From ilish and chholar dal to Mahalaya at 4am, the London councillor and professor talks about the food, rituals and community that keep Kolkata’s Puja close to his heart.

For London’s Newham councillor, and professor, Rohit Dasgupta, Durga Puja has been a feeling built around community, rituals, fish, family and the city itself. Having lived in London since 2009, he has found new ways to recreate that feeling abroad, while still missing Kolkata’s Pujo every year.

Fish, chholar dal to create a Bengali spread

Puja food, for Dasgupta, begins with fish. Mutton may have left his festive menu since he was diagnosed with gout, but ilish, boal, katla and rui remain mandatory in his kitchen during festive season.

“For me, pujo means fish. I’ve kind of grown up with that,” he said, recalling how his parents were surprised by the quality of hilsa available in London.

While he enjoys eating out during pujo, he also makes a delicious spread at home for his partner and friends. I make chholar dal, chicken and shutki, though I can’t make luchi, and that is something I prefer to buy ready-made. Eating becomes a big de-stress for me. It has to be with friends, family,” he said.

From parar Puja to London pandals

Dasgupta left Kolkata in 2009 and has not spent Durga Puja in the city for 18 years. He still visits Kolkata regularly before the festive season and watches the pandals take shape before leaving.

His childhood Puja memories are attached to parar Puja in Potapukur and around Bhowanipore.

“As I grew older, Maddox Square, Mudiali and Deshapriya Park became part of our pandal-hopping circuit. In London, I now visit several Pujas across the city, including Ealing, Mile End and Hampstead. I try to make sure that there are at least four or five different Pujas I go to over the four or five days,” he said.

The Mahalaya ritual travels too

Dasgupta still continues to follow some traditions. On Mahalaya, he still wakes up to Birendra Krishna Bhadra’s Mahishasuramardini.

“My grandmother would wake us all up at around 4.30am. We would get ready, listen to the radio, then watch TV, followed by luchi and alur dom,” he recalled.

Now, he recreates the ritual in his London home, playing Mahishasura Mardini through his speakers.

“For me, Puja always started with Birendra Krishna Bhadra. I still do that. When I wake up on Mahalaya, Mahishasuramardini plays all over my flat. It makes it feel like Kolkata.”

And if he could take one thing from Kolkata Puja to London, his answer is simple: the city-wide sense of community.

“What makes Kolkata Puja so unique is its diversity, its syncretism and its community. The entire city stops, and everyone is celebrating. If I could take that feeling to London, that would be something.”

source/content: telegraphindia.com/mykolkata

Anna Mani, who dedicated her life to improving weather forecasting in the country, dared to venture into areas India had never stepped into before.

In the high ranges of Peermade, Travancore (the current Peermade of Idukki district in Kerala), in 1918, a young girl was born to Modayil Pothen Mani, a well-known civil engineer cum plantation owner and his wife. Little did anyone in the misty hills of Idukki know that one day the place would be known by the legacy left behind by her. This is the story of Anna Modayil Mani, the weatherwoman of India.

Science and childhood

Born into a prosperous Syrian Christian family with seven siblings, Anna Mani defied all societal norms from a very young age. From being a voracious reader to defying the notion that girls should be groomed for marriage, she stood tall as a bold and curious young girl. Her father, being a strong believer in science, quite strongly followed and taught the importance of never accepting any statement unless it could be tested and verified.

From a very young age, Anna was seen to have strong inclinations towards reading rather than any other hobbies considered ‘appropriate’ for girls back in the day. It is often said that she declined diamond earrings traditionally gifted by her family and asked for a set of Encyclopedias. 

In 1925, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Kerala and spoke about self-reliance, seven-year-old Anna was moved and vowed to wear only khadi clothes throughout her life. Her formative years were thus quite different from those of other girls around her, and all traditional norms were broken when she completed her B.Sc. Honours in physics and chemistry from Presidency College, Madras, in 1939. 

