The TB Photovoice Project, the winner of the 2010 TB Survival Prize, started as a one man's way to deal with the loss of his beloved ones to tuberculosis (TB). By now, it is touching the lives of many people around the world, helping – through pictures and narratives – to empower and raise the voice

After overcoming the initial obstacles in South Asia, where, first the Pakistani government denied visas to some Indians, then Indian government delayed permission to those of its citizens who had obtained visas from the Pakistani government to cross the Wagha border on foot, and the biggest disappo

Oft in the noisy nights, when smog hides the starry lights, the wafting smells of childhood make my world look bright. Those were the days when innocence had not lost its naivety to the allure of the mobile phone, or the ready access to internet porn sites, or the dizzying effect of television reali

An Asia to Gaza caravan is being planned from New Delhi to Gaza during the month of December, 2010, as part of the international effort to break the three year old blockade of Gaza by Israeli forces. This is probably the first time such an ambitious caravan, through land route, has been planned to e

A peacock seems to love the evening namaaz (the Muslim prayer) in a village of Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh. It dances in the courtyard of the mosque throughout the evening prayer. So the locals call it the ‘jannat ka parinda’(the bird from heaven). It spreads its wings and dances in gay ab

The recent spate of misogynist fatwas from the Darul Uloom Deoband proves that some Muslim seminaries are still stuck in the medieval era and have no plans to reform themselves despite the victimising role they play in the lives of the Muslims almost on a daily basis.While one of the fatwas legitimi

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to affect society's most vulnerable - those who live in abject poverty, are marginalized or economically and socially isolated. The poor and vulnerable people are much more likely to suffer from TB due to socioeconomic factors. The poor face significant costs and delays i

To those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, we know how identity group intolerance caused Americans to fight each other and how it divided our nation. We've been there - done that. We don't want a divided nation again. We remember the past, to provide context to those who want drag our nation

I watched a programme on Asia Bibi and the amendments in Blasphemy Law on 30th November at News Beat and the programme host was Mehar Bukhari of Samaa TV. It is interesting to note that she has invited 2 senior journalists Saeed Chaudhry and Haroon Rasheed to justify that Blasphemy Law is right, and

Aey Aadam K Beto , Main Hawa Ki Beti
Tumharay Adal Ki Muntazir Hu
Mujhe Batao Zameen K Khudaon
Ye Kesi Tumhari Munafqat Hay
Kisi Ko Bakhsha Hay Tum Nay Rutba
Kisi Ko Ruswaiyo Ko Paishaa .
Kisi Ko Maa K Martabath Pay
Bita K Din Raat Poojtay Ho
Kisi Ki Majboorio Ko Tum
Khanaktay Sikko Main

At the forthcoming Biennial Conference of the Irish Forum for Global Health (IFGH) in Maynooth, Ireland, one of the two keynote guest lectures - The John Kevany Memorial lecture - will be delivered by Dr Zeda Rosenberg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Partnership for Microbicides

Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13: 11-14, Psalm 122, Matthew 24: 36-44
Advent Waiting-Anhelo-Longing
Yesterday morning I was meeting a young couple in my office to prepare them for their wedding. The gentleman is from India and his fiancée from La Crosse with Norwegian decent. At our meeting we shared th

Three-quarters of all blindness can be prevented or treated. Avoidable blindness poses an enormous challenge to healthcare system, particularly in low- and middle- income countries. There are nine million people in Africa alone with preventable blindness, out of which 50-75% people are blind due to

Overview
As the discord between modern and traditional Muslims is ideological by nature, so is the conflict between Islam and the West. And ideology is more about power, influence and identity than a mere reflection of culture and belief system. While modern Muslim elites are unwilling to concede

The fatwas that the Dar ul-Ulum, Deoband, India’s largest madrasa, dishes out with distressing regularity may or may not be taken seriously by many Muslims, but there is no doubt that they certainly are by the dominant (largely non-Muslim) media. That these fatwas have a curious have a knack of hogg