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Dennis Freedman says his favorite PSL teams are Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans

US President Donald Trump arrived in Ahmedabad today with his wife Melania Trump on his maiden visit to the country. The government has left no stone unturned to make this event as massive as the landmark âHowdy, Modi!â event hosted by the Indian-American community in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Houston in September 2019. In the wake of this massive event, a chef and food artist from Chennai prepared massive idlis as a welcome gesture for the US President and as a tribute to PM Modi. © ANI According to a news report in ANI, Iniavan, the food artist, has prepared the massive idlis with pictures of Trump, PM Modi and the India-US flag sculpted on them. Now, the beautiful idlis are a testimony to the fact that we believe in treating our guests like God. © Twitter/Narendra Modi The ANI report suggests that the three idlis weigh around a whopping 107 kilograms and it took the chef around thirty-six hours to prepare them, along with the help of six other workers. Also, we could see the excitement in PM Modiâs tweet welcoming Trump. India looks forward to welcoming @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. It is an honour that he will be with us tomorrow, starting with the historic programme in Ahmedabad! https://t.co/fAVx9OUu1j â Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 23, 2020 PM Modi and Trumpâs friendship got stronger last year during the formerâs US tour and since then both have been very supportive of each other in public and on social media as well. Trumpâs maiden visit to the country is primarily focused on strengthening the ties between the two countries. Earlier today, PM Modi received Trump at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhai Patel International airport. Trump is also accompanied by daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his administration. © Twitter/Narendra Modi Apart from this, around Rs. 80-85 crore is expected to be spent and almost half the budget is going solely towards security arrangements for the US President. Around 10,000 police personnel and 25 IPS officers, 65 ACPs, 200 police inspectors and 800 sub-inspectors have been deployed for Trumpâs security arrangements. View the full article

Salman Khan will now be helping out Saiee Manjrekar?s elder sister Ashwami boost her food business

A banker with a seven-figure annual salary, working in the capital of England and living the luxurious lifestyle that London has to offer - let's accept it, is a dream job for anyone in the world. And if it's an Indian guy, then God bless his cousins and save them from relatives. But imagine, if the guy who was once his family's 'ankhon ka taara' suddenly loses that job for a reason that's really 'chindi'? And by 'chindi' we mean stealing food, in this situation. © NBC 31-year-old Paras Shah, a banker with Citigroup, was recently suspended from his 'high paying job' for stealing food, sandwiches to be specific, from his office's staff canteen. Reportedly, Paras who is said to be earning a seven-figure salary was removed last month from his role as the company's head of high-yield bond trading for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. While no one knows his exact salary, but according to an employee review website and sources someone in such a senior role can earn somewhere around £1million (over Rs. 9.2 crore approximately) or even more. And his role was said to be one of Europe's highest-profile credit traders. © Reuters According to reports, there were allegations against him of stealing food from the company headquarters at Canary Wharf, East London. Although, no one really knows how many sandwiches he stole and between which period. The poor guy was suspended weeks before he was due to get his bonus. Both the parties i.e. Citi and Paras are yet to comment on the situation, but both the 'crime' and the 'punishment' are really bizarre. We can already hear his family scream, "Haye haye, chaar log kya kahenge?" View the full article

In a move that left most Malayalis incandescent with rage, the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) replaced some Kerala dishes on the menu with North Indian ones. A decision that did not go down well with a lot of people, irrespective of where they hailed from. The Kerala menu which consisted of Puttu, Kadala curry, egg curry, Appam and Pazham Pori was replaced with Rajma Chawal, Chole Bhature, Pav Bhaji, Khichdi, Samosa and a few other classic North Indian dishes. Soon enough, online outrage followed, mostly led by Keralites, after which the IRCTC issued a clarification saying that all the earlier items on the Kerala menu will be restored. This is the perfect example of why one needs to speak up for what they love, especially when it comes to food. And one thing is for sure...you can't come between a Malayali and his/her love for food. I welcome @IRCTCofficial decision to withdraw earlier decision to exclude Kerala delicacies from railway menu. It was the sentiments of Kerala I echoed to Chairman Mr. MP Mall. IRCTC officials visited me today & handed over the reinstated menu. We got fish curry meals as a bonus! pic.twitter.com/3KRgmqtw2G â Hibi Eden (@HibiEden) January 22, 2020 Nevertheless, a lot of people gave the IRCTC a piece of their mind over their decision to replace the menu in the first place. Malayalis dont eat Rajma chawal, Chhole bhature, Pav bhaji & Khichdi. Even South Indians dont eat it. First they came for our Language, now they're coming for our Food. Cultural Fascism at your door steps. â Advaid (@Advaidism) January 20, 2020 As someone who grew up in Bombay and Ahmedabad till age 18, i have seen no Malayali even wanting to eat Rajma chawal and Khichdi. As the article says, There are complaints that north Indian food items are being imposed. â Advaid (@Advaidism) January 20, 2020 Piyush it's not fair man, you can't make it as you want it.. Don't waste your time and energy and ours too.. Your poor punch won't break the rock instead it would break your phalanges.. Error! Filename not specified.ð½ â Refugee Rameez Raja (@RajaRefugee) January 21, 2020 Even as a north Indian, I would not want to eat rajma chawal or chhole bhature at south Indian railway stations. There's a charm in getting down at stations to have the local dish of that region. The govt. will destroy that! â Abhishek Saxena (@asaxena87) January 21, 2020 I got sick by eating Rajma Chawal everyday in my hostel in Noida. As a Malayali, this is a big no no. Chanakam ithina kaati nallatha aayirkum 𤢠â Afsal Rehman (@TheBManipulator) January 20, 2020 Let's send @PiyushGoyal some of our Kerala dishes ... Parcel after parcel of pazhampori... He will be convert then... Oh sorry fan ... â hamara desh (@agkallingal) January 20, 2020According to Indiatimes, the changes were made in November 2019 itself but were revealed to the public a few days ago and it didnât go down well with either the local politicians or the railway passengers of Kerala. As a clarification, IRCTC took to Twitter and wrote, âIn view of the demand from passengers and representations received, IRCTC has fully authorised its local offices in zones and regions to bring more items as per the local taste and regional preferences within one week as snack meals.â In view of the demand from passengers and representations received, IRCTC has fully authorised it's local offices in zones and regions to bring more items as per the local taste and regional preferences within one week as snack meals. â IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) January 21, 2020 We're sure our Malayali chettan and chechis will be pleased as punch, now that their fav snacks are back on the menu! View the full article