Career ahead

At a time when barely any women were formally educated and pursuing higher education, Anna not only completed her bachelor’s, but also went on to start her research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, under Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman. This was in 1940, and she was working on spectroscopy (the study of how matter interacts with electromagnetic radiation, or light) of diamonds and rubies. Her peer-reviewed research papers are often still cited in the field today. 

However, the fact that Anna did not hold a master’s degree resulted in her not being able to pursue a PhD — a formal requirement at the time being the same. It never stopped her from pursuing her passion; in 1945, Anna received a government scholarship to pursue education in England. 

Anna was passionate about physics; however, fate had other plans. The only internship available at the time was in meteorological instrumentation at Imperial College London. This was, however, the start of her journey to becoming the weatherwoman of India. 

Return to India

In 1948, Anna returned to India after her work in England and joined the India Meteorological Department in Pune. Still climbing the steps towards self-sufficiency post-independence, Anna played a huge role in helping the country become self-reliant in weather instruments. A department which heavily depended on imported instruments soon got recording rain gauges, hygrographs, thermographs, barometers, and anemographs. 

The journey was not easy, and Anna worked closely with the World Meteorological Organization to verify the accuracy of Indian instruments. All this while being one of the few women in the field. In 1953, she became the head of the instruments division, and under her, more than a hundred weather instruments were designed, standardised, and manufactured in the country.

Venturing into unique fields

Anna dared to venture into areas India had never stepped into before, including solar energy and wind power. Her team set up monitoring stations across the country as part of this exploration. Another field she studied was the ozone layer. As part of the same, she ended up creating the ozonesonde, a balloon-borne instrument measuring atmospheric ozone’s vertical distribution. All this led to her becoming a part of the  International Ozone Commission in the years ahead. 

She also published the Handbook of Solar Radiation Data for India and Solar Radiation over India, which, in a way, became the core reference for those designing solar thermal systems.  She also conducted extensive wind speed surveys, laying the groundwork for India’s wind energy development decades before it became mainstream. 

In 1976, Anna retired as the Deputy Director-General of IMD after close to 7 years in the position. She then went on to work at the Raman Research Institute and also collaborated with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology to assess solar and wind energy potential for the Department of Science and Technology. She headed this project until almost the end of her life. She was also honoured by multiple international and national organisations for her work throughout the years.

In 2001, she passed away in Thiruvananthapuram after suffering a stroke. A woman who dedicated her entire life to her passion and the growth of a field in India, Anna Mani’s name and legacy live on long after her years. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The methanol, produced by state-owned Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APCL) at Namrup, is bound for Pangaon Port in Dhaka.

A barge carrying 540 metric tonnes of methanol left the Bogibeel terminal on the Brahmaputra river in Assam’s Dibrugarh for Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Monday. This marked the first cargo shipment from Upper Assam to a foreign port since India’s independence in 1947, nearly 70 years after the town’s river ghat was closed.

Union minister for ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the vessel in presence of a large number of dignitaries including several ministers, MPs, MLAs. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the event virtually.

The methanol, produced by state-owned Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APCL) at Namrup, is bound for Pangaon Port in Dhaka. The vessel will travel about 768 kilometres down National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra river to the Indo-Bangladesh border, then continue along the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR).

It will cover a total distance of 1,300 kms from Bogibeel in Dibrugarh to Narayanganj in Dhaka.

The voyage is being observed as a test of whether the Brahmaputra can serve as a commercially viable freight corridor linking the Northeast to overseas markets.

“Our grandparents grew up hearing the steamer whistle at Dibrugarh Ghat. For 70 years, that whistle fell silent and the ships stopped coming,” Sonowal said. “Today, a ship leaves Dibrugarh for the world once again. The river never failed us. What it lacked for decades was the will to revive it.” Sonowal added.

