India
Idea to execution, I follow a good feature story to the logical conclusion. Specialise in packaging a story with catchy captions and provocative headlines.
One sphere where machines cannot hope to catch up with humans for at least a few years - and thank god for that - is in thought pieces and opinion articles. They haven't caught up with journalists when it comes to gleaning facts on the ground and getting the texture and context of the story.
He used to wake up at 4 to catch the Dombivli Fast to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) for net practice at Azad Maidan. Clearly, the dedication paid off. Recently nominated for the Arjuna Award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and named vice captain for the tour to the West Indies, Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane, 27, says he is ready for newer challenges.
Standing a few yards behind the stall is Khan, 41, the cherubic author, one of the youngest exponents of the endangered art of Hindi pulp fiction. "He was the second person this morning to ask for my book by name.
The colour of money: The clientele at the Deltin Royale's poker rooms (above) is distinctly upmarket Punj, 60, a veteran of the gaming industry, invokes the Mahabharat to describe the traits of compulsive gamblers that push them into the quicksand of losing.
On September 17, when Saina Nehwal posted pictures on Twitter posing with Shah Rukh Khan, it wasn't any other 25-year-old basking in a fan-girl moment. It was a feeling Saina relished as much as she loves winning a tournament.
Dararein, dararein hain maathe pe maula, Marammat muqaddar ki kar do maula. The rhythmic clapping echoes in the courtyard. The turbaned man perched on a marble platform rocks his head like a dervish, oblivious to the sea of fawning admirers trying to click him on their phones.
The first Indian woman to win silver at the Olympics celebrates her triumph by allowing us to glam her up for the first time ever. We proudly present champion shuttler PV Sindhu in a never-seen-before avatar. An HT Brunch Exclusive. Long-distance journeys hold fond memories for Pusarla Venkata Sindhu.
One day, you'll look to see I have gone, But tomorrow may rain so, I'll follow the sun The Beatles classic playing in the car is evoking a mix of nostalgia and amusement in the person at the wheel. "Tomorrow may rain?
Aasheesh Sharma and photographer Raj K Raj journeyed to Mawsynram, a cluster of hamlets in Meghalaya - now the wettest place in the world (sorry, it isn't Cherrapunji!). They got drenched, but returned with an extraordinary story. Home and dry: A girl in Mawsynram. The locals don't bother much with umbrellas.
About 11 kilometres separate the leafy, colonnaded Chennai colony of Anna Nagar from the posh, buzzy township of RA Puram. Negotiating the city's mostly disciplined traffic, you are likely to take around 40 minutes to cover the distance between the two residential colonies.
The capital forgot the Home Ministry's terror alerts, warning Delhiites to avoid crowded places and thronged the FICCI auditorium on Tuesday. Listen to the song The seats were full, the aisles had no standing room and the happiest were those on the floor, seated ahead of seats reserved for diplomats, for they were closest to Farida Khanum, the ghazal legend.
Photo of Aasheesh Sharma and photographer Raj K Raj journeyed to Mawsynram, a cluster of hamlets in Meghalaya - now the wettest place in the world (sorry, it isn't Cherrapunji!). They got drenched, but returned with an extraordinary story. Home and dry: A girl in Mawsynram. The locals don't bother much with umbrellas.
There's a musician lurking inside Lewis Hamilton. Not dating former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger any longer, the first black F1 world champion shifted gears to tracks of another kind when he wrote love songs in a reported bid to win her back. Hamilton even cut some tracks at a Los Angeles recording studio.
The intrepid Indian traveller hasn't left any corner of the globe untouched. Whether it is swinging at golf courses with the Japanese, savouring single malts with the Scots, playing Baccarat with the Chinese at Macau or skiing on the playgrounds of the rich in Austria, the evolved, confident Indian traveller is displaying a proclivity for the good things in life.
Even as pundits contemplate the dramatic turnaround in the fortunes of the Knight Riders and an opportunistic chief minister tangos with a superstar at Eden, Gautam Gambhir, the resolute Delhi boy-turned-Kolkatar chele, exudes a Buddha-like serenity that has been part of his demeanour since he first began demolishing bowlers.
