Podcasts about West Bengal

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 3:37

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 14th of May and here are the headlines.BSF jawan Poornam Kumar Shaw, who accidentally crossed into Pakistan during a patrol on April 23 near Punjab's Ferozepur sector, was handed back to India on Wednesday morning via the Attari Joint Check Post. A resident of West Bengal, Shaw was in Pakistani custody for 21 days, during a time of heightened border tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The 73rd battalion of the BSF is deployed in the area. His return marks a resolution to the cross-border incident that had drawn national concern.Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar clarified on Tuesday night that no merger discussions have taken place between his faction and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. Speaking at a weekly party meeting in Mumbai, Ajit Pawar addressed his legislators directly, urging them not to believe merger rumors. He emphasized transparency and assured them there was no confusion on his stance. The clarification comes amid growing speculation about reunification, which has sparked political buzz ahead of upcoming elections in Maharashtra.India's Operation Sindoor precision strikes destroyed nearly 20% of Pakistan Air Force infrastructure and multiple fighter jets, official sources said Tuesday. The strikes targeted key bases like Sargodha and Bholari, which housed F-16s and JF-17s, in retaliation to Pakistani drone and missile attacks. Over 50 people, including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf, were killed in Bholari. India also hit ammunition depots and several other airbases across Pakistan. Satellite imagery confirmed major damage. The strikes mark a significant strategic and psychological blow to Pakistan's military capabilities.US President Donald Trump met Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh after unexpectedly lifting all sanctions on Syria's Islamist-led government. The move, revealed Wednesday, represents a sharp turn in US foreign policy. Sharaa, a former al Qaeda commander who ousted Assad and later renounced extremism, has led Syria since December. The meeting occurred during Trump's Gulf tour, which also included $600 billion in Saudi investment pledges and $142 billion in arms deals. The shift has drawn criticism from Israel and US officials concerned about Sharaa's militant past.At least 48 people, including 22 children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Jabaliya in northern Gaza between Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Hospitals, including the Indonesian Hospital, reported high casualties from strikes that hit residential zones. The attacks followed the release of an Israeli-American hostage by Hamas, briefly raising hopes of de-escalation. Israel had issued evacuation warnings, citing Hamas military targets in the area. However, many civilians remained. The Israeli military declined to comment. The strikes have intensified international concerns about rising civilian casualties in Gaza.That's all for today. This was the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

New markets for Bordeaux wine

The Sound Kitchen

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 32:58

This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the French wine crisis. There's “The Listener's Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome's “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winners' names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you'll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you'll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There's Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that's how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here.Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!We have new RFI Listeners Club members, Jocelyne D'Errico, a Frenchwoman who lives in New Zealand, and Alexander Konak from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.Welcome Jocelyne, welcome Alexander! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I'll send you a membership number. It's that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you'll receive a premium prize.This week's quiz: On 29 March, I asked you a question about RFI English journalist Jan van der Made's article “France's wine industry is in crisis. Can this Nigerian consultant save it?”Not only are people drinking less wine – sales are down and so are exports – but there are the 200 percent tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump. But Chinedu Rita Rosa, whom Jan profiled in his article, thinks she has the solution.You were to send in the answer to this question: What is Chinedu Rita Rosa's solution for the troubled French wine industry?The answer is, as Rosa told Jan: “It's time to find alternatives to the US and China, in countries such as Brazil, India and Africa ... French wine producers should have a deep understanding of the culture and tastes of new markets and adjust their products and marketing strategies accordingly. ‘You have to meet people, learn about their tastes, and adapt accordingly.'”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Sadman Shihab Shahorier, the co-chairman of the Source of Knowledge Club in Naogaon, Bangladesh: “What is your most vivid childhood memory?” Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI English listener Tasmaul Akhter Nazma, the general secretary of the Sonali Badhan Female Listeners Club in Bogura, Bangladesh. Tasmaul is also this week's bonus question winner. Congratulations, Tasmaul, on your double win!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and Abiha Fatima, a member of the RFI Online Visitors Club in Sahiwal, Pakistan. There's Naved Raiyan, the president of the RFI Fan Club in West Bengal, India, and last but not least, RFI English Listener Mampi Paul, also from West Bengal.Congratulations, winners!Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: “Wildlife of Tanzania” by Wuji; “Paris Cafe Ambience”; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Mount Harissa” from the Far East Suite by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frThis week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, re-read our article “What happens now after the death of Pope Francis?”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 19 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 24 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:english.service@rfi.frorSusan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceClick here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.

The Catch Up: 25 April

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 5:01

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I am Ichha SHarmaToday is the 25 th of April and here are the headlinesAt least 25 tourists and a Valley resident were shot dead on Tuesday at a meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in the deadliest terror attack on civilians in the country since the Mumbai 26/11 shootings. On Wednesday, India put on hold the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan, expelled diplomats and top defence officials from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, cancelled all visas granted to Pakistan nationals and directed them to leave the country in 48 hours, and shut the Attari-Wagah border after Resistance Front (TRF) is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Meanwhile, yesterday Islamabad said it “shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including but not limited to the Simla Agreement, in abeyance.” The reaction from Pakistan came after the country's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee. In the first high-level visit from the White House since the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January, US Vice-President J D Vance met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday and both sides “welcomed the significant progress” in negotiations towards a India-US bilateral trade pact, framing it as a “new and modern trade agreement.” Vance on Tuesday praised India's heritage and strategic partnership with the US, saying, “I believe there is much that the US and India can accomplish together.” Speaking in Jaipur, he noted that both nations are working toward a bilateral trade agreement based on shared priorities. Referring to past policies, Vance said, “We are not here to preach,” and highlighted President Trump's vision to “rebalance global trade” and “build a bright new world” with partners like India.Pope Francis passed away after prolonged illness in Rome today, the Vatican confirmed in a video statement. Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo announced, quote “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” unquote. Pope Francis was hospitalised on 14th February, following complications from bronchitis and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia four days later. He spent over a month in medical care before returning to his residence to continue his recovery.After the recent Supreme Court order which annulled the appointments of over 25,000 West Bengal school staff but said that “untainted” teachers could remain in service until 31st of December this year, confusion had remained as to who the “untainted” teachers are. Now, a district-wise list of “untainted” teachers of Classes IX-X and XI-XII has reached the offices of District Inspectors (DIs) of schools. A verification process has begun. The SC had found that the 2016 recruitment process by the SSC was “tainted”. School headmasters have been asked to submit a list of their teachers' names, designations, subjects they teach, transfer histories, and confirmations that the names are in the “untainted” list.A wildfire in New Jersey has forced residents to evacuate the area and shut down a stretch of a major highway on Tuesday as the wildfire grew to more than 3,200 acres, officials said. One of the busiest highways in New Jersey, the Garden State Parkway, saw closures due to the spread of wildfire and the stretch between Barnegat and Lacey townships was closed and the traffic was diverted, Associated Press reported. According to New Jersey Forest Fire Service, over 3,000 residents have been evacuated from the area of the Jones Road Fire in Ocean County and about 1,320 structures remain threatened. The fire service added that 5% of the wildfire has been contained till now.