“Assam’s own product, made in Namrup, is now traveling to an international market on Assam’s own river. The Northeast is no longer a frontier. It is India’s gateway to the East,” he said. Sonowal said the shipment was a beginning. “This is the first voyage, not the last,” he said.

Sarma also called it a proud day for Assam.

Dibrugarh was once among the busiest river ports in eastern India. Government steamers reached the town from Calcutta, now Kolkata, by 1856. In 1882, the Dibru-Sadiya Railway began operating from the Dibrugarh steamer ghat. By 1913, steamers sailed up the Brahmaputra to the town daily, carrying tea, timber and passengers.

The 1947 partition cut that route, forcing Assam’s goods to pass through East Pakistan to reach Calcutta. A 1950 earthquake disturbed the riverbed at Dibrugarh. Regular bookings from Dibrugarh Ghat stopped in 1954, and the ghat closed on October 15, 1956, as tea shipments shifted to rail.

The 1965 war between India and Pakistan suspended cross-border river trade.

India and Bangladesh signed a river trade protocol in 1972. In 1988, the 891-kilometer stretch of river Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri was declared National Waterway-2. Regular cargo service on the waterway did not begin until December 2017, when cement moved from Pandu to Dhubri.

“For decades, that glory was allowed to fade. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we set out to give Dibrugarh back its rightful place. The Bogibeel terminal, the customs and immigration complex and fixed schedule cargo services under ‘Jalvahak’ are giving this historic town modern amenities and world-class infrastructure. We are building for the future while reinstating the heritage that made Dibrugarh great. Today, as cargo leaves Dibrugarh for a foreign port once again, the town’s proud past and its promising future meet on the same river,” Sonowal added.

Activity on the route has grown since then. Tata Steel barges reached Pandu through Bangladesh in February 2022, and the river cruise ship MV Ganga Vilas sailed from Varanasi to Dibrugarh through Bangladesh in 2023. The Bogibeel passenger and cargo terminal, whose foundation stone was laid in July 2023, opened in February 2024. The ‘Jalvahak’ cargo incentive program launched in December 2024.

According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), cargo on India’s national waterways rose from 18 million metric tons in fiscal 2013-14 to 218 million metric tons in 2025-26.

More than 68 billion rupees (about $770 million) is being invested in waterways across the Northeast, including development of National Waterway-2, a ship repair facility at Pandu and lastmile connectivity to Pandu Port.

“Every ton we move on the river means less fuel burnt and fewer trucks on the highway,” Sonowal said. He added that India is working with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar on regional waterway links. The voyage involved the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Assam Petro Chemicals, Cochin Bunkers Pvt. Ltd. and partners in Bangladesh.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

The new tool could improve treatment decisions and disease management as existing international scoring systems do not accurately reflect the clinical profile of Indian patients with SCA.

Doctors may soon have a more reliable way to predict how severely sickle cell anaemia (SCA) will affect Indian patients, thanks to a new India-specific disease severity score developed by scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

Potential impact of the India-specific tool

The new tool, developed using clinical data from Indian children, could improve treatment decisions and disease management as existing international scoring systems do not accurately reflect the clinical profile of Indian patients with SCA, whose disease patterns often differ from those seen in African and Western populations.

What is Sickle Cell Anaemia?

SCA is an inherited blood disorder caused by a mutation in the beta globin gene, which produces abnormal haemoglobin causing red blood cells to assume a sickle shape, leading to anaemia, severe pain episodes, organ damage and other complications. India is among the countries with the highest burden of the disease, according to Giriraj R. Chandak, physician-scientist and Sir J C Bose Fellow at CSIR-CCMB.

He and fellow scientists including Suraj S. Nongmaithem, Amitabh Biswas, Swaroop Iyer, Jandhayala Vyshnavi, Archana Wath and Dipty Jain conducted this study.

Early identification helps to alleviate suffering

SCA is caused by a single genetic mutation, yet its severity varies considerably. While some patients experience relatively mild symptoms, others endure repeated hospitalisations and life-threatening complications. An early identification of those at risk of severe clinical course can help devise targeted strategies and alleviate the suffering.

