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Front Page

- The World Wasn’t Won In A Day

- THE MAGNIFICENT 7

- TMC man assaults woman & friend in public, arrested

- Cong seeks law to beat 50% quota cap

- Bridges fall in Bihar, J’khand & Manipur

- Sarpanch of Ajit’s NCP shot in Beed

- With three new criminal laws, a new regime comes into effect

- This May-June was city’s hottest in at least 74 yrs

- CBI arrests Godhra edu trust chief for NEET malpractices

- Indians’ forex spends grow 29x in a decade

- PM hails people for reiterating faith in statute

- For Team India, cricket board announces `125 crore bonanza

- 2nd Navy officer held for human smuggling racket

- 1st time: Army, Navy chiefs from same school and class

The World Wasn’t Won In A Day

India Triumphed In A Topsy-Turvy Affair. ‘SKY’ Held On To An Impossible Catch. Bumrah Was Magical. Hardik Redeemed Himself. Legends Like Kohli & Rohit Signed Off With The Elusive T20 WC Trophy. It All Paid Off Because The Planning Began Long, Long Back

Player of the match Kohli & player of the tournament Bumrah with Rohit

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown: A beautiful Barbados evening was setting in as the Indian team trooped out of the dressing room. Three hours had gone by since those magical moments had fashioned Indian cricket’s redemption song at Kensington Oval. As a group, for one last time, they walked to the centre wicket — every member of the team, including the support staff — and savoured the moment of history together.

This group has won a lot, but they have endured the most painful defeats that you can think of. The World Test Championship mace was within touching distance but Australia snatched it away at the Oval. The ODI World Cup was a win away but Travis Head decided to have the day of his life in Ahmedabad on Nov 19, 2023. And it was very close to an encore of disappointment on Saturday as well before Heinrich Klaasen’s edge off Hardik Pandya started the South African choke. And when Suryakumar Yadav latched on to David Miller’s skier off the first ball of the 20th over to complete the greatest catch in Indian cricket history since Kapil Dev’s catch to dismiss Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup final, the Cup was well and truly India’s.

But this World Cup was not won in a day. Outgoing coach Rahul Dravid, after numerous requests to come for a chat, revealed how the planning had started long back. “It was way back in Sept 2021 that ideas started forming. We worked on it over the years, and here we are, on this beautiful Barbados afternoon,” Dravid said.

Template decided, P 20

FULL COVERAGE: P1, 20, 21

EDIT PAGE: That Catch, This Match/Their Gift...

THE MAGNIFICENT 7

Fighters, heroes, champions, Rohit Sharma and his team gave India one of its most joyous cricketing moments on Saturday night. The T20 WC triumph was a team effort but overall, seven men stood taller than the rest

Rohit Sharma celebrates while his daughter looks on at Kensington Oval in Barbados

1 ROHIT SHARMA He was in woeful batting form in IPL & stripped of MI captaincy. But cometh the hour, cometh the man! As in ODI WC, Rohit again put the team before himself. He played with abandon and flow; his strike rate was a staggering 157 and he scored 257 runs, highest in the squad. More importantly, as commentators said, he exuded craft and calm in captaincy executing dressing room plans to perfection. His ebullience at the top will be as missed as his captaincy

Do You Know? His 24 fours and 15 sixes were the highest in the team

2 SURYAKUMAR YADAV In 1999, South Africa had dropped the World Cup. Thanks to Yadav, India didn’t. His once-in-a-generation catch in the deep was as memorable as Kapil Dev’s backward sprint and grab of Vivian Richards’. ‘SKY’ had the pressure of living up to his rank as world’s no. 1 T20 batter. His knocks against USA and England were vital to the team’s cause. And his destructive intervention served India well against Australia (31 off 16) and Afghanistan (53 off 28)

Do You Know?: He scored 60% of his runs in fours and sixes

3 HARDIK PANDYA He rewrote his life story at the World Cup. A foot injury had forced Pandya to quit 2023 ODI WC midway. His MI transfer and captaincy became a huge controversy; his IPL form the subject of cruel digs. But the 30-year-old all-rounder underlined why he is irreplaceable. He scored runs at an electrifying pace (strike rate: 151) this WC and mixed his pace to claim 11 wickets while breaking partnerships and providing vital breakthroughs

Top Moment: His 3/20 included the game changing wickets of Klaasen and Miller in the final

4 AXAR PATEL His aggressive batting and sharp left-arm spin provided India’s most serendipitous moments in the championship. He knifed through England’s top and middle order (3/23), helped India regain momentum with the bat (47 off 31, 4 sixes) in the final and against Pakistan. He arrived as a utility player, left as a premium all-rounder

Top Moment: His breathtaking catch of Oz captain Mitchell Marsh swung the game India’s way

5 KULDEEP YADAV: The thrashing in the final aside, the joyful ‘chinaman’ with curly hair delighted India cricket lovers with his subtle guile and craft from Super 8 onwards. Was at his best breaking England’s back in the semis

Top Moment: The delivery that bowled England’s Harry Brook around the legs can be watched on a loop

6 JASPRIT BUMRAH He played eight games and was unplayable in each of them. Every batter handled him like expensive glass, with utmost care, and yet all were bamboozled by his video game-like craft. Bumrah is the world’s best paceman, and by a mile. Nobody has his deception, movement, variation, a lethal cocktail that earned him 15 wickets at 8.2 runs apiece for an astonishing economy rate of 4.2. He was The Man of this WC. His ER is the best ever in a T20 WC by a bowler to deliver at least 20 overs

Top Moment: Too many. But most notably the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan), Phil Salt (England), Reeza Hendricks and Marco Jansen (SA). All bowled

