New Delhi, Apr 22 () With mosques closed, no 'iftar' gatherings and no getting together with friends and extended family for that pre-dawn 'sehri' meal either, Muslims are set to observe a Ramzan different from anything they've seen before. The holiest month in Islam, when devout Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, will tentatively begin on April 24 in India, depending on the sighting of the moon.The first day of Ramzan will dawn under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. With the lockdown in place till at least May 3, this will be a Ramzan without the usual gatherings at prayer time and during meals -- quiet days of spending time with immediate family, solitude and some introspection perhaps. Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has directed more than 30 state waqf boards to ensure strict implementation of the lockdown and social distancing norms during the month. "Even our ancestors have not seen such a Ramzaan in their lifetime. This will certainly be the first of its kind," said Mohammad Nawed, who owns an eatery close to the Jama Masjid in Delhi's walled city. It will be a sombre time with everything restricted strictly within the confines of people's homes, he said."We would ideally exchange food and gifts, and the rich and poor would break their fasts and eat together. None of that will happen this year," Nawed told as silence settled over the usually bustling streets of Old Delhi.In normal times, the streets outside Jama Masjid would be lit, the smells of haleem, biryani and kebabs wafting through the air and thousands of people thronging the area to shop, eat or simply watch the crowds go by. But this year is different."Our shop has been closed since March 22. During Ramzan, the roads would be full of people, locals as well as foreigners. Besides our usual menu that is available round the year, we would serve 'pakodas' and our special 'keeme ke goli' every day for 'iftar' during the entire month," Nawed said.Mohammed Akram, who works at the Changezi Chicken restaurant in Churiwalan in Old Delhi, said the area is crowded throughout the year but the numbers swell during Ramzan.The shops are open through the night, right till dawn, when people would gather for the 'sehri' meal. "I have never seen such a quiet Ramzan," he said."The 'imam' has announced that no one should go to the mosque and we will be no less blessed if we offer 'namaz' at our homes," Akram told .Several people have already planned out their month, how to do something different in keeping with the extraordinary times and help the poor affected by the pandemic. Zahra Begum, who would generally feed the poor outside the Jama Masjid, has sent dry rations to NGOs to be distributed. "The pandemic made me realise about the uncertainty that surrounds our lives," she said. Samina Alam in Aligarh said this is her first Ramzan after marriage and it would normally have been a grand affair."I have decided to donate the money I would have spent on clothes and festivities, I have kept that money aside and will donate to stranded migrant workers," Alam said.Irtiza Quraishi, founder of Delhi-based NGO Marham, has called for volunteers to help 20 needy families."We are looking for volunteers who are willing to work for the first 20 days of Ramzan from 8 pm to 11pm, have a car, live in an area of Delhi which not under red zone and ready to drive every evening within Delhi in a team of two and deliver 10-20 kits at different locations," he said.Writer and critic Rakshanda Jalil appealed to all Muslims to use the special month to reflect, count their blessings, shore up their inner reserves of strength and to give as much as possible - both money and materials - to the needy."In my family, Ramzan has always been a time for introspection. We will fast, pray, read from the Quran and count our blessings. We normally don't go out for Tarawi (special night prayers) so for us as a family there will be no major difference this year," she told ."But yes this will be the first time the 'iftari' that would normally be cooked at my mothers home and sent to the neighbourhood mosque won't be sent this year. Nor will friends drop in for 'iftar' at our home. That will be a major departure from tradition," she added.Tahir Mahmood, scholar and former chairperson of the National Minorities Commission, advised other Muslims to supply food to the poor in neighbourhood by suitable means without risking infection."As this year it falls under the shadow of corona pandemic, Muslims must remember that the only thing 'farz' (obligatory) under religion is fasting which needs no stepping out of homes. Saying daily prayers in mosques and Tarawi are only recommended, not mandatory," he said."Muslims must remain content this year with fasting and 'iftar' inside their homes and avoid all outdoor activities. Collective 'iftars' are just a tradition which may this year be substituted with supplying food to the poor in neighbourhood by suitable means without risking infection. All this is necessary for people to keep themselves healthy enough to celebrate Eid a month later, he added. Qari Niyaz Ahmed Qadri, a cleric from the Darul Uloom Hanfia in Colaba in Mumbai, said never in his life has he witnessed something like this."I was talking to my elders who are in their 60s and 70s asking them how different this Ramzan will be for them ... and they said they have never seen a Ramzan when mosques are closed and people are told to pray from home, " he said.Abdul Majid, a reputed neurosurgeon in Aurangabad, said Muslims should use the opportunity offered by the lockdown to observe a "model Ramzan" based on the true principles of austerity and piety. TRS MG UZM MIN MINMIN

