In the Media
Learn Hindi the Malay way - online
New Delhi, Sep 30 Bollywood films are popular in Malaysia and soon one might find Malaysians speaking Hindi as well, thanks to a website that will impart Hindi lessons online to citizens of Southeast Asian countries.
31,000 on Facebook for Delhi roads
New Delhi, Sep 29 'Dear Sir/Madam, Today I have seen lot many defence cars, with blue and red beacon lights, judges' cars (with justice label at the back) driving in Commonwealth Games lane,' says a Facebook post received by Delhi Traffic Police, nicknamed DTP by netizens.
‘Even as office boy, I stayed close to cinema’
Chennai, Sep 27 Director Pandiraj, the son of farmer parents, couldn't pursue graduation for want of money and did odd jobs to support himself. But the Tamil director, whose first film 'Pasanga' bagged three National Awards, says even while working as an office boy, he made sure he was not far from the movie business.
'Julia likes Indian food, hates onions'
New Delhi, Sep 25 Julia Roberts surprised everyone by eating rice, chapati, aloo-gobi and mattar-paneer with her bare hands while filming 'Eat Pray Love' in India last year, but the Pretty Woman can't stand onions, says her lesser known Indian co-star Russhita Singh.
Kerala women turn poll aspirants
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 24 There is a huge rush of Kerala women who want to contest next month's local bodies polls because this time 50 percent of seats have been reserved for them.
Manipuri music reaching out to Gen Next
New Delhi, Sep 22 The 'pena', a musical genre from India's northeast associated with shamanistic folk rites from the pre-Christian era, is making its way into mainstream performances after roping in women and youth.
Indian advertising in for exciting times
New Delhi, Sep 20 Indian advertising is in for some exciting and creative times as a wave of new thinking is blowing over the industry with the economy expanding and Indian brands entering the global market place, says Shyam Madiraju, the man behind the much-talked-about Kit Kat ad featuring a pair of dancing squirrels.
Ibsen thrives among college-goers
New Delhi, Sep 18 Creative ideas are pouring out of the capital's amateur stage. Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, one of the modern dramatists to have influenced Indian theatre, has made inroads into the college drama circuit with a festival.
Four-decade ban lifted on Ray’s ‘Sikkim’
Mumbai, Sep 18 Director Sandip Ray, the son of Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray, is elated over a government decision to lift a ban on his father's documentary 'Sikkim' after four decades, but rues that the original negative has perished.
India looking at ancient waterways
New Delhi, Sep 16 Be it in Delhi, Kerala, Orissa or West Bengal, ancient waterways are being sought to be revived to facilitate heritage tourism and public transportation in a throwback to history when inland rivers were the economic lifeline of urban settlements.
Condoms, sex issues taboo no more
New Delhi, Sep 14 Not so long ago, the mere mention of the word 'sex' would raise eyebrows and spark a debate in Jamia Millia Islamia, recall old-timers at the 90-year-old university. Today, however, students freely walk up to a university facility to collect condoms.
BPO jobs on your finger taps!
Chennai, Sep 13 Good news for those aspiring to work in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector! Now any one seeking a job in a BPO can apply dialling a toll-free number to key in their resumes from their mobile phone.
Bollywood's woman directors call shots
New Delhi, Sep 10 Bollywood, for long considered a male-centric industry, is no more an alien world for women directors — if the success of Anusha Rizvi's 'Peepli Live' and Rajshree Ojha's 'Aisha' is any indication. Women are confidently going behind the camera to call the shots.
‘Dhobi Ghat will go global’
Toronto, Sep 8 'Dhobi Ghat' is a rare movie to come out of Bollywood and it is meant for the global stage, says Cameron Bailey, co-director of the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) where the film will be premiered this week. It is the first non-masala, non-song-and-dance film from Bollywood to make to the world's premier film festival, which opens here on Thursday to showcase about 300 films from around the world.
Dental jewellery for a dazzling smile!
Mumbai, Sep 7 Decking up your ears, neck, ankles and wrists with precious stones is nothing new! If you are a trendsetter, you can go for dental jewellery and get a gem attached to your teeth for a dazzling smile.
Ghatak’s masterpiece has to shine
Mumbai, Sep 3 Legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak’s “Meghe Dhaka Tara” completes 50 years this year. Sadly, despite critics globally considering it to be one of a handful of most important films from India, the excitement is not palpable.
