Zubia Khan

Shami Kebab is a very popular tea time snack in Pakistan and India.It is said that the recipe was introduced during the Mughal rule in India.This recipe was made by the Syrian cooks in the royal kitchen thus the name ‘shami’.

Sham in Arabic refers to Syria. These kebabs are made by cooking minced meat (beef/mutton/chicken) with some split yellow lentils (Channa Daal) and spices.

By M. Jacob Abraham

Kerala's electronic toilets (e-toilets), one of the prominent innovations of the state in public health, hygiene and sanitation sector, would now be seen featured at the scenic an snow covered valleys of Jammu and Kashmir also.

It’s degrading, dirty and outlawed, yet more than 1.3 million dalits – mostly women– are still forced by the caste system into the age-old practice of manual scavenging, leaving them social outcasts. Manual scavenging is the removal of animal or human excreta from dry latrines and carrying it in baskets to disposal grounds elsewhere.

Fans mourn Kaka's death

By TN Ashok
Not since Dev Anand, considered the most handsome star in Indian cinema, was there another star of the same romantic genre, which held sway with millions of fans who venerated him beyond imagination. Rajesh Khanna passed away on July 18 at his residence Aashirwad in Mumbai at the age of 69.

(1914-2012)

Captain Lakshmi Sehgal who was part of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army, died following a brief illness. She was 97. Sehgal was admitted to the hospital on July 19 after she suffered a heart attack at her residence in Civil Lines area in Kanpur.

(1928-2012)

The veteran actor-wrestler popularly known as Rustam-e Hind died his Mumbai residence on July 12, in presence of his family and friends. He was 84. "Angel now gone to shine like a star up above”, Singh son, Vindu Dara Singh, said after his father's death.

'Ab ke hum bichhade to shaayad kabhii khwabon mein milen' (If we part now, we may meet in dreams).The world of ghazal will no longer be same without legendary singer Mehdi Hassan who leaves behind an unmatched legacy and treasure of soulful melodies.

Prabeer Kumar Basu

Indian agriculture is on a long-term growth path. Not only is it growing steadily, it has become more diverse and resilient as compared to the past. This despite many challenges such as high dependence on monsoon rains, pressure on cultivable land and water resources, and climate change. As per the latest crop production data available, India produced a record 252.56 million tonnes of foodgrains in 2011-12.

Manish Desai

They were once everywhere?  Chirping and flapping their wings at the window sills, on top of cupboards and on the branches of trees. Where have all the little sparrows gone?  This is the most frequently asked question about sparrows these days.

Salar M Khan

Mohammad Sabir Khedri, a master calligrapher from Afghanistan, has proved that war and bloodshed around him are incapable of destroying his devotion to art and love for Quran.
Working along with his nine disciples for five years, Mohammad Sabir Khedri has been able to prepare the world’s largest Qur’an in Kabul (Afghanistan).

Khagendramani Pradhan

Few years from now, two clusters of villages in East and South District, predominantly inhabited by tribal Lepcha and Bhutia communities of Sikkim will be transformed into major producers of oranges and guava. With a paradigm shift from labor intensive but less remunerative traditional system of farming to development of an acre of orchard from within their holding,

By T N ASHOK

 Dev Saab, as he was popularly known in Bollywood film circles, is no more. And a whole generation of film goers who grew up on his flamboyant cinema and iconic fashion style statements, will feel orphaned, but have fond memories of his movies that were a class apart from others during his hey days.When it comes to Dev Saab, I can’t help write a personal account of him since I come from a family of journalists and my father, also a well-known economic journalist of his times, knew Dev Saab personally.

Rajesh C. Bali

 The 42nd International Film Festival of India with its inherent theme of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' , 'The Whole World is One Family' is successfully moving forward. For delegates there are so many movies of their taste including documentaries, classics, feature and non-feature films in various Indian as well as foreign languages.

Hum jise gunguna nahiN sakte
waqt ne aisa geet kyooN gaaya

After regaling millions of his fans through his Ghazal singing for over five decades, the legendry singer Jagjit Singh finally left for heavenly abode on October 10 in Mumbai.

Vinit Wahi

Saree, a rectangular piece of fabric holds a special place in an Indian lady’s wardrobe. The personal pleasure of draping this unstitched fluid garment over and around the body, adjusting it with little tucks and pulls to suit one's own particular form, is sensuous. It creates a picture of flowing grace that conceals as much as it reveals.

Kalpana Palkhiwala

Every year September 16th is celebrated as the   International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. Since 1995, this date has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 

VINIT WAHI
The sound of Ganpati Bappa Mourya reminds us about the sheer holy atmosphere of Ganesh Festival, the birthday bash of Lord Ganesha that starts on Ganesh Chaturthi and goes on for whole ten days.To celebrate the festival, splendid Pandals are created and millions of people gather to worship their beloved god.

ASHOK B SHARMA
The impounding silence of the valley was broken by the sounds of drums and trumpets with joyous chats of people as Leh woke up on the country’s Independence Day to celebrate their annual event  18th Ladakhi Kisan-Jawan-Vigyan-Mela organized by Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR), earlier known as Field Research Laboratory (FRL).

Vinit Wahi
Just 32 kilometres from Pune in Sahyadri mountain range at the height of 820 meters from sea level lies the  Raigad Fort which was built by Chandra Rao More in 1030. The fort holds a special importance in the history of Maharashtra as this is the place where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned the king of Maratha Empire and also breathed his last here.

VINIT WAHI
Just 110 km. from Mumbai is located the tiniest hill station of India – Matheran. Its beauty is so enchanting that one can actually feel lost in the mountains to feel and to be with the nature. And the best thing about this place is that no vehicles, which emit hydrocarbons, are allowed here.