Amala Shankar: Living life to the lees
She was 94 when I last met her in her apartment in Ballygunge. Though a bit frail , she had been suffering from fever a few days ago Amala Shankar told me, she was as gracious as ever and was ready for a chat. What was striking was how simple she was, with no air despite being so famous in her heyday as a danseuse and choreographer and carried on her legacy till late into life.
We are determined to overcome the pandemic challenges: Vibrant Brampton architect Ricky Bajaj
This year’s annual event of Vibrant Brampton heritage festival from July 21 to Sep 3, to be presented by Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia (ACISA), would present performances of more than 100 artists in a digital format, owing to the current COVID-19 pandemic. In an email interview to Asha Bajaj of Canadian-Media, ACISA co-founder and president Ricky Bajaj talks about the mission, vision, challenges during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Excerpts:
All monuments, including Taj Mahal and Red Fort, to open from July 6
New Delhi/IBNS: The government has decided to throw open the gates of all monuments across the country, including the world-famous Taj Mahal, from July 6, as the country gradually steps out of lockdown even as many states continue to clamp restrictions due to rising coronavirus cases.
Canada: South Asian Festival featuring arts, culture and music goes digital this year
Brampton/IBNS: The festivals of Arts & Culture Initiative of South Asia (ACISA) in Canada's Brampton will be presented digitally this year owing to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic in Pictures: Picxy gives you the Indian images
Hyderabad/IBNS: A time like nobody living today can remember, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the whole world to stay put under lockdown for months on end. Interestingly, this has also led to a huge surge of creation and consumption of content online. Churning out reams of writing is easy enough at this time, but how do you support it with photographs? A relatively young stock photos company, Picxy, may have the answer.
Mumbai/IBNS: The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS), the country’s only registered copyright society, said it has recently released an additional tranche of relief fund for its members.
'Mask A Thon': An online art contest for children organised by KNMA
New Delhi/IBNS: If you are looking for an opportunity to engage your children during this lockdown crisis or want to showcase your kid's talent to the world, let them join the online art competition being hosted by the Dekhi-based Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA).
Kolkata/IBNS: The U.S. Consulate Kolkata in partnership with EMK Center Dhaka organized a virtual program titled ‘Encounters with Tagore’ today to mark Rabindranath Tagore’s 159th birth anniversary.
Eminent sitarist Pandit Partha Das passes away
New Delhi: Sitarist Pt. Partha Das, who was credited with inventing Trishul Angik Talas enriching the Indian classical music, breathed his last at his residence in Delhi recently. He was 70.
New York-based Indian artist Zarina Hashmi no more
London/UNI: New York-based Indian artist Zarina Hashmi, known as the proponent of the simple and minimalist art, passed away on Saturday at her niece's home in London, following a long illness, a family member confirmed the news. She was 83.
Kolkata-based humanitarian worker seeks survival package from Centre in open letter to PM Modi
Kolkata/IBNS: Amid the havoc economic crisis created by the novel Coronavirus pandemic in India, Sundeep Bhutoria, a Kolkata and Rajasthan-based individual associated with many national and international NGOs, in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought a survival package 'at the earliest for the impoverished artisans, craftsmen and cultural workers of the country.'
New Delhi/IBNS: An exhibition of Indian contemporary art, called 'Extension.India', scheduled to open at The State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia, in June 2020 will now be postponed to March 2021.
New Delhi/IBNS: At a time when social distancing has been declared significant in containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has organised an online international art competition themed "United against CORONA- Express through Art" in a bid to connect the people across the world.
25th annual concert of Mentaid held in Kolkata
Kolkata/IBNS: The 25th annual concert of Mentaid was held at Madhusudan Mancha in the city last week.
KNMA and Lilavati Lalbhai Library organise a photography exhibition based on Madan Mahatta's works
New Delhi/IBNS: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in association with Ahmedabad-based Lilavati Lalbhai Library is holding a special exhibition titled 'Delhi Modern: The Architecture of Independence seen through the eyes of Madan Mahatta' until February 28.