Foodies in the city of lights have started to come together in the ongoing chilly Karachi weather to tantalise their taste buds at the Karachi Eat 2020. The seventh edition of the festival which kicks off today (January 10 till Sunday, January 12) will have numerous eateries competing with each other. Just like every year, this year will also have many new and aspiring chefs making their debut. But what does Karachi Eat have to offer desi food lovers this time around? Here's a look: The Incr-Edible HulkNaans are a staple diet with almost every desi food. However, Cloud Naan has come up with a unique take on the flatbread. At this year's festival, Cloud Naan is set to introduce Karachi to "Incr-Edible Hulk". Go to stall 83 and tantalise your taste buds with a naan filled with green chicken tikka. Geelawat KababLucknow is famous for it's connection with the Nawabs, but the city also introduced a fresh new take on kebabs. If your'e looking for some Gelawat Kabab's head to Saniya's Kitchen at stall 36 to get a taste of Lucknow. Nulli Chapli Kebab with NaanYou may have heard of nulli nehari but have you heard of Nulli Chpli Kebab's? Stop by at stall 10 of Chapli Kebab House and get a new take on chapli kebabs. Fry KebabsAfter having so many kebabs, if your stomach is still not filled, then head over to Shaheen's Kitchenette's Fry Kebabs at stall 6. Taco ChaatChaat's always come to one's mind whenever we are in mood for a light snack. But a Taco Chaat is a fusion that must not be missed. The Social Hub at stall 11 is ready to give Karachi a fusion of Mexico and South Asia with its Taco Chaat. Khichdi Thaal Khichdi is a simple food, yet sometimes its the simplicity that melts your heart. Stop by at stall 96 and get a taste of a Khichdi Thaal by Khichdi Express. Lettuce Chicken rollRolls and Karachi just go together. One can spot eateries selling rolls in almost every street corner. But, this year, A-one Snacks is set to introduce a healthy take on rolls. All the fitness freaks must give a try to the lettuce chicken roll at stall 82. Biryani's at Karachi EatBriyani is what defines desi food. So, here's a look at the biryanis available at Karachi Eat. Ice Gola After all the savouries if you're up for some dessert and ready to brace the cold. Then go to stall 25 of Fade Bhook and try their Ice Gola Rabri MilkRabri is a delicacy that can be found at wedding and family dinners. But if you are brave enough to have it with some more milk. Then drink Ye Lo's Rabri Milk at stall 48.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar said Sunday that the prevalent wheat crisis will be solved tomorrow (Monday). Bakhtiar was speaking during a press conference during which he said the crisis will be solved by Monday as the government currently had 4 million tonnes of wheat in its stock. He said that Sindh government's "late lifting" of the wheat from Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) had resulted in the artificial crisis taking place in the province. He said that the transport strike in the province made matters worse. "Sindh did not even procure a grain of wheat this year whereas their target was 700,000 tonnes," he said. "The NLC has gave 9,000 tonnes of wheat to the Sindh government only for Karachi. Today, they will provide 10,000 tonnes [of wheat]. "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was receiving 2,000 tonnes of wheat daily while Sindh was only lifting 150 tonnes," he added. Speaking about the flour crisis in KP, Bakhtiar said the Punjab government's food department noticed that wheat was being provided to KP "more than the necessary amount" saying that as checks and balances were introduced by the provincial government, it led to a "suspension in the supply chain". The federal minister said as flour mills open from Monday, wheat prices will start declining. He said about 40,000 metric tons of wheat were smuggled to Afghanistan per month and special measures were also made to check this smuggling to keep the supply smooth in local markets. Bakhtiar said a special helpline was also established to monitor the wheat supply in local markets and wheat procurement targets were also enhanced from six million tons to eight million tons to keep the strategic reserves for local requirements. To a question, he said incumbent government has attached higher priorities with the agriculture sector and initiated development projects worth Rs 300 billion to enhance the output of major crops including wheat.

Restaurant reservation app Dineout recently published a fascinating annual report, and amongst a list of interesting statistics, one in particular stands out. It seems like the city of Bengaluru has become an undisputed dining hotspot, with one man footing a bill of Rs 2,76,988 at a pub, while another watering hole clocked in over 1 million diners. That's a lot of dishes to wash and bottles to recycle. In fact, the bill is so ridiculous, it's just about what you'd pay to step out of a showroom with a brand new Maruti Alto or Datsun Redi-Go. Not interested in a car? The bill could also cover a trip to London and back again - in Emirates first class seats. Meanwhile, Udaipur stepped up as well - it seems like the 'City of Lakes' played host to the biggest number of couples, with the highest number of 'tables for two'. Indore had the most 'tables for four' reservations and oddly enough, seemed to dine out most often on Thursdays - 60% of Indians dined out on weekends, specifically. With the rise of restaurant culture in India's metros and a no-cooking lifestyle emerging across India's urban youth, it's not surprising that Indians dined out over 5 billion times last year, with 52% of us preferring to dine at casual restaurants as opposed to fast food outlets and fine dining options. Close to 4566 tables were reserved per hour, and the average bill value for dining out was Rs 1600, whereas for ordering in, it was Rs 300. It's also interesting to note that Indians are pretty late eaters - the global average dinnertime sits between 6PM and 8PM, while desi dinners usually happen between 8PM and 10PM. Gotta' blame post-work traffic for that one. So if you're worried that you've been spending too much on dining out, don't worry. You're certainly not alone. View the full article

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Well, in this weird yet funny scenario of seeking revenge, it was indeed served on the table in the form of a lavish dinner. A Reddit user shared his story of break up on the internet that has cracked up everyone on social media. He met his girlfriend while finishing his lifeguard certification course and everything was going fine until their mutual friend found out that the only reason this woman in question was involved with the guy was that he used to take her out for fancy meals. “I've really liked this girl for a while that I met at a lifeguard certification course, and I talked to her while I was there and we (I thought) ended up hitting it off. We exchanged numbers and social media and all that and we messaged for a few weeks before I asked her out to a movie, which she accepted,” he wrote. He added, “We'd been going on casual dates, nothing too serious and we weren't hanging out at my place or her place even though I'd hinted at the idea, for a few weeks before one of her friends (someone that was also at the lifeguarding course that I met and kept in contact with because he was cool) sends me this screenshot.” © Reddit Unfortunately hurt and deceived, the guy decided to take his girlfriend out on a date and make her pay the bill instead. “After seeing this, I asked her to go on a nice date with me to a hibachi grill restaurant. $20-$40 dollar plates and premium desserts are served here. I got the most expensive thing they had and so did she. We both got fancy ice cream and multiple refills on drinks,” he wrote. “I complimented her a lot and smiled consistently, before getting up to go to the bathroom and leaving. (I was also her ride). About 45 minutes after, I get furious texts from her saying that she had to have her mom come down and pay for it because she didn't have the money on her and that we were done. I know it's not a lot and it sucks because I thought she was actually into me but it felt pretty nice leaving her that way,” he revealed. Opinions on this was actually divided and everyone shared their take on this incident. © Reddit If there is any truth in this story, then we do feel bad for our bro out here. Hurting feelings to get some extra food is actually not a cool idea. Rest, the next time you date someone, make sure they aren't using you to buy them food! First world problems today are hilarious. View the full article

As bushfires continue to ravage southeastern Australia, the disturbing and terrifying videos and pictures circulating on social media not only show the extent of damage but also serve as a warning that things are getting worse with each passing day. Many innocent animals have lost their lives and some are getting gravely injured in the bushfires. Thousands of people, including tourists are being evacuated and firefighters continue to risk their lives to bring the situation under control. The crew from Fire and Rescue NSW Station 509 Wyoming recorded this video showing the moment their truck was overrun by the bushfire burning South of Nowra. The crew was forced to shelter in their truck as the fire front passed through. #NSWFires #ProtectTheIrreplaceable pic.twitter.com/Hb0yVrefi9 — Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) December 31, 2019 Amidst the worsening situation, the owners of an Indian restaurant have come forward as a ray of hope for people and are being praised on social media for offering free food to the firefighters and victims stuck in Gippsland, Victoria. Kanwaljit Singh and his wife Kamaljit Kaur, owners of the Desi Grill restaurant in Bairnsdale, along with their staff cooked curry and rice and gave it to people living in temporary shelters. They also got assistance from the Melbourne-based charity organisation Sikh Volunteers Australia. Kanwaljit told media, "It's terrible out there. People are severely affected and they need food and shelter. It's our duty to serve them when they need us the most." He further said, "Last night had been very busy. We helped the volunteers with cooking rice, curries and pasta and the food was distributed in at least 500 takeaway containers." Kanwaljit, who has lived in the area for six years, considered it his duty to help the people affected by the bushfires. He said, "We follow the Sikh way of life. We are just doing what other Australians are doing today, and that is to serve and pray for the people who have been hit hard by these terrible bushfires." The restaurant is also stocking up rice, flour and lentils that, according to them, should last till the next week or so. People of the Sikh Volunteers Australia are going to various parts of Victoria with food trucks to provide food in camps. People like Kanwaljit, his wife and the Sikh volunteers make this world a better place to live in. View the full article

Peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are going on in full swing throughout the country, actually the entire world, and it's heartwarming to see people unite for humanity. Delhi has become the epicentre for these protests with thousands and thousands of people showing up to peacefully resist the CAA. People are singing songs, giving flowers to cops, and coming together to show the government the power of the people. In these protests, there are a lot of people making sure the protesters don't go hungry and stay well-hydrated by handing out food, water and tea. One of them has become a sort of a champion of humanity. © VICE Here's Jabarjang Singh, a Sikh man making sure students stay well-fed during this dissent. He was initially on his way to the eastern state of Odisha, where a historic Gurudwara is being demolished by the administration, but he decided to change his plans. Talking to VICE, he said, "I was on my way to Mangu Mutt in Puri (Odisha) from Punjab when I got to know about the police excesses on the university students. I thought it wise not to go there, and express solidarity with the students instead. When I saw videos of students getting brutally beaten up, with some losing hands and eyes, I thought it better to serve them than to go to the Gurudwara." He added, “I am here for humanity.” It's such a great thought and so well-put too. That is exactly why people are out on the streets - they're fighting for other people, they're fighting for the ones with broken bones after the Jamia incident and those who have been left blind. Those who have lost their lives fighting - an act that will exclude people from the country on the basis of religion. © VICE Not only was Jabarjang Singh distributing food, but he also helped educate people about why the act is problematic. While explaining things in a little more detail to the protestors around him, he was quoted as saying, "This law is not just against Muslims. This is also a trap to strip backward classes of reservation that they are currently entitled to. In the process of National Register of Citizens (NRC), a large number of people from backward classes would be declared stateless. Then, the government will give them fresh citizenship under CAA. As fresh citizens, they will not be provided with reservations." A farmer from Bathinda, he has devoted his life to humanitarian efforts. He said, "Whenever I feel people are being wronged, I try to help. Whenever I feel someone is helping people, I support them—in whatever little capacity I can. I worked against drug abuse in Punjab. I protested against the burning of religious scriptures of Muslims and Sikhs. I even campaigned for Kanhaiya Kumar for I felt he was right." Basically, this ain't his first rodeo. He also chanted "Inquilab Zindabad" with all the students while marching. © Reuters Moreover, he has an important message for people - "We got freedom because of the efforts of freedom fighters like Ashfaqullah Khan and Bhagat Singh. We have got a Constitution that we need to preserve. We should look beyond religion. At least now, we should oppose this law in our personal capacity. If we can't come here and protest, we should protest against it in our temples, in mosques and in gurudwaras." Lastly, he leaves everyone with this, "I want the new act to go as soon as possible. But I will stay here with the students till the bill is revoked, or even until I breathe my last." Source - VICE View the full article

There are certain questions one should never ask, no matter how curious one is. And no one can understand it better than Zomato, when they recently asked their followers to come up with 'most creative' restaurant names. Recently, Zomato took to their social media to ask, "What is the most creative restaurant name you've ever come across?" and honestly, the responses they got make us feel like we've been living in a parallel universe all this while. Desi people really don't know how to disappoint anyone and this Twitter thread is proof of the same. And in case you're thinking, "they're like regular names with funny spelling mistakes", you're wrong. These restaurants put 'we' in the word 'weird'. From 'Ram Bharose', 'Second Wife' to 'Frying Nemo', these names are so bizarre that people even shared pictures as proof that they are not 'cooking' this up. Delhi pic.twitter.com/uABVMn4A3g — Sagar (@sagarcasm) December 3, 2019 Fully Fed up ! #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/9lYDrxNSKx — Sunitha Simon (@sunitha_simon) December 3, 2019 pic.twitter.com/Gl4Z8gJz8d — Pranav Sapra (@pranavsapra) December 3, 2019 Presenting you @chetan_bhagat 's unnoticed venture #HalfGirlfriend pic.twitter.com/QcA4X3aQ6Q — Bittu J Patel (@BittuJpatel) December 4, 2019 This 𤭠pic.twitter.com/gI4HP1L9gq — Chakku Singh (@alokkhac) December 3, 2019 I don't think there's even a competition here.. Khao, pio, wahi hago ð© pic.twitter.com/FF3B4PIETE — jayant bahel (@jayantbahel) December 3, 2019 Btech Biryani pic.twitter.com/wBrgr4viQR — RajeshprustY (@therajeshprusty) December 3, 2019 Amazing Tandoori Momos he serves. pic.twitter.com/buTIfocOeF — Sindhi Maadu (@Sindhi_Maadu) December 3, 2019 pic.twitter.com/VPHub0YLvL — Utkarsh (@Utkarsh_pnd) December 3, 2019 Somewhere between Mumbai and Goa pic.twitter.com/ZL5Mgn3o85 — λ³ (@yash1o) December 3, 2019 Made me stop the car and laugh for 10 mins straight pic.twitter.com/g6f3MKHrl5 — Ishmeet Singh (@ishmeet007) December 3, 2019 Looks like Zomato got regret served faster than they deliver food. View the full article

When a certain actor reaches a certain stage of fame where the world recognises their talent and acting, it's almost impossible to imagine that they might have struggled harder than a common man. Actor Rory McCann, who gained massive stardom as the Hound on Game Of Thrones and was one of the only few characters who made it to all the eight seasons has a story of struggle and hard work that can have a movie of its own. View this post on Instagram "Save yourself some pain, girl, and give him what he wants." . Because I didn't do what my brother wanted, which was leave his toys the **** alone, and look what happened to me. . OH WAIT, RIGHT, THAT FUCKING LITTLE WEASEL ALREADY TOLD YOU. . #RoryMcCann #SandorClegane #TheHound #GameOfThrones #GOT #s01e09 #FireAndBlood #screenshot #BigManChronicles A post shared by Big Man Chronicles (@bigmanchroniclesblog) on Nov 30, 2019 at 3:26pm PST The cathartic release came for fans when the much anticipated 'Clegane Bowl' happened in the finale and his character was killed by his brother. However, before this insane amount of love and fame came his way, Rory was living a rather tough life. In a recent interview, he revealed what life was before the biggest show in the history of television happened to him. He was a homeless man living in a tent and stealing food to make ends meet back in Iceland. “Two years ago I was in a tent – literally in a tent – stealing food occasionally. Eventually I got a job and sorted myself out, but then suddenly I'm getting driven around in a nice car in the biggest and best show in the world; just shows how your fortunes can change. Amazing”, he exclaimed. This interview was a part of a GOT reunion special which will be available as a part of a DVD edition of the show. He might not be the King in the North but to his fans, this 50-year-old actor is a true example of what it means to be the king of working hard. View the full article

On Sunday, a tweet by a US man paved the way for the never-ending debate on Twitter about how delectable our desi food is. Well, a US professor and academic specialist on international affairs, Tom Nichols, came across a tweet that asked people to share their “most controversial food opinion”. In response to that, he wrote, “Indian food is terrible and we pretend it isn't.'' Little did professor know that his unabashed tweet about his dislike for Indian food will garner a flood of angry comments, and sarcastic replies from desi food connoisseurs. Indian food is terrible and we pretend it isn't. https://t.co/NGOUtRUCUN — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 23, 2019 People on Twitter are now telling this Prof. that he is wrong, and interestingly, it's not just desi people on the internet but fans of Indian cuisine from across the globe stand in solidarity to tell this man, “You are wrong!” I agree if you have grown up in a universe of cornflakes for breakfast, bland meat with a few veggies thrown in for lunch and dinner, & an occasional tasteless pizza; with salt n pepper being the only notable 'spices'. — Halwa-e-Hind (@e_halwa) November 24, 2019 My like of your reply is the universal answer tho. No one else like this reply. pic.twitter.com/cg91Y67yu9 — The Dandalorian™ï¸ (@dandeckr) November 23, 2019 To honour your perception, please refer to the image and continue to eat whatever you have been eating till now. PS: Try having an Indian friend who could invite you over for dinner and taste the 'authentic' Indian food (not that stupid cheese naan and butter chicken) pic.twitter.com/M3Vd9QsFp0 — Kriti S (@kritish2007) November 24, 2019 WTFFFFFFFF?????? Honestly I could eat for the rest of my life. You must be used to undercooked boiled chicken. — Biden can't see Black Women 5 feet away from him (@ReginaA1981) November 25, 2019 Have you not tried the lunch buffet? So many delish choices! And the Nan bread...omg! I took a Peruvian friend to an Indian buffet, in Munich. He went back for thirds. Lol! ð pic.twitter.com/lQZk8hiih6 — ððð½ðChristine (@MindFeast622) November 24, 2019 Don't know what he had...but for certain he will miss some of the best cuisine in the worlds. But then your buds have to also evolve beyond fish and chips. pic.twitter.com/M6M5QNNAwH — Harbans Singh Jai Shri Ram (@brfharbans) November 24, 2019 Some people are so mistaken and pretend they aren't. — Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) November 24, 2019 In response to the controversial tweet, one user wrote, "You have possibly never tasted such a spectrum of taste, aromas & spices in the US. Invite you to india to be our guest,” (sic). However, the Prof. later claimed that he had only tried Indian food from the restaurants in the UK and US. Wait, does that even count? I am sure I will have a delightful time, but I am less sure that my aging palate can change its mind. With that said, the only Indian food I've ever had is in restaurants in the US and UK. — Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 24, 2019 Unfazed by the criticism, Nichols stood strong in his ground and in one of his follow-up tweets, he wrote, “The only two foods that I don't eat: Ethiopian and Indian. I'm pretty open about the rest of it.” Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. View the full article

