Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

INTERNATIONAL: BEAUTY : Indian American medical student Rijul Maini from Michigan crowned Miss India USA 2023

Rijul Maini, a medical student from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA 2023 at the annual pageant held in New Jersey.

During the event, Sneha Nambiar from Massachusetts was declared as Mrs India USA and Saloni Rammohan from Pennsylvania won the title of Miss Teen India USA.

This year marks the 41st anniversary of the pageant which is the longest running Indian pageant outside of India.

It was started by New York-based Indian Americans Dharmatma and Neelam Saran under the banner of ‘Worldwide Pageants’.

Maini, a 24-year-old Indian American, is a medical student and model. She aspires to be a surgeon and hopes to serve as a role model to women everywhere, a press release said.

Greeshma Bhat of Virginia was declared first runner-up and Ishita Pai Raikar of North Carolina was the second runner-up.

According to the organisers, 57 contestants from over 25 states participated in three different pageants – Miss India USA, Mrs. India USA and Miss Teen India USA.

Winners of all three categories will be getting complimentary air tickets to take part in Miss- Mrs.-Teen India Worldwide organised by the same group.

“I am very much thankful to Indian community around the world for their support over the years,” said Dharmatma Saran, founder and chairman of ‘Worldwide Pageants’.

source/content: millenniumpost.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: ARTS & CRAFTS / CINEMA: FIRST INDIAN: Ektaa R Kapoor Creates History, set to become 1st Indian Filmmaker to Receive International Emmys Directorate Award

Indian producer Ektaa R Kapoor is poised to make history as the first Indian filmmaker to secure the International Emmys Directorate award at the upcoming 51st Emmys. Kapoor’s name resonates strongly in the entertainment industry, where she is hailed as a Content Czarina, demonstrating her prowess across television, films, and OTT platforms. Boasting an insightful and targeted understanding of audience preferences, Kapoor has reigned over the industry for over a decade, amassing a myriad of accolades. This year, her exceptional win at the Emmys serves as a crowning achievement, elevating the jubilation surrounding her remarkable career.

Known for her versatile contributions to entertainment, Kapoor’s influence extends seamlessly across diverse platforms. From shaping compelling narratives on television to producing impactful films and embracing the digital realm with OTT endeavors, she has become a stalwart force in the industry.

Ektaa R Kapoor’s ability to connect with audiences on a profound level has been a cornerstone of her success, culminating in this groundbreaking recognition on the global stage. As the anticipation builds for the 51st Emmys, the industry awaits with bated breath to witness Ektaa R Kapoor etch her name in history as she claims the International Emmys Directorate award.

On the professional front, Ektaa is gearing up for the release of The Buckingham Murders, which is directed by Hansal Mehta and features Kareena Kapoor Khan in a lead role. She last bankrolled Thank You For Coming, which garnered critical acclaim for its bold content. It featured Bhumi Pednekar, Shehnaaz Kaur Gill and others in prominent roles.

source/content: firstpost.com (headline edited)

MAMI 2023 closing ceremony highlights: ‘Against The Tide’, ‘Agra’ win honours

The closing ceremony of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival was hosted by actor Kalki Koechlin; Indian filmmaker Sarvnik Kaur’s documentary ‘Against The Tide’ clinched the top Golden Gateway award at the festival.

The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023 concluded with a grand closing ceremony at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) on Friday evening. The festival, returning with a physical edition after four years, screened over 300 films in 70 languages with a spotlight on South Asian cinema.

Sarvnik Kaur’s documentary Against the Tide on the lives of the Koli fishing community in Mumbai won the top Golden Gateway award in the South Asia Competition at the festival. The Silver Gateway award went to Bahadur – The Brave by Diwa Shah and the Special Jury Award went to Kanu Behl’s Agra. The awards were presented by the main competition jury headed by veteran filmmaker Mira Nair.

The closing ceremony was hosted by actor Kalki Koechlin and attended by Bollywood notables like Janhvi Kapoor, Manushi Chhillar, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj and others. It was followed by a screening of Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.

The Film Critics Guild Gender Sensitivity Award was presented to Barir Naam Shahana (A House Named Shahana) by Leesa Gazi. The film narrates the story of Dipa, a young divorced woman in a rural town in 90s Bangladesh.

Debut director Shahrukhkhan Chavada’s Ahmedabad-set black-and-white feature Kayo Kayo Colour? (Which Colour?) won the Rashid Irani Young Critics’ Choice Award.

