Aiming to ease hurdles faced by small sellers to showcase products online, many e-commerce platforms are offering incentives to bridge the gap by removing intermediaries and delivering products from the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to consumers.


Bridging the gap: E-commerce platforms pave way for SMEs to sell products


IANS Automatic

If you are looking for an escape from the cacophony of maddening city life, head to this tiny village located in the lap of Banjar Valley in Kullu district. Pristine and undisturbed, serenity and calmness linger in the air of Jibhi, a lesser known destination in Himachal Pradesh.


Tiny Himachal hamlet is a perfect getaway from city life (Travelogue)


White, fluffy clouds hanging low over green hills, little pools of still water teeming with migratory birds and an omnipresent cool breeze -- the semi-arid region of Kutch in Gujarat transforms into a completely different avatar during the monsoon.


Kutch in the monsoon: A must-visit destination (Environmental Feature)


Former Planning Commission member Arun Maira contends that "physical violence" in the real world and "verbal violence" on social media against people whom "we do not approve of" are increasing today. With such trends on the rise, the very idea of democracy finds itself in a crisis.


'Democracy in crisis, we need to listen to those we dislike' (IANS Interview)


Perfection in the classical dance form of Kuchipudi can only be attained if one is dedicated and disciplined, believes Bhavana Reddy, the daughter of well-known Kuchipudi exponents and Padma Bhushan recipients Raja and Radha Reddy.


Perfection in Kuchipudi needs complete dedication: Dancer Bhavana Reddy 


Banning e-cigarettes may deprive Indian smokers of a substantially less harmful alternative, which can be against public health and can result in adverse consequences, experts have warned.


E-cigarette ban wipes out less harmful alternative for smokers: Experts


A biscuit dunked in tea drops. That's Bollywood's metaphor for erectile dysfunction for you.


In public interest: Bollywood pushes the content envelope


Twenty years ago she was a chartered financial accountant in a fund management company in Hong Kong -- and before that in New York and London -- smoking cigarettes and dressing fancy. Today she wears maroon monastic clothes, her head shaven, asking people to buy her book, whose royalties go to the welfare of disabled children in Bhutan.


Finance to Freedom: A businesswoman finds salvation in Buddhism


Read an intensely human and deeply political account of the Sikh riots; learn to value life from an autistic man; relive the extraordinary life story of emperor Ashoka; and know about the horrors of partition from people who inhabit the land through which these lines run.


Of Sikh riots, optimism and history (IANS Books This Weekend)


The literary scene has been quiet for some time now, but as the heat of summer gradually recedes, quite a few literary festivals and gatherings are on the cards. With such crowd-pulling platforms for publicity and launch of new books scheduled in the coming months, many works of interest by headline authors will soon hit the stores.


Five books to look forward to in September 2017


Offshore wind -- plentiful along the coast of southern India -- can be a potential source to meet the increasing energy demand in this region, scientists at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai report.


Offshore wind farms proposed to meet energy demand (Environmental Feature)


Globally renowned English-Australian chef, television show host and restaurateur Gary Mehigan says he believes that "regionality is what sets Indian food apart" from the cuisines across the world.


'Regionality' sets Indian food apart: Chef Gary Mehigan 


With most airlines and hotels lowering prices to attract customers during what is known as the "off-period" for travel, a vacation during the monsoon season is slowly catching the fancy of travellers in India.


Cheaper hotels, lower rush lure travellers to monsoon vacations


As over 50 million Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in India look to move to a secure Cloud, Microsoft -- with its end-to-end offerings with New-Age capabilities -- is set to help them evolve and adopt an "intelligent" Cloud, says Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari.


Microsoft ready to take 50mn SMBs on 'intelligent' Cloud: Anant Maheshwari (IANS Interview)


Going around is a British invention, not improbable in the land of the cartwheel penny, but the London Eye tops it all. It earns 25,000 pounds every day.


Walking through London, tongue in cheek (Travelogue)


The newly-opened Desi Di is certainly a pot-breaking joint while trying to be a path breaker.


Desi Di - A pot-breaking Chennai restaurant (Foodie Trail-Chennai)


With the digital boom exposing Indian youth to international content like never before, content providers and broadcasters are gearing to cater to growing demands for quality film and television shows from the West and other countries.


Global content streams into Indian homes (Entertainment Feature)


Consomme al Indienne, Delicacies a l'Hindustan, Poularde souffle independence. These were some of the dishes on the dinner menu at The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, on August 14, 1947.


Recreating the menu of India's last night as a colony (Lead, Correcting Para 9)


There is more to Tirunelveli, where a 6,000 MW nuclear power plant is coming up, than its famous wheat halwa, parotta, sodhi (a coconut milk based dish), adai and rasam. The region offers something for everyone -- from a five-year-old toddler to adults, a top caterer from the district said.


At Spice Jar's Tirunelveli fest, the food is mild and tasty (Foodie Trail-Chennai)



Recreating the menu of India's last night as a colony


The little-known Brokpa tribals of Ladakh, who claim to have been vegans for some 2,200 years of their existence, are slowly opting for an alternative diet including dairy products, eggs and meat -- thanks to climate change.

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