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 of horses and cattle, many from the Pushkar Festival in Rajasthan which he has visited five times since his first visit to India 20 years ago.
Pushkar, he said, was like “a film set from Steven Spielberg. Thousands of people appear in the desert, bringing with them cattle, camels, horses, and set up a sea of tents. But you also witness tender scenes where the animals are right at the centre of the family.”
But in order to get to the deeper truth about India, Hodge said he is going increasingly into abstract painting.
He has done Tantric paintings as well as images such as Eternal Flame from the burning ghats in Varanasi.
Hodge lives and works in the quiet Oxfordshire village of Appleton. But much of his inspiration comes from India, where his maternal great-grandparents – Alan Eden Eadon and Letitia Muriel Eadon (“known to all as Tish”) – and grandparents, Tony Pigou and Joyce Pigou – spent a good part of their lives.
He told Eastern Eye: “I’m sitting in the conservatory looking out of the window. I can see my studio surrounded by prayer flags from Dharamshala. I can sit in the studio and start painting something from India. You just get lost in it.
“I’m a great believer in what Ernest Hemingway said,” quipped Hodge. “He said he was always able to write about Paris, but when he was in Barcelona, and he could write about Madrid when he was in Paris, because you need that distance of both geography and have time to absorb the experience and digest it.”
He was in the Himalayas in Mcleod Ganj, where the Dalai Lama lives in the hill station above Dharamshala, when the pandemic struck at the beginning of 2020. He returned to England and has not been able to go to India since.
Setting out his family’s deep connection with India, Hodge said: “My greatgrandfather, Alan Eden Eadon, was born in England, but went out at a very early age with the Civil Aviation Authority. He lived out there with his wife Tish for a lot of his life and built airfields.
“Their daughter, Joyce Eadon, my grandmother, became Joyce Pigou, when she married my grandfather, Tony Pigou. He was in the navy, but would take out a Tiger Moth at weekends and fly all over the country. Two of my uncles were born in Calcutta (now Kolkata).”
Hodge's maternal grandparents Joyce and Tony Pigou, who met in India.
As a small boy, Hodge (who was born in 1966), learned about India from his grandparents after they returned to England. “We often had curries instead of traditional English food. And as a very young boy, I was told stories in my grandmother’s bed. She didn’t read me books, she used to tell me tales of their lives in India. Gosh, it just captured and coloured my imagination tremendously.
“Eventually when I went out to India for the first time 20 years ago, I was desperate to experience what I’d heard so much about first-hand.”
He has embarked on “a very interesting journey because at the moment, I’m deep in Shashi Tharoor’s critical book, Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India”.
Hodge “wholeheartedly agrees” with the author and politician that the history of the Raj should be taught in schools.
“As he says, if you want to know where you’re going, you have to know where you came from.”
He is also delving into family history, contained in old family albums. He has sorted out some pictures for a book about his great-grandfather being published by a museum.
Hodge supports a charity for orphaned or abandoned girls, Sheela Bal Bhavan, in Jaipur in Rajasthan, with a smaller offshoot in Nainital, a former British hill station in Uttarakhand. One of the girls, who arrived when she was six, is “28 now, a wonderful young woman and she calls me ‘Dad’,” he revealed.
The home in Nainital was set up initially to look after three babies. “A couple of years ago I opened a book and there was a picture of my grandmother on the first page by the lake in Nainital. Now isn’t that strange? It feels like something has gone full circle. There’s a deeply emotional connection.”
He was in Mumbai one year painting the Gateway of India, which was erected in December 1911 to celebrate the arrival of George V and Empress Mary.
Looking down at his representational drawing he sensed that “this isn’t good enough. I sat for days and pondered this. Of course, the context was the connection between Great Britain and India. Representations seemed like a rather paltry way to approach such an enormous and abstract subject matter.”
On his penultimate trip – he has been to India 14 times – he witnessed cremations on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi.
“I think here in the west, we’re terribly bad at dealing with death and the end of life in the spiritual context.” In Paris, he discovered 17th-century Tantric Rajasthani paintings which were “used as an aid to meditation and prayer.
"I was blown away by these images.The experience of doing abstracts “reignited my interest in painting, actually, if I’m honest, because I was suddenly getting to a point in my life where I’d been doing it for a long time, and needed something new.”
