New Delhi, April 21 (IANS) "It's important for me as a person to comment on social and political issues. Social media is a powerful tool to project my opinions into the world. It is also a great place to find alternate points of view and to engage with people outside of our echo chambers. My tool is drawing, so that is what I use to express myself," says artist Ikroop Sandhu, whose illustration, re-imagining painter Amrita Shergill's famous 'Three Girls' to mark Woman's Day during the ongoing farmers' agitation went viral.

Hyderabad, April 20 (IANS) Madhuri Srikanth, an Indian-origin artist with roots in Telangana, has received a special invite to showcase her works at 'Romantica', an international art exhibition, to be held at Italy's Milan between April 23 and May 2.

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Renowned Indian mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has now turned his attention to aspirants for the Indian civil service with his new book "Indian Culture, Art and Heritage" to show how the amalgamation of the three elements have created, built and resurrected Indian society from its inception.

New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) For artist GR Iranna, ash represents the parallels between life and death.

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) The English rendering of "Amader Shantiniketan", a charming memoir by the late Hindi writer Shivani, translated by her daughter Ira Pande, will be released under Penguin Random House India's Vintage imprint next month.

New Delhi, April 16 (IANS) A timely and comprehensive political critique of India's 'grand old party', the Indian National Congress, author Amit Bagaria's new book "Congress-Mukt Bharat: Is the Modi Era the End of Congress?" is a compelling and multi-dimensional take on the political, ideological and structural downfall of this 135-year-old party and the ascent to power of the Narendra Modi-led BJP.

New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Without legacy systems of the past, Indian businesses are uniquely positioned to leverage the new digital media, says Will Page, former Chief Economist of music streaming app Spotify, in his new book "Tarzan Economics" (Simon & Schuster), extrapolating the global music industry's journey in coping with the threat of online piracy to present eight principles for pivoting through today's ubiquitous disruption in almost all industries -- much in the manner in which the 'ape man' swings from vine to vine to attain his goals.

New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Contemporary and internationally respected spiritual teacher Nithya Shanti unveils the art of letting go and returning to a 'zero state', a state of mind that has only intentions and no desires, in "Call Your Own Bluff: An Incredible Journey to Your True Freedom" (Penguin) as he guides you on the road to spiritual awareness -- all the more necessary in these pandemic times.

New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) From brass utensils to stainless steel tiffins. From cow dung to buckets -- in the world of one of India's best known contemporary artists, Subodh Gupta, the universal derives from the personal even as the past and future emerges as a time of both hope and conflict.

Chennai, April 13 (IANS) Folk artistes across Tamil Nadu continued their protest for the second day on Tuesday over restrictions on temple festivals amid the surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the southern state. Their main demand is that the festivals must be allowed with a cap on the number of people participating in them.

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Sachin Tendulkar gave him a mantra that he took to heart, getting it etched on his arm as a tattoo.

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Are you waiting for that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change your life, change your business or change the world? How will you know when it comes? How will you be sure you're ready?

New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) "The Banker Who Crushed His Diamonds" that charts the trajectory of the YES Bank from its inception to its dramatic rise and meteoric downfall, capturing the story of the people behind one of the biggest banking failures in Indian history, is to be adapted for the screen, its publisher, Penguin, has announced after closing a deal with Almighty Motion Picture for its AV rights.

New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Hero or hurdle? That's the question one is left wondering after reading "The Gopichand Factor" (Westland) given author Abhijeet Kulkarni's praising sky high only the second Indian to win the All-England badminton title but also grudgingly admitting how he has been an impediment to the game while being the Chief National Coach for the past 14 years while simultaneously running his private training academy -- leading to repeated charges of a huge conflict of interest.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANSlife) Imagine the imposing interiors of one of the finest Neo Gothic Victorian heritage structures in Mumbai -- The Convocation Hall at the Fort campus of the University of Mumbai, with soulful Indian classical music transporting you to an ethereal world of bliss.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANSlife) Paintings by Dipali Deshpande, an artist seized by her love for the nine-yard wonder and Indian women's clothing and textiles, will be on view at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), Delhi, from April 16-22.

New Delhi, April 9 (IANSlife) Thespian Trishla Patel, who plays the character of Beni Bai in the teleplay 'Aaj Rang Hai' -- a musical celebration of India's syncretic cultural and artistic traditions through the poetry of Amir Khusrau -- says that the core message of the play is 'humanity over hate'.

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) The Vadehra Art Gallery in the national capital is organising a solo exhibition by artist Sachin George Sebastian, who brings new drawings and cut-out sculptures cast in metal and paper in his latest body of work titled 'Once, there was a seed'.

New Delhi, April 7: The ambience at the group art exhibition "Lok Mein Ram" mounted at the newly inaugurated New Delhi-based Sanskar Bharati Kala Sankul is divine and aesthetic. The reason is that the 25 artworks and one installation - all exquisite and engaging -- at Sankuls maiden exhibition are all devoted to Lord Ram and Ramayana, one of Indias holiest scriptures.

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Dave Grohl has been one of the most beloved and respected figures on the international music scene since his recorded debut with the alternative rock band Nirvana on 1991s generation-defining "Nevermind".

New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Two new books by Chennai-based data journalist Rukmini S, "Whole Numbers and Half-Truths: What Data Tells Us About Modern India" and "India in 100 Charts", to be published by Westland, are set to release in quick succession

New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) India's favourite mythologist, Devdutt Pattanaik will introduce readers to the fascinating mythology of angels, demons, prophets and kings of the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in his new book, "Eden: An Indian Retelling of Jewish, Christian and Islamic lore" (Viking).

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) As tribes are among the disadvantaged sections of the society, a quiz has been started by the Centre at promoting and preserving their craft, culture and lifestyle to improve their income. Tribes constitute over 8 per cent of our population.

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) Mir Taqi Mir (1723-1810) was not only Urdu's first great poet but also the most prolific one with around 13,500 couplets to his name. He is credited with giving shape and structure to the Urdu language itself, is counted among the five major poets of the language along with Mirza Ghalib, Mir Anees Allama Iqbal and Josh Malihabadi and is often mentioned as 'Khuda-e-Sukhan' (God of Posey or poetry).

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) Is the Mahabharat an epic or is it history? Is Ashwathama, one of the seven 'Chiranjeevis' or immortals, a figment of past imagination or does he really continue to wander the Earth to this day? Could he really be seeking revenge on Krishna, and be willing to curse all of humanity with a deadly plague?