We see too many examples every day that makes us believe that humanity and generosity are just words and there's not much of those two left in the world anymore. But here's how we need to learn a great deal from this 70-year-old man, Sitaram Das Baba who is feeding 500-600 people food every day. Sitaram is a native of Gujarat who is now settled in the holy town of Rameswaram and has been providing free food to tourists and pilgrims. According to ANI, his day starts at 5 am when he starts cooking food for people coming to his Ashram. © BCCL He serves North Indian and South Indian food to pilgrims who visit him in his Ashram. In an interview, Sitaram told ANI, "From the past 36 years, I have been doing this service. Here we provide North Indian food as well as South Indian food. This Ashram is open to everyone and there is no discrimination based on their gender, caste or religion.” Well, we do need more humans like Sitaram who'd selflessly feed people. The ashram is located near the Ramanatha Swamy temple in the Keelavasal area. Sitaram can serve these many people with donations he receives from people who visit his ashram. He has a team of ten people who helps him in taking his initiative forward. This just makes us believe that age is just a number and you can make a huge impact with a budding thought. View the full article

If you are not from a filmy background or are an outsider in the movie industry, things won't come that easily to you and you will have to chase your dreams till you finally achieve it. And well, Chetan Rao from Delhi is one such person who is following his passion and his story is surely inspiring in many ways. Rao is an actor who did a small role in Salman Khan's Bharat and he was also seen in the TV series 'Savdhaan India' and was also part of Netflix's 'Delhi Crime'. You might be thinking what's really the struggle here if he is getting to be on the big screen. So, basically, in his free time and when he isn't acting, he works as a delivery boy with Swiggy in Delhi. It all came into the limelight when actor Rajesh Tailang tweeted about Rao, as they both have worked with each other in 'Delhi Crime'. He had tweeted, “Today the #swiggy delivery guy, who delivered food at my place is an actor and he did a cameo with me in #delhicrime. Whenever (he) is not getting an acting job, he does this. RESPECT.” Here's the tweet: Today the #swiggy delivery guy, who delivered food at my place is an actor and he did a cameo with me in #delhicrime . Whenever is not getting acting job, he does this. RESPECT ð — Rajesh Tailang (@rajeshtailang) May 29, 2019 Well, he does get roles but they are not big enough to get him the recognition he needs or even serve his hunger enough to perform. Rao spoke to Hindustan Times and spoke in detail about his struggles and his passion. He said, “I generally get a role of about 2-3 minutes but that doesn't matter to me. Even a minute role is enough to fuel my passion for acting.” Rao confessed that he always wanted to be an actor and he loves to watch movies. He wanted to join a film institute but he couldn't afford to do the same so learnt acting by watching shows and movies on TV. © Twitter He doesn't earn much through these side roles and to make up for his expenses, he works as a food delivery man. When asked if people recognize him, he said, “Sometimes, log pehchan lete hain, kabhi nahi pehchantey. Acha lagta hai jab koi kehta ki aapko kahin dekha hai, aur acha lagta hai jab kehte hain ki aapko TV ya film mei dekha hai... (Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. It feels good when they say they've seen my work).” He ended the conversation with a positive note, “I know that I am a delivery boy today, lekin ek din mehant se mai superstar jaroor banunga (One day I will become a superstar because of my sheer hard work.)” Well, his story is surely inspiring and gut-wrenching at the same time.

Let's face it, it's hard to keep yourself from asking for that slice of pizza, or ordering more 'bhature'. Well, that's exactly why a company decided to make an electric bracelet that delivers a 350-volt shock every time you decide to splurge on junk food that you'd be better off without eating. Called 'Pavlok bracelet', this piece of wearable tech is a behavior training device that utilizes aversive conditioning. Aversive conditioning, in case you don't know, is essentially behavior training that uses negative stimuli and association to reaffirm a specific action as undesirable. So yes, it'll know when you're doing something that you're not supposed to be doing. That being said, this bracelet can be used to keep you away from not just junk food, but any bad habits that you've been wanting to get rid of. Having trouble saving money? Smoking too many cigarettes? You name it and they know. The bracelet is capable of delivering 150 shocks on a single charge, which isn't too bad for something that's capable of tracking and stopping you from doing what you're not supposed to do. It connects and pair to an app on your phone, which even your friends an family can download to keep a track of you. © Pavlok This bracelet is currently being sold online on Amazon in the US for $199. It sounds a little expensive, but we think it's reasonable considering the fact that it's designed to help you curb your bad habits and replace them with good ones that help you live a better life. We really hope they start selling this bracelet outside the US because we all have cravings that are waiting to be kicked!