Indian patients are said to have a milder disease profile than many African populations, partly because of higher levels of foetal haemoglobin, which helps reduce disease severity. Complications such as leg ulcers, pulmonary hypertension and ‘priapism’, commonly reported in African populations, are comparatively rare here. However, nutritional deficiencies, infectious diseases and environmental stressors can worsen anaemia.

Researchers analysed the medical records of 171 SCA children aged up to 18 years and receiving treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur, to develop a more suitable assessment tool. Two experienced paediatricians independently classified the patients into mild, moderate and severe categories based on their clinical condition.

The study found that the widely used Paediatric Severity Score (PSS), developed using international patient data, matched expert clinical assessments in only about 67% of cases. The score was modified adding four clinical features frequently observed among Indian patients — recurrent blood transfusions, severe anaemia requiring hospitalisation and acute febrile illnesses.

Improvement in clinical assessments

The revised model — ‘ISS1’ (India-specific Severity Score), improved clinical assessments to nearly 83%. A second version, ‘ISS2’, replaced the laboratory measurements with easily observable clinical indicators to achieve an overall concordance of about 85%, correctly identifying all patients in the mild category and improving performance in moderate cases. This enables clinicians to decide the management without the need for many laboratory investigations.

The findings highlight the importance of developing population-specific tools rather than relying solely on models designed for different ethnic groups and healthcare settings. It was also found that painful vaso-occlusive crises were the most common complication among the children while frequent blood transfusions, severe anaemia and recurrent fever-related illnesses led to hospital admissions.

“We believe the new scoring systems could help doctors make quicker and more informed decisions on treatment, including the use and dosage of hydroxyurea, one of the primary drugs used to manage SCA. This study adds to the comprehensive efforts by CSIR-CCMB in making a difference in the lives of Indian SCA patients, under CSIR-Sickle Cell Anaemia Mission”, said Dr. Chandak.

This could be applicable to other low- and middle-income countries with similar genetic backgrounds, disease patterns and healthcare challenges. However, further validation in larger and more diverse populations will be needed before the tool can be adopted more widely, added researchers.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The result lands the country its final medal and helps it leapfrog into fourth on the medal table by virtue of its 21st and last yellow medal.

The double was formally completed, and the hockey men joined the women to book their Olympic ticket as India defended its Asian Games title in Kakamigahara on Saturday (October 3, 2026), defeating Malaysia 5-1 in the final. The match itself, however, was much closer than the scoreline would indicate.

India began well and got an early lead in the 11th minute when Harmanpreet Singh converted the team’s second penalty corner. Three minutes later, Faiz Jali’s free hit from just outside the circle saw Shello Silverius smash the ball past half a dozen players to level. Another three minutes later, Sumit was instrumental in saving three back-to-back PCs. India survived.

That first quarter was, in many ways, a microcosm of the entire match. Messy, chaotic with no clear winner on the field, both teams creating chances to score and wasting them, as much as due to their own profligacy as the opposition’s defending.

There were errors from both sides but India managed to absorb the relentless pressure from the Malaysian counterattacks much better.

Malaysia was not short on experience — the Saari brothers Fitri and Faisal along with Shello and captain Marhan Jalil are no spring chicken; it was, however, short on players with big-match exposure and big-game temperament, and that made all the difference.

Hardik Singh continues to be the engine powering this Indian team and with Manpreet and Vivek Sagar Prasad, was largely responsible for India scampering for possession, both of the ball and the turf. A 23rd minute PC from Jugraj Singh put India ahead at half time.

Post break, the high press continued from Malaysia but the Indians took everything and stood firm. Mandeep’s deflection of a Harmanpreet flick on India’s seventh PC earned the team a penalty stroke, Hardik making no mistake in slamming the board; 3-1 to India with 18 minutes left on the clock.

