Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], May 29 (ANI): Biju Janta Dal (BJD) on Sunday announced candidates for the four seats from Odisha for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Kolkata Mar 25 PTI A rally sans any political flag was taken out in the city on Friday evening to protest the gruesome burning of at least eight persons at Bogtui village in Birbhum earlier this week in an apparent retaliatory attacks following the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress panchayat deputy chief People from all walks of life including students academics film directors and from other professionals participated in the rally The participants walked from Moulali in central Kolkata to Jorasanko Thakurbari abode of the Tagore family in the north to protest the killings demanding justice for the families of the victims Academician Pabitra Sarkar film directors Anik Dutta and Kamaleswar Mukhopadhyay were among those who took part in the rally Our demand is that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are apprehended and brought to justice Sarkar said Mukhopadhyay said that people should rise above political and personal interests and join the protests against the killings The participants held posters and banners in their hands terming this as a shameful incident Kolkata has a long history of intelligentsia coming on to the streets to protest issues sans any political colour The previous Left Front government too ad to face several such protests in the past including one against shooting of protestors at Nandigram which the CPIM led government had earmarked to be part of a new chemical hub PTI AMR JRC JRC

New Delhi Jan 26 PTI She had no musical background doesnt follow tradition blindly and has graduate degrees in law and the sciences Defying stereotype and definition Hindustani vocalist Dr Prabha Atre carved out a destiny all her own and says quite simply that singing was better than dissecting frogs or defending criminalsThe 89-year-old renowned artiste was on Tuesday awarded the Padma Vibhushan the nations second highest civilian honour Its the third in the series following the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002I am different so my singing is also different I am a law and science graduate and I think differently I keep my eyes open I dont just follow anything in the name of tradition the irrepressible Atre told PTI in a phone interview from PuneI have done it in my style and sometimes had to fight for that added the classical musician with a difference her story unlike many others who followed their craft and passion from when they were children and swear by traditionAtre is equally candid about her happiness in accepting the award I should be happy with my music whether I get awards or not But this award is the second highest civilian award and it makes me very happy and proud I chose a unique path in my field and the audience appreciated it and continued supporting me An internationally renowned Hindustani classical music vocalist from the Kirana Gharana Swaryogini Atre said she wants to work till her last breath to fulfill her dream to find a wider audience for classical musicI want to sing till the last breath but I also want to keep working in other aspects of music I want to take classical music to the masses to make it popular and to make it easy to learn Until that happens classical music will not survive Recalling her growing up years Atre who has a bachelor of science degree from Ferguson College in Pune and one from the Law College in the university there said music was not a priority and was in fact just a matter of chanceI was studying science and then law and never thought in my wildest dream that I would be a musician My parents were into academics and in fact my mothers illness brought music to our house She used to learn the harmonium and I used to sit beside her She left music but I continued Atre saidI think I was destined to be a musician People started liking my music and I was getting remuneration for it I think temperamentally I was most suited to music she addedIt has been a long and challenging journey Besides being an accomplished performer she has also excelled as a thinker researcher academician reformer author composer and guruAtre also advocates changes in the education system so classical music can widen its reachEveryone has to work for it right from the listeners to musicians and at the government level Our education system has to be changed and there has to be compulsory education for music which is lacking Listeners also have to put in some work to understand classical music she said about her ideas to popularise classical music in IndiaAtre has also been a pioneer in popularising Indian classical music in the west giving her first performance in 1969They like our music very much and they are very good listeners They dont move or talk in the middle of any performance unlike here in India she saidAtre has established the Swarmayee Gurukul to teach students all over the world in both the traditions - guru-shishya parampara and institutionalIt is important to bridge the gap between these two systems In the guru-shishya tradition the focus is on the performance aspect only I feel that it should be all round education I should know why I am singing this way rather than copying someone she saidAtre has displayed constant innovation and creative endeavour in treatment design and presentation of the musical material Whether khyaal tarana thumri dadra ghazal or bhajan her sincerity to her art and sensitivity to the times clearly surface in her thinking and her singingDespite achieving many milestones in her musical journey she is not content and strives for moreAs a sadhak I am not satisfied because the learning never ends But if you talk as a professional musician the journey has been quite good I have performed this month twice at the age of 89 and have another performance on February 6 It is a big thing at this age said AtreShe said she is impressed with the current talent in Indian music and follows their work tooI like to listen to everything from film music to light music ghazals fusion everything I dont remember names There are many talented artistes Talent is there but they only need seriousness and commitment I am happy to see good work in the field of music she said PTI MJ MIN MIN MIN

Taipei [Taiwan], January 17 (ANI): China is likely to increase pressure on Taiwan next year, a prominent British historian and writer said while adding that deterrence is key to withstanding Beijing's military threats.

Mumbai Sep 21 PTI A special NIA court here on Tuesday rejected an application filed by academician Shoma Sen an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case seeking interim medical bail Judge D E Kothalikar rejected 61-year-old Sens plea Her application had cited her age and claimed that she suffered from multiple ailments including osteoarthritis glaucoma and high blood pressure which could make her vulnerable to COVID-19 Sen was arrested in 2018 and is lodged in the Byculla womens prison here since then The court on Tuesday also extended till September 30 the interim bail granted to co-accused Rona Wilson Wilson was granted bail to attend a mass arranged following his fathers death Sen Wilson and some other activists were arrested following the Elgar Parishad conclave held at Pune on December 31 2017 According to Pune Police the conclave was backed by Maoists and inflammatory speeches made there led to violence at Koregaon- Bhima war memorial the next day PTI SP KRK KRK KRK