Arts/Books

India-West Staff ReporterNEWARK, NJ - ‘The Girl in Scarlet Hijab,’ the debut novel by entrepreneur and academic Suresh U. Kumar, has reached the #1 spot on Amazon’s bestseller list in the Indian and Asian Literature category. Published by Rupa Publications,

NEW DELHI (IANS) - The demolition of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's ancestral home in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, has been halted following concerns raised by India. Bangladeshi authorities have now formed a panel to explore how the house, which currently has only a few walls remaining,

DHAKA (IANS)- In a concerning development reflecting growing social intolerance in Bangladesh, the ancestral home of iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray in Mymensingh is being demolished to make way for a new semi-concrete structure, local media reported on July 15. Located on Horikishore Ray

By India-West Staff Reporter LIVERMORE, CA — What began with quiet intention in 1977 is now an enduring fixture of community, spirituality, and cultural continuity. The Shiva-Vishnu temple in Livermore, home to the Hindu Community and Cultural Center (HCCC), marks 39

NEW DELHI (IANS)- Author Devdutt Pattanaik had explained at the time of the launch of his book last year,that he compiled his book, "Ahimsa: 100 Reflections on the Harappan Civilisation," to make the subject accessible to the general public, rather than just academic

India-West News Desk LOS ANGELES, CA– Echo Lake Entertainment has signed author Ashok Rajamani for representation across all areas, the company announced this week. Known for his searing and deeply personal memoir 'The Day My Brain Exploded: A True Story', Rajamani’s

Photo: Pratibimb Photography India-West Staff Reporter REDWOOD CITY, CA – When Mythili Kumar moved to the United States in 1978, she brought with her not only a storied performance career in India, but also a vision: to establish a professional dance company

India-West News Desk AHMEDABAD– The Bhatt Brothers have released "Sunny's Days," a commemorative book dedicated to the career of cricketing icon Sunil Gavaskar. This publication sets itself apart through a novel design approach: each historical date pertaining to Gavaskar's career is linked with the

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA — Globally acclaimed yogi and spiritual teacher Sadhguru visited Los Angeles from June 16 to 18, drawing a packed crowd at the Dolby Theatre and sparking citywide interest in his latest book, 'Death and Beyond'.

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY - Megha Majumdar, the acclaimed author of 'A Burning', returns this fall with her second novel, 'A Guardian and a Thief'. Scheduled for release on October 14 by Knopf, the book marks a return to

MUMBAI (IANS)- Author Amish Tripathi has emphasized that democracy thrives on open dialogue and the respectful exchange of differing views. Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, he called debate and dissent the lifeblood of India’s democratic tradition. Tripathi said,

Photos: Ian Flanders By Fatima Baldiwala Brought up on a steady stream of Bollywood blockbusters—where love is loud, family is foundational, and heartbreak is backed by a swelling score—Indian audiences might find Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull deceptively quiet. But beneath its restrained surface lies

Photo; Instagram MUMBAI (ANI)- Writer Shobhit Sinha has signed three new Bollywood films following the strong box office performance of "Housefull 5." The film, for which Sinha was a writer, grossed close to ₹200 crore within six days of its release. This commercial success

Photo: Bonhams auction house India-West News Desk LONDON- A unique oil painting of Mahatma Gandhi will be sold at a auction here next month. This portrait, painted in 1931, is thought to be the only time Gandhi actually sat for an oil

By Chanchal Garg ‘Unearthed: The Lies We Carry and the Truths They Bury,’ is Californian Chanchal Garg’s debut memoir and is a courageous exploration of spiritual and sexual abuse, cultural duty, and the journey to self-liberation. The book is available in all

Photo: ANU India-West News Desk The world's oldest complete Hebrew Bible, the Codex Sassoon, recently unveiled at the Anu–Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, carries a direct connection to India through its namesake, David Solomon Sassoon. This 1,100-year-old manuscript, dating

India-West Staff Reporter SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and Third State Books have released Fighting to Belong! Volume II, a graphic novel that introduces young readers to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history through the stories

