Mallika Sarabhai, one of the leading exponents of Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi, is the daughter of the dancing legend Mrinalini Sarabhai and the renowned scientist Vikram Sarabhai. A multifaceted personality, Mallika is not only a dancer, but also a noted film-maker, internationally known choreographer, an actress, a TV anchor, an editor, a publisher and so on. Throughout her different careers dancing …

K. S. Chithra often credited as Chitra, is a six time National Film Award winning playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian (film) music playback industry. Known as the Nightingale of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese and Bengali films. Personal Life Born on July 27, 1963, in Thiruvananthapuram …

Some 56% of people interviewed by Transparency International said their country had become more corrupt. In Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iraq and India more than 50% of people said they had paid a bribe in the past year – many of them paying off the police. Meanwhile, a BBC poll suggests that corruption is the world’s most talked about problem. About one …

Diego Perez bears all the hallmarks of the classic Uruguayan midfielder with his tireless work ethic and willingness to battle for the cause. His intelligence, tactical awareness and personality add further value to his stock, while his effectiveness in winning back possession has made him something of a rock of the midfield for his team-mates. A Montevideo native, Perez began …

Archbishop Peter Akinola was born on 27 January 1944 to a Yoruba family in Abeokuta in southwestern Nigeria. Akinola was four years old when his father died, and he was sent to live with an uncle. He attended school between ages 10 and 16, when he left school to learn a trade. After an apprenticeship in Lagos, Akinola became a …

Anthony Alozie — A local soccer player in his native Nigeria, Anthony started running when an athletics coach spectating at one of his soccer games commended his speed with the ball and invited him to start sprint training. Anthony and the coach kept in contact and, after a while, “he made me realise that I have so much talent in …

Baobab — Baobab is the common name of a genus (Adansonia) containing eight species of trees, native to Madagascar (the centre of diversity, with six species), mainland Africa and Australia (one species in each). The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that country. Other common names include boab, boaboa, bottle tree and …

Guereza — The Mantled Guereza (Colobus guereza), also known simply as the Guereza, the Eastern Black-and-white Colobus, or the Abyssinian Black-and-white Colobus, is a colobus monkey, a kind of Old World monkey. It is native to much of west central and east Africa, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Chad. This black-and-white colobus species grows to about 18-28 …

Amaranth — Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth or pigweed, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species are presently recognised, with inflorescences and foliage ranging from purple and red to gold. Members of this genus share many characteristics and uses with members of the closely related genus Celosia. Although several species are often considered weeds, people around the world …

Usefulness of Ginger — Ginger is a tropical plant which is mostly flourished in Southern Asia, Jamaica and Nigeria. It is commonly used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for over two thousand years to treat number of health related problems, like stomach disorder, vomiting, diarrhea, motion sickness and rheumatism. Ginger is anti oxidant in nature. In Chinese medicine, half of …