New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) An idea, an experience or even a fleeting moment can become a story. But the story does not get written immediately after you think of it. Sometimes the story ideas live dormant in the mind for years and then one day become stories, says the multifaceted Dr C.S. Lakshmi. Lakshmi, an independent researcher and archivist in Women's Studies for more than 40 years and who, writing under the pseudonym Ambai, has been a significant voice in Tamil literature

BY SAEED NAQVI IANS | March 21 Pardon my Lucknow chauvinism, but the benighted city once had intimate links with the centre of Shia Islam, Najaf, in Iraq, which Pope Francis visited early March in what must be counted among the Pontiff's most epoch-making journeys. His 50-minute conversation with Shia Islam's highest spiritual authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, in his modest, rented house in a Najaf alley, must have enriched both. "A humble and wise man,"

By Major General S.B. Asthana IANS | March 21  The visit of US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin to India, along with Japan and South Korea within a week of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Summit held on March 12, indicates a quick follow up. The Summit did not name China directly, but Beijing seemed nervous and rattled about the event, as its mouthpiece Global times accused the Quad members to be hyping the "China threat" before the event and expressed that I

Chandigarh, March 20 (IANS) Cities and towns of Punjab and Haryana are no longer a habitat of the house sparrow, small plump brownish bird once closely associated with the man, ornithologists said on Saturday. With their population drastically declining largely in urban areas over the last 20 years, its chirping has faded. Ornithologists attribute a number of reasons for the decline of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus. They include lack of nesting sites in modern buildings, u

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS): A new Pew Research Center analysis finds that the middle class in India is estimated to have shrunk by 32 million in 2020 as a consequence of the economic downturn, compared with the number it may have reached absent the Covid pandemic. This accounts for 60 per cent of the global retreat in the number of people in the middle-income tier defined here as people with incomes of $10.01-$20 a day. Meanwhile, the number of people who are poor in India (with

New Delhi, March 19 (IANSlife) A photo exhibition titled 'Constellations 2020' conceptualised by the Hungarian Astrophotographers Association (MAFE) was inaugurated on the lawns of the Hungarian Embassy. The exhibition took the onlooker from the Earth's night time landscapes, through the celestial bodies of the Solar System to the mysterious world of the Milky Way and beyond the extragalactic bodies of the infinite cosmos. Organised by The Embassy of Hungary in India and

Chandigarh, March 18 (IANS) The conversation starts with silence. It ends with that. One criss-crosses several labyrinths in Hallo Majra where people from balconies stare. Cops in plain clothes are too bored to hide that they are photographing visitors and their cars' number plates. Now it is one of the very few organic areas in Chandigarh, not defined by the 'City Beautiful's' brutalist architecture. It is where the city wants to hide some -- migrant labourers, fact

New Delhi, March 16 (IANSlife) A worldwide shift to combat hidden hunger needs to be launched by processing food in a way that micronutrient shortages are adequately addressed. Micronutrients can be mixed with staple foods like rice, oil, wheat, or maize flour, as well as condiments like salt, for a very low cost, said experts in a recent webinar. According to World Health Organization (WHO), hidden hunger occurs when the quality of food people eat does not meet their nutrient requi

New Delhi, March 15 (IANSlife) While everybody seems to have been bitten by the travel bug, one particular segment has risen to the occasion in full force -- that of women travellers! Women besides outperforming at work, managing their homes and slaying everywhere in general, are now increasingly turning to solo travel. Not only is solo travel therapeutic for the modern Indian woman, but is also an enriching and bold statement of their empowered versions. Reasons to travel vary, from b

Kolkata, March 13 (IANS) Seamless transport connectivity between India and Bangladesh has the potential to increase national income by as much as 17 per cent in Bangladesh and 8 per cent in India, says a new World Bank report. Titled "Connecting to Thrive: Challenges and Opportunities of Transport Integration in Eastern South Asia", the report contends that improving transport connectivity between the two countries could increase exports even further, yielding a 297 per ce