In shadow of coronavirus, Muslims ready for Ramzan with a difference

By Gaurav Saini New Delhi, Jun 17 () A class 12 student, aspiring to study medicine, has taken up the job of handling bodies of COVID-19 patients to provide for his siblings' school fees and his mother's treatment. Chand Mohammad's mother suffers from a thyroid disorder and needs her medicines urgently, but the family does not have the means for the treatment. "We are barely making our ends meet since my elder brother lost his job at a merchandise store in Krishna Nagar market during the lockdown," the 20-year-old from Seelampur in Northeast Delhi says. His family has been surviving on ration provided by neighbours and whatever little Chand's brothers could earn doing odd jobs. A week ago, Chand joined a company which deployed him as a sweeper at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital here. The job requires him to handle bodies of those dying of coronavirus. The shift runs from 12 noon to 8 pm. "I took the job after I exhausted all my options to find work. This is a dangerous job, as I am at a higher risk of contracting the infection, but I need the job. "Our family, including three sisters, two brothers and parents, is struggling without money. Right now, we need food and medicines for my mother," Chand says. "Kayin din ghar me khana ek hi baar bana (On many days, we cooked food only once). There is a possibility that we may survive the virus, but we cannot escape hunger," he says. Chand says his three sisters are in school. He, a class 12 student himself, is yet to pay the school fee. "Paisa chahiye padhai ke liye (you need money to study)," he says. Chand hopes that his first salary will set things right to a certain extent. "I offer 'namaz' before I step out of home for work. I have faith in the almighty. He will take care of me and show me the way," Chand, who wants to study medicine, says. But what bothers the youngster is that employees like him who are into high-risk jobs do not get any insurance from the private companies employing them. "The most dangerous job in the world right now (handling bodies of COVID-19 patients) pays around Rs 17,000 per month," he sighs. Every day, Chand handles around two to three bodies along with another sweeper. "We are required to put the bodies inside the ambulance, take it to the crematorium and put it down on a stretcher once we reach the crematorium," he says. "And, you have to do all this wearing the personal protection equipment (PPE), which is very heavy. It limits movement and suffocates a person. In this heat, you end up bathing in your own sweat," he says. On Tuesday evening, Chand handled a body on his own. "I had no help. So, it took me some time, I was gasping for breath at the end," he says. "I heard a doctor saying the body had been lying in the mortuary for a month and that nobody claimed it. The person who packed it did not do his job properly. When I tried taking it down from the ambulance, the cover came off and some liquid spilled on my thighs," he says. Desperate to get some money, Chand says he has approached people giving money on low interest rates. "I took my Aadhaar card and voter identity card, hoping to get some money on low interest rates," he says. Chand's family is worried about his safety, but they are also aware that this is the only way for them to survive at present. "My parents inquire about my work daily. They pray for my safety. My mother cries a lot, but I make her understand," he says. Chand adds he takes a bath as soon as he reaches home and keeps a distance from his family members. "I have been taking all precautions, but we may never know what would happen. For now, I want some help so that the family remains afloat," he says. GVS SRY

Class 12 student handles bodies of COVID-19 patients for mother's medicines, school fees

<ul><li> The <keyword id="106653" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-Working-Committee">Congress Working Committee</keyword> (CWC) ended without a decision who should be the party's next president.</li><li><keyword id="689" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonia-Gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> will continue as the party's interim president, at least until next week, when the CWC is scheduled to meet again.</li><li>The All India Congress Committee (AICC) plans to initiate the process of selecting a new leader as soon as possible.</li><li>Some want <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> to return to the helm, while others want a non-Gandhi contender at the head of the table.</li></ul>Sonia Gandhi will remain Congress' interim president as confusion reigned at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting earlier today. The head of the Gandhi family offered to resign as party president, but Manmohan Singh rejected this, and Rahul Gandhi questioned the timing of the request for a change in leadership. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Kamal Nath, is also pushed for Sonia Gandhi to remain Congress chief akin to Singh. Ahmed Patel, on the other hand, wants Rahul Gandhi to take the reigns instead. <div type="image" title="gandhi manmohan singh" msid="77717663" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sonia Gandhi&amp;#39;s position as party leader questioned at Congress Working Committee meeting&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> In a letter, signed by at least 300 Congress leaders including CWC member Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sonia Gandhi was asked to step down as interim Congress president to make way from someone outside of the Gandhi family. However, sources now tell PTI that the CWC is urging Sonia Gandhi to stay on after today's meeting. <div type="twitter" handle="PTI_News" handlename="Press Trust of India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/826806758513446913/2__zaKJN_normal.jpg" favoritecount="94" retweetcount="8" status="Congress Working Committee urges Sonia Gandhi to continue as interim party chief and to bring changes to strengthen organisation: Sources" createdat="1598274254000" id="1297882408054697984"></div> The letter by Azad and others was been met with resistance from certain quarters. Some want Rahul Gandhi to return to the helm while others don’t want Sonia Gandhi to vacate the position in the first place. Even though the CWC grappled with the issue for nearly seven hours today, they were unable to reach a consensus. Another CWC is set to happen next week, it can been early as Monday or sometime later. It is likely to be sooner rather later according PTI with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) looking to initiate the process of choosing the next Congress president. <div type="twitter" handle="PTI_News" handlename="Press Trust of India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/826806758513446913/2__zaKJN_normal.jpg" favoritecount="119" retweetcount="14" status="Congress Working Committee decides to convene AICC session at earliest possible time to start process of selecting new party chief: Sources" createdat="1598274394000" id="1297882995144060931"></div> Sonia Gandhi wants to step down Sonia Gandhi, in response to the letter urging for reforms, said that she is willing to step down. In wanting to leave, she also called for Congress to initiate the process of selecting a new party chief. <div type="image" title="gandhi manmohan singh2" msid="77717745" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rahul Gandhi (L), Manmohan Singh (C) and Sonia Gandhi (R)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> However, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Sonia Gandhi to continue, and senior Congress leader AK Antony questioned the letter seeking leadership change. Her son and former president of the party, Rahul Gandhi, criticised the letter and questioned its timing. “We are colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” he said according to PTI. A remark that he claims he never made. <div type="twitter" handle="KapilSibal" handlename="Kapil Sibal" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/572311513214382080/cexJW2ot_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="12923" retweetcount="2085" status="Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him . I therefore withdraw my tweet ." createdat="1598257072000" id="1297810344664895489"></div> Even though Rahul Gandhi has repeated said that he has no interest in returning to the head of the table, Congress leader Ahmed Patel demanded that he take over as Congress chief. Several Congress workers gathered outside the party's headquarters in Delhi were also spotted holding placards in support of the Gandhi party. One read "Gandhi pariwar ke alawa koi adhyaksh bana, toh party toot hi jayegi" (if anybody outside the Gandhi family becomes chief, the party will break). The meeting ended in a stalemate with party members unable to reach a consensus on whether they want Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi or a non-Gandhi at the helm. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/from-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-to-manmohan-singh-these-are-the-stated-views-of-congress-working-committee-members-on-sonia-gandhis-resignation/slidelist/77713740.cms">From Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to Manmohan Singh, these are the stated views of Congress Working Committee members on Sonia Gandhi's resignation</a>

