Arts, Culture & Entertainment – Page 10

** Rezangla Anthem celebrates valour of 1962 war heroes

The Rezangla Anthem was launched at the Rezangla War Memorial to pay a special tribute to the braveheart war veterans of the Indian Army at Rezang La as it marked the close of the first Ladakh International Music Festival that began on April 30.

Conceptualised by Sushil Chaudhary and composed by music composer Joi Barua and his band, the anthem was sung by Joi Barua. The anthem presents a heartfelt tribute signifying the courage of the Param Vir Chakra decorated officer Major Shaitan Singh and his men, who faced the Chinese army at the Rezang La Pass during the 1962 India-China war.

The anthem, shot in metaverse/VR format, was launched by Corps Commander Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta. Major Gen Akash Kaushik, Chief of Staff, Fire & Fury Corps, Major General Abhinay Rai, General Officer Commanding, Uniform Force and Bollywood actor Darshan Kumaar and other dignitaries graced the event.

Addressing the crowd, Lt Gen Sengupta said “On behalf of Uniform force, 114 Brigade, 22 JAK RIF, the other units here, the brave jawans of the Fire and Fury Corps, JCO, respected officers and on behalf of the officers in and around Chusul and all those present here with us. I congratulate Joi Barua and his band for performing such a revered song on this precious land, based on the 60-year-old war.”

** The Indian Express journalists win ACJ investigative journalism award

Prema Sridevi and Himanshu Kala won the K P Narayana Kumar Memorial Award for Social Impact Journalism for their documentary feature film on manual scavengers, produced by The Probe.

Senior Editor Shyamlal Yadav and Mumbai Resident Editor Sandeep Singh of The Indian Express were declared winners of the Asian College of Journalism’s Award for Investigative Journalism on Tuesday for their reports on the Ayodhya land deals published in December 2021. The winners were declared at the college’s annual convocation of 2022 batch.

Yadav has won the award for the second time, previously winning it in 2017 for his 2016 story on fraud in the Jan Dhan accounts.

“The winning entry titled ‘Ayodhya land deals’, published in The Indian Express newspaper in December 2021, investigates the wrongdoings by families of some public officials who bought land after the apex court verdict, within the 5-km radius of the Ram Temple site,” the college said.

** Regional cinema: Unesco glory for Dostojee, North American awards for Once Upon a Time in Calcutta

Dostojee, set in rural Bengal, has won the children’s award CIFEJ Prize while OUATIC, a slice of urban Bengal, was awarded the Grand Jury Award at IFFLA, Los Angeles, and the Circle Award at Filmfest DC, Washington DC.

Jeete khub-i bhalo laagchhe, eta amar bachchader jonno Eid er gift (We are overjoyed with the win; this win is Eid’s gift for the child protagonists of my film)… now we are looking for theatrical distribution partners in India,” says Prasun Chatterjee, whose debut feature Dostojee (Two Friends), set in an early-’90s remote, resplendent rural Bengal along the border, is a tender tale of childhood innocence, a friendship unmarred by the pulls of religious antagonism. It won the prestigious CIFEJ Prize, recognised and accredited by UNESCO, and picked up the Best Director award in the International Competition section of the 2022 SIFFCY (Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth).

** Deepika Padukone to be part of Cannes Film Festival jury

French actor Vincent Lindon will be heading the jury at the 75th edition of the coveted festival, which will run from May 17 to 28

Actor Deepika Padukone will be a part of the competition jury at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the organisers said.

Padukone, 36, was earlier the chairperson of Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival for two years.

She found fame with her 2007 film “Om Shanti Om”, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, and later featured in several blockbuster and critically-acclaimed movies like “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”, “Chennai Express”, “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela”, “Bajirao Mastani”, “Padmaavat” and “Piku”.

The actor, who was most recently seen in Shakun Batra’s “Gehraiyaan”, made her Hollywood debut with the 2017 actioner “xXx: The Return of Xander Cage”, fronted by Vin Diesel.

** Arunachal villagers build museum on century-old battleground

Museum is located near spot where British officer was killed during Anglo-Abor War of 1911-12

The people of a village in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district have constructed an “eco-friendly” museum near a spot where warriors of the Adi community killed a British officer during a war in 1911-12.

The Adi people inhabiting large swathes of central Arunachal Pradesh had resisted colonial expansion several times between 1858 and 1912. These are called the Anglo-Abor Wars.

