India is collection of nations, like Europe: Lord Meghnad Desai
Lord Meghnad Desai, a British economist and a Labour politician in the UK, was the guest at Kitaab organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement. In the course of his interaction with Indian economist and civil servant Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Lord Desai spoke about his book Rebellious Lord, Indian politics and economy. India Blooms brings excerpts
Sahir Ludhianvi's songs have tinge of melancholy in the idea of romance: Author Nasreen Munni Kabir
Author Nasreen Munni Kabir was the guest at the "tête-à-tea" organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation. During her conversation with Namrata Joshi, Kabir spoke about her latest book In the Year of Sahir 2021 Diary which is based on poet-lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts
I see no business for 10-year-olds to have phone or social media account: Author Jyotsna Mohan
Author Jyotsna Mohan, who has worked for a national television news channel, has addressed the issues the kids of the present generation are facing in her latest book Stoned, Shamed, Depressed. IBNS correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of Mohan's interaction with senior journalist Nidhi Razdan over the book in the event Kitab hosted by Prabha Khaitan Foundation in association with Phulkari: Women of Amritsar and presented by Shree Cement.
Spirituality not integral to an artist's journey: Geeta Chandran
Bharatnatyam dancer Geeta Chandran was the guest at Ek Mulakat Visesh organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement in late November. In the course of interaction, Chandran spoke about her dance, career and more. India Blooms brings excerpts
We cannot generalise a society or a country: Author Hamid Ansari on Pakistan
Techie and author Hamid Ansari, who was caught in Pakistan being accused of being an Indian spy, wrote about his ordeal and suffering days in the South Asian country in his book Hamid. In an interaction with senior journalist Nidhi Razdan at Kitab, an event organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement, in late November, Ansari bared his thoughts. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts
BJP govt tried to establish alternative idea of India in last six years: Shashi Tharoor
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, launched his latest book The Battle of Belonging at a session of Kitab organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation. In an interaction with senior journalist Karan Thapar, Tharoor spoke about the idea of India and how it has been impacted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the last six years of its rule. IBNS brings excerpts of the conversation
I don't believe in feminism but femininity: Author Koral Dasgupta
Author Koral Dasgupta, who was the guest at the latest session of An Author's Afternoon organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement last week, spoke about her latest book Ahalya. IBNS correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts
Kolkata: A battle of belonging to India and having India belong to you is raging at the moment as attempts are being made to turn the nation's "civic nationalism" into a "religious-cultural nationalism", said Congress leader and writer Shashi Tharoor at the virtual launch of his new book “The Battle of Belonging”.
Relationship with mother difficult to be defined: Author Lady Mohini Kent Noon
Lady Mohini Kent Noon, the author of the book Dear Mama, was busy in conversation with barrister-writer-activist Cherie Blair in the latest session of Kitab organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement. In the course of the conversation, Mohini Kent Noon spoke about her book about intimate letters from eminent personalities including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to their mothers as well letters by several other girls who were victims of human trafficking. IBNS correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts
Retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former Enforcement Directorate (ED) chief, Karnal Singh, was a part of the special team of Delhi Police, which had carried out the much debated encounter of terrorists in Batla House in the national capital in 2008. In an interaction with Ehsaas Woman of Mumbai Ketki Bhatia in the latest edition of An Author's Afternoon, hosted by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement, Singh spoke about his book Batla House where he wrote about the encounter extensively. IBNS-TWF correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of the interaction
Feminism to me means each of us has the freedom of choice: Mallika Sarabhai
Indian classical dancer-actor-activist Mallika Sarabhai, who uses her art forms in bringing social change, was the guest at Ek Mulakat Vishesh organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation in association with Shree Cement. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of her virtual interaction with Sunita Shekhawat in October
Ideal for Indian students to learn something about Sanskrit: Lord Bhikhu Parekh
Political theorist, academic and life peer Lord Bhikhu Parekh was the guest at a session of Ek Mulakat- organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement- on Aug 20. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of Lord Parekh's virtual conversation with author-journalist-playwright-filmmaker Lady Mohini Kent Noon
I connected Kathak with my concern for the environment: Arushi Nishank
Environmentalist, Kathak dancer and social activist Arushi Nishank, who is also the daughter of India's current Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, spoke about the Sparsh Ganga campaign, her interest in protecting environment and how rural women made Khadi masks in Covid-19 times in an Ek Mulakat session organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of the conversation
Environmentalist Arushi Nishank talks about how rural women making khadi masks to combat Covid-19
Kolkata/IBNS: Social activist, environmentalist and dancer Arushi Nishank has recently opened up about how thousands of rural women in India picked up sui dhaga (needle and thread) to make reusable khadi and sutee masks taking a step to combat Covid-19.
Institutions of the country in trouble, not seen even in Emergency: Author Nilanjana S Roy
Journalist-turned author Nilanjana S Roy was in conversation with Malika Varma of Ehsaas Women at a virtual session of An Author's Afternoon- organised by Prabha Khaitan Foundation and presented by Shree Cement- just ahead of India's 74th Independence Day. India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh brings excerpts of the conversation where Nilanjana spoke about Kolkata, books and democracy in India