7 ARSHDEEP SINGH The 25-year-old Chandigarh born claimed the second pacer’s spot exploiting the sharp movement and bounce of USA’s uneven pitches and proved to be an admirable foil to Bumrah. His 17 wickets, which made him the tournament’s joint highest wicket taker with Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, is also the joint-highest of any T20 WC

Top Moment: Dismissals of the dangerous Tim David and Mathew Wade (Australia) in one over

THEY ALSO SERVED WITH MERIT Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube also had their moments. Pant’s 42 off 31 against Pakistan on a treacherous pitch was invaluable. Squad members Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal and Yashasvi Jaiswal didn’t get a game

COACH: RAHUL DRAVID got the best out of his wards, finishing his tenure on a high note

BEST FOR LAST

VIRAT KOHLI: Before the final, his scores were: 1, 4, 0, 24, 37, 0, 9. Balance and focus are his forte. But Kohli, who scored runs by the bagful at IPL 2024, seemed to lose both at the WC. It turned out he had reserved his best for the final. His 76 off 59 balls against SA was more than his total in 7 earlier innings: 75. India will miss his class and reassuring presence in the game’s shortest version

Do You Know?: Kohli has 16 MoMs in T20I, a world record. Eight of them at WC, again highest for anyone

Text: Avijit.Ghosh@timesgroup.com

TMC man assaults woman & friend in public, arrested

Police on Sunday registered a suo motu case and launched an investigation after a video of a man brutally thrashing a woman and her male friend over an extra-marital relationship in Bengal’s North Dinajpur went viral on Sunday. The accused, a TMC functionary, has been arrested.

P 10

Cong seeks law to beat 50% quota cap

Congress has demanded Parliament pass a law to amend the Constitution to enable reservation for SC, ST and OBCs beyond the SC-mandated 50% cap. It urged that the bill be brought in Parliament’s next session.

P 12

Bridges fall in Bihar, J’khand & Manipur

The girder of an underconstruction bridge in Jharkhand’s Giridih collapsed Saturday due to rain. While two bridges collapsed in 2 days in Bihar, another in Manipur’s Imphal West district collapsed Sunday.

P 13

Sarpanch of Ajit’s NCP shot in Beed

The sarpanch of Maralwadi village in Maharashtra’s Beed district, from the Ajit Pawar-led NCP camp, was shot dead Saturday by his rivals over a financial dispute. Police have booked five people.

P13

With three new criminal laws, a new regime comes into effect

The criminal justice system is set for a major overhaul with the three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — coming into force on Monday, replacing the British-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act, reports Bharti Jain. Starting Monday, all FIRs will be registered under the provisions of BNS. But cases filed before July 1 will continue to be tried under the earlier laws until final disposal.

BNS has 358 sections, down from 511 in IPC. As many as 21 new crimes have been added in BNS compared to IPC, duration of imprisonment extended in 41 crimes, fines increased in 82 crimes & minimum punishment introduced in 25 crimes.

P10

This May-June was city’s hottest in at least 74 yrs

Avg Max Temp 0.5°C More Than Previous Highest

Amit.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The capital this year suffered its most torrid peak summer months of May and June in at least 74 years. Both the month of June and the May-June period this year were the hottest in terms of maximum temperatures in records at Safdarjung station since 1951, which were analysed by TOI.

The average maximum temperature in June was nearly 42°C (41.95), surpassing the previous highest of 41.9°C recorded in 2012. This was only the eighth time since 1951 that the mean maximum tem- perature in June had stayed above 41°C.

And, in line with projections that global warming was causing more extreme weather, three of the four highest June temperatures were seen in the last 13 years.

Unbearable, P 3

Two-day power outage in Delhi zoo, P 3

 Rain deaths: City govt to give `10L each to kin, P 3

Friday’s cloudburst: 100mm rain in just 1 hr

Safdarjung recceived nearly 100mm of rain in 1 hour from 5am to 6am on Friday morning, 25% more than the entire month’s quota due to a deadly interaction of multiple weather systems.

P 3

CBI arrests Godhra edu trust chief for NEET malpractices

Vadodara: The chairman of a reputable private school in Gujarat’s Godhra was arrested Sunday in the NEET-UG malpractice case being investigated by CBI, making him the sixth suspect to be taken into custody in the state and the fourth person linked to an educational institute after the school’s principal, a teacher and an academic consultant.

Dixit Patel, who heads the Jay Jalaram Education Trust, stands accused of seeking Rs 10 lakh each from willing medical aspirants in return for helping them clear NEET-UG through unfair means. Jay Jalaram School was one of the designated NEET-UG centres in Panch- mahal for the May 5 test, just as Oasis School in Hazaribag, whose principal and vice-principal are in CBI custody. TNN

 Team drove 86km, P 11

CBI lens on Hazaribag coaching centre head

The director of a prominent coaching centre in Hazaribag and a teacher at the institute are on CBI’s radar as the focus of the agency’s probe into the NEET-UG leak shifts from the three arrested suspects to their collaborators and conduits spread across multiple locations, officials said Sunday.

P11

Indians’ forex spends grow 29x in a decade

The rise in forex spends by Indians has far outpaced the growth in remittance of foreign exchange workers into India over the decade. Money spent abroad has gone up nearly 29 times from $1.1bn in FY14 to $31.7bn in FY24. The amount sent home by foreign workers has gone up 71% from $70bn to $120bn over the same period. India is the highest recipient of foreign remittances, getting twice the amount received by Mexico at $66bn. Money flowing into India rose at a CAGR of 5.5% in the last decade. Only Mexico (10%) grew at a faster decadal CAGR than India.

P17

PM hails people for reiterating faith in statute

In his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ after returning to office, PM Modi Sunday hailed people “for having reiterated their faith in our Constitution and democratic systems”. He said, “The 2024 elections were the biggest in the world. I congratulate Election Commission and everyone involved.”

