Is the ‘healing touch’ working in Kashmir?
Ehsan Fazili

IT is now nearly six months after the coalition government headed by the People’s Democratic Party chief and former Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, took over on November 2 last. "Gun is no solution, we have to start a dialogue" "Youth are distancing themselves from militancy"

A TRIBUTE
Playwright who created drama in real life
Aruti Nayar
LEGENDS are often created in the past tense, not in the present tense. Balwant Gargi had this rare distinction of having acquired legendary status during his lifetime. He was intelligent, he was dynamic; he was controversial. It’s difficult to say whether it was the man who courted controversies, or controversies that dogged him.

ARTISTS WHO INSPIRE
The old bhopung player of Alwar
Sanjay Austa
HE used to hawk bidis outside popular cinema halls in Alwar, enticing cine-goers with the melody of his one-string instrument. He had been doing this ever since he was five but not many people knew about this roaming minstrel less little about the strange contraption he wedged under his arm to play.