Sonia Gandhi to remain Congress' interim president for another week until CWC picks its next leader

By Manik Gupta New Delhi, Apr 26 () Actor Rajeev Khandelwal, who has been appearing on different OTT platforms, believes coronavirus-driven lockdown has given a "massive surge" to viewership for the digital entertainment space as more and more viewers are embracing the medium.Back in limelight with his Voot Original Show "Marzi", the actor on Sunday will make his debut in tele-theatre with legal drama "Court Martial" by Zee Theatre. It will have its premiere on television as well as the OTT platform."There is a massive surge in viewership for digital content now. I am getting calls from people who I never thought would ever switch to this platform but then they have no choice. For example, I got a call from my aunt who lives in a small town like Alwar, she was watching my show on digital," Khandelwal told . Khandelwal, who made his digital debut with ALT Balaji's "Haq Se", said earlier there were talks of how digital would change the world of entertainment in a year or two, but because of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown, "the whole thing has changed within one month only"."I am glad that most of my shows, and now this play, are in digital and will get a bigger audience," he added.Having made a name for himself, first in television, then movies and now in digital, Khandelwal said he has always been very "fearful" and "nervous" of doing theatre and would "create excuses" for himself for not performing on stage."I would love watching plays but could never push myself to do one, always saying 'nahi ho payega' (won't happen). In fact, it was during my first few visits to Bombay I had gone to Prithvi theatre to watch a play, there when I saw the stage and hall filled with the audience, I said to myself 'I Don't think I can do it'," he said.But "Court Martial", thanks to its "fantastic script" and the fact that many veteran NSD actors had performed it in the past, made the 44-year-old actor shed his inhibitions for good.The teleplay, which was written by renowned playwright and novelist Swadesh Deepak in 1980s, follows the unusual trial of a junior-ranked army man convicted of murdering his senior officer.Khandelwal will be seen in the role of Bikash Roy, an defence lawyer who goes deep into the shocking details behind the assault."Here the whole package was very tempting and the last nail in the coffin was it was Army based and I come from an Army background, my dad was in the Army and my brother is in the Army, so I was like the entire universe is conspiring to drag me into this play," he explained.That said, teleplay is still different from a traditional play. Unlike theatre, it is adapted for television and is done without a live audience.When asked Khandelwal he didn't deny any of it and said it was due to this reason that he got his "high" on the job not on the day when it was shot but the day before that."The day before the original shoot we performed the whole play – 90 minutes – without any cuts in front of our director, creative team, channel people. I was so happy, I was like 'yeh kar daala isko bhi'. "Also, we got a standing ovation. But more than that I in my head knew that I had done well and was finally through with this fear of stage and remembering long dialogues," he added.The actual shoot, he said, was done with three pre-decided cuts -- 30 minutes each. Elated with the whole experience of doing the play, the actor said "ab sher ke muh khoon lag gaya hai" and he is looking forward to doing more plays in near future."Now since I have spent a considerable time with this play, I guess it is only ideal that I take this play to different cities, perform it in theatres in front of a live audience and take their feedback. Also, I am open to new scripts," he said.Khandelwal is presently at his holiday home in Goa, growing vegetables, reading "Homo Sapiens" by Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari and watching "Money Heist" on Netflix. MG MAHMAH

Lockdown has increased viewership of digital content: Rajeev Khandelwal

<ul><li>Netaji <keyword id="100207" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Subhas-Chandra-Bose">Subhas Chandra Bose</keyword> was born 123 years before on this same day. </li><li>He is India’s most famous as well as controversial freedom fighter who founded Azad Hind Fauz. </li><li>He continues to intrigue curious minds after his mysterious disappearance on a cold winter morning. </li></ul>Netaji Subhas Chandra <keyword id="6371315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bose">Bose</keyword> is the creator of the slogan, Jai Hind which has become a popular Indian chant today. And, he was born 123 years before on January 23. He is India’s most famous as well as controversial freedom fighter who founded Azad Hind Fauz. He continues to intrigue curious minds after his mysterious disappearance on a cold winter morning. Kabir Khan’s The Unforgettable Army Azaadi Ke Liye on Amazon Prime Video which will be released on January 24, will pay homage to his heroics. The story will revolve around the formation of Bose’s National Army after British failed to defeat Singapore in World War II. Here’s a look back at his life: Bose had always been a fighter — he quit a lucrative job to liberate India 
 
 
 
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 Bose was born in Cuttack, Odisha on January 23, 1897. He was a brilliant student who went to England to study — where he was also preparing for Indian Civil Services. He got selected in the ICS in 1920, but chose not to work for an alien government. He came back to India at the time when the country was fighting for freedom against the British government. He met Deshbandu Chitranjan Das, the editor of newspaper ‘Forward’, and Bose became the editor later. For Bose, the meaning and purpose of life was very simple: to seek freedom from bondage of every kind. From journalist to congress president 
	
 
 
