INGKA retail destination coming up in Noida
The UP government recently allotted 12.3 acres to IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant, which is about to bring a ‘meeting place’ venture comprising a shopping, entertainment and business centre around the IKEA store in Noida. The plot was allotted to INGKA Centres India Pvt Ltd, which is a subsidiary of the INGKA group that owns most IKEA stores. The company began negotiations with the Noida Authority in 2019 over terms of payment and the deal was finalised after it paid Rs 850 crore. The company will develop an anchored retail destination and INGKA’s 45th ‘meeting place’ globally at Noida.
AIMPLB plans online series to clear doubts
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is planning to clear its stand on various court cases pertaining to the personal law to the people through an online interactive series. The idea was first mooted by AIMPLB member Dr Asma Zehra in 2017 but was given a go-ahead only during its executive council meeting held on February 21. Members unanimously agreed that there was a need to spread awareness about legal stance taken up by the AIMPLB on religious subjects. The AIMPLB executive council accepted the proposal by Hyderabad-based Dr Asma Zehra who has been made the coordinator of the online series. The series will be interactive where viewers would be able to ask questions and it can also be in the format of legal panelists discussing a case being fought by the AIMPLB.
UP’s first female modern dastango enlivens the past
As Pragya Sharma begins narrating the valour of the mighty queen of Jhansi, she creates an imagery of the first freedom movement of 1857 enliven with her words and gestures. The 29-year-old economist brings every moment of those days of yore to life through her narration. Having tasted success in holding her audience in attention, she has becoming the first female modern ‘dastango’ (story teller) of UP. “I never knew I could perform in front of a live audience and in the art form of dastangoi,” says Pragya, who has five shows on Rani Laxmibai to her credit.
All schools may not reopen in March
With fresh surge Covid-19 cases in around half a dozen states, a majority of missionary and a few private schools have decided not to reopen schools for students of classes I to V from March 1. Some have decided to reopen after a month, while others said they would continue with the online classes. All the prominent missionary schools, associated with the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, said they would reopen from April 6 for students of standard I to V and not from March 1. At present, schools are almost done with classes and annual examination are underway.