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Bengali

Can Bengal divide be bridged?

Growing up in and around Kolkata during the post-independence era I was aware of two distinct segments in Bengali society – the “Ghotis” and the “Bangals”. Bangals referred to all Bengalis who moved to India from East Bengal around the time of partition while the Ghotis were the natives of West Bengal.

Old elites’ losses have been PTI’s gains

A bridge not linked to any road gets one nowhere. Pakistan’s stagnant politics resembles one even if it is now in uncharted terrain, with huge turmoil upending old political patterns. However, big political transitions follow the deep societal change.

The emergence of global Bangla

More than 2.5 million Banglaspeaking people comprise only a tiny fraction of the huge mosaic of the US population, which is around 331.45 million, according to the 2020 census. The ever-growing population of Bengali immigrants in the US and around the world has emerged and evolved as a new cultural community, without living in a nation-state and still sharing a linguistic and cultural identity drifting from their countries of origin — namely Bangladesh and India.

From Hemant Kumar to Salil Chowdhary: Lata’s strong bond with Bengali music maestros

Hemant who had a lifelong association with this music maestro was not the only person but Lata Mangeshkar's love and respect for the singers and music directors of Bengal was deep-rooted and went beyond the corridors of professionalism. The 'Nightingale of India' didn't know Bengali but her love for the language was so deep that she hired film director Basu Bhattacharyay to learn it.