To be continued: The two-year long celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary came to a shuddering halt because of the lockdown. The programmes, which started in 2018, were scheduled to end on October 2 this year. Now, the culture ministry has proposed that the events, especially those planned abroad in association with Indian embassies and high commissions, be held after normalcy returns. The ministry also suggested that the celebrations be continued beyond Gandhi Jayanti, in order to complete them | Illustrations Jairaj T.G.

Classes for the masses; Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Covid-19 news conferences have been among the most watched TV programmes in the state during the lockdown period. But now, he seems to have some competition from unexpected quarters—government school teachers. After the state education department started online classes on June 1, the teachers taking classes in the government-run channel have become the talk of the town. Many of them got dedicated social media fan pages on day one itself.

Poster child, no more: A Congress leader in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, was arrested for putting up missing posters of Jyotiraditya Scindia. But, perhaps, the BJP posters in his hometown may have given Scindia more heartburn. The BJP’s Gwalior unit, like all other units, came up with publicity material on the first anniversary of Modi 2.0. Photographs of all prominent and local party leaders were included, but new entrant Scindia’s photographs were missing. Later, the district president expressed regret, but, by then, the rumours that Scindia was unacceptable to the BJP cadre had started making the rounds.

The solo act Nandita Das recently released a short film called Listen to Her. The seven-minute film on domestic violence during the lockdown was written, acted, directed and produced by Das herself at her home. Supported by UNESCO, United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, UN Women and the South Asia Foundation, the film illustrates the irony of the guideline “stay home, stay safe”.

A virtual act The BAFTA TV Awards, which got postponed because of lockdown, will now take place on July 31. It will be a “closed studio, socially-distanced” show, with nominees invited to accept their awards virtually. Comedian Richard Ayoade, of The IT Crowd fame, will be the host. “I am as surprised as you are that this is still going ahead,” he quipped | Getty Images

Rebel with a cause Artist Ai Weiwei has come up with several face masks to raise money for Covid-19 relief efforts. The masks are reflective of the artist's political activism and are extremely popular. He has, for example, sold more than 4,500 of his rebellious masks with the middle finger. By June 2, he had raised $1,084,950. “No will is too small and no act too helpless,” Weiwei posted on Instagram. The proceeds will go to Human Rights Watch, Refugees International and Medecins Sans Frontiers | Getty Images

A muddy battle Wrestler Sakshi Malik has not let the lockdown of training facilities affect her training. She now trains at an akhara at her in-laws' house in Haryana. Wrestling in mud, though, has been challenging as she is doing it for the first time. “The speed, technique, everything is different,” she says. Apparently, husband and fellow wrestler Satyawart Kadian, who is no stranger to muddy grappling, is helping her.