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New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Pablo Picasso to MF Husain: Gifting the recipe of art
Think art and the vision that instantly conjures up in one's mind would be of a canvas in a gilded frame, pronouncing its snobbery and pride from under the glare of the soft lights of a sanitised gallery. This may be true in most cases, for art does have its own settings. But there have been surprises that have broken this stereotype, time and again. Imagine walking into a bustling eatery in the bylanes of a small Indian town and encountering the artworks of the country's most famous artist. When MF Husain visited Kochi as a brand ambassador for Kerala Tourism, he often chose to eat his meals at Kayees, a popular biryani joint in Mattancherry. On the day of his first visit, he drew the leg of a goat on a piece of paper while sitting on the bench, to indicate to the puzzled waiter that he wanted a leg piece in his curry. He went on to complete the sketch of a goat and handed it over to the restaurant. He also presented a drawing of a camel as a parting gift, and today, the humble hotel proudly displays these invaluable gestures on its crowded walls. Another unusual place that features a painting by the iconic artist is the Lucky Tea Stall in Ahmedabad, renowned for its unusual location. The owner who purchased the land did so without realising that it was a cemetery. The knowledge did not prove to be a deterrent, and he went ahead with his plans, placing tables for customers amid the graves and coffins. The morbid surroundings soon became its unique feature, as well as its chai and maska bun. Husain was enamoured by the ambience and in 1994, gifted his painting to the owner, which still adorns its walls, adding its own charm to the 'dine with the dead' environment.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kerala's heli-tourism dream struggles to take off
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's ambitious heli-tourism initiative has run into rough weather even before take-off as the tourism department continues to struggle to attract helicopter service providers. With not many bidders in sight, the department has extended the deadline for Expression of Interest (EoI) for the third time. According to official sources, so far, just one operator has responded to the EoI floated in May. 'If we don't receive at least one more valid proposal, the entire initiative will be adversely affected. We are waiting as there's a possibility of another bidder showing interest. Only if the proposal matches the requirements can we go ahead,' an official with the tourism department told TNIE. The official said if the proposal is not viable, EoI will be invited once more. 'If the result is the same, we will inform the government, which will decide whether to proceed or abandon the initiative,' the official added. The plan is to enlist certified helicopter service operators and aggregators to provide regular, safe and convenient aerial transport linking key tourist destinations such as Kochi, Thekkady, Munnar, Kumarakom, Vagamon and Bekal. According to industry experts, Kerala Tourism should offer more to woo helicopter operators to the state. 'Private players need business and the government should invest in the segment to make this initiative a success. Ideally, the government should invite tenders and bring operators by assuring minimum flying hours,' said Anil Narayanan, accountable manager of Chipsan Aviation, a helicopter service provider operating in the state for the past 12 years. 'State govt should promise minimum business' Launched in December 2023, the heli-tourism initiative failed to gain traction initially due to the absence of a clear policy and restrictions from the tourism department.
South Wales Guardian
10-07-2025
- South Wales Guardian
British fighter jet stranded in India may finally fly home after inspiring memes
The stealth fighter, one of the world's most advanced and costing around 115 million dollars (£84.6 million), is stranded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern state of Kerala due to a technical snag and is being repaired by UK engineers, officials said. The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea last month when it ran into bad weather and could not return to the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, officials said. Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave. Thank you, The Fauxy.#F35 #Trivandrum #KeralaTourism — Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) July 2, 2025 The aircraft was then diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, where it landed safely on June 14. Officials said engineers hope to repair the plane in the next few days before it could fly back to the UK sometime next week. The stranded military aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, has triggered AI-generated memes in India. In a social media post, the tourism department of Kerala showed the aircraft on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees and posting a fictitious five-star review. 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend,' it said. The state's top official at the tourism department, K Biju, said the post was put out in 'good humour'. 'It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,' said Biju. Another cartoon posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background. The British High Commission confirmed to The Associated Press that a UK engineering team has been deployed to 'assess and repair' the aircraft. There has been speculation in India that if the engineers fail to rectify the aircraft, it could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane. The UK's Ministry of Defence dismissed the speculation in an emailed statement.