 
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 Credits: IANS After becoming the editor of Forward, apart from writing against the Raj, he organised a boycott in Calcutta during Prince of Wales’ visit. This landed him in prison. A year later, he criticised Mahatma Gandhi for cancelling the non-co-operation movement after the Chauri Chaura incident. During the incident, Indians set fire to a police station killing many Indians and Britishers alike. Bose kept moving from jail to jail between 1924 and 1938. In 1930, Bose became the mayor of Calcutta even as he was jailed. He was released after he got sick and needed to travel abroad for treatment. That is when he took his call for freedom to other shores. The most controversial political leader of his time 
 
 
 
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 In January 1938, he became the president of the Indian National Congress. And at Tripuri session 1939, he defeated Gandhi’s candidate, Patabi Sitharam Iyer, to win a second term. However, he distanced himself from Congress after the party’s ideology didn’t match his own. He formed the Forward Bloc to carry on his struggle. He started looking for allies outside India — and for that he escaped his house arrest in Calcutta and fled to Europe again. He met a Nazi leader who is known to have promised him assistance to weaken the British in India. Bose believed India could attain freedom if they fought against Britain during World War II. Following his idea, he freed several Indian freedom fighters in Europe to form a Mukti Sena. The Azad Hind Fauj and Bose 
 
 
 
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 The Azad Hind Fauz was formed in 1941 in Berlin and comprised of Indian prisoners of war from Europe and North Africa. In December, Japan marked the beginning of World War II in Asia after it attacked Pearl Harbour. The fall of Singapore during that time shook the foundation of British Raj across the world. Meanwhile, the Indian freedom struggle was at its final round after Gandhi called for the Quit India Movement in 1942. In 1943, Bose became the commanding officer for Azad Hind Fauz — the army which attacked Britishers a year later. His army was able to free several Indian areas including Parel and Tihim from the British. In September 1944, his famous dialogue “Tum mujhe khoon do mein tumhe azadi dunga” (Give me your blood, I’ll give you your freedom) triggered a new wave of patriotism. He established a provisional government of Azad Hind in 1944 with a slogan ‘Chalo Delhi’. Mysterious death and controversy behind it 
 
 
 
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 Amidst all this melee, just a few years before India became independent, Bose vanished. Japanese Domei news agency said Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose died on August 18 in a plane crash at the Japanese-controlled Matsuyama military airport in Taihoku (now Taiwan). The incident left many Indians in a state of shock and disbelief. Even after 75 years, the controversy surrounding the death of Bose refuses to die down. A few believe that he did not die during the accident. Other theories say that he spent his last days in Uttar Pradesh while some say he lived abroad. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/delhi-chief-minister-arvind-kejriwal-achievements-ahead-of-delhi-elections-2020/articleshow/73145839.cms">Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal⁠— the man with a knack for Carpe Diem</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/savitribai-phule-19th-century-indian-feminist-didnt-just-educate-women-she-helped-rape-victims-and-pregnant-women/articleshow/73071238.cms">This 19th century Indian feminist didn't just educate women— she helped rape victims and pregnant women</a>

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the mystery of his death lives even after 75 years

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Empowering remote workforce is the single biggest challenge today for millions of organisations of all sizes in India and Google Cloud is busy democratising and reinventing Cloud for all, especially the homegrown companies in the 'Local ke liye Vocal' times, Karan Bajwa, Managing Director, Google Cloud India, said on Thursday. The Indian government aims to create world-class desi apps and platforms and Google Cloud is right here to help them on their digital journey as they scale their operations to accommodate more users' traffic and humongous amount of data being generated. "We are catering to the companies of all sizes - from startups to SMBs to large enterprises and the governments. Google Cloud offers great scalability, security and agility for home-grown startups, social media platforms and tech firms," Bajwa told IANS in a free-wheeling chat. The homegrown regional language social media platform ShareChat decided to migrate to Google Cloud in April this year. The migration from its incumbent Cloud platform to Google Cloud took place amid the Covid-19 crisis. "We are delighted to help ShareChat implement the world-class scalable and reliable infrastructure that will continue to enable it to deliver innovative and secure cloud-based services to millions of ShareChat users nationwide," said Bajwa. ShareChat currently serves more than 60 million monthly active users in 15 different Indian languages. A large proportion of its active user base hails from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, with the majority of them relying on 2G networks. Bajwa who joined Google Cloud in March has seen some key wins in a short span of time, despite lockdowns and social distancing in place. According to the long-time industry veteran who earlier worked in top roles in IBM and Microsoft, the enterprises that were hesitant earlier to adjust to the new normal have now gravitated towards being the Cloud-driven organisations in India. "There were several nuisances, including cultural, around going for Cloud and not all organisations in India were willing for 100 per cent digital transformation. The Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns changed it all," Bajwa emphasized. It forced enterprises in India to shift their operations overnight to immediately accommodate a remote workforce. Earlier, customers had some form of technology to allow remote working for a couple of hours in a day. "Video was the first capability that was fast adopted among the remote workforce. The consumption of Google Meet was quick and seamless in India among the digital natives," Bajwa told IANS. According to independent media reports, Google Meet for Android has surpassed over 10 crore downloads globally on Play Store. The Google Cloud Platform (GCP) has given Cleartrip significant value which it couldn't have achieved running its own data centres. "Migrating on GCP was an architectural innovation for us. With the cloud, it's much easier to ramp up capacity in line with business needs. The relative ease of scalability has helped us recently in the launch of TravelSafe, our latest product offering which provides our customers up to date curated information on questions they may have on safe travel," said Manoj Sharma, CTO, Cleartrip. "We also have a B2B offering serving travel needs of several large organizations and the shift to GCP helps us elevate their experience on our platform as well," Sharma added. Healofy, which is a parenting social network for mothers, was born on the cloud. "We built our tech stack completely on GCP. When we were building the Healofy app for Indian women starting with pregnant women and new moms, security and safety was the key and Google Cloud was a partner of choice as we scale and build for the future," said Gaurav Aggarwal, CEO and Co-founder, Healofy. Leading managed hosting and multi-Cloud hybrid IT solution provider Netmagic Solutions this week partnered Google Cloud to create a Centre of excellence (CoE) that will enable their customers to accelerate their hybrid Cloud journey. To help enterprises begin their journey towards digital transformation via building virtual workplaces, Deloitte and Google Cloud have announced to extend their strategic global alliance to India. "My message to the Indian CEOs and technologists is clear: Use the opportunity to reinvent your ways of working and accelerate your journey to the Cloud," said Bajwa. (Nishant Arora can be reached at nishant.a@ians.in) --IANS na/rs/