The Catch Up: 24 April

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 4:38

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I am Ichha SHarmaToday is the 24 th of APril and here are the headlinesA day after India took several diplomatic measures against Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad said today it “shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including but not limited to the Simla Agreement, in abeyance.” On Wednesday, India put on hold the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan, expelled diplomats and top defence officials from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, cancelled all visas granted to Pakistan nationals and directed them to leave the country in 48 hours, and shut the Attari-Wagah border. The reaction from Pakistan came after the country's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee.Months before elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today quickly switched to English in the middle of his speech in Madhubani to promise stringent action against the terrorists and the “backers” involved in the attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The PM's switch to English in a speech largely focused on the state was meant to address the world, promising that the government would “identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers”, and thanking all nations who stood with India at this time of grief. Modi also made a pitch for national integration beyond linguistic boundaries — the linguistic divide has been in the news for some time now — underlining that those who lost their lives spoke different Indian languages and belonged to different states and that the nation stood firm with all of them.Following a threat video by the Hindu Raksha Dal demanding that Kashmiri Muslims leave Uttarakhand on Wednesday, Dehradun police say they have amped up security and taken down 25 “inciting posts” from social media. A video has gone viral on social media in which Lalit Sharma, a Hindu Raksha Dal leader, says, “The incident in Pahalgam has hurt us… If we see any Kashmiri Muslim in the state after 10 am tomorrow, we will give them the right treatment.”A student at Doon PG College told The Indian Express that at least five students have left for the airport.After the recent Supreme Court order which annulled the appointments of over 25,000 West Bengal school staff but said that “untainted” teachers could remain in service until 31st of December this year, confusion had remained as to who the “untainted” teachers are. Now, a district-wise list of “untainted” teachers of Classes IX-X and XI-XII has reached the offices of District Inspectors (DIs) of schools. A verification process has begun. The SC had found that the 2016 recruitment process by the SSC was “tainted”. School headmasters have been asked to submit a list of their teachers' names, designations, subjects they teach, transfer histories, and confirmations that the names are in the “untainted” list.US President Donald Trump responded today to the overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine's Kyiv, saying he is “not happy,” and asked President Vladimir Putin to ‘stop'. Trump wrote in a social media post quote “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing,” unquote, a day after expressing frustration that it was Ukraine's leader who was hampering peace talks on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine does not “see strong pressure on Russia now” nor new sanctions against Moscow, despite its unwillingness to progress the talks.

The Catch Up: 21 April

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 3:23

This is is the catch up on 3things by The Indian express and I am Niharika Nanda.Today is the 21st of April and here are today's headlinesToday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the policies that his government is working on are going to shape the future of the next 1,000 years. Addressing an event organised on the occasion of Civil Services Day, Modi said the holistic development of India means no village, no family and no citizen is left behind. He said quote “The policies we are working on today and the decisions we are making are going to shape the future of the next 1,000 years,” unquote.Pope Francis passed away after prolonged illness in Rome today, the Vatican confirmed in a video statement. Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo announced, quote “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” unquote. Pope Francis was hospitalised on 14th February, following complications from bronchitis and was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia four days later. He spent over a month in medical care before returning to his residence to continue his recovery.Police in Odisha's Jharsuguda district arrested two people allegedly involved in the killing of the father-son duo in neighbouring West Bengal's Murshidabad district during the violence over the Waqf law. The two arrested persons are Bani Israel and Sefaul Haque, residents of Sulitala village under Samserganj police station area of Murshidabad district. On April 11, Hargobindo Das (72) and Chandan Das (40), were allegedly hacked to death in Samserganj block of Murshidabad district.Today, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that ISRO successfully performed the second docking of satellites as part of its Spadex missions. He said more experiments are planned in the next two weeks. The PSLV-C60 / Space Docking Experiment (SPADEX) mission was successfully launched on 30th December 2024. Thereafter the satellites were docked for the first time on 16th January, 16 and successfully undocked on 13th March.China has warned that it would take “resolute and reciprocal” countermeasures against countries that strike trade deals with the United States at the expense of Chinese interests, in the latest escalation of tensions between the world's two largest economies. The warning came from China's Ministry of Commerce in response to reports that the Trump administration is pressuring nations seeking tariff relief from the US to reduce trade ties with China. the ministry said in a statement that China firmly opposes any party reaching a deal at the expense of China's interests.That's all for today. This was the CatchUp on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Hafta 533: Murshidabad violence, National Herald case, Trump targets Harvard

Newslaundry Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 115:15

This week on Hafta, Newslaundry's Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, Jayashree Arunachalam, and Shardool Katyayan are joined by senior journalist Nirmalya Mukherjee and NewsX editorial director Priya Sahgal. The panel first discusses communal unrest in West Bengal's Murshidabad, where protests against the Waqf Amendment Act turned violent this week. Nirmalya says, “This is the first time that Bengal is going to face a situation where religion has become a very important issue.” On the West Bengal CM's response to the violence, he says, “Mamata first blamed the riots as a Congress conspiracy. Then, the blame shifted to the BSF, and now [it's an] international relations conspiracy.”“No riot can happen without the complicity of the state,” Jayashree notes.The panel then talks about Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi being named in the Enforcement Directorate's chargesheet in the National Herald case. Raman says, “If you dissect the case, it's extremely vague right now. And misappropriation doesn't carry a strong criminal connotation.” Priya mentions that it is important to take into consideration the timing of the ED chargesheet. “Most of the battles in India are perception,” she says. This and a lot more. Tune in!We have a page for subscribers to send letters to our shows. If you want to write to Hafta, click here. Check out the Newslaundry store and flaunt your love for independent media. Download the Newslaundry app. Contribute to our latest NL Sena here.Timecodes00:00:00 – Introductions and announcements00:03:09 – Headlines 00:13:24 – Murshidabad violence00:45:38 – National Herald case01:18:53 – How are Trump and Modi similar?01:25:58 – Letters01:43:47 – RecommendationsCheck out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Ashish Anand. Production assistance by intern Pragya Chakroborty.This episode is outside of the paywall for now. Before it goes behind the paywall, why not subscribe? Get brand-new episodes of all our podcasts every week, while also doing your bit to support independent media. Click here to subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SecurityCode: West Bengal's Waqf violence will have no winner. Don't stoke flames that can consume you

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 10:47

Last week's brutal in Murshidabad violence is part of a years-long escalation in the state, driven by competition between the TMC and BJP to capitalise on religious identity. With neighbouring Bangladesh seeing an Islamist resurgence, and India witnessing a growth in communal friction, the stage is being set for a crisis #securitycode ----more---- Read full article here: https://theprint.in/opinion/security-code/west-bengals-waqf-violence-will-have-no-winner-dont-stoke-flames-that-can-consume-you/2591674/

winner violence bangladesh flames consume stoke islamist bjp tmc west bengal waqf

Zimbabwe's supremo swimmer

The Sound Kitchen

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2025 33:50

This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the seven-time Olympic medallist Kirsty Coventry. There's “The Listener's Corner” with Paul Myers, Erwan Rome's “Music from Erwan”, and the new quiz and bonus questions too, so click the “Play” button above and enjoy! Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winners' names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Facebook: Be sure to send your photos to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner!More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write “RFI English” in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI” has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bilingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you'll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you'll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There's Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, The International Report, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We also have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. Remember, podcasts are radio, too! As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Please keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that's how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here.Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!We have new RFI Listeners Club members, Jocelyne D'Errico, a Frenchwoman who lives in New Zealand - and Alexander Konak from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.Welcome Jocelyne, welcome Alexander! So glad you have joined us!You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I'll send you a membership number. It's that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you'll receive a premium prize.This week's quiz: On 22 March,I asked you a question about Paul's article “Zimbabwe's aspiring Olympics supremo Coventry targets development of athletes”, which profiled seven-time Olympic medalist Kirsty Coventry, the most decorated African in the 129-year history of the Games.Kirsty Coventry was one of the candidates vying for the presidency of the International Olympic Committee, which was decided a few days after the podcast … and she won! She's the first woman, and the first African, to hold the post. Congratulations Ms. Coventry!You were to send in a list of the medals the swimmer won, along with the dates of the Games in which she won them.The answer is, to quote Paul: “… in 2004 at the Athens Games, she won gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m individual medley.In Beijing in 2008, she retained her backstroke title and claimed silver again in the 100m backstroke as well as silvers in the 200 and 400m individual medley.”In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Alan Holder from England's Isle of Wight. His question was: “Do you believe that people have a sixth sense - that is, an ability to know something without using the ordinary five senses of smell, sight, taste, hearing, and touch? Can you recall any personal experiences to justify your belief?”Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us! The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Dipita Chakrabarty. Dipita is also this week's bonus question winner. Congratulations, Dipita, on your double win!Also on the list of lucky winners this week are RFI Listeners Club member Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India, and Paresh Hazarika, a member of the RFI United Listeners Club in Assam, India. Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Khondaker Rafiqul Islam from Naogaon, Bangladesh, and Ahmad, who's a member of the International Radio Fan and Youth Club in Khanewal, Pakistan.Congratulations, winners!Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: “Koud Min” by Aurélien Chambaud and Yon Kalawang; “Hip Hotheads” by Rick Braun; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and Antonio Vivaldi's Bassoon Concerto in a minor, RV 499, performed by Daniel Smith with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Philip Ledger.Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.frThis week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, re-read Paul Myers' article “Nobel prize-winning author Mario Vargas Llosa dies aged 89”, which will help you with the answer.You have until 12 May to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 17 May podcast. When you enter, be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:english.service@rfi.frorSusan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceClick here to learn how to win a special Sound Kitchen prize.Click here to find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club.

