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Ilaiyaraaja’s Western classical symphony Valiant recently had its grand premiere in India, with a performance in Chennai in May. It immediately made me think of another beautiful meeting point between Indian and Western music: Calcutta-Nagar, the piano suite by Indo-jazz pioneer John Mayer. It may not have the sweeping scale of Ilaiyaraaja’s symphony, but it…

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The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Madras High Court order that imposed a blanket ban on slaughtering cows and calves in the state, Live Law reported on Wednesday. In its petition, the state argued that the May High Court exceeded the scope of the public interest litigation before it and…

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The Kalinga Literary Festival has announced the shortlists for its 2026 Book Awards in five categories – Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translation, and Debut. The winners will be announced in September 2026 and awards will be presented at the inaugural ceremony of KLF Indraprastha between October 3 and 4. Here are the complete shortlists: Nonfiction Searches:…

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The rattling kudu-kudu sounds from Satyettan’s autorickshaw could be heard from the alleyway. That’s because he won’t fill up the diesel, people teased. It would be running all right – and then there would be a big sound from inside somewhere, like a firecracker’s burst, and it would go phut. Stuck in the middle of…

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The Union government on Tuesday rejected media reports claiming that it had told the Supreme Court that its 20% Ethanol Blended Petrol programme was “still an ongoing experiment” and that its impact would become clearer next year. It said that the reports did not accurately reflect the submissions made by Attorney General R Venkataramani. The…

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The toll from the twin powerful earthquakes in Venezuela increased to 1,943 on Tuesday, the country’s government said. More than 10,500 persons were injured and 15,866 have been registered as affected, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said. At least 50,000 persons were still missing as of Monday, with the United Nations describing the estimate as…

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A place that is marked by the presence of people is not unusual, but a place that leaves an indelible mark on people is extraordinary. In the ancient mountains at the southern tip of the great Western Ghats ranges, sheltering among rocky peaks and rugged slopes draped with tall evergreen forest, lies one such place.…

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Congress leader KC Venugopal on Tuesday moved a privilege notice against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha, alleging that he misled the House by stating during last year’s debate on Operation Sindoor that no Indian soldier had been killed during the military operation. In a letter to Speaker Om Birla, Venugopal referred to…

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For Akla Chamar, owning even a small land parcel meant security. For two decades, the 80-year-old farmer held on to government documents that identify him to be the “bhu-swami”, or land owner of 2.23 hectares in Dagadkhedi village in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district. One of them is a 4×6 inch land rights and loan booklet…

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The Union government on Tuesday notified revised wage rates under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin Act, which came into effect on Wednesday. The VB-G Ram G Act replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The government set the interim base wage at Rs 300 per day. This is the…

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