Google Cloud democratising, reinventing Cloud for all in India

By Manik Gupta New Delhi, Apr 6 () Maria sits in an Alpine meadow, guitar in hand and the Von Trapp children around her as she strums a tune. And no, this is not the "Sound of Music" with the much loved governess teaching "Do-Re-Mi" to her wards but giving lessons on the A-B-C of how to deal with COVID-19. The colour is sepia, the mood nostalgic but the tone urgent as Maria (Julie Andrews) croons, "Let's start at the very beginning, a sore throat, a cough in Wuhan", and goes on to talk about how the pandemic progressed and the necessity of social isolation – all to verse and the tune of the all-time favourite song.The 'corona cover' of the famous song was shared on YouTube by Shirley Serban from New Zealand who captioned it "Sound of a Pandemic", reportedly garnering millions of views. Back home in India, artists, amateur and professional, are joining the global chorus, sharpening their creative edge as they bring out covers and originals on the pandemic.Rap, spiritual, soft, parody, Punjabi folk and even 'cringe pop', different genres of music are synchronising chords to reach out to people through YouTube and social media channels. There's a ready audience. India has been under a three-week lockdown since March 24 and millions are confined to their homes to contain the spread of the disease that has infected more than 4,400 people and claimed at least 114 lives. Funny, informative and sometimes plain silly, the songs are sending out their message in different languages.Indie band Friends of Linger frontman Sharif D Rangnekar has put out an original composition on social media. Titled "I will see you on the other side", the song is aimed at giving hope to quarantined souls."The news of coronavirus outbreak got me all worked up and paranoid. And I was in this mode that no matter what we have to come out of this. So one day while sitting at my home, I had this tune in my head, I did the basic instrumentation, and recorded the song in one go -- two hour maximum," Rangnekar told . "The song is basically me telling myself, and others, that we will overcome this. We just need to hang in there and do the basics right -- like washing hands and not going out," he explained.Veteran singer Narendra Chanchal has sung a 'bhajan' on the pandemic.Topping the popularity charts is his 'bhajan' "Kitho aaya corona? (Where did corona come from)"."Dengue vi aaya, Swine Flu vi aaya. Chickunguniya ne shor machaya. Khabre ki-ki ho na ... O, Kitthon aaya corona? Maiya Ji, Kitthon aaya corona? (There was dengue, there was swine flu. Chikungunya created some noise, too. All of it made news, but where did corona come from? Tell us dear lord)," are the lyrics of the hit song in Punjabi.The song is from a religious gathering in Paharganj in Delhi.A group of women singers in Rajasthan sent out the same message through a four-minute video. "Corona bhag ja, Bharat me tharo kain kam re, Corona bhag ja," are the opening lines of the song in Rajasthani. Rapper and musician Baba Sehgal, who initially decided not to write a song on the outbreak as it was a "sensitive" issue, gave in to the temptation after he saw Prince Charles doing the traditional Indian greeting 'Namaste' on TV.The 54-year-old rapper is now out with not one but two songs on the coronavirus.His songs, "Namaste" and "Rab Rakha", promotes "self-isolation", "vegetarian food" and urges people to stay home and not break the chain. It also requests everyone to adopt the Indian salutation to greet each other to protect themselves against the highly contagious virus.Prince Charles,71, who tested positive on March 25, has recovered from the disease. 'Cringe pop' star Dhinchak Pooja, an internet sensation, is also taking on the virus with her song "Hoga Na Corona". The song is loaded with all the dos' and don'ts' one needs to know to spread the contain of coronavirus.The video, which has already garnered over millions of views, shows Dhinchak Pooja surrounded by a group of men and women dressed as doctors and with masks dancing out-of-sync."Hoga na corona, haath tu dhona, jaldi se sona , time na khona. Tension tum lo na, babu ho ya sona, baad mein na rona, mazaak mein na lo na (You won't catch corona if you wash your hands, sleep early and don't waste time. Don't take tension, whether you are babu or sona, don't cry later, don't take corona lightly)," go the lyrics. Joining the bandwagon is comedienne Jamie Lever who asks pertinent questions through her song, aptly titled "Why this Corona?" sung on the tune of Dhanush's superhit "Why this Kolaveri di?"The song, which starts with Jamie coughing and ends with her sneezing, gets into the dos and don'ts of how to protect yourself from the infection -- mask, hand sanitiser and gloves.There is a deluge of such parody songs, all inspired from hit songs like "Patiala Peg" by Punjabi singer and actor Daljit Dosanjh or "Suno Na" by Abhijeet Bhattacharya.The re-created Punjabi song underscores the importance of washing hands and maintaining distance from those who are suffering from cold and cough with these lyrics: "Corona ne ki pange pate, ghar te saare log baithate (Corona made us all sit at home), for instance, or "Parey Ho Ke Khang Soneya Evey Kar Na Devi Corona"( Go away and cough, else you'll infect me also).Some musicians are looking at societal issues like communal harmony too.Aspiring singer Tejas Ghambir has rehashed a Bollywood song, from superstar Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Chalte Chalte", to make his point. "Ab kahan hai woh saare Hindu or Musalman, jab jaan pe aayi toh dar raha har insan. Dekh lo aur kuch to samjho na corona corona oh corona, ab toh Hindu Muslim band karo na," (Where are all those Hindus and Muslims in these times of coronavirus. Everyone is scared when one's own live is at stake. Please let us understand this now and stop this Hindu-Muslim for once and all)," are the last lines of the song. MG MIN MINMIN

