A Tomb Stone of a Jewish serviceman served in Ceylon

Jewish Footprints and Connections that Shaped Sri Lanka’s History

Today, the Chabad Houses in Colombo and on Sri Lanka's southern coast have attracted considerable attention amid a rise in anti-Semitic incidents and rhetoric. It is noteworthy that Colombo once had an active synagogue, which served as a regular place of worship for British Jewish servicemen World War II

Repositioning India as the Capital of Buddhist Tourism: A Blueprint for a Global Destination

Buddhist tourism as an important tool of India’s soft power. The shared Buddhist heritage can help develop cultural ties with Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Mongolia, South Korea, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, and several other Buddhist-majority nations through cooperation in archaeology, monk-to-monk dialogues, youth programs, academic exchanges, and cultural festivals

Mohenjo-daro’s ‘Dancing Girl’: The Silence Surrounding Women in Public History

Mohenjo-daro offers South Asia an opportunity to look backwards without dividing the past into national possessions, and to recognise that the region’s cultural memory is older and more interconnected than its modern inheritors.

How a Film by a Boston-Based Immigrant is Dismantling the Model-Minority Concept

Jam Boy represents a much-needed question for the South Asia diaspora, about why it takes a third aggressor for us to see the common struggles that we share, and why it is only in these situations that we remember that our ideas of home are the same.

More on Soft Power, Culture and Society

A statue stolen 37 years ago returns to Nepal

Thirty-seven years after it was stolen and subsequently landed in the US, a stone stela of Lakshmi-Narayan depicting Hindu deities of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, is finally returning to its original home in Patan, a city located just across the Bagmati river from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal

Bangladesh gets first transgender news presenter, creates history

For 29-year-old Tashnuva Anan Shishir and the transgender community globally, it was indeed a historic day. The woman, who survived bullying, assault and suicide attempts, has become the first transgender to become a newsreader in Bangladesh

Livelihood impacted by COVID, famous blind Nepali singer finds solace in music

He led a very tough life. Orphaned at the age of one and losing his eyesight due to a serious head injury, he lived with his grandmother, who would do menial work or beg for survival

Shyam Benegal's biopic 'Bangabandhu' to immortalise Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, bolster ties

The 50th year of Independence is special for Bangladesh as lakhs of Bengalis died fighting for the cause of freedom. It is equally important for India as it played a pivotal role in helping them to overthrow the tyrannical rule of West Pakistan

Wildlife conservation in Kashmir: Changing attitudes

The role of wildlife conservationists and rescuers such as Aaliya Mir is increasingly becoming important in the wake of frequent human-wildlife conflicts in Jammu & Kashmir

Amitabh Bachchan to be honoured with 2021 FIAF Award

Indian megatart Amitabh Bachchan will be conferred upon with the prestigious 2021 FIAF Award by the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the worldwide organisation of film archives and museums from across the world, at a virtual showcase scheduled to take place on March 19

Canada's dancing Sikh spreads positivity through bhangra

A Canadian Sikh has gone viral, and not surprisingly it is bhangra that has made him a darling of social media

Pakistani rapper releases new song to highlight harassment, injustice against women

Ali Gul Pir, Pakistan’s famous rapper, television, voice actor, and stand-up comedian, has released a new song that has become quite a trailblazer with its strong message on domestic violence, and everyday harassment women face in Pakistani society

Sri Lankan artist shots to fame after directing Eminem’s 'Tone Deaf' animated lyrical video

Sri Lankan animation artist Randy Chriz Perera has shot to fame after he directed the animation for the lyric video of internationally famed American rapper Eminem’s new song 'Tone Deaf,' which has already gone viral

Kashmir's top ice-skater who did India proud

In the winter of 2014, Basharat Ahad Mir, barely 12 then, would pedal 50 odd kilometres from his home in Parimpora on Srinagar outskirts all the way to winter resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district to practice ice-skating there in sub-zero temperatures

Nepal’s stolen ancient artifact set to return after 40 years

The months-long joint investigation, involving several agencies of the United States and Nepal, led to the return of Nepal’s rare artifact, Patan’s status of Vasudeva Kamalaja, to Nepali authorities

Malala Yousafzai tells her favorite movie and TV shows

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, in an Instagram post revealed her favorite movie and TV show

Lifelong dream of working with Shah Rukh Khan came true: Pakistani actress Mahira Khan

As a child, Pakistani star Mahira Khan had a lifelong dream and that was to work with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan one day

What Indian women do on Twitter 24/7

When it comes to Twitter which has become a political battlefield and an arena for troll armies, Indian women are busy sharing their passions and interests the most, talking about fashion, books, beauty, entertainment and food on the service, the micro-blogging platform revealed on Friday

Sri Lankan PM for grand celebration of Shivratri

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapksa has directed government officials to make all arrangements for the grand celebration for Maha Shivratri, an important festival of Hindus falling on 11 March this year