstead Theatre before the run ended. The two-hander involves an entertaining, though not always friendly, conversation between the great Nobel Prize winning playwrights, Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett, played by Andrew Lancel and Stephen Tompkinson respectively, as they wait in a…
A 44-foot-long Japanese-style handscroll painted by the renowned Indian blind artist, Benodebehari Mukherjee, has resurfaced after almost a century and is on public display in the Indian city, of Kolkata, his birthplace, the BBC reported. Mukherjee, born in 1904, was blind in one eye and lost his vision completely at…
THE Cricket World Cup will begin on October 5 with England facing New Zealand in Ahmedabad with the same venue hosting the final on November 19, organisers said on Tuesday (27), with the schedule for the showpiece event in India also confirming Pakistan's participation. The fixtures were revealed by the…
PRIME minister Narendra Modi gave Joe Biden a special sandalwood box with a carved silver idol of Lord Ganesha as he met the US president on the first day of his state visit in Washington DC yesterday (21). Sourced from Mysuru in the south Indian state of Karnataka, the box…
There are no words adequate to reflect the horror of last week’s train disaster in India, in which nearly 300 people were killed and 1,200 injured. The crash in Odisha involving the Bengaluru- Howrah Superfast Express and the Shalimar- Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train occurred around 7pm…
Veteran theatre director-actor Aamir Raza Husain, known for his larger-than-life outdoor stage productions, died in New Delhi at the age of 66. Husain was suffering from a heart-related ailment and passed away on Saturday, his son said. "He was hospitalised for two days and had undergone heart surgery, but wasn't…
PASSENGER and freight trains were running again on Monday (5) at the site of India's deadliest train disaster in decades, which the railway officials blamed on possible "sabotage" and tampering with the electronic system. An investigation has been opened into the three-train crash near Balasore in the eastern state of…
In the aftermath of India's worst rail crash in over two decades, rescuers and families tirelessly combed through the wreckage of mangled train carriages on Sunday (03), in a desperate search for additional victims. The incident, which occurred near the district of Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, was…
At least 288 people were killed and hundreds more injured in a three-train collision in India, officials said Saturday (3), the country's deadliest rail accident in more than 20 years. Wreckage debris was piled high at the crash site near Balasore, in the eastern state of Odisha, where some carriages…
KK, one of the most talented Indian playback singers, died on this day 12 months ago. He died on May 31, 2022, due to a heart attack while he was performing in Kolkata. He sang thousands of songs in his career with songs such as “Yaaron Dosti,” “Tadap Tadap Ke,” “Pal,”…
What was Srichand Parmanand Hinduja – “SP” to everyone – really like? I will miss our walks in St James’s Park, which were invariably at dawn. He walked briskly, much faster than someone half his age. More than 10 years ago, he decided to tell me his life story. At…
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Wednesday (24) that Australia will establish a new Consul-General in Bengaluru this month. This announcement follows Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's statement that India will open a consulate in Brisbane, demonstrating the efforts of both countries to strengthen their bilateral relations. After discussions…
Lucknow Super Kings survived an unbeaten blitz of 67 by Rinku Singh to edge Kolkata Knight Riders by one run and qualify for the Indian Premier League play-offs on Saturday (20). Nicholas Pooran's 58 guided Lucknow to 176-8, a total that was threatened by Rinku, a left-hand batsman, who smashed…
Former India captain Virat Kohli smashed a masterful century as his Royal Challengers Bangalore thumped Sunrisers Hyderabad, for whom South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen hit a ton of his own, by eight wickets in the IPL on Thursday (18). The win leaves Bangalore in control of their own destiny in the…
The IPL is hotting up with seven teams still in the hunt for play-off spots after five-time champions Mumbai Indians suffered a shock loss to Lucknow. Defending champions Gujarat Titans are the only franchise to have booked one of the four play-off places, with the Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad…
After 15 years as a professional golfer, Anirban Lahiri has experienced the highs and the lows of a sport in which mere millimetres can separate glory from heartbreak and success from failure. The Pune putter has made the big decision to uproot from the PGA Tour and his Florida base…
Fifties from skipper Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh led Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings and stay alive in the Indian Premier League on Sunday (14). Kolkata kept Chennai down to 144-6, a total they overhauled riding on a key stand of 99 between Rinku…
Afghanistan spinners Rashid Khan and rookie Noor Ahmad ran through the Rajasthan Royals as Gujarat Titans sealed an easy nine-wicket win in the IPL on Friday (5). Khan and Ahmad took five wickets between them as Rajasthan were bowled out for just 118 in the 18th over of their innings…
INDIAN spinner Varun Chakravarthy defended eight runs in the last over of Sunrisers Hyderabad's chase to seal a five-run victory for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL on Thursday (4). Hyderabad, led by South African star Aiden Markram, who scored a 40-ball 41, controlled the chase of their 172-run target…
Sunrisers Hyderabad overcame a sparkling all-round performance by Mitchell Marsh to down Delhi Capitals by nine runs in the Indian Premier League on Saturday (29). South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen hit an unbeaten 53 to steer Hyderabad to 197-6, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Delhi to 188-6 at the…
Royal Challengers Bangalore stand-in skipper Virat Kohli delivered a blunt assessment of their performance in Wednesday's (26) Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Kolkata Knight Riders, saying they were not "professional enough" and deserved to lose. Bangalore, one of three teams who have never won the IPL title, slumped to…
An electric 71 not out off just 29 balls by Ajinkya Rahane helped Chennai Super Kings rack up this season's highest total of 234-5 as they blew away Kolkata Knight Riders and moved top of the IPL table on Sunday (23). Despite a blistering 61 off 26 by Jason Roy…
New York has been crowned as the world’s most prosperous city in the world, with 58 billionaires and 340,000 millionaires, followed by Tokyo and the San Francisco Bay Area. Bangalore, known as the IT capital of India, was recognised as one of the fastest-growing cities for the super-wealthy, thanks to…
Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner fired back at his critics in emphatic style on Thursday (20) by delivering his most convincing knock of this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) to help snap his team's five-match losing streak. Warner went into the home game against Kolkata Knight Riders with three fifties…
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma heaped praise on Arjun Tendulkar, son of batting great Sachin, after the bowler picked up his first wicket in the Indian Premier League during their victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. The 23-year-old dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for two runs in the final over of Tuesday's (18) match,…
ARJUN TENDULKAR made his Indian Premier League debut on Sunday (16) bowling for Mumbai Indians, the team once captained by his illustrious batsman father Sachin Tendulkar. Standing at over six feet (1.83 metres) tall, the 23-year-old left-hander was given the new ball in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders at…
The Pakistan cricket team would prefer playing bulk of its 2023 ODI World Cup matches in Chennai and Kolkata, the two venues where the team has felt safe during its earlier tours, according to ICC sources. The tournament is set to begin on October 5 and will include 46 matches,…
The third edition of the Jammu Film Festival commenced with a grand opening at Abhinav Theatre on Saturday. The venue was beautifully decorated with art installations, and the festive ambience was further enhanced with folk dances outside the hall to welcome the guests. The opening ceremony was a grand affair,…
TRIBUTES poured in on Sunday (2) for former cricketer Salim Durani, a hero of India's maiden series victory over England, who has died at the age of 88. An attacking left-hand batsman and a left-arm orthodox bowler, Durani played 29 Tests for India between 1960 and 1973 and scored his…
Gujarat Titans will commence the defence of their Indian Premier League (IPL) title against four-times champions Chennai Super Kings on Friday (31). The tournament will return to its original home-and-away format after a four-year hiatus. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition and the second half of the 2021…
Michael Bracewell will miss New Zealand's one-day international series against Sri Lanka, the country's cricket board (NZC) said on Saturday (18), after he was signed by Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore to replace Will Jacks. All-rounder Rachin Ravindra will take Bracewell's spot in the New Zealand squad…
Delhi capitals have bought a stake in the Seattle franchise of a new Twenty20 tournament in the United States as Indian Premier League (IPL) teams continue to expand their global footprint. Delhi Capitals co-owner GMR Group has partnered with a group of investors that includes Microsoft Corp's India-born CEO Satya…
India will monitor their players' workloads in the run-up to the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, with some of them set to play key roles with their respective teams in the Indian Premier League, captain Rohit Sharma said. Sharma, whose team won a 2-1 home series against the…
The art of creating intricate wicker products was on the brink of extinction due to diminishing returns and a lack of incentives. However, the Jammu and Kashmir administration intervened in a timely manner, reviving the craft that was originally introduced by the British in the Valley. Wickerwork is the newest…
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, a US-based author, highlights the lack of attention given to Partition literature in English, which largely focuses on the division of Punjab. She expresses a desire to honour the stories that were left out, particularly the shocking events of Direct Action Day and the Noakhali killings. Following…
A new study suggests that the rise in sea level this century may have a disproportionate impact on certain Asian megacities, as well as western tropical Pacific islands and the western Indian Ocean. The research team identified several Asian megacities that could face significant risks by 2100 if greenhouse gas…
Actor Ranbir Kapoor, whose upcoming film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is slated for release on March 8, has dismissed boycott Bollywood calls on social media as baseless. The actor also denied reports that he was offered a biopic on cricketer Sourav Ganguly. "If you ask me about any call about…
Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor says she went out of her comfort zone to portray the character of a cop in the upcoming drama series Brown, which was the only Indian show at the Berlin Series Market Selects platform. Backed by Zee Studios, the noir show is based on the book…
The Nepali government has banned the import of fresh roses from countries like India and China ahead of Valentine's Day, according to a media report on Friday (10). The Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre under the Ministry of Agriculture in a notification on Thursday (9) directed the subordinate border…
ZEE5 Global, the world's largest streaming platform for South Asian content, is set to release a slew of titles across genres and languages to bring the best of entertainment this February. Viewers can get ready for a power-packed month of drama, action, and thriller releases. From a heart-touching story of…
The US Embassy in India has said that Indians who are travelling abroad can get a visa appointment at the US Embassy or consulate of their destination. It cited the example of Thailand, saying that the country has opened appointment capacity for B1 and B2 visas (business and travel) for…
Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood's most popular star and at 57 still its biggest sex symbol, whose silver-screen repertoire of dance, romance and shoot-em-up heroics made him the cinematic avatar of a changing India. "King Khan" -- whose moniker reflects decades of box office dominance -- is a rare unifying…
ZEE5 Global, the world's largest streaming platform for South Asian content, announced the release date of its next direct-to-digital original film, Lost. Produced by Zee Studios and Namah Pictures, the film is an investigative thriller starring Yami Gautam Dhar, Pankaj Kapur, Rahul Khanna, Neil Bhoopalam, Pia Bajpiee, and Tushar Pandey…
The 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Parakram Diwas, was marked with tributes and a special diaspora portrait exhibition at the Indian High Commission in London. The special event, hosted by the Indian High Commission in London on Monday evening, brought together community leaders and members of the…
Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan recently at an event reacted to the rising 'Boycott Bollywood' trend. On Sunday, Kareena attended the Indian Chamber of Commerce-Young Leaders Forum event in Kolkata. And during the discussion, speaking about the 'Boycott Bollywood' trend, she said, "I don't agree with it at all. If…
The city of joy, Kolkata, witnessed a rare musical treat as three generations of musicians from the legendary Bangash family -- Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, his sons, and grandsons -– took to the stage for an evening filled with 'ragas'. The concert, titled "Three Generations" and held at the…
Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) is mulling a marquee Test series between fierce rivals India and England this year as part of its measures to promote the racket sport in member countries. The CTTF, led by chairman Vivek Kohli, was not able to organise events in the last three years…
Prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday (13) flagged off the world's longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas, which will cover 3,200 km across 27 river systems in five states in India and Bangladesh in 51 days. MV Ganga Vilas is the first-ever cruise vessel to be made in India and…
Do you wake up in pain in the morning? Experts state that sleeping on your stomach may be the culprit. Research shows that sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for your back. In fact, sleeping on your stomach is bad. Though it may reduce snoring, this sleeping position…
