All posts tagged: Community

Exclusive | Eka Lakhani on being invited to join The Academy: ‘Honour to join a community of artists I’ve admired’

Exclusive | Eka Lakhani on being invited to join The Academy: ‘Honour to join a community of artists I’ve admired’

Published by Parlour News

Indian costume designer and celebrity stylist Eka Lakhani has added another major achievement to her career after receiving an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the organisation behind the Oscars. For Indian cinema, it is another proud moment as more homegrown talent continues to gain recognition on one of the biggest international platforms. Eka Lakhani’s invitation comes more than four decades after legendary costume designer Bhanu Athaiya became the first Indian to win an Academy Award for Gandhi in 1983. Eka Lakhani on joining the Oscars voting body. She also joins a steadily expanding group of Indian film professionals who are now Academy members. The list includes Vishal Bhardwaj, Deepa Bhatia, Dilip Shankar, A. Sreekar Prasad, Avneet Kaur, Farah Khan (production expert), Rajesh Ramachandran, Becky Graham and Jay Mehta. A lifelong love for cinema Reacting to the honour, Eka Lakhani tells Hindustan Times, “I’ve been a lifelong fan of cinema and as a costume designer from India, this invitation feels incredibly special. More than a decade on film sets …

My doors are always open for Punjabis: Haryana CM reaches out to Saini community in Rajpura | Chandigarh News

My doors are always open for Punjabis: Haryana CM reaches out to Saini community in Rajpura | Chandigarh News

Published by Parlour News

4 min readLudhianaJun 13, 2026 01:26 PM IST Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday urged the Saini community, one of the prominent OBC communities in Punjab and Haryana, to play a decisive role in politics, from panchayats to the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament, and that his doors would remain open for them. Addressing a “Mahasammelan” organised by the Saini Samaj Welfare Committee under the Rajpura Assembly Constituency in Patiala district, Saini made a strong outreach to Punjab’s OBC communities, particularly the Saini community. “The Saini community must play a more decisive role in Punjab politics, from panchayats to the Vidhan Sabha and Parliament. My doors are open for all of you. Whether it is a personal matter, a government-related issue or the work of your relatives, you can approach me anytime,” he said. “Every day, people from Punjab come to meet me about various issues. My doors are open for Punjab residents 24×7. You can come to meet me or seek help with any work. I will always stand with my Punjabi brethren.” …

Manjari Fadnis breaks down in tears, claims community dog was assaulted and killed in society: ‘He is gone’

Manjari Fadnis breaks down in tears, claims community dog was assaulted and killed in society: ‘He is gone’

Published by Parlour News

Actor Manjari Fadnis, best known for her role in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, got emotional in a video as she alleged that Mikey, a community dog in her housing society, was brutally assaulted and murdered. Breaking down in tears, the actor sought justice for the animal and urged authorities to implement stricter laws against animal cruelty. Manjari Fadnis claimed that Mikey had gone missing and residents had been trying to find him. Manjari breaks down On Monday, Manjari took to Instagram to share a video where she is seen crying while talking about the community dog of her housing society. In the video, she said Mikey had been abandoned by his family and had been a part of their society since 2019 or 2020. She claimed that Mikey had gone missing and residents had been trying to find him, adding that they made posters, put them up across the area, and kept speaking to security guards and others to find out what had happened to him and where he had gone. Sharing the details …

Mahayuti govt committed to justice for Maratha community, says CM Fadnavis as Manoj Jarange ends fast

Mahayuti govt committed to justice for Maratha community, says CM Fadnavis as Manoj Jarange ends fast

Published by Webster

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Mahayuti government has consistently worked to ensure justice for the Maratha community, following the withdrawal of activist Manoj Jarange’s indefinite hunger strike, reported the PTI. Manoj Jarange, who has been leading the demand for reservation for the Maratha community, ended his protest after discussions with government representatives and the submission of a 12-point proposal. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Uttar Pradesh emphasised to prevent water-borne diseases in rural areas through community driven participation

Uttar Pradesh emphasised to prevent water-borne diseases in rural areas through community driven participation

Published by Parlour News

The ongoing nature of this quality testing initiative is evident from the fact that around 63,700 water quality samples have been tested so far in the current financial year. File | Photo Credit: Getty Images Uttar Pradesh government on Friday (May 29, 2026) said in an attempt to effectively prevent water-borne diseases in rural areas and to maintain a robust system for quality assurance and monitoring, it has prioritised water quality testing through community-driven approach. Under the initiative, which pushes for community-level participation, women have been trained to test water quality using Field Testing Kits (FTKs) for early & effective detection of water contamination and strengthen local community ownership of rural water quality monitoring. “Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, a robust system for quality assurance and monitoring has been implemented to ensure safe drinking water in rural areas,” Anurag Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary of the Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply Department, told The Hindu, in Lucknow. “To promote community-level participation, women have been trained to test water quality using Field Testing Kits (FTKs) for …

Actor and filmmaker Aushim Khetrapal’s new film Children of God gives voice to Kinnar community, aims for equality

Actor and filmmaker Aushim Khetrapal’s new film Children of God gives voice to Kinnar community, aims for equality

