As City Life Takes A Toll, People Look To Nature To Rejuvenate That Odisha has several hidden gems when it comes to natural beauty is something that has been talked about for years. Now, thanks to the recent initiatives by the government, Eco-Tourism has become the buzzword for thousands of people as they plan their next getaway. While existing nature camps and sites are now becoming popular thanks to the publicity they are receiving, several new facilities will also come up soon across the state. In our Cover Story, we speak to travellers, government officials, and members of the hospitality industry about the destinations that are creating a buzz these days. We also bring you snapshots from the state’s first eco-tourism village in Satkosia, a popular destination in recent years. Climate Change is a reality that can no longer be wished away. A survey by Climate Central has warned that large areas of India’s coastal regions, including Odisha, will be under the sea by 2050. The effects of climate change, however, have been visible for several decades. We talk to environmentalists about the grim situation and the urgent steps needed to tackle the crisis in City Beat. Farming is a sector that one usually doesn’t expect young entrepreneurs to be interested in. There are exceptions, though. Our Cityzens for this edition are shining examples of how technology and communication can be used to benefit farmers. Three youths have taken time out from their respective full-time jobs to launch a YouTube channel that trains farmers in different types of farming. The Showcase Odisha Awards, conceptualised by Prelude Novel Ventures, has travelled to several cities in India. This time, it was its turn to go global as it headed to Toronto, Canada. The awards function was held on 16 November to coincide with the celebration of Boita Bandana with the Odia community there. We bring you all the details in City Lights. The section also showcases how cancer survivors turned showstoppers for a noble cause. In Fashion Lifestyle, you can find some useful tips on how to be a trendsetter this winter. We also catch up with 15-year-old Lavanya Das who won the Indian Icon 2019 title recently. Popular singer KK is no stranger to Odisha and has performed at several events over the years. He set the stage on fire at the latest edition of the Balijatra. In Transit Lounge, he opens up about his career and his association with Odisha.

Seventy-five years is a short time in the history of a city. In the case of Bhubaneswar, however, this has been enough for its evolution from a sleepy and thinly-populated but neatly laid out state capital to a modern and bustling city that is now a centre of commerce, education, and sports. In our Cover Story, we trace the early years of Bhubaneswar's existence, its anointment as state capital, and the subsequent decades that have shaped the city into what it is today. Dreams have a way of coming true if one perseveres and works hard. City Biz brings you the story of two women who came together with a shared passion to preserve and promote the dying art of Odisha's handloom through their brand, Hatbunai. City Biz also features Charkha, a homegrown fashion label that is traditional and modern at the same time. The City Lights section brings you snapshots from the global trade show, Resurgent Odisha 2024, and the launch of a coffee table book on Bhubaneswar. Trying to achieve meaning and joy in life is often an unending quest in a fast-paced world. A book on Ikigai, the Japanese expression for a passion that gives value and joy to life, tries to help readers rediscover the purpose of living. Read more about it in City Literature. With September 8 being celebrated as World Physiotherapy Day, City Health takes a closer look at this modern medical science and the remedies it can offer. Our CityZen for this edition is a person who is fondly referred to as the “Radio Man” and it is not too difficult to understand why once you visit his small shop tucked away in the bylanes of Cuttack. Afzal bhai, who has dealt with audio products for over 40 years, talks about his repair business, the challenges he faces, and what keeps him going. In ScreenShots, we catch up with three talented Odia artistes who were associated with one of the biggest box office blockbusters that Bollywood has produced - Stree 2. Associate Editor Madhubrata Mohanty, foley artist Varun Visoi, and focus puller Saroj Kumar Sahoo give a peek into what went on behind the scenes during the film's making. They also open up about their experience in the film industry. Meanwhile, movie buffs who are unsure about what to watch next on streaming platforms can turn to Cityflix.

Ask anyone who they look up to and give credit to for being the person that they have become, chances are that a teacher will be on their list along with parents, family members, and close friends. To mark Teacher’s Day, our Cover Story for this edition pays tribute to the role that teachers play in our lives. Anybody who was around in the 80s would remember the pulsating beats and the psychedelic lights that were synonymous with a new form of music that held the world in thrall. A special feature in City Tales revisits the birth of Disco music, its impact on the Bollywood film industry, and its eventual decline of sorts. With the growing realisation that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay, discussions these days often veer around to the influence this latest revolution in technology can have on different human endeavours. In City Tech, we take a look at some of the latest AI tools that can be used for a variety of functions. As it happens, advances in technology invariably come with their own unique challenges. Preventing cybercrime and identifying the perpetrators is one such challenge for law enforcement agencies these days and official data on the nature and number of such incidents presents a grim picture. Twin City police chief Soumendra Priyadarshi discusses the challenges in City Beat. The section also looks at diseases like dengue that make an appearance during the monsoon season. We speak with health and municipal officials to bring you a ground report. In Screen Shots, we catch up with the newest star on the block who is creating quite the buzz on the OTT circuit these days. Life has not been the same for actor Prem Parija, who had earlier worked as an assistant director for Bollywood films, since he was signed up to play the lead role in the ‘Commando’ series. The section also features Odia film producer Sanjay Nayak and filmmaker NG Reddy. During the course of a freewheeling chat, they discuss the current state of the Ollywood film industry and what needs to be done to draw the audience back to the movie theatres. This edition explores the interesting 200-year-old Urdu poetry tradition of ‘Mushaira’ in the city of Cuttack (City Culture) and the inspiring story of an 18-year-old entrepreneur who is rewriting the rules of success (City Biz).

Celebrated as the triumph of good over evil, Dussehra is again set to enthral everyone with its accompa nying pomp and splendour. In our Cover Story, we take a close look at celebrations at the ‘Shakti Pithas’ revered in Odia tradition and try to get a better under standing of the divine traditions that come alive during Dussehra and Durga Puja. Food has a close association with festivals across the country and Durga Puja is no ex ception. Our Food and Wine section captures the essence of the festive season by zeroing on recipes of some Odia delicacies that come with a slice of culture as well tradition. From fish preparations to traditional pancakes, Durga Puja is known for these special offerings to the Goddess. In City Sports, we look at 10 athletes from the state who are all set to participate in the Indian Open U23 Athletics meet. The section also fea tures the junior women’s and sub-junior men’s hockey championships, where the teams from Sundargarh stamped their authority by winning both the titles. Our City Fashion section takes a look at a trend that is fast becoming the norm for much of today’s younger generation - thrift shopping. Once looked down upon, second-hand clothes now seem to have lost the stigma they were long associated with. Our special feature brings you the low-down on thrift shopping as we ex plore how the trend is being seen as a welcome shift towards eco-friendly and sustainable fashion. We also speak to some youngsters to understand what draws them to thrift shop ping. Odisha has a rich heritage of folk and tribal songs and singer Susmita Das has been on a mission to promote them on the global stage. We catch up with her in Screen Shots as she talks about what inspired her to embark on this praiseworthy journey and her plans for the fu ture. The festive season is here and so are some much-anticipated Ollywood releases! Screen Shots takes a quick look at the latest Odia films lined up for the big screen, ranging from thrill ers and a social drama to a moving tribute to a legend of music. If you were impressed by the rich tapestry of emotions that Pixar’s 2015 release ‘Inside Out’ wove around its central character, there is something you can look forward to. Its sequel, ‘Inside Out 2’ is now streaming on OTT plat forms and City Flix brings you a review of what to expect.

Winter's here and it is nature at its very best out there! There’s a nip in the air and a spring in the step of people as they plan for the weeks ahead. Travel tops the list for many, as they set out to explore some lesser-known destinations during what is clearly the best weather to hit the road. But this is also the time for festivals, and festivities, galore with no pandemic-related restrictions this year. We explore the myriad hues of winter in Odisha in our Cover Story. Winter's also time for the biggest fair of them all. In City Culture, we look at the Bali Jatra which makes a grand comeback after a pandemic-induced hiatus of two years. The bank of the Mahanadi in Cuttack is all set for the grand spectacle that is a celebration of commerce and culture. Talking of celebrations, there was plenty of it on display during Diwali. A photo feature captures a riot of colours and emotions as people celebrated the festival of lights without any Covid-19 restrictions this time. This edition of My City Links also brings you snapshots of what was the last solar eclipse of 2022. Although it was visible only partially in Odisha, the event saw an enthusiastic response from photographers and scientists as well as laypersons. The latest edition of the Bhubaneswar Runway Week, or BRW as it is popularly known, was a riot of colours and creativity. Read all about it in our Events section. In City Lights, we visit two villages in the Cuttack district and come back with a touching story of religious and cultural co-existence. In Transit Lounge, we host poetry sensation, Amandeep Singh. A visit to Bhubaneswar is always like a homecoming of sorts for the versatile poet who graduated in software engineering from a reputed institution in the city. In a freewheeling chat, he tells us about the transition from engineering to poetry, his experience so far, and his plans for the future. Screen Shots takes a close look at one aspect of the OTT phenomenon that is as stark as it is disturbing - the trend of content that often centres around the theme of explicit sex and violence. OTT content creators and people who have got hooked on the platforms weigh in on the trend and give their suggestions on the way ahead for an industry that is growing with each passing day

The past few weeks have seen the political temperatures shoot up as parties launch a no-holds-barred campaign for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are campaigning vigorously; the Congress hopes it will improve on its 2019 performance. The entry of several political heavyweights into the electoral fray has only added to the sense of anticipation and excitement. In our Cover Story, we provide you a bird’s eye view of all that is happening on the political front. From high-profile battles to contrasting political ideologies and diverse electoral planks, these elections promise variety and excitement all the way. When she started off as an architect in a profession traditionally dominated by men, few around her would have thought that Neha Jain would one day bring laurels to Odisha. Selected for the prestigious ‘Golden Door Award’, Neha joins us for a Q&A session that provides an insight into her initial years and her expectations for the future now that she has made a mark for herself. As the mercury soars, there’s nothing like a tall glass of something cool to help you pull through a gruelling day! And if that something is natural, it will likely cool you down more efficiently than the soft drinks available in your neighbourhood market. So, head to our Food & Wines section for recipes of some traditional, natural coolants to beat the heat. Should you choose to explore the city properly, Cuttack has this innate ability to surprise; the city and its people can hold you in a spell through the sheer range of experiences and emotions that they embody. In City Culture, we go on a quaint journey of the senses as we get talking to Ayejaz Patel, a perfume maker whose life sounds as mystical as the fragrances he helps bring to life. Technological evolution is a continuous process, as is the pursuit of perfection in a specific field. Decades after we read about them in books and saw them in movies, the creation of the perfect personal robot is something that can best be described as ‘work in progress’. In this edition, we take a deep dive into the world of robotic technology, speaking to experts and tech enthusiasts about where the world stands when it comes to personal robots who can assist and enable human beings across a variety of functions.

Odisha has as many hues of culture as it has living examples of heritage and tradition handed down to the generations. Our Cover Story for this edition celebrates one such practice which comes alive in Puri every year. While the Jagannath Dham Rath Jatra may be better known globally, the ‘Gosani Jatra’ dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga is no less important when it comes to the Hindu calendar. Organized during Durga Puja and Dussehra, the Gosani Jatra is a tradition that has continued uninterrupted since the twelfth century. Read on to learn more about what the event entails and the significance of all the practices and rituals associated with it. Our ‘Life of a Boss’ section features Nilanjana Mukherjee. As Managing Director of Kalinga Hospital Limited, she has been setting new benchmarks in the healthcare sector. In a free-wheeling interview, she talks to us about her formative years and the switch from the hospitality industry to the healthcare sector. Over the years, the Showcase Odisha Awards have become a keenly-awaited event. The 9th edition of this initiative to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Odias in India and abroad was held in Hyderabad recently. We bring you a report on the event which honoured individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from sports to the corporate world. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental issue in children. It is in this sphere that the Zain Foundation Trust has been trying to make a difference, by creating awareness and working towards building a more inclusive community. We bring you more about this in the City Health section. City Lights brings you excerpts from a recent episode of ‘Our Change Leaders’ where My City Links hosted senior Indian Police Service officer Manoj Chhabra. He opens up about his entry into the service and his experience of serving in various parts of Odisha. City Culture zooms in on the Indian Documentary Film Festival, an initiative by the Film Society of Bhubaneswar, which has developed a healthy repertoire of events and screenings for cinema lovers. In Screen Shots, we shift our focus to ‘Pushkara’, the Odia film that has been receiving rave reviews from the critics and the audience alike. My City Links catches up with lead actor Sabyasachi Mishra and director Subhransu Das to find out what went into the making of the film and the reasons behind its phenomenal success.