President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday approved 139 Padma awards including seven Padma Vibhushans, 19 Padma Bhushans and 113 Padma Shris.
The five-day Durga Puja festival in West Bengal ended on Wednesday with people celebrating Bijaya Dashami which marked Goddess Durga's return to her husband's home.
Sonia condemned the appearance of the said posters and ordered the state Congress committee to inquire into the matter and identify the persons responsible for it.
Bandyopadhyay, eminent playwright and director, said in a statement that he is returning the award conferred on him earlier this year by the Paschimbanga Natya Akademi and the Rs 30,000 monetary grant.
'I had an incredible time pandal hopping in CR Park Delhi, participating in the cultural festivities and of course, tasting some amazing Pujo food!'
But the more significant development is that just as politicians took over pujas some years ago, NRIs, hi-tech and market managers are now moving in. I have nothing against them except that it would be sad if professional commerce overwhelms the spirit of collective youthful effort that traditionally sustained public pujas.
The pooja pandal is designed in a manner which resembles Hogwarts Castle and displays statues of the Potter characters like Hagrid and Hedgewig apart from Harry himself.
Despite these challenges, his strong voice for the state's tribal population has been central to his political identity
'Perhaps the greatest curse that modern technology has inflicted on the people during the pujas is powerful public address systems that blare out songs which you have no option but to listen to,' says Subir Roy.
"The puja is around 100 years old. Pranab's grandfather late Jangaleswar Mukherjee started the puja," said Goutam Roy, who has been looking after puja arrangements for the last couple of years.
Bollywood's gorgeous ladies pulled out their red saris and played Sindoor Khela on the occasion of Vijayadashami at the North Bombay Sarbojanin's Durga pooja pandal in Mumbai.
This Puja-typical behaviour invariably tells you how enthusiastic Bengalis are when it comes to Devi Durga and dhunuchi naach and everything in between.
A comment in Bengali written against her read "You won't be able to save yourself, your god of earth won't be able to save you.. After your death you will realise your folly. There won't be any excuses for you."
Two months after a junior doctor was brutally raped and killed, the doctors' protest in Kolkata rages on.
Take a look at the pictures!
'As on August 25, 94,753 Govindas have been insured.' 'This number is expected to rise further, as proposals for 5,000 to 8,000 Govindas are received daily.'
Participants of a mega rally, including prominent film personalities and rights activists, held a night-long sit-in in Kolkata till 4 am on Monday, demanding justice for a doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at a hospital last month.
Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Stadium, build on the outskirts of the city, will make its international debut on Sunday. Organising an international match in a smaller centre does have its fair share of challenges but host MPCA is ready despite a few hiccups.
Uttar Pradesh is under the scanner again as that state IAS Association has taken on CM Akhilesh Yadav for the suspension of Durga Shakti Nagpal, who campaigned against the sand mafia
Seeking to make changes in the process of granting recognition to madrassas, Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has said that two universities will be opened in the state and all madrassas will be affiliated to them.
The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, an NGO in the heart of Kolkata's red light district, has decided to celebrate Durga Puja, reports Indrani Roy/Rediff.com.Speaking to Indrani Roy/Rediff.com, the sex workers say that they want to get rid of ostracisation and be allowed to celebrate Durga Puja just as others do.
The ongoing agitation has also led the Federation of All India Medical Association to warn that it would declare a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" if any "any harm befalls brave junior doctors".
Dhanatrayodashi is called Dhanteras and its twinkling lights set the mood of India's greatest and most popular festival -- Diwali, the festival of lights.
Dhanush deserves credit for imagining a visually rich, edgy action thriller which is enhanced by a fascinating background score from A R Rahman, observes Divya Nair.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday called on Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and submitted a resolution passed by newly-elected MLAs of Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) electing him as their legislature party leader to stake claim to form the next government, an official said.
Devotees all over the world will now be able to watch the unique Durga Puja of Belur Math, where a young girl is worshipped along with the goddess, as the Ramakrishna Mission has decided to stream it live on Internet.
When she's not pulling out her gorgeous saris for the Durga poojo pandal, she's making a statement with the different colours of Navratri.
Get inspired by these styles when you go pandal hopping during Durga Puja.
On the eve of Durga Puja in October 2008, industrialist Ratan Tata announced that Tata Motors would withdraw from the nearly completed Nano car plant in Singur, attributing the decision to Mamata Banerjee's anti-land acquisition movement, which he claimed had derailed what was meant to be a "groundbreaking project" -- the world's cheapest car.
The HC was hearing three PILs challenging the restrictions on immersion of idols at the end of the five-day Durga Puja festival.
Modi, on his maiden visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, first took the elephant safari in Mihimukh area of the Central Kohora Range of the park followed by the jeep safari inside the same range.
Anushree Mehta will direct the remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's classic film Bawarchi.
The dizzying inflation has failed to dampen the spirit of the Durga Puja festivities in Assam. In capital Guwahati, puja organisers have outdone themselves and their efforts are visible in the opulent and colourful puja pandals across the city.
Villagers alleged that the minor, who was missing since Friday evening, was raped and murdered, and the police did not act on their complaint immediately.
Police have launched a probe into the killing of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique from different angles, including a possible contract killing, business rivalry or threat over a slum rehabilitation project, officials said on Sunday.
Here's what the stars were up to last weekend.
The deal with Nokia will be signed in San Francisco on Friday morning in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who is on a 17-day trip to the US to attract fresh investments.
Send this petition to reinstate IAS office Durga Shakti Nagpal to the UP chief minister!
Over 50 people have been arrested after the communal violence in Maharajgaj town, officials said on Tuesday, as markets remained shut and people stayed indoors for a second day in a row amid heavy deployment of police and other security personnel.
