Enraged by Pakistani-origin Canadian writer Tarek Fatah's critical remarks about their country, two Pakistani writers on Friday walked out of the inaugural session of the Indore Literary Festival.
Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is reportedly upset and likely to skip a strategy meeting for the upcoming Kerala polls due to perceived slights and attempts to sideline him within the party.
A bewildered world is at a loss to find bilateral and multilateral measures to stop President Trump from pursuing his vision of a world unabashedly dominated by the United States, points out T P Sreenivasan.
The dramatic moves of Donald Trump, which have shaken up the global order, dominated the discussion. A sense of bewilderment prevailed, but there was also expectation that President Trump would settle down to a more traditional style of governance after a time of shock and awe, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, an attendee at literary festivals in Calicut, Jaipur, Kochi, Sharjah and Thiruvanathapuram.
'They don't communicate on the telephone. They meet. The conspiracy is discussed, the crime is planned out and then the crime happens.' Rakesh Maria, the supercop who heads Maharashtra's Anti Terrorism Squad, explains the mindset of the modern terrorist at the Times Literary Festival. A correspondent listens in.
'Our fractured world has been embroiled in wars and hatred, and many sessions reflect these concerns.'
Even after 50 years, Sholay remains a lasting reminder of unity, shared memories and the joy of cinema, notes Mohammad Asim Siddiqui.
Nobel laureate economist Abhijit Banerjee has said the current situation in Bangladesh is unlikely to trigger a fresh round of exodus of minority Hindus into India. He believes that migration is primarily driven by social networks and economic opportunities rather than persecution. Banerjee, known for his work in poverty alleviation, further emphasized that India's overt preference for Hindu migrants from Bangladesh in the past has been a significant factor in their migration, rather than attacks on the community.
Soulful strains of classical music wafted through the chilly air as the ninth edition of the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival kicked off in Jaipur on Thursday at its usual venue, the sun-kissed Diggi Palace grounds, amid elaborate security arrangements.
Political sources say Modi is 'keen' on getting the NCP (SP) over to the Mahayuti to counter Eknath Shinde's 'demands' and to act as a cushion against his present allies, Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu, 'in case their relationship became untenable'.
When stars travel, they make lovely pictures on social media.
Karan Johar's biography will release in January.
'If you are being paid less than your male colleagues, file a complaint about it, make a noise... If you are being given a hard time over issues like maternity leave, complain to your boss's wife! Be innovative. Get involved.' On the sidelines of the Jaipur Literary Festival, legendary activist Gloria Steinem interacted with a select group of journalists, including Rediff.com's Sanchari Bhattacharya, and addressed an array of issues including the Pope, prostitution and personal victories.
The Kerala unit of the Congress instantly gets a headache when Shashi Tharoor lets loose one of his observations showering flowers on enemy territory. With every such action triggering controversy within a nervous Congress party, some feel it is high time Tharoor showed a degree of solidarity with the ideals of his party, notes Shyam G Menon.
'Goodbye dearest Anil. An elegant mind, a stylish writer, and a loyal friend. You will be missed by all those whose lives you touched. RIP.'
Afwaah is a sum of Sudhir Mishra's thought-provoking reflections and appeal to question what's real, what's rumour, notes Sukanya Verma.
It turns 20 and Mumbai will celebrate, says Avantika Bhuyan.
Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit has called up Anupam Kher and offered him a visa to travel to that country if he has applied for the same but the Bollywood actor declined the offer, saying he has already taken up other assignments on the scheduled dates.
'Main koi rootha nahin hoon for denying me a visa. I am baffled, and a bit hurt.'
'Surprised by the absence of any sloganeering or even mild protest in an ambience so free and self-regulated, I asked a friend from Delhi whether he too, with sharp political antenna, was surprised at how smooth and easy going everything was,' notes Ambassador B S Prakash.
'Not for the first time during this festival I was struck by the atmosphere of friendly inclusion the organisers had managed in a city where you can smell menace in the air, thanks to Adityanath's revenge-driven politics, his denigration of Muslims and ruthless use of State power against critics,' notes Anjali Puri.
"You have no right to take laws into your own hands. At the same time, you don't have the right to hurt the sentiments of others", the vice president said.
'Those who worked with him or came to know him rated him as one of our best, with a sharp intellect, unfailing courtesy and ready wit.' Ambassador T P Sreenivasan fondly remembers Ambassador B S Prakash, wonderful human being, unusual diplomat and long-time Rediff.com columnist, who passed away into the ages on Monday, October 4, 2021.
Dylan is not really a writer and awarding the prize to him in the literature category is a "great insult to all the writers who have already received the award and also to those who rightly deserve it", the author said.
The former India opener Virender Sehwag, on Wednesday, described the current national cricket team as the strongest he had seen and predicted a 3-0 or 3-1 win in the upcoming Test series against Australia.
Ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh termed Indian captain Virat Kohli as 'an intense cricketer' who thrives on.
Star wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Saturday backed the #MeToo movement that has been sweeping through India, saying the country must find ways to prevent sexual harassment of its women.
There's no steam in the intolerance debate anymore but the opposing sides still refuse to let it go, says Sampath.
Following the attack on Friday, questions were raised about the security precautions -- or lack thereof -- at the host institution, which sits in a rural lake resort about 110 km south of Buffalo, New York.
Zainub Priya Dala was hit in the face with a brick last week after she praised Rushdie's writing at a school in Durban, a city on the country's east coast.
As he struggles in hospital, I wonder why anyone, especially someone who was not even born when The Satanic Verses was published, would want to harm a 75-year old man and a literary treasure, wonders Subhash K Jha.
In the future, publishers will need to think of digital immersive marketing just like marketing a movie or show on Netflix is an immersive experience.
Former Army chief General V K Singh has dismissed the story of an alleged coup attempt by Indian army in January 2012 as the product of a "very fertile brain" and said it was at "somebody's behest".
On a visit to India in 2013, writer Ved Mehta -- who passed into the ages on Sunday January 10, 2021 - gave Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel a rare glimpse into his state of mind and what he thinks of the changes he encounters in his motherland.
Sheela Jaywant invites you to explore The GoaWriters Group's interesting look at the lockdown.
After winning awards at Sundance and Cannes, Director Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes has now been nominated for an Oscar in the Documentary Feature Film category.
India are favourites to 'steamroll' Australia in the Test series Down Under due to the absence of the experienced duo of Steve Smith and David Warner.
The India Test vice-captain has scored just three hundreds and eight fifties from 48 innings since 2016.
'Children are curious by nature, so I thought of writing these books, which provide creative but convincing explanations and also teach values like sharing is caring,' Sudha Murty tells Chintan Girish Modi.
