PhotoSparks, a weekly section from YourStory launched in 2014, publishes photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. Previously, 1010 publications have featured various events, including art festivals, comic book galleries, world music festivals, telecommunication exhibitions, grain fairs, climate change expositions, wildlife conferences, startup festivals, Diwali rangolis, and jazz festivals.
Recently, the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath (KCP) held the 11th annual Art Bengaluru Collective exhibition. The exhibition, titled ABC Chitra-Colors 2026, gathered 300 pieces from over 45 artists.
This collective was founded by artists Rashid Kappam and Ranjit David. KCP is also known for its most popular event, Chitra Santhe, which is considered the largest annual street art fair in India.
Artist Manalini Singhal presented a series of works titled Bloom in Gloom. Her paintings are inspired by nature and reflect her philosophy of acceptance and transformation, with prices starting from 30,000 rupees and above. Singhal explains that the series draws inspiration from complex emotions that people often try to suppress, but internal transformation occurs when these feelings are fully acknowledged and experienced.
She notes that her creative approach has gradually shifted from realism to a more expressive and intuitive style as she sought to escape perfectionism and create from an authentic, subconscious space. Experiments have become an integral part of her process, touching upon both ideas and materials. Singhal rarely plans her paintings in advance; instead, they emerge through intuition, past experience, and the emotions she brings to the studio.
Singhal also uses artificial intelligence as a tool for marketing, communication, and online presentation, viewing AI as an ally rather than a threat, emphasizing that the emotional depth, life experience, and intuition that shape original art remain deeply human.
Sourima Das, an artist based in Bengaluru, is a self-taught individual who studied at Jadavpur University in Kolkata. She primarily works in realism and near-realism, combining this with full-time employment in the IT sector and nearly 25 years of dance career. She believes that sensitivity to rhythm, balance, and expression naturally manifested in her paintings and drawings, which highlight the beauty hidden in everyday details, prompting viewers to slow down and observe closely.
Das asserts that art is a way of paying attention, allowing her to pause, observe, and appreciate the unusual in the ordinary. Her works sometimes depict the empathy and strength of horses, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 1.5 lakh rupees depending on material, size, and complexity.
Aishwarya Vishwakumar, formerly the South Branch Head at Sony Pictures, moved to Kerala after her father's death to be closer to her mother and dedicate herself fully to art. Working under the pseudonym Tales of the Hue, she creates mixed media works dedicated to the endangered and vulnerable species of the Western Ghats, telling their stories on canvas. She views art as a way to study an animal or landscape intently until she truly sees it, transforming this attention into narrative. Prices for her works start from 35,000 to 1 lakh rupees.
Megna Chouhan, a self-taught contemporary artist from Bengaluru, draws inspiration from folk arts such as Gond and Madhubani, depicting the coexistence of life in nature. Her works are priced from 5,000 to 60,000 rupees.
Trina Choudhary, an artist and textile professor with a Ph.D., has been engaged in professional art and teaching students globally online for over six years. Her works combine modern, spiritual, and natural themes, with a price range from 15,000 to 60,000 rupees; she also takes commissions and custom pieces. Choudhary describes art as a living meditation and a language beyond words, where nature, spirituality, and human emotions meet.
Exhibition participants also shared thoughts on the importance of learning from mistakes and failures. Das explains that she does not consider any work a failure, and her biggest mistake is sometimes not knowing when to stop perfecting a piece. She emphasizes that growth comes through curiosity, experimenting with different materials, and accepting that not every piece needs to be a masterpiece, as every completed work becomes a step toward the next.
Chouhan notes that failures and difficulties are an important part of an artist's journey, but consistency is the only way forward. Vishwakumar admits that most of her mistakes are simply paintings that look fine, technically acceptable but not inspiring pride or genuine emotion.
On the occasion of the golden jubilee of the media corporation India Today, which has established itself in the industry, the documentary film 'Eyewitness to a Nation' was released. This film covers the 50-year journey starting from 1975 and demonstrates all aspects of the country's life: political upheavals, cultural changes, cinematic and international events, as well as social movements and military actions.
The film allows viewers to experience the picture of India over five decades in just 2 hours and 44 minutes. It sheds light on how modern India was shaped after struggling with unrest, conflicts, and political tragedies in the independent nation. This unique story is presented using rare archival footage, interviews with experts, on-site reports, and behind-the-scenes footage.
