Marco Delacroix
Marco Delacroix has edited Empire Times's culture pages since 2019. He writes on film, architecture, and the long argument between tradition and novelty that runs through every art form worth arguing about.
Recent stories
A Free Press Is Not a Luxury. India Is Treating It Like One.
With India at rank 159 on the World Press Freedom Index, the space for independent journalism is narrowing through a combination of legal pressure, economic capture, and social media hostility.
India Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale Wins Golden Lion for "Jugaad Urbanism"
The award-winning pavilion documents how Indian cities' informal settlements create innovative spatial solutions and challenges Western planning assumptions about what constitutes good urban design.
UNESCO Funds ₹450 Crore Hampi Restoration After Critical Risk Listing
The Vijayanagara Empire's ancient capital has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage in Danger List due to illegal construction and flood damage — triggering an emergency restoration response.
Indian Cinema Revenues from Overseas Markets Cross ₹8,000 Crore for First Time
Hindi and South Indian films are building sustainable global audiences as streaming platforms and theatrical releases converge on a model that treats the Indian diaspora and beyond as primary markets.
India Digitises 200,000 Items of Folk Art and Oral Tradition Under IGNCA Mission
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts has completed the largest digitisation project in Indian cultural history, preserving Madhubani paintings, Baul songs, and Chhau dance documentation.
International Yoga Day 2026 Draws 300 Million Participants Across 190 Countries
The United Nations-declared annual event has become the world's largest coordinated mass wellness activity, with India hosting over 10 million participants in a single morning session.
India Selects Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine As Light 2" for Oscars 2027
The Film Federation of India has chosen the acclaimed director's follow-up to her Cannes Palme d'Or winner as India's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
India Wins Three Esports Medals at Asian Games 2026, Colombo
India's national esports team claims gold in BGMI Mobile, silver in Street Fighter VI, and bronze in FIFA 26 — a breakthrough for India in competitive gaming.
Indian Handlooms Enter Global Luxury Market as LVMH and Kering Source Traditional Fabrics
Banarasi silk, Kanjeevaram, and Kutch embroidery are increasingly appearing in international luxury fashion collections, transforming artisan incomes in weaving communities.
Indian Author Wins Booker Prize for Novel Set Across Three Centuries of Calcutta
Prayaag Akbar's sprawling debut novel has been awarded the Booker Prize, the first for an Indian citizen since Arundhati Roy's "The God of Small Things" in 1997.
Ravi Shankar Institute Launches Global Classical Music Academy, 50,000 Students Enrol Online
The Ravi Shankar Institute has opened a digital academy teaching Hindustani and Carnatic music to students across 80 countries, fundamentally reshaping how Indian classical music reaches global learners.
