Robert A.F. Thurman

Robert A.F. Thurman, an academic with a Buddhist monk’s soul

Thurman said that Tibet was not an individual nation-state question but something that goes far beyond that. “It is not about a people yearning for freedom from an invading state. It is about a very valuable society struggling to keep its centuries-old tradition of intellectual evolution alive.” He said that while he was hopeful that the problem would be resolved soon, “and during His Holiness’ lifetime,” it was hard to put a timeframe to it.

A White Strip Exposes New Political Faultlines in Cosmopolitan Mumbai

The perceived push from a political leadership that has roots in Gujarat, the split in the locally rooted Shiv Sena that was engineered, the resentment it brewed among ordinary citizens and the history of Maharashtra -- which was born on May 1, 1960 after a bitter struggle that split the erstwhile Bombay State into two distinct linguistic states of Maharashtra and Gujarat -- are all complex and contributory factors to the evolving political unrest in middle-class Mumbai. 

Patriotism not About Hating Another Country: South Asia's Shared Inheritance Deserves a Future Beyond Perpetual Hostility

I claim Tagore and Iqbal. I claim the music of Lata Mangeshkar and Mehdi Hassan.I claim the shared cultural inheritance of South Asia in all its richness and contradictions. History divided states. It could not divide memory. The food we eat, the stories we tell, the languages we speak, and the melodies that move us still carry echoes of a shared past.

Vision of Shared Humanity: Path of Dharma For Peaceful and Purposeful Living in an Interconnected World

It does not ask anyone to abandon their religion. A Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jew, or secular humanist can walk the path of Dharma without contradiction. Dharma is not a replacement for religion. It is a shared ethical foundation beneath all religions — the ground on which they all, at their best, already stand.

More on Culture and Society

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

Nepal rights activist Muskan Khatun wins 2021 International Women of Courage Award

Muskan Khatun, an acid attack survivor, will be awarded the prestigious International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award for her work to end acid attacks

Sri Lankan lawyer Ranitha Gnanarajah named recipient of 2021 International Women of Courage Award

Sri Lankan Human Rights Activist and Attorney-At-Law Ranitha Gnanarajah is among the recipients of this year’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) award presented by the United States Secretary of State

Pakistani girl stitches portraits in never-before-tried art

Hailing from a small town in Malakand, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, Almas Khanam Jan has come to the limelight for her stitched portraits on flour strainers - an art that has never been tried before

Netflix continues to invest in the Indian market

The insatiable appetite for films in India has spurred Netflix to continue to invest in content for its streaming platform here

Smiling women from across India

In what merges together her passion for art and travel, portraits of various smiling Indian women by Delhi-based artist and art curator Priyanka Banerjee -- created over ten years -- bring out the resilience and spirit of women of the country

Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh’s debut movie in Tamil film with Sri Lankan actress

Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh is making his debut movie with Sri Lankan actress and television presenter Losliya Mariyanesan. The spin bowler recently shared the teaser of his debut film Friendship, revealing the casting of Losliya, who is from Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka, according to the Newswire

PSL delayed with immediate effect after COVID-19 cases

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Thursday that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6 has been delayed "with immediate effect" after seven people participating in the tournament-tested positive for COVID-19

Humour flows unhindered across the India-Pakistan Line of Control

Digital age and Internet has helped in exchange of humour and creativity across the tense man-made borders of India and Pakistan

Much more needs to be written on Kashmir: Author-playwright Ashish Kaul

He always thought of his best-selling book 'Refugee Camp' as a celluloid spectacle, a story of Kashmir's living tragedy, but aware of the cinematic challenges, author Ashish Kaul first wanted to establish the validity and acceptance of the story