The NETPAC award was conferred on Indian filmmaker Dominic Sangma’s Rimdogittanga (Rapture), a sensitive drama set in the Garo hills of Meghalaya.

The IMDb Audience Choice Award at the Jio MAMI was presented to The Monk and the Gun by Pawo Choyning Dorji. The trans-national co-production is Bhutan’s official entry to the Oscars.

While the closing ceremony took place on November 3, the festival will continue with screenings of select popular titles on November 4 and 5.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: WOMEN LEADERSHIP : Nita Ambani Honoured with The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF)’s ‘2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility’

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Sunday honoured Nita Ambani , Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, with the 2023 Global Leadership Award for Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Dr Mukesh Aghi, USISPF President and CEO, in his statement on X, said: “We are delighted to award Nita M. Ambani for her tireless efforts to enrich the lives of many Indians. Nita M. Ambani is someone who believes that the work is never done and that there is so much more left to accomplish…”

“At a time of hard power globally, she has shown us the reach and impact of soft power, especially in preserving and promoting India’s rich tapestry of arts and showing us that sports is a vital tool in nation-building,” he added.

Nita Ambani is a champion for women’s rights in India and is the founder of one of the largest philanthropy foundations in the country, Reliance Foundation. She also plays a key role in organisations ranging from sports to arts.

The foundation has helped 70 million people, focuses extensively on providing better health care to women , improving digital literacy, and educating them with skills to improve employability.

In August, Reliance Foundation partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure that women in farm and non-farm jobs will receive an annual salary of at least $1,200 for the next three years.

Nita Ambani in 2021 also founded Her Circle , a digital app and social networking site that discusses a range of topics from lifestyle trends to women’s health, including promoting diversity of women’s appearances and body sizes.

Nita Ambani  is also the co-owner of five-time Indian Premier League winner Mumbai Indians and the founder of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre .

source/content: news18.com (headline edited)

WORLD RECORD: ARTS & CRAFTS / FILM (movie) RECORD: This 1932 Hindi Bollywood Film ‘Indrasabha’ holds World Record for most Songs, had 72 of them, it’s not Hum Aapke Hain Koun, DDLJ, Taal, Devdas

This Bollywood film from before Independence, holds the world record for most songs with 72 musical numbers.

Song and dance is an integral part of Indian cinema. While the West has a separate genre called musicals, most Indian films are by default musicals. Whether it’s a thriller, murder mystery, romantic comedy, or family drama, songs find a place in most Indian films. Yet, some films go the extra mile when it comes to including songs with the sheer number setting records. In fact, it is an Indian film that holds the world record for including most songs with a jaw-dropping 72 musical numbers in its run. And its not one of the usual suspects.

Bollywood film with 72 songs

While Hum Aapke Hain Koun created a flutter with 14 songs back in 1994, there have been a few before it as well that included over a dozen songs. Even Hollywood musicals like Chicago and Moulin Rouge had as many songs. Yet, none of them compare with the 1932 Hindi film Indrasabha, based on the play Inder Sabha. The 3 and a half-hour film was conceptualised and shot almost entirely in verse, comprising of 72 songs in total with most characters, big or small, receiving their own entry song. The mythological drama was one of the first Indian talkies, released just a year after Alam Ara.

Indrasabha’s 72 songs

Indrasabha was an adaptation of a 19th century Urdu play called Inder Sabha, written by Agha Hasan Amanat. The play was first brought to screen in 1925 but as a silent film. When Alam Ara brought the talkie revolution in India, Madan Theatre decided to bring back the film but with sound. The 1932 release utilised almost all of the plays 31 ghazals, 9 thumris, 4 holis, 15 songs, and seven other musical numbers. The film added a few of its own as well, giving it 72 songs in total. The feat earned Indrasabha a place in several record books.

source/content: dnaindia.com (headline edited)

INDIA IN THE WORLD: ‘Statue of Equality’: Tallest Statue of Ambedkar outside India unveiled in US

The statue has been made by renowned sculptor Ram Sutar, who also built the statue of Sardar Patel in Gujarat.

The tallest statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of India’s Constitution, outside India was formally inaugurated in a Maryland suburb of the US capital here.

Amidst chants of “Jai Bhim”, more than 500 Indian-Americans from various parts of the United States and some from India and other countries attended the unveiling ceremony of the 19-feet tall “Statue of Equality”.

Heavy rain and drizzle did not deter the enthusiasm and energy of the participants, many of whom drove for as long as 10 hours to attend what they described as a historic event.

The statue has been made by renowned artist and sculptor Ram Sutar, who also built the statue of Sardar Patel, called as Statue of Unity, and installed on an island in Narmada, metres downstream of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.