Wishing Indian athletes headed to Paris Olympics this month, Modi said, “The country is hoping our players perform well… win medals and also win hearts.”

P 10

For Team India, cricket board announces `125 crore bonanza

‘Silenced Critics With Stellar Performance’

Rohit Sharma playfully walks to collect the T20 World Cup trophy from BCCI secretary Jay Shah at Kensington Oval on Saturday

Gaurav.Gupta@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: In times when cricketers make news for making money when they are sold for huge sums in the IPL auction, Team India’s victorious cricketers have just broken the bank after winning the T20 World Cup.

In a move which reflects why BCCI is a financial superpower in the cricketing world and calls the shots in the game, board secretary Jay Shah on Sunday announced prize money of Rs 125 crore for Team India.

“The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tourna- ment. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement!” Shah posted on X.

“Under the exceptional leadership of Rohit Sharma, this team has shown remarkable resolve and resilience, becoming the first team in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup to win the tournament unbeaten. They have faced and silenced their critics with stellar performances time and again,” Shah added.

Player may get `5cr, P 21

2nd Navy officer held for human smuggling racket

Mumbai police crime branch probing human smuggling to South Korea has arrested a second naval officer and suspected kingpin of the racket, Sub-Lt Braham Jyoti (29), along with a woman, Simran Teji, 26, who ran a firm through which she would allegedly send people abroad using forged documents, reports Ahmed Ali. The racket came to light following a complaint against a Navy officer from South Korea’s Mumbai consulate. Police said many of the applicants travelled to S Korea, destroyed their papers & have sought asylum.

P 15

1st time: Army, Navy chiefs from same school and class

Army chief Gen U Dwivedi (L) & Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi

Bhopal: In a first in India’s military history, the Army and Navy chiefs are from the same state, school and batch. In fact, they used to share the same bench in the classroom.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi (59), who took charge Sunday, and Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi are alumni of Sainik School Rewa in MP. Their story is like one of brothers beyond blood. They have be en friends since Class 5 and went through the gruelling regimen at NDA together.

The Rewa school has produced over 700 military officers, including at least 25 of General rank, two of whom are now four-star Service chiefs, reports Amarjeet Singh.

 ‘Totally focused’, P 12

Navy chief starts 4-day B’desh visit today, P 12

Yogi’s trusted officer is new UP chief secy, P 10

Sujata Saunik is first woman CS of Maha, P 10

Times Nation

- 3 new criminal laws kick in today, data ousts ‘danda’ as policing tool

- Sujata Saunik is 1st woman chief secy of Maha

- Manoj Singh, Yogi’s trusted officer, is new UP chief secy

- PM hails people for ‘unwavering faith’ in statute

- TMC man assaults couple, held as video goes viral

- 2 get life term for raping woman in moving auto in UP

- Assam razes illegal homes of 3 rapists

- Temple vandalised in J&K, 12 detained

- Hazaribag coaching centre head, teacher under CBI’s NEET scanner

- Ranchi Univ to probe leak in PhD, MPhil entry tests after plaint

- After Anand arrest, CBI drove edu trust head 86km to Godhra

- Cops to move SC against Porsche teen’s release from detention

- NDA to fight Bihar polls under Nitish, says Chirag

- India joins UN’s Doha meet on Af attended by Taliban

- ‘Underworld culture’: CPI’s Kerala neta slams CPM for criminal ‘links’

- Gen Dwivedi takes over as chief of Army, faces China, J&K tests

- Navy chief starts four-day B’desh visit today to bolster def ties

- IN PUDUCHERRY, A VOTE FOR PARIS

- In radio address, PM highlights yoga enthusiasm across the globe

- Tripathi, Dwivedi were disciplined, totally focused: Ex-classmate

- Cong demands law to tweak Constitution for quota beyond 50% cap

- Historic Chadwick House in Shimla gets makeover as CAG museum

- Venkaiah’s life showcases public service commitment

- THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

- 17-year-old Assam trans girl loses school seat over bikini pictures

- Girder of under construction bridge collapses in Jharkhand

- NIA search op in Rajouri over Reasi bus attack

- Sarpanch of Ajit Pawar-led NCP shot dead by rivals in Maha

- Amit Shah calls for ‘cooperation among cooperatives’

- Odisha to roll out spl scheme for women on Modi’s 75th birthday

- Gym owner shot dead in Bihar

- Cong brass forced to step in as K’taka faction feud intensifies

- MP sarpanch shoots woman dead following drunken brawl, booked

- Sikh preacher apologises for attending RSS event

- Second Navy officer held for Korean visa racket, suspected to be kingpin

- Lanka registers protest with India for death of navy sailor

- Waterfall trip turns tragic as 5 drown near Lonavala dam

- PM congratulates team on T20 WC win

3 new criminal laws kick in today, data ousts ‘danda’ as policing tool

But Cases Filed Before July 1 To Be Tried Under IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act

The underlying spirit of the new criminal laws, as PM Modi had said in a police meet in Jan, is ‘citizen first, dignity first and justice first’

Bharti.Jain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The criminal justice system is set for a major overhaul with the three new criminal laws — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) —coming into force on Monday, replacing the Britishera Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act.

Starting Monday, all FIRs will be registered under the provisions of BNS. However, all cases registered before July 1will continue to be tried under IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act until final disposal.

BNS has 358 sections, down from 511 in IPC. As many as 21 new crimes have been added in BNS compared to IPC, duration of imprisonment extended in 41 crimes, fines increased in 82 crimes, minimum punishment introduced in 25 crimes, community service introduced as penalty in six crimes and 19 sections removed.