A common quibble among purist readers of fiction is the loss of impact in translations. In the case of Ibn-e-Safi, the late Urdu detective fiction writer, his fans do not resort to the 'lost in translation' retort as often. There's reason for this.
Hindustan Times August 20, 2011 With Aarakshan resurrecting the reservation ghost, we revisit the issue through a generation that was part of anti-quota protests and another which is feeling its impact Aarakshan agitation, a blast from the past Aasheesh Sharma [email protected] On Friday, the Supreme Court lifted the ban on Aarakshan in Uttar Pradesh, but by then, Prakash Jha's film had already resurrected the discrimination debate that shook the national consciousness two...
Never mind the cheesy nomenclature-couples daring to marry against the wishes of their families and community are getting support from a civil society initiative launched to help those in love. Calling themselves 'Love Commandos,' a group of volunteers including lawyers, journalists and human rights activists offer counsel through a helpline, provide shelter to lovebirds seeking a safe nest and even help them get married.
Imran versus ImranFrank HuzurFalcon and falconRs 795 pp 462 Playboy Pathan Imran Khan, the World Cup winning skipper of Pakistan, has inspired a number of biographies. Imran Versus Imran is a hagiography at best. Whenever author Frank Huzur writes about Kaptan saheb, he goes overboard, sometimes with comic consequences.
It wasn't meant to enrage the Gods like in the Tower of Babel. When Urban Development minister Kamal Nath articulated the need for Delhi to go vertical, he didn't realise that the debate he was sparking would reach Biblical proportions. The statement came at a time when the real estate market was inundated with a slew of skyscraper announcements.
Consider the pecking order in the HT- MaRS Youth Survey 2012. Best living Indian role models? Shah Rukh, APJ Abdul Kalam, Sachin Tendulkar. Most popular global role model? Ahem, a certain Barack Hussein Obama. The American president's views on outsourcing notwithstanding, he continues to find favour with 28% respondents.
This week, the United Nations certified the Delhi Metro as the world's first rail-based system to get carbon credits for helping cut greenhouse gas emissions. Nine years after it was launched on December 25, 2002, the reliable, cleaner mode of transport is taking more than 90,000 polluting vehicles off the roads of Delhi.
On a muggy July afternoon, a roomful of children is busy visualising the monsoon. Eyes shut, they stand with ankles crossed, fingers interlocked and hands resting on the chest. "Imagine walking through a lush, green forest. Feel the raindrops on your cheeks," instructs their teacher Suchi Bhatia and the kids follow suit.
India's 30 most memorable sporting moments Aasheesh Sharma December 26, 2005 | UPDATED 13:30 IST There were more than a few occasions to hold our heads high. And a few to hang them in shame. Being the good sports they are, our reporters documented them with care and, of course, with the characteristic INDIA TODAY flair.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes AMG Petronas during a media interaction after a practice session of Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix 2013 at the Buddh International circuit in Greater Noida. (PTI Photo) Getting access to the Paddock Club is a matter of a few lakhs.
Apart from curiosity, the possibility of scientifically confirming the likelihood to get life-threatening conditions such as breast cancer, diabetes, or coronary diseases, providing them an opportunity to modify lifestyles, is driving the popularity of such tests.
Don't believe those who say Shimla is a tourist's nightmare. Yes, the Mall has come to a crawl and hotels are out to make a fast buck. But the first gust of fresh air that hits you as you step off the Volvo bus is enough to bust all cynicism about the Queen of Hills.
At North Delhi's Pinnacle Table Tennis Academy, below a poster that says "Winning is not everything - the effort for winning is", there's a fierce match going on. Former Haryana champion Ganesh Ahuja is trying to negotiate a volley of forehands, unleashed by a woman on a wheelchair - Commonwealth Games probable Suvarna Raj.
Indian cinema 1975 to 2005: A quick flashback Aasheesh Sharma December 26, 2005 | UPDATED 13:53 IST From masala mixes to New Wave flavour to crossover kitsch, the Indian movie goer has seen it all. The multiplicity of subjects and genres is what makes Indian cinema special.