“We are calling it the Statue of Equality… this (inequality) is not only the problem in India, everywhere (in) different forms (it exists),” Ram Kumar, president of the Ambedkar International Center (AIC) told PTI after the statue unveiling ceremony.

Born on April 14, 1891, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar – popular among his followers as Babasaheb – was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly’s most crucial Drafting Committee that earned him the moniker Architect of the Indian Constitution.

Spread over 13 acres, the AIC in Accokeek township, some 22 miles south of the White House, would consist of a library, convention center, and Buddha Garden among others.

“This is a great occasion to participate in the unveiling ceremony of statue of Babasaheb. This is the tallest statue of Babasaheb in America. ..After 75 years of independence, the people are realizing the works done by Dr. Ambedkar and that’s the reason why day by day he’s getting the popularity, …people are now understanding him in a proper way.

“Earlier he was treated as a Dalit leader, but now the entire nation is recognizing his contribution of empowering the woman and for the marginalized society as well as the economic weaker sections,” Ravi Kumar Narra, national president of Dalit Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DICCI), told PTI.

Narra, who travelled from India to attend the ceremony, said now all the developed nations have realized and also underdeveloped nations are thinking of implementing Ambedkar’s ideology that a country cannot become rich and great unless each and every citizen gets empowered.

“The greatest economic policy advocated by Dr Ambedkar is now becoming the reality,” he said.

The “Statue of Equality” represents 1.4 billion Indians and 4.5 million Indian Americans, said Deelip Mhaske from New York who leads the Ambedkarite movement in the US.

“Although this is completely done through community contributions, we received congratulatory messages from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stating ‘Ambedkarite has put the foundation of Unified India in the USA and globally’,” he said.

“This statue will not just inspire millions of Indians residing in the US but all communities including Black, Hispanic and others!” Mhaske said. “This is a historic step towards unifying the Indian-American diaspora and working towards making India a superpower not just in technology but also in social justice,” he said.

Mahindra Rajwade, who drove for more than 10 hours from Kentucky to attend the statue unveiling ceremony, said this is a proud moment for all followers of Dr Ambedkar. “This is for the first time in the world that we are having such a tall statue of Babasaheb outside India”.

The unveiling ceremony was followed by cultural performances by Indian-Americans from various parts of the country.

Elisha B. Pulivarti, president and CEO for US India SME Council, presented the US President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to DICCI president Narra in recognition of his community service.

Post-Independence, Ambedkar was also the Minister of Law and Justice in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s first Cabinet. Ambedkar played a key role in social movements that fought for the rights of Dalits and untouchables.

Ambedkar died on December 6, 1956, months after he embraced Buddhism on October 14 that year, the date coinciding with the unveiling of the statue in Maryland. October 14 is celebrated as Dhamma Chakra Parivartan Din by Ambedkarites.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL : ARTS & CRAFTS / PHOTOGRAPHy: Photographer Gauri Gill Wins the Prestigious 10th Annual ‘Prix Pictet Photography and Sustainability Award’

Gill was selected from the shortlist of 12 photographers for her series ‘Notes from the Desert’.

Photographer Gauri Gill has won the prestigious 10th Annual Prix Pictet Photography and Sustainability Award, securing the massive prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs (approximately $109,219). This award is recognised as one of the world’s most significant, if not the largest, prizes in the realm of photography.

The award was announced on Thursday, September 28.

“On my many visits to rural Rajasthan, I have witnessed a complex reality I knew nothing about as a city dweller. To live poor and landless in the desert amounts to an inescapable reliance on oneself, on each other, and on nature,” said Gill.

The Prix Pictet is described as the world’s leading award for photography and sustainability. Founded in 2008 by the Pictet Group – a Swiss multinational private bank and financial services company – the award’s goal is to harness the power of photography to draw global attention to critical environmental issues.

Entry to this competition is only allowed to individuals nominated through Prix Pictet’s  global network of over 300 nominators which includes critics, curators, and other specialists in the visual arts.

Nominators are asked to recommend portfolios that have the power and artistic quality demanded by the prize.

Since it was founded, the organisation says that more than 5,000 photographers have been nominated, “all of whose work in one way or another testifies to the fragile state of our planet.”

“In a world facing unprecedented challenges, from social inequality to environmental crises, it was crucial to turn the lens towards humanity itself. The theme Human provides a platform to explore the complexities, vulnerabilities, and strengths of the human condition. It allows the artists to capture and communicate the stories, struggles and triumphs of individuals and communities around the globe,” Executive Director of Prix Pictet, Isabelle von Ribbentrop, said.

