Some of the rarest beauties of yesteryears are all set to roll out on the roads during the 51st edition of The Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally, which will be flagged off by Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, on February 26.


IAF to flag-off 51st edition of India's oldest vintage car rally


IANS Automatic

From crooning romantic lyrics to hip-swaying numbers, Bollywood celebrities lending their voice for films and even singles has become common. But now Hindi film stars are taking a step further by keeping up with times and rapping verses for movies and advertisements too.


Actors tap their rap talent


He fought in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war at the age of only 21 and later rose to critical acclaim as an artist, exhibiting his works around the globe. This master artist -- a national pride for the people of Bangladesh -- is soon to present his works at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.


Celebrated Bangladeshi war hero to exhibit select works at Rashtrapati Bhavan


Book: The Clothing of Books; Author: Jhumpa Lahiri; Publisher: Penguin; Price: 199; Pages: 71


Jhumpa Lahiri's reflections on book covers leave many questions unanswered (Book Review)


It's a movement that began during Christmas in 2012 with a competition to select the 'cleanest' family in this village. The festival-specific contest in the village, located about 80 km from Assam's largest city Guwahati, has now morphed into the ambition to win the 'Cleanest Village in Asia' title once held by Mawlynnong in neighbouring Meghalaya.


Assam hamlet aspires to be India's cleanest


As distinctive as their full-throated voices, the Langhas, a Muslim community of folk musicians from Rajasthan, have evolved a rather unique way to preserve their identity for centuries. It's a strict no-no for them to marry into other communities.


Music in blood: Rajasthan's Langhas don't marry into other communities


Images of ill-maintained public libraries -- laden with dust and poor-infrastructure, barely prompting a second visit -- is undergoing a complete makeover thanks to the government's ambitious National Mission on Libraries.


'India's public libraries undergoing revolutionary change'


It's the world's biggest river island and the first such in India to be declared a district. Now plans are afoot to declare it the country's first carbon-neutral district by 2020.


Majuli aims to be India's first carbon-neutral district (Environmental Feature)


The last few years have seen a sudden rise of literary festivals across India as well as the rest of South Asia but apart from a handful of them, most struggle not only to draw audience but also to survive. The ongoing Delhi Literature Festival here is no different.


Too many lit fests but few takers


An array of delicacies has been spread out along with a huge collection of handicraft items from sarees, shawls to paintings and home decor accessories at the second edition of the "Hunar Haat" which began here on Saturday.


It's all about crafts, cuisine at Hunar Haat 


A royal rendezvous with hand-picked Vintage and Classic cars and motorcycles is all set to take us down the memory lane as the the seventh edition of the 21 Gun Salute Vintage Car Rally and Concours Show returns to the Capital later this month.


Vintage car rally season kicks off February 17


At a time when there is talk of introducing prohibition across the country, a top Indian wine-maker says the concept has never worked and never will. Rather, efforts should be made to promote wine and beer to wean the people away from hard liquor.


Prohibition impractical, won't work: Sula Vineyards CEO (Lead, correcting designation)


Of Bengals 60.3 million population at the time, estimates are that between 1.5 and 4 million people died of starvation, malnutrition and disease during the famine of 1943.


Art as rebellion: A pictorial journey into the Bengal famine


The ninth edition of the India Art Fair that began here on Thursday exhibits a rare mix of colours, grandeur and, with its continued focus in nurturing global interest in South Asian arts, showcases works of emerging as well as established artists from the region.


Curtain rises on India Art Fair, major focus on South Asia


More than 125,000 birds of 93 species have been spotted in Himachal Pradesh's Pong Dam wetlands. Among them, greater flamingoes, a common migratory species in India's coastal areas, have been recorded for the first time here, an official said.


In a first, greater flamingoes spotted in Himachal's Pong wetlands


One of the most tantalising of all cooking methods, smoking hot barbeque dishes have been an everlasting temptation for connoisseurs and an ongoing food festival that celebrates this spirit brings together American, Oriental, European and our very own Indian tastes to woo foodies.


Savouring the global flavours of barbeques


With over five million BHIM apps having been downloaded, users are facing several "teething problems" that need to rectified. However, experts believe what is really required is an "awareness drive" to help the masses use the app.


As BHIM downloads touch 5mn, 'teething problems' hit payment app (Tech Trend)


Heaps of snow, razor-sharp icicles, the cackle of low-flying geese and the warmth of families huddled together to ward off the cold -- all these are markers of a great winter in Kashmir.


Bountiful and 'snowful', winter reclaims its glory in Kashmir


India's largest artist ghetto, Kathputli Colony, is a curious chapter in Delhi's book of shanty clusters. While demolitions and displacements are a constant fear in most slums, the rich artistic heritage and the ethereal way of living with a sense of community and cultural ethos are what sets it apart from others of its kind.


Impromptu celebrations were the norm in Kathputli Colony (Part II of II - Societal Feature)


It is an act of kindness and gratitude, but veiled in anonymity.


Chandigarh school kids adding strength to 'Wall of Kindness'


From the country's apex fashion body giving prominence to handwoven fabrics at shows to the Ministry of Textiles collaborating with top-notch fashion brands and designers for collections promoting indigenous textile, and social media buzzing with hashtags like #IwearHandloom, 2016 saw a new wave of awareness of handlooms among both the classes and the masses.

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