Six consecutive PCs in the 53rd minute went waste, only for Shilanand Lakra, at the far post, to deflect Sukhjeet’s reverse swing after being put through by Abhishek in a minute later.

The match was as good as over. Another PC in the 57th minute saw India finally decide to experiment — and used a three-man routine. Hardik to push, Manpreet to stop and Harmanpreet to flick. It worked, 5-1.

That final goal also, in its own way, encapsulated India’s entire campaign — things falling into place, going the team’s way even when they weren’t expected to.

It wasn’t a flawless tournament for the men but it did highlight the gulf in Asian hockey, even an Indian team at less than optimum being miles ahead of the rest. This is the first time both Indian teams have been crowned Games champions simultaneously and also the first time the Indian men have managed to defend their title.

Hockey’s place in India’s medal haul has always been special. It was only appropriate, then, that the men not only won the contingent’s final medal but also helped India leapfrog into fourth position on the medal table by virtue of its 21st and last gold.

Pakistan, meanwhile, got back among the medals for the first time since 2014, defeating Korea 5-3 in the bronze medal playoff.

The result: Final: India 5 (Harmapreet Singh 11pc, 57pc, Jugraj Singh 23pc, Hardik Singh 42ps, Shilanand Lakra 54) bt Malaysia 1 (Shello Silverius 14).

Third place: Pakistan 5 (Rana Waheed Ashraf 52, 54pc, Sufyan Khan 4pc, Abdul Rehman 30pc, Hannan Shahid 59) bt Korea 3 (Lee Gangsan 12, Kim Yong Bok 18, Yang Jihun 25).

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Forty-four years after Indian women’s hockey created history by winning the Asian Games gold medal in 1982, the Indian team stands on the threshold of another golden chapter

The Indian women’s hockey team humbled defending champions China 1-0 here on Friday to win their first Asian Games gold medal in 44 years, securing a direct berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Forty-four years after Indian women’s hockey created history by winning the Asian Games gold medal in 1982, the Indian team stands on the threshold of another golden chapter.

Since that memorable triumph in 1982, India have twice come close to reclaiming the Asian Games title. They reached the final in 1998 and 2018, only to return with silver medals after defeats to South Korea and Japan respectively. Now, a new generation has the opportunity to end that long wait and reclaim the top spot for India on the Asian Games podium.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headlines edited)

A major milestone accompanying the launch is the announcement of CAIK’s first cohort of 15 start-ups.

Minister for Industries, IT and AI P.K. Kunhalikutty will formally launch MeitY IndiaAI Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam (CAIK), on Wednesday (September 30).

The centre is being established under the IndiaAI Mission of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. Digital University Kerala is the implementing agency and Innovation Incubator Advisory Pvt. Ltd. the industry partner. Transport Minister C.P. John will preside over the inaugural session.  

A major milestone accompanying the launch is the announcement of CAIK’s first cohort of 15 start-ups. 

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The GI application documented Mandar’s distinctive construction, use of locally sourced raw materials, traditional manufacturing techniques, acoustic qualities and cultural association with the state.

 ‘Mandar’, a traditional folk musical instrument deeply rooted in Jharkhand’s identity and folk culture, has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status by the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The instrument has long been an integral part of Jharkhand’s folk traditions, dance forms and community life. The GI application documented its distinctive construction, use of locally sourced raw materials, traditional manufacturing techniques, acoustic qualities and cultural association with the state.

Dr Satyadeep Singh, an expert in Intellectual Property and Geographical Indications and visiting faculty member at the National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, played a key role in securing the GI status.

Dr Singh oversaw the process from filing the application and presenting the case before the GI Registry in Chennai to submitting supporting documents and meeting procedural requirements. He also represented and argued the case at the final hearing in Delhi in January 2025.