High Court ने President Rule का रास्ता किया साफ़ | West Bengal में अब खेला | Sanjay Dixit

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 12:30

High Court ने President Rule का रास्ता किया साफ़ | West Bengal में अब खेला | Sanjay Dixit

high court west bengal sanjay dixit

High Court ने President Rule का रास्ता किया साफ़ | West Bengal में अब खेला | Sanjay Dixit

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 16:35

High Court ने President Rule का रास्ता किया साफ़ | West Bengal में अब खेला | Sanjay Dixit

high court west bengal sanjay dixit

Violence in Murshidabad, blood test for cervical cancer, and J&K statehood

violence kashmir blood tests cervical cancer statehood west bengal jammu indian express sweety all india institute

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 30:58

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Sweety Kumari about the violent protests that broke out in West Bengal's Murshidabad. Last week, protests against the Waqf Amendment Act in Murshidabad got violent, leading to three deaths. Sweety talks about what happened, the families of the deceased, and the current situation in the area.Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Anonna Dutt about a new blood test developed by the doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that may help monitor the effectiveness of cervical cancer treatment. (16:22)And lastly, we talk about Omar Abdullah being hopeful that statehood will soon be restored for Jammu and Kashmir. (27:32)Hosted by Niharika Nanda and Ichha SharmaProduced and hosted by Niharika Nanda, Ichha Sharma and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

Nigeria Plateau State attacks, Indian troops deployed to West Bengal

Al Jazeera - Your World

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 2:56

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

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Women and Work in MENA And South Asia: Puzzles, Paradoxes and Policy Challenges

LSE Middle East Centre Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 73:06

This event, co-organised with the Department of International Development at LSE, was a discussion with Professor Naila Kabeer and Professor Ragui Assaad based on their co-authored report 'Women's Access to Market Opportunities in South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa: Barriers, Opportunities and Policy Challenges'. Despite this paper being written in 2019, the situation of women's access to market opportunities in MENA and South Asia remains a challenge. Kabeer and Assaad will reflect on their findings and discuss the puzzles and paradoxes of women's employment in these regions, which have the lowest rates of women's labour force participation in the world. The conversation will also explore how to unlock the potential of women in these communities. Meet our speakers and chair Naila Kabeer is Emeritus Professor of Gender and Development in the Department of International Development at LSE. Naila is also a Faculty Associate at LSE's International Inequalities Institute and on the governing board of the Atlantic Fellowship for Social and Economic Equity. Her most recent projects were supported by ERSC-DIFD Funded Research on 'Poverty Alleviation: Gender and Labour Market dynamics in Bangladesh and West Bengal'. Ragui Assaad is the Freeman Chair in International Economic Policy at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. He researches education, labor policy, and labor market analysis in developing countries with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. His current work focuses on inequality of opportunity in education, labor markets, transitions from school-to-work, employment and unemployment dynamics, family formation, informality, labor market responses to economic shocks, international migration, including the effects of forced migration.

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Why has Donald Trump frozen $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University? Explained

HT Daily News Wrap

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 4:38

White House has frozen $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard after the university defied its demands over campus protests., Amid the ongoing violence in the state over the Waqf Amendment Act, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday made a strong appeal for peace, NASA's jet propulsion laboratory has reportedly ousted its Indian-origin top DEI officer, which stands for diversity, equity, inclusion, Neela Rajendra, MS Dhoni show on Monday as the CSK skipper had to use all his experience to lead his side to victory against LSG, in Lucknow on Monday.

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Murshidabad West Bengal Violence

The Cārvāka Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 76:43

In this podcast, Kushal speaks with veteran journalist and media commentator Kanchan Gupta about the violence that has erupted in Murshidabad, West Bengal, where Muslim mobs have attacked innocent Hindus. As of now, approximately 150 arrests have been made in Mushidabad, with 1,000 police personnel and 8 BSF companies deployed. Follow Kanchan Gupta: X: @KanchanGupta #BengalBurns #westbengal #WaqfBill #Kolkata #MurshidabadViolence ------------------------------------------------------------ Listen to the podcasts on: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/kushal-mehra-99891819 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1rVcDV3upgVurMVW1wwoBp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-c%C4%81rv%C4%81ka-podcast/id1445348369 Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-carvaka-podcast ------------------------------------------------------------ Support The Cārvāka Podcast: Buy Kushal's Book: https://amzn.in/d/58cY4dU Become a Member on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPx... Become a Member on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/carvaka UPI: kushalmehra@icici Interac Canada: kushalmehra81@gmail.com To buy The Carvaka Podcast Exclusive Merch please visit: http://kushalmehra.com/shop ------------------------------------------------------------ Follow Kushal: Twitter: https://twitter.com/kushal_mehra?ref_... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KushalMehraO... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecarvakap... Koo: https://www.kooapp.com/profile/kushal... Inquiries: https://kushalmehra.com/ Feedback: kushalmehra81@gmail.com

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How can BJP put President Rule in West Bengal | क्या कहता है SR Bommai Judgment | Sanjay Dixit

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 11:09

How can BJP put President Rule in West Bengal | क्या कहता है SR Bommai Judgment | Sanjay Dixit

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Yogi Schools Mamata on WB Violence | Bangladesh Connection to Solution of West Bengal | Sanjay Dixit

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 11:58

Yogi Schools Mamata on WB Violence | Bangladesh Connection to Solution of West Bengal | Sanjay Dixit

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ThePrintPod: BJP has changed Indian politics for CPI(M). MA Baby doesn't have the comfort Yechury enjoyed

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2025 5:38

Kerala and West Bengal elections will either confirm the trend of right-ward shift in politics or underscore the CPI(M) leadership's optimism on the relevance of the Left.

Over 25k teachers lose jobs, India's cotton crisis, and markets nosedive

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 25:14

First, we talk to The Indian Express' Sweety Kumari about the Supreme Court judgement that has rendered over 25,000 government teachers and staff jobless in West Bengal.Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Rural Affairs Editor Harish Damodaran about India's cotton economy that currently is in a state of crisis with this year's output projected to be the lowest in nearly 16 years. (13:40)Lastly, we speak about the Indian stock market taking a hit due to the tariffs imposed by the US President Donald Trump. (22:02)Produced and hosted by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

The Catch Up: 3 April

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 3:47

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 3rd of April and here are today's headlines.The Trump administration's new tariffs on global trade partners, including a 27% duty on imports from India, will affect sectors like diamonds, smartphones, solar PV modules, and apparel. While certain products like critical minerals, energy products, and pharmaceuticals may be exempt, most of India's top exports, including pharmaceuticals worth $8 billion, are not. Petroleum oils derived from bituminous minerals could benefit, but tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles remain unchanged. These measures could reshape trade relations with India, despite limited relief for some sectors.After nearly 12 hours of debate in the Lok Sabha, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill moved to the Rajya Sabha for further discussion. BJP MPs accused the Opposition of spreading misinformation, while TMC MP Mohammad Nadimul Islam criticized the Bill as cultural vandalism, accusing the Centre of seeking excessive control over Waqf. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill with 288 votes in favor and 232 votes against. The amendment now awaits a decision in the Rajya Sabha after being tabled by Kiren Rijiju.On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi criticized the government over the border row with China and tariffs imposed by the U.S. He claimed China had taken over 4,000 sq km of Indian territory, stating that the government's actions, including a cake-cutting ceremony with the Chinese ambassador, were inappropriate. Gandhi stressed that normalcy could not proceed without restoring status quo and recovering lost land. He emphasized that the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers should be honored, and their sacrifices should not be undermined by diplomatic gestures.The Supreme Court reprimanded Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy over his comments regarding bypolls in the state Assembly. The two-judge bench questioned whether they erred in letting him off last August when he made allegedly contemptuous remarks. The bench was hearing cases about the delay in disqualifying BRS MLAs who had joined the Congress. This development highlights ongoing tensions over political defections and the role of the judiciary in overseeing the actions of state lawmakers and their impact on public affairs.After the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court's decision to dismiss over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff hired illegally by West Bengal schools, Opposition parties criticized the ruling TMC. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her disagreement, suggesting political influence from the CPI(M) and BJP. She questioned the judicial process, pointing out the contrasting decisions from different Chief Justices. The dismissal followed the 2016 illegal recruitment by the School Service Commission, requiring the affected staff to return salaries with interest, marking a significant blow to the state's education sector.That's all for today. This was the CatchUp on 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Mounjaro hits India, Bengal's Diamond Harbour Model, and Waqf Bill faces heat