“Through this theme, Prix Pictet aims to foster a deeper understanding of our shared humanity and inspire meaningful conversations about the issues that impact us all. Especially when thinking about the theme Human, I strongly believe that instead of the future of photography, we should think about photography of the future. The power of the image lies in its ability to foreground critical and urgent environmental issues in a visually impactful yet direct way.”

Gill’s work emphasises her belief in working with and through community, in what she calls ‘active listening’. For more than two decades, she has been closely engaged with marginalised communities in the desert of western Rajasthan, Northern India and for the last decade with Indigenous artists in Maharashtra.

Her winning series ‘Notes from the Desert’ began in April 1999 when she set out to photograph village schools in Rajasthan. Having grown up mainly in cities, she soon realised that rural schools were a microcosm of a complex reality she knew nothing about.

Visiting the same people and places over decades, she witnessed the whole spectrum of life: drought years and great monsoon; dust storms leading to widespread fevers and floods leading to the rebuilding of homes; epidemics; overwhelmed hospitals and understaffed school; festivals, feuds, celebrations, and prayers.

source/content: thewire.in (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL & NATIONAL: HISTORY / HERITAGE: UK museum to sign pact for return of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s ‘Tiger Claws’ to India

The MoU, expected to be signed on Tuesday, coincides with Maharashtra’s 350th anniversary celebrations of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

The Victoria and Albert ( V and A) Museum is all set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government next week, which will see 17th century ‘Tiger Claws’ weapon believed to have belonged to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj make a journey back to India for an exhibition.

During a protracted military engagement in 1659, the legendary Maratha leader held metal claws, or wagh nakh, concealed in his hand and is said to have disembowelled his opponent Afzal Khan – the commander of the opposing Bijapur army.

It is believed, though unverified, that the set of claws then came into the possession of James Grant Duff, an officer of the East India Company who was appointed Resident or political agent of the Satara state in 1818 and gifted to the V and A by a descendant.

“The V and A looks forward to welcoming senior leadership from the Maharashtra government, to sign a memorandum of understanding,” a V and A spokesperson said.

“The story of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s triumph over Afzal Khan is legendary, so we are delighted that the ‘Tiger Claws’ will return to India as part of the 350th anniversary events where they can be enjoyed as part of the celebrations. We hope that their display might also enable new research into their history and look forward to working in partnership with colleagues in the months ahead as we develop plans for their display,” the spokesperson said.

The MoU, expected to be signed on Tuesday, coincides with Maharashtra’s 350th anniversary celebrations of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji. It is then expected to be dispatched to India later this year for an agreed period.

According to the V and A, the weapon is accompanied by a fitted case made after Grant Duff returned to Scotland. The inscription on the case reads: “The ‘Wagnuck’ of Sivajee With Which He Killed the Moghul General. This Relic was given to Mr. James Grant-Duff of Eden When he was Resident at Satara By the Prime Minister of the Peshwa of the Marathas”.

According to historical accounts, Shivaji and Afzal Khan had arranged a truce after political upheavals in order to meet in a tented enclosure, virtually alone.

The V and A description of the history of the ‘Tiger Claws’ explains: “Both came armed: Shivaji wore mail under his clothes and metal skull protection under his turban. He also held a metal ‘Tiger Claws’ weapon concealed in his hand. The two men fought, and Shivaji disembowelled his opponent.

“The last Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Marathas, Baji Rao II, surrendered to the British in June 1818 after defeat in the Third Anglo-Maratha War and was banished to Bithoor near Kanpur. It is possible he also surrendered this weapon to Grant Duff. It has not been possible to verify whether these tiger claws are the ones used by Shivaji nearly 160 years earlier.”

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL RECORDS: WORLD RECORD FOR AN INDIAN ARTIST: Amrita Sher-Gil’s ‘The Story Teller’ sets Record for Highest Price of Rs.61.8 crore, Achieved by an Indian Artist on September 16th, 2023 by-passing the Previous Record held by S H Raza’s ‘Gestation’ of Rs. 51.7 crore

Amrita Sher-Gil “sought inspiration in Pahari paintings” to paint The Story Teller.

Painted during an important period in her oeuvre, Amrita Sher-Gil’s 1937 canvas The Story Teller sold for a whopping Rs 61.8 crore ($7.44 million) on September 16, setting a world record for the highest price achieved by an Indian artist.