BNSS has 531 sections as against 484 in CrPC, with changes in 177 sections, addition of nine sections and 39 sub-sections and deletion of 14 sections. The Indian Evidence Act, with 166 sections, is being replaced with BSA having 170 sections, with change in 24 sections, addition of two new sub-sections and deletion of six sections.

BNS, BNSS and BSA are being implemented six months after they were enacted based on protracted and detailed consultations with all stakeholders including SC and HC judges, governors, chief ministers, civil servants, police officers, collectorates and Members of Parliament and legislative assemblies. Around 3,200 suggestions were received and examined over several rounds of talks, with home minister Amit Shah having taken 158 such meetings, leading to the drafting of a whole new set of criminal laws that seek to leverage technology to make India’s criminal justice system one of the most modern in the world. The BNS, BNSS and BSA bills were referred to a parliamentary standing committee and most of its recommendations were accepted by the govt before bringing the bills to Parliament for approval.

The underlying spirit of the new criminal laws, as PM Modi had stated at the All-India DGPs conference in Jan, is “citizen first, dignity first and justice first”, with emphasis on the ‘danda’ (baton) being replaced by ‘data’ as a policing tool.

While replying to the debate in Parliament on BNS, BNSS and BSA bills, Shah had under- lined that the focus of the new laws was on justice delivery, while safeguarding the rights of victims as well as accused, rather than on punishment. Also, the colonial mindset apparent behind ordering of IPC sections — with those dealing with ‘rajdroh’ (treason) preceding ones related to serious offences like ‘murder’ and ‘rape’ — was being done away with.

Under the new criminal justice system, a person may report crime online, without having to visit a police station (online FIR) and also file a zero FIR at any police station. A free copy of the FIR will be provided to the victim. In the event of arrest, the individual will have the right to inform a person of his choice. Arrest details will need to be prominently displayed within police stations and district headquarters.

The new laws prioritise investigation for offences against women and children, ensuring timely completion within two months of recording information. Victims shall be entitled to updates on the progress of their case within 90 days.

Courts may now grant a maximum of two adjournments to avoid unnecessary delays in case hearings.

Sujata Saunik is 1st woman chief secy of Maha

Mumbai: After being overlooked twice, the state’s seniormost IAS officer, Sujata Saunik, has taken over as Maharashtra’s first woman chief secretary. Now, women head the state’s bureaucracy as well as the police force, with Rashmi Shukla as DGP, reports Prafulla Marpakwar.

Sujata Sauniksucceeds Nitin Kareer, who retired on Sunday. She is set to retire on June 30 next year. When Manukumar Srivastavaretired as chief secretary in March 2023, Sujata Saunik was expected to succeed him since she was the seniormost bureaucrat in the state. But her husband, Manoj Saunik, was appointed instead. After his retirement on Dec 31, 2023 she was ignored once again and Kareer was picked.

Manoj Singh, Yogi’s trusted officer, is new UP chief secy

Manoj Singh (L), a 1988 batch IAS officer, took over from DS Mishra (R), who had got three extensions

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow: Manoj Kumar Singh, known in the bureaucratic circles as a trusted officer of CM Yogi Adityanath, took over as the chief secretary of UP on Sunday, replacing DS Mishra, whose tenure came to an end.

A 1988 batch IAS officer, Singh, 59, hails from Ranchi and was holding the posts of agriculture production commissioner (APC), infrastructure and industrial development commissioner (IIDC) and additional chief secretary of the Panchayati Raj department. He is due to retire in July 2025.

Mishra, a 1984-batch IAS officer, was repatriated to his parent cadre UP and appointed chief secretary barely two days before his retirement, on Dec 31, 2021. He had been holding the charge since then after getting three extensions. There was speculation that he might get another extension, but Centre’s refusal paved the way for Singh’s elevation.

Singh will continue to serve as the IIDC as well while the ACS, appointments and agriculture, has been given additional charge of the APC.

Singh was promoted as additional chief secretary in June 2020. He has been heading the rural development department for more than four years and in May 2022 his stature grew further after he was given the rare dual charge of APC and IIDC.

Besides heading all the industrial development authorities in UP, Singh has been serving the state as ACS food processing, coordinator of diversified agriculture support project and chairperson of PICUP, UPEIDA and UPSHA.

PM hails people for ‘unwavering faith’ in statute

Extends Wishes To Athletes For Paris Olympics

PM Modi held on Sunday his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast after returning to office for a third straight term

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Addressing his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast after returning to office for a third straight term, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday hailed people “for having reiterated their unwavering faith in our Constitution and the democratic systems of the country” while wishing Indian athletes headed to the Paris Olympics.

Referring to the Lok Sabha elections, he said, “The 2024 elections were the biggest elections in the world. An election as big as this, in which 65 crore people cast their votes, has never taken place in any other country in the world. For this, I congratulate the Election Commission and everyone involved in the voting process.”

Returning to his radio broadcast in its 111th episode after taking a pause before the LS polls in Feb, Modi expressed delight to be back. Using a Sanskrit phrase “IIti Vida Punarmilanaaya (I take leave of you, to meet again)”, he said, “With this very feeling, I had told you in Feb that I will meet you again after the election results. And today, with ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I am again present among you.”

As the Indian continent will be leaving for the Paris Olympics next month, Modi recalled the performance of Indian athletes in Tokyo four years ago. “Indian players together have participated in nearly 900 international competitions since the Tokyo Olympics. This is a very big number. The whole country is hoping that our players perform well in the Olympics as well... win medals in these games and also win the hearts of the countrymen.” He introduced a hashtag #Cheer4Bharat, to support the Paris-bound Olympians.

PM made an appeal to boost the plantation drive, ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, launched on World Environment Day on June 5.