Time is right for luxury watches in India
New Delhi, Sep 1 Luxury watch brands like Rolex, Bvlgari, Omega, Tissot and Longines are eyeing the booming market in India, but they say expanding business is a tough task because of lack of right retail locations and high rents.
Little Bommi to globetrot in 2011
Chennai, Sep 1 Bommi and her pals, Remba, Yip, Taco, Maya and Boris, are likely to take two city-based young entrepreneurs, R. Mathiseelan and K.R. Senthil Kumar, places in 2011.
Vigyan Gram to popularise science
Agartala, Aug 31 A Vigyan Gram, or a science village, is to come up on the outskirts of Tripura's capital, complete with a museum, library, planetarium, botanical garden, bird sanctuary and other attractions to popularise science among the masses.
‘24’ bigger than my biggest work in India
New Delhi, Aug 23 Anil Kapoor is going great guns. After the international acclaim following 'Slumdog Millionaire', the evergreen star is making his debut on international television with the final season of American series '24'. He describes the action drama as 'bigger than the biggest' he has done in India.
Journalist recalls first I-Day shots
New Delhi, Aug 21 Her face crinkles into a smile, drawing a fine mesh of crow's feet in the gentle folds of her skin. At 97, Homai Vyarawalla, India's first and oldest photojournalist, is still as spirited as she was in the 1920s when she shot glimpses of Mumbai life with her box camera and chronicled the Independence struggle in striking black and white compositions.
Onam spread of dishes goes online
New Delhi, Aug 21 Foodies cutting across social and racial divides have a lot to cheer this Onam, the state festival of Kerala to be celebrated on August 23.
Business booms for outsourcing units
Chennai, Aug 19 The pan-India expansion of telecom, insurance, banking and financial services companies and the near extinction of the tribe of personnel managers have resulted in booming business for labour laws compliance outsourcing units.
Art, accessory auctions gather pace in India
New Delhi, Aug 19 The art and accessories auction market is humming with activity in India and abroad, putting memories of the economic meltdown behind. The goods on display in showrooms and cyber galleries include souvenirs, antiques, jewellery, vintage books and even wine.
Feeling stressed? Start an activity
New Delhi, Aug 17 Suffering from eating disorder, skin problems, hair fall and drinking — it could be because of stress at work or emotional void and experts suggest that the best thing to get out of the stressful life is to indulge in some activity.
Delhi is talking world cinema
New Delhi, Aug 16 No longer is 'Breathless', 'Rashomon' and 'Amores Perros' the preserve of the well heeled at Delhi's arty evenings. Critically acclaimed international films like these have struck a chord among non-elite audiences thanks to small groups 'fighting for serious cinema'.
Planning to wed? Choose your theme
New Delhi, Aug 16 Rajasthani or Royal Victorian style — how would you like to get married? Indians with money to splurge are opting for theme weddings and, at a time when the sector is growing at an annual growth rate of 15 percent, they are indeed spoilt for choice.
African students make a home in India
New Delhi, Aug 12 Two years ago, an apprehensive Joseph Gitonga arrived in India from Kenya to study to become a teacher. Now, he has one refrain — India is incredible.
India going places on fashion map
Chandigarh, Aug 10 Designers from small towns as well as big cities have bright prospects in the fashion industry and Chandigarh itself is sitting on a goldmine of talent, say leading names like Raghvendra Rathore and Shantanu and Nikhil.
Agra going green - the voluntary way
Agra, Aug 9 The city of the Taj Mahal is set to look. Inspired by one man's example of planting trees, now educational institutions, cultural groups, resident welfare associations and other groups are participating in a major plantation drive in the city.
Spa culture catching on big way
New Delhi, Aug 9 Feeling washed out with the running around all week? Why not step into your neighbourhood beauty salon for some rejuvenating spa treatment. Yes, beauty salons are now turning into 'spalons' to dish out not just the regular hair cuts and facials but also aroma therapy, soothing massages, easy yoga and maybe even some fat reduction thrown in.
It's salsa time for corporates
Mumbai, Aug 7 It's not yoga and aerobics but salsa, samba, tango, waltz and other western dance forms that constitute the new mantra among corporates to help employees de-stress. Private companies are offering their employees dance classes to reduce stress levels the fun way.
‘Working on films becomes a task’
Mumbai, Aug 7 Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, who has returned to music composition after eight years with the crossover movie ‘For Real’, says he doesn't work on many films because it becomes a task. He is also impressed with the new crop of talent on the Indian music scene.