New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) "For a long time, I didn't even tell my friends and family that I was writing and had amassed a huge reader base. I was sure that they would not believe it. And that is precisely what happened when I broke the news to them. In fact, I had to send links of my stories to them," smiles Raipur-based homemaker Varsha Srivastava, even as a web series based on a book trilogy in the supernatural thriller genre gets set to be made. One of Pratilipi

Chennai, March 11 (IANS) Dr Alby John, a Chennai-based IAS officer, is converting a garbage yard into a lush green forest in the heart of the metropolis. After being posted as Regional Deputy Commissioner (South) in Greater Chennai Corporation, the 2013 batch officer has already planted five Miyawaki forests or micro forests, turning conrete areas into lush zones of greenery. The trend of Miyawaki forests was first pioneered, conceptulaised and popularised by 93-year-old Japanese

New Delhi, March 9 (IANSlife) As we recognize achievements of women across all spheres, this International Women's Day, there are all the more reasons to celebrate women power. Women across the world have fought a valorous battle against Covid-19 as frontline workers, caregivers and as leaders who dealt with coronavirus better than their male counterparts. This year's UN Women's International Women's Day theme -- "Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future i

New Delhi, March 8 (IANSlife) "People always call me 'sir' when they first call as they don't expect a woman to be behind the camera" are the words of Gurugram-based maternity and baby photographer Anega Bawa. While the rise in number of women taking to professional photography may be slow, it sure is steady. But behind the camera, is gender still at play? IANSlife speaks to three woman photographers and Canon EOS Ambassadors, to find out. Anega Bawa (Matern

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Tea garden workers are set to play a decisive role in many constituencies in the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam. Keeping this in mind, all the parties including Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress, are trying to lure them. Recently, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen plucking tea leaves along with the tea garden workers and dancing with them in Assam. On the other hand, BJP leaders are carrying out a door-to-door campa

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS): Floods had a major share in disaster events in India, being responsible for the death of over 65,143 people in the last 50 years. This was especially so in 2019 when an abnormal increase in extreme weather events was experienced, according to a recent study published by the countrys top weather experts. The study has been conducted by Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary M. Rajeevan, Advisor Kamaljit Ray, Scientist R.K. Giri, S.S. Ray and A.P. Dimri. Based

New Delhi, March 6 (IANSlife) Christie's confirmed its commitment to more sustainable operations, pledging to be net zero by 2030. The company is committing to a 50 per cent reduction in its carbon emissions, achieving 90 per cent diversion from landfill for its waste and providing all clients with packaging and printed material that is 100 per cent recyclable. Christie's is setting its carbon reduction goals aligned to the needs of climate science, and has committed to the

New Delhi, March 6 (IANSlife) Living in a country like India which is home to one fifth of the world's population, one cannot help but worry about the state of health and nutrition in the country. According to data on nutrition, despite economic growth during the last few years in India, 14 per cent of India's population is undernourished, writes Neerja Hajela. Hajela has done her Masters in Microbiology and PhD in Biotechnology; and is the Head of Science and Regulatory Aff

New Delhi, March 4 (IANS) To hire the skilled or to re-skill? This is one of the crucial questions the banking industry prepares for in the 'new normal' in a post-pandemic world. However, as the need for skills evolves, hiring cannot alone close the gap fast enough. Not only is re-skilling critical from an organizational standpoint, if done right, it also has a life-changing effect on employees, says a new book, "Transformational Leadership in Banking: Challenges of Gov

New Delhi, March 3 (IANSlife) With over millions of species breathing on earth, the world celebrates Wildlife Day today, March 3, to raise awareness of global flora and fauna. There are many rare and extoic animals that can be found only in India. Wildlife plays an important role for the earth, as it scientifically balances the environment and ensures harmonious co-existence among beings. Indian wildlife sanctuaries are home to rare, beautiful and elusive species of animals that can