If you would ask me what I would like to do for the rest of my life, I would always answer with one word: Eat! via GIPHY If there is anything in the world that I love unconditionally, it is food. Is there anything better than eating your favourite food? Digging into that freshly prepared chicken curry, finished with some chopped coriander, or having your fingers turn yellow after eating that delightful fish curry? via GIPHY Or having a heavenly helping of dal with steamed rice? Or biting into the piece of that decadently gorgeous chocolate cake? via GIPHY Or a spoonful of that Biryani? via GIPHY Who can resist the smell of freshly fried garlic or not get enchanted by the sound of sizzling onions? (The answer is always a resounding “NO”) I mean, can there be any love more sincere than the love for food? If there has to be a unanimous entity for bringing people together, I don't think that can be accomplished by anything other than food. Food has an intrinsic quality, an all-pervasive nature: it serves as a mirror to culture, a part of the tradition, a bond for communities, an allegory for desires, an expression of love. I have hardly come across another entity as ubiquitous as food, its inherent diversity; how its excess can cause you discomfort and so can its dearth. How it trickles down to the most downtrodden parts of society but is also adulated in haute living. How it can be sensual, ignite passions, add spice to your life, and in turn, can also be a proponent of disgust or the start of a grotesque fiasco. Another facet which accompanies food and is crucial is its presentation, its ocular appeal. And as humans, who are visual by nature, our gastronomical desires are magnified tenfold when we see food on the big screen. via GIPHY Remember that Chocolate Cake from the movie “Matilda”? via GIPHY Film and food share a relationship of yore; movies celebrating food are shot gorgeously, are aesthetically pleasing while they tell stories of people like us, and how food influences us all. In these films, food drives the story forward, changes the protagonist's life. Movies also incorporate sound, which is an important aspect of food: be it cutting into it or its preparation, the clanging of utensils, the sizzle of a pan. Essentially, these movies provide the union of two of the senses: visual and aural, which is always an amazing combination. So, here are 16 delectably scrumptious movies that quite literally serve a piece of life (and make you raid your fridge in the middle of the night): 1. Julie and Julia (2009): Stuck in the rut of her bureaucratic dead-end job (Hello there!), Julie Powell decides (Amy Adams) to take on a project to relieve herself from the boredom of her uneventful life. The project: Cooking her way through Julia Child's enormous cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in 365 days and blogging about it. Little does she know that this little venture of hers will change her life forever. Two stories, two women, bound by their mutual love for food. © Columbia Pictures Starring Amy Adams as Julie Powell and Meryl Streep as the famous, celebrated cook, Julia Child, the movie explores the lives of the two women parallelly in two different eras: Julie, in 2002, as she starts her blog and cooks up all the 524 recipes, and Julia, in 1949, as she moves to Paris and finds her calling as a chef and collaborates on the now-famous cookbook which made her into a culinary icon. © Columbia Pictures Julie and Julia, directed by Nora Ephron, is one of the most heartwarming movies which celebrate food and its importance in life. It drives home the fact that inspiration can come in any form, you just need to believe in yourself. (If you wish, you can read my review on the movie here: USP: The food! The gorgeous, divine, decadent food! Especially the “Butter Monologue” and the “Boeuf Bourguignon”. via GIPHY via GIPHY Meryl Streep as Julia Child is a phenomenon; not only is the resemblance uncanny, she impersonates Julia Child's idiosyncrasies to the T, be it the trademark, out-of-breath, slightly tipsy voice or the quirky mannerisms. via GIPHY via GIPHY “Bon Appetit!” via GIPHY 2. Chef (2014): When Carl (Jon Favreau), a renowned chef of a famous restaurant in California decides to be more creative with his recipes, he is met with resistance from the restaurant owner, Riva (Dustin Hoffman). To make matters worse, he gets into a public altercation with a prestigious food critic, Ramsey Michel, after the latter writes a distasteful review of his food. © Aldamisa Entertainment Heartbroken, he quits the job and embarks on a journey of self-discovery through food; food that he actually loves and that fulfils his creative aspirations. Eventually, he opens a food truck while trying to mend his frail relationship with his estranged son, Percy (Emjay Anthony). Will he be successful? USP: The food scenes are aesthetically attractive, kudos to cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau. via GIPHY Jon Favreau's directorial prowess and love for food is apparent in the movie. via GIPHY 3. The Lunchbox (2012): In an attempt to add some zing into her unromantic marriage, Ila (Nimrit Kaur) turns to the most trusted entity of all: food. And in her quest to quite literally spice up her love life, she decides to send her inattentive husband, Rajiv, a lunch every day with the help of ever-dependable dabbawallas in Mumbai. But by a curious twist of fate, the dabba prepared for her husband lands on the table of Saajan Fernandes (Irfan Khan), an aged, lonely widower who works as an accountant. © UTV Motion Pictures Upon realizing her mistake, she sends in a letter with her next lunchbox elaborating on the predicament, which starts a correspondence that soon turns into a beautiful friendship, guided by letters and an erroneously delivered lunchbox containing delicious food. © UTV Motion Pictures USP: The movie encapsulates the beauty of human relations: how we can forge connections with people we have never met yet can completely relate to and understand. And it helps even more when food is involved in the equation! via GIPHY Again, the food! Especially, the Paneer Kofta which Ila makes as a thank you gesture. :D via GIPHY The superb performances by Irfan and Nimrit tug at your heart. And not to forget, Deshpande Auntie (who is not seen but only heard)! 4. Chocolat (2000): When free-spirited, single mother Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) arrives in a quaint, quiet village in France with her daughter Anouk, her unconventional ways earn her the ire of the village folk, especially the staunchly conservative mayor, Comte de Reynaud. © Miramax Films Vianne, an expert chocolatier, opens up a small chocolate shop in the village, much to the displeasure of Reynaud who vehemently opposes her, publicly accusing her of bringing temptation into the lives of the people, especially during Lent. via GIPHY As the story progresses, Vianne's eponymous temptation, the aforementioned chocolate, brings about a change in the village and its inhabitants in varied ways. The plot thickens when Vianne's own desire comes in the form of Roux, a gypsy who wants more than her chocolate. via GIPHY USP: The chocolate! Duh! :P via GIPHY 5. Like Water for Chocolate (1992): A passionate Mexican movie, directed by Alfonso Arau and based on Laura Esquivel's novel, showcasing how food affects life, and how our emotions influence not only the food we cook but also the people we serve it to. With themes of magic realism, the movie focuses on the illicit relationship between Tita (Lumi Cavazos) and Pedro (Marco Leonardi). © Miramax Why illicit? Because as per family tradition, Tita, being the youngest of three daughters cannot marry and needs to live her life as a help to the other members, especially her mother, Mama Elena (Regina Torné). Resigned to her fate, Tita learns cooking under the tutelage of the chef, Nacha (Ada Carrasco), who teaches her the relationship between food and life. © Miramax Heartbreakingly, when Pedro comes to express his love for Tita, he is betrothed to her sister, Rosaura (Yareli Arizmendi), in exchange as the tradition still stands. As her affair with Pedro intensifies, her feelings start to seep into the food she cooks, eventually becoming an outlet for her emotions, but also inadvertently manifesting itself the behaviour of the people around her. via GIPHY USP: There are two scenes: As she prepares the cake for Pedro's wedding, Tita weeps, and her tears fall into the batter which leads to an eventful dinner reception. When she uses roses gifted by Pedro to make a quail dinner with rose petal sauce, it leads to her family feeling inexorable carnal desire. via GIPHY 6. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989): Michael Gambon (Yes, Dumbledore!) stars in this vogueish black comedy/ crime drama as Alberta Spica (The Thief), an uncouth and repulsive gangster who, along with his band of thugs, has taken over the French restaurant “Le Hollandais” but calls himself an urbane gourmet. © Palace Pictures He terrorizes everyone in the restaurant, but the brunt of the terror is unleashed most on his sophisticated wife, Georgina (Helen Mirren/The Wife) and the head chef, Richard Borst (Richard Bohringer/The Cook) who despises Alberta but is unable to do anything about it. Drama ensues when Georgina finds herself lusting for a regular customer, Michael (The Lover/Alan Howard), who is a bookshop owner and reads while he eats. As her affair progresses, Alberta finds out and then makes life hell for the staff which helps Georgina with her lover. USP: The performances by the lead cast. The film uses food as an allegory for the voyeuristic attitude of Alberta and his pretentiousness. His supposed gourmet personality is a far cry from his real one, which he tries to hide like spices are used to mask uncooked food. Warning: You need a strong stomach for this! :P 7. I Am Love (2009): In this Italian film, Tilda Swinton stars as Emma, the Russian-born daughter-in-law of a wealthy, Milanese family, the Recchi's, who is trying to find herself, away from the glittery, Haute living her family expects her to lead. © Mikado Film As she ruminates over her predicament during a lavish family dinner, help comes in the form of young Antonio Bisceglia (Edoardo Gabbriellini), a celebrated chef who incites her dormant passion with the aid of food. Matters worsen when her son Edoardo Jr. clashes with the family regarding the set path for him as Emma finds herself drawn to Antonio. © Mikado Film USP: Tilda Swinton and the prawns. via GIPHY 8. Ratatouille (2007): What can I say about this delightful movie? Not only is it one of the best animated movies to have ever been made, but it also features delicious food! The wonderful comedy revolves around a rat, with a highly developed sense of smell and taste named Remy (Patton Oswalt) who aspires to become a chef. As luck would have it, he ends up in the kitchen of the restaurant of his recently deceased idol, chef Auguste Gusteau's (Brad Garett). © Walt Disney Pictures Once there, he manages to strike up a friendship with the garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini (Lou Romano), helping him and guiding him in creating dishes and earn the appreciation of the new owner, Chef Skinner (Ian Holm). via GIPHY But soon, a secret is revealed that changes the course of the movie. Friendship, love, and food in one neat package! USP: The entire Anton Ego (the irascible food critic portrayed by Brad Bird) sequence and the ratatouille dish, confit byaldi! via GIPHY Never have I seen such a beautiful rendition of food in mainstream animated movies! (Not counting the stunning food shown in Anime :P) via GIPHY 9. Burnt (2015): Starring Bradley Cooper as a drug-addled former executive chef Adam Jones, the story revolves around his quest to put his life back on track and earn a third Michelin Star. © Shiny Penny Productions Adam is a brilliant but mercurial chef whose creativity is marred by his drug habit and unstable temper, which destroys his mentor's restaurant in Paris along with Adam's credibility. Adam realizes his self-destructive streak and goes on a self-imposed exile to New Orleans to gain perspective. He travels to London to pursue his dream of the Michelin Star, under the banner of his restaurateur friend, who grudgingly allows him to become a chef in his hotel. © Shiny Penny Productions His luck seemingly changes until ghosts from his past and his own mental stability conspire to take him down. USP: The food porn! via GIPHY 10. Big Night (1996): In this dramedy, two Italian brothers, Primo and Secondo, put out all strings for the 'Big Night' that will catapult their sinking authentic Italian restaurant, Paradise, to dizzying heights. © Timpano Production Primo, the perfectionist of the two, is annoyed and frustrated by the Americanized version of authentic Italian dishes, which he refuses to serve to customers, insisting on cooking only the true version, leading to him losing customers by the score. Secondo, the businessman of the duo, is more concerned with the running of the place and keeping it afloat than to retain cultural heritage. © Timpano Production With nowhere else to go, they try to strike out a deal with their nemesis, Pascal who owns a successful restaurant, who refuses to give them a loan. But, in an unlikely liberal gesture offers them to treat Louis Prima, a renowned American-Italian singer, to a meal at their restaurant who can change their fortune. Will they be successful? USP: The crowning glory has to be the timpano! via GIPHY Tony Shalhoub as Primo and Stanley Tucci as Secondo are delightful in their roles; the best part of the movie is any scene they are together! 11. 'The Trip' Trilogy (2010/2014/2017-): This BBC series which was made into a feature film stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as themselves on a gastronomical journey through Northern England (in the first movie/series) commissioned by the Observer; their job is to visit different restaurants, try their food and review it. © BBC Worldwide When Steve's girlfriend refuses to go with him on the trip, he invites his frenemy, fellow actor/comedian Rob Brydon to accompany him on the journey. As they travel through England, locking horns with each other on everything. Guided by their egos, trying to outwit each other, while being clueless about fine dining, their animosity dissolves into a camaraderie which is fun to watch. © BBC Worldwide Be it their fight over who can do a better Michael Caine impression or which syllable should be pronounced first in kumquat, Rob and Steve meander across beautiful locales, eating decadent, delicious food. via GIPHY And it isn't over in England! They return to wander across Italy in the sequel with renewed vows to upstage each other. And if that wasn't enough, they are back to eat more and traipse around in broken Spanish in the next sequel, The Trip to Spain! © BBC Worldwide One of the best road trip movies ever! via GIPHY USP: The nearly pornographic shots of the food: The buttery scallops frying in the pan! Absolute bliss! The cheesy pasta in “The Trip to Italy”; divine! Not to forget, the Michael Caine impersonation by Rob Brydon is spot on! Rob and Steve' bromance, their will-they won't-they chemistry, their asinine fights, has to be one of the most hilarious parts of the movie, cementing them into iconic duo status. 12. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971): One of the most adored children's books of all time, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', was adapted to screen in 1973 in a movie written by Roald Dahl (who later disowned it), with Gene Wilder playing Willy Wonka in a now-iconic role. © Paramount Pictures © Paramount Pictures And who can forget the Oompa Loompas? via GIPHY The story focuses on Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who finds himself the winner of a Golden Ticket giving him access to Willy Wonka's bizarre and unconventional Chocolate Factory along with four other children (and his whiner of a grandfather). via GIPHY The children, each with their unique personalities, are promised a lifetime supply of chocolate at the end of the trip. via GIPHY But will it be as easy as it looks? via GIPHY USP: Willy Wonka's legendary forward roll! via GIPHY The Chocolate Room: All you can eat candy! :D via GIPHY via GIPHY Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka is perfect, and no one has come close to his sweetly comical yet maniacal (and terrifying) portrayal of one of Roald Dahl's most notorious characters. © Paramount Pictures 13. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): While both iterations of this children's book capture the quirky Willy Wonka and Charlie's adventures inside the Chocolate factory superbly, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is truer to the novel than its predecessor. © Warner Bros. Pictures Starring Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka, this movie has superior special/visual effects and a more whimsical setting, typical of Tim Burton's movies. © Warner Bros. Pictures The movie stands out in terms of character development, giving a backstory to Willy Wonka which serves a reason for his eccentric personality, something which wasn't quite clear in the 1971 movie. via GIPHY USP: The chocolate river! It truly looks edible (also because it is faux melted chocolate) and is much better than the 1971's dull version. It is visually more appealing. via GIPHY The squirrels breaking the nuts always cracks me up! Johnny Depp's portrayal of Willy Wonka is superb; wacky and quirky (but still not close to Gene Wilder), with just a touch of authenticity. via GIPHY 14. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009): Eccentric wannabe scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) is always working on a new project: spray-on shoes, hair un-balding serum, a monkey thought translator. But unfortunately for him, all his endeavours result in failure. via GIPHY When his new project, a machine that converts water into food, the FLDSMDFR, fails and inadvertently gets launched into space while wreaking havoc on the town, Flint decides to hang up his shoes. © Sony Pictures Animation As he miserably walks around as the social pariah, his machine makes a comeback in style: it starts raining cheeseburgers all over town. via GIPHY Flint then uses a communicator to let the machine cater to the epicurean needs of the residents of Chewandswallow. Overjoyed, the town people keep making requests until their greed and gluttony sets in. via GIPHY As a catastrophe seems to be imminent, Clint sets off with his new friends, Sam Sparks (Anna Farris), Officer Devereaux (Mr. T), Brent (Andy Samberg), Manny (Benjamin Bratt), and his BFF Steve the Monkey (Neil Patrick Harris), to end it. USP: The food storm! All the spaghetti and the meatballs, and the ICECREAM! Flint's father, Tim (James Caan), is the absolute best! via GIPHY 15. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994): In this Taiwanese comedy-drama, Mr Chu (Sihung Lung) is a widowed Chinese master chef with three unmarried daughters, who cooks up a dinner feast every Sunday for his daughters as a tradition. © The Samuel Goldwyn Company His independent daughters, with their ideas of the modern world and diverse dispositions, clash with their traditionalist father over the dinner table. © The Samuel Goldwyn Company As the struggle over the superiority of values continues, with generation gap running rampant, the daughters and Mr Chu realize that perhaps traditions and new ideas can mix well, just like food with unconventional ingredients. via GIPHY Directed by Ang Lee, the movie has a quiet grace about itself, its wisdom percolating in the viewer's mind through the brilliant story. USP: The food throughout the movie, especially the opening sequence. Mr Chu's passion for food and his dexterity in his craft is apparent in the scenes. via GIPHY The beautiful, intricate dumplings! via GIPHY 16. Waitress (2007): Keri Russell stars as Jenna, a down-on-her-luck waitress who creates ingenious pies with uncommon names. Stuck in an unhappy marriage, Jenna's world is further complicated when she finds out that she is pregnant with her abusive husband's child. © Fox Searchlight Pictures As Jenna struggles with the new revelation, her only comfort being the therapeutic pie making she indulges in, respite comes in the form of a pie baking contest with a $25,000 prize which can be the key to her happiness and freedom. © Fox Searchlight Pictures As she gears up for the competition, luck seems to have a different plan for her. via GIPHY USP: The pies and their creative names: The Strawberry Chocolate Oasis Pie, Baby Screaming Its Head Off In The Middle Of The Night And Ruining My Life Pie, Kick In The Pants Pie. via GIPHY As decadent as they sound! :P via GIPHY So, what are you waiting for? Watch these now! Let the foodie in you reign supreme! via GIPHY P.S.: Don't watch these on an empty stomach. :P

