An Opening Steeped in Artistic Gravitas As dusk settled over Vidyasagar Udyan at College Square, the 32nd International Art and Sculpture Festival unfolded with a quiet grandeur that only Kolkata’s cultural ethos can sustain.
I often feel that the Kolkata of my youth no longer exists except in memory. Yet whenever I think of that lost city, I remember its seasons first—as though they were movements in a grand symphony that shaped the emotional rhythm of my life.
The West Bengal assembly election has just ended with the swearing in of the new government on 9 May 2026.
I grew up in Kolkata at a time when public life carried a certain dignity. Politics was not merely a contest for power; it was also an exercise in restraint, language, and moral posture.
The Opposition’s problem is no longer merely ideological confusion or organisational weakness.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that a rare set of Chola-era copper plates dating back to the 11th century will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands, describing the development as “a joyous moment for every Indian” and a significant step towards reclaiming India’s cultural heritage from overseas collections.
Exactly at 5 pm on 29 April, all TV stations worth their salt began to harangue viewers with electoral data ~ never mind the fact that due to Election Commission restrictions, no exit poll results could be broadcast till 6.30 pm.
Known as ‘The Ghost,’ Izz al-Din al-Haddad had survived six Israeli assassination attempts over decades. On Friday, three Israeli jets dropped 13 bombs on a Gaza City building and ended that streak.
Ebola has killed at least 80 people in eastern Congo and crossed into Uganda’s capital. The WHO declared a global health emergency on Sunday. No vaccine exists for this strain.
A singer most of Europe had never heard of just won the world’s biggest song contest. Dara’s ‘Bangaranga’ scored 516 points and broke every record.