An elderly man in Kolkata in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal has paid a tribute to his wife, who passed away during the deadly second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, by installing her life-size silicone statue at their home. The 65-year-old Tapas Sandilya, who worked as a government…
The first Indian and the first international student to win university student elections in the UK has urged people to call out 'systemic racism' in the country to eradicate it. Jaipur-born Ranjeet Rathore hopes that the future is immensely bright for the exchange of knowledge and business between India and…
Star Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan extended his wishes and prayers to Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who met with a car accident on Friday. Pant escaped the near-fatal accident on Friday with burn injuries among others that will require plastic surgeries and he could be airlifted to Delhi if required. He…
India cricketer Rishabh Pant fell asleep while driving from Delhi to Roorkee that caused his car to collide with a divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal in northern state of Uttarakhand, police said. The cricketer has been admitted to a hospital in Dehradun with injuries on…
“MY FATHER died on Sunday, November 20, at 5:55 pm at home, in his own bed, in New Delhi. “At the end, death came to him like a mother and lifted him up gently, tenderly, to carry him through the exit to the other side. It was sandhya, dusk, when…
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday (17) said he is in the business of entertainment and not predictions as he fielded queries about the success of his controversy-plagued movie "Pathaan", amid calls for its boycott from right-wing groups. The 57-year-old actor hosted an impromptu Twitter session, where he answered…
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday, while participating in the inaugural ceremony of the 28th International Kolkata Film Festival, emphasized that as negativity has increased social media consumption but individuals like him won't be affected and continue to remain positive. "Social media is often driven by a certain narrowness…
LAST week, I had the privilege of visiting India on behalf of the British Council, an experience which has prompted much reflection on the changing relationship between India and the UK. India, the world’s fifth biggest economy, is destined to be its most populous country – with a median age…
To have a member of one World Cup-winning squad is more than what a family wishes for. For Adil Rashid's kin, witnessing him to be part of two is something out of this world. The 34-year-old leg-break bowler from Bradford, Yorkshire, produced an eye-catching performance as England defeated a spirited…
TMC MP Derek O’Brien has invited stand-up comedian Vir Das to Kolkata, a day after his show in Bengaluru was cancelled at the last minute following protests by Hindu right-wing groups. The protesting groups alleged that the show, scheduled to be held on Thursday, would hurt Hindu religious sentiments. “Hello…
The Bengali community celebrated Durga puja with a parade on the Thames and participated in the annual Diwali event of the Mayor of London. The Durga parade saw Golden Sunrise and an accompanying yacht carried the idol of Camden puja and Durga cutouts of Midlands Bengali Association, Birmingham and Bengali…
He’s 80 and going stronger than ever, spooling in celluloid ‘miles’ with the roles rolling in and directors still lining up to sign him on. Amitabh Bachchan, they say, was and is still an exciting actor, perhaps the best there ever has been. From Ramesh Sippy who directed him in…
BBC presenter Amol Rajan has slammed the BBC for being ‘too posh’, having ‘accent bias’ and not recruiting presenters with ‘working-class’ voices. Rajan recently commissioned research which showed 70 per cent of newsreaders across the four main UK broadcasters, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, speak with Received Pronunciation (RP),…
Rijula Das discusses her award-winning debut novel and literary influences New novel Small Deaths is a powerful debut from award-winning writer Rijula Das. The story follows a sex worker, dreaming of a better life, who is drawn into a nefarious web of prostitution, pimps, sex rings, cults, unimaginable secrets, and…
By A fortunate coincidence, India marks its 75th anniversary as a free country at the same time as the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo. Aurobindo (1872-1950) was a poet, revolutionary, philosopher, mystic, and yogi par excellence. He was not interested in huge statues, grandiose projects, or big institutions in…
Actor Taapsee Pannu said the recent trend on social media calling for a , of Hindi films is nothing but a "joke", one that undermines the viewers. Pannu, whose latest movie "Dobaaraa" with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap hit the theatres on Friday, said she has passed the stage of "being bothered"…
Kolkata-born journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan will host the BBC’s quiz programme University Challenge from the autumn of 2023. He will succeed Jeremy Paxman who has been its quizmaster since the show was revived by the corporation in 1994. Rajan, a cricket enthusiast, was appointed as the BBC’s media editor…
British Indian journalist Amol Rajan is the frontrunner to succeed Jeremy Paxman as University Challenge host, The Telegraph reported. Rajan has been the BBC's Media Editor since December 2016 and a presenter on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 since 2021. Paxman, 72, who is leaving the quiz show…
Boycotting films in a free country like India doesn't make sense because cinema as an industry also contributes to nation-building, said Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar on Monday. The actor was speaking at a press conference where he was asked to comment on the boycott calls on social media against his…
PLAYWRIGHT Sonali Bhattacharyya has taken inspiration from her own family to tell the story of a political activist who arrived in Leicester from Kolkata in the early 2000s for her play Chasing Hares, currently wowing audiences packed at London’s Young Vic. She wanted to tell the story of political engagement…
Former Australia captain Adam Gilchrist on Wednesday voiced concerns over the Indian Premier League's (IPL) expanding global footprint, saying the cash-rich league's efforts to monopolise T20 franchise cricket are becoming "a little bit dangerous." Gilchrist's comments came in the wake of reports in Australian media saying batter David Warner will…
Well-known Bangladeshi writer and activist Taslima Nasrin has given her two cents on Sushmita Set and Lalit Modi’s relationship. She has slammed the actress for getting into a relationship with Modi. Taking to her Facebook account, Taslima Nasrin recalled her meeting with Sen and wrote in Bengali, “I met Sushmita…
HOW SINGER NIKHITA GANDHI CAST A SPELL WITH HIT SONGS Being able to effortlessly take on any genre has turned Nikhita Gandhi into an in-demand singer with impressive momentum behind her. The versatile Indian star’s sparkling voice lighting up songs in languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali, has established…
Sangeeta Datta explains how she structured the BFI's Ray season My first meeting with Satyajit Ray was on my graduation day at Jadavpur University in Calcutta (now Kolkata). It was convocation day and we were getting our degrees. Ray was stood at the back of the hall after he was…
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday stirred a controversy by saying that she has every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess, as every person has the right to worship God and goddess in his or her own way. While the BJP…
Shabana Azmi, one of the finest actresses that Indian cinema has ever produced, is currently vacationing with her husband, noted screenwriter and poet Javed Akhtar, in London. While enjoying her time in the city, she realised that a number of celebrities from the tinsel town of Bollywood are also chilling…
Qmin was born from a vision fuelled by guest feedback and IHCL’s drive towards ensuring complete guest satisfaction. As the pandemic gripped the country in March 2020, the need for the familiar taste of the food from our signature restaurants began to generate queries on how one could enjoy these…
Actor Pankaj Tripathi says he doesn’t like the idea of working in a movie or a show made in a language he is not “comfortable with”. Tripathi, the versatile star of films such as “Stree”, “Gurgaon”, “Ludo” and web series “Mirzapur”, said he is also not in favour of his…
A British Indian architect and design advocate has been named as the commissioner of the public body overseeing the UK’s environment and heritage. Nairita Chakraborty has been appointed as the commissioner of Historic England and will start her new role on July 1 for a term of four years until…
BOLLYWOOD going through a terrible time in recent years has seen the quality of films plummet, but among the darkness is a bright light in the shape of forthcoming film Laal Singh Chaddha, which is set to shine when it is eventually released on August 11 after several delays and…
Indian men's football team captain Sunil Chhetri became the joint fifth highest goalscorer in international football history. Chhetri achieved this feat during their AFC Asian Cup Qualifier clash against Hong Kong on Tuesday, where he scored his 84th goal. He has now equalled legendary Real Madrid and Hungarian player Ferenc…
Several incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country over the controversial remarks of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Wading into the ongoing controversy, renowned Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen tweeted if "Prophet Muhammad was alive today, he would have been shocked to see the…
A hundred is an extremely rare occurrence in a T20 tournament like the IPL. Ipl is all about excitement, boundaries, sixes, and centuries. Whenever a player scores a hundred, it is one of the most memorable moments of the tournament. You can also play online casino games India and create…
Veteran writer-lyricist Gulzar says his heart was filled with joy when he got the opportunity to collaborate with popular singer KK on a track titled 'Dhoop paani bahne de' from Srijit Mukherji's Hindi film Sherdil: The Pilibhit Saga. Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, died last week at the age…
CARDIFF-BASED singer Atreyee has made a name for herself on the UK live circuit and delivered unforgettable performances powered by her impressive voice. She will next headline the Awaaz Hi Pehchaan concert taking place on June 11 in Penarth. The Arts Council of Wales-backed tribute to Lata Mangeshkar sees her…
WRITER-DIRECTOR DISCUSSES HIS MITHUN CHAKRABORTY BOOK AND FILM PLANS A DEEP love for cinema resulted in Ram Kamal Mukherjee forging an impressive career that has included running a major Bollywood publication, writing acclaimed biographies of big stars, and becoming an award-winning filmmaker. On the writing front, he has followed up…
Well-known Indian playback singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, died on Tuesday, May 31. He was in Kolkata for a concert at Gurudas College in the Ultodanga district. He was 53. According to initial reports, Kunnath felt chest congestion after the concert and was rushed to a private hospital…
INDIAN cricket board chief Sourav Ganguly has said that English Premier League club Manchester United are in talks with Kolkata's East Bengal for ownership. Ganguly, who is facilitating the deal, told media that negotiations are on with United and a few others and a clear picture will emerge in two…
SKIPPER Hardik Pandya silenced critics after helping newcomers Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals to reach the IPL final. Pandya hadn’t been in great form ahead of IPL and his fitness was also a major concern. Some even questioned the decision to appoint him as captain despite his lack of leadership…
They have revealed the shortage of talent has led to “rampant poaching” and bigger eateries offering salaries of around £85,000 salaries, £5,000 sign-on bonuses and family holidays. On the Indeed job website in May, an Indian restaurant in London was looking for a Sous Chef offering £45,000 annually while another…
Indian former media executive Indrani Mukerjea walked out of a Mumbai jail on bail Friday (20), nearly seven years after being arrested for allegedly murdering her daughter. The sensational case, centred on Indrani and then-husband Peter Mukerjea -- a former chief executive of then-Fox-owned broadcaster Star India -- received breathless…
Once Upon a Time in Calcutta received two awards - best director for Aditya Vikram Sengupta and best actress for Sreelekha Mitra - at the 2022 edition of the New York Indian Film Festival, which also honoured Faraz Ali's Shoebox with the best film trophy. The seven-day film gala, which…
FORMER New Zealand great Brendon McCullum Friday (13) admitted to "bittersweet" emotions when he agreed to take on the role of turning around England's cricket fortunes. The 40-year-old, renowned for a "smash or crash" approach during his 101-Test career, which only ended six years ago, was Thursday (12) named as…
LADY ARUNA PAUL, who died suddenly at her home in London last Tuesday (3) at the age of 86, was married to the industrialist Lord Swraj Paul for over 65 years. After her passing, Lord Paul, who is 91 and the founder and chairman of the Caparo Group, told Eastern…
AN Indian American material scientist has been named the inaugural dean of Stanford University's new school on climate change and sustainability. Dr Arun Majumdar is an internationally recognised expert in advanced energy systems, new materials, electrical grids, and renewable energy. He will assume the new position on June 15, the…
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming thriller Dobaaraa, which stars Taapsee Pannu in the lead role, was on Tuesday confirmed as the opening night movie at the 2022 London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) on June 23, ahead of its Indian release on July 1. Female filmmakers will be at the forefront of…
FAST BOWLER Avesh Khan helped Lucknow Super Giants hammer Kolkata Knight Riders by 75 runs on Saturday (7) to go top of the IPL table as teams jostle to secure a play-off spot. Lucknow bundled out Kolkata, who were chasing 177 for victory, for 101 to replace fellow newcomers Gujarat…
ONE of India’s best kept musical secrets is stunning singer and composer Suchismita. Her wide array of achievements include being AR Rahman’s protégé, lighting up internationally acclaimed film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, singing for major Bollywood blockbusters and delivering cutting-edge singles like her recent release Damaru, which is an…
