India

Traveling monks work on a sand mandala at Lake Street Church in Evanston, Illinois.

Tibetan monks on tour in US as China continues to restrict religion in Tibet

A group of Tibetan Buddhist monks, living in exile in India, are doing a “sacred arts tour” this month in the US. They’re demonstrating an ancient artistic and spiritual practice, creating big, colorful sand mandalas. They say Buddhist traditions like this are under threat because of Chinese government policies in their historic homeland of Tibet.

Tibetan monks on tour in US as China continues to restrict religion in Tibet
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Delhi is rolling out the welcome mat as leaders arrive for the G20 summit in India

Delhi is rolling out the welcome mat as leaders arrive for the G20 summit in India
Screenshot from "Cape Flats Kung Fu" by Eavesdrop.

'Planet Hip Hop': The music will always be the voice of the people, Samy Alim says

'Planet Hip Hop': The music will always be the voice of the people, Samy Alim says
Women rush out of a train during peak hours at Churchgate station in Mumbai, India, Monday, March 20, 2023.

Indian women do less paid work. It’s bad news for the economy.

Indian women do less paid work. It’s bad news for the economy.
a man sleeping on the ground outside of a temple

Housing segregation in India has affected millions of people for several generations

Housing segregation in India has affected millions of people for several generations
Dalai Lama and cake

Tibet’s Dalai Lama turns 88 

On Thursday, the 14th Dalai Lama turns 88 years old. The Tibetan spiritual leader and prominent Buddhist figure is the longest serving in the line of Dalai Lamas in Tibetan history. As he gets older, the prospect of his demise — and what happens after — is looming.

Tibet’s Dalai Lama turns 88 
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Hip-hop artists in India call out caste discrimination 

In India, artists are using hip-hop to stand up to one of the world's oldest forms of discrimination: caste. In recent years, a new wave of Dalit artists is wielding some of the same musical elements that Black artists began channeling decades ago to call out prejudice and injustice.

Hip-hop artists in India call out caste discrimination 
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Investigation begins into India’s deadly train crash

​​​​​​​On Sunday, rescue workers pulled the last survivor from the devastating crash in eastern Odisha state that has left at least 275 dead and more than a thousand injured. Relatives are now on the scene trying to locate loved ones and train services on the line have resumed. Investigators are pinpointing what caused one of the deadliest crashes in India's history. 

Investigation begins into India’s deadly train crash
Bollywood actresses from left, Siddhi Idnani, Yogita Bihani, Sonia Balani, Adah Sharma and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah during a press conference for the movie "The Kerala Story" in Mumbai, India, May 17, 2023.

Is the fictional film 'The Kerala Story' cautionary or propaganda?

“The Kerala Story” is a fictionalized film that has sparked debate in India. It's about Hindu women being tricked into joining ISIS. The filmmakers say they are uncovering a hidden truth, while others say the film is exaggerated and divisive.

Is the fictional film 'The Kerala Story' cautionary or propaganda?
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In Mumbai, waste pickers do the heavy lifting of recycling  

Waste pickers collect and send garbage to Dharavi, an informal settlement where thousands of recyclers live and work. They sort through the piles, and clean and separate the different types of materials destined for a second or third life. Without them, much of the city's trash would end up in incinerators or dumped in landfills.

In Mumbai, waste pickers do the heavy lifting of recycling  
Indian students in uniform clothing arrive at a government-run junior school in Udupi, Karnataka state, India, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. 

Indian govt removes parts of Muslim history from federal textbooks

The Indian government’s new school textbooks have significant deletions in them related to Muslims in Indian history. Some historians accuse the ruling BJP government of rewriting the country's history to suit its Hindu nationalist ideology.

Indian govt removes parts of Muslim history from federal textbooks
COVID-19 antigen home tests indicating a positive result are photographed in New York, April 5, 2023.

Pandemic recovery will require much focus and attention, Dr. Atul Gawande says

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed about 7 million people worldwide, ravaging health care systems and economies. Dr. Atul Gawande, head of global health at the US Agency for International Development, spoke with The World's Carolyn Beeler about how pandemic recovery "will require as much focus and attention as it did when it first started."

Pandemic recovery will require much focus and attention, Dr. Atul Gawande says
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani attends the "Invest Karnataka 2016 Global Investors Meet" in Bangalore, India, Feb. 3, 2016. 

Indian billionaire businessman Gautam Adani faces scrutiny

Indian businessman Gautam Adani is one of the world's wealthiest people. Now, his methods for acquiring the enormous wealth and close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being investigated by India's Supreme Court.

Indian billionaire businessman Gautam Adani faces scrutiny
Syed Sajjad Ali inspects tomatoes planted inside a Kheyti greenhouse.

This greenhouse innovation helps farmers in India cope with climate change

The “greenhouse-in-a-box” is part of a solution designed to help smallholder farmers cope with the vagaries of a changing climate. The design, essentially a low-cost, scaled-down version of a standard greenhouse, is the brainchild of an Indian startup called Kheyti.

This greenhouse innovation helps farmers in India cope with climate change
People walk through an informal settlement for trash segregators in Bangalore, India.

Waste collectors in Bangalore face discrimination and exploitation

Garbage segregators in India often have to migrate in search of work. Many in Bangalore, India, also face constant harassment from the police and local residents, often facing eviction from informal settlements if they can't afford to pay bribes.

Waste collectors in Bangalore face discrimination and exploitation