Culture

Unleashing yoga power at UN, the Modi way

- by Manish Chand

After launching the ‘Make in India’ mantra back home, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed the country’s soft power at the UN as he exhorted the world community to observe an International Yoga Day, which he eloquently described as “India’s gift to the world.”
In his maiden speech at the UN General Assembly, which marked the 61-year-old leader’s metamorphosis into a world statesman, Mr Modi interspersed his robust pitch for reforms of the UN Security Council with a philosophical spin on organic connections between climate change and yoga, which he grounded in the spiritual concepts of harmony between man and nature. “By changing our lifestyle and creating consciousness, it can help us deal with climate change. Let us work towards adopting an International Yoga Day,” he said.

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Bridging past and future: Nalanda University comes alive after 8 centuries

- by India Writes Network

After 821 years Nalanda, an ancient seat of learning and cultural exchange located in India’s eastern state Bihar, has once again come alive, linking the past and the present and building a bridge to the future. India’s External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the academic session at the Nalanda University’s reincarnation into a modern global knowledge hub on September 19.
“Today is a historic day for Nalanda University. It is a day when a vision has become a reality. It is a day when all roads are leading to Nalanda. For us, Nalanda University is the link between the past and the present and the bridge to our future,” the minister said while planting a ‘peepal’ sapling which will blossom into a sturdy tree of knowledge in days to come.

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Al Qaeda delusional, Indian Muslims will live & die for India: Modi

- by India Writes Network

In an unambiguous response to extremist Islamic organisations seeking recruits from India, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his belief that Indian Muslims will live and die for India, and stressed that Al Qaeda is “delusional” if it thinks they will join its barbaric campaign for global jihad.

“My understanding is that they are doing injustice to the Muslims of our country. If anyone thinks Indian Muslims will dance to their tune, they are delusional. Indian Muslims will live for India, they will die for India — they will not want anything bad for India,” said Modi in an interview to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.

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Bollywood bonding: Hindi Chini filmi bhai

- by India Writes Network

Call it Bollywood bonding, if you like. India and China may have some festering differences, but the magic of cinema entwines these two Asian giants.

When Chinese President Xi Jinping comes to India on his maiden visit September 17-19, the two countries are expected to sign a pact on the joint co-production of films, a pioneering initiative that seeks to bring the people of the two countries closer culturally.

“Both have huge film industries and these industries will be linked soon following the pact,” said Zhang Hongsenon, Director-General of Film Bureau of China, on September 10.

This move follows recent attempts by the film industry in both countries to tap into the rich tapestry of culture in their respective countries and market in each other’s country. In recent years Indian movies like the Aamir Khan-starrer, Three Idiots, have been a huge success in China. Dubbed versions of the movie were screened throughout the country making the language barrier a mere formality.

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