Jairam Ramesh scholar par excellence

The politician as a scholar par excellence

Jairam Ramesh's book on Krishna Menon was subject for a panel discussion at the IIC. The session was overflowing with listeners and replete with interesting insights into the life of Mr. Krishna Menon, slices of India's history post independence and dramatic anecdotes. Lasting over one and a half hour, it held the audience captive, where even those who did not manage to garner a seat, preferred to stand it out till the last minute.

Tulips at IIC Iced up

The gorgeous gardens at India International Centre, New Delhi, are abounding with spring flowers. A particularly endearing sight was of the flower bed leading to the Gandhi King Plaza, embellished with freshly flowering or just about to bloom tulips, kept cool by covering the soil with lots of ice

“We believe that all lives have equal value” - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in India in its philanthropic initiatives is "working to improve the lives of more than a billion people in India by addressing challenges related to health, sanitation, access to financial services, and agricultural development.”
The aim is to reduce inequality and poverty. Presently the focus is on Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
Read more at:

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/where-we-work/india-office

In keeping with the Foundation's encouragement of collaborations it has aligned with The Piramal Foundation in setting up a Tribal Health Collaborative "to tackle health issues in the tribal region of India. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be one of the foundation’s first partners in this collaboration, which will focus on improving health and nutrition outcomes in high-burden and tribal districts, including aspirational districts." The  "collaborative, which is slated to be launched in early 2020, will help support the government of India as it works towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 by 2030. SDG 3 is focused on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

Read more at:

https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2019/11/piramal-foundation-bill-melinda-gates-foundation

Magical evening immersed in Nayika Bhed with Saswati Sen, Madhvi Mudgal and Nandini Singh

From Left: Saswati Sen, Madhavi Mudgal, Nandini Singh and Nupur Laul

"Kathak Parisamvad. Nayika Bhed" a discussion on classification & interpretation of Nayikas (heroines) in Indian classical dance, was organized by the Vaasuki Natyashaala at the India Habitat Centre, moderated by Nupur Laul.

Saswati Sen (Kathak), Madhavi Mudgal (Odissi) and Nandini Singh (Kathak) took the audience through a magical journey of poetry and dance demonstrations describing the various Nayikas in Literature. Saswati Sen explained that there were as many as 350 Nayikas, but as the subject was too vast, they pared down this session to describing the Ashta Nayikas (8 heroines). The students in particular imbibed with riveted attention, this valuable knowledge from the stalwarts

Vegetarians - Experience the Meaty Experience with Faux Meat

My die-hard vegetarian Mom, who was a gourmet cook, used to say that जिमीकंद (jimikand) or yam is "meat for the vegetarians". 

Though for someone who had never tasted non-vegetarian food in her entire life, I can only presume she got this gyaan from non-vegetarians.













Popularity of foods made from plant-based sources that taste like meat are on the up rise with converted carnivores. Vegetarians too can savour the flavour, previously taboo for them. These foods not just attempt to emulate the taste of meats but also strive to pack in the protein content. Additionally, some manufacturers are creating these products sans GM foods (genetically modified foods), even though there are varying public views on acceptance of GM foods.

Read about plant-based burgers in The New York Times article

www.nytimes.com › 2019/10/22 › dining › veggie-burger-taste-test

Vogue UK includes Vegan Foods first in “6 Of The Biggest Wellness Trends You’ll Want To Try in 2020”, an article that focuses on the continuing wellness trends from the 2010s into 2020, with the new decade kicking “everything up a notch”. The 2010s “signalled the end of toxic ‘diet culture’ with a new focus on self-care, wellbeing and spirituality (all practiced with the climate crisis and sustainability in mind, too)”

www.vogue.co.uk › beauty › article › wellness-trends-2020

Artworks by Anu Jindal at India International Centre, New Delhi for creating awareness of Environmental degradation & Climate Change

Labyrinth - Earth Environment Climate Change - Exhibition of Artworks by Anu Jindal

Labyrinth:  Earth × Environment × Climate Change

Exhibition of Artworks by Anu Jindal

ART GALLERY, KAMALADEVI COMPLEX

INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

MAX MUELLER MARG, NEW DELHI

31 OCT TO 8 NOV 2019, 11 am - 7 pm

Inauguration on Wednesday 30^th Oct, 6.30 pm

Guest of Honour - Sunit Tandon

Director, India Habitat Centre

Anu Jindal’s artworks draw attention to the present and future of planet earth and its environment - the beautiful and the threatened. Humanity’s continued and increasing carbon footprint is causing concern to some, while others remain insulated. Planet earth’s bounty would appear to be boundless but humans insatiable consumption is proving otherwise. The ubiquitous plastic remains an integral part of our lives. Emissions of greenhouse gases pervade our atmosphere. Permafrost is thawing, oceans are rising, pushing biodiversity towards extinction. Is there a way out, or will we remain mesmerized in a maze. The artist questions “whither next?” through paintings, mixed media & installations.

Anu Jindal, Artist, Art Historian & Educationist, Ph.D. in Art History from National Museum Institute, New Delhi, did a one year stint at Doshisha University, Kyoto as a Japan Foundation fellow

Initial extensive work in etching prints explored various facets of humanity from embryonic “amobae” to evolution of humans in the “hominidae” series. Art workshops under Prof. Paul Lingren of San Diego University and Prof. Krishna Reddy of New York University stimulated her to make prints in Colour Intaglio technique, breaking boundaries by treating etching plates like sculptures. Having explored various media from printmaking, painting, sculpture and pottery, she has expanded into mixed media and installation art, exercising the need to engage in larger spaces

Jindal combines artistic practice with writing and teaching, each discipline enriching the other. Her Ph.D. thesis’s theme - Japanese suiboku-ga and the art of Zen monk-painter Sesshū Tōyō, steered her to the path of minimalism. Her scholarly work in Visual Art & Design, particularly of Asia, has been presented at International Conferences & published papers. She has taught for several decades primarily at the National Institute of Fashion Technology & School of Planning and Architecture, and delivered lectures on Art History & Appreciation at National Museum and National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. As Research Professor for a year at International Research Centre for Japanese Studies, Kyoto, Japan she focused on a comparative study of Japanese Ukiyo-e with Indian Painting

 Her artworks have been part of several important exhibitions in India and abroad including the National Exhibitions at Lalit Kala Akademi and Festival of India in USA, the Berlin Biennial, and finds place in Art collections in India and abroad

 Jindal’s current creative expression is deeply rooted in the investigation and visual interpretation of nature and being, the interweaving of natural elements with urban life, of habitat and impact of climate change. The multiplicity of existence, the relationship of environment and psyche of humans, the giver and the taker, the profound and the facile.... visualized through mindscapes

www.anujindal.com    www.anujindal.blogspot.com  Email: purplestreakcentreforarts@gmail.com