| |
| |
Blogging
in Sanskrit binds Indian students
overseas
|
| |
|
Indian
students in foreign locales have found
Sanskrit to be a common thread which
binds them together. Students, alumni
and faculty from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), University
of Maryland (UMD), Carnegie Mellon
University (CMU), Caltech, Purdue
and many more are bringing out an
online Sanskrit magazine under the
banner of 'Campus Samskritam Network'
(CSN). Hosted on the www.speaksanskrit.org
website, the webzine is called 'Vishvavani'
(the voice or the language of the
world). Last week the third issue
of Vishvavani was released, featuring
a wide range of topics including an
article on ancient Indian mathematics
by Prabha Mandyam, (Ph D student at
Caltech), another on Swami Vivekananda
by Harichandan Mantripragada (Ph D
student at Carnegie Mellon University)
and a travelogue by Jyotsna Kalavar
(associate professor at Penn State
University). The webzine is enriched
by a 'subhashitam' (wise saying) and
even a Sanskrit crossword puzzle.
Sowmya Joisa and Avinash Varna, editors
of the magazine, say that even though
it is not the first online Sanskrit
magazine it is currently the only
active one available online. The group
has been inspired by the first online
Sanskrit magazine 'Apoorvavani', which
is not active any more, and by a monthly
print magazine 'Sambhashana sandesha',
both brought out by Samskrita Bharati.
In addition to a document format uploaded
on the web, the contents of the magazine
are also published on a blog to make
it easier for readers to comment on
and give feedback. "Even though the
Sanskrit blogging community is not
as big as for other languages, we
try to be in touch with each other,
encourage each other and hope to grow
as a group," says Ajit Krishnan, whose
blog has seen more than 200 posts
and 3,000 hits so far. Ajit also hopes
that in future his blog will attract
more youth and plans to add more multi-media
resources, movie reviews, and feature
other contemporary topics.
Courtesy:
www.headlinesindia.com, March 18,
2008
Back
to Index
|
| |
India's
first art summit to be held in Delhi
|
| |
|
India's
first art summit scheduled for August
this year in the capital will not
only offer a platform to showcase
the Indian art but also will facilitate
discussions by all stake-holders.
'We are very late in coming to this
stage. Nevertheless, it's good that
it has finally happened. Like the
rest of the world, artists here will
now have a platform to discuss various
subjects related to art,' renowned
artist Anjolie Ela Menon told IANS
on the sidelines of a press meet here
Thursday. 'Until five years back,
nothing much was happening in the
Indian art scenario because the government
was simply not doing enough to promote
Indian art in the way it should be.
'But now that private companies are
coming forward and taking interest
in it, things seem to be improving,'
said Menon. Well-known artist S.H.
Raza agreed with her. 'An initiative
like this will go a long way in the
cultural development of India. I am
glad that private organizations are
now taking the initiatives to facilitate
such collaborations within the arts,'
he said. The biggest collection of
art in the country will be showcased
at the summit. Experts including artists,
officials from the corporate world,
investors, art galleries, art insurers
and anyone interested in the subject
can take part in an open forum. The
summit will be held over a period
of two days. The dates are, however,
yet to be fixed. 'It will offer an
ideal opportunity for networking among
the art fraternity and investors.
'Some of the topics of discussion
will be 'The present scenario of art
in India', 'Fluctuations in the art
market and investment trends' and
'Evaluation of authenticity of an
art piece', which will help everyone,'
said Sunil Gautam, group managing
director of Hanmer MS and amp;L, which
is organizing the summit. With a growth
rate of 30-35 percent annually, the
Indian art scenario is looking bright.
The Indian art market is the fourth
buoyant art market in the world and
is worth Rs.15 billion. The summit,
which is likely to be attended by
an estimated 6,000 visitors and 40
exhibitors, has received support from
veteran artists such as Menon, Raza
and Krishen Khanna, art critics like
Keshav Malik, art collector Sangita
Jindal and gallery owner Yash Birla.
Courtesy:
www.indiaenews.com, March 14, 2008
Back
to Index
|
| |
I
like everything about India, says
Miss Universe 2006
|
| |
|
Zuleyka
Rivera Mendoza, Miss Universe 2006,
believes in being what she is. The
beauty diva respects people and wants
to be respected too. Disapproving
fake smiles, she wants to cut the
stereotype attached to beauty queens:
A candid interview.
Shilpi:
How was your India tour?
Zuleyka: I loved my India tour. I
had gone there in 2006 as part of
my international aids awareness programme.
India is very interesting and something
very different from what I had thought
of. I started with Mumbai, which was
very good. I went to Hyderabad, Delhi,
Bangalore, Goa and many more cities
and what struck me everywhere was
the distinct Indian culture. Basically,
it's the same everywhere. The people,
the food, the places - everyone and
everything is simply great there.
Shilpi:
Which is your favourite cuisine?
Zuleyka: Puerto Rican food is my favourite
food, of course! (Smiles)… It's because
I grew up there. If I ask you the
same, I am sure you would say Indian
food. (Laughs). But, I like foreign
cuisines too. Now that I have tried
Indian food, I quiet like it. Though
I don't like spicy food, I like the
garlic nan, ginger chicken and...yeah…what
do you call those brown sweet balls…ah…gulab
jamun (guffaws again). I just loved
those but unfortunately, I got to
eat only one.
Shilpi:
What is your message to the Indian
women?
Zuleyka: I am very proud of the Indian
women. Despite being born into very
different circumstances, they are
doing very well. During my visit to
the slums in Mumbai, I saw many women
in a pathetic condition. They didn't
have shoes. Their clothes were not
proper, but still, they appeared dignified
and hard working. I have great respect
for them and I would like to tell
them to continue to work hard and
please fight for your rights!
Courtesy:
www.merinews.com, March 13, 2008
Back
to Index
|
| |
Hindu
works to be published in Pak soon
|
| |
|
The
Pakistan chapter of the Anglo-Asian
Friendship Society (AAFS) will endeavour
to establish a printing press in Lahore
where Bhagvad Gita, Ramayana, Vedas
and Hindu literature will be published
in Devnagri script for the first time
after Partition. The AAFS will also
open a Hindi school where pupils would
be taught to read and write in the
Devnagri script. According to Dr Munawar
Chand, general secretary of Krishna
Temple, Lahore, said Devnagri is a
script used to write several Indian
languages, including Sanskrit, Kashmiri
and Sindhi. He said the Hindu scriptures
being published in Sindh and Hyderabad
(Pakistan) were in Persian and Sindhi
scripts. "There is a need to come
closer to the roots of the ancient
Devnagri script that has been traced
to 500 BC," he said, adding the name
Devnagri comes from the Sanskrit words
Deva (god) and Nagari (city); together
they mean the "City of the gods".
Dr Chand, who is accompanied by wife
and sons, claimed members of the minority
communities, including Hindus, Sikhs
and Christians were enjoying freedom
since President Pervez Musharraf came
to power in Pakistan. He hoped the
new government to be formed in the
coming days would also continue the
policies framed by the Musharraf government
for the betterment of minorities.
The Luv Temple, recently found in
the Lahore Fort, is in ruins and the
government of Pakistan has decided
to renovate it. A delegation of Interfaith
from Pakistan, including Hindus, Sikhs,
Muslims and Christians, would also
visit India in the near future. Dr
Chand said the delegation would meet
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh,
Mrs Sonia Gandhi, president, Indian
National Congress. The AAFS secretary
said the government of Pakistan had
earmarked huge funds for renovating
the Hindu shrines there.
Courtesy:
www.thestatesman.net, March 04, 2008
Back
to Index
|
| |
|
|
|
