Indian Train Hostesses

BY NIKLESH SINGH Indian Railways in a bid to provide better passenger services will soon introduce train hostesses in its premium trains which include Vande Bharat, Gatimaan and Tejas Express. However, the train hostesses will not be introduced in the long-distance premium trains like Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express. So next time you travel by train, don’t be surprised if a woman smilingly approaches you … Continue reading Indian Train Hostesses

Haute Cuisine Club Style

BY DR KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA The exclusive elite ‘Gentlemen’ clubs of Italy were known for their culinary elegance and glamour. Similarly, India’s culinary spread is truly remarkable and we would be enriched with elite patronage and assimilating these items as part of the urbane haute cuisine. The term ‘foodie’ and ‘haute cuisine’ along with ‘fine dining’ has entered our globalised lexicon in urban India for nearly … Continue reading Haute Cuisine Club Style

Romancing The Grassroots

BY DR KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA Recently I was having a conversation with an old school friend of mine and marveled at this idea of how the notion of ‘grassroots’ was glamourized by an earlier generation of intellectuals and educated classes. We both concurred that this romanticization of the ‘grassroots’ of the egalitarian dreamy-eyed intelligentsia of pre-1990s India was basically proffering of piety and condescension to the … Continue reading Romancing The Grassroots

Railway Lamb Curry

Ingredients 8 garlic cloves , crushed thumb-sized piece ginger , finely grated 2 tsp turmeric 800g leg of lamb on the bone, cut into bite-sized pieces 3 tbsp vegetable oil 10-12 curry leaves 1 onion , finely chopped 450ml lamb stock 1 medium potato , peeled and cut into chunks 250ml coconut milk 2 tsp tamarind paste rice or roti, to serve For the spice mix 1 tbsp coriander seeds 2 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 6-7 dried Kashmiri chillies (or mild dried red chillies), … Continue reading Railway Lamb Curry

Plato’s Influence on Western Child Protection

BY DR KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA Searching for answers about the dysfunctional Western child welfare system, which is unjustly confiscating thousands of children from their families every year, I found a possible answer in Plato, whose profound influence on Western thought is well-known. A lot of my understanding of Plato comes from the legendary thinker Karl Popper and his work The Open Society and its Enemies, which provided a … Continue reading Plato’s Influence on Western Child Protection

Childhood Given New Meaning in European Schools

BY DR KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA In the 18th and 19th centuries, the public schools of Britain, the lycées of France and the Cadet Academies of Prussia set the template for modern Europe’s state-controlled childcare apparatus. Global child rights discourse often turns the spotlight on how children are treated—historically and in present times—in our part of the world. But it is also educational to turn the gaze … Continue reading Childhood Given New Meaning in European Schools

Bhabha

BY DR KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYYA Bhabha placed India in the global league of scientific powers The history and evolution of the Indian atomic energy program is synonymous with the life-story of Dr Homi Bhabha, the story which N.D. Sharma has attempted to capture in his book, Homi Bhabha: A Visionary & Science Administrator Extraordinaire, along with Dr Baldev Raj. Unfortunately, Dr Raj did not live to see … Continue reading Bhabha

Casting Hume into the Flames

BY EFFIE DEANS How does civilization begin? It begins with agriculture. Prior to the development of agriculture all we have is hunter gatherers in small bands living from moment to moment intent only on the bare necessities of life such as obtaining food and shelter. What enabled the transition to agriculture? It was the division of labour. In order for people to settle down and … Continue reading Casting Hume into the Flames

Stir Fried Bottle Gourd & Shrimp

BY RUCHIRA GHOSH Ingredients:  1 medium sized bottle gourd, peeled, thinly sliced 250gms shrimps cleaned, de-veined 3-4 green chillies 2-3 tbsp Cooking oil 1 small onion chopped 1 tbsp parsley leaves chopped 1 tsp  cumin powder ½ tsp turmeric powder Salt to taste Method: In a pan heat oil and lightly sauté the shrimps. Remove and set aside. In the same pan add more oil, … Continue reading Stir Fried Bottle Gourd & Shrimp