Leader Live
10-07-2025
- Leader Live
British fighter jet stranded in India may finally fly home after inspiring memes
The stealth fighter, one of the world's most advanced and costing around 115 million dollars (£84.6 million), is stranded at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern state of Kerala due to a technical snag and is being repaired by UK engineers, officials said. The jet was on a regular sortie in the Arabian Sea last month when it ran into bad weather and could not return to the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier, the HMS Prince of Wales, officials said. Kerala, the destination you'll never want to leave. Thank you, The Fauxy.#F35 #Trivandrum #KeralaTourism — Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) July 2, 2025 The aircraft was then diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, where it landed safely on June 14. Officials said engineers hope to repair the plane in the next few days before it could fly back to the UK sometime next week. The stranded military aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, has triggered AI-generated memes in India. In a social media post, the tourism department of Kerala showed the aircraft on the tarmac surrounded by coconut trees and posting a fictitious five-star review. 'Kerala is such an amazing place, I don't want to leave. Definitely recommend,' it said. The state's top official at the tourism department, K Biju, said the post was put out in 'good humour'. 'It was our way to appreciate and thank the Brits who are the biggest inbound visitors to Kerala for tourism,' said Biju. Another cartoon posted on X showed the plane enjoying snacks with a group of locals against a scenic background. The British High Commission confirmed to The Associated Press that a UK engineering team has been deployed to 'assess and repair' the aircraft. There has been speculation in India that if the engineers fail to rectify the aircraft, it could be partially dismantled and transported in a cargo plane. The UK's Ministry of Defence dismissed the speculation in an emailed statement.
India Gazette
08-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Kerala's gender-inclusive tourism policy will support new entrants: Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 8 (ANI): Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas on Tuesday said the state government will go ahead with its action plan to support newcomers, especially women, to the tourism sector, aligning with the vision of inclusive and sustainable development of tourism. The Minister was delivering the inaugural address to the state-level consultation workshop to bring out a Gender Inclusive and Women-Friendly Tourism Policy as part of the women-friendly tourism initiative here. The workshop was organised by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with Kerala Responsible Tourism (RT) Mission Society and UN Women India. The two major objectives of the gender-inclusive project that took off in 2022 were to create women-friendly tourism centres and create a network of women enterprises in the tourism sector, the Minister said. 'It is vital to extend support to the newcomers to the tourism sector, especially women, to ensure that they flourish in the competitive ecosystem,' Riyas said. 'Initially, around 17,631 women had joined the project with diverse enterprises and services. These included exclusive women tour units, homestays, souvenir units and services like community tour leaders and tour operators. After imparting training to them, tourism activities are being conducted in a coordinated manner,' he said. The government also has allotted funds for the women's ventures through RT's subsidy scheme, Riyas said. The Minister said Kerala Tourism's women-inclusive project was greatly appreciated by the UN Women India, which also extended technical support in areas like destination safety, gender audit and training programmes. Riyas said Kerala was the first state to conduct a gender audit in the country. This has been completed in six centres and will be held in another 14 tourism centres this financial year. Also, a safety audit has been completed in 68 tourism spots, and activities are in full swing to implement women-friendly initiatives there. Holding that the women-friendly initiative will help overcome the challenges in the sector, Riyas said post-COVID-19, the state clocked a record in domestic tourists' arrival while outpacing other states in the national average of foreign tourists' arrival. In her opening remarks, Kerala Tourism Director Sikha Surendran said the women-friendly initiative of the state has become a global model for others to emulate it. 'Apart from firming up Kerala's position on the global tourism map as an all-season experiential destination, our RT initiative has brought significant benefits to the local communities, especially women as its major stakeholders,' she noted. S K Sajeesh, Chairman, Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Ltd (KTIL), presided over the function. A panel discussion followed the inaugural session. In her keynote address, Kanta Singh, Country Representative, UN Women, India, said Kerala has been showing the way for the country in many things, and it is a privilege to partner with the state government and the RT project to do more for women in the tourism sector. In his presentation of a framework for Gender Responsive Tourism Policy, K Rupeshkumar, CEO, Kerala RT Mission Society, said the upcoming policy will lay down guidelines for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of gender inclusive practices. 'The major objectives of the policy include fostering women's participation in the tourism industry, ensuring safety and security and women's empowerment,' he said. It will also address such issues as workplace practices, ensure safe work environments for employees and development of inclusive and accessible infrastructure and services in destinations. Rupeshkumar added an action plan for the implementation of each component of the policy will be worked out as a backup for the policy. The Gender Inclusive Tourism Policy will include stakeholders like tourism entrepreneurs, tour operators, hotels, local communities, tourists from diverse backgrounds, especially women. Mini Sukumar, Member, Kerala State Planning Board & Governing Body Member, The Gender Park, said a positive transformation has happened in the tourism sector after the implementation of a women-friendly initiative. S Swaminathan, Secretary, Kerala Travel Mart Society, and Jose Dominic, Founder, CGH Earth, also spoke. The speakers at the panel discussion included Veda Bharadwaja, Country Programme Manager, UN Women India and Dr Peeja Rajan, State Coordinator, UN Women India. (ANI)