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Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 29:58

First, we speak to The Indian Express' Anonna Dutt who talks about the new weight loss drug entering the Indian market, Mounjaro.Next, The Indian Express' Sweety Kumari discusses the Trinamool Congress' MP Abhishek Banerjee's Diamond Harbour Model and his political ascent in West Bengal. (14:00)Lastly, we discuss the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024 which sparked debates upon being tabled in Parliament yesterday.(26:53)Hosted by Ichha SharmaProduced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Ichha SharmaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Takes On Judiciary After Big Supreme Court Setback

Left, Right & Centre

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 13:47

Anuttama Das | Harvard Bhakti Yoga Conference | Episode 101

Happy Jack Yoga Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2025 60:12

Anuttama Dasa is the Minister of Communications for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). He has also served as a member of ISKCON's Governing Body Commission (GBC) since 1999 and was its chairman in 2014-2015. Anuttama Dasa was initiated into the Gaudiya Vaishnava sampradaya by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1976 in Vrindavana, India. He currently oversees ISKCON temples in the Northeast United States and is member of the Executive Board for ISKCON's international headquarters in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. As Minister of Communications, Dasa oversees ISKCON's online news magazine, ISKCON News and the society's academic publication, ISKCON Communications Journal, as well as directing ISKCON's media, government relations, and religious freedom initiatives. Dasa is the executive producer of several films including the award-winning “Joy of Devotion.” He has been interviewed on Dateline, Fox News, BBC, Larry King Live, Peacock Productions, and a host of other media outlets. Dasa served twice as Vice President of the Religion Communicators Council, a New York based interfaith organization and serves on the Board of Religions for Peace USA, and as Trustee of the Bhaktivedanta College in Belgium. He is the convenor of the annual Vaishnava-Christian Dialogue in the US and India, and the Vaishnava-Muslim Dialogue in the US. Dasa and his wife Rukmini live in Rockville, Maryland, USA, near their son Gauravani, daughter-in-law Vrinda, and three grandchildren. Title of Session: Could the Universe Be This Good? — The Metaphysics of Bhakti Connect with Anuttama Das: WEBSITES: https://iskconnews.org/our-team/ This event is hosted by ✨ Happy Jack Yoga University ✨ www.happyjackyoga.com ➡️ Facebook: /happyjackyoga ➡️ Instagram: @happyjackyoga Bhakti Yoga Conference at Harvard Divinity School Experience a one-of-a-kind online opportunity with 40+ renowned scholars, monks, yogis, and thought leaders! REGISTER FOR FREE: www.happyjackyoga.com/bhakti-... This conference is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the wisdom of sincere practitioners as they address the questions and challenges faced by us all. Expect thought-provoking discussions, actionable insights, and a deeper understanding of cultivating Grace in an Age of Distraction and incorporating Bhakti Yoga into your daily life.

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Kali

In Our Time

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 57:41

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Hindu goddess Kali, often depicted as dark blue, fierce, defiant, revelling in her power, and holding in her four or more arms a curved sword and a severed head with a cup underneath to catch the blood. She may have her tongue out, to catch more blood spurting from her enemies, be wearing a garland of more severed heads and a skirt of severed hands and yet she is also a nurturing mother figure, known in West Bengal as ‘Maa Kali' and she can be fiercely protective. Sometimes she is shown as young and conventionally beautiful and at other times as old, emaciated and hungry, so defying any narrow definition.WithBihani Sarkar Senior Lecturer in Comparative Non-Western Thought at Lancaster UniversityJulius Lipner Professor Emeritus of Hinduism and the Comparative Study of Religion at the University of CambridgeAnd Jessica Frazier Lecturer in the Study of Religion at the University of Oxford and fellow at the Oxford Centre for Hindu StudiesDuring this discussion, Julius Lipner reads a translation of a poem by Kamalakanta (c.1769–1821) "Is my black Mother Syama really black?" This translation is by Rachel Fell McDermott and can be found in her book Singing to the Goddess, Poems to Kali and Uma from Bengal (Oxford University Press, 2001)Producer: Simon TillotsonReading list:Mandakranta Bose (ed.), The Goddess (Oxford University Press, 2018) John S. Hawley and Donna M. Wulff (eds.), Devi: Goddesses of India (University of California Press, 1996)Knut A. Jacobsen (ed.), Brill's Encyclopedia of Hinduism, vol 1 (Brill, 2025)David Kinsley, Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition (University of California Press, 1986), especially chapter 8Rachel Fell McDermott and Jeffrey J. Kripal (eds.), Encountering Kālī in the margins, at the center, in the west (University of California Press, 2003)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

253 - Katrin Koenning

A Small Voice: Conversations With Photographers

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 73:29

Katrin Koenning is a visual artist from Germany whose work travels across still and moving images and text, at times including found materials, painting and collage. Pursuing intimacy and interconnection her work centres around practice as relational encounter. Most stories evolve through years and use returning as a way of drawing closer. Different series often intersect, merging in and out of each other. In her extended image-dialogues, Katrin uses fragments and slippages to suggest narrative spaces, communities and lived experiences that are allied, fluid and multiplicit. Many of her series render non-human human entanglement and intimate kin, positing imaginaries with a greater-than-human world.Katrin has been the recipient of multiple awards, such as the Bowness Photography Prize. Her work is regularly exhibited in Australian and international solo and group exhibitions including presentations at Ishara Art Foundation Dubai, Chobi Mela, Paris Photo, Hamburg Triennial of Photography, Museum of Australian Photography, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Australian Centre for Photography and the National Gallery of Victoria (2023). Koenning's images have been published in The New Yorker, Vogue.com, Zeit Magazine, The Guardian, New York Times, Esquire Italy, Der Spiegel, Yucca Magazine, California Sunday and many other places. Her work is held in numerous institutional and private collections both in Australia and abroad; most recently her large-scale installation While the Mountains had Feet [2020 — 2022] was acquired in whole by the National Gallery of Victoria.Katrin regularly teaches workshops in photographic practice and thinking, working closely with many institutions and festivals locally and across the Asia-Pacific region such as Angkor Photo Festival (Siem Reap Cambodia), Photo Kathmandu (Kathmandu, Nepal), The Lighthouse (Calcutta, West Bengal), Myanmar Deitta (Yangon, Myanmar), Australian Centre for Photography, Perth Centre for Photography, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Museum of Australian Photography, Palmtree Workshops (Santorini Greece, forthcoming), and others.Katrin lives and works in Naarm (Melbourne) on unceded Boon Wurrung Woi Wurrung Country. In episode 253, Katrin discusses, among other things:Ankor Photo Festival in CambodiaWorking on her practice dailyComing out of “the most difficult year of her life”Why she chose to shoot Polaroids during that timeResponding to the suicide of her cousin's husbandHow the sudden death of her best friend put her on the path of photographyHow she took pictures with the camera she inherited from him which were all blankHaving a ‘web' of ‘projects'Her practice as a relational encounterHer new book Between The Skin and SeaHer engagement with environmental issuesYounger photographers being more inward lookingHer current engagement with the indigenous community of Riverdale Referenced:Photo KatmanduChobi MelaRMITNational Gallery of Victoria Website | Instagram “This is always the way that I work, I look at what the thing is that is at stake, and what am I trying to talk about? And actually also very much like I'm listening to the thing that I'm trying to talk to. So what does it want from me? You know, what does the story want from me and what does the situation around it ask of me? And therefore how do I need to approach it?” Become a full tier 1 member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of previous episodes for £5 per month.For the tier 2 archive-only membership, to access the full library of past episodes for £3 per month, go here.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

ThePrintPod: New SC judge Joymalya Bagchi had sought mercy for Dhananjoy Chatterjee, won relief for Taslima Nasreen

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 2:45

Justice Bagchi is in line to become Chief Justice of India in May 2031 and will be the seventh judge from West Bengal to occupy the office.

