After Namaste Bharat’s September cover story on India’s spectacular performance at the Tokyo Olympics, we have chosen to depict the heroics of our Tokyo Paralympics team in the October issue in a fitting tribute to our para athletes who won 19 medals, overcoming umpteen hurdles, and notched up several historic firsts to boot. As writers Chandra Shekhar Luthra and Vishal Duggal put together Namaste Bharat’s acclamatory acknowledgement of these athletes’ never-say-die spirit that was so palpable in their exceptional performances at Tokyo, their achievements were shown up as even more creditable as they achieved it all despite multiple challenges owing to Covid-19 besides lack of adequate facilities and preparation time. The pandemic even forced cancellation of the limited number of camps that were to be conducted by the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI). But these gutsy sportspersons beat all odds and emerged triumphant.
Internationally acclaimed exponent of Indian classical dance Dr Sonal Mansingh, who writes the Culture column exclusively for Namaste Bharat, narrates a similar tale of perseverance and resilience of the human spirit. She recalls her 1974 car accident in which her ribs were broken and spine dislocated and how it failed to subdue her will to dance again and win millions of hearts as choreographer, teacher, orator and social activist.
Another regular columnist of repute, Dr Sanjeev Chopra, who was until recently director of the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, brings alive – this time in his Book Nook column – the life and times of the Australian adventurer in East India Company-ruled India, John Lang, who served as advocate of the Rani of Jhansi and hobnobbed with Indian wheeler-dealers.
There is more on culture – a story on Bathukamma, the Telangana festival of flowers which is unique for its folk elements and its popularity among the people. In a travel piece, historian Dr Rashmi Choudhary pens an evocative narrative of her visit to Uzbekistan, the homeland of Babur, the first Mughal emperor.
The Dubai Expo has finally burst into life, after Covid-19 forced its postponement from 2020. Malavika Kodiyath reports from Dubai on how the India Pavilion at the world’s biggest exhibition showcases the country’s glorious past as well as its new energy and promising future.
Among various other sectors, travel and tourism has been hugely impacted by the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ritu Agarwal, ex-Editor, India Today Travel Plus, writes how the industry is falling back on innovative tech solutions to recover from the downturn.
This issue launches a unique Food Column featuring recipes from the royal kitchens of India, by Anand Manikutty. Presenting an alternative perspective on civilisation, culture, economic history and cuisine, he walks us through recipes from royal kitchens while proffering a new theory of history that is not only a counter to Smithian economics, but also to the ‘clash of civilisations’ thesis.
This is only some of the rich and varied fare in the pages of this sumptuous issue. Relish it!
Regards,
Rashmi
CEO and Publisher