Photo: Sinduri Jayasinghe VIJAYA India-West News Desk CHENNAI - Vijaya Bhanu, classical dancer, award-winning actress, and founder of a dance school in Southern California, was found dead at her home in Valasaravakkam, Chennai. She was 75. Neighbors grew concerned when they hadn't seen

Photo: Reutersv via ANI India-West News Desk CLAREMONT, CA - Muslim groups and sstudents pressured Sir Salman Rushdie to withdraw from delivering a commencement address at Claremont McKenna College, The Daily Beast reports. The renowned novelist and atheist, who has been repeatedly

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Padma Lakshmi, the former host of Top Chef, will be releasing her new cookbook, Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond, later this year.  This isn't just a collection of recipes;

Photos: Brad Knipstein India-West Staff Reporter SAN FRANCISCO, CA — In one of San Francisco’s grandest mansions—where sweeping views meet old-world opulence—Sabah Mansoor has crafted something quieter, more personal. For her debut at the 46th annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, the Bangalore-born

The year 2025 so far has already delivered a dynamic lineup of books that span adventure, history, self-help, and technology—each offering something memorable for readers of all ages. Whether you’re seeking page-turning fiction, empowering nonfiction, or educational tools, this curated

Photo: The Booker Prizes LONDON (ANI) – Indian author and women’s rights advocate Banu Mushtaq has made history by becoming the first Kannada writer to win the International Booker Prize 2025 for her short story collection Heart Lamp. The milestone marks two firsts for the prestigious global

India-West News Desk IMPHAL - In the misty hill districts of Manipur, far from the clamour of cities, looms hum quietly in village courtyards. Here, in places like Tamenglong and Ukhrul, the Nagas—Manipur’s third-largest ethnic group—are keeping centuries-old traditions alive, thread

India-West News Desk POCHAMPALLY - In a celebration of heritage and hands-on artistry, contestants of the 72nd Miss World Festival recently visited the renowned weaving village of Pochampally in Telangana, offering the world a window into one of India’s most intricate

India-West Staff Reporter LEXINGTON, MA - At just 15, Sabrina Bhattacharjya is becoming a leading voice in one of America’s most significant historical milestones: the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington. While most teenagers juggle school and social media,

Photo:LinkedIn India-West Staff Reporter PALO ALTO, CA - In her debut memoir Unearthed: The Lies We Carry and the Truths They Bury, Chanchal Garg courageously pulls back the curtain on a life shaped by abuse, tradition, and the struggle for self-empowerment.  A former dutiful Indian

India-West Staff Reporter PORTSMOUTH, OH - Shawnee State University Professor of History and Religious Studies, Dr. Lavanya Vemsani, has released two new scholarly works: Reframing India in World History and Handbook of Indian History, both offering bold new perspectives on the study of India’s

India-West News Desk ST. LOUIS, MO - Saint Louis University has named Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri as the recipient of its 2026 St. Louis Literary Award. This annual recognition celebrates writers whose work enriches readers' understanding of the human condition. Lahiri, acclaimed

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - A child has caused damage to a multi-million-euro painting by American artist Mark Rothko at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, according to the BBC. The child, reportedly under the age of five years old,

NEW DELHI (ANI)- President Droupadi Murmu on April 28 conferred the Padma Shri award in the field of Literature and Education on American author and researcher Stephen Knapp. Knapp, who has authored around 55 books on Indian history, culture, and spirituality,

Sculpture isn’t just for museums — it’s a creative and dynamic way to personalize your living space. Why not roll up your sleeves and create your own artistic pieces? Whether you're a seasoned sculptor or simply in the mood for

India-West News Desk SANTA CLARA, CA – Young readers are in for a captivating journey to the Indian state of Meghalaya with the upcoming release of "Living Bridges," a new children's picture book by Indian American author Sandhya Acharya. Simon & Schuster will

Photo: CNN India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - In a recent interview with CNN on April 22 in Moscow, renowned Russian painter Nikas Safronov unveiled the portrait gifted by President Vladimir Putin to U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year. The dramatic