Less than a month ago, when Gomathi Marimuthu stood atop the Asian Athletics Championships podium after winning the gold medal in the 800-m race in Doha, Qatar, she had a nation of more than 1.3 billion people standing behind her in support. Her story, full of pain and agony, inspired people from all over the world. The tales of her late father, sacrificing his diet just so his daughter could get the nourishment to one day represent India in an international event and make the nation proud, reached every street, every gully of the country and garnered support both financially and emotionally. "When I used to do sports, my father had a leg ailment and he was unable to walk. He had a two-wheeler and that was a big deal for us back then. We did not have good bus facility to go to the city, there was no electricity in my town and the roads weren't good either," the athlete had said in a press conference after the win. "If I woke up at 4 a.m., I could catch the 4.30 bus. So my father would wake me up at 4, sharp, putting an alarm. If my mother was not feeling well, my father only would give me water, boil milk... all these things he would only do," she added. However, her legacy may be in great trouble after the 30-year-old was tested positive in a doping test with a banned steroid at the Asian Athletics Championships in April and now, a four-year-long suspension from the tracks is staring at Marimuthu in the face. © Reuters It is believed that Gomathi was tested positive for yet another doping test almost a month ahead of Doha Asians and during the Federation Cup but the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) seemed to make no news of it. “We have zero tolerance to doping. As far as we are concerned, she is immediately suspended provisionally. She has the right to get her 'B' sample tested. If she is innocent and her 'B' sample is okay, we take her back, otherwise, straight away she is suspended for four years,” says Adille Sumariwalla, the AFI president. “We tested all those who were not in the national camp when they came here for the Federation Cup but the results came late,” said chief national coach Bahadur Singh. “That is also one reason why we have confirmatory trials for the non-National campers.” If Marimuthu does send her 'B' sample for testing and if they also turn out to be positive, not only will the athlete be suspended for four years but she will also be stripped off of her Asian medal, taking away one of three gold medals from the Indian contingent.