On Thursday a fast-track court in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, began hearing the case of the ragging death of MBBS student Aman Kachroo. Aman's father Rajender Kachroo, 55, however, isn't keeping track of the legal proceedings.
Hailing from a family where diamonds are integral to its business, the shiny 'stone' wasn't new to Modi. But the Mumbai jewellery designer decided to take it several notches higher, so much so that his recent creation is likely to fetch Rs 50 crore at Sotheby's auction.
On January 1, his 58th birthday, the curtain will go up on a new act in Salman Khurshid's life. Sons of Babur, the first play penned by the Union Minister for Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs, will open to its first public performance. But the suave politician doesn't appear to be nervous about the debut.
They arrived in droves - in luxury cars, on the Shatabdi or flying in on private jets. More than 1,500 Doscos, as Doon School graduates call themselves, have descended on Chandbagh Estate this weekend to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the institution. But once within the school's red-brick stucco 70-acre campus, memories come flooding back.
Jiski lathi, uski bhains (One who wields the stick, gets the buffalo) - Old North Indian proverb Buffalo logic can be baffling. Before the Commonwealth Games, the Jat Arakshan Samiti was threatening to unleash thousands of cattle into the Capital, to press for job quotas.
A magazine recently called him The Lost Reformer of Patliputra for the developmental makeover of Patna. A few weeks before the Lok Sabha setbacks, former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was busy announcing the creation of the longest WiFi zone in the world.
A year in the life of a domestic cricketer - told engagingly, with honesty and humour. By venturing into writing, former India opener Aakash Chopra has invited critical scrutiny - like taking first strike on a greentop in an away game.
The workers, hired from India in 2006 to tide over a labour shortage in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that killed over 1,800 on the Gulf coast in August 2005, said they were made to live "like pigs in a cage" in a "work camp" run by their employer, marine fabrication company Signal International, in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
According to reports, Canadian comic Mike Myers has lived up to his reputation of irreverence bordering on innuendo in the film. "The movie appeared to be lampooning Hinduism and Hindus and using Hindu terms frivolously," Rajan Zed, Nevada-based chief of the Universal Society of Hinduism, and "America's most savvy Hindu priest", said after watching the trailer.
Where do theatre directors turn to for inspiration in times of WikiLeaks, Commonwealth scams, 3G and Rajas of con? To Rajas of another era, where else. When Shah Jahan wants to build the Monument of Love in today's times, he calls upon a contractor.
As the world's largest democratic exercise starts tomorrow, we bring you the action from the most colourful constituencies and candidates - all about the big guns, the big numbers, the celebrity politicians and more.
Going Places: India's Small Town Cricket Heroes KR GuruprasadPenguin IndiaRs199 pp 166 You can't keep a small-town cricketer from going places. Beating the odds gives them a fire in the belly and the stomach for a good fight. Growing up in a family of wood-cutters helped Azamgarh's Kamran Khan develop the shoulders to bowl at 140 kmph and impress Shane Warne.
Three successive blasts kill 63, more than 100 injured destroyed the feel-good sentiment during Delhi's festive season. The Diwali blasts were directed at the heart of a nation. Delhi has become a prime target for terrorists and only strict vigilance and proper intelligence can prevent a recurrence of the capital's pre-Diwali tryst with terror.
Indian youngsters head for golf academies in US drawn by big prize money, high social profile Aasheesh Sharma October 17, 2005 | UPDATED 02:02 IST Call them babes with the woods but a clutch of Indian youngsters is roughing it out on the international junior golf circuit.
Vijaypat Singhania talks about his microlight journey, 'An Angel in the Cockpit' Aasheesh Sharma October 24, 2005 | UPDATED 18:23 IST He idolises Howard Hughes and looks up to J.R.D. Tata for inspiration. Vijaypat Singhania is proud of flying into the pages of Guinness World Records.
The reasons for the sport gaining popularity are not hard to fathom. One, the achievements of Karthikeyan, who could be our first driver to race in the much-touted Formula One circuit by the year 2001, are inspiration enough.
