Author: Bhakti Narayanan

Amy Allocco, a Professor of Religious Studies, has received two prestigious research fellowships, including a Fulbright award, to carry out ethnographic research in South India. Her focus is on a previously unstudied group of Hindu artists and priests, with the aim of expanding our understanding of their practices. In the coming year, Allocco plans to spend eight months in Tamil Nadu, India, conducting an ethnographic study of pampaikkārar, a lineage of Hindu drummer-priests. These individuals play a crucial role in various religious and cultural rituals, such as family rites, domestic ceremonies, and temple festivals. Allocco’s research will delve into the…

Famous economist Dr. Bibek Debroy, who serves as the head of Prime Minister Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, forecasts that India will expand at a comfortable real rate of 7.5 percent and will probably reach high-income status by 2047. In a book titled “India 2047: High Income with Equity,” written with more than 20 other economists, including the former chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Dr. C. Rangarajan, Debroy outlined his estimates for India in 2047. On May 27, 2023, the day the Prime Minister is set to discuss his vision for the Amrit Kaal plan at the Governing…

India’s GDP expanded by 7.2% in 2022–2023, spurred by investments and a rise in the services sector. According to official figures, the nation’s GDP growth rate during the January through March quarter of the preceding fiscal year was 6.1%, exceeding forecasts. This is greater than the third quarter’s rise of 4.5% from October to December. India’s growth rate decreased to 6.2% in the second quarter from its previous reading of 13.1% in the April-June period. The International Monetary Fund revised its growth forecast for India down to 5.9% in April of this year. “India’s macroeconomic indicators are still largely positive.…

A significant day was May 14, 2023, when the Bhoomi Pooja (groundbreaking ceremony) for the much-anticipated temple featuring a 25-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman was held at the Monroe, New Jersey-based Om Sri Sai Balaji Temple & Cultural Center. The ceremony attracted a sizable crowd of devotees, locals, and visitors, “symbolizing the unity and devotion of the community,” said a news statement. The Indian consul general in New York, Randhir Jaiswal, was present. According to the temple’s press release, the 11.2-acre property, which will contain an authentic Hindu temple and cultural center, strives to meet the community’s spiritual requirements while…

The renowned filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma’s 1990 Manipuri film “Ishanou” has undergone restoration and is set to make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, taking place from May 16-27. This restored version of the movie, which explores the Maibi culture of Manipur and stars Anoubam Kiranmala and Kangjam Tomba, has been recognized as a World Classic and will be showcased in the Cannes Classic section. Originally, in 1991, the 91-minute film was an official entry in the Un Certain Regard category at Cannes. The Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) collaborated with the Film Heritage Foundation in Mumbai and…

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar engaged in discussions with UK Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad, addressing various topics including the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). EAM also raised concerns about the vandalism of the Indian High Commission by Khalistani elements in March and emphasized the UK’s responsibility to ensure the security of Indian diplomatic missions. In a tweet, EAM expressed, “Had a meeting with UK MOS Lord @tariqahmadbt today in New Delhi. We discussed a wide range of issues, from FTA and South Asia to Indo-Pacific and G20. Emphasized the need to safeguard the security of our diplomatic missions…

In collaboration with the Jain International Trade Organization – USA (JITO USA) and the Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), the Indian Consulate General in New York recently sponsored celebrations for Mahavir Jayanti, the 2621st anniversary of Lord Mahavir’s birth. About 200 people showed out for the event, which was held as part of India’s year-long celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (75 years of India’s independence). The ceremony was attended by representatives from the government, including former congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, NYS assemblyman David Weprin, chief of staff David Sprea, deputy commissioner of external affairs Miosotis Munoz,…

Aditi Rao Hydari, an Indian actress, will play the title role in “Lioness,” an official Indo-UK co-production developed in accordance with the bilateral agreement from 2008. The idea was unveiled at the Cannes India Pavilion, which is run by FICCI under the direction of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. According to media reports, Paige Sandhu, a British actress, will co-star with Hydari in the film. It was influenced by Peter Bance’s historical studies, in which he learned about the life of British Indian royal Sophia Duleep, who is credited with inspiring the suffragette movement in the UK. Famous director…

On Sunday, May 21, 2023, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Sao Paulo, the Indian Consulate General, and the City of Guarujá joined forces to host the “Mega Beach Clean Up” cleanup initiative. The campaign was a worldwide initiative of India’s G-20 presidency, and Brazil was its main target because it will succeed India as the G-20 Presidency in September 2023. Around 9:30 in the morning, SVCC director Dr. Jyoti Shukla, City Hall secretary, and other staff members arrived at the beach under the direction of Indian Consul General (CG) Manisha Swami. Also present were Indian consulate diplomats and their…

According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the minister of electronics and information technology, India would overtake other countries as the primary location for semiconductor manufacture in the next five years if the proper environment is developed and prices are kept low there. The Center revealed a $10 billion plan to manufacture semiconductors in December 2021, and a fabrication factory is anticipated to receive clearance soon. “We know for sure that in the coming 4-5 years, India will become the biggest semiconductor manufacturing destination in the world if you have the ecosystem in place. Our focus is making sure that the right ecosystem…