The Sikh Gurdwaras are not only places of worship but also the training center of service. Such service as sweeping the precincts, serving drinking water to the thirsty, fanning the congregation in hot weather and serving food to the hungry have always formed an integral part of the factions in a Sikh shrine. Of these, Langar is perhaps the most …

“Pakistan can never defeat India”, the Italian remarked. That morning in May 1999, on an official trip to Italy, as I had switched on the BBC World News, I had heard the announcement that Indian Air Force had started an offensive on the Kargil peaks and there were fears of a full-fledged war with Pakistan. What had till now been …

Saying that the population of Sikhs has declined in the country is a misreading of the Census by religion. It is the rate of population growth that’s come down. In the larger national goal of population control, Sikhs could rightfully see themselves as being flag-bearers of this wise cause First, the denial. The Sikh population is not on the decline, …

Saeed Jaffrey (8 January 1929 – 16 November 2015) is an Indian actor, who has done numerous British movies. He was born in Malerkotla, Punjab. His film credits include “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975), “Shatranj Ke Khiladi” (1977), “Gandhi” (1982), “A Passage to India” (1965 BBC version and 1984 film) and “My Beautiful Laundrette” (1985). He has also …

Staying up late and not getting six hours of sleep puts one at high risk of becoming a Type-II diabetic, a disease once believed to be caused primarily by being overweight, prominent diabetes experts say. The doctors said that diabetes is just one among a number of other major health complications that includes high blood sugar, high cholesterol, extra fat …

Delhi has very high concentrations of respirable particulate matter (PM), even crossing the safety limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. While for some reason, the highest PM is routinely reported from some areas in the east of the city, no place is safe in the Delhi National Capital Region. A rather startling fact which studies bear out is: Indoor …

Aimed at helping the common man protect himself from pollution and saving the environment, environmental consumer products company Nirvana Being has launched a bottle which filters water as you drink. Priced at Rs.950, the 550 ml bottle bobble uses active carbon filter to purify water and make it tastier. “Municipal tap water is fit for drinking but most of us …

Daughter of an Army officer, Nimrat was born on 13 March, 1982 in Pilani, Rajasthan, and like most army children travelled widely living in army cantonments in Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Maharashtra and Kashmir. She had changed schools six or seven times by the age of 11. In fact, hers was the archetypal army child’s life when tragedy struck. On …

Presenting a platform for the folk and root musicians of Rajasthan with international music collaborations, Jodhpur RIFF, which will present its ninth edition during October 23-27, has been creating new music for not just audiences but to the country, festival director Divya Bhatia said. Jodhpur’s Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF), with its Rajasthani folk musicians and international artists, has been …

Annie Besant was born on 1 October 1847 in London to Irish parents. In 1893, she left for India having been influenced by the Indian culture and civilization. She was famous as a social worker, educationalist and journalist. She became a staunch supporter of Indian Independence Movement and her contribution to India’s freedom struggle was remarkable. She founded the Home-Rule …