Published by Parlour News

Actor and filmmaker Aushim Khetrapal, known for Shirdi Sai Baba (2021), is now on a mission to give kinnars a voice and the identity they deserve in society. And he is doing it in the way he knows best – by making a film on the subject. Actor and filmmaker Aushim Khetrapal and still from him next film Children of God “We call them kinnar, officially the third-gender or transgenders, but I believe they are true Children of God and that’s what we titled our film. The film is based on their true stories and their life. Our Sai Baba Foundation works for different causes, and this endeavour is to give voice to them and highlight their problems, so they get equal rights and respect in society,” says the actor who was last seen in feature film Baba Ramsa Peer (2020). He goes into the philosophy of the concept. “During my discourse and samagams, I have always said that the biggest sevas are cow seva and kinnar seva, other than feeding the poor. That’s the …

Farming community praises PM Modi after receiving FAO’s highest honour

Farming community praises PM Modi after receiving FAO’s highest honour

Published by Webster

In a moment of immense national pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been honoured with the prestigious `Agricola Medal`, the highest award of the United Nations` Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).  The recognition celebrates his visionary leadership in transforming India`s agriculture sector and strengthening global food security. Padma Shri Bharat Bhushan Tyagi expressed his deep delight over the international honour. Speaking to IANS on Thursday, Tyagi described the award as a matter of great pride for the entire country. “This honour is intrinsically linked to the vision of moving forward with renewed resolve,” the Padma Shri awardee said. He specially commended Prime Minister Modi for bringing coarse grains, particularly millets, into the global spotlight. According to Tyagi, Prime Minister Modi has significantly enhanced India`s prestige on the world stage. Since 2014, substantial progress has been made in increasing farmers` income and boosting the production of high-quality agricultural produce. Tyagi highlighted that ensuring food security under all circumstances and earning international recognition have been key priorities, leading to a fundamental transformation in the agricultural sector that …

NHRC asks Centre to review changes to trans law, ‘revisit’ community concerns on self-identification

NHRC asks Centre to review changes to trans law, ‘revisit’ community concerns on self-identification

Published by Parlour News

The National Human Rights Commission of India has asked the Union government to “review” laws to “ensure gender inclusivity”, including the most recent amendments to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act. The NHRC noted that the amendments removing transgender people’s right to a “self-perceived gender identity” had caused concern among community members, adding, “It may be appropriate for the authorities to consider revisiting these concerns.” It has also recommended that the population enumeration phase of the ongoing Census 2027 exercise should include distinct categories for “intersex”, “transmen”, and “transwomen”, so that accurate disaggregated data can be gathered and maintained. EXPLAINED | What are the changes being proposed to Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 Self-identification focus In a detailed advisory issued on Monday, the NHRC said that transgender and gender-diverse students should be admitted to educational institutions based on self-identified gender, and recommended that elderly transgender persons be enrolled for identity certificates based on self-identification. This emphasis on self-identification appears to contradict the most recent changes to the trans rights law, brought in …

Delhi: Protest at Jantar Mantar condemns violence against Kuki-Zo community

Delhi: Protest at Jantar Mantar condemns violence against Kuki-Zo community

Published by Parlour News

New Delhi, The Kuki Students’ Organisation on Saturday held a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar here against the alleged violence, abductions and killings targeting the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur and other parts of the Northeast, according to a statement issued here. Delhi: Protest at Jantar Mantar condemns violence against Kuki-Zo community The Delhi-NCR unit of the organisation alleged that members of the Kuki-Zo community were being targeted by cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah and its “proxy groups”, and accused the authorities of failing to take decisive action despite repeated incidents of violence. The protest was held following the killing of three Kuki-Zo church pastors on May 13, injuries to several others and the alleged abduction of 14 Kuki-Zo men, the statement said. Students who gathered at the protest were seen holding placards reading: “Kidnapping civilians is a war crime”, “Justice before peace” and “Stop Ethnic violence”. “Recent incidents involving Haijang, Gampal, K Songlung, Litan, Mullam and Lanchah villages reflect the worsening security situation and targeted persecution faced by innocent Kuki-Zo civilians,” …

Why Ashok Kirtania is the BJP’s ‘chosen one’ for the Matua community

Why Ashok Kirtania is the BJP’s ‘chosen one’ for the Matua community

Published by Parlour News

2 min readKolkataUpdated: May 10, 2026 08:45 AM IST The induction of the formidable BJP MLA from Bongaon North into the Cabinet was not surprising. A prominent face of the Matua community, 52-year-old leader Ashok Kirtania is widely regarded as the BJP’s most trusted strategist in the North 24 Parganas district. His political rise reflects his deepening influence within his constituency. Since his debut in 2021, he has significantly consolidated his voter base. In 2021, he was elected as MLA after defeating TMC’s Shyamal Roy by 10,488 votes. In 2026, he retained the seat by trouncing TMC’s Biswajit Das with a staggering margin of 40,670 votes. He secured 56.46% of the total vote share (1,19,317 votes), a testament to the absolute trust of his constituents. In his vision for the future, Kirtania has pledged to restore the rights of genuine voters whose names were deleted from the electoral roll during the Election Commission’s contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. “For all the Matuas, I will first ensure all those whose names have been …