Arts/Books

JAIPUR -Marking a historic moment for women’s cricket, the Jaipur Wax Museum has initiated the creation of a life-sized wax statue of Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Harmanpreet is set to become the first woman cricketer in the world

Photo: Wikipedia GANDHINAGAR -Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently championed India’s indigenous and heritage products, placing local strength at the heart of national growth. In line with this vision, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has set an ambitious goal of

DEHRADUN - When a region as young and complex as Uttarakhand reaches its twenty-fifth year, its story deserves a chronicler with patience, curiosity, and an eye for detail. Senior journalist Jai Singh Rawat steps into that role with 'Uttarakhand State’s

India-West Staff Reporter PARSIPPANY, NJ - What began as a personal project during the COVID-19 lockdown has evolved into a global platform for Tamil moral storytelling, driven by Parsippany resident Bhargav Kesavan. Kesavan, started recording simple Tamil moral stories for his nephew

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY- Arts India US has announced its selection of ten emerging Indian classical performers as the 2026 Lotus Fellows. Chosen from nearly 100 applicants nationwide, the artists will participate in a yearlong program designed to significantly expand their

MUMBAI -The late actress Kamini Kaushal had a profound passion for puppetry, creating highly detailed figures that she used as an extension of her artistry. She had explained the profound connection she felt: “When you are doing puppetry, there is an

India-West Staff Reporter BOSTON, MA – Dunkin’ is debuting a new children's book and animated story, 'The Little Holiday Munchkin', narrated by Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and director Mindy Kaling, to support the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. The story centers on a

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY - Karan Mahajan’s return to fiction has been nearly a decade in the making, and his new novel ‘The Complex’, arriving from Viking on March 10, 2026, signals not just a comeback but an expansion

Photo: Penguin Random House India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY -Padma Lakshmi’s latest cookbook, 'Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond', was released on November 4, by Knopf. Priced at $40.00, the 352-page hardcover is being hailed as

Photo: Dayton Literary Peace Prize India-West News Desk DAYTON, OH -Salman Rushdie has been honored with the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award, the lifetime achievement prize of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, here. The award recognizes exceptional literary merit and a commitment

Picture Credit - Ishita Singh Photography India-West Staff Reporter CHICAGO, IL —Bestselling author Sonali Dev, celebrated for her witty and emotionally rich storytelling, is set to release her new novel, 'How Simi Got Her Groom Back', on March 3, 2026, from Lake

Photo:Yale University. India-West News Desk NEW HAVEN, CT - Yale University historian, Professor Sunil Amrith has been named the winner of the 2025 British Academy Book Prize for 'The Burning Earth: An Environmental History of the Last 500 Years'. The judges called the book

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA - In his striking debut novel 'Voice in the Waiting Room' (Rupa Publications), Pittsburgh-based psychiatrist Dr. Mayank Gupta turns his lens inward—toward the fragile intersections of mind, migration, and meaning. Known for his expertise in

Photo: https://www.kalpenn.com India-West News Desk LOS ANGELES, CA — Kal Penn, actor and author of the memoir 'You Can't Be Serious,' is bringing his wit and curiosity to a new six-episode podcast series, 'Earsay: The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.' Launched by

NEW DELHI- In line with the objective of bringing seminal authors to greater global renown, the 2025 Nobel Prize for Literature was conferred on Hungarian litterateur Laszlo Krasznahorkai, who’s demanding, yet pensive, post-modern, near-surrealist works draw on the traditions of

Photos: M Palma Photography By Fatema Baldiwala LOS ANGELES, CA - In 'Neha & Neel', playwright Ankita Raturi takes audiences on a heartfelt road trip that travels across both geography and identity. Co-produced by the Latino Theater Company and Artists at Play, this

India-West Staff Reporter MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Vinita Gupta’s memoir, 'The Woman in Deed: Road to IPO, Bridge Tables, and Beyond,' was celebrated at a special launch event at the Computer History Museum here, on October 5. Hosted by Gupta and TiE