Wellness: Way to perfect health
New Delhi, Aug 6 Wellness is the new buzzword for complete health — physical, mental and spiritual — and more and more people are making a beeline for spas and salons for that magical massage or aroma therapy that peps you up.
Now shopping just a remote-click away
New Delhi, Aug 5 Tired of trawling the streets under the scorching sun for your shopping? Help is at hand — a 24-hour television shopping channel is coming to your rescue to enable you shop for branded items with the button of your TV remote.
Kathak yoga: For body and soul
New Delhi, Aug 4 Move over monotonous fitness regimes. US-based Kathak maestro Chitresh Das has been popularising the concept of 'Kathak yoga', which he describes as a 'union between the mind, body and soul' and an excellent 'form of a cardio-vascular exercise'.
Wave goodbye to flab the non-surgical way
New Delhi, July 31 You've heard of liposuction, but that involves surgery. Now comes a non-surgical way of shedding that flab — ultra-contouring — which is gaining popularity in India, especially among models and socialites.
Experience a virtual roller coaster
New Delhi, July 30 If you have been craving for a ride on a roller coaster and a race down a steep incline or through several loops for an adrenaline rush, go try the virtual thrills offered at Hang Out — south Delhi's latest hotspot.
Nextgen management challenge for IT cos
Chennai, July 29 Managing the next generation of employees is the major challenge that human resources (HR) managers are going to face in the coming years, senior officials of information technology (IT) sector said here on Wednesday.
All Indians ‘chasing the monsoon’
Mumbai, July 28 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D. Subbarao on Tuesday stressed how important the annual rain showers between June and mid-October were for the country, using the title from Alexander Frater's famous book: 'Chasing the Monsoon'.
Britain needs India more: UK media
London, July 27 Ahead of the British Prime Minister's India visit, the mainstream British media described it as a test of David Cameron's pragmatism and observed that Britain needs India more.
Women-driven cosmetics on the roll
New Delhi, July 26 Unlike most others, these beauty products hardly have any Bollywood actor's endorsement. Yet a growing number of 'conscious' and 'mostly young' consumers are going for different brands of natural, handmade cosmetics created by women entrepreneurs.
Tagore women had a style of their own
New Delhi, July 20 The high priestesses of fashion and modern lifestyle in early 20th century Bengal were none other than the women of the Tagore household who lived in a sprawling 18th century mansion christened Thakurbari in Jorasanko, an old residential neighbourhood in northern Kolkata.
How an Indian's story made Hollywood statement
New Delhi, July 19 A reporter's despatch can make a serious Hollywood statement. And that was the case with Pulitzer prize-winning Indian journalist Geeta Anand, formerly associated with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
Foreign Ministry now on Twitter
New Delhi, July 12 The Indian Foreign Ministry has also succumbed to the charms of the little bird. It has created a Twitter account and got several followers already.
Spaniards in Delhi party hard
New Delhi, July 12 Dressed in red shirts with their faces painted red and yellow — the colours of their national flag — they danced, drank Cava and hugged each other while Spanish songs played on. The Spanish community in India partied till the early hours of Monday as their country won its first ever football World Cup.
Discovering India with Facebook tips
New Delhi, June 29 They have taken a break from their routine lives and embarked on a journey to discover the 'real' India with a budget of Rs.500 a day. And guess what is 'guiding' this Delhi-based couple in their excursion — tips on social networking site Facebook.
Small town talents make it big
New Delhi, June 28 A platform to flaunt their talent in singing, dancing, acting, even cooking — reality shows are giving people in small towns across the country an opportunity to showcase their accomplishments, and if they make it to among the top few winners, a fairytale existence thereafter with fame and fortune beckoning.
Flamingoes in Agra: Sign of global-warming?
Agra, June 26 What are flamingoes doing in Agra at this time of the year? This is the question plaguing environmentalists here after nearly 500 of the gregarious wading birds descended on Agra's Keitham Lake last week.
India aims at best show on home turf
New Delhi, June 25 Athletes are quietly preparing for India's biggest sporting event and where they are aiming at the country's best performance ever on home turf.
‘Watch World Cup with precautions’
Kolkata, June 24 As the country's soccer crazy fans get hooked to the FIFA World Cup, medical practitioners have cautioned that a balanced diet and adequate sleep are a must to cope with the rigours of the late night schedule of the globe's biggest gala.