India-West News Desk NEW DELHI – The Missed Tree, a debut novel by 16-year-old Rujhaan Chaudhary, presents a story centered on imagination, personal growth, and spirituality within a young adult framework. The novel follows Ramya, a girl who forms a deep bond with

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Kash Patel likely didn’t expect his book to receive a publicity push from the mayor of New York City — but that’s exactly what happened. Days after federal bribery charges against him were dropped,

NEW DELHI (ANI) -  Artist, poet, and diplomat Abhay K brings together poetry, philosophy, and visual art in his latest collection Shunyata | Emptiness, offering a contemplative and powerful interpretation of the Buddhist concept of emptiness—or Shunyata. Inspired by the Heart Sutra’s profound

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA - Sikhlens Publications is set to release two beautifully illustrated children’s books this Vaisakhi: Proud to be a Kaur and Proud to be a Singh. Authored by Sandip Kaur Sodhi, a teacher-librarian and cultural advocate, and illustrated by

Photo: Booker Prize India-West News Desk NEW DELHI - Heart Lamp: Selected Stories, a searing collection by Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq and translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi, has been shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize. It marks only the second time a

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY- Actor-comedian Vir Das has written The Outsider: A Memoir for Misfits, offering a deep dive into his life and experiences across cultures. Sharing the book cover on social media, Das revealed that the memoir has been

Photo: Instagram MUMBAI (ANI)- Actor Sonu Sood’s book I’m No Messiah (co-authored by Meena Iyer) has reached over 7,000 schools across India, contributing to the Gyan-Key Classroom Library initiative, the world’s largest rural reading program led by Pradeep Lokhande. The book,

India-West Staff Reporter NEW DELHI- Dr. Bhadreshdas Swami, a scholar of Sanskrit and Indian philosophy from the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, has been awarded the Saraswati Samman 2024 for his Sanskrit publication Swaminarayana Siddhanta Sudha. The recognition marks a return of the prestigious

India-West Staff Reporter DAVIS, CA - For over a decade, Manvir Singh, an assistant professor of anthropology at UC Davis, has immersed himself in the study of shamanism, conducting ethnographic fieldwork with Mentawai communities on an Indonesian island. His experiences and

Photo: The 2024 UCLA Bruin Bhangra team By BHARTTI KUMARLOS ANGELES, CA — It started with a spark—a group of UCLA students, a passion for Bhangra, and a belief that Punjabi culture deserved the biggest stage possible. Twenty-five years later, that

The Eleventh Hour by Salman Rushdie NEW DELHI (ANI)- Salman Rushdie's new collection of stories, The Eleventh Hour, will be published later this year—his first work of fiction since surviving a brutal stabbing in 2022, publisher Penguin Random House India said. The book, slated

India-West Staff Reporter SAN DIEGO, CA – The Old Globe has unveiled the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of House of India, a comedy by San Diego playwright Deepak Kumar. Directed by Drama Desk Award-nominee Zi Alikhan, the

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY - This summer, Penguin Classics will take us back to the turbulent beginnings of Partition with two powerful novels that offer intimate, fictional accounts of the period. Both Tamas by Bhisham Sahni and The Women’s Courtyard by Khadija Mastur,

India-West News Desk PHILADELPHIA, PA- Emily Bhatnagar, a first-year student at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies, has been awarded the Margaret L. Hodges Leadership Award for her nonprofit initiative that provides books to children undergoing cancer

Photo: From the archives of Gloria’s Foundation India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Gloria Steinem, renowned feminist and social activist, in a recent Instagram post shared a powerful memory from the 1970s that highlights the lasting impact of her meeting with Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay,

India-West Staff Reporter Our Beautiful Boys, by Sameer Pandya, Ballantine Author Sameer Pandya crafts a gripping literary thriller set against the complexities of Indian American identity, privilege, and belonging. The novel opens with a haunting scene: four teenagers venture into a cave