Press snippets

An annual affair prone to hurting the sentiments of those communities it claims to represent: Live models have made a return at the ‘Adivasi Mela’ – Odisha

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Debabrata Mohanty, indianexpress.com, Bhubaneswar, February 2, 2014 Live models have made a return, with an old Santhal tribal standing within his barricaded space playing the musical instrument kendara. | To read the full article, click here >> Two years after the Orissa government drew flak for bringing in around 250 tribals to pose as live models during … Read more

Santal customs and the question of women’s rights vs. ‘punishment’: A commentary by Ruby Hembrom – West Bengal & Jharkhand

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Ruby Hembrom, Times of India, 25 January 2014 | To read the full commentary and understand its context, click here >> KOLKATA: The news of the gang rape as a punishment in Birbhum district was the most horrific piece of news about atrocities of tribals against themselves. We’ve heard of inter-tribal conflicts but here was one … Read more

Vayali’s Bamboo Orchestra: Reinventing the ancient tradition – Kerala

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How many of Kerala’s many musical instruments are made out of bamboo? The flute, which is a part of the classical music tradition in India, is the most popular bamboo musical instrument in the country. Not many know, however, that the versatile bamboo has produced several other musical instruments that have been part of Kerala’s … Read more

Revisiting India’s reservoir of knowledge traditions: The creative sector seen as as an organic agency for human development and sustainability

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Sharada Ramanathan, The Hindu, June 5, 2012 India must pay more attention to its creative industries not just for the profits they generate but as enablers of sustainable human development The Copyright Act (Amendment) Bill, 2012 passed recently by Parliament, is a landmark beginning for the Indian creative sector. In an era that is overwhelmed by … Read more

School in the cloud: Children with mentors on the other side of the world

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Alison Gee BBC World Service [Magazine], BBC 25 April 2014 | Read the full report >> Five years ago, an Indian schoolboy struck up an unlikely friendship with a retired teacher in London – and with her help he is now studying to be a doctor. Even though they live thousands of miles apart and have never … Read more