Literary works now on small screen
New Delhi, June 23 Remember 'Wagle Ki Duniya', 'Bharat Ek Khoj', 'Hasratein' and other such fascinating television serials. All these were based on literary works and, after a long gap Indian television is again witnessing serials based on stories by noted Hindi as well as regional writers.
Goa roots for Portugal in football WC
Panaji, June 22 Legendary Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama would be a proud man if only he could come back from beyond to Goa's shores once again, with the erstwhile Portuguese colony in the throes of World Cup football fever these days.
Delhi’s first travel cafe beckons
New Delhi, June 19 A Himalayan marmot, a large furry creature from the squirrel family, is just the pet to cuddle in the icy heights of Ladakh. And now a dancing marmot, captured in a photograph, is the mascot of the Indian capital's first travel cafe.
How about cultural responsibility?
New Delhi, June 17 Classical dances should be included as a regular cultural component in the country's tourism package 'to project India's soft power', says noted Bharatanatyam dancer Geeta Chandran, now working on a performance for the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
Track child’s progress on mobile
New Delhi, June 16 Parents can now keep track of their children's progress at school as well as get regular updates and circulars through a new device.
Blood donation is a movement here
Agartala, June 14 What started as a bid to save the life of his friend, turned into a cause for Nanigopal Ghosh, who has donated blood 71 times since then. And he isn't the only regular donor in Tripura, which last year ranked first in voluntary blood donation.
Online games help to de-stress
New Delhi, June 12 He juggles hectic corporate meetings and numerous deadlines, but 28-year-old marketing professional Rajiv Singh never fails to plough his farm and water his plants. Surprised? Don't be. He plays the online game Farmville.
Indian teen brings FB, Twitter closer
Helsinki, June 11 Want to know from your mobile phone where to hangout in Delhi or eat out in Beijing? Three teens in Finland, including one from India, are giving final touches to a system that integrates social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.
On Satyajit Ray's trail in Bengal
New Delhi, June 10 For the fans of the legendary Satyajit Ray the world over, here's a treat. They will soon be able to visit the locations of some of his films in West Bengal, with the tourism ministry planning to prioritise Rs.50 crore project.
Cycling her way to success
Patna, June 9 She pedalled 10 km to and fro school every day from her village home and went on to stand second in the Bihar Class 10 board exam. Khushboo Kumari says she could never have done it without the cycle she got under a government scheme.
Traditional methods for food security
New Delhi, June 7 Maharashtra's Korku tribe stores grain with dried neem leaves, while the Konda Savara tribe of Andhra Pradesh has an irrigation system where water is diverted through pipes made of banana trunks. These are some examples of local wisdom sustaining agriculture, which will now be backed by a specialised UN agency.
DU’s TV channel has much on its platter
New Delhi, June 7 Flashing on LCD screens in college canteens will be live sports events of the Commonwealth Games, job opportunities and even entertainment programmes — the Delhi University's soon-to-be launched television channel is all set to revolutionise life on the campus.
Animation boom set to sweep India
Toronto, June 5 Canadian animation leader Toon Boom, which pioneered the industry in India and whose Indian operations account for one third of its global business today, sees an animation revolution sweeping the South Asian giant.
Decline in butterflies in Himalayas
Shimla, June 4 The lofty western Himalayas is being slowly robbed of their butterflies, with at least 50 percent of the species showing a massive decline in less than a decade due to human interference.
Planting trees is just a click away
New Delhi, June 4 If you want to plant trees and have no time — just login to Grow-Trees.com and plant as many trees as you like by paying a nominal amount.
Herbal products driving Indian market
New Delhi, June 3 The herbal cosmetics industry is 'driving growth in the beauty business' in India and is expected to grow at a rate of seven percent as more people shun chemical products in favour of organic ones.
Don't skip brain food
New Delhi, June 2 Are you suffering from acidity, obesity or reduced attention span? Perhaps you are skipping breakfast, also called brain food and the most important meal of the day.
Fashion: Cracking the zodiac code
New Delhi, June 1 Multi-hued cottons for Leo, linen for Virgo and bling for Aries! Each sun sign has its own fashion code. Fashion and astrology are tied by a strange zodiac code that emits good vibrations for the wearer, says an expert.
Vayalar Ravi, who assumed office as Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs on January 30, 2006, was born in 1937 in Vayalar village of Kerala's Alappuzha district...