Related report, P 12

Cong questions PM silence on NEET, rail crash, infra collapse

Congress on Sunday asked PM Narendra Modi why he did not mention NEET, the railway accident in West Bengal or instances of infrastructure collapse in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

Congress’s media and publicity head Pawan Khera said, “He did not say anything on NEET, or railway accident, or the daily infrastructure collapses that we are hearing of. He did not speak on the serious incident that happened at Delhi airport, in which a person lost his life. “PM did not speak on any issue of people’s interest. His method has been to change the agenda. Because everyone is talking about NEET, the scams, to distract attention, you’re talking about umbrella from Kerala.” TNN

TMC man assaults couple, held as video goes viral

Subhro Maitra & Rohit Khanna

Chopra (North Dinajpur): Police on Sunday registered a suo motu case and launched an investigation after a video of a man brutally thrashing a woman and her male friend over an extra-marital relationship in Bengal’s North Dinajpur went viral on Sunday. The accused, a TMC functionary, has been arrested.

The accused was identified as Tajemul alias JCB. The party dissociated itself from Tajemul saying police would act tough on the perpetrator. BJP, CPM and Congress have condemned the incident.

The woman, a resident of Chopra, has a 14-year-old daughter and her husband is a migrant labourer. While she had been warned by her in-laws to stay away from the man, who was also married, the couple continued to see each other. On Saturday, they were caught by some men and assaulted by Tajemul.

In the purported video of the assault which went viral by Sunday morning, Tajemul was seen beating the woman and the man with a bunch of sticks even as she begged him to stop and cried in pain. He continued to hit her till she fainted and kicked her once she was unconscious.

TMC’s former RS MP Santanu Sen said, “The party never approves of such action. However, BJP should first introspect when such incidents take place in states governed by them.” Joby Thomas, Islampur police district SP, said “We have seen the video and lodged a suo motu case. We will investigate.”

2 get life term for raping woman in moving auto in UP

Agra:A fast-track court in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh on Saturday awarded life imprisonment to two men for 2022 gangrape of a woman and robbery. The trial of a third accused, a juvenile, continues separately. The survivor, who lived in Delhi with her husband, was travelling to her in-laws’ house in UP when she was assaulted, reports Deepak Lavania.

In her statement, the woman told cops she had reached Aligarh at night on April 14and took an auto from bus stand for her village. The auto driver picked up two other men, who he said were his friends, and took wrong route to her village. When she protested, the driver said he was going to drop one of his friends in a nearby village. While she was talking to her husband on the phone, the accused stopped the auto, tried to strangle her, and snatched her jewellery and purse containing Rs 20,000. The two men raped her in the moving auto before the driver stopped to rape her, with her husbandon the call all through. They fled after dumping her near a canal. Labourers at a nearby brick kiln heard her screams for help and called the police. The court has also fined the duo Rs 1 lakh each.

Additional district govt counsel (Aligarh), Krishna Murari Johri, said, “The stolen items found with the convicts, DNA report, forensic lab findings, the testimony of witnesses, the statement of the victim in court and the fact that the husband of the victim was on call at the time of the incident played a crucial rolein establishing the case against the three.”

Assam razes illegal homes of 3 rapists

District administration in Assam’s Goalpara demolished the houses of three persons accused of raping two minor girls, reports Kangkan Kalita. Govt officials, however, said the houses were illegally built on encroached land and the demolition had no link to the alleged rapes. On May 3, Dhan Ali Talukdar, Bahar Ali and Rahman Ali allegedly raped two girls. When the brother of one survivor confronted the accused, he was thrashed by Talukdar’s brother Shekabor Ali, sister Parmina Begum and Ramzan Ali. The survivor’s brother died. On Sunday, the administration razed the houses of Talukdar, Shekabor Ali, Parmina Begum, with those of accomplices Bahar, Rahman and Ramzan Ali.

Temple vandalised in J&K, 12 detained

Unidentified vandals damaged idols and ransacked a Shiv temple in Dharmari in J&K’s Reasi on Saturday, raising tension and prompting police to detain 12 suspects, reports Sanjay Khajuria. Deputy commissioner Vishesh Mahajan rushed to the temple on Saturday night and assured the agitated locals that the culprits would be arrested soon. As photos and videos of the vandalism went viral, locals and several Hindu bodies held protests at various places in Jammu. Sanatan Dharma Sabha has called for a bandh in Reasi on Monday. Locals alleged a conspiracy to disturb the peace in the region during the Amarnath Yatra. “Three suspects were nabbed on Saturday, and nine on Sunday,” said SSP Mohita Sharma.

Hazaribag coaching centre head, teacher under CBI’s NEET scanner

‘Probe Focus Shifts From Arrested Suspects To Their Collaborators’

Oasis school’s principal Ehsanul Haque, arrested in the NEET-UG leak case by CBI, underwent medical examination in Patna on Saturday

Abhijit Sen & Vishvendu Jaipuriar TNN

Hazaribag/Chatra: The director of a prominent coaching centre in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag and a teacher at the institute are on CBI’s radar as the focus of the agency’s probe into the NEET-UG paper leak shifts from the three arrested suspects to their collaborators and conduits spread across multiple locations, officials said Sunday.

CBI detained two suspects from Chatra district late Saturday for questioning in Patna. Based on the interrogation of arrested Oasis School principal Ehsanul Haque, viceprincipal Mohammad Imtiyaz Alam and journalist Jamaluddin, CBI officials also spoke to three students in Hazaribag who were among the top scorers in the May 5 entrance test. Oasis School housed a NEETUG exam centre.

The city has over two dozen NEET and JEE coaching centres spread across Korrah, Matwari, Pugmil, and Bansilal Chowk. The director and professor of at least one of them are suspected to have links with Haque. The agency is piecing together information about another institute’s possible involvement in the racket.

