New York, New York … City that doesn’t sleep … king of the hill, top of the heap … where if you make it, you can make it anywhere – made the most sensational news this week, but not for anything the paean of a song that John Kander wrote and Frank Sinatra immortalized. It made news by electing Zoran Mamdani, a 34 year American citizen of colour without borders, as its new Mayor and giving more than a little jolt to every scaffolding of all the political, cultural and economic structures of the American establishment. The jolt may not come to mean anything in any final outcome, but it is impossible to miss the moment of its occurrence.

Mamdani’s election on Tuesday, October 4th, was the most dramatic rebuke to Trump, but it was not the only one. In multiple elections in New Jersey, Virjinia, Pennsylvania, Georgia and California, the voters decisively turned against Trump and his executive overreaches. It is not the numbers of votes that matter but the restive vibes that are finally permeating America’s body politic. It certainly builds on and extends the momentum created by the No Kings protests held across America in June, July and October.

Dick Cheney’s Legacy

On Monday, the day before the vote, former Vice President Dick Cheney passed away. Cheney is considered to be the most powerful Vice President in modern American history and was the architect of the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq that marred the presidency of Bush the younger and precipitated the presidency first of Barack Obama a progressive centrist and later that of Donald Trump a crass opportunist who has been hugging the extreme right.

Although he vigorously opposed Trump and his methods and publicly supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, Cheney was the original champion of the concept of unitary president that Trump is now stretching to ridiculous and dangerous limits through his executive orders. There is an esoteric debate among online pundits as to who has done greater damage to the American political system – Cheney or Trump?

I put that question to my daughter, Menaka, a political theorist, and her ready response was that there are different levels of bad and evil and that it is all there – in The Eighteenth Brumaire! Who better than Marx for diagnosing historic facts and personages? History alternates between farce and tragedy and the traditions of the dead weigh down on the brains of the living.

But then, as the Mayor elect Mamdani gallantly quoted Jawaharlal Nehru in his victory speech in New York: “A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.

” The quote is from Nehru’s celebrated midnight independence speech in 1947 made impromptu without text, notes or teleprompter, immediately following the more memorable line: “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”

Quoting Nehru in New York may not go down well in today’s New Delhi, and ‘that is how things are’ today. But fellow Indian American and Democratic Congressman from California, Ro Khanna, has welcomed it as a sign of Mamdani’s authenticity. Khanna, a respected Congressman, identifies himself as a Progressive Capitalist, but wholeheartedly supports the New York exploits of Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist.

Quoting Nehru is also indicative of the new Mayor’s home schooling and the influence of his parents Mahmood Mamdani and Mira Nair, respectively, of Gujarati Muslim and Punjabi Hindu origins. His father is an academic in postcolonial studies, who gave Zoran his middle name, Kwame, after Africa’s first postcolonial leader, the charismatic Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. Zoran’s mother is the celebrated filmmaker of Mississippi Masala.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, lived in Johannesburg, South Africa and finally settled in New York, Zoran Nkrumah Mamdani is the quintessential millennial without borders. An activist from his Bronx school days in New York, and Bowden University days in Maine, Zoran is a talented communicator, writer, musician, rap singer and filmmaker. He is the consummate activist artist rather than the ideal philosopher politician. But his artistic talents and media skills have served him well in making the biggest political splash on the world’s biggest city stage.

Trump and Mamdani

The Economist (November 1st) is touting it as “The battle for New York”, between the Mayor elect Mamdani and the City’s enfant terrible of a son, now US President, Donald Trump – “two skillful politicians with radical plans.” Trump’s plans are coming home to roost much sooner than anyone may have thought. And there are scores of highly placed doubters as to whether any of Mamdani’s socialist plans will ever pass in the citadel of capitalism.

The Mamdani manifesto – promising free daycare, free transit, affordable groceries, $30 minimum wage, and moratorium on rent, all paid by taxing wealthy, has resonated resoundingly with New York voters, giving him over 50% of the vote, and good margin wins in four of New York’s five boroughs, with over 60% of young New Yorkers voting for him.

But the establishment powers and voters over 65 are skeptical about him, about his promises and his ability to deliver them. There is no underestimating the challenge facing him, although Mamdani’s policies are not infeasible or impractical. They have been implemented in many European countries, and Mamdani himself has alluded to a form of Scandinavian socialism as appropriate for New York.

But many in the New York city administration support him and he has reached out to those with municipal experience to lead the transition to office before he is sworn in as Mayor on January 1. The transition is all women with impressive background and credentials and includes the widely known and respected former Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan in the Biden Administration. She would bring heft to the legal and fiscal side of the new administration when it comes to taxation and pushing back on President Trump’s illegal threat to stop the flow of federal funds to the City.

But for all his haranguing about Mamdani’s candidacy and mayorship, Trump may not have the time or the means to take the fight to Mamdani. He already has too many other fires to worry about, all of them he created and which are now coming back to burn him. He and the Republican Party will of course try to use Mamdani and his brand of democratic socialism as the new face of the Democratic Party to scare away the American voters. They already did in Tuesday’s elections but got beaten anyway.

The Democratic Party is also divided at the top in spite of the experiential unity and solidarity among the people at every layer that is below the establishment. The brahmins of the party have generally kept a safe distance from Mamdani. But the progressive socialists who have mostly been a bank bench force in the party, except during presidential primaries, openly embraced Mamdani and have now become a national force that the party establishment has to reckon with.

Bernie Sanders and AOC have been supporting Mamdani from the beginning and his victory in New York opens a new chapter for American progressivism. Rather than Mamdani becoming Trump’s political whipping boy, it is Trump who is making himself to be the galvanizer of all Americans who want America to be inclusive in its promises to everyone who chooses to live there.

by Rajan Philips ✍️

A Landmark Exhibition Exploring Female Identity, Strength, and Spirit Through the Eyes of Two Masters

Sky Gallery is proud to present, this groundbreaking presentation, which brings together a curated selection of portraits from two revolutionary artists of the 20th century. Gustav Klimt’s gilded elegance and symbolic sensuality meet Frida Kahlo’s raw introspection and cultural defiance, offering visitors a layered experience of feminine power across time and style. The exhibition challenges the traditional male gaze, instead presenting women as the authors of their own identity—be it through Klimt’s external idealization or Kahlo’s internal excavation. On view is an extraordinary collection of life-sized, museum-quality canvas portraits that immortalize the spirit, strength, and sensuality of women as seen through the eyes of these masters.

Though separated by generation and geography, Gustav Klimt (Austria, 1862–1918) and Frida Kahlo (Mexico, 1907–1954) shared a fascination with the female form and psyche. Klimt, the master of the Viennese Secession, portrayed women as ethereal, symbolic, and often enveloped in a cosmos of gold leaf and pattern. Kahlo, on the other hand, turned her unflinching gaze inward, using self-portraiture to explore themes of pain, identity, politics, and cultural heritage with visceral honesty. ‘Her Face, Her Power’ explores the feminine form not as an object, but as a vessel of resilience, identity, and creative energy.

The exhibition includes a selection of Gustav Klimt’s mesmerizing portraits, showcasing his signature use of gold leaf, intricate patterns, and allegorical symbolism that redefined female beauty at the turn of the century and, a powerful collection of Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits, revealing her exploration of physical and emotional suffering, her vibrant Mexican identity, and her indomitable spirit.

At first glance, Klimt and Kahlo may seem like an unlikely pairing, but their work converges on a central theme: the immense power and complexity of the female experience. This is not only about viewing art; it’s about witnessing a conversation across time about identity, adornment, pain, and ultimately, power. Klimt and Kahlo both painted women not as muses, but as mirrors — reflecting desire, defiance, and deep inner worlds. This exhibition is a tribute to that gaze — powerful, vulnerable, and utterly human.

‘Her Face, Her Power’ continues Sky Gallery’s mission to bring world art closer to local audiences, this time inviting reflection on how feminine identity and artistic vision intertwine across eras and continents. Each portrait in this exhibition has been reproduced in breathtaking detail from the original works, presented on life-sized framed canvases that honor the original dimensions and textures. Visitors will journey from the sensual, decorative allure of Klimt’s subjects to the raw, autobiographical narrative of Kahlo’s work.

Opening on Friday 14thNovember, the exhibition continues until Sunday 23rdNovember – 10 AM – 5PM each day.

WNPS PLANT, Otter Fonds from Netherland and the Lanka Environmental Fund joined hands to empower Female Entrepreneurs to commence their own forest plant nurseries through a powerful groundbreaking initiative recently. The final awarding and agreement signing was held with the female recipients and the WNPS and PLANT teams, along with the donor representatives, on the 23d of October 2025 at the WNPS head office. The WNPS once again pioneered a fresh thought process by making major infusions into Community aspects and entrepreneurship as a bridge for its conservation endeavours.

With a vision to develop forest corridors and unify fragmented forests through private sector engagement, the WNPS (www.wnpssl.org ) set up Preserving Land and Nature (Guarantee) Ltd, (PLANT) a few years ago (www.plantsl.org). The initiative gained rapid momentum thanks to a very focused approach, multiple partner engagements, and a passionate team, but soon hit a massive roadblock. The long forest corridors being created in the hills needed way more montane plants than were readily available. Species are carefully selected by the teams and with no precedent of large-scale reforesting in the hills, the existing few nurseries were unable to cater to the demands. The slow growth rate of montane plants provided yet another challenge. The leadership went for a bold plan for which it sought willing donors.

The idea was multi-dimensional: seek out female talent who would be passionate about conservation, fund them at the start up stages, train them extensively in forest nursery management and entrepreneurship to make them best in class, make it an exclusive female-led initiative, part subsidize their capital costs so that the returns would be faster and provide a safety net by purchasing the output. The projects will accelerate the creation of several successful and profitable ventures which would not just address the conservation challenge at hand but also bring social stability and a financial infusion into multiple families within rural society.

Otter Fonds and the Lank Environmental Fund, both lent tremendous support towards this vision and willingly agreed to fund three and two entrepreneurs respectively. A wide-ranging search, a robust application process, multiple days of visiting prospects by the PLANT team, meticulous marking and a rigorous final interview step, resulted in the ultimate choices. WNPS President Graham Marshall reflecting on the initiative stated that “This project by WNPS PLANT resonates with what the WNPS as a Society would want to achieve as outcomes of conservation initiatives. Livelihood enhancement is critical in any conservation effort. This project is special because it is about empowerment, creating leaders, and independence of women in conservation”.

The personal stories the ladies are inspirational. Ms. A.G.Anoja from Ginigathhena, in the Nuwara Eliya District is a housewife and motivated community member with a strong interest in home gardening and native plant restoration. At 63, she brings both life experience and genuine enthusiasm to the role of nursery manager. Her determination stemmed from a comment made by her son, where he was encouraging her to “try and earn her own income”. She says she became determined to carve out a path towards financial independence and self-employment.

The selected nursery managers Samindhika, Chandanie Devi, Anoja Kumari, A.G. Anoja and Rasika

Ms. M.G.K. Chandanie Devi, a 60-year-old resident of Divitotawela near Welimada, had her husband passing away a few years ago. Hers had been a challenging journey of dependency, living with her daughter and grandchild whom she supports and cares for, while her son-in-law acted as the single income earner. Her extended family is deeply engaged in plant propagation activities, and she mentioned that “a stable income will uplift her entire family circle and give her confidence and positivity for the future”.

Ms. M.G.K. Samandhika, a 55-year-old resident hailing from Diganatenna near Bandarawela, brings hands-on experience to native plant restoration. Already involved in agriculture and nursery work from her home garden, she is well-positioned to take on a leadership role in managing the nursery and has an extended family who are in this field. Her husband is paralyzed, and they have three children. Her youngest is in Year Nine, and this initiative provides financial stability and releases her from having to keep searching daily for some gainful labour intensive work to keep the home fires burning.

Ms. Anoja Kumari, a resident of Marakkayakumbura, Hapugastalawa, near Nawalapitiya, is an experienced community member with a strong interest in cultivation and native plant restoration. She brings valuable agricultural knowledge and practical skills. Her husband is actively engaged in vegetable farming, and she has three children with the youngest son in Year Eight. She has worked as the treasurer of village societies, highlighting her organizational and financial management skills.

Ms. R.M. Rasika Priyanthi, a 44-year-old resident of Pebotuwa, in the Ratnapura District, is an experienced nursery grower with a strong grounding in both fruit tree propagation and native plant restoration. She is confident of using digital tools to coordinate activities. The family’s longstanding involvement in plant propagation has cultivated strong practical expertise. The low price and small margins on some of the fruit and other trees they sell would often mean a very limited annual income stream, resulting in little upward momentum for the family. This will now be a new lifeline for her.

Amy McCulla, Grants Manager of Otter Fonds from Netherlands (www.otterfonds.com), was very positive about this initiative. “The Otter Fonds is proud to collaborate with PLANT on this innovative project to empower local women to become entrepreneurs and start their own nurseries. PLANT will teach these women how to start and run their own businesses, leading to increased income in the community. These nurseries will provide the montane plants that are necessary for PLANT to continue to create connected corridors of protected forest ecosystems within the southwestern quarter of Sri Lanka. The Otter Fonds looks forward to watching these nurseries, and these recipients, develop and thrive”, she said.

“We are extremely excited to support this landmark initiative by WNPS PLANT, which we know will signal a shift in how restoration is carried out on our island. Although there is an appetite for reforestation, there is a dearth of endemic and native species saplings available to supply this demand. Our hope is that these female-led native species nurseries can fill that void, while also supporting local female entrepreneurs and enriching local communities. The Lanka Environment Fund (LEF) believes in investing in long-term holistic projects, such as this, that will serve as a catalyst within this conservation niche” said Vinod Malwatte, Director of Lanka Environmental Fund in support of the project ( www.lankaenvironmentfund.org )

PLANT wishes to make the community bigger stakeholders, which is crucial since some areas of restoration are in very close proximity to populated areas, and plant damage is often caused by human intervention. WNPS felt that women would be better custodians of this with the opportunity to create home-based employment, create economic empowerment and uplift their social standards since the trickle down effect of income to the family is far better in the case of women.

The recipients now head into the intense residential training phases with different experts who will guide them along the path ahead. The initiative is already proving to be far more than a conservation step, and becoming a beacon of Hope, Dignity and Economic empowerment. These women may very well be the torchbearers for a new breed of conservationists from among those who live in the frontlines of our last remnant forests. The strength of WNPS and the vision of PLANT, along with Otter Fonds and the Lanka Environment Fund will certainly be their foundation for growth.