Bali RIco, Ph.D. | Harvard Bhakti Yoga Conference | Episode 86

Happy Jack Yoga Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 60:15

Bali Rico is a multi-instrumentalist, author, lyricist and academic. He is one of the co-founders of the international Kirtan group Mayapuris. Born in the U.S. to Colombian parents, he and his younger brother Kish spent their formative years living in ashrams in the sacred land of Mayapur, West Bengal, learning the traditions and music of ancient India. Bali's mridanga playing is fiery and unique, helping to create the Mayapuris signature sound. As a lyricist, Bali's flow mirrors the intricate rhythm of a born percussionist, with thoughtful prose full of insight, philosophy and personal reflection. Connect with Bali Rico: INSTAGRAM: @bali.rico INSTAGRAM: @mayapuris YOUTUBE: @Mayapuris This event is hosted by ✨ Happy Jack Yoga University ✨ www.happyjackyoga.com ➡️ Facebook: /happyjackyoga ➡️ Instagram: @happyjackyoga Bhakti Yoga Conference at Harvard Divinity School Experience a one-of-a-kind online opportunity with 40+ renowned scholars, monks, yogis, and thought leaders! REGISTER FOR FREE: www.happyjackyoga.com/bhakti-... This conference is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the wisdom of sincere practitioners as they address the questions and challenges faced by us all. Expect thought-provoking discussions, actionable insights, and a deeper understanding of cultivating Grace in an Age of Distraction and incorporating Bhakti Yoga into your daily life.

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Kolkata, WB, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Ji

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 18:59

Kolkata, West Bengal, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

Kolkata, WB, March 09, 2025: Day 2, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Ji

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 16:30

Kolkata, West Bengal, March 09, 2025: Day 2, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

Kolkata, WB, March 09, 2025: Day 2, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Ji

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 16:30

Kolkata, West Bengal, March 09, 2025: Day 2, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

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Kolkata, WB, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Ji

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 18:59

Kolkata, West Bengal, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

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Kolkata, WB, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Ji

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Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 18:59

Kolkata, West Bengal, March 08, 2025: Day 1, Eastern and North-Eastern States Samagam -Discourse by Satguru Mata Sudiksha Ji Maharaj

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The Man Who Planted Dreams

The Good Sight Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 8:40

This is the story of Gachh Dadu—Dukhu Majhi, a man whose life's mission is to turn barren land into lush green forests. In the scorching heat of Purulia, West Bengal, where temperatures soar to 50°C, a young boy once dug the dry soil with his tiny fingers, planting seeds and nurturing twigs with water. That boy grew up to be a guardian of nature, cycling across villages with a sack of seeds and two canisters of water, breathing life into desolate landscapes.With over 5000 thriving trees, he has transformed the land, proving that true change doesn't need wealth—only relentless passion. Honored with the Padma Shri, Dukhu Majhi remains unfazed by fame. Even at 80, his bicycle rolls on, carrying the weight of his dream—one seed at a time.About Padma PridePadma Pride is an inspiring audio series by The Good Sight and Rise Against Hunger India, celebrating Padma Awardees and their extraordinary impact. Every Sunday, webring you the story of a changemaker shaping India's future. (Narration: Shalini Singh, The Good Sight).

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2471 for Friday, March 7th, 2025