Photo: @megha.maj. India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY — Megha Majumdar, the Kolkata-born author whose debut A Burning electrified readers around the world, is back with a haunting new work — and it’s already garnering major acclaim. Her second novel, A Guardian

MUMBAI — Celebrated choreographer Terence Lewis has opened up about his personal life, candidly revealing why marriage is no longer on his mind. Known for his honesty and humor, Lewis said he’s perfectly content being single and has accepted that

India-West Staff Reporter CINCINNATI, OH  – As the world marks the 250th birth anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775–1835), 'Anubhuti,' a new book by composer and scholar Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran, offers a groundbreaking exploration of this iconic figure. Published by Garuda Prakasan, 'Anubhuti'

Photo: https://www.qf.org.qa/ India-West News Desk MUMBAI -  A new museum dedicated to the life and work of Maqbool Fida Husain, an influential figure in modern art, is scheduled to open in Doha, Qatar, next month. The institution, named 'Lawh Wa Qalam: MF Husain Museum', will

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA — For its 40th anniversary, Donna Sternberg & Dancers is presenting 'Thriving,' a performance honoring the creativity and endurance of mature choreographers and dancers in the Los Angeles community. The show aims to challenge stereotypes of

Photo:Toji Cultural Foundation India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY — Amitav Ghosh, the celebrated Indian American novelist whose work spans colonial histories, climate crises, and global interconnections, has been named the winner of the 14th Park Kyongni Award, often described as South

Photo: Booker Prize India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY — Nearly two decades after she became the toast of the literary world with 'The Inheritance of Loss', Kiran Desai has returned to the Booker Prize spotlight. Her latest novel, 'The Loneliness of

India-West News Desk MIAMI, FL - For author Chandramukhi Ganju, food is more than sustenance—it is a sacred connection to her Kashmiri heritage. Her new book, ‘Koshur Saal: Traditional, Quick and Easy Kashmiri Cuisine,’ goes beyond recipes, serving as a guide to

NEW DELHI -Penguin Random House India has launched a four-volume photobook series titled 'Seva Hi Sankalp, Rashtra Pratham Hi Prerna,' which translates to 'Service is Resolve, Nation First is Inspiration.' This biographical collection, compiled by the Bluekraft Digital Foundation, chronicles

MUMBAI -Veteran actress Deepti Naval channeled her inner poet, expressing her feelings with a thoughtful verse that won hearts online. The 'Chashme Buddoor' actress wrote: "I float on your arm and try not to think/ You sit in stillness/ Holding my

India-West News Desk MUMBAI - Chetan Bhagat is back with a love story. After more than a decade since he wrote 2 States and Half Girlfriend, the bestselling author is returning to the genre that made him India’s most popular novelist.

Photo: Poetry Foundation India-West News Desk SAN DIEGO, CA — On the campus of the University of California, San Diego, Kazim Ali spends his days surrounded by books, students, and the quiet hum of creative energy. This fall, his work will travel

India-West Staff Reporter HOUSTON, TX — From September 5–7, Houston became a hub of literary and cultural exchange as the 8th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) unfolded across four of the city’s most iconic venues. Produced by Teamwork Arts,

India-West Staff Reporter DUBLIN, CA – Bay Area resident Surendra Saxena has released a memoir, ‘Kailash: Footsteps to the Divine’, a spiritual travelogue that recounts his decades-long dream and eventual journey to Mount Kailash, one of the most sacred peaks in

Photo: Los Angeles Union Station India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA - On the evening of August 30, Los Angeles Union Station pulsed with a unique energy. The historic Ticket Concourse, usually a place where travelers hurry through with luggage in tow,

Photos: Obama Foundation India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - Former President Barack Obama has unveiled his much-anticipated 2025 summer reading list, a blend of biography, politics, and fiction, and this year’s selection carries a luminous work: ‘Rosarita’, a novella by acclaimed writer