Joining the corona 'band' wagon -- from Chanchal's 'Kitho Aaya' to Dhinchak's 'Hoga Na'

<keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> heartthrob <keyword id="114453" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arjun-Kapoor">Arjun Kapoor</keyword>, who would soon be seen hosting the next series of adventure based reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi, has confirmed that he is busy preparing for his role of a Bihari guy Madhav in his next movie <keyword id="2459041" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Half-Girlfriend">Half Girlfriend</keyword>, based on the novel of the same name, written by <keyword id="6390428" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chetan-Bhagat">Chetan Bhagat</keyword>. 
 The movie would be directed by <keyword id="23758" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="mohit-suri">Mohit Suri</keyword>, who had last directed Hamari Adhuri Kahaani, and is the first movie to be produced by Chetan Bhagat. He would be producing the movie along with Ekta Kapoor, the czarina of Indian television and creative director of Balaji Telefilms. The movie would also see Shraddha Kapoor as Riya, the female lead. 
 
Before Arjun Kapoor was cast for the role, Sushant Singh Rajpoot was selected to play the role; however, he had to opt out of it since the dates were clashing with Dinesh Vijan’s untitled movie that Rajpoot had signed before Half Girlfriend. 
 
The movie would most probably be shot in Bihar, Delhi and New York, three cities that Madhav Jha, the protagonist travels to. The story is about a boy who hails from Bihar and finds it difficult to secure admission in a prestigious college in Delhi University. Securing admission from the sports quota, he falls in love with Riya, an upper class English-speaking girl, who later becomes his half-girlfriend and teaches him English. 
 
For preparing for his character, Kapoor would be seen donning the mannerisms and accent of a guy from Bihar. Maybe this is why he has said that he would need two and a half months for the role before he starts shooting.

Arjun Kapoor all set to portray Half Girlfriend’s Madhav
Jha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no plans to visit Lahore and was supposed to come back from Kabul to New Delhi. But his impromptu plan to visit Lahore sent the security into action, which managed Modi’s visit with aplomb. 
 
Modi had called Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to greet him on his birthday, when Sharif asked Modi to visit Islamabad. 
 
Sharif, who was in Lahore for his granddaughter’s wedding, said he won’t be able to make it to Islamabad and requested Modi to come to Lahore. 
 
This plan of a pit stop in Lahore, that too at Sharif’s residene, which is 45 kilometres away from the airport, was successful all thanks to the security of both the countries. 
 
Senior government officials aware of the deliberations told ET, “Aap Lahore mein ghar aa jayiye, Lahore ke darwaze bhi aap ke liye khule hain (Come to my Lahore home, the doors of Lahore are also open for you). 
 
Then the security concerns were discussed with NSA Ajit Doval and the SPG officials. 
 
"Islamabad has an institutionalised security protocol and setup for VVIP visits from the US and elsewhere which we were comfortable with even in the case of a sudden trip. But the Lahore surprise pit-stop was a big challenge for the SPG," a senior official told ET. 
 
The security overcame two challeneges-IAF chopper at Lahore airport and Modi’s 45-kilometre road journey from the airport to Sharif's Raiwind Palace through the heart of Lahore. 
 
Pakistan promised foolproof security at the Lahore airport and assured a Pak Air Force Chopper would fly both PMs to Raiwind and back. 
 
"Sharif flying in the same chopper with Modi was the biggest assurance that security would be top-notch," a senior official told ET. 
 
(Image: PIB)

Pakistan ensured foolproof security when PM Modi decided a pit stop in Lahore to meet Nawaz Sharif. Here’s how it happened

Few days back, we told you how the title track of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/topic/Prem-Ratan-Dhan-Payo">Prem Ratan Dhan Payo</a> is grabbing the eyeballs of <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> celebrities, who can’t help but make <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/The-best-of-Prem-Ratan-Dhan-Payo-dubsmashes-from-Bollywood/articleshow/49646716.cms">Dubsmash videos</a> dancing to its tunes. 
 
However, the latest Dubsmash to have come out on social media is hands down the best one in the list, and we have all the reasons to say so. 
In the latest video shared by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/topic/Salman-Khan">Salman Khan</a>, the lead actor of <keyword id="2133234" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prem-Ratan-Dhan-Payo">Prem Ratan Dhan Payo</keyword>, we see yesteryear actresses Helen and Waheeda Rehman, the most beautiful actresses to bless Indian cinema, showing off their dancing skills. 
 
Helen, who also happens to be the stepmother of Salman Khan, has worked as a dancer in several Bollywood movies, appearing in hit songs like Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu (Howrah Bridge, 1958), O Haseena Zulfowali (Teesri Manzil, 1966), Aa Jaane Jaan (Intaquam, 1969), Piya Tu Ab To Aaja (Caravan, 1971), and Yeh Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana (Don, 1978). 
 
Waheeda Rehman, on the other hand, established herself as a leading actress in 1950s and 1960s, the golden age of Indian cinema. She was seen in popular movies like Pyaasa (1957), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1961), Guide (1965), Teesri Kasam, (1966), Neel Kamal and Khamoshi (1969), and Reshma Aur Shera (1971). Later in her career, she started doing supportive roles and appeared in Chandni, Lamhe, Om Jai Jagdish, Rang De Basanti, and Delhi 6. She is also a trained Bharatnatyam dancer. 
 