A source said Sanjiv Mukhiya, the alleged kingpin of the NEET-UG paper leak in Bihar, had visited Hazaribag before the exam and contact- ed some coaching centres to supply leaked questions. “The teacher CBI identified as a possible link in the chain had spoken to Mukhiya using someone else’s phone and a new SIM.”

Manoj Kumar, the e-rickshaw driver who had transported boxes containing NEET-UG papers to the SBI branch in whose strongroom they were stored, told CBI ear- lier this week that one person sat in his vehicle while two others followed them on a motorcycle. CCTV footage showed that he arrived at the SBI branch two hours after starting from a destination that should have taken a maximum of 15 minutes, the source said.

CBI has relocated the arrested trio to Patna to crossexamine them with others in custody there, aiming to unravel the extent of the conspiracy and find the missing links. Officials said the Oasis School principal’s mobile call details suggest he was in regular contact with many people in the run-up to NEET-UG.

The ambit of CBI’s probe has already widened to include UGC-NET after evidence purportedly emerged of a thriving racket in Hazaribag involving paper leaks across competitive examinations and the existence of a customer base willing to pay vast amounts of money for unfair advantage in cracking these tests.

Ranchi Univ to probe leak in PhD, MPhil entry tests after plaint

Ranchi: An examinee’s complaint has prompted Jharkhand’s Ranchi University to set up a three-member team to probe allegations of a paper leak linked to the PhD and MPhil entrance exams at the state-run Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry & Allied Sciences a week ago, reports Sanjay Sahay.

Vice-chancellor Ajit Kumar Sinha said Sunday that the complainant didn’t have evidence to substantiate her suspicion of a paper leak, but the authorities decided to institute an inquiry nevertheless. “The student claimed the questions ‘went viral’ on an education portal before the exam, and these could be accessed only by members. Action will be taken based on the probe report.”

After Anand arrest, CBI drove edu trust head 86km to Godhra

 Continued from P 1

A CBI team arrested Dixit Patel, chairman of a reputable private school in Godhra, in Anand and drove 86km to Godhra, where he was produced in a court with a remand plea. The magistrate asked the agency to seek his remand from the special CBI court in Ahmedabad.

Dixit’s arrest came days after CBI sought and received custody of the four people arrested by police in the initial days of the investigation. A CBI team has been camping in Gujarat to connect the dots in the NEET-UG paper leak case investigation that started in Bihar and Jharkhand before evidence emerged in other states, including Maharash- tra and UP, of a larger conspiracy involving paper leak rackets entrenched across the country.

The Godhra case was registered on May 8, three days after the exam, against five people based on information that they had helped 27 medical aspirants cheat. All five were charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust under sections of the IPC.

The arrested suspects include Vadodara-based educa- tion consultant Parshuram Roy, Jay Jalaram School principal Purushottam Sharma, teacher Tushar Bhatt, and alleged middlemen Vibhor Anand and Arif Vohra.

On June 23, CBI filed a fresh FIR in the case under IPC sections 120B and 420, among others as protests erupted countrywide. CBI has taken over five cases of alleged malpractice in NEET-UG that were being probed by police in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Bihar.

Marksheet scam: Gauhati univ uncovers data misuse by software firm unit head

Gauhati University (GU) has uncovered an alleged misuse of data by the unit head of a software company, ITI Limited, a Central govt enterprise stationed at the varsity, in connection with a marksheet scandal that has engulfed the institute. So far, 10 people have been detained, reports Kangkan Kalita.

Cops to move SC against Porsche teen’s release from detention

Pune: Police will challenge in Supreme Court the Bombay high court’s June 25 order directing the release of a Pune builder’s 17-year-old son from an observation home, reports Gitesh Shelke. The teenager was involved in a fatal Porsche Taycan car crash on May 19, which killed two software engineers from Jabalpur in MP.

“We had on June 26 submitted an application to state govt stating that the HC order needed to be challenged on certain grounds. Govt gave its approval Saturday to file a special leave petition (SLP) and we will soon file such a plea in SC,” Pune ACP (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade said.

HC ordered the teenager’s release from the observation home, stating that Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) orders reversing the bail, sending the teenager to an observation home, and further extending his remand there were illegal and passed without jurisdiction.

“Amid the immediate reaction to the accident, the kneejerk reaction, and the public outcry, the CCL’s age was not considered,” HC said.

NDA to fight Bihar polls under Nitish, says Chirag

Patna: Nitish Kumar’s position as NDA’s chief ministerial face for 2025 assembly elections in Bihar received a boost with LJP (RV) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday backing a resolution to this effect passed at JD(U)’s national executive meeting the previous day, reports Manoj Chaurasia.

“NDA will fight the next assembly elections in Bihar under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar,” Chirag told reporters here.

Claiming that the people of Bihar have made up their mind to elect the NDA govt again, Union minister Chirag Paswan said that only the double-engine govt could take Bihar ahead on the path of progress and prosperity.

India joins UN’s Doha meet on Af attended by Taliban

Sachin.Parashar@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: India is among the 25 countries participating in the third UN-led conference on Afghanistan in Doha that kicked off Sunday, looking to find ways to improve the lives of the Afghan people in the Taliban-ruled country. The meeting is significant as it is the first time that the Taliban are attending the talks.

However, the UN has denied that the latest round of talks in Doha are meant to pave the way for international recognition for the Taliban. The conference has also come under strong criticism from rights groups for not engaging Afghan women and civil society members.

India is being represented in the meeting by MEA joint secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) division J P Singh. The official, who visited Kabul in March this year, also met Taliban representatives in Doha.

India continues to tread carefully on the Taliban, as it works closely with them for Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs and its own security needs but without doing anything that might be seen as a step towards official recognition for the regime in Kabul.