India-West Staff Reporter MIAMI, FL — A new festival connecting Miami and Mumbai through architecture and design will mark the 100th anniversary of the Art Deco movement this fall. Art Deco Alive! (ADA!), founded by Smiti Kanodia along with Salma Merchant Rahmathulla

Photo: facebook By Fatema Baldiwala LONG BEACH, CA - Every Indian household has one. The round steel box, neatly filled with turmeric, cumin, chili, cardamom, and coriander, sits by the stove: ready to season meals with memory, tradition, and love. Known as

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Kirkus Reviews has announced the 18 finalists for the 2025 Kirkus Prize, with three Indian authors—Kiran Desai, Megha Majumdar, and Arundhati Roy—among the nominees. In the Fiction category, Kiran Desai's "The Loneliness of Sonia and

India-West Staff Reporter ALISO VIEJO, CA – Acclaimed danseuse Vijayalakshmi, founder-director of The Mohiniyattam Institute in Southern California, kept audiences listening and watching attentively during an introductory workshop on the dance form at the Festival of Tabla, held at the Soka Performing

India-West News Desk CANTON, GA — Both educators and health leaders are stepping up calls for children to spend less time on screens. At Cherokee Classical Academy, Second Lady Usha Vance urged students to put down their phones and pick up

NEW DELHI -In "Lyrics by Sameer: Stories Behind the Iconic Songs," the renowned Bollywood lyricist Sameer Anjaan collaborates with screenwriter Shuja Ali to reveal anecdotes from the film industry. The book features up to 50 stories behind some of Sameer's most popular compositions,

India-West Staff Reporter ORANGE, CA — The Irvine Hindu Mandir has presented Chapman University’s Leatherby Libraries with a landmark gift: the monumental ‘Encyclopedia of Hinduism,’ the first comprehensive work of its kind in the English language. The 11-volume set, weighing 75 pounds

India-West Staff Reporter ENGLEWOOD, CO – The Colorado South Asian Artists Group is set to host its inaugural exhibition, 'Roots & Routes,' at Englewood City Center starting September 5. This landmark event will showcase the work of 22 Colorado-based visual artists from

MUMBAI- International award-winning comedian Vir Das believes that Indian comedy has not yet achieved global reach, but as India's cultural influence grows, it will. He hopes to be a part of that rise. When asked if he thinks Indian comedy has reached

Photo: Instagram India-West News Desk BLACK ROCK CITY, NV — A massive art installation, "Navagunjara Reborn: The Phoenix of Odisha," will be featured at the annual Burning Man gathering, set to take place from August 24 to September 1 in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. The

India-West Staff Reporter LONG BEACH, CA- International City Theatre (ICT) will present the world premiere of Masala Dabba, a new play by award-winning playwright Wendy Graf, running from August 29 through September 14, with previews on August 27 and 28. Directed by

SRINAGAR- The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared 25 books as ‘forfeited’ under the law for contributing to the radicalization of youth, glorification of terrorists, vilification of security forces, and promotion of alienation among the people. Among them is a book by author

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY — Arts India US has launched a new initiative to cultivate the next generation of Indian classical performing artists in the United States. The Lotus Fellowship, a one-year program, will provide emerging artists with mentorship,

NEW DELHI - For more than seven decades, India and Russia have managed something rare in international politics—a relationship that has not only survived the seismic shifts of history but adapted to them. From the days when Moscow was New

MUMBAI -Writer Virag Mishra opened up about the creative freedom for lyricists. He believes that there should be a very free-flowing process of ideas for optimal results. Virag said, "One should not be limited by one's thoughts. Somebody who is not

In a world increasingly defined by rapid change, artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat is creating a bridge between the past and the future, blending ancient heritage with cutting-edge technology. For Kumawat, who has crafted over 3,000 sculptures, including hundreds installed in

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA — Just a day after confirming she will not run for California governor in 2026, former Vice President Kamala Harris on July 31 announced the release of her new memoir, '107 Days', which chronicles her