The Misum-Miyang Kumsung, meaning “ancient artefacts museum,” has been set up at Komsing village, about 12km from district headquarters Pangin. The spot is near where the Adi warriors had killed Noel Williamson, the British political officer during the last of the wars in 1911-12.

Locally known as the Poju Mimak, the war was fought from October 6, 1911, to January 11, 1912. It is considered one of the most decisive Anglo-Abor wars in the history of the freedom movement in Arunachal Pradesh.

** Week-long activities to celebrate India@75 launched in US

Programme aims to celebrate the diversity of India and its people through cultural activities.

In commemoration of India’s 75 years of independence, the Indian Consulate here in collaboration with a city-based cultural organisation and a children’s museum commenced a week-long celebration involving a plethora of activities, including traditional paintings, music and storytelling, that honour the history of India’s people, culture and achievements.

The Consulate General of India in New York, The Culture Tree and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) kicked-off the special activities and interactive programming on Monday that aim to celebrate the diversity of India and its people through dance, music, literature, puppetry, drama, food and art, The Culture Tree said in a statement.

Anu Sehgal, founder and President of The Culture Tree that provides South Asian-themed classes and programmes, said that through these events, we can offer cross-cultural exposure that can help shape knowledgeable, open-minded and respectful individuals, while also offering ways in which children and families from the diaspora can connect with and celebrate their heritage.

** ‘Indianish but not Indian’ describes Mauritius best

From garam masala made with Madagascar spices to fritters stuffed with prawns and béchamel sauce, local meals in Mauritius are familiar yet so exotic

It’s a glorious autumn night in April in Mauritius when a small bus with disco lights and local Sega music drops us off in a village named after piment (chilli, in Mauritian Creole). We are at the house of Ved Bhujun, whose forefathers had set sail from India almost 200 years ago to this blue-green land.

The Bhujun family has retained its Indian heritage, despite a very mixed Creole gene pool now. A temple guards the home’s garden, we are welcomed with lit lamps, and Ved’s son — with the Indian Navy till a few years ago, and now in Mauritius’ anti-narcotics squad — tells me how, when he gets married, he will have not only Indian-style music and dancing but also a “turmeric ceremony”. There is nothing religious about these rituals; they are just vehicles for memories. As is the food. You realise as you taste it, here’s something that is Indianish, but not Indian — spices sans pungency, cultural resonances reshaped into new flavours.

** Noted Odia singer, musician Prafulla Kar passes away at 83

Kar’s songs enriched more than 70 Odia films over six decades.

Popular Odia singer and music director Prafulla Kar passed away following breathing difficulties here on Sunday.

He was 83 and is survived by wife and two sons. Kar’s songs enriched more than 70 Odia films over six decades.

Born on February 16, 1939 in Puri, Kar had early exposure to the world of music. His elder brother Khetramohan Kar was an accomplished tabla player and hence musicians and singers used to come to his home frequently. From childhood, he was attracted to music and singing.

** Vemulawada man expert in both Agamam and Sthapatyam

Unique World Records recognises his feat

According to Indian culture, ‘Agamam’ means ways to perform the ‘puja vidhi’ (Vaidik system) in temples. It is an expertise known only to a very few people.

‘Sthapatyam’, on the other hand, means temple architecture, mostly used in reference to those who construct and design temples, following religious protocols. A person who studies Sthapatyam is called a ‘Sthapathi’.

High concentration and years of dedication are needed to become an expert in one of the two fields. Bagging a world record as a mark of recognition is something that Chamarthi Balabhaskaran Sthapathi, presently working as an assistant Sthapathi at Vemulawada Temple Area Development Authority (VTADA), has achieved.

In February, Unique World Records Limited had recognised him as the world’s first Shilpa and Agama Shastra Sthapathi.

“I have completed both the courses. I am the first person in the world to have completed both. The Unique World Records Limited has recognised the feat and communicated to me,” said Mr. Balabhaskaran, adding that these two were the two pillars for a Hindu temple system.

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** Kolhapur-based software engineer among Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone’ photography challenge winners

Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone’ macro photography challenge invited photography enthusiasts from all over the globe to click the best macro picture using an iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max.

Prajwal Chougule from Kolhapur, Maharashtra is among the ten global winners of the Apple ‘Shot on iPhone’ macro photography challenge. The global challenge was introduced for photography enthusiasts on January 25, 2022 and accepted entries till February 16, 2022.

Chougule joins nine other winners from countries including China, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Thailand and the US. The 10 winning photos, including Chougule’s will be featured on apple.com, on Apple’s Instagram (@apple), and on billboards in select cities around the world, including cities where the winners are from.