Prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the WAVES 2025, India’s first-of-its-kind World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai on Thusday. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he aknowledged the presence of all international dignitaries, ambassadors, and leaders from the creative industry, and highlighted the significance of the gathering, emphasi
Popular news anchor and veteran journalist Sudhir Chaudhary says the news broadcast industry has not reinvented itself in the last 20 years, leading to news consumption gradually shifting to other platforms. Unlike social media influencers with millions of followers, there are no stars in the news industry, he believes. While basic storytelling remains the same, viewers have shif
Maha Mumbai Metro Operations Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL) has launched a WhatsApp-based ticketing service. The service, available on Metro Lines 2A and 7, allows commuters to purchase tickets directly through WhatsApp, eliminating the need for paper tickets and providing a seamless, user-friendly experience. Commuters can simply send a `Hi` to the dedicated WhatsApp number (86526 355
The polling for the Jammu & Kashmir legislative assembly elections concluded on Tuesday in a peaceful and celebratory atmosphere. Scenes of voters patiently waiting in lines at polling stations, set against the scenic backdrop of the region, highlighted the people`s strong faith in democracy. The festive mood and enthusiastic participation were evident across all districts that went for pol
Iravati Damle, Director of Government Affairs of Zoom Video Communications, speaks to Praggya Guptaa of Governance Now on privacy, security, technology and policy – and how the US based unified communications platform has been contributing to the government’s Digital India mission. How did Zoom gear up for a sudden and overwhelming situation during th
Shubhasish Chakraborty has been working for the upliftment of tribal areas of India. He wears several hats while discharging his duties as a general manager in a global conglomerate apart from being an expert on tribal affairs who works tirelessly in the field of community development. He is an award-winning filmmaker, poet and short story writer. He is trying to bring tribal art, culture a
Maharashtra’s women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur of the Congress is a member of the legislative assembly, representing Tivasa in Amravati district. She comes from a family of agriculturalists, her father Bhaiyasaheb Deshmukh was a Congress MLA and her grandfather a freedom fighter. In a conversation with Geetanjali Minhas, she talks about the huge c
Oxfam Trailwalker, arguably India`s biggest walkathon-for-a-cause challenge, has gone virtual this year, with participants completing the 100 km walk within or around the confines of their homes over a span of 10 days – from November 20 to November 29, complying with the social distancing rules. Amitabh Behar, who took over as CEO of Oxfam India in April 2018, and the s
SEEDS, a not-for-profit organization, enables community resilience in the areas of disaster readiness, response and rehabilitation. Manu Gupta, co-founder of the organization, is a doctorate in community-based disaster management and the current Chair of the Asian Disaster Reduction and Response Network, an active network of NGOs from over 20 countries in Asia. He is part of the Leadership
Did India’s nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1974 affect the local population? That is the starting point for a new novel, Uday Singh`s `Pokhran` (published by Srishti). It expertly blends real-life with fiction to deliver a thrilling journey of revenge and courage. The debutant author is an economist and an engineer “with keen interest in philosophy and a firm belief
Half way through the year 2020, it has been a tough time all around the world: Covid-19 epidemic, loss of lives, economic hardships and also numerous other problems – natural disasters and political protests. Coming together, it all has mental health under immense strain. To discuss this and other relevant matters, Praggya Guptaa talks with Dr Radhika Bapat
Starting out as a child artist, in a career spanning more than three and half decades Anees Bazmee has written/directed more than 60 films in Hindi, Tamil and Marathi in a variety of genres. After writing films like ‘Hum Farishtey Nahin’, ‘Swarg’, and ‘Aankhen’, he directed commercially successful films like ‘Welcome’, ‘Ready’, &ls
Renowned British singer, songwriter and reggae DJ, Apache Indian (originally known as Steven Kapoor) shot to fame with his style of music which came to be known as bhangramuffin (also called bhangragga) – a mix of bhangra, reggaemuffin and traditional dance hall in the early 1990s. His style changed the way music was going to be created later. His cult track ‘Boom-Shaka-Lak’ i
Rajpal Yadav is acclaimed for playing multidimensional roles. An alumnus of the National School of Drama, he also attended the Bharatendu Academy of Dramatic Arts in Lucknow. He has worked in theatre, television, Bollywood and regional cinema besides working in a Hollywood production. In 2016 he launched his political outfit called Sarv Sambhav Party. If not an actor what
Neeraj Kabi, a critically acclaimed self-taught actor, theatre director, and acting teacher, has worked in Odiya, Hindi and international cinema, theatre, television and web series. In 2014 he was honoured with the best actor award at the 4th Sakhalin International Film Festival for his role in the film ‘Ship of Theseus’ – his most memorable role for many viewers. His othe
An underground rapper who grew up on Mumbai streets, Divine spins his music around his environment and poverty. His breakout single, ‘Meri Gully Mein’, along with fellow rapper Naezy caught Bollywood’s attention. The Hindi film ‘Gully Boy’ is inspired by their lives and grossed `237 crore globally. It is the second highest earning film of 2019 and the highest e
A BSc in Mathematics and an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Rasika Dugal has acted in Hindi and Malayalam films, web series and television serials besides hosting shows. She is the recipient of the Best Actor Award at Rajasthan International Film Festival for her role in the film Hamid. She is best known for her role in the movies Kshay, Qissa and Manto. &nbs
Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, an engineer by training, is a rare politician: down-to-earth and with a clean image. In the midst of the hectic electioneering, Chavan spoke with Geetanjali Minhas on trends in these polls. Edited excerpts from the interview: What are the key election issues in these Lok Sabha elections?
Sharad Pawar is the grand old man of Indian politics. He is among the last stalwarts from a generation that is fading out. He has served as chief minister of Maharashtra four times and held crucial portfolios of defence and agriculture at the centre. In this election, he is busier than most, hopping across Maharashtra and addressing a series of rallies every day. Amid his hectic schedule, he sp
Dr Harsh Vardhan, a union minister, is the genial face of the BJP old guard in Delhi. He is contesting again from the Chandni Chowk constituency, in the heart of the capital. He talked with Rahul Trivedi about the party’s prospects in the elections. Edited excerpts: The election discourse has largely focused on nationalism and security, but de