But he hasn’t given up representational painting. In any case, he wants to catch India before all that he has known changes for ever. “The visual world out in India is so tantalisingly interesting and beautiful and strange that you’re always wanting to set it down, oil on canvas, or in drawings. And I love that.”
Marcus Hodge is at the Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JU from October 5-27.
AN ASIAN man has been arrested in Birmingham as part of an investigation into the use of social media to promote people smuggling, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Monday (15).
The 38-year-old British Pakistani man was detained during an NCA operation in the Yardley area. He is suspected of using online platforms to advertise illegal boat crossings between North Africa and Europe.
“The dual national was arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and is now being questioned by NCA investigators. Digital devices were also seized and are being examined,” a statement said.
The agency released footage of the arrest, showing officers informing the man he was being detained in connection with the facilitation of illegal migration into the European Union during 2023 and 2024.
“Tackling organised immigration crime is a top priority for the NCA, and this is one of around 100 live investigations into individuals or networks suspected of such activity,” said senior investigating officer Nick Matthews. “We are targeting criminal networks in every way we can, including their social media activity and those promoting dangerous crossings online. Our enquiries are ongoing.”
The arrest comes amid wider government efforts to curb illegal migration. Ministers said record numbers of employers have recently been banned from sponsoring overseas workers after they were found misusing visas to bypass immigration rules.
“Those who abuse our system will face the strongest consequences,” said minister Mike Tapp. “We will not hesitate to act against companies exploiting vulnerable staff or undercutting British workers. These practices will not be tolerated.”
According to the Home Office, deportations of people with no legal right to remain in the UK have risen by 13 per cent over the past year, with 35,000 removals recorded. The department said enforcement action against criminal gangs is now at “the highest level on record.
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The young tapasvis seated during the community celebration
THE Jain community in London came together for a historic celebration, honouring five teenagers who successfully completed the eight-day Athai Tap fast, one of the most respected spiritual practices in Jainism.
The children – Moksh Shah, Labdhi Mehta, Mithil Shah, Svara Gandhi, and Dylan Shah – each from different families, were recognised for their discipline, devotion, and inner strength. Athai Tap involves abstaining from food for eight continuous days, a test of both body and spirit, undertaken as a way of seeking spiritual progress and self-control, according to a statement.
More than 300 members of the community gathered at the Potters Bar Derasar to mark the milestone earlier this month. The event began with the teenagers arriving in a limousine before walking down a red carpet, where they were greeted with cheers, blessings, and warm embraces.
The programme reflected the joy and unity of the occasion. Mothers of the tapasvis performed a graceful welcome dance, siblings gave heartfelt and creative introductions, while fathers joined together in a lively stage act. Devotional Jain songs were played, before the celebration concluded with a spirited Raas Garba dance that saw people of all ages joining in with colour and energy.
For many in attendance, the event was more than a celebration of fasting. It was a reminder of the strength of faith, the value of cultural roots, and the inspiration that young people can provide when they commit to tradition and spirituality, the statement added.
Attendees described the event as a proud moment for London’s Jain community.
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Enninful also gave his view on a recent American Eagle campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney
Former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful says “anti-woke” rhetoric is influencing fashion.
He warns the industry is reverting to European and super-thin beauty standards.
Enninful has launched a new inclusive media venture, EE72, with Julia Roberts on its debut cover.
He dismisses rumours of a fallout with Anna Wintour, saying she supported his departure from Vogue.
He also commented on recent advertising controversies, including Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign.
Fashion industry ‘in flux’
Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, has warned that fashion risks going backwards on diversity, with super-thin and European looks once again dominating as the beauty norm.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Radical with Amol Rajan during London Fashion Week, he said that “anti-woke” and anti-diversity sentiment was “having a moment.”
“I think we’re potentially going back to an industry that’s just sort of, ‘one type is the norm, being European is the norm, being super-thin is the norm’,” he said.
Launch of EE72
Enninful, who left British Vogue in 2023, has launched a new media platform called EE72, describing it as “inclusive.” Its first quarterly print edition highlights the beauty of women over 50 and features Julia Roberts, 57, on the cover.
The title takes its name from Enninful’s year of birth, 1972. He said he felt it was “the perfect time” to return to the industry, which he described as “in flux” and still facing “a lot of work to be done.”
Champion of diversity
Born in Ghana, Enninful came to London as an asylum seeker. He became fashion director of i-D magazine at 18 before being appointed as the first Black editor-in-chief of British Vogue. He used the role to champion broader representation, saying he wanted to reflect “the world we live in today.”
Asked if he believed an “anti-woke moment” was taking place, he agreed, saying: “Woke is a dirty word. We see what’s happening in the world politically. So anything that’s not deemed as normal or the norm is seen as wrong.”
Departure from Vogue
Enninful also addressed speculation about his relationship with Dame Anna Wintour, who is stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 years.
He dismissed claims of a falling out, explaining: “When I took the job, I gave myself five years and I did six. Anna asked me to give them a year’s notice so they could find my replacement, who turned out to be Chioma Nnadi. So it was my decision to leave.”
He said Wintour had been “very supportive,” adding: “Anna and I, we text each other all the time. You’re going to see us together.”
Advertising controversy
Enninful also gave his view on a recent American Eagle campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, where the strapline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” drew criticism.
Some suggested the wordplay implied a racially exclusive beauty standard, while others said the outrage was exaggerated. Enninful commented: “I thought people really read into it probably deeper than I would have… But then on the other hand, I guess if you have a blonde woman sitting there talking about her jeans, it will trigger some people.”
He concluded that the reaction reflected how “the population is quite divided.”
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new contract with Apollo Tyres runs until March 2028. (Photo: BCCI)
INDIAN cricket has signed Apollo Tyres as its new lead sponsor after fantasy sports platform Dream11 ended its contract following a government ban on online gambling.
The men's team travelled to the United Arab Emirates for the ongoing Asia Cup without a sponsor on their shirts after Dream11 exited the deal, which was worth about $44 million and was set to run until 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the new contract with Apollo Tyres runs until March 2028. While the value was not disclosed, the board said it is higher than the previous deal.
"The new partnership, secured after a rigorous bidding process, represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value, signifying the immense and growing commercial appeal of Indian cricket," the BCCI said in a statement.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said, "We are excited about this being Apollo's first major sponsorship in India cricket, which speaks volumes about the sport's unparalleled reach and influence. This is more than a commercial agreement; it's a partnership between two institutions that have earned the trust and respect of millions."
Apollo Tyres Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Neeraj Kanwar said, "Cricket's unmatched popularity in India and worldwide makes it an honour for us to become the national team lead sponsor of Team India."
The Apollo Tyres logo will appear on the jerseys of the Indian men's and women's teams across all formats.
Last month, the Indian parliament passed a law banning online gambling. The government said gambling platforms had caused financial distress, addiction and even suicide, and were linked to fraud, money laundering and terrorism financing. Fantasy sports apps such as Dream11 continue to operate, though for prizes and not cash.
Sydney Sweeney reportedly offered £45m for a leading role in a major Bollywood film
The package includes £35m in fees and £10M in sponsorship deals
Filming is tentatively planned for early 2026 across New York, Paris, London, and Dubai
The project could make Sweeney one of the highest-paid Hollywood stars to join Indian cinema
A record-breaking offer
Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney has reportedly been approached with a staggering £45M deal to star in one of the most expensive Bollywood films ever produced.
The 28-year-old Euphoria and The White Lotus star is said to have been offered £35m in fees plus an additional £10m through sponsorship agreements.
Details of the proposed project
The untitled film would cast Sweeney as a young American celebrity who falls in love with an Indian star. Filming is expected to begin early next year, with international locations including New York, Paris, London, and Dubai.
Industry insiders describe the project as an effort to bring Indian cinema to an even larger global audience, with Sweeney’s involvement seen as a move to elevate its international appeal.
Industry perspective
A source close to the negotiations said: “Sydney was shocked by the offer at first — £45m is an incredible sum. But the project is intriguing, and it could elevate her global profile even further. Nothing has been decided yet, but it’s a huge opportunity and she is weighing her options carefully.”
A step into Bollywood
If she accepts, Sweeney would join other international stars who have crossed into Bollywood, including Priyanka Chopra and Shilpa Shetty. The Indian film industry has increasingly sought crossover projects to expand its global reach.
Recent career highlights
Sweeney, who rose to fame on HBO’s Euphoria and The White Lotus, has recently been building her film career. Her latest project, Christy, sees her portraying US boxing champion Christy Martin, the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Speaking about the physically demanding role, Sweeney said: “Every single fight you see, we’re actually punching each other. I always believed that you wouldn’t be able to make it feel real if it’s a stunt double or if it’s faking the hits.” Christy is set for release on November 7.