A CURATED SELECTION OF PUBLISHED ARTICLES
Vaccines are safe, important line of defence against Covid-19, explains Dr Sukhpal Singh Gill
Dr Gill was among the first crop of frontline workers to have been administered his first of two Covid-19 vaccine jabs. Here, he gives some insight into aspects such as vaccine safety, coping mechanisms during the lockdown and a message for the younger generation considering a career in the NHS like him.
Close to the Bone: Actress-turned-author Lisa Ray’s travelogue of the soul
Lisa Ray is a philanthropist, social activist and actress, best known for her roles in critically films such as ‘Water’ and, most recently, for her unconventional role in the Amazon Prime Indian hit series ‘Four More Shots Please’.
The 48-year-old Indian Canadian mother of two, who battled a rare cancer, has added yet another talent to her repertoire as she turns author with her book ‘Close to the Bone: A Memoir’ – set for release this week.
The actress-turned-writer describes ‘Close to the Bone’ as a travelogue of the soul, through which she traces her childhood in Canada as the bi-racial daughter of an Indian father and a Polish mother, her rise to the top as a model and a Bollywood actress, to her diagnosis in 2009 with rare blood cancer multiple myeloma and her spiritual journey thereafter
British Indian trainer’s message for Day of Sign Languages: It’s for everyone
This theme for the 2020 International Day of Sign Languages, marked on September 23, is “Sign Languages are for Everyone”. To mark this special United Nations (UN) designated day, the World Federation of the Deaf (WDF) has launched a Global Leaders Challenge, asking government officials, members of Parliament, regional councillors and other leaders to submit videos of themselves using their national sign language.
‘iGlobal’ took part in the challenge with Jettender Ajimal, Senior Training Officer at BID Services in the West Midlands region of England, to get some first-hand training and pick up a whole new vocabulary as part of worldwide efforts to create greater awareness and solidarity with the deaf community.
Sharing our story: Life in Afghanistan as a minority
"Women didn’t have no rights, let alone children. My Mum couldn’t take me out of the house. We were in a close-knit society, the only places we would go to is our relative’s house and that to covered in a Burka. If there were females in a Hindu or Sikh family, the Taliban expected them to get married to a Muslim family, the girls would have to convert, if not they were persecuted, threatened with rape and in some cases killed – it is actually dreadful living in that place and things haven’t changed”.
Former teacher with incurable rare lung disease encourages YOU to go to the gym
“You can continue to be mentally, physically and emotionally devastated or you can be physically, mentally and emotionally motivated”, says 38 year-old Jay Virdee, who lives with a rare autoimmune disease that is slowly turning her skin rock hard.
Indian Matchmaking: Tackling the different shades of colourism
It is an undeniable fact that colourism, or the shade of a person’s skin, has long been a factor within the Indian diaspora and wider matrimonial context. Its roots can possibly be traced back to colonialism and to some extent, the caste system but attempts to create awareness and distance from it are equally a reality in the 21st-century context.
BALMA: A new-age networking concept to mark Pride Month
In keeping with Pride Month in June, ‘iGlobal’ caught up with its British Indian creator, Peter Singh, to explore the vision behind this new networking concept. He explains that the idea was born in the aftermath of the Indian Supreme Court decision to legalise homosexuality and transgender relationships in September 2018.
“There is a misunderstanding about what Islam is”
News about Muslims in the British press is never rare, but rarely ever positive. An article by the press gazette written in 2017 revealed that the national media has corrected at least 20 significant inaccuracies about Muslims in news stories over the last year. As rampant Islamophobia and xenophobia continue to rise, Sabah Ahmedi a 25-year-old Imam from Essex, who hails from the Ahmadiyya community is on a mission to address the negative perceptions society has about Islam.
The Sharan Project: Tackling forced marriages through a pandemic
The government’s Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), which tracks these cases, registered drop in numbers from India to 65 in 2019, compared to 85 in 2018 in its latest figures. ‘iGlobal’ caught up with Polly Harrar, founder of The Sharan Project and board member of the FMU, to go behind these figures and explore the challenges faced by the organisation and how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted their work.
FaithTech Series: ‘Bhagavad Gita’ lessons through a virtual lens
An international mergers and acquisitions lawyer with global law firm Gowling WLG, Dhruv Chhatralia, is the founder of Shyam Bhagavad Gita classes. He has authored of over 21 books on Hinduism, has given more than 325 public talks on spirituality, totalling over 350 hours.
A regular speaker on the benefits of yoga and mental health, ‘iGlobal’ caught up with Chhatralia for our regular FaithTech Series, which explores the use of technology to spread the message of faith, especially to surmount the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
Power of positivity across borders in the time of pandemic
“I just have to do something,” is the first thing Youniverse Founder Tanya Bakshi told herself when the coronavirus crisis began to impact millions across the world. Youniverse is an NGO, based in New Delhi, with a mission to better society. In partnership with Sanjeevan Sandhu, a wellbeing researcher, positivity coach, and author from Wales, the duo are facilitating a unique “Positivity Pandemic Programme” – a global movement focusing on practical positivity, optimism, and kindness all in a matter of 10 life changing days.connect on a personal and emotional level.
The making of an entrepreneur: Sachin Nandha and the world of private equity
“Knowledge, experience and the support network are the three ingredients you need in order to succeed," says CEO of PillboxCapital 3 Fund Sachin Nandha. These are the very seeds, that nurtured the 38-year-old from Wirral into the entrepreneur he is today.
A Global Indian playwright explores ‘What We Are Made Of’
British Indian writer Wersha Bharadwa has a word of mouth lockdown hit in ‘What We Are Made Of’, her new play on the experiences of South Asian women who migrated to Britain during the 1960s and 1970s from Kenya and Uganda.
FaithTech Series: School of Bhakti takes spirituality to cyberspace
It has been said that the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find your purpose in life. Albeit, that is not a simple or a straight-forward journey. The School of Bhakti helps to ease that transition and offer a wide variety of courses – many of which are philosophically inclined and for the material body – mindfulness, meditation, and yoga
Cinemawallahs: Manch UK spotlights filmmaker Nasreen Munni Kabir
India-born and UK-based producer, director and author Nasreen Munni Kabir shared stories about her long and eventful career promoting Indian cinema with fellow British Indian author Shrabani Basu as part of Manch UK’s Cinemawallahs series recently.
A brand new chapter in a fine-dining Kahani
Located in the heart of London’s leafy hub of Chelsea, Kahani is a contemporary Indian restaurant from Peter Joseph, the former Head Chef at the Michelin-star Tamarind. Kahani, which translates as story, is inspired by his childhood in Tamil Nadu, where his mother would cook wholesome meals for the family to be enjoyed over many storytelling sessions.