The conference in Doha is also seeing participation by the EU, OIC and SCO, the Eurasian bloc which will be host- ing its summit meeting this week in Astana, where one of the main focus areas again will be the situation in Afghanistan. With PM Narendra Modi skipping participation, although he may still address it virtually on July 4, foreign minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the SCO summit.

Both in Doha and Astana, govt will look to further hammer its point that as a contiguous neighbour, India has legitimate economic and security interests in Afghanistan, and that the international community must focus on combating terrorism, humanitarian assistance, formation of a truly inclusive govt and preserving the rights of women, girls and minorities. The focus on girls and women is important as the Taliban continue to deny them access to schools and colleges, in line with their interpretation of Islamic laws.

Securing its investments in Afghanistan is also a priority for India as it working on close to 500 projects in the country spread across all 34 provinces in areas like power, water supply, road connectivity, healthcare, education and agriculture. In all, India has invested more than $3 billion in Afghanistan.

Ensuring that Afghan territory is not used for sheltering terrorists or financing terrorist acts, however, tops the list of Indian priorities. This is particularly so in the case of terrorists proscribed by the UN Security Council, including those belonging to Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammed. India will look to again make the point that any instability in Afghanistan is a threat to the whole region.

Jaishankar meets Qatar PM, reviews ties

Foreign minister S Jaishankar met Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani in Doha and reviewed bilateral relations, with a focus on political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties.

“Exchanged views on regional and global issues. Appreciate his sharing insights on the Gaza situation. Look forward to the further enhancement of India-Qatar relations and continued dialogue on issues of mutual interest,” he said in a post on X. Jaishankar’s visit comes four-and-half months after Qatar released eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were sentenced to death after being arrested in August 2022. One of them, Purnendu Tiwari, is yet to return to India from Qatar. TNN

‘Underworld culture’: CPI’s Kerala neta slams CPM for criminal ‘links’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

T’puram: CPI’s Kerala secretary Binoy Viswam continued his not-so-veiled criticism of CPM on Sunday by saying that the latter’s alleged links with criminal gangs and gold smugglers damaged the Left’s reputation and credibility.

Following the LDF rout in Kerala in the Lok Sabha elections where it won just one out of 20 seats, Viswam had openly spoken of the need for the Left to seriously introspect on the defeat and of the need for senior communist leaders to never appear arrogant and to mind their words, an oblique reference to CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s tendency to occasionally use harsh language.

“The underworld culture does not belong to the red flag. I am talking about the Communist party, and it is not about CPI. My reaction is on behalf of everyone who has trust in LDF and those who love the Communist party,” Viswam said in New Delhi. He said the criticism should not be seen as a personal attack against anyone but a warning considering the damage it has caused to the Communist party.

The stories of criminal gangs and gold heists come from Kannur, Viswam said, adding that there are reports about the underworld nexus. “Thousands of workers had fought in Kayyur and Karivallur to build Communist party in the state. They have shed their blood to build this movement. The underworld culture does not belong to such a party and both CPI, and CPM are firm that such nexus is not entertained.”

Viswam disowned the statement from UDF convener M M Hassan that CPI should come out of LDF.

Gen Dwivedi takes over as chief of Army, faces China, J&K tests

Will Have To Push Hard To Fast-Track Force Revamp During 2-Yr Tenure

General Dwivedi took over the Army reins from Gen Pande on Sunday

Rajat.Pandit@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: An aggressive and expansionist China, which continues to forward deploy around 1.4 lakh troops and heavy weapon systems along the frontier from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh for the fifth year running now, will be the primary operational challenge for new Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

Gen Dwivedi, who took over the reins of the over 11-lakh strong force as the 30th chief from Gen Manoj Pande on Sunday, will also have to contend with the spike in militancy in J&K, especially the series of military-style ambushes by well-trained terrorists that have caused setbacks to his force in the densely-forested and hilly Poonch-Rajouri region.

Gen Dwivedi is no stranger to the threats posed by China and Pakistan, which are often collusive. Commissioned into the J&K Rifles in 1984, he had a two-year tenure as the GoC-in-C of the crucial Northern Command before becoming the vice-chief in Feb this year. “While China has mastered salami-slicing and grey zone warfare, Pakistan continues with its proxy war,” a top official said.

In a statement announcing Gen Dwivedi’s taking over the top post, the Army said, “The global geo-strategic environment remains dynamic, with the challenges in the security domain becoming more pronounced due to technological advancements and ever-changing character of modern warfare.”

“Operational preparedness to counter security threats to a rising nation, therefore would figure prominently, as a key focus area for the chief. Concurrently, a focused response strategy to myriad non-traditional security challenges, too, shall be a priority towards augmenting the nation’s defence,” it said.

Gen Dwivedi will have to push hard to fast-track modernisation and transformation of the Army during his two-year tenure.

Despite emergency procurements, the force is still grappling with major operational voids in several areas, ranging from modern air defence weapons and fourth-generation anti-tank guided missiles to attack and light utility helicopters and night-fighting capabilities.

This is especially critical for the Northern and Eastern Commands along the 3,488-km LAC. There are 50,000 to 60,000 Chinese troops with heavy weaponry deployed along the western (Ladakh) and central sectors (Uttarakhand, Himachal) of the LAC. China has upped the ante in the eastern sector (Sikkim, Arunachal) as well, with another 90,000 soldiers deployed there.

Then, there is the entire question of the short-term recruitment of soldiers under the controversial Agnipath scheme rolled out in June 2022. The armed forces want the retention rate of Agniveers to be raised from the existing 25% after their fouryear tenures to at least 50%.

Navy chief starts four-day B’desh visit today to bolster def ties

Admiral Tripathi’s visit comes soon after Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina was in India for talks with PM Modi

New Delhi: Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will begin his four-day official visit to Bangladesh today to further consolidate bilateral defence ties and explore new avenues for maritime cooperation.

Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold talks with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman and Air Force chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan during the visit, which comes soon after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in India for acomprehensive dialogue with PM Narendra Modi to boost the overall bilateral relationship.

In his first foreign visit after taking charge on April 30, Admiral Tripathi will also review the passing-out parade at the Bangladesh Naval Academy Chittagong on July 4 as well as address the National Defence College in Dhaka and visit a few key defence facilities.

Concurrently, Indian guided-missile destroyer INS Ranvir has also reached Chattogram in Bangladesh as part of an operational deployment, and will participate in a maritime partnership exercise with Bangladeshi warships.

“Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span including operational interactions, bilateral naval exercises and capacity-building programmes. The visit will further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the two navies,” Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

TNN

IN PUDUCHERRY, A VOTE FOR PARIS

French citizens look at posters of candidates as they arrive to cast their votes at a polling station during the first round of French parliamentary elections at the consulate general of France in Puducherry on Sunday

In radio address, PM highlights yoga enthusiasm across the globe

New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi on Sunday said the entire world celebrated the 10th International Day of Yoga with great enthusiasm on June 21 while noting that locals had joined him in the yoga programme in Srinagar.

“As the observance of yoga day is progressing, even new records are being made. Yoga day has attained many great achievements all over the world. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, a woman, Al Hanouf Saad ji, led the common yoga protocol. This is the first time a Saudi woman has instructed a main yoga session. This time in Egypt, a photo competition was organised on yoga day,” he said in his radio address.

Modi also highlighted the important role of tribal heroes in the freedom struggle and said June 30 was observed in tribal areas as ‘Hool Diwas’. “This day is associated with the indomitable courage of Veer Sidhu-Kanhu who united thousands of Santhal compatriots and fought the British with all their might. This happened in 1855, that is, it happened two years before India’s first war of independence in 1857,” he said.

TNN

Tripathi, Dwivedi were disciplined, totally focused: Ex-classmate

Continued from P 1

It is a very proud moment for us, our school and our state. It’s for the first time that chiefs of two wings of armed forces are classmates and schoolmates and from the same state,” said Dr RS Pandey, senior master at Sainik School Rewa.

The school principal was invited to the ceremony where Gen Dwivedi took charge of Army. Many of his classmates were there, too.

“Our batch is a close-knit family. Even today, 18 of us are here as our batchmate and friend Gen Upendra Dwivedi takes charge as Chief of Army Staff,” Prof Amit Tiwari, a classmate, said Sunday. “My roll number was 929, Upendra’s was 931 and Dinesh was 938. I was a roommate of Admiral Tripathi for eight years. And for three years I was desk partner with Gen Dwivedi,” he said.

“Both of them were very disciplined, extremely focused and stayed away from controversies. They were never a part of any groupism, which is normal during school days,” said Tiwari, a former dean of School of Life Sciences at APS University, Rewa, and currently with TRS College, Rewa.

School records of Gen Dwivedi say he was an above average student. Mischievous as a boy and aggressive as a young infantry officer in J&K Rifles, he held very key appointments in his illustrious military career, commanding a battalion in Op Rakshak and a sector in Op Rhino before being made Director General-Infantry.

Batchmates remember the two Service chiefs as being very modest and punctual, who never said a thing loudly but made themselves heard. Also, both of them have stayed connected with their alma mater. During his previous visit to the school, Gen Dwivedi had said: “Other schools give students only ‘capability’, however this school gives ‘attitude and adaptability’ as a prequel which is a prerequisite to being a good and effective leader.”

The school has been celebrating ever since Admiral Tripathi took over as Navy chief in May. Gen Dwivedi’s elevation has doubled the joy.

Cong demands law to tweak Constitution for quota beyond 50% cap

The demand came a day after NDA constituent JD(U) passed a resolution at its national executive meeting urging the Centre to put Bihar’s law pertaining to reservations under the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule to rule out judicial review

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Congress has demanded that Parliament pass a law to amend the Constitution to enable reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to exceed the Supreme Court mandated 50% cap. The party urged that the bill be brought in the next session of Parliament and asked PM Narendra Modi to clear his stand on the issue.

The demand came a day after NDA constituent JD(U) passed a resolution at its national executive meeting urging the Centre to put Bihar’s law pertaining to reservations under the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule to rule out judicial review of the quota increase beyond 50% in the state.

In a post on X on Sunday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned the silence of BJP, JD(U)’s ally in the state and at the Centre. He said putting reservation laws beyond the 50% cap in the Ninth Schedule was not a solution, because according to a 2007 SC decision, such laws were also subject to judicial review.

Ramesh said the current limit of 50% was not explicitly mandated by the Constitution, but was decided through various SC decisions. He went on to say that in such a situation, a bill to amend the Constitution was the only way out and this was something the Congress had promised in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls and remained committed to.

Ramesh asked whether the PM would “clear his stand”? “Our demand is that such a bill should be introduced in the next session . JD(U) should not be limited to just passing resolutions,” he added.

TNN

Historic Chadwick House in Shimla gets makeover as CAG museum

The museum has a collection of rare artefacts, including a 1907 table and chair used by CV Raman, the only Indian to get a Nobel in physics. Raman had a brief stint as an assistant accountant general at CAG’s Kolkata office

Pradeep.Thakur@timesgroup.com

Shimla: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has converted Chadwick House — the Shimla residence of former maharaja of Kapurthala where Mahatma Gandhi stayed when he came to attend the Cabinet Mission meeting in 1946 for transfer of power from the British — as its first museum with a collection of rare artefacts, including a 1907 table and chair used by C V Raman, the only Indian to get a Nobel in Physics.

Raman had a brief stint as an assistