Need to narrow gap between talent and opportunity in education: Hillary

October 12th, 2009 SHILLONG - To promote theatre art in Meghalaya, a musical play was staged which also offered a platform to schoolchildren to showcase their talent. The play was a romantic comedy, based on hit songs popularised by the 70s pop group ABBA.

September 15th, 2009 MYSORE - Sonia Gandhi, chief of India's ruling Congress Party, today inaugurated a world-class corporate global education centre of Infosys Technologies in Mysore. The facility is an extension of the IT major's Global Education Centre (GEC), which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in February 2005.

September 7th, 2009 KOHIMA - With an aim to promote the inherent musical talent of Nagaland, a musical competition was organized in the State. The theme of the competition was 'Discovering talents to a higher level' and was organized by Pheto Music Association, an initiative by music enthusiast Kasheto Kiba.

September 4th, 2009 AMRITSAR - Socially and economically deprived women in Punjab's Amritsar district have found a saviour in Shree Lakshmi Narayan Stitching School, which has come ahead to help those women who are aspiring to become self-reliant. The school established by Shri Durgiana Temple Management Committee in 1992, imparts training in stitching and embroidery free of cost to women belonging to the weaker sections of the society.

August 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Centre has called upon States for support and partnership to ensure educational reforms in the country. Addressing the inaugural session of the 56th Central Advisory Board on Education (CABE) meeting in the national capital on Monday, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal underlined expansion, inclusion and excellence as the three underlying principles for educational reforms.

August 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In a historic step, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008. The passing of the Bill allows children aged between 6 to 14 years to avail free and compulsory education as a fundamental right.

August 1st, 2009 SRINAGAR - A seven-day Indian Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) workshop on Creativity Education and Arts under the Jammu and Kashmir chapter commenced in Srinagar to nurture the creative talent of the youth. Around 50 students in the age group of 14-18 years were selected from various schools in the Kashmir valley to participate in the first of its kind workshop, which include courses in painting, photography, theatre and creative writing.

July 18th, 2009 MUMBAI - Speaking with passion and declaring that education was very near and dear to my heart, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton held a large audience at the St. Xavier's College here enthralled as she unveiled her vision for raising educational standards.

April 16th, 2009 SRINAGAR - Kashmir has witnessed an upsurge in the social position of women folk in recent years. With restrictions on music and other entertainment sources imposed by the rebels, particularly on women, music for them had become a distant dream.

April 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday promised a slew of measures to address the plight of underprivileged sections of the society in its manifesto. Highlights of its policies for the underprivileged: -- BJP is deeply committed to creating a society of equal opportunities with 'justice for all' as its credo.

March 14th, 2009 MUMBAI - Slum kid actors of Oscar winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire' Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail, were awarded scholarships for free education. The initiative by a self-help group called 'We Love India' in association with D.Y.

March 13th, 2009 SRINAGAR - For orphans and youth in Kashmir, a new ray of hope has emerged in the form of free computer education. The Central Government's 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' (SSA) scheme provides two IT courses free of cost to youths in Srinagar.

March 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Their designs inspired by puppets, flowers and even ragpickers left a lasting impression on the audience at The Debut, a contest highlighting India's young fashion talent. This year, Megha Nagpal, a student of Pearl Academy of Fashion won the contest beating 12 contestants from various fashion schools across India.

January 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Siddhartha Basu-headed television firm BIG Synergy is set to adapt Britain-based reality show 'Britain's Got Talent' for Indian television, which he promises will enthral audiences with its 'masti (fun), mazaak (comedy), naach (dance)'. The show will be called 'India's Got Talent' and be telecast on entertainment channel Colors.

January 1st, 2009 SHILLONG - The stage is set for the inauguration of the Indian Science Congress Saturday in Meghalaya capital Shillong by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Rich biodiversity, clean energy generation and the social and technological response to climate change with reference to the northeast would be the key issues of the Congress, being held for the first time in the region.