Here is the video, and we rightly believe that present generation of actresses can learn a thing or two from these veteran gems of Indian cinema. 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		Prem Ratan Dhan Payo performed by the 2 most beautiful women <a href="https://t.co/PvyufQ0Vhu">pic.twitter.com/PvyufQ0Vhu</a>
	— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeingSalmanKhan/status/662140159450722305">November 5, 2015</a></blockquote>
 
Courtesy: <a href="https://twitter.com/BeingSalmanKhan/status/662140159450722305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">Salman Khan Twitter</a>

This is the best Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Dubsmash there ever will be

<keyword id="6355887" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shahid-Kapoor">Shahid Kapoor</keyword>, who has always been in the news a lot more because of his personal life than his professional ventures, is all set to tie the knot with his Dilliwali girlfriend <keyword id="2775998" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mira-Rajput">Mira Rajput</keyword>. Ever since the news of their alleged engagement broke out, both media and Shahid’s fans are at their toes to find out the details about the wedding, and also about the lucky girl, who is the talk of the industry without even being a part of it. 
When Shahid Kapoor first <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Another-Bollywood-hottie-goes-off-the-Eligible-Bachelor-list/articleshow/46712894.cms">confirmed the news</a> of his marriage preparations, he mentioned a probable wedding by the end of the year, but looks like the families were really eager to see their kids in the wedding attire, because the wedding was then rescheduled to take place in July. 
Shahid, who has been busy shooting the promos for the upcoming reality show Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa could only take out time to be in Delhi just the afternoon before the functions began. As he arrived in the capital, the rain gods welcomed the groom-to-be, and the weather turned as romantic as it could in the humid July summers. 
 
Shahid and Mira, who were <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Finally-Shahid-and-Mira-in-a-single-frame/articleshow/47356669.cms">seen in one frame</a> in only one image before this, were seen dancing at their Sangeet ceremony, like no one was watching, completely immersed in themselves. The ceremony took place at Mira’s Chhatarpur residence. Check out the image of Shahid, down on his knees like a true gentleman, admiring the moves of his soon-to-be-wife. Now, that’s an image that could break a million hearts! 
 
 
 
Source: <keyword id="2938012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rohan-Shreshtha-Twitter">Rohan Shreshtha Twitter</keyword> 
 Both, <keyword id="383724" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neelima-Azeem">Neelima Azeem</keyword>, his mother, and stepomother <keyword id="1143694" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supriya-Pathak-Kapur">Supriya Pathak Kapur</keyword>, were present at the ceremony. Have a look at the proud parents of the groom. 
 
 
 
We also got hold of a pic from Mira’s mehendi and haldi ceremony, in which she looked like an elegant princess. 
 
 
As for the cherry on the cake, we learnt that Mira danced on several of beau Shahid’s hit songs, including the peppy number Saj Dhaj Ke from doting father-in-law’s movie Mausam, and Shahid hugs her and kisses her forehead as she finishes her performance. 
 
How sweet! Here is the video: 
 
 
Courtesy: Devina Malhotra

#Shahid Ki Shaadi: Watch a much-in-love Shahid
dance with his bride Mira at their Sangeet

When it’s an uneventful weekend in the west, the one that’s probably filled with low temperatures or snow, entertaining self with or without friends gains a new meaning. <keyword id="2061638" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="binge-watching">Binge watching</keyword> makes for a bond both with humans and the shows. 
 West has been binging on <keyword id="45225" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Television-shows">television shows</keyword> on the Internet for long. India is waking up to the concept, thanks to better connectivity and high resolution <keyword id="559549" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="video-streaming">video streaming</keyword>. But, has binging caught on as a trend? The answer is both yes and no. 
 
Watching serials like a complete marathon, be it those international entertainment on Star World or some Pakistani serials on Zindagi. Like, if you are living in Mumbai, Lucknow, or Delhi or even Bengaluru – you sure have attempted to catch those Pakistani serials. Zingadi Gulzar Hai, Humsafar, Aunn Zara so on and so forth! 
 Binge watching, is more or less non-existent in India when compared against the total percentage of <keyword id="6357922" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Television">television</keyword> viewers. But, experts do feel binge watching will soon catch up with the country that has been long waiting to join the west in this segment. 
 
Binge watching is the important change that has been ushered in by Internet. It has drastically changed the way world watches television. The busy life that leaves us no time to follow our favourite shows ensures we catch up with them on the Internet. And when all the episodes that we wish to watch are available back-to-back, the joy of watching truly increases manifold, and how! 
 But, hang on. Binge watching has also been ‘cautioned against’ by health experts saying this increases chances of <keyword id="6354802" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="depression">depression</keyword> with decreased levels of socializing. But hey, who cares when your favourite ‘Breaking Bad’ is running an interesting storyline that you wouldn’t want to miss for life! 
 
In India, binge watching is yet to be a trend except for in mega cities. Reasons for this are many. Television watching is also a ‘family time’ which coincides with dinner. Indians who choose to binge watch, prefer their list of English serials over Hindi owing to the easy availability of the content and convenient downloads. 
 
However, this is bound to change because entertainment companies have been making big plans to attract the attention of the Indian youth who can be potential consumers of their products. 
 
However, the only hitch would be to compress those 1,000-odd episodes of the highly successful serials into watchable videos. Binge in India will be a different ball game altogether. 
 
The demand for engaging entertainment in this country is growing with passing day. With increasing numbers of Internet penetration, and better devices that stream video content entering the market, India surely holds a lot of promise for people who would like to bury themselves like an ostrich into their favourite television show or a film on the Internet. 
 