Amateur Radio Newsline™

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025

SCRIPT:Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2471 for Friday, March 7th, 2025 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2471 with a release date of Friday, March 7th, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.The following is a QST. A survey reveals some important trends in Brazilian amateur radio. Huntsville's new museum of communications and technology is open -- and the founder of the Hurricane Watch Net becomes a Silent Key. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2471 comes your way right now.** BILLBOARD CART**SURVEY GIVES DETAILED SNAPSHOT OF HAM RADIO IN BRAZILPAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Brazil where a recent survey is providing a detailed look at trends among hams in South America's largest nation. Jeremy Boot G4NJH shares some of its findings.JEREMY: An important snapshot of the state of amateur radio in Brazil has provided the national ham radio society and the telecommunications regulator with insights into relevant trends. The sampling of 940 hams in 27 states and 350 cities was conducted in May of 2024 by Guillermo Crimerius, PY2BIL, a member of the board of the Sao Paulo chapter of LABRE, the Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão. Guillermo told Newsline that the findings are also being shared with the regulator ANATEL.He said that the findings held no surprises but many details were nonetheless significant. Brazil's ham radio community remains predominantly male, with women comprising only 2 percent of the hobby. Survey results also showed that hams are an aging population in Brazil: 72% are between 40 and 70 years old, with most of them between 40 and 60. While new licensees continue to join Brazil's ham community every year, there is low membership in clubs and associations, giving little opportunity for the networking and skills training usually provided by them. Guillermo writes: [quote] "This scenario has had an impact on new generations of hams,who face difficulties in learning the essential technical matters and especially the operational and cultural activities." [endquote]For a full copy of the report, which is downloadable, visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.orgThis is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.(GUILLERMO CRIMERIUS, PY2BIL)**NOMINATE THE NEXT "YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR"PAUL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open. We are accepting nominations through May 31st.**BRANDMEISTER DMR PHASING OUT SOME RADIO IDSPAUL/ANCHOR: Certain Radio IDs that have been in use on the Brandmeister DMR network are going away later this year. Sel Embee KB3TZD explains.SEL: The Brandmeister DMR network has announced that it is phasing out its support of certain Radio IDs that do not comply with the Mobile Country Code, or MCC, numbering system. This means that by June, radio operators with certain DMR IDs will need to request new numbers to be assigned to their radios. The first phase of these changes will begin on the 1st of June, when Brandmeister will stop supporting five-digit CAP+ IDs. Starting on the 1st of January, 2026, radios with seven-digit personal radio IDs that begin with the numeral 1 will also stop working on the network. In making this announcement, Brandmeister assured repeater operators that it will continue indefinite support of repeaters that have six-digit radio IDs.Brandmeister said in its announcement in late February that this an effort to address improperly numbered Radio IDs – something Brandmeister has been trying to contain for seven years. It said on its website: [quote] The Brandmeister DMR platform is a constantly evolving system, requiring regular optimizations and maintenance to ensure its efficiency, reliability, and alignment with global open standards.” [Endquote]New IDs can be obtained through Radio ID (Radio Eye Dee) dot net (Radioid.net).For further instructions visit the Brandmeister link that appears in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.orgThis is Sel Embee KB3TZD.[DO NOT READ: news.brandmeister.network](NEWS.BRANDMEISTER.NETWORK, AMATEUR NEWS DAILY)**3 IRISH "KILMOLIN CLUSTER" BEACONS GO QRT TO RELOCATEPAUL/ANCHOR: A trio of beacons in Ireland have been taken out of service in preparation for being moved, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.JEREMY: In Ireland, three beacons that have been operating from a site south of Dublin have gone QRT to allow for their relocation. The EI4RF, EI1KNH and EIØSIX beacons have been part of what is known as the Kilmolin cluster. They had been hosted by Paddy Geoghegan, EI5HS, who became a Silent Key last year.The beacons, which have a new owner, went off the air in mid-February and are expected to slowly come back. According to reports on groups.io and the SWLing Post blog, the EI4RF 4-metre beacon is expected to be the first to return, perhaps by May just as sporadic-E season begins. The EIØSIX beacon is expected to follow sometime afterward on 6-metres. It was unclear how and when service will be restored on the EI1KHN beacon, which operated on 40 and 60 MHz. It is also unclear whether this beacon will need to be assigned a new callsign.This is Jeremy Boot GF4NJH.(EI7GI BLOG, QRZ.COM, SWLING POST)**UNIVERSITY IS W. BENGAL'S 1ST TO HAVE HAM CLUB STATIONPAUL/ANCHOR: Students and faculty in India are celebrating the establishment of the first state-of-the-art shack on a West Bengal state university campus. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us more.GRAHAM: Aliah University, a state university that created for the education of many of India's minority populations, is about to become the first university in West Bengal with its own state-of-the-art ham radio club station.The announcement was made in late February in connection with a seminar held on the Kolkata campus introducing students and faculty to various aspects of amateur radio. The one-day session, held on the 24th of February, covered emergency communications and radio technology and included hands-on experience for the estimated 250 attendees. It was led by members of the West Bengal Radio Club, the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management and organized by the school's Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. A number of other schools have hosted similar amateur radio workshops throughout the region, which is a coastal area subject to violent storms and other natural disasters that rely on alternate forms of communication. This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.(MILLENNIUM POST)**BROADCAST TRADE SHOW DROPS RECEPTION FOR HAMSPAUL/ANCHOR: Hams will no doubt be among those visiting the National Association of Broadcasters annual trade show again this year but something will be missing, as we learn from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.RALPH: The annual trade show of the National Association of Broadcasters is welcoming industry professionals once again this year to Las Vegas in April. One traditional event will be missing from this year's show, however: There will be no separate reception for amateur radio operators.Hams, of course, are still welcome. Indeed, many broadcast professionals - especially those on the engineering side - enjoy an active and robust time on the air on the amateur bands. A posting on the Radio World website said that this year's ham reception was not on the schedule. The reception had been hosted for a long time by Bob Heil K9EID, who became a Silent Key last year.The article said that organizers are hoping to [quote] "reinvent the event for next year by exploring fresh partnerships and innovative ideas." [endquote]In the meantime, licensed hams who work in the industry can still look forward to the usual opportunities for networking and learning about new technology. The NAB Show takes place between April 5th and 9th at the Las Vegas Convention Center.This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.(RADIO WORLD)**BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WB3GXW repeater in Silver Spring, Maryland and simultaneously on EchoLink Conference Server Node 6154 on Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM Eastern time.**DX INDIA FOUNDATION PREPARES FOR DXPEDITIONNEIL/ANCHOR: In India, there's a new DX foundation that has lots of energy and ambition - and plans for a rarely activated island. We learn more from Jason Daniels VK2LAW.JASON: It's still early in the game for the newly organized not-for-profit DX India Foundation but the team has already announced ambitious plans to increase India's presence on the DX map. As part of its mission to activate rare IOTA islands, conduct DXpeditions and provide DX and POTA chasers with a chance to work different entities in India, the team has its sights set on Arnala Island, IOTA number AS-169, which is near Mumbai. According to an announcement from the team, the island has had no amateur radio activity since 2006. Hams from the DX India Foundation have applied to use the callsign AU2M and hope to be on the air from the 29th of May through to the 1st of June. Later plans include a 10-day adventure to the Lakshadweep archipelago off the coast of Kerala [CARE-ruh-luh] in southern India.The DX India Foundation has also established an online forum in groups.io to encourage a sense of international community for chasers and activators. In between trips, the foundation's activity will be focused on training and mentoring other radio operators.This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.(DX INDIA FOUNDATION)**HUNTSVILLE'S ‘SIGNALS' MUSEUM OPENS IN ALABAMAPAUL/ANCHOR: Huntsville, Alabama, home of the Huntsville Hamfest, has a new way to celebrate technology and, of course, amateur radio. To welcome the museum and honor the spirit and advancements made in technology, Newsline is departing from the norm this week. This report is being read via artificial intelligence and a correspondent known as AI-Drew.AI-DREW: On March 1st, the SIGNALS Museum of Information Explosion opened its doors to what founders hope will be an immersive and hands-on environment for visitors. The museum, housed a short drive from where the Huntsville Hamfest is held each year, has an array of exhibits devoted to communications technology in all its forms throughout history. Amateur radio operators who are visiting will be particularly interested in the ham shack, a welcoming space for regional radio clubs and other radio operators to meet or work on building equipment. The museum also has an on-site radio tower.Whether you live in the area or plan to visit Huntsville this year, the museum will welcome you. Visit their website at signals hyphen museum dot org. (signals-museum.org)This is AI-Drew.(SIGNALS MUSEUM)**SILENT KEY: GERRY MURPHY, K8YUW, FOUNDER OF THE HURRICANE WATCH NETPAUL/ANCHOR: Atlantic hurricane season is still a few months away but hams and forecasters will be going forward into this year's season without the man who created the Hurricane Watch Net 60 years ago. He has become a Silent Key, as we hear from Randy Sly W4XJ.RANDY: It can be said that the seeds of the Hurricane Watch Net were planted in 1965 as Hurricane Betsy raged its way through the Bahamas, making landfall in the US that September. Gerald Murphy, K8YUW, who was stationed by the US Navy in Rhode Island at the time, was also handling messages and phone patches for the Intercontinental Amateur Radio Net. When hurricane-specific traffic started to overwhelm the regular net's messages on their 20m frequency, Gerry suggested that those messages be handled 5 kHz higher. Marcy Rice, KZ5MM, who was in the Panama Canal Zone QSY'd with him up to 14.325 MHz and that was the genesis of the Hurricane Watch Net.The net has become the backbone of a robust communications system during storm season. Trained hams share advisories, data and post-storm damage information in affected areas with national hurricane centers in the US and, when needed, Canada.Gerry, who became a Silent Key on the 25th of February at the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, leaves behind this vibrant legacy. He served as net manager from September of 1965 until February of 1988, staying on afterward as assistant net manager. Health issues compelled him to retire from the net in March 1991.The Hurricane Watch Net has been planning an on-air special event in September to mark its 60th anniversary. Net manager Bobby Graves,KB5HAV, told Newsline [quote] "I was hoping and praying Jerry would make it to see his creation's 60th Anniversary this coming Labor Day....We will endeavor to make it even more special." [endquote]Gerry was 88.This is Randy Sly W4XJ.(BOBBY GRAVES, KB5HAV; EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU)**WORLD OF DXIn the World of DX, Chris, WA7RAR, is on the air until the 16th of March from Barbados, IOTA Number NA-ØØ21. He is using the callsign 8P9CB, operating SSB and CW on 20-10 metres. Some of his locations are POTA sites. See QRZ.com for QSL details.Rockwell, WW1X, is using the callsign VP5/WW1X from Providenciales, IOTA Number NA-ØØ2 in the Turks and Caicos Islands from the 8th through to the 15th of March. This is a QRP operation using only SSB, although Rockwell has not ruled out occasional use of FT8. QSL via LoTW.Listen for Aldir, PY1SAD, who is using the callsign 8R1TM from Georgetown, Guyana, between the 11th of March and the 26th of April. Aldir is using CW, SSB and the digital modes on the HF bands. He is also operating via satellite. See QRZ.com for QSL details.Members of the Korean Amateur Radio League are on the air in March and April to celebrate the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. They are using the callsign HL1ØØIARU. See QRZ.com for QSL details.(425 DX BULLETIN)**KICKER: ECHOES OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO LEARN CWPAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with an alternate way in which some hams in New Zealand got to learn and practice CW while having real QSOs. We'll let Jim Meachen ZL2BHF explain how it happened.JIM: If you've ever wondered whether Echolink is a viable mode for teaching or learning CW, just ask Ted ZL1BQA, who is proud to have logged a respectable number of CW contacts during the recent Jock White Memorial Field Day in New Zealand. Studying CW for almost a year with the Franklin Amateur Radio Club, Ted was able to restart his long-ago code skills in sessions led by the club president Peter Henderson ZL1PX. It was done over Echolink.Ted had enrolled last May along with three younger members who were first-time learners - Francois, ZL4FJ, Steve, ZL1TZP and Steve ZL1SPR. With only Ted able to copy Peter's signal over HF, the club followed a suggestion made by Gary ZL1GAC: try Echolink, a computer-based ham radio mode that incorporates VoIP technology. Loading CW software onto his computer, Peter was able to send the code intended for each session, confident that everyone had an equal chance of copying clearly.Weekly sessions soon expanded to twice a week as the students concentrated on letters, then numbers - and eventually basic punctuation.After a break in the action, the club is back on Echolink with CW sessions three nights a week. As for Ted, he's on a roll. Peter told Newsline in an email that he has resumed making CW contacts on a daily basis on HF using the Vibroplex that once collected dust instead of QSOs.This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.(QUA, Peter Henderson, ZL1PX)**Have you sent in your amateur radio haiku to Newsline's haiku challenge yet? It's as easy as writing a QSL card. Set your thoughts down using traditional haiku format - a three-line verse with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five in the third. Submit your work on our website at arnewsline.org - each week's winner gets a shout-out on our website, where everyone can find the winning haiku.NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Daily; Bobby Graves, KB5HAV; Brandmeister; David Behar K7DB; DX India Foundation; Eddie Misiewicz, KB3YRU; EI7GI Blog; Guillermo Crimerius, PY2BIL; Millennium Post; Peter Henderson, ZL1PX; QRZ.com; QUA Newsletter; Radio World; shortwaveradio.de; SWLing Post; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