The iconic work led Saffronart’s Evening Sale: Modern Art, which featured more than 70 artworks from prominent artists, including significant works by modern masters V S Gaitonde and S H Raza, and early works by Tyeb Mehta, M F Husain, F N Souza, and Akbar Padamsee.

Before this sale, the most expensive Indian artwork sold at an auction was S H Raza’s Gestation, which had fetched ₹51.75 crore.

Describing the significance of the Sher-Gil artwork, a note released by Saffronart before the auction had pointed out it was executed “during an important formative period in the artist’s oeuvre that saw her European and Indian influences merge into a unique artistic language”.

In one of the “few works that she painted en plein air”, the release added, “The dominant subjects are women—who feature in many of her works—depicted as close-knit figures, crafting an inherent intimacy within the canvas. The work is an example of the artist’s most honest and expressive compositions, one that Sher-Gil herself was especially fond of as evidenced by the numerous mentions of this work in her letters.”

A note on The Story Teller on the Saffronart website quotes art connoisseur Karl Khandalavala suggesting that “it sought inspiration in Pahari paintings”. “The cows, the women folk, and the setting, though all far removed in technique from those of Basohli miniature, are pregnant with its lyricism and vivid colour,” states Khandalavala.

Born in 1913 in Budapest to an Indian Sikh aristocrat father and Hungarian-Jewish opera singer mother, Sher-Gil was eight when she moved to Shimla. Though she was already painting, her uncle Ervin Baktay encouraged her to develop her own vocabulary and pursue formal training.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: G20 Summit: An Undisputed Success for India’s Presidency

India managed to hammer out an unexpected consensus among the G20 countries on the contentious Ukraine conflict through a series of hectic negotiations.

“Modi ki guarantee” and “Modi ka magic” helped in bringing about the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, said a source who witnessed the deliberations at the 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi.

India managed to hammer out an unexpected consensus among the G20 countries on the contentious Ukraine conflict through a series of hectic negotiations. The consensus document had 10 broad themes and 37 sub-heads. But nearly all of this was accepted by the leaders of the G20 nations.

The text relating to the Ukraine conflict saw “a convergent consensus and not a divisive consensus. The sentiment in the room was buoyant,” the source said, adding that the Prime Minister was “a junction box of democratic values”. Refusing to draw any comparison with the Bali Declaration, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at a media briefing, “Bali was Bali and New Delhi is New Delhi. I mean, Bali was a year ago.” It was wrong to draw any inferences, he said.

The declaration issued at the G20’s Bali Summit last November had deplored in the strongest terms the Russian aggression against Ukraine while most members strongly condemned the war. The New Delhi declaration does not feature these formulations. Meanwhile, Russia is rather happy with the declaration.
“The summit is an unconditional success for the Indian Presidency and for all of us. The G20 is undergoing internal reform. This was reflected in the significant activation of G20 members representing the Global South,” said Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov also spoke of Moscow’s growing economic ties with Delhi and that the two countries were making efforts to come up with an alternative mechanism to the SWIFT financial system. On the UN resolutions on Ukraine, 16 members of the G20 voted for all the resolutions condemning Russia, while three members abstained and one voted against it.

“There was a consensus on the language of the document that was put up for the declaration. At the same time, I would like to reiterate that G20 is a forum that talks about economic reforms and development, and should not be used for geopolitics,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in response to a query from this newspaper.

Similar views were expressed by the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “I would like to compliment Prime Minister Modi on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration. There was consensus on it and we are happy to see this document,” said Erdogan, adding that he would be happy if there was a way for the conflict in Ukraine to come to an end.

And they take time off to

British PM Rishi Sunak and wife Akshata Murthy visited the Akshardham temple in the capital on Sunday. Despite the rain, the couple walked barefoot and spent close to an hour in the premises, admiring its history and architecture, offering prayers and performing aartis and puja. “This is not only a place of worship but a landmark that also portrays India’s culture,” Sunak said. The temple authorities gifted them a marble elephant, a marble peacock and a special replica of the Akshardham temple.

Sukhu only Cong CM at Prez dinner 

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was the only CM from the Congress-ruled states to attend the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for G20 leaders on Saturday. He took the opportunity to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the rain-caused calamity in the hill state a “national disaster”. An official statement said Sukhu has conveyed the gravity of the damage suffered by Himachal Pradesh during the monsoon to the PM and also told him that the state requires substantial assistance in the form of a special relief package from the Union government to chart a path towards recovery. Sukhu had earlier said that Himachal Pradesh had suffered losses to the tune of `12,000 crore due to rain-related incidents.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)