Binge watching can be pretty rewarding and gratifying. 
 
Go, catch your ‘Friends’ or ‘Two and a Half men’ or ‘The Big Bang Theory’ alongside ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’ or ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasma’. There is a raging demand among children and elders alike for the new shows that are based on mythological stories such as Mahabharat, Devon Ke Dev Mahadev, or Udaan and of course, Chakravartin Ashok Samrat. Chhota Bheem is the darling of children who get to catch their favourite show on the Internet through summer holidays. Ah, the perks of having given up television and entertainment to study for exams! 
 
But, god save you if you want to watch ‘Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ or the likes that ran for years after years. Because while binge watching is a desirable past time, it also means that your broadband bills will also give you a jolt when they arrive. 
 
Piracy will always remain an issue with serial makers who would feel they have lost a premium with the audience choosing another platform to watch their creation. Though in the immediate time frame this looks like an issue that would be addressed in the near future, this is sure to brighten the battle between the mega segments of television viewing. When clarity emerges, content will be the king, and the viewer will decide who has the best of it for him! 
Image: thinkstock

Binge watching is gratifying! Or is it?

When everyone had apprehended that he had vanished, that didn’t really happen. Mushtaq 'Tiger' Memon has returned to haunt Mumbai Police’s conscience yet again, not personally but through a phone call. Twenty two years since perpetrating one of India’s deadliest terrorist attacks, leading to the death of close to 300 people after a series of bomb blasts rocked India’s finacial capital, Mumbai, Tiger ranks as one of the most wanted criminals in Mumbai Police’s diary. 
 
Though there has been no direct connection with the police, phone calls tapped at Memon’s family residence in Mumbai informs that Tiger may be planning on taking revenge for his brother, Yakub’s hanging on 30th July. 
 
According to a leaked copy of the transcript of the purported conversation, between Tiger and his mother, on the morning Yakub was hanged at a jail in Nagpur, the conversation holds a sinister tone enougg to make the Mumbai Police go scurrying. 
 
 
 
Tiger made the call to his mother at 5:30 am in the morning, barely an hour before Yakub was to be hanged. His mother wasn’t in the state of conversing with his son when her other son was awaiting to face the gallows. The conversation shows that Tiger who has never repented for the blast in Mumbai that killed hundreds is not grieving for his brother’s impending fate, rather talks of revenge, to which his mother didn’t approve of. 
 
The officials from security agencies in Mumbai and Delhi have confirmed the call from Tiger. Tiger Memon and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim were the key conspirators behind the Mumbai blasts. The coordinated attacks across 13 locations in the city on March 12, 1993, claimed 257 lives. 
 
Here is the complete transcript of the conversation between Tiger Memon and his mothe: 
 
Landline phone at Memon’s Mumbai residence rings. 
 
An unidentified man (UM) from the Memon residence picks up the phone. The caller doesn't identify himself but quickly says, " Salam walikum, Hello" 
 
The unidentified male (UM) then replies: Walikum salam Bhai. 
 
Tiger: Ammi Jaggi hai kya. (Is mother awake) 
 
UM: Woh raat bhar soyi nahi hai. (She hasn't slept since last night) 
 
Tiger: Baat karao ( I want to speak to her) 
 
There is a pause of around 30 seconds as the cordless phone is being taken inside to the room where the mother is. While going to the room UM meets someone else who asks who is on the line, UM carrying the phone says, 'Bhaijaan ka phone hai,'. 
 
The Unidentified Male enters a room and tells his mother: "Bhaijaan baat karenge," He repeats it again: "Bhaijaan baat karenge." 
 
There is some murmuring which is not audible. Hanifa apparently doesn't want to talk to Tiger. So the UM insists, "Tum baat to karo." 
 
Hanifa Memon, the mother of Tiger Memon then takes the phone, there are a few moments of silence. In a feeble voice she says something to Tiger that is inaudible. 
 
Tiger: "Salam walikum Ammi khairiyat." 
 
In a feeble voice she says something the voice is inaudible. 
 
Tiger says: "Salam walikum ammi khairiyat?" 
 
Hearing this- the mother Hanifa starts crying. There is a pause for 35 seconds as she sobs. 
 
Tiger then says: "Zulm ki inteha ho gayi hai. Zaya nahi jayega," (This is the height of injustice, this will not go waste.) And repeats it one more time: "Yeh sab zaya nahi jayega," 
 
Yakub's mother starts sobbing more on the phone now. 
 
So Tiger promises: "Tum ro mat ammi iska inko izafa dena hoga." 
 
Hanfia says something which is inaudible- 
 
Tiger: "main unko chukwaonga" (I will make them pay) 
 
Tiger's mother says in a feeble voice: "Bas ho gaya, Pehle ke vajah se mera Yakub gaya ab aur nahin main dekh sakti. 
 
main nahi dekh sakti 
 
main nahi dekh sakti" 
 
And begins to cry again. 
 
The UM who answered the phone initially then takes the phone again from the mother and says: "Bhai..." 
 
Tiger says: "usko sambhalo, sabko sambhalo" 
 
UM replies: "Woh abhi baat nahi karengi woh ro rahi hai. sab ro rahe hain." 
 
Tiger: "Sabke asoo zaya nahi jayenge" (Everyone's tears will not go waste) 
 
"Sabka khayal rakho" (Take care of everyone) 
 
UM: "Dua pado bhai" (Recite some prayers) 
 
The phone gets disconnected then. The call made from a VOIP connection was bouncing from one Internet Protocol address to another, so the trace was not completed.

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Tiger Memon, India’s second most wanted terrorist said this to his mother, the morning his brother Yakub was hanged!

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