US basketball star Chris Paul and American football players Larry Fitzgerald and Kelvin Beachum have invested in Indian Premier League cricket side the Rajasthan Royals, the franchise said Sunday. The world's most valuable cricket tournament has expanded to 10 teams this year with new franchises Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super…
INDIA’S federal investigation agency has filed a fresh case against absconding diamantaire Mehul Choksi for allegedly defrauding a financial institution.Choksi, who is also wanted along with his nephew Nirav Modi in a loan fraud case of Rs 135 billion (£1.41 bn), is accused of inflating the value of diamonds and…
Power outages compounded the misery of millions of people wilting in a heatwave across India and Pakistan on Friday, with experts blaming climate change for an early onset of roasting summer temperatures. In the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh hundreds of forest fires have broken out in recent weeks,…
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets and Rovman Powell then hit 33 not out as Delhi Capitals beat Kolkata Knight Riders by four wickets in the Indian Premier League on Thursday. Opener David Warner struck 42 before the middle order wobbled as the Capitals chased 147. Powell's unbeaten knock off…
Virat Kohli's second successive golden duck in the IPL saw Royal Challengers Bangalore crash to 68 all out and lose to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets on Saturday but the team insisted their star batter will bounce back. Kohli, who also fell to a first-ball duck against Lucknow Super Giants…
OUTSPOKEN counterterrorism chief Neil Basu is believed to be in contention to head the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).The Indian-origin assistant commissioner of the Met Police is likely to be interviewed for the role of director-general of the NCA later this week.The post became vacant after Dame Lynne Owens stepped…
Surprise-package Gujarat Titans have taken the IPL by storm in their debut season with a cleverly assembled and astutely coached team led by the all-round talents of local star Hardik Pandya. Founded by global venture fund CVC Capital for $690 million, Gujarat on Sunday stunned four-time champions Chennai Super Kings…
Jos Buttler's 103 and a hat-trick by Yuzvendra Chahal helped Rajasthan Royals edge out Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs in a nail-biting IPL contest on Monday. The England batter smashed his second IPL century this season to power Royals to 217 for five -- the highest total of this…
Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram hit half centuries to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a third successive IPL victory with a seven-wicket hammering of Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. Chasing 176 for victory, Hyderabad were powered toward victory by a third-wicket partnership of 94 between Tripathi (71) and Markram (68 not…
Skipper Hardik Pandya hit a blazing 87 to set up a comfortable 37-run victory for Gujarat Titans against Rajasthan Royals on Thursday, as his side replaced their opponents at the top of the Indian Premier League. Pandya smashed eight fours and four sixes in his unbeaten 52-ball knock to help…
David Warner and Prithvi Shaw hit attacking half-centuries to set up a convincing 44-run win for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. The left-right opening pair of Warner (61) and Shaw (51) put on 93 runs to lay the foundation for Delhi's…
Rajasthan Royals prevailed in a last-over thriller to edge out Lucknow Super Giants by three runs and top the Indian Premier League table on Sunday. West Indies big-hitter Shimron Hetmyer hit an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls and lifted Royals from 67-4 to 165-6 in the second match of the…
Pat Cummins was an unlikely star with the bat as he smashed a joint-fastest 14-ball IPL fifty to power Kolkata Knight Riders to a stunning victory over Mumbai Indians on Wednesday. The Australian Test skipper joined Venkatesh Iyer with Kolkata on 101-5 while chasing 162 and tore into the Mumbai…
Evin Lewis hit an unbeaten 55 off 23 balls to star in Lucknow Super Giants' six-wicket win over reigning IPL champions Chennai Super Kings who scored 210-7 after they were asked to bat Thursday. It was the first victory for KL Rahul-led Lucknow who lost their opening match to Gujarat…
Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga returned figures of 4-20 to set up a three-wicket victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore in a low-scoring IPL thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. Hasaranga's inspired spell of leg-spin helped bowl out Kolkata for 128, a total Bangalore overhauled with four balls to spare after…
Chennai Super Kings' star all-rounder Moeen Ali has secured his India visa and will be available for selection from the second game of the upcoming IPL, the franchise's CEO Kasi Viswanathan said. Though the England player arrived in Mumbai on Thursday, the defending champions will missed the services of Moeen…
India's cricket board is planning to launch the women's edition of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament next year. "It has to be approved by the (annual general meeting)," Sourav Ganguly, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told reporters on Friday. "We plan to start…
Australia great Ricky Ponting on Saturday said India's Rishabh Pant has the makings of a successful leader as the wicketkeeper-batter begins another IPL season as Delhi Capitals captain. Pant's Delhi will start their Indian Premier League campaign against five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Sunday in an expanded 10-team Twenty20 tournament.…
M S DHONI rolled back the years with an unbeaten 38-ball 50 but his team Chennai Super Kings went down to Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in the IPL opener. The 40-year-old Dhoni, who passed on the captaincy to Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday, lifted holders Chennai from a precarious…
The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 extravaganza begins on Saturday when holders Chennai Super Kings face Kolkata Knight Riders. Eastern Eye guides you through the 10 teams, including two new franchises, who will compete in the world's richest cricket championship. Mumbai Indians Key Indian players: Rohit Sharma…
ONE OF Britain’s leading restaurateurs (Asma Khan) has urged Asian women to consider a career in the industry, saying that the skills needed in a professional kitchen were “intuitive” to south Asian females. Asma Khan runs the popular Darjeeling Express in Covent Garden, having moved to the bigger site in…
THE Indian Premier League (IPL) returns for its biggest season on Saturday (26), with a galaxy of top names and two new franchises expanding the world's richest cricket competition to 10 teams for its 15th edition. But crowds in the cricket-mad nation will, initially at least, be limited to 25…
VERSATILE SINGER SPEAKS ABOUT HER BAND KHIYO AND WOMEN IN ARTS PERFORMANCE A BIG highlight of this year’s Women In Arts festival is a performance by British Bengali fusion band Khiyo. The talented collective mix up varied influences, including western classical, rock, jazz, blues, Nazrul Sangeet, Bengali folk and Indian…
Bengali actress Rupa Dutta, who has acted in several television shows, has been arrested for allegedly committing attention diversion theft at the venue of the International Kolkata Book Fair, police said on Sunday. She was arrested on Saturday after a policeman saw her dumping a purse into a dustbin. The…
BATSMAN Suryakumar Yadav and fast bowler Deepak Chahar were on Wednesday (23) ruled out of India's three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka because of injuries. India, led by new all-format skipper Rohit Sharma, will play the opening Twenty20 international in Lucknow on Thursday (24) followed by two matches in Dharamsala.…
INDIA beat West Indies by 17 runs in the third and final Twenty20 international thanks to a brilliant innings by Suryakumar Yadav at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Sunday (20) to win the series 3-0. West Indies will fly home without a single victory on the tour having also lost the…
INDIA'S Sakibul Gani became the first batsman in world cricket to hit a triple century on his first-class debut when he made 341 in the Ranji Trophy tournament. The 22-year-old walked out to the crease for Bihar on Friday (18) against Mizoram in Kolkata on Friday, the second day of…
INDIA'S popular e-commerce website IndiaMART.com and four other markets have figured in the latest annual list of the world's ‘notorious markets’ released by the US. The 2021 Notorious Markets List released on Thursday (16) identified 42 online and 35 physical markets around the world that are reported to engage in…
INDIA overcame a mid-innings blip to beat West Indies by six wickets in the first Twenty20 International on Wednesday to stretch the tourists' winless streak. Chasing 158 for victory, the hosts, who swept the preceding one-day series 3-0, got off to a flying start before West Indies made a brief…
India's batting coach played down concerns Monday about the recent poor batting form of Virat Kohli, saying he was on the brink of scoring some "big runs". Kohli, 33, last scored an international century in August 2019, and made eight, 18 and nought in India's recent 3-0 whitewash of the…
INDIAN businessman Rahul Bajaj, who died in Pune last Saturday (12), aged 83, gave Lakshmi Mittal crucial support in 2006 when Mittal Steel’s takeover bid for Arcelor was almost blocked by the French government of president Jacques Chirac.Bajaj, one of India’s most prominent industrialists, built up the family’s business in…
VETERAN industrialist Rahul Bajaj, whose name was synonymous with road transport in India, died Saturday (12) aged 83, his company said.He "had not been keeping well", the Bajaj Group said in a statement, adding he would be cremated on Sunday in Pune, western India.Bajaj was born into the Indian elite…
INDIA'S Shreyas Iyer fetched the top price in the first round of the auction for the Indian Premier League - the world's most valuable cricket tournament - on Saturday (12).Iyer, who stood out with his match-winning 80 in India's 3-0 ODI whitewash of the West Indies on Friday (11), went…
Some of the world's top cricketers will be among 590 players in the two-day auction for the big-bucks Indian Premier League this weekend. AFP sport looks at five stars who could attract massive fees when the 10 franchises -- including two new ones -- place their bids in Bangalore ahead…
Facing a choice between her schooling and her religious beliefs, A.H. Almas says she had no choice at all. The 18-year-old Muslim pupil at the Women's Pre-University College in Udupi in majority-Hindu India has been wearing the Islamic headscarf since she was a child. But in December, authorities banned her…
Some of Indian cinema’s most memorable films have been those that revolve around friendship. With the advent of streaming platforms, everyone thought that the genre would flourish further, but that did not happen. With slapstick and adult comedy content available abundantly on the webspace, one really craves for a feel-good…
FOUR Indian players, including senior batsman Shikhar Dhawan, have tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the home series against the West Indies, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday (2). Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer and Navdeep Saini (standby player) returned positive tests along with three support staff members with…
The film is all set to release on SonyLiv On 18th February. Sayani Gupta, Tushar Pandey, Plabita Borthakur, Hussain Dalal, and Soham Majumdar will shortly be seen in Lok Productions’ maiden production venture, #Homecoming, a musical drama written, directed, and produced by Soumyajit Majumdar who makes his directorial debut with…
Rohit Sharma will return to lead India in the upcoming limited-overs series against West Indies after recovering from his hamstring injury, as the country's cricket board named the squad on Wednesday. Rohit, who was recently appointed white-ball captain, missed the team's tour of South Africa and KL Rahul stood in…
ALLROUNDER Hardik Pandya will lead Ahmedabad and batsman KL Rahul will captain Lucknow when the franchises make their debuts in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in March. The 15th edition of the world's richest Twenty20 league will be a 10-team affair with the inclusion of the two new franchises. "I…
Lockdown sparks rise in demand for ethnic-inspired British treats SOUTH ASIAN cafes which have opened since the lockdown have seen a boom in trade. Owners said the trend is down to more people working away from offices during the pandemic, and people reuniting with relatives and friends after restrictions were…
RICH TRIBUTES have been paid to renowned Indian classical dancer Brijmohan Nath Mishra Maharaj, popularly known as Birju Maharaj, who died late last Sunday (16) night, his family said on Monday (17). In a career spanning nearly six decades, Maharaj performed and taught Kathak, one of India's eight major classical…
Indian captain Virat Kohli on Monday brushed aside concerns about his form as he looked ahead to the decisive third Test against South Africa starting at Newlands on Tuesday. Without a century in his past 14 Tests, Kohli said he believed he was still making important contributions to the team.…
INDIA will be looking to Virat Kohli to provide inspiration and runs as they seek to bounce back in the decisive third Test against South Africa starting at Newlands on Tuesday (11). Kohli is expected to return as captain and key batsman after missing India's defeat in the second Test…
INDIA began administering booster doses of Covid-19 vaccine to frontline workers and vulnerable elderly people on Monday (10), with the fast-spreading Omicron variant fuelling an almost eight-fold rise in daily infections since the start of the year. India reported 179,723 new cases on Monday (10), most of them in the…
THE UK government said it is drilling down on India’s refusal to renew foreign funding licences of a large number of charities. Peers in the House of Lords of the UK Parliament debated the issue following a question raised by crossbench peer Lord Harries of Pentregarth on Thursday (6), asking…
An Indian court on Friday rejected a bid to cancel a major Hindu festival despite fears the vast gathering could spread coronavirus infections as the country sees an Omicron-driven surge in cases. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the annual Gangasagar Mela festival, which begins Saturday on…
DIVERSE CINEMA ACROSS DIFFERENT GENRES AND LANGUAGES THAT ROSE ABOVE THE REST, ACROSS THE PAST 12 MONTHS IT MAY have been a horrible year for Bollywood, but that didn’t stop the various regional Indian film industries from delivering delightful gems, across a wide variety of genres. This resulted in one…
INDIAN megacities Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases, although without a corresponding rise in hospitalisations, but fears are growing about a spread to rural areas in coming days. India reported 90,928 new daily Covid-19 cases on Thursday (6), up nearly four-fold since the start of…