The documentary shows India's path from 1975 to 2025 through the lens of journalism. Since fifty years of journalism is not just a series of news, it is also a living document of the era. The use of archival materials lends realism to the film, transporting viewers back to that era through old videos, photographs, newspaper headlines, and on-site reports, summarizing the events that shook the country between 1975 and 2025.
The risks faced by journalists are astonishing. Examples include the Kargil War, the Kandahar plane hijacking, the Mumbai blasts, the Pulwama attack, and the coronavirus period. There were many moments when journalists risked their lives to preserve the profession, and covering situations in war zones makes one think.
India Today first launched in December 1975, during the state of emergency in the country. At that time, the public was dissatisfied with the decisions of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The magazine represented the pain of the people, the chaos in the streets, and emotions on its covers. Despite press censorship and an atmosphere of fear, India Today gave voice to the people. The corporation's initial journalism aimed to highlight the social and political tension of that time, laying the foundation for its own identity formation.
As the country and politics changed, cinema inevitably changed as well. Over these five decades, cinema underwent significant transformations. In 1975, a controversy arose around the film 'Kissa Kursi Ka,' a political satire by Amrit Nathat, which shocked Indira's government. India Today documented the rise and fall of stars in the world of cinema during this period, observing the transition from parallel to commercial cinema. Viewers saw the success of Kapoor's 'Karishma' and Amit Bhachan's 'Angrannaymen Image.'
Film directors such as Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, and Imtiaz Ali challenged traditional narrative structures with their realistic presentation. Then came the coronavirus period, when the entertainment industry stalled. During this time, Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan' and Alia Bhatt's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi' breathed new life into the dormant Bollywood industry.
India Today's journey is inextricably linked to the ups and downs of Indian politics. The corporation closely monitored Indira Gandhi's political career: from her tenure under the Emergency to losing her seat in government. She later returned as Prime Minister in 1980, then experienced the loss of her son Sanjay Gandhi and the death of Indira Gandhi after the 'Sindoor' operation, which was a major blow to the country. This was followed by an analysis of various periods of power—from Rajiv Gandhi to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi.
The Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with BBC Studios, has announced the launch of a specialized section on the BBC.com website. This section will feature branded content dedicated to the processes of digital transformation in the country, according to the statement from the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan.
The new segment is an extension of the international communication platform 'Uzbekistan. Digitally Yours,' which previously launched on BBC News. The goal of this platform is to provide continuous coverage of the impact of digitalization on Uzbekistan's economy, public services, education, entrepreneurship, and international competitiveness.
The international communication campaign, created with the participation of BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions and DARS FILMS, includes television broadcasts, digital materials, and social media content adapted for a global audience. The project uses visual storytelling to explain complex technological changes, demonstrating Uzbekistan's current transformations and future development vectors.
The Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, Sherzod Shermatov, emphasized that digital transformation is the foundation of the state's long-term development. He added that cooperation with BBC Studios gives Uzbekistan the opportunity to present itself to the international community as an innovative, open, and future-oriented nation.
Sara Damak, Director of BBC Studios for Europe and Central Asia, noted the importance of authentic storytelling for the international public to understand complex processes of change. She believes that the new hub will become a permanent place to study Uzbekistan's digital progress.
Darya Chernova, Director of DARS FILMS, stressed that countries compete not only through innovation but also through the stories they tell. She also noted that this platform allows a global audience to see both Uzbekistan's achievements and its future path.
The documentary does not just present political events but also explains their social and national impact. Military and terror reporting is one of the most challenging tasks in journalism. India Today acted as a link between citizens, providing coverage in war zones. Reports from conflict zones, such as the 26/11 Mumbai attack, the Kandahar plane hijacking, and the Kargil War, are prime examples of courageous journalism. The film also mentions Modi's resolve against terrorism, including the 'Sindoor' and 'Surgical Strike' operations, when forces were deployed in Pakistan.
In sports, India also achieved successes over these 50 years. India's victory in the 1983 World Cup, the start of the IPL, and the brilliant performances of athletes like Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal became a source of national pride. The athletes' appearance on the world stage increased the youth's confidence in sports. From the era of Dhoni-Kohli to Anubhav Bindra winning the country's first Olympic gold medal—this was a historic event.
Throughout its 50-year journey, India Today made several landmark decisions that defined a new direction for Indian media. The most important step was the initiation of public opinion polls in 1980, something the media industry had not done before. This initiative received wide recognition as the corporation began conducting public surveys among the population.
