English

অনুষা বিশ্বনাথন (Anusha Vishwanathan)

(In)significant Death

‘…Yet, as we step into this new era, Death is so rampant, it seems to be losing its significance. And if Death loses its significance in society, does the ability to love also deteriorate?’ Of love, death and other demons.

ডাকবাংলা.কম

Interview: Adoor Gopalakrishnan

‘I first watched ‘Pather Panchali’ without sub-titles — not understanding one word of the film. It was so real, so different from anything I had seen… Ray had nothing to do with the so-called industry, he was a complete outsider. And he dealt with life not observed by others.’ Kerala’s maestro on Satyajit Ray’s films.

শুভা মুদ্গল (Shubha Mudgal)

Shubharambh: Part 7

‘…For musicians in the country, the message is loud and clear — adapt, as you have always done in the past, use your resourcefulness and creativity to strategise and come to terms with the new normal. ‘ Searching for new avenues in creativity.

দেবদত্ত পট্টনায়েক (Devdutt Pattanaik)

Atheist and Secular Mythologies

‘…If the word ‘myth’ was once hurled as an insult at polytheists who believed in many gods who regulated the world, it is now being also hurled at monotheists who once dominated the world with their one God.’ Changing beliefs.

মুকুল কেসবন (Mukul Kesavan)

Twins: Modern Sport and the Nation State

‘…The Olympics, more than any other sporting event, has pioneered this non-stop identification of sport and the nation. As early as 1908, athletes at the Olympics became representatives of their nations as opposed to individual competitors.’ Nationalism and the Olympic Games.

মালবিকা ব্যানার্জি (Malavika Banerjee)

Hunger Games

‘…Every now and then the Olympics reveals a darker side, where the blood, sweat and tears of honest discipline mutate dangerously into conspiracy, sabotage, even violence.’ The murk that lies beneath the glory.

The Show Must Go On

‘…With billions of dollars already spent and with the global ecosystem of sport including funding of multiple federations overwhelmingly dependant on the Olympics, there are very strong reasons for the Games to happen. For athletes who have spent five years of their lives getting ready, cancellation would have been tragic.’ Why the Tokyo Olympics was bound to happen.

জয় ভট্টাচার্য (Joy Bhattacharjya)

Born in Kolkata: Norman Pritchard

‘… Pritchard was arguably the first sporting star to make it in Broadway and then films, years before Johnny Weissmuller and Sonja Henie. He assumed the screen name of Norman Trevor and appeared in 28 Hollywood films, often with leading roles.’ The fascinating story of India’s first Olympics medal winner.

প্রতীতি গণত্র (Pratiti Ganatra)

Absent Moves

‘…Chess is played in more than 170 countries of the world. What then are the criteria for a sport to be included in the prestigious Olympics and why hasn’t chess made the cut so far?’ A look at the reasons why.

High Hopes for Hockey

‘…We have a good mix of youth and talent in this side. India did make the quarters in the last World Cup…If we play to that level at Tokyo, a podium finish is not impossible.’ Eyeing the hockey gold after Moscow 1982.

Meaning in Conflict

‘…The Conflictorium describes itself as The Museum of Conflict – a memorial space that documents the incidence and significance of conflict, with special emphasis on the state of Gujarat. Political, social and personal.’ Of a unique space dedicated to memory.

Acting out stardom

‘…Ray’s look at a ‘star’ in Nayak is far more nuanced and layered — as a celebrity, a person who is admired and adored but mistaken for the characters he has played and whom the audience wrongly feel they know in real life.’ The layered cult of the superstar.