The application included historical records and references establishing the folk instrument’s long-standing association with Jharkhand. These included references in the 1915 work of anthropologist Sarat Chandra Roy, the 1931 work of Tarak Chandra Das and W.G. Archer’s 1940 book The Blue Grove. It also cited the Patna Museum’s 1920 Annual Report, the Government of India’s 1956 publication Folk Dances of India and the Bihar District Gazetteer (Ranchi).

The documents describe the ‘Mandar’ as an integral part of the music, dance and social life of indigenous communities in Jharkhand. Archer’s records were particularly significant as he studied the traditions and folk life of the Oraon community while living in the Chotanagpur region.

Archer’s book identifies the ‘Mandar’ as an instrument associated with local traditional dance and music, while his collection of local folklore illustrates the community’s deep connection with the instrument.

The NUSRL professor has previously been involved in securing GI recognition for Jharkhand’s traditional arts and products. He played a key role in obtaining GI status for Sohrai-Khovar painting, the state’s first GI-tagged product, and for Koderma’s ‘Kesariya Kalakand’ the same year.

The application for GI status for the traditional folk instrument was filed in 2021.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

A senior MoTA official said that the collaboration comes with an emphasis on cultural traditions that are endangered or at risk of being lost and under the agreement.

The country’s vanishing tribal languages, oral traditions, indigenous art forms and traditional knowledge will be the focus of a new five-year collaboration between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), aimed at creating systematic documentation and preservation mechanisms for the country’s diverse tribal heritage.

The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday covering the identification, preservation, documentation, digitisation, publication and dissemination of tribal arts, music, musical instruments, cuisines and other cultural traditions. The agreement also seeks to document customary practices and traditional ecological knowledge.

A senior MoTA official said that the collaboration comes with an emphasis on cultural traditions that are endangered or at risk of being lost and under the agreement, the institutions will work towards creating knowledge repositories and archives and organising exhibitions dedicated to tribal culture.

“The MoU envisages support for sustainable livelihood programmes for tribal artisans and performers by providing opportunities on national and international platforms, including exhibitions and workshops. It also provides for academic exchanges, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building programmes focusing on the history, culture and social development of tribal communities,” he said, asking not to be named.

He further said that another significant component will be the development of dedicated galleries and state-of-the-art digital museums showcasing tribal arts and artefacts, as well as the historical contribution of tribal communities to India’s freedom struggle.

The institutions will also support youth camps in schools, universities and other centres of learning to familiarise students with tribal cultural values, conservation practices and the diversity of tribal customary practices.

Ranjana Chopra, the secretary of ministry of tribal affairs, said that MoTA will identify priority areas and themes for documentation and preservation and facilitate coordination with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) and other relevant institutions.

“It will also facilitate the participation of tribal scholars, artists, artisans, cultural practitioners, language experts and traditional knowledge holders in research, documentation, exhibitions and workshops. IGNCA, an autonomous trust under the Ministry of Culture, will provide academic, technical, archival and curatorial expertise. Through its regional centres, it will support TRIs in documenting tribal languages, oral traditions, folklore, traditional knowledge, arts, crafts, music, dance, material culture and customary practices. It will also assist in designing museum layouts, digital displays and interactive cultural content,” she said.

The agreement has also laid down provisions on intellectual property. Intellectual property generated under the MoU will belong to MoTA, while proceeds from its use will be directed towards or utilised for the benefit of the concerned tribal communities through mechanisms facilitated by the ministry, subject to existing laws.

The secretary further said that the MoU says the arrangement will not affect recognised or vested traditional and community rights of tribal communities and keepers of traditional knowledge relating to folklore, languages, art forms, oral traditions, traditional medicines, technologies and customary practices.

“The pact is non-financial and does not involve any transfer of funds, grants, fees or other monetary consideration between the two institutions. Its activities will be undertaken on a mutually agreed, best-efforts basis and subject to institutional resources, administrative approvals and applicable rules. A Joint Coordination Committee may be constituted to provide strategic guidance and review progress,” she said.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)