The Subcontinent: 5 March 2021
Biden to Attend Quad Meeting
Three from S Asia Wins 2021 International Women of Courage Award
1st Sikh Senator Elected in Pakistan
Nepal: Winter Drought
Lost Painting Resurfaces After 90 Years
1. Biden to Attend Quad Meeting
The Quad or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an informal forum between the United States, Japan, Australia and India, will hold its first meeting of leaders this month with US President Joe Biden joining Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Bloomberg).
Earlier, Foreign Ministers level
Earlier, Quad meetings were held at the Foreign Ministers level, and three such meetings have been held so far - in 2019, 2020, and February 2021 (The Wire). This will be the first meeting at the leaders' level.
Most Important Relationship Since NATO
National Security Adviser to former President Donal Trump, Robot O'Brien, had described the Quad as possibly "the most important relationship we've established since NATO" (Nikkei).
Asian NATO?
The media in China has described it as an "Asian NATO" (Global Times).
2. Three from Subcontinent bag 2021 International Women of Courage Award
Three women from the subcontinent have bagged the 2021 International Women of Courage Award.
Burma – Phyoe Phyoe Aung
Nepal – Muskan Khatun
Sri Lanka – Ranitha Gnanarajah
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Phyoe Phyoe Aung is co-founder of the Wings Institute for Reconciliation, an organization that facilitates exchanges between youth of different ethnic and religious groups.
Muskan Khatun was critically injured in an acid attack after she rejected a boy's romantic propositions. She has been instrumental in bringing about new legislation criminalizing acid attacks.
Ranitha Gnanarajah is a lawyer, and continues to fight for and defend the rights of the marginalized and vulnerable communities in the country, despite threats and challenges by the state.
3. 1st Sikh Senator Elected in Pakistan
Gurdeep Singh has become the first turbaned Sikh to be elected Senator in Pakistan. He was a candidate of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, and he contested on the seat reserved for minorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He hails from Swat.
He bagged 103 votes contesting against Ranjeet Singh, a candidate from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) who secured 25 votes. Asif Bhatti of Awami National Party received 12 votes.
Related to Soran Singh
Gurdeep is related to the late Soran Singh, who was affiliated with the PTI (and earlier with JUI). Soran Singh was assassinated in Buner in 2016 (Daily Pakistan).
4. Nepal: Winter Drought
Nepal received only 25 percent of normal average rainfall during the winter months. The actual rain was only 15.4 mm compared to an average of 60.4mm rainfall.
Not just Winter Months
The three months before winter also saw much lesser rainfall than normal, implying that the country has faced a drought-like situation for almost six months now (The Kathmandu Post).
Also Read
Drought and hunger drive Nepal farmers to India, defying COVID ban: Reuters
As Himalayas Warm, Nepal's Climate Migrants Struggle to Survive: New York Times
5. Lost Painting Resurfaces After 90 Years
A painting by one of India's most famous modernist painter, Amrita Sher-Gil has been rediscovered.
Portrait of Denyse
"Portrait of Denyse" is a portrait of Amrita's friend and art critic, where she is depicted wearing a red velvet dress amidst a background of vivid flowers (CNN).
Auction by Christie's
The painting is all set to be auctioned by Christie's.
More about Amrita Sher-Gil
Amrita was born in Budapest to a Sikh father and a Jewish mother. She spent her time in both Europe and India before returning to Lahore in pre-partition India. She died at the age of 28 and is widely regarded as India's most famous female artist.
Google Doodle
Google had celebrated her birthday (30 Jan) with one of her paintings, 'Three Girls' as the doodle (The Hindustan Times).
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Art News: Almost 90 Years Out of Public Eye, Rediscovered Portrait by Indian Modernist Amrita Sher-Gil Heads to Auction.
The Art Newspaper: Rediscovered portrait by India's most famous female painter Amrita Sher-Gil expected to sell for $2.8m.