Romy Gill on the food of West Bengal and Punjab

The BBC Good Food podcast - Rookie & Nice

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 36:34

In this insightful episode, renowned chef, food writer, and presenter Romy Gill shares her culinary journey from growing up in a Punjabi family in West Bengal to becoming a chef in the UK. Listen as Romy discusses her favourite recipes, regional Indian cuisine, and the experience of adapting to British food culture. This episode is filled with delightful stories, expert cooking tips, and an exclusive look into her new book, 'Romy Gill's India.' Hosted Good Food's Senior Food Editor Samuel Goldsmith. Chef Romy Gill MBE is a prominent figure in the culinary world, known for her expertise in Indian cuisine, vibrant personality, and dedication to charitable causes. Based in the south-west of England, she has left an indelible mark on the culinary landscape. As the former owner and head chef of Romy's Kitchen, Romy garnered widespread acclaim for her innovative approach to Indian cooking. Her culinary prowess was recognised on a national scale when she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours list in 2016. Romy's influence extends beyond the kitchen to television screens across the globe. She has appeared on numerous TV programmes and radio shows. Subscribers to the Good Food app via App Store get access to the show ad-free, and with regular bonus content such as interviews recorded at the good food show. To get started, download the Good Food app today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

tv uk england british indian kitchen member app store punjab good food punjabi west bengal birthday honours british empire mbe

How can voters in different states end up with same EPIC numbers?

In Focus by The Hindu

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 31:58

The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has released documents showing that some voters in West Bengal have the same EPIC numbers as some voters in states like Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab. The elector photo identity card (EPIC) is a unique number, and the fact that it is unique is critical to avoid voter impersonation or other kinds of fraud. The Election Commission has attributed the duplication of EPIC numbers to a manual, decentralised system of allotting EPIC system that predated the current electoral database platform called ERONET. But the TMC and other critics are not convinced by this explanation, and the EC's own rules state that EPIC cards and numbers can only be issued to those on the electoral roll of a constituency, and can only be issued online, not manually. So, how then was EPIC number issued manually? How did a voter from Gujarat constituency, who was not from a Bengal constituency, have the same alphabets in his EPIC number as someone who was from Bengal constituency? How robust is our existing system for registering new voters and deleting voters from electoral rolls? Guest: MG Devasahayam, Coordinator, Citizens Commission on Elections. Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston

elections numbers epic states coordinators voters end up ec bengal punjab gujarat tmc west bengal haryana election commission citizens commission

ThePrintPod: 'For 3 decades, children in West Bengal have been killed and maimed by political crude bombs'

New Books in Political Science

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 5:54

'Children of the Bombs, the BBC documentary directed by Ronny Sen, reviewed newspaper reports to claim that 565 children have been killed, injured, or maimed between 1996 and 2024. Watch Author & ThePrint Columnist Deep Halder explain in his latest column----more----Read full article here: https://theprint.in/feature/for-3-decades-children-in-west-bengal-have-been-killed-and-maimed-by-political-crude-bombs/2484635/

children bbc political killed decades bombs crude west bengal maimed

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, "Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment" (HarperCollins India, 2020)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 68:28

From being a fringe political party in 2013 to sweeping nearly half of the state s forty-two Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the BJP has gained ground in West Bengal, aided partly by the RSS s exponential growth during Mamata Banerjee's chief ministerial tenure (2011 onwards). With a consistent and concerted criticism of the TMC, the saffron camp managed to create a strong wave of anti-incumbency. So much so that the BJP s prospects of forming the next government in Bengal in 2021 seemed to have brightened considerably, while the Left, which had ruled Bengal for over three decades, appears to have been reduced to a fringe political entity. However, the controversy over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, combined with Banerjee s course-correction drive, designed by strategist Prashant Kishor, indicate that she might yet script a turnaround, with Bengal turning into the laboratory of a unique political experiment. Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment (HarperCollins India, 2020) documents the BJP s extraordinary rise in the state and attempts to look at these developments in the historical context of Bengal from the rise of Hindu nationalism and Muslim separatism in the nineteenth century, the Partition and its fallout, the impact of developments in Bangladesh, the influence of leftist ideals on the psyche of the Bengali people, to the demographic changes in the state over the past few decades. About the Author: Snigdhendu Bhattacharya is a Kolkata-based journalist who has reported for different national media houses including the Hindustan Times, The Wire and Outlook. He has been writing on politics, security, history, socio-economic and cultural affairs since 2005. His book Lalgarh and the Legend of Kishanji: Tales from India's Maoist Movement was published in 2016. About the Host: Stuti Roy has recently graduated with an MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, "Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment" (HarperCollins India, 2020)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 68:28

From being a fringe political party in 2013 to sweeping nearly half of the state s forty-two Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the BJP has gained ground in West Bengal, aided partly by the RSS s exponential growth during Mamata Banerjee's chief ministerial tenure (2011 onwards). With a consistent and concerted criticism of the TMC, the saffron camp managed to create a strong wave of anti-incumbency. So much so that the BJP s prospects of forming the next government in Bengal in 2021 seemed to have brightened considerably, while the Left, which had ruled Bengal for over three decades, appears to have been reduced to a fringe political entity. However, the controversy over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, combined with Banerjee s course-correction drive, designed by strategist Prashant Kishor, indicate that she might yet script a turnaround, with Bengal turning into the laboratory of a unique political experiment. Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment (HarperCollins India, 2020) documents the BJP s extraordinary rise in the state and attempts to look at these developments in the historical context of Bengal from the rise of Hindu nationalism and Muslim separatism in the nineteenth century, the Partition and its fallout, the impact of developments in Bangladesh, the influence of leftist ideals on the psyche of the Bengali people, to the demographic changes in the state over the past few decades. About the Author: Snigdhendu Bhattacharya is a Kolkata-based journalist who has reported for different national media houses including the Hindustan Times, The Wire and Outlook. He has been writing on politics, security, history, socio-economic and cultural affairs since 2005. His book Lalgarh and the Legend of Kishanji: Tales from India's Maoist Movement was published in 2016. About the Host: Stuti Roy has recently graduated with an MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, "Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment" (HarperCollins India, 2020)

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 68:28

From being a fringe political party in 2013 to sweeping nearly half of the state s forty-two Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the BJP has gained ground in West Bengal, aided partly by the RSS s exponential growth during Mamata Banerjee's chief ministerial tenure (2011 onwards). With a consistent and concerted criticism of the TMC, the saffron camp managed to create a strong wave of anti-incumbency. So much so that the BJP s prospects of forming the next government in Bengal in 2021 seemed to have brightened considerably, while the Left, which had ruled Bengal for over three decades, appears to have been reduced to a fringe political entity. However, the controversy over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, combined with Banerjee s course-correction drive, designed by strategist Prashant Kishor, indicate that she might yet script a turnaround, with Bengal turning into the laboratory of a unique political experiment. Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment (HarperCollins India, 2020) documents the BJP s extraordinary rise in the state and attempts to look at these developments in the historical context of Bengal from the rise of Hindu nationalism and Muslim separatism in the nineteenth century, the Partition and its fallout, the impact of developments in Bangladesh, the influence of leftist ideals on the psyche of the Bengali people, to the demographic changes in the state over the past few decades. About the Author: Snigdhendu Bhattacharya is a Kolkata-based journalist who has reported for different national media houses including the Hindustan Times, The Wire and Outlook. He has been writing on politics, security, history, socio-economic and cultural affairs since 2005. His book Lalgarh and the Legend of Kishanji: Tales from India's Maoist Movement was published in 2016. About the Host: Stuti Roy has recently graduated with an MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Snigdhendu Bhattacharya, "Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment" (HarperCollins India, 2020)

New Books in South Asian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 68:28

From being a fringe political party in 2013 to sweeping nearly half of the state s forty-two Lok Sabha seats in 2019, the BJP has gained ground in West Bengal, aided partly by the RSS s exponential growth during Mamata Banerjee's chief ministerial tenure (2011 onwards). With a consistent and concerted criticism of the TMC, the saffron camp managed to create a strong wave of anti-incumbency. So much so that the BJP s prospects of forming the next government in Bengal in 2021 seemed to have brightened considerably, while the Left, which had ruled Bengal for over three decades, appears to have been reduced to a fringe political entity. However, the controversy over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, combined with Banerjee s course-correction drive, designed by strategist Prashant Kishor, indicate that she might yet script a turnaround, with Bengal turning into the laboratory of a unique political experiment. Mission Bengal: A Saffron Experiment (HarperCollins India, 2020) documents the BJP s extraordinary rise in the state and attempts to look at these developments in the historical context of Bengal from the rise of Hindu nationalism and Muslim separatism in the nineteenth century, the Partition and its fallout, the impact of developments in Bangladesh, the influence of leftist ideals on the psyche of the Bengali people, to the demographic changes in the state over the past few decades. About the Author: Snigdhendu Bhattacharya is a Kolkata-based journalist who has reported for different national media houses including the Hindustan Times, The Wire and Outlook. He has been writing on politics, security, history, socio-economic and cultural affairs since 2005. His book Lalgarh and the Legend of Kishanji: Tales from India's Maoist Movement was published in 2016. About the Host: Stuti Roy has recently graduated with an MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies from the University of Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

The Catch Up: 24 January

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 3:36

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Ichha Sharma.Today is the 24th of January and here are this week's headlines.A Sealdah court on Monday sentenced Sanjay Roy to life imprisonment for raping and murdering a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in August. Roy was convicted on Saturday, nearly six months after his arrest. The court imposed a Rs 50,000 fine and ordered the West Bengal government to pay Rs 1.7 million in compensation to the victim's family. Junior doctors at RG Kar expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict.Chalapati, a 62-year-old Maoist leader, was killed in an encounter on Tuesday with security forces near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. Known for his rapid rise through the ranks, Chalapati orchestrated several high-profile attacks, including the 2018 killing of TDP MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, he was believed to be the mastermind behind the deadly attack in Araku Valley, which also targeted former MLA Siveri Soma. His wife, Aruna, allegedly led the Maoist group involved in the murders.At least 12 passengers were killed and 10 injured on Wednesday after they jumped off the Pushpak Express in panic following rumors of a fire onboard. The passengers were run over by the Karnataka Express traveling on an adjacent track in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. Around 30-35 people are suspected to have jumped. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis expressed deep grief, paying tribute to the victims. Rescue operations were launched with ambulances and railway vans deployed at the scene.Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released its manifesto on Wednesday with a focus on middle-class welfare. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal highlighted seven demands to be included in the Union Budget, urging transformative reforms in education, healthcare, and senior citizen welfare. Kejriwal emphasized the need to prioritize the middle class, proposing changes to taxation and policies that would improve quality of life for Delhi's working families and address their pressing concerns.On his first day after swearing in as the US President, Donald Trump signed an executive order limiting immigration laws, including birthright citizenship on Tuesday. The new policy restricts automatic U.S. citizenship to children born on American soil, requiring at least one parent to be a U.S. citizen, green card holder, or military member. This change may impact millions of Indian-Americans, complicating their pursuit of permanent residency, as birthright citizenship was a crucial pathway to citizenship for many foreign-born children.Meanwhile, at least nine Palestinians were killed and 40 others were left wounded after Israel launched a major military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday. The operation came as Israel's ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza entered its third day, bringing the 15-month conflict to a halt. On Monday, the top general in Israel resigned, citing security failures that led to Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he is considering going to the Middle East, but not immediately amid the return of hostages, while reiterating that the attack on Israel by Hamas should not have happened.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express

The Catch Up: 23 January

donald trump speaking white house indian large sim bangladesh mumbai rs sam altman hyderabad h 1b tamil nadu west bengal andhra pradesh isro indian express saif ali khan sensex

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2025 3:49

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.Today is the 23rd of January and here are the headlines.The Indian stock market has seen a significant downturn since the Sensex hit an all-time high of Rs 85,978.84 on September 27 last year. Over the past four months, the benchmark index has dropped by 10,000 points, or 11.79%, causing major losses for investors. The NSE Nifty Index also fell by 12.38%. Large-cap stocks experienced the biggest losses, with a 13.27% decline, driven by heavy selling from foreign investors, marking a sharp reversal in market fortunes.A SIM card from the village of Bara Andulia in West Bengal's Nadia district, near the Bangladesh border, was linked to Shariful Islam, the man accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan. While it may seem surprising, villagers aren't shocked, as many locals work in Mumbai's hotels and bars, where Shariful also found employment. His father, Md Ruhul Amin Fakir, revealed that Shariful entered India illegally through a middleman last year, worked in West Bengal, and then moved to Mumbai.Before taking over as chairperson of ISRO, Dr. V Narayanan visited his hometown, Melakattuvilai in Tamil Nadu, where nearly 600 people gathered to celebrate his achievements. Coming from a farming family, he studied under kerosene lamps until his house was electrified in ninth grade. Narayanan played a key role in developing India's cryogenic engine program, which powers the LVM3 launch vehicle. Speaking to The Indian Express, he shared insights on his journey and upcoming ISRO missions, marking seven years at LPSC.Six days after a 35-year-old woman went missing in Hyderabad, her husband Wednesday claimed he had killed her and disposed of her body parts at different locations, including the neighbouring Jillellaguda lake, the police said. The police, however, said they are verifying the claims by the 45-year-old ex-serviceman from the Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, who said he dismembered his wife's body after killing her and cooked the parts in a pressure cooker. The man, identified as Gurumurthy, works as an outsourced security guard at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility in Kanchan Bagh. They said they had not found any body parts of the woman, P Venkata Madhavi, said to have been dumped by Gurumurthy.For the second time in a month, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the H1B visa program, emphasizing the need for "very competent" people. Speaking at a White House press conference with Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Trump stated that while he appreciates both sides of the argument, he values skilled individuals entering the U.S., even if they train others with fewer qualifications, stressing that it's not limited to engineers but applies to all levels.This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by the Indian Express

Could ancient rice seeds help us fight climate change?

The Climate Question

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 27:12

How farmers and scientists in eastern India are using ancient rice seeds to fight flooding, increasing soil salinity and drought. The BBC's William Kremer tells Graihagh Jackson about his visit to the Sundarbans in West Bengal, where cyclones and rising sea levels have devastated crops, and meets the rice growers drawing on the skills of their forefathers, to feed their families. Graihagh also gets a global overview from Dr Rafal Gutaker, rice expert at Kew Gardens, London.And if you'd like to hear more about rice, the BBC World Service's Food Chain programme has just made a show about the climate impacts of the crop. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5xp0Reporter in India: William Kremer Production Team: Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Octavia Woodward Sound Mix: Neil Churchill and Tom Brignell Editor: Simon WattsIf you have a question for the team, email: TheClimateQuestion@BBC.com or WhatsApp: +44 8000 321 721

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The Catch Up: 20 January