OXFAM India has said that restrictions on its access to international fund flow will "severely hamper" its humanitarian work and affect provision of much-required medical equipment to fight the current Covid-19 pandemic. The charity group’s arm in the country said the decision made by the home ministry meant that it…
INDIA on Saturday (1) reported 22,775 new Covid-19 infections over the past 24 hours, health ministry data shows, adding to concerns for authorities around the country about the rising number of cases. The data indicates that thickly populated metros, such as the national capital New Delhi, financial centre Mumbai and…
INDIAN cricket board president Sourav Ganguly has been discharged from Kolkata's Woodlands Hospital, where he had been admitted following a positive Covid-19 test, ESPNcricinfo website reported on Friday. The former India captain's brother Snehasish told Reuters that the 49-year-old tested positive for the virus on Monday. According to ESPNcricinfo, the…
A destitute Indian woman who claims she is heir to the dynasty that built the Taj Mahal has demanded ownership of an imposing palace once home to the Mughal emperors. Sultana Begum lives in a cramped two-room hut nestled within a slum on the outskirts of Kolkata, surviving on a…
INDIA has moved to cut off foreign funding to a charity founded by Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity was founded in 1950 by the late Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who devoted most of her life to helping the poor in Kolkata. She won the Nobel Peace Prize and…
FORMER India captain Sourav Ganguly, who heads the country's cricket board (BCCI), has been admitted to hospital in Kolkata after testing positive for Covid-19, his brother Snehasish told Reuters on Tuesday (28). "Sourav has got Covid but he is feeling fine," Snehasish said by telephone, adding that the positive result…
FORMER India offspinner Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday (24), bringing down the curtain on a 23-year career in the sport. The feisty 41-year-old made his international debut in 1998 and played 103 Tests, 236 one-day internationals and 28 Twenty20 internationals, taking 711 wickets…
A ruling by India's top court that sex workers should be given identity documents will have far-reaching benefits, allowing them to vote and access state food aid, campaigners have said. Yet just how far-reaching remains unknown. Official estimates suggest there are about a million sex workers in India, many of…
Toward the end of 2020, Indian-American singer-songwriter-filmmaker Amanda Sodhi found herself feeling increasingly isolated, having outgrown cities she had previously lived in, as well as most of her friendships. Alone in Srinagar, as she sat in a shikara at Dal on a rainy Diwali evening, it dawned upon her -…
THE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has added Durga Puja, one of India’s major festivals, to its ‘Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ in a first of its kind move in Asia. In a tweet, the world body wrote, “Celebrations of city of joy -…
IN a relief to India’s sex workers, the country’s supreme court has said that the government must enroll them into digital systems that give access to opportunities like voting and benefits of social welfare. Several thousands of people in India have lived long without having any of the two benefits.…
INDIAN officials are looking into an incident involving a Boeing 737 Max in which the aircraft had to be turned back to the western city of Mumbai soon after it took off for the eastern city of Kolkata, located more than 1,000 miles away, and the pilots shut down an…
Australia won their first T20 World Cup title with an eight-wicket victory against New Zealand in a title match that was dominated by Mitchell Marsh's blazing 77-run innings. After Australia slotted them in to take the first strike, Kane Williamson top-scored for the Black Caps with an 85-run performance, while starter…
GITA GOPINATH will take on a larger role in shaping the policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from January 21 as its first deputy managing director. Her elevation as the second-ranking official of the global lender is a recognition of her “exceptional intellectual leadership” as its first woman chief…
Ram Madhvani’s Dhamaka (2021), which recently premiered on Netflix, received positive response for its gripping storyline, sterling performances, and deft direction. Actor Soham Majumdar, who shot to fame with Kabir Singh (2019), plays the antagonist in this action thriller film. He is happy that audiences have liked his performance despite…
GITA Gopinath, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s Indian-American chief economist has been promoted as its first deputy managing director. Her elevation is in recognition of her leadership in helping the global economy and the IMF navigate the "twists and turns" of the "worst economic crisis of our lives". Gopinath would…
Award-winning Indian filmmaker Onir says that WE ARE, the upcoming sequel to his National Award-winning film I AM (2011), is a first-of-its-kind film to explore and celebrate queer lives. Like his original film, WE ARE also includes four stories set in the same four parts of India – Kashmir, Kolkata,…
ENGLAND stars Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer have been released by their IPL team Rajasthan Royals ahead of the auction as franchises on Tuesday (30) announced names of retained players. England's Eoin Morgan and David Warner of Australia also parted ways with Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively, with…
Chitrangada Singh and Abhishek Bachchan have shared screen space for the first time in the upcoming film Bob Biswas. Recently, while talking to ANI, Singh opened up about working with Bachchan in the movie. The actress said, "It was fairly easy to build a rapport with someone as easy, warm,…
Ridhi Dogra, known for delivering engrossing performances in several successful daily soaps and streaming shows, is gearing up to set her foot in Bollywood with the upcoming action-drama Lakadbaggha. The film, which also stars Anshuman Jha, will see Dogra play the character of a Crime Branch Officer in Kolkata and…
Acclaimed Bollywood filmmaker Shoojit Sircar on Tuesday said that there is always a connection between him and his films as he has often personally lived the stories of his films. The Kolkata-based filmmaker, known for such critical hits as Vicky Donor (2012), Piku (2015) and October (2018), said that often…
Abhishek Bachchan will next be seen in Bob Biswas which will release on Zee5 on 3rd December 2021. The film is a spin-off of Kahaani and in the 2012 release Saswata Chatterjee had played the role of Bob Biswas. But recently, while talking to PTI, Ghosh revealed that the first…
INDIA openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul scored half-centuries as the hosts romped home by seven wickets against New Zealand in Ranchi on Friday (19) to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Twenty20 series. Chasing 154, India made light work of the target as a 117-run stand between…
INDIAN mobile payments giant Paytm lost more than a quarter of its value on its market debut on Thursday (18) after raising $2.5 billion (£1.85 bn) in the country's biggest-ever IPO, as traders questioned whether the loss-making firm would ever turn a profit. Asia's third-largest economy has been in the…
NO BRITISH ASIAN author in recent years has had as much success as Abir Mukherjee, who began in 2013 by submitting 5,000 words to a Daily Telegraph novel writing competition – and has just published his fifth detective thriller, The Shadows of Men. Mukherjee’s books, which have been translated into…
TWO teenage brothers from India urged world leaders to act against climate change after winning a prestigious global children's award on Saturday (13) for tackling pollution from household waste in New Delhi. Vihaan and Nav Agarwal, aged 17 and 14, received the 2021 KidsRights International Children's Peace Prize for developing…
THE demand for weather prediction will increase from various sectors in the future and artificial intelligence and machine learning will play a key role in this transition, the head of India’s premier weather agency has said. Dr M Mohapatra is the director-general of meteorology at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).…
Why Pepsi's former CEO wants women to have support at home and in workplace MENTORING, teaching, writing a book and learning “how to chill” is how Indra Nooyi says she has been spending her time since leaving PepsiCo more than two years ago. In an interview from her Connecticut home…
SOUMIK DATTA’S animation film, Songs of the Earth, which he has written and directed, and for which he has also composed the music, is due to premiere at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow and the Royal Albert Hall in London, with a preview for delegates at 10 Downing…
AAFAT-E-ISHQ DIRECTOR INDRAJIT NATTOJI DISCUSSES HIS SPOOKY REMAKE THE spooky bond Bollywood has developed with supernatural films continues this week with an October 29 premiere of new film Aafat-e-Ishq on streaming site ZEE5. The official remake of widely acclaimed 2015 Hungarian film Liza, the Fox-Fairy, is a black comedy about…
THE Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday (25) unveiled two new teams for the Twenty20 competition, with the Lucknow and Ahmedabad franchises. The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which owned the now-defunct Pune franchise for two IPL campaigns, bid 70.9 billion Indian rupees (£675.2m) for the Lucknow outfit while Irelia Company Pte.…
ENGLAND thrashed defending champions West Indies by six wickets in their opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday (23), while Australia beat South Africa in a tense, low-scoring match. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took career-best T20 figures of 4-2 as favourites England began the Super 12 stage by skittling…
Emmay Entertainment and T-Series Films’ joint production venture Satyameva Jayate 2 will now release in theatres on November 25, a day earlier than its previously announced release date. The vigilante action film, written and directed by Milap Zaveri, stars John Abraham in the lead role. Actress Divya Khosla Kumar is…
Two Bollywood films have been shortlisted for India’s official entry to the 94th Academy Awards. Vicky Kaushal’s Sardar Udham (2021) and Vidya Balan’s Sherni (2021), have been included in the list of 14 films, from which the best one will be sent as India’s official entry to the Oscars in…
Actor Anshuman Jha, who was last seen in Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele (2021), is undergoing intense training sessions as part of his preparation for his next film Lakadbaggha. The actor will be seen performing some elaborate stunts in the hand-to-hand combat action film and to do complete justice…
INDIA administered its one billionth Covid-19 vaccine dose on Thursday (21) as it fights its way back from a devastating surge in cases that brought the health system close to collapse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the feat as a "triumph of Indian science", but authorities remain on guard for…
INDIAN cricket board president Sourav Ganguly expects next year's Indian Premier League (IPL) to be played in the country after the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to stage the second half of this year's tournament in the United Arab Emirates. The eight-team tournament with an estimated brand value of $6.8 billion…
FAF du Plessis smashed an attacking half-century to help Chennai Super Kings thrash Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs and clinch their fourth Indian Premier League (IP) title on Friday (15). Du Plessis' 86 off 59 balls guided Chennai to 192-3, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Kolkata to…
VENKATESH IYER struck a fluent half-century as Kolkata Knight Riders overcame a late wobble to reach the Indian Premier League final with a three-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the second qualifier in Sharjah on Wednesday (13). They will take on Chennai Super Kings in the title clash on Friday…
India's main religious festival season is back in full swing with huge noisy crowds thronging markets and fairs for the first time in two years, barely six months after a devastating Covid-19 surge. The coronavirus is still claiming over 200 lives daily in the nation of 1.3 billion people but…
GLENN MAXWELL, teammate Dan Christian and his pregnant partner Jorgia Dunn were subjected to online abuse after their IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore's ouster from the ongoing edition of the lucrative league A fuming Maxwell slammed the online trolls, calling them "garbage" and "absolutely disgusting", even as Christian requested that…
Two-day cultural diaspora event in Cambridge celebrates community's legacy in the UK HOW do we measure or track our long British Bengali legacy? This actually started a long time ago and holds many illustrious names in its trajectory. We have grown up with stories of famous Bengalis who travelled and…
RUTURAJ Gaikwad's 70 and an unbeaten cameo from skipper MS Dhoni helped Chennai Super Kings reach a ninth Indian Premier League (IPL) final with a four-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday (10). Chasing 173 for victory, Chennai rode on a 110-run second-wicket partnership between Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa (63)…
MUMBAI INDIANS captain Rohit Sharma said his side paid the price for their inconsistency after Kolkata Knight Riders pipped them to the final playoff position at this year's Indian Premier League (IPL). Five-time champions Mumbai thumped Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs on Friday, but Kolkata claimed the last playoff berth…
Delhi Capitals topped the Indian Premier League table despite losing to Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore while holders Mumbai Indians crashed out on Friday. Srikar Bharat hit a last ball six to steer Bangalore to a dramatic seven-wicket in Dubai on a day IPL witnessed the final two league games…
ZEE5 Global, which prides itself on being the largest streaming platform for South Asian content in the world, will be streaming a slew of Originals, films, webseries and popular TV shows across different languages this month. From Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari’s first-ever co-directed sports docudrama series Break Point…
AFFORDABLE childcare, paid leave, flexible working hours – this could be the wish list of any working woman or couple – but for Indra Nooyi, it is a “moonshot mission” that governments and companies need to resolve. The former CEO of PepsiCo became a role model to millions of young…
Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Punjab Kings by six runs in a thrilling clash Sunday to secure their place in the Indian Premier League playoffs. Glenn Maxwell hit 57 off 33 balls and Devdutt Padikkal 40 as Bangalore made 164 for seven from their 20 overs in Sharjah. Punjab…
Ravichandran Ashwin is one of cricket's leading spin bowlers and a superstar in India, but more than once he has been accused of flouting the spirit of the sport. The 35-year-old all-rounder, who is not short of confidence or afraid to say what's on his mind, was again at the…
KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS captain Eoin Morgan is concerned over his lack of runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament but the England batsman said he is confident of scripting a comeback. Morgan has scored a total of 111 runs in 13 matches in the IPL this season, with…
Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday (31) lambasted England captain Eoin Morgan and New Zealand's Tim Southee after their acerbic confrontation over a controversial run in an IPL match. Ashwin, no stranger to "spirit of cricket" disputes was labelled as "disgraceful" by Australian legend Shane Warne for running a single after a…
Delhi Capitals leapt to Ravichandran Ashwin's defence after Australian spin legend Shane Warne slammed the star all-rounder's "disgraceful" single in a feisty Indian Premier League encounter. Ashwin had a verbal exchange with Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan and Tim Southee after he grabbed an extra run following a throw…
Indian left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav underwent knee surgery on Wednesday for an injury that he sustained during the ongoing IPL in the UAE. Kuldeep posted the update on his official Twitter page. "Surgery was a success and the road to recovery has just begun. Thank you so much to…
MULTI-TALENTED artist Saum G has made a name for himself with an unmistakable sound anchored in electronic dance music that is masterfully fused with his cello. The American born music producer, cellist, and vocalist has also made a name for himself as a marvellous live performer, at home on the…
LABOUR MP and shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy evoked Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian independence struggle during her flagship speech at the party's annual conference in Brighton this week. Nandy is the daughter of Dipak Nandy, a Kolkata-born academic known for his work in race relations in the UK. Addressing…
MS DHONI'S Chennai Super Kings inflicted new pain on Virat Kohli on Friday (24), beating his Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets in the Indian Premier League. Chennai, bolstered by 38 from opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, overcame Bangalore's 156 for six with 11 balls to spare as Dhoni won the latest…
EOIN MORGAN'S Kolkata Knight Riders won their second straight Indian Premier League match with a seven-wicket thrashing of holders Mumbai Indians on Thursday (23) to move into the top four. Opener Venkatesh Iyer smashed 53 and put on an attacking second-wicket partnership of 88 with Rahul Tripathi, who made an…
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli said Monday's (21) nine-wicket Indian Premier League defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders was a massive jolt to his side as they resumed their quest for a first title in the Twenty20 competition. Kohli, who will step down as captain of the franchise after…
RUTURAJ GAIKWAD smashed an unbeaten 88 as Chennai Super Kings beat holders Mumbai Indians by 20 runs in the first match of the revived Indian Premier League on Sunday (19). The 14th edition of the Covid-hit Twenty20 tournament resumed in the United Arab Emirates with limited spectators back in the…
VIRAT KOHLI will step down as captain of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after the 2021 season, the player announced on Sunday (19). Kohli this week also gave up the captaincy of India's Twenty20 side to manage his immense workload, saying he would not continue…
Cast member Lolita Chakrabarti says there is nothing 'Asian' about her role LOLITA CHAKRABARTI has spoken to Eastern Eye about her character, Lieutenant Commander Erin Branning, in the six-part BBC drama, Vigil, which tells of a police investigation after the suspicious death of a crew member on the nuclear submarine…
THE Indian Premier League roars back this weekend in the United Arab Emirates, more than four months after being halted by the coronavirus pandemic in India. With the high-octane tournament concluding immediately ahead of next month's Twenty20 World Cup, AFP Sport highlights five players to watch in the white-ball extravaganza:…
INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE action will resume on Sunday (19) in the United Arab Emirates in front of spectators, but without a host of top international stars after four months of pandemic suspension. Fans will be in the stands for the first time in two years when Rohit Sharma's title-holders, Mumbai…
Deep6 starring Tillotama Shome, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Sumeet Thakur, Maya Ghosh, Sumanta Mukherjee and Soumitra Chatterjee will have its world premiere at the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which will take place from 6th October to 15th October 2021. The movie is directed by Madhuja Mukherjee and is produced…
Alex Ellis, the British high commissioner to India, recently stormed the headlines on social media by showcasing the foodie in him. The diplomat, who took charge earlier this year, has been trying Indian food and flavour across the country and the internet can't stop discussing him. After tasting masala dosa,…
THE English artist Marcus Hodge, who is holding an exhibition of his Indian paintings at the Osborne Studio Gallery in London’s Belgravia next month, has revealed how India has profoundly influenced his own life and that of several generations of his family. The forthcoming exhibition will feature mainly “representational” images…
Shehla Hasan has important task of attracting Indian investments into the region PORTUGUESE footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo joining Manchester United is not the only uplifting news coming out of the city. Perhaps less high-profile but possibly a lot more significant is Shehla Hasan’s appointment as the new executive director of…
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (1) released a Rs 125 commemorative coin to honour Srila A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on his 125th birth anniversary. Modi, who unveiled the coin through a video conference, praised Srila Prabhupada’s effort…
TALENTED actor Jai Singh has gone from theatre to entertaining audiences on Indian TV and was most recently seen playing a key role in drama serial Ishk Par Zor Nahi. The versatile Mumbai-based performer enjoys taking on new challenges and is looking to push his acting horizons further with interesting…
As the Caribbean Premier League plans to resume on August 28, fans are hoping for a thrilling event like the previous years despite the risk that Covid-19 place. The venue of this event has been set for St. Kitts and Nevis. All 33 games will be played in the same…
Yami Gautam has some interesting projects lined up and one of them is Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’s Lost. Last month, the actress started shooting for the film in Kolkata, India, and on Wednesday (25), she wrapped up the shoot. The actress took to Twitter to inform her fans about it. She…
CELEBRATIONS to mark the 74th anniversary of Indian independence and the creation of Pakistan have been overshadowed by the astonishingly swift take-over of Afghanistan by the Taliban. Afghanistan has been in the British psyche for a long time. Whenever I think of Afghanistan, I recall Sherlock Holmes’s remark to Dr…
As the health worker swabbed the skin on his arm with an alcohol wipe and prepared the syringe, Kartik Biswas felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He was finally about to receive his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, as part of a drive by the southern Indian state of…
IPL 2021 had been postponed after several COVID-19 positive cases across the franchise. However, no official announcement had been made on whether the remaining tournament would be held, for a long time. It has now been announced that the tournament will resume in September 2021. Previously, the BCCI had announced…
THIS week Saif Ali Khan turns a year older and celebrates his 51st birthday on August 16. The Bollywood actor has been entertaining audiences ever since he made his film debut in 1993 and has since starred in a wide array of genres. Eastern Eye decided to celebrate the actor…
Pan-India actress Kajal Aggarwal on Saturday wrapped up her upcoming Bollywood film Uma. The film went on floors on July 5. The start-to-finish shoot took place in the city of Kolkata, keeping all coronavirus related protocols in consideration. Directed by Tathagata Singha and produced by Avishek Ghosh and Mantraraj Paliwal,…
Food poverty, not a lack of food, led millions to starve to death, says academic THE economist Amartya Sen has written at length about the great Bengal famine of 1943 when he was a boy of 10 studying at Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan school. He is now 87, but the horrors…
A FILM BY an award-winning Indian has been selected to be shown at the 78th Venice International Film Festival. Aditya Vikram Sengupta's third Bengali feature film, Once upon a time in Calcutta, will be screened in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section of the prestigious film festival, to be held from September…
THE remaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended in May due to Covid-19, will resume from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) said on Sunday. The IPL was suspended on May 4 with 31 matches left to play after several…
Photographer Derry Moore reveals the stories behind his portraits NO ONE has probably taken a more evocative photograph of the Indian film director Satyajit Ray than Derry Moore. Taken in 1982 at Ray’s home in Calcutta (now Kolkata), there is something about Moore’s black and white image which is reminiscent…
THERE are many gems in Nobel laureate Amartya Sen’s just published memoirs, Home in the World, but one that Eastern Eye readers will especially take to heart is his advice that people should not define themselves solely in terms of their religion. He once objected strongly and threatened to abort…
Superstar Rajinikanth is finally back on the sets in Chennai to resume shooting for his hugely anticipated film Annaatthe, directed by Siruthai Siva. The actor was spotted stepping out of a vanity van parked at the Forum Mall in Vadapalani in the city. The team will be shooting for two…
Anurag Kashyap has come onboard to produce Indian filmmaker Suman Sen’s directorial debut Eka (Solo) under his banner Good Bad Films. Set in Kolkata, the project is currently at the scripting stage. Eka was selected as one of the participants at La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut Français 2021, a tailored…
Yami Gautam, who recently tied the knot with filmmaker Aditya Dhar, has joined hands with Pink (2016) director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury to topline his next directorial Lost. The film, which aims to highlight the “issue of media integrity”, features Gautam in the role of a feisty crime reporter. The film…
INDIA'S double Olympic hockey champion Keshav Chandra Datt has died at the age of 95, the sport's national body said on Wednesday (7). The centre halfback, born in Lahore, in what is now Pakistan, was part of India's gold medal-winning team at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games in London…
In January 2020, Anushka Sharma was spotted with cricketer Jhulan Goswami at Eden Gardens cricket stadium in Kolkata. The actress was wearing an Indian cricket team jersey, and soon there were speculations that Anushka will be seen playing the lead role in Goswami’s biopic. However, to date, there’s no official…
INDIAN police said on Friday that around 2,000 people were injected with fake Covid-19 vaccines in Mumbai, and another 500 -- some of them disabled -- may have suffered the same fate in a second major city. Vaccination rates rose sharply this week after the Indian government made shots free…
INDIAN police said Friday (25) that around 2,000 people were injected with fake Covid-19 vaccines in Mumbai, and another 500 -- some of them disabled -- may have suffered the same fate in a second major city. Vaccination rates rose sharply this week after the Indian government made shots free…
A BROTHER and sister who came up with an idea to sell a popular street snack in India have revealed how they were inspired to launch the business. Debajyoti Saha and his sister Jyotirmoyee, both engineers by training, started selling golgappas, called fuchka in Bengali, to provide for their family during the Covid-19…
Oprah Winfrey: The most suitable example of an inspiring rags-to-riches story. She was born into poverty, raped at the age of nine, lost a son when he was still an infant, but went on to make a heroic transformation to eventually become one of the most powerful women on earth.…
By Amit Roy PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has added his voice to those calling for a global vaccination programme. It’s a noble idea, though in practice any leader has to perform a careful balancing act. Can vaccines be given to poorer countries when not everyone at home has had two…
National award-winning filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta passed away at his residence in Kolkata today. The 77-year-old died due to old-age-related ailments. According to PTI, the family members said that he was having kidney ailments for a long time and was undergoing dialysis twice a week regularly. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata…
AWARD-WINNING writer Tanika Gupta is set to premiere her new play on the early life of Mahatma Gandhi at a west London theatre next week. The Overseas Student centres upon Gandhi during his time studying law in the UK, in the years before he became famous for his role in…
ENGLAND'S limited-overs skipper Eoin Morgan and wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler are under investigation by the country's cricket board after their alleged racist tweets, mocking Indians, surfaced on the social media. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has promised "relevant and appropriate action", saying each case will be handled on…
Known for making powerful films with strong female protagonists, Mani Ratnam is hands down one of the finest filmmakers that Indian cinema has ever produced. In a career spanning four decades, the filmmaker has made a string of remarkable films in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. His technical ingenuity and eye…
STAR Bangladesh players Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman will not be given no-objection certificates (NOCs) to play in the remaining games of the Indian Premier League, the country's cricket board president Nazmul Hassan said on Monday (31). All-rounder Shakib and left-arm pacer Mustafizur play for Kolkata Knight Riders and…
By Dinesh Sharma FOREIGN students from India who have enrolled in US universities face an uncertain future, as most are stuck in the subcontinent which is battling a deadly second wave of the pandemic, and where a shortage of vaccines has made returning to America a challenge. The US…
At least three people died Wednesday (26) as howling winds and waves the height of double-decker buses belted eastern India in the Covid-stricken country's second cyclone in as many weeks. It also forced the closure of the busiest regional airport in the city of Kolkata as it brought storm surges…
NEW ZEALAND wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert broke down in tears on Tuesday (25) as he recalled fearing the worst after testing positive for Covid-19 in India following the Indian Premier League's (IPL) suspension. Seifert, who had been with IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders, was unable to exit India with other New…
THE India women's team will play their maiden pink-ball Test later this year, against Australia in Perth, cricket boards of both the countries announced on Thursday (20). Mithali Raj's team will take on Meg Lanning's squad at the WACA ground from Sept. 30 in what will be only the second…
by LAUREN CODLING BRITISH INDIANS have spoken of their feelings of helplessness and anxiety about their families amid India’s devastating second Covid-19 wave, as the country continues to battle against the virus. In recent weeks, India has become overwhelmed by the spike in coronavirus cases which has stretched demand in…
More than 90 people are reported missing on Tuesday (18) after a vessel adrift off Mumbai's coast sank during cyclone Tauktae, the Indian navy said. About 177 people were rescued from the vessel as per the latest report. The rescue operations are still on. Two ships and helicopters are deployed…
HALFORDS has donated £100,000 to the HOPE hospital in Kolkata to fund treatment for Covid patients. HOPE’s small hospital in Kolkata is treating only Covid-19 patients, converting from a single 10 bed Covid ward during the first wave to what is now three wards with 52 beds. Many of these…
PEOPLE have started streaming back to Dhaka from other parts of Bangladesh after Eid ul-Fitr celebrations, despite the government extending the nationwide lockdown by a week to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. In the absence of mass transport because of travel restrictions, many people rented private vehicles or…
CYCLONE Tauktae, likely to be the strongest to hit the region since 1998, is expected to make landfall tonight in the covid-battered state of Gujarat. The cyclone would subsequently move northwestwards and is likely to affect the Pakistani port city of Karachi as well, a statement by the India Meteorological…
By Dinesh Sharma IT IS still the case that “when America sneezes, the world catches a cold”. Maybe this will change as countries around the world embrace anti-democratic regimes over open systems; perhaps after the coronavirus crisis, perceptions of leadership may change. It was the Austrian politician Klemens von Metternich…
THREE Indian Navy warships brought oxygen and medical supplies to India on Monday (10). Ins Airavat, Ins Kolkata, and Ins Trikand reached Indian with consignments of oxygen and other medical equipment. 80 tonnes of liquid oxygen, 20 cryogenic oxygen tanks, 3,150 cylinders, and a large amount of other medical supplies…
By: Mohnish Singh Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut and controversies go hand-in-hand. The actress has been at the center of yet another controversy after she recently shared an inflammatory post on Twitter, which received flak from all sections of the society and led the micro-blogging site to suspend her account. After…
BANGLADESH on Thursday (6) handed over 10,000 vials of antiviral injection Remdesivir to India as part of its medical assistance. Bangladesh's deputy high commissioner in Kolkata Toufique Hasan handed over 10,000 vials of Remdesivir to the representative of the Indian government at the Indian border port of Petrapole. These 10,000…
By Rithika Siddhartha INDIA’S coronavirus caseload topped 20 million on Tuesday (4) with some cities expected to reach the peak of the second wave in the next few days. More than 350,000 new cases were reported in India on Tuesday, a fall from the high of 402,000 last week as…
THE Indian Premier League has been indefinitely suspended due to the Covid-19 crisis in the country, the IPL said on Tuesday (4). The organising Indian cricket board (BCCI) and the IPL governing council took the decision at an emergency meeting. "These are difficult times, especially in India, and while we…
The Indian Premier League was forced into its first coronavirus postponement this season on Monday (3) after two players tested positive despite the tournament's bio-secure "bubble". The Kolkata Knight Riders' match against Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore was called off just hours before its start in Ahmedabad after Varun Chakaravarthy…
India's devastating Covid-19 surge further accelerated on Saturday with more than 400,000 new cases in 24 hours, as vaccinations opened to all adults despite shortages of shots. The hard-hit capital New Delhi meanwhile extended its shutdown for another week while top US pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci said that India should…
Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals on Thursday donated $1 million to help fight the coronavirus surge in India, as two umpires reportedly became the latest participants to ditch the world's richest cricket tournament. Facing criticism over the decision to hold the event while India suffers thousands of deaths each…
INDIA on Friday (30) posted another global record for daily coronavirus infections, pushing worldwide cases past 150 million as a pandemic that has killed almost 3.2 million worldwide continues to wreak devastation. India recorded another 385,000 cases in the past 24 hours -- a new global record -- and almost…
OPENER Prithvi Shaw blasted six boundaries in the first over during his breezy knock of 82 as Delhi Capitals thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in an IPL 2021 match on Thursday (29). Coming out for the run-chase of 155 runs, Shaw scored six fours off Shivam Mavi's first…
By: Mohnish Singh Actor Rohit Roy has completed shooting for filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee’s fourth directorial offering Broken Frame. Set in the city of Kolkata, the film also stars Ritabhari Chakraborty as the female lead. Talking about director Mukherjee, Roy calls him a taskmaster. “I have known Ram Kamal since…
THE Indian cricket board (BCCI) on Tuesday (27) said it would do everything to ensure that foreign players taking part in the IPL reach their respective countries seamlessly once the tournament ends. It said a day after three Australians quit the league amid a surge of Covid-19 cases in India.…
PRIME MINISTER Scott Morrison on Tuesday (27) said Australian cricketers currently playing in the IPL will have to make their "own arrangements" to return home after his country banned all flights from India in the wake of a surging second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Australia on Tuesday (27) suspended…
SKIPPER Eoin Morgan steadied things after early jitters in run-chase as Kolkata Knight Riders ended their four-match losing streak with an easy five-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Monday (26). Lead by Prasidh Krishna's spell of three for 30, Kolkata restricted Punjab to 123 for 9 before Morgan took them…
India is reeling from a new coronavirus surge, stretching hospitals to the limit with dire shortages of beds, oxygen and drugs. With more than 2,000 people dying daily, we look at the reasons for the vicious new wave and why the health care system is overwhelmed. - 'Herd immunity' -…
INDIA recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 new Covid-19 infections on Thursday (22) as a second wave of the pandemic raised new fears about the ability of crumbling health services to cope. The health ministry data on Thursday is the most of any country since the pandemic began,…
Faf du Plessis smashed an unbeaten 60-ball 95 and Deepak Chahar yet again scalped four as Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 18 runs in a high-scoring game in IPL 2021. Despite poor form, Chennai persisted with Ruturaj Gaikwad and he bounced back with a fine 64. He…
Royal Challengers Bangalore rescued Glenn Maxwell from the Indian Premier League doldrums and now the big-hitting Australian has repaid their faith with the runs that have taken them to the top of the table. The 32-year-old all-rounder was a surprise $1.95 million purchase by Virat Kohli's side after being almost…
By: Mohnish Singh It has been a couple of months since RSVP Movies and Roy Kapur Films announced their next collaboration, Pippa. The film has Ishaan Khatter, Mrunal Thakur and Priyanshu Painyuli on the cast with Raja Krishna Menon directing. If you have been wondering what is the status of…
PAKISTANI MUSICIAN MAHAM SUHAIL EXPLAINS THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND HER DEBUT ALBUM by ASJAD NAZIR SINGER, composer and producer Maham Suhail says her debut album Mitti has her heart, blood, tears and sweat in it. The talented Pakistani has also put in her own money into the collection of songs, which…
MUMBAI INDIANS pulled off an unlikely 10-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a low-scoring game of IPL 2021 in Chennai on Tuesday (13). Mumbai recorded their first win in the second game after managing to score only 152 batting first. But did well defending the total with bowlers rising…
Kane Williamson needs more time to get match fit, said Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Trevor Bayliss, after the New Zealand captain sat out his Indian Premier League side's opening defeat on Sunday. Hyderabad, led by Australia's David Warner, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs in their first match…
By Amit Roy JONATHAN GLANCEY now lives in north Suffolk by the River Waveney, sometimes getting up at 6am to dig a trench to plant hedges. The setting could not be more English, but Glancey is just the right man to compare and contrast the railways in America and…
England's white ball captain Eoin Morgan, who also leads Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, claims that a lot of Indian players are interested in being a part of his country's ambitious The Hundred league as well as other franchise events across the globe. Morgan also urged the game's administrators…
By Amit Roy THE Mountbatten family’s possessions, among them Indian treasures, fetched £5.6m at a Sotheby’s auction in London last Wednesday (24). The items – jewellery, furniture, paintings, sculpture, books, silver, ceramics and Objet d’art – had mostly been bequeathed to Patricia, the elder daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten and…
by LAUREN CODLING THE real-life relationship between the author of the Sherlock Holmes novels and a wrongly convicted Indian solicitor has been explored in a new nonfiction book. Set in a village near Birmingham in the 19th century, The Mystery of the Parsee Lawyer explores the true-life story of lawyer…
INDIAN authorities clamped down on one of the country's biggest Hindu festivals on Monday (29) as the country passed 12 million coronavirus cases with financial hub Mumbai recording its highest-ever rise in daily infections. Public celebrations to mark Holi -- a popular festival where people smear colour on each other…
Skipper Virat Kohli said he will continue to open the batting in Twenty20 cricket after his unbeaten 80 set up India's series-clinching win over England. Kohli was promoted up the order to partner Rohit Sharma for the first time in the shortest format and the move proved key as they…
In 2012, Sayani Dutta started her acting career with Bengali film Na Hannyate, becoming the first generation from her family to join films. One film led to another and soon she became a popular name in Bengali cinema. Today, Dutta commences another chapter in her career as she makes her…
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly kept his cards close to his chest amid mounting speculation that he might take the political plunge ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections, saying he will see "where it goes" amid the "opportunities" coming his way. Ganguly, who is still resting at his Kolkata residence…
The popular Indian Premier League will begin on April 9, the country's cricket board said Sunday, with organizers set to eschew crowds initially as coronavirus cases rise in India. The world's richest Twenty20 tournament was held in the United Arab Emirates in 2020, but its 14th edition this year will…
A crowd of up to 800,000 turned out for a state election rally by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (8), as he sought to unseat one of his fiercest critics in a campaign hit by violence. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been seeking to expand its power…
THE GG2 Diversity Conference was held virtually for the first time last Wednesday (24), with a number of inspirational speakers, including campaigners, academics and senior executives, discussing a range of issues. The event was hosted by the Asian Media Group (AMG), which publishes Eastern Eye, Garavi Gujarat, Asian Trader, Pharmacy…
Assistant coach Graham Thorpe has challenged England's batsmen to step up and lighten the load on captain Joe Root's shoulders ahead of the third Test against India. Root is averaging 90 in four Tests this year, with first-innings scores of 228 and 186 laying the groundwork for a 2-0 win…
India have brought rising IPL stars Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Tewatia, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav into their squad for the Twenty20 series against England next month. But India will rest star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the five-match series to be played in Ahamedabad from March 12. Chakravarthy has had…
South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris became the most expensive player bought for the Indian Premier League when Rajasthan Royals paid $2.25 million (£1.6 million) as part of a spending spree by the world's richest Twenty20 tournament. Three-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, got England spin…
By Amit Roy SUPPORTERS of the British empire are furious with the National Trust for asserting that Lord George Curzon pursued racist policies when he was viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, and that when he returned home, he took a leading role in opposing votes for women.…
by SHALINA PATEL CORNELIA SORABJI was the first woman to study law at Oxford University and subsequently the first woman to practise law in India, but it wasn’t an easy journey for her. Sorabji was born in Nashik in what is now the western Indian state of Maharashtra in 1866,…
By Suhas Khale WHY are we talking about Subhas Chandra Bose on his 124th birth anniversary? British war-time leader Sir Winston Churchill once famously said history was going to be kind to him as he was going to write it. After the Second World War, history was written by British…
By Amit Roy THE British apparently had a plan to assassinate Indian nationalist leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose during the Second World War, according to his 78-year-old daughter Anita Bose, who has given an interview to mark her father’s birth anniversary. Anita said: “By chance a document turned up in…
Indian cricket great Sourav Ganguly was discharged from hospital Sunday after undergoing a second heart operation in a month, with doctors optimistic that he will make a full recovery. The 48-year-old, who now heads the country's powerful cricket board, was admitted to hospital in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal…
INDIA's cricket chief and former batting star Sourav Ganguly underwent a second heart bypass operation in less than four weeks on Thursday(28), but doctors said he was "fine" after the surgery. Hundreds of chanting supporters gathered outside the Kolkata hospital where the 48-year-old Indian cricket legend was admitted on Wednesday(27)…
By: Mohnish Singh National Film Award-winning Bengali filmmaker Kaushik Ganguly is gearing up to set his foot in Bollywood. Known for helming such memorable Bengali movies as Apur Panchali (2013), Shabdo (2014), Bishorjan (2017), Nagarkirtan (2019), and Jyeshthoputro (2019) to name just a few, Ganguli has announced his first Bollywood…
FROM BIG BIOPICS AND REMAKES TO HUGE ACTION BLOCKBUSTERS, A LOOK AHEAD TO HOTLY ANTICIPATED HINDI CINEMA RELEASES AND WHAT TO EXPECT by ASJAD NAZIR THE Covid-19 pandemic may have halted Bollywood badly, but that isn’t stopping the most prolific film industry from powering ahead with more productions. With a…
By Amit Roy FAMILY treasures belonging to Patricia Mountbatten, the elder daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, are to be auctioned by Sotheby’s on March 24. More than 350 lots “spanning jewellery, furniture, paintings, sculpture, books, silver, ceramics & objets d’art” reflect the Mountbatten family’s close…
By Amit Roy Heirlooms in Sotheby's sale include jewellery, paintings and objects D'art FAMILY treasures belonging to Patricia Mountbatten, the elder daughter of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy of India, are to be auctioned by Sotheby’s on March 24. More than 350 lots “spanning jewellery, furniture, paintings, sculpture, books,…
Today, football is one of the most popular sports in India. This is nothing new – the game has been beloved here for well over a century. Originally brought over by British soldiers stationed in the country, it quickly gained a following, with clubs and tournaments springing up from Kolkata…
HINDU PILGRIMS flocked to the Ganges river in India on Wednesday(13), shrugging off the risk of coronavirus a day before the start of the Kumbh Mela -- a religious festival that attracts millions each time it is held. Despite India having the second most coronavirus infections in the world --…
TEN newborns were killed on Saturday(9) in a massive fire at a hospital in Maharashtra, India's richest state, a doctor said, as leading politicians expressed grief at the loss of life. "The fire broke out at 2 a.m. (2030 GMT) today," said Pramod Khandate, civil surgeon at Bhandara District General…
TRIBUTES have poured in for dance historian and critic Sunil Kothari, who passed away on December 27 at a Delhi hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 87. Leading artists from India, UK and the US are mourning the loss of Kothari, a respected authority on dance forms who…
Indian cricket chief Sourav Ganguly was under observation in hospital on Sunday (3) after a successful heart operation, doctors said, as well wishes including from the prime minister continued to pour in for the former star and captain. The 48-year-old, who heads the country's powerful cricket board, suffered a heart…
Eminent dance historian and critic Sunil Kothari passed away Sunday (27) morning at a Delhi hospital following a cardiac arrest. Kothari, 87, has been suffering from post-Covid complications for a while. "He had tested positive for Covid-19 almost a month back and was not in a good condition," Vidha Lal,…
By Amit Roy THE question of pop legend Sir Cliff Richard’s origins in India came up when he was a guest on Desert Island Discs last Sunday (20) – just as it had when he first appeared on the popular BBC Radio 4 show on October 31, 1960. Then he…
The Indian Premier League is to be increased from eight to 10 teams as the world's richest Twenty20 event seeks to cash in on its growing television audience. The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India announced the move after its annual meeting on Thursday but did not say…
India plans to track down everyone arriving from Britain over the past month, officials said on Tuesday (22), hoping to stop a more infectious strain of the coronavirus detected there spreading in a country battling the world's second highest COVID-19 tally. Eight people arriving from Britain tested positive for COVID-19…
Australia and India renew their fierce rivalry in a four-Test series that begins with a day-night game in Adelaide on Thursday. India won a Test series for the first time Down Under when the sides clashed two years ago and Australia are determined to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Here are…
Australia and India have been playing Test cricket against each other since 1947 and they renew their rivalry in Adelaide on Thursday. Some of the most competitive clashes have come since they began contesting the Border-Gavaskar Trophy -- named after the first two batsmen to pass 10,000 runs -- in…
Top-ranked Australia are plotting revenge in their first day-night Test against fellow powerhouse India on Thursday, as both teams grapple with injuries and selection dilemmas. Virat Kohli's men clinched their maiden series in Australia in 2018-19, triumphing 2-1, but the hosts were without leading batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner…
A few weeks ago, Mukteshwar Kalo, a member of the Kondh tribe in eastern India, suddenly came down with a fever, cough and aches. Nearly anywhere else, these symptoms would be enough to raise fears of COVID-19, but 58-year-old Kalo, who lives in Surupa village in the state of Odisha,…
By Nadeem Badshah STUDENTS of south Asian origin in the UK have revealed their battle with mental health due to universities being closed during the lockdowns. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to seminars, face-to-face lectures and social events being cancelled, with most courses being taught online. Some 119 universities have…
The Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders, co-owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, have become a key partner in the bid to launch Major League Cricket in the United States, the team said on Tuesday (1). The two-time IPL champions have signed on for a "long-term strategic partnership (that)…
They may have achieved cult status, and fans depend on them carry their nations to victory. However, some of these cricket heroes have been forced into retirement in one way or another. Whether it is because of injury or endless controversies such as Shane Warne as described in this online…
Even in the land of cricket, Diego Maradona's death came as such a shock that one Indian state declared two days of official mourning and fans flocked to a hotel room where the football deity once slept. The Argentine footballer, who died on Wednesday (25) at the age of 60,…
By Amit Roy WHAT a civilised country Britain is becomes apparent from the tale of Jan Morris, the travel writer, who died last Friday (20), aged 94, at her home in Wales. Jan was famous for two events in a varied and colourful life. She was born James Morris but…
A teenage trafficking survivor in India has won 900,000 rupees ($12,165) in a rare payout that lawyers said was "unprecedented" in size under the country's compensation schemes for victims. The survivor was 13 when she was trafficked from eastern Odisha state and sold to a brothel in Sonagachi, India's largest…
Bangladesh star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been given an armed bodyguard after he was threatened by Islamists for attending a Hindu ceremony in neighbouring India, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday. The cricketer is the latest target of Islamists in Bangladesh, who have also held large anti-France rallies…
By Amit Roy “INDIA’S finest actor” is a phrase that has been used loosely in recent years, but Soumitra Chatterjee, who died last Sunday (15) at the age of 85, has to be included in this group. Soumitra, who succumbed to Covid-related complications more than a month after being…
By: Mohnish Singh Abhishek Bachchan is currently riding high on the success of his latest film Ludo (2020), which premiered on 12th November on Netflix. Also featuring Aditya Roy Kapur, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Sanya Malhotra, and Fatima Sana Shaikh on the ensemble cast, the crime comedy is an Anurag…
Star Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has been forced to make a public apology after receiving Islamist threats for attending a Hindu ceremony in neighbouring India. The leading all-rounder is the latest target of increasingly vocal Islamists who have also staged huge anti-France rallies in recent weeks over the publication…
Australian great Steve Waugh has long held a deep affection for India, first touring the country in 1986. But his experiences were all too often fleeting glimpses, before he got the chance to return and photograph everyday cricket in the sport's powerhouse. Travelling from one ground to the next as…
LEGENDARY ACTOR Soumitra Chatterjee has been hailed as one of Indian cinema's leading lights after his death at the age of 85 from health complications after he contracted the coronavirus. Chatterjee appeared in around 300 films over six decades but was best known internationally for his work with Oscar-winning director…
The much-awaited Indian Super League is finally here to soothe the football blues in India. The decision to conduct the tournament was announced in mid-late October as the organizers aim for a November 20 start. While that may be good news for football fans, the teams and other participants find…
Skipper David Warner struck an unbeaten 85 as Sunrisers Hyderabad sealed the final play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 10-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. Warner put on an unbeaten opening stand with Wriddhiman Saha, who made 58, to drive home Hyderabad's chase of 150 in…
Pacemen Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada combined to help Delhi Capitals take second spot in the Indian Premier League play-offs with a win over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday. Virat Kohli's Bangalore, who are chasing their maiden IPL title along with Delhi, also made the play-offs despite their six-wicket loss…
It's up to the gods now, said Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan, expressing satisfaction with the effort put in his by his team to clinch a whopping 60-run win over Rajasthan Royals and keep its IPL play-off hopes alive in an immensely tight race. KKR finished their league campaign…
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni vowed Sunday to return for Chennai Super Kings in next year's Indian Premier League, after his team ended Kings XI Punjab's play-off hopes in both sides' final game of the season. But the 39-year-old said the team -- which has many over-35s including Shane Watson and…
Ravindra Jadeja hit the last two balls for six to secure a tense morale-boosting win for Chennai Super Kings over Kolkata Knight Riders that only helped their old rivals Mumbai Indians. The six-wicket victory for Chennai, who have failed to qualify for the IPL playoffs for the first time, meant…
England's Jofra Archer claimed David Warner's wicket for the sixth time this year on Thursday but the Australian still came out on top when his Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. Warner, who lost his wicket four times to Archer in Australia's summer tour of England…
Paceman Mohammed Siraj returned impressive bowling figures of three for eight to help Royal Challengers Bangalore thrash Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday. Siraj bowled two successive maiden overs -- the first ever in the IPL -- of his four to keep Kolkata…
The Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday (19) said West Indies spinner Sunil Narine can continue to bowl after it found nothing illegal in his deliveries during an assessment that was prompted by an on-field caution earlier this month. Narine's team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), asked for the assessment…
Packaging soft-focus romance within a rigid frame of patriarchy, the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge love story unfolded in grassy Swiss meadows and Punjab's mustard fields 25 years ago and went on to become a cult classic that combined desi sensibilities with NRI sensitivities. The film, one of India's most successful,…
A fast and furious Lockie Ferguson produced one of the most incredible bowling performances of this IPL edition to lead Kolkata Knight Riders to a thrilling Super Over win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Ferguson proved to be the "Knight in Shining Armour" with his storehouse of…
Pakistan bowler Umar Gul, who earned the nickname 'Gul-dozer' for his rattling of stumps, has called time on his 17-year cricket career. With no crowds to bid farewell to the national hero because of coronavirus restrictions, the Twenty20 World Cup winner bowed out to a guard of honour from teammates…
Shikhar Dhawan hit his first Indian Premier League century on Saturday as Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings to go back top of the table. South African veteran AB de Villiers produced another blistering batting display meanwhile to take Royal Challengers Bangalore to victory over Rajasthan Royals and keep them…
Murtuza Iqbal Bollywood celebs connect with their fans through social media. Apart from sharing about their day-to-day life, celebs wish their fans at every festival. Today, the festival of Navratri starts so many Bollywood celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, Vidya Balan, and others took to social media to wish their fans…
Royal Challengers Bangalore's decision to push AB de Villiers down the order backfired but skipper Virat Kohli said it was a well-thought-out strategy that somehow did not work against Kings XI Punjab. De Villiers, who had smashed a 33-ball 73 against Kolkata Knight Riders in their last match, was expected…
South African captain Quinton de Kock scored a brilliant unbeaten 78 Friday as Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians inflicted a crushing defeat on England counterpart Eoin Morgan in his first game leading Kolkata Knight Riders. Morgan, who took over after Dinesh Karthik quit just hours before the game, won…
Skipper Virat Kohli on Monday (13) praised AB de Villiers' "super-human" effort on a sluggish pitch after the South African great hit a match-winning 73 for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. Bangalore thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders by 82 runs in Sharjah as De Villiers stood tall with…
Skipper Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten 90 as Royal Challengers Bangalore outplayed Chennai Super Kings by 37 runs in the Indian Premier League on Saturday. Kohli held the innings strong despite early losses including AB de Villiers for nought and a slow start to take the attack to the opposition…
Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler said on Saturday (10) that preparing new club East Bengal for their first season in the Indian Super League during the coronavirus pandemic will be a supreme challenge. Fowler has made India the latest stop of his much travelled career after he gave…
A police sting that busted a prostitution ring and triggered a back-and-forth in the courts has revealed a conflict in Indian law over a woman's right to sell sex and a state's right to stop her. It all comes down to female choice, according to a landmark legal ruling last…
Birthday boy Dwayne Bravo reached 150 wickets in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday but his side Chennai Super Kings went down to Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs. The West Indies all-rounder, who turned 37, got to the landmark with his third wicket of Shivam Mavi for nought as…
By Amit Roy JASWANT SINGH, who died on September 27, aged 82, was a founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and served variously as India’s finance, external affairs and defence minister. But most obituaries recalled he was expelled from the BJP for writing a book that was sympathetic to…
By Amit Roy KRISHNENDU MAJUMDAR is an Emmy-winning producer and director, but he has made it his mission to bring about real diversity in the film, TV and gaming industries as the new chairman of Bafta. Some of the clues lie in his own background. “Growing up, there was no…
Skipper Virat Kohli hit form with his first half-century of this Indian Premier League season as he led Royal Challengers Bangalore to a comfortable win over Rajasthan Royals on Saturday. Kohli, who came into the match with scores of 14, one and three, remained unbeaten on 72 as Bangalore chased…
Indian quicks Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti on Wednesday led Kolkata Knight Riders to a big IPL win after the franchise had persisted with the bowling duo through injury layoffs since 2018. Both Mavi and Nagarkoti, who were brought by Kolkata two years ago after an eye catching performance in…
Skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday struck a brisk 80 to help holders Mumbai Indians win their first match in the United Arab Emirates in seven attempts during two IPL editions. Mumbai lost five matches in the 2014 season -- the first half of which was played in the UAE due…
By Amit Roy ENGLISH author PG Wodehouse is loved all over the world, but in India he has an especially devoted following. Ben Schott is a 46-year-old British journalist and author who received rave reviews for his first Wodehouse novel, Jeeves and the King of Clubs. He has just published…
By Amit Roy CORINNE FOWLER, who is professor of post-colonial literature at Leicester University, has written a hard-hitting book about racism in the countryside called Green Unpleasant Land: Creative Responses to Rural England’s Colonial Connections, which will be published by Peepal Tree Press on November 6. “The countryside is the…
The Indian Premier League starts on Saturday (19), five months late and shifted to the United Arab Emirates because of the coronavirus pandemic. We highlight five players to watch in the 53-day Twenty20 extravaganza. - Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) - Captain Kohli will be key to Royal Challengers Bangalore's…
THE much-delayed Indian Premier League will start on Saturday (19) without its customary glitz and glamour, but the Twenty20 tournament is expected to be a welcome relief to cricket fans during the pandemic. The short-form extravaganza normally starts in March but along with other major international sporting events was postponed…
THE coronavirus has upended everyday life in the six months since the crisis was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). While our understanding of the new respiratory disease has steadily increased since it was first detected in China last year, what lies ahead over the next half-year…
An Indian-origin professor’s Oxford-based company on Tuesday (8) announced that its Indian partner, the Serum Institute of India (SIIPL), has begun trials of a novel virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine targeting Covid-19 which has the potential to offer a groundbreaking new approach to fighting the pandemic. Prof Sumi Biswas, chief executive…
With regular international flights stalled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Air India is set to operate direct flights between Kolkata and London, primarily for the purpose of repatriation, under the Centre's Vande Bharat mission, a spokesperson for the airline said. The flights between NSC Bose International Airport Kolkata and Heathrow…
INDIA's tally of coronavirus infections surged to nearly 3.7 million on Tuesday (1), as millions of masked students sat for college admission exams after the government refused to defer them. India, the world's third most affected country by the pandemic after the US and Brazil, reported 69,921 new coronavirus infections…
Top cricketers including England's Ben Stokes and Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins risk missing the start of the Indian Premier League because of a series between their countries next month. Australia tour England from September 4 in a series that ends three days before the start of the world's richest…
More than 2,000 years ago, a powerful king built a fort on the banks of India’s holiest river, on the fringes of what is now a vast industrial city. Today, little of the ancient construction remains, except for mounds of rubble that tannery workers pick through for bricks to build…
Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Laal Singh Chaddha was slated to release on Christmas 2020. However, due to the pandemic, the shooting of the film got stalled, and the makers had to push the release date. Well, the makers have announced the new release date of the movie.…
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, who was last seen in Yash Raj Films’ period drama Thugs of Hindostan (2018), next stars in Laal Singh Chaddha, an official remake of Tom Hanks’ Hollywood classic Forrest Gump (1994). Mr Perfectionist was busy shooting for the much-awaited remake in several parts across India before…
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan said on Sunday he had been discharged from hospital, three weeks after being admitted with "mild" coronavirus symptoms after testing positive for the disease. The news came as powerful Indian home minister Amit Shah revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus, which is infecting tens of…
10. Meeting my Guruji, Pandit Chitresh Das: As an 18-year-old who took her first Kathak class in San Francisco in 1996, I knew within a few months that this art form would play a significant part in my life. I am certain that it is his guidance and teaching style…
The Indian Premier League on Tuesday (21) seized upon the postponement of the Twenty20 World Cup to propose holding its cash bonanza tournament in the United Arab Emirates from September. IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told AFP that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was seeking government permission to…
By Keri Trigg, Local Democracy Reporting Service THE statue of Robert Clive will remain on its plinth in Shrewsbury town centre after Shropshire Councillors voted to take no action over calls for its removal. More than 23,000 people signed two petitions asking for Clive to be replaced, arguing that he…
Fans across India prayed on Monday for Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and others members of his movie star family who have fallen sick with the coronavirus as the one-day rise in infections hit a new record without any sign of a peak. Bachchan, 77, and his son, Abhishek, remained in…
INDIA's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly has come out against playing four-day Tests, proposed by the world governing body as a way to squeeze more cricket into a packed calendar. The International Cricket Council has floated the idea of reducing matches in the World Test Championship by one day from 2023,…
Last seen in Yash Raj Films’ Thugs of Hindostan (2018), Aamir Khan will next sizzle the silver screen with his much-anticipated film Laal Singh Chaddha. The superstar had been shooting for his ambitious project in different parts of the country. He had already wrapped up some important sequences of the…
Recently, Hindustan Unilever announced that they will be removing the word ‘fair’ from the name of their cream Fair & Lovely. Well, a lot of celebs have praised HUL’s decision and Bipasha Basu took to Instagram to praise the brand and also recollected how she was being called dusky since…
THE mayor of Leicester has given “absolute assurance” that statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the heart of the central England city will be protected, as an online petition created to save the under-threat monument attracted over 6,000 signatures. Peter Soulsby committed his support in response to a letter from former…
EAST HAM resident Imam Haque has raised £2,600 so far for the Hope Foundation, which supports street children and vulnerable communities in Kolkata, India through his '260km in 26 days' challenge. Under the initiative, he plans to run 260km over 26 days around East London and raise as much as…
WITH rains pounding her village in eastern India this week, Neelam Singh weighed the options; walk several miles through the jungle to buy sanitary pads or cut a strip from one of her mother's old polyester saris. The 18-year-old used up her last pad during India's weeks-long coronavirus lockdown, which…
A FORMER British-Indian lawmaker has launched an impassioned campaign to defend a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Leicester, after an online petition calling for its removal attracted nearly 5,000 signatures. Keith Vaz, who was the longest-serving member of Parliament from Leicester until last year, called for the petition to be…
By Amit Roy AS SIR Suma Chakrabarti steps down on July 2 as president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) after completing two four-year terms, he has given a valedictory interview setting out what he thinks the organisation has achieved under his leadership and also some of…
Produced in association with UK Government TEAMWORK HAS BEEN VITAL IN PROJECTS SET UP TO TACKLE THE VIRUS AS BRITAIN eases lockdown measures, an army of troops, scientists, diplomats and civil servants – among others – are working to help people through the pandemic and ensure that the country gets…
By Amit Roy EASTERN EYE was considering doing an interview with the Indian-origin entrepreneur Nirmal Sethia when he hit the national headlines last Monday (25) for quite an unexpected reason – there was panic in north London when a “big cat” was spotted in the garden of his spacious home…
by AMIT ROY NEIL BASU, assistant commissioner in the Metropolitan Police and the most senior Asian police officer in the country, has talked to Eastern Eye – not about his work as the national lead for counter-terrorism policing in the UK – but about something completely different. “I really enjoyed…
By Amit Roy THE proportion of patients with diabetes who have died from Covid-19 has gone up from 26 per cent to 32 per cent, according to the latest research from NHS England. New figures show that 7,466 coronavirus patients who have died in hospitals in England had type 2…
INDIA and Bangladesh began a massive clean-up after the fiercest cyclone since 1999 killed at least 95 people, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Cyclone Amphan flattened houses, uprooted trees, blew off roofs and toppled electricity pylons, while a storm surge inundated coastal villages and wrecked shrimp farms…
By Amit Roy PAUL BURRELL, 59, former butler to Diana, Princess of Wales, has revealed the contents of a handwritten note she sent him after visiting Mother Teresa’s home, Nirmal Hriday, in Kolkata in February 1992, enclosing a prayer. I was there with her at the time and can confirm…
By Amit Roy A LEADING diabetes doctor has advised British Asians on how they can reduce their risks from Covid-19 by taking up NHS programmes aimed at dealing with the disease. The comments from Prof Partha Kar, national speciality adviser for diabetes for NHS England, follow the publication last week…
INDIA and Bangladesh began a massive clean-up Thursday (21) after the fiercest cyclone since 1999 killed at least 84 people, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Cyclone Amphan flattened houses, uprooted trees, blew off roofs and toppled electricity pylons, while a storm surge inundated coastal villages and wrecked…
HEAVY rains and winds lashed two eastern Indian states and parts of Bangladesh hours before a powerful cyclone made landfall on Wednesday (20), with rescue teams evacuating millions of villagers to higher ground in an operation complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. Bangladesh's disaster management officials said they were working on…
OVER 2,200 Indian nationals stranded in the UK have been flown back home during the first phase of Vande Bharat Mission, India's biggest ever repatriation exercise. Since the first special Air India flight took off from London’s Heathrow Airport for Mumbai on May 8, there have been eight routes to…
India's prime minister Narendra Modi said on Monday (11) the country would look to ease a nearly seven-week lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus, despite also reporting its biggest single-day jump in cases. Modi has faced increasing calls to end his government's stringent lockdown of the…
THE heads of the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders and Pakistan Super League's Multan Sultans have hinted about investing in the Hundred. Reacting to a recent British news story, the Kolkata Knight Riders' chief has said it would "evaluate" proposals to invest in the Hundred, which was shelved this…
FORMER Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar believes coaching is to "spread knowledge" and is ready to train fast bowlers from any country -- even if an offer from arch-rivals India comes his way. In an interview with a social networking platform, the 44-year-old paceman said he wants to help produce aggressive…
GULSHAN EWING FEATURED ARTICLES FOR MODERN WORKING WOMEN IN HER TITLES by AMIT ROY GULSHAN EWING, who died last month, aged 92, from coronavirus at a care home in London, was photographed with the likes of Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Alfred Hitchcock, Danny Kaye, Ava Gardener and Roger Moore when…
Vitality Blast – UK The 20/20 competition involving all counties in England was set to start in May, but with the lockdown in the UK due to COVID19, this event has been postponed and looking to be re-scheduled.. The one key point to note is that unless the tournament can…