Sania Mirza's brand value hits Rs 1.5 crore, tennis star wins wealth of endorsements Aasheesh Sharma September 19, 2005 | UPDATED 08:24 IST After her match at the US Open, Sania Mirza is hot property in the endorsement stakes, with her brand worth reaching an incredible Rs 1.5 crore per annual deal, according to Anirban Blah, vice-president of Globosport, the firm that handles her endorsements.
"Take the bloody shot," barks M through the microphone to Naomie Harris as Bond struggles to keep steady and topple a terrorist off a train in Istanbul. Despite the telescopic sight, instead of the baddie, the bullet hits Bond. Double-O-Seven falls off a cliff into the deep blue sea.
His fans range from the disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan to Indian poet Javed Akhtar. Thirty years after his death, there is an explosion of interest in Ibn-e Safi's novels.
India, May 17 -- On A hot summer afternoon in 1853, as the first steam locomotive pulled out of Bombay, India entered the rail era. Today, 160 years later, even at a time when the Railways are making headlines for the wrong reasons, a ride aboard the Vivek Express is the opportunity of a lifetime.
the Literary Saloon at the complete review - 1 - 10 April 2013 Archive
August 10, 2013 Memory is a powerful thing. When we look six decades back, we're filled with an unparalleled sense of pride at the epic movements of history that brought us to this stage. But what about the little details?
When he is not listening to Hindustani classical music set to Kabir's poetry at his windswept penthouse, Sudarshan Shetty, 52, likes to walk the older neighbourhoods of Mumbai. On an average day, says Shetty, he gets out at 10am and there is no set time for his return.
A Flawed GodArjun ShekharHachetteRs 250 pp 284 To begin with, the plot has you hooked. A first class cricketer probed for a match-fixing scandal forays into the world of business and lands in a corporate cesspool, where he is assigned the task of assassinating the head of a secret guild called the Progress in Work Collective.
How does a 25 % discount on River of Smoke, Amitav Ghosh's new novel, sound? How about Amy Chua's treatise on Tiger parenting for Rs 115 less than the original Rs 450 or a 600 rupee discount on The Second World, Parag Khanna's geopolitics bestseller, originally priced at Rs 999?
Those freeze-frame moments Tendulkar's Classy Parting Shot Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar's 200th and final Test played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium was the stuff of sporting legend. A billion fans turned emotional when the batsman took his last bow on November 16 last year.
The approach is through a wine shop and an array of world cuisine restaurants. Beyond the Vuitton handbags and Choo shoes, spas and Ice bars lies the heart of the matter. The city's art galleries are reaching out to mall rats to broaden their buyer base.
He's bitter. When a 73-year-old technocrat who helped build India's reputation as an international sporting venue sees it crumble in newspapers and on television, it leaves him disillusioned. As he spreads a yellowing map of the Asiad Village on the table at his north Delhi home, Ranjit Singh Jindal's hands tremble slightly.
According to TAM Sports, 155 million Indians watched football on television in 2010, up from 124 million in 2009 and 83 million in 2008. Over 2008-2010, the number of viewers watching cricket in India rose from 122 million to 176 million. Football almost kept pace with it.
Three successive blasts kill 63, more than 100 injured destroyed the feel-good sentiment during Delhi's festive season. The Diwali blasts were directed at the heart of a nation. Delhi has become a prime target for terrorists and only strict vigilance and proper intelligence can prevent a recurrence of the capital's pre-Diwali tryst with terror.
Elections 2014, Lok Sabha elections, latest news, breaking news, Live updates and analysis on India, World, Bollywood, Sports, Business from Hindustan Times, India's most trusted news brand, India elections
The world needs science and science needs women," went the tagline for the event. 'Where does a man come in?' I wondered, when the assignment to report on the UNESCO - L'Oreal Women in Science Fellowship awards in Paris came my way.
He's bitter. When a 73-year-old technocrat who helped build India's reputation as an international sporting venue sees it crumble in newspapers and on television, it leaves him disillusioned. As he spreads a yellowing map of the Asiad Village on the table at his north Delhi home, Ranjit Singh Jindal's hands tremble slightly.
Even his mother was impressed. "Kalki, Vishnu's 10th incarnation, is likely to arrive in Kali Yuga," said the bespectacled boy. At a time when six-year-olds pester parents for the latest Playstation, here was a child who loved mythology the way urban kids dig violent Japanese toons.
On the trail of Gama the Great In times when spin doctors routinely anoint ordinary sportsmen as 'great', one exceptionally brilliant Indian wrestler can truly lay claim to the mantle. Over his long career he earned other sobriquets: Rustam-e-Zamana, the Lion of Punjab, a champion who died undefeated: the legend of Gama was built in the mud-pit akharas of the country.
The making of the Dhyan Chand legend A Suraiya fan who loved going on shikaar and relished his kulhad of rabri. A hockey magician who conjured up scoring opportunities at will and a patriot who turned down an offer the Fuhrer thought he couldn't refuse. Major Dhyan Chand was all these and then some.
Beating the British at their own game If Shah Rukh Khan were to give a pep talk to 11 bare-footed 'native' amateurs taking on a team of booted firangi professionals, he might have said: "Pachas minute! The next 50 minutes will turn you into Indian football's first action heroes."
by a white witchWild white magicAnd white liesBranded a white sheepI slaved as a whitesmithNear a white spotPeople called me a white jackSome hailed me as a white wogSo I joined a white watchTrained as a white guardLived off de white economyCaught and beaten by de whiteshirtsI was condemned to a white massDon't worry, I shall write to the Black House.-- White Comedy by Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal ZephaniahBenjamin Zephaniah, the Big Ben from London, is called Ek Roti by Ameena, his Pathani wife,...
Read: Football World Cup tourists, get ready for price shock Anybody who has kicked a leather ball around with some degree of control in his childhood suddenly has the name flung at him - whether you grew up playing in the lanes of Kolkata or Kottayam, or on a beach in Goa, or even on a playground in a government servants' colony in Delhi, the way I did: 'You think you are the next Pelé?'
The football World Cup kicks off in Brazil on June 12. India may be ranked a sorry 147th in the world, but it has already generated much excitement among Indian fans. When - and how - did the Beautiful Game become so popular here? Brunch explores.
Read | Brunch Personal Agenda: Sunil Chhetri Brazil will be under a lot of pressure and Spain is in a tough group. Who are you backing to win the World Cup this time? Brazil and Argentina will be tough to beat in conditions they are familiar with.
Published 17 March 2007 in Hindustan Times by Aasheesh Sharma. (Click here to read from source) The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) wants the Red Fort included in the list of the 26 World Heritage sites in the country. The hype surrounding the restoration of Humayun's Tomb just seems to be never-ending.
From a modest level of between Rs 8 and 10 crore in 2000, the annual turnover of the Indian art mart shot up to a whopping Rs 2,000 crore last year. Half of this was in documented public transactions such as open auctions and recorded sales, while an equal amount is attributed to direct cash purchases either by the producer or his dealer.
Standing a few yards behind the stall is Khan, 41, the cherubic author, one of the youngest exponents of the endangered art of Hindi pulp fiction. "He was the second person this morning to ask for my book by name.
Call them babes with the woods but a clutch of Indian youngsters is roughing it out on the international junior golf circuit. Backed by pushy parents, motivated by the huge financial rewards the professional game brings and armed with talent honed in top golf academies in the US, they represent the future of Indian golf.
Rajeev Sethi, our roving ethnic sceno grapher on the international circuit, is back to basics campaigning for the lot of dhokra craftsmen of Chhattisgarh at Delhi's elite India International Centre. Under the banner of Sethi's Asian Heritage Foundation, the tribal craftsmen from the Jhara community of Raigarh used their skills to make a statement about the lopsided development in the region.
After her match at the US Open, Sania Mirza is hot property in the endorsement stakes, with her brand worth reaching an incredible Rs 1.5 crore per annual deal, according to Anirban Blah, vice-president of Globosport, the firm that handles her endorsements.
Call them babes with the woods but a clutch of Indian youngsters is roughing it out on the international junior golf circuit. Backed by pushy parents, motivated by the huge financial rewards the professional game brings and armed with talent honed in top golf academies in the US, they represent the future of Indian golf.