If I was asked to explain the phrase, "actions speak louder than words", I would probably give the example of the heartwarming gesture of Manjula, an air hostess with Air India Alliance, towards Rifat Jawaid, a passenger in her flight. © flickr Rifat, a journalist by profession, was travelling from Gorakhpur to Delhi and was observing his Ramzan fast. The Iftar time was nearing while he was on-board. Since he was starving and fasting, he walked up to the cabin crew and asked for a bottle of water. We all know how small the water bottles on a flight are, and since he was starving and thirsty given that he had consumed nothing all through the day, he asked for another bottle saying, "can I please have one more bottle since I am fasting?" On my way back to Delhi in @airindiain Alliance from Gorakhpur: Iftar time was nearing so I walked up to cabin crew member Manjula, asked for some water. She gave me a small bottle. I asked, “can I pls have 1 more bottle since I'm fasting?” Manjula replied, “why did you... pic.twitter.com/QaMoAR5CqC — Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) May 18, 2019 The air hostess immediately replied, "Why did you leave your seat? You please return to your seat." A few minutes later, she returned with a tray full of Iftar food and said, "please don't hesitate to ask for more." Rifat mentioned in his tweets that although the food was more than sufficient for him, what was more satisfying was her heartwarming gesture. ..leave your seat?You pls return to your seat.” Minutes later she arrived with two sandwiches and said, “please don't hesitate to ask for more.” Of course I didn't need more. They were more than adequate for me. What was the most satisfying was Manjula's heartwarming gesture. pic.twitter.com/DeXhvMnxwJ — Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) May 18, 2019 Manjula didn't move mountains, she didn't do something unimaginable, some might even say that she did her job. But, what she did is truly commendable and her kind gesture touched Rifat's heart and that of all those who read his post on Twitter. India Ka Soul Yahi Hai :) Hum Sab Ek Hai Bas Kuch Log Humko Baantke Rakhna Chahte but India Lives On Bcoz We Are One Dil Se !!! — Mohammed Azeem Uddin (@princeeazeem) May 19, 2019 May Allah keep this sprit intact in my India. — M Perwez Ahmad (@MPerwezAhmad2) May 18, 2019 That's has nothing to do with airline that was has to do with Indian culture which is still in our blood very much worrying some time with the idea of new India ð®ð³ GOD protect this nation from new India evil ð¦¹‍âï¸ — kmuazer (@shahidmuaz55) May 19, 2019 Air India has always been like that. It's staffed by common folks who have a immense sense of warmth and hospitality. Most important they have always been the airline with empathy. Way to go @airindian — Tandav (@pushkarbhat) May 19, 2019 There are plenty of good people still exist in the world — Apolitical_Mango (ð¯ % Followð) (@somebodys_meh) May 18, 2019 this is real indiaï¸ð®ð³ — osama ahmed (@i_m_osama) May 18, 2019 This is India, I know! What we see now everywhere is fabricated ! God bless India! — Sriram Krishnaswamy (@cheeku75) May 19, 2019

Since the past few hours, social media is talking particularly about these two things - Cannes Film Festival 2019 and PM Narendra Modi in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. (Sometimes, in the same sentence). The iconic Badrinath Temple remains an important part of our culture and ethos. Had the honour of joining the Puja at the Temple today. pic.twitter.com/AcHJxImztU — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2019 According to reports and social media, PM Narendra Modi meditated in a cave in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand. What's wrong with PM Modi, or anyone for that matter, meditating in a cave? Blessed morning at Kedarnath. pic.twitter.com/xPqEsjIMBI — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2019 Apparently, people had issues with him walking on a red carpet and the fact that there were photographers in the cave he was in. मà¥à¤, मà¥à¤°à¥ तनहाठà¤à¤° ANI pic.twitter.com/RrF2L0bzK3 — Varun Santhosh (@santvarun) May 18, 2019 Is it #Cannes2019 ? Why is the red carpet treatment at Baba #Kedarnath temple for a man who has admitted of living major part of life like a Sanyasi ! pic.twitter.com/y9SWwiXOgN — Niraj Bhatia | #NYAYforIndia (@bhatia_niraj23) May 18, 2019 World-renowned Actor Narendra Modi attends Cannes Film Festival in Kedarnath Temple. (2019) pic.twitter.com/LQTnF4y9mL — Chicha عÙÛ Vaidya (@AuntyHindutva) May 18, 2019 In case you missed out on these pictures circulating on social media of PM Modi meditating in a cave, then I will assume you were probably living under a rock all this while. Not a rock near that cave though, because the cave that PM Modi was in had WiFi. Twitter The fact that there is Wifi in a cave, when we don't even get proper network here in Delhi, raised my curiousity and digging out more information led me to this. Turns out, the cave was built recently and comes with all the modern facilties. What's more? You can go there and meditate too, only if you want to; because the place is avalaible for rent at just Rs. 990 per day. According to a report in Hindustan Times, the cave that is known as 'Rudra Meditation Cave' was built last year, after PM Modi suggested the concept of meditation caves in the area. Majestic and magnificent. Serene and spiritual. There is something very special about the Himalayas. It is always a humbling experience to return to the mountains. pic.twitter.com/o01iPJ5dl3 — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2019 "The cave did not get a good tourist response last year as by the time it was opened for bookings, the weather had already become quite cold. Secondly, we realised the tariff was too high," the general manager of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) said while revealing that the price of the cave was Rs. 3000 per day initially and was later reduced to Rs. 990. Earlier, it was compulsory for people to book the cave for at least 3 days, but not anymore. Twitter Talking about the amenities, the cave is in no way less than a hotel. Apart from WiFi, it offers electricity, drinking water, 24x7 phone service and attendant who will take care of all your needs, and washroom. If you are concerned about food, the cave offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves chai twice a day. Sounds fun, doesn't it?

We talk about things like the athletes' determination that takes them places. And if we are feeling really generous, we might touch upon the contributions of their coaches and the equal amount of work their have put in behind the success of their apprentice. Having said that, ever since I covered the stories of Special Olympians like Dinal Jain and Ankush Saha for a dedicated docu-series: 'Beyond Victory' , I realised exactly how important it is to let the world know about the contributions of the parents of the sportspersons who made the nation proud by excelling in their sport of choice. It is imperative that their role, their sacrifices for the betterment of their talented children, are highlighted. Why? Because of stories like this: When the 30-year-old, 800-m Asian Athletics Championships gold medal winner, Gomathi Marimuthu stepped onto the podium to embrace her win and the recognition to go with it, the only thing that was probably going through her mind was gratitude. Congrats #GomathiMarimuthu You make us proud pic.twitter.com/TaCGAR5wRh — Naveen.M (@NaveenFilmmaker) April 23, 2019 Gratitude for her late father, who did everything within his capabilities and then some, to watch his daughter realise her dreams but could not be around to experience the joy and excitement when she finally did. After winning the Asian gold, Marimuthu went down the memory lane, remembering all the hardships her family had to go through on a daily basis just to make her better at what she wanted to do, by a tiny margin than how she was the previous day. "When I used to do sports, my father had a leg ailment and he was unable to walk. He had a two-wheeler and that was a big deal for us back then. We did not have good bus facility to go to the city, there was no electricity in my town and the roads weren't good either," said the athlete in a press conference after the win. "If I woke up at 4 a.m., I could catch the 4.30 bus. So my father would wake me up at 4, sharp, putting an alarm. If my mother was not feeling well, my father only would give me water, boil milk... all these things he would only do." "I miss my father. Since I was into sports, and we didn't have much food, he kept aside some for me and ate cattle feed for himself. I can never forget that one day,” she said as tears rolled down her cheeks. "If only my father was around today, I consider him to be like God." Look at this incredible run! Gomathi Marimuthu of India won 800m Gold at Asian Championships in Doha. Sadly no one to even hug/congratulate this 30-yr-old daughter of farmer from a village near Tiruchi. She picks & waves the Indian Flag herself. That is patriotism! Jai Hind!! pic.twitter.com/VqTkJJ3dLQ — Lt Gen Satish Duað®ð³ (@TheSatishDua) April 25, 2019 Very little to no food, bad transportation facilities, health and financial issues at home, no electricity but sheer determination to become better every single day and a Gold medal to prove it. That's Gomathi Marimuthu's story and her father's legacy and it could not have been any better.

We often don't acknowledge it, but the process of consuming well made food happens to be one of the most sensorially fascinating and fulfilling experiences. Right from the tantalising sights, to evocative aromas and delectable taste, food can sprinkle just the right amount of magic to cast a spell on our senses. Good food can make us savour a great meal by setting us on a culinary journey which puts our taste buds on fire. © Instagram Now, since this is no less than a beautiful form of sorcery, we cannot expect just about anyone to succeed in bringing such culinary marvels to life. But, as luck would have it, not only did we chance upon once such exceptionally talented food-magician, but also managed to pull out some valuable scoop from star-chef Megha Agarwal, who is the Head Chef at Auro Kitchen & Bar. © Megha Agarwal Chef Megha has managed to create her own space and niche in the food industry that is mostly dominated by men, and by her own admission it feels amazing to be where she is right now. Talking about making her own name in the industry, Megha told MensXP that, “It feels empowering to work in the FnB industry and to remove assumptions that it is a male dominated sector, especially when there are so many female chefs around.” But all this success did not come to Megha overnight. Her journey to become a star chef started when she was merely 7-years-old and had made her first toaster pizza. Ever since, she knew that food was her calling. © Instagram So she followed the traditional path and joined a culinary school, and then went on to study with renowned French chef Alain Ducasse for two years, before heading back home and starting her career at ITC Maurya. She went on to work with some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry before joining Auro Kitchen & Bar, and there has been no looking back since. © Megha Agarwal But then we had to ask her about how societal stereotypes expect women to do wonders as cooks, and while most women do manage to pull off a few tricks in the kitchen successfully, the industry itself remains male dominated. Her response to this one came as a welcome sign of positive change. Megha told us that, “The industry is rapidly changing and evolving. More female chefs are being recognised for their work in the kitchen. We are breaking barriers and translating our spaces to fit our narrative and create jobs.” © Instagram Yet there is no denying that nothing in this world comes easy. “From not being taken seriously as a chef, to other chefs assuming that women aren't cut out for the intense physical labour or the erratic work schedule,” the journey has been full of challenges. But Megha adds that, “There is no substitute for hard work. You cannot expect to be treated differently and have to constantly push and prove yourself in the kitchen.” © Megha Agarwal Megha gives aspiring young chefs just one piece of advice, “stay healthy and work hard. There is no substitute for hard work. To anyone thinking of pursuing a career in the kitchen, I'd say - spend a little time in a commercial kitchen (as an intern) because it isn't as glamorous as it seems to be before finally making a decision to pursue this as a full time career option.” © Megha Agarwal Megha has come a long way since the time she has started and become an inspiration to a lot of young and women who wish to don a chef's hat with pride. And like she said, it is her passion, dedication and hard work that has allowed her to live the dream.

The internet is truly a bizarre place and we say that because threes a race to one-up that bizarreness, everyday with new and upcoming trends on social media. The new trends that follow are weird and strange challenges, which take over the social domain like a hot piece of chocolate. Some are rather dangerous and the rest just strange. We've been on the receiving end of a lot of challenges that have come and gone. From the Kiki challenge to the tide-pod challenge, everything has been tried and tested, even in India and now we have a new challenge doing the rounds, which can be dangerous but it's a quite senseless TBH. (c)Twitter The 'Shell On Challenge' is going viral right now and taking the internet by storm as we speak. It basically involves teenagers challenging each other to eat the food along with its packaging, whether it's natural food or processed. Sounds strange right? Well, it really is! (c)Reddit Videos have emerged on the Internet where kids have taken the challenge a bit too seriously and have eaten banana's with their peels intact, lemon zest, egg shells, candy wrappers and plastic packaging on food for fun. I mean it may seem fun to these kids but it can be quite dangerous if what they're consuming is plain plastic! y'all eat banana with the shell on or off?? pic.twitter.com/y2X6uTWwEF — emily jane (@emilyjanefrank) 14 April 2019 A kid in the US, who is a student in high school tried to follow up with this challenge by biting off a packet containing carrots, in order to ingest the 'shell' or the plastic it was wrapped in. The video of him doing the same caught on and has now gone viral. 'Shell on' challenge is the latest dangerous Snapchat trend among teens https://t.co/MtNA8NhLCT pic.twitter.com/9vmQMcnI85 — New York Post (@nypost) 17 April 2019 He also made a statement saying “It just looks funny, because it's not really a shell but people are calling things shells. I guess that is what's funny about it,” People from all over the world have reacted to the challenge and most of them aren't really amused by it as it's clearly the worst possible way to have fun! I think eating food with “the shell on” could be the next big college sport. Gonna start scouting for talent. — Jon Berger (@bergerbomb44) 17 April 2019 I wondered why Boomers judged GenZ until I saw a thread about the “shell on challenge” After 12 videos of high schoolers eating bananas with the peel on... I can finally say I relate to the Boomers. — Devin Spinks (@devin1096) 13 April 2019 If they are that stupid then perhaps they deserve it. — Ester Evans (@EsterEvansie) 17 April 2019 Lack of parenting and needing attention is turning our country into fucking morons! Social media and the hope for instant fame doesn't help either! — Mike (@mikelawrence813) 17 April 2019 Kids are so fucking stupid nowadays. — ro-co (@roco4033) 17 April 2019 So the next time you see a kid around you eating a banana or a pineapple with its 'shell' intact, don't freak out. Just maybe tell them there are far better ways to have fun than slip in to and be part of stranger things.

Drones, the gadget denied to Indian enthusiasts by the DGCA, unless you are a wedding planner or photographer, is a heated topic in the country. While we may be debating the commercial use of drones in India, people in Australia can now get coffee and food delivered to them by our flying friends. © Pexels The company that is making the service a possibility is called “Wing” owned by Google's parent company Alphabet. The company has now begun delivering items to customers just outside Canberra, Australia's capital. The company has already tested the service 3,00 times in the past 18 months and is now ready to roll the service out for “eligible homes.” The service will be available in the outskirts of Canberra, namely in suburbs of Franklin, Palmerston and Crace. The company is already adding new customers and is expected to grow that number in the coming weeks and months. The company will start delivering over the counter items such as coffee, wraps, burritos and other smaller products. © Wing The key to the company's success is partnering with local businesses and merchants who want to get their products delivered to customers. The service is currently not at scale due to the nature of the project, however, it's a great step towards reducing emissions from traditional delivery methods. © Pexels Of course, we won't get to see something like this in India as we need special permission from DGCA to just own a drone or fly them in a specific area. In fact, if you want to know the precise rules of flying a drone in India, you can read our guide here. Until then, enjoy them drones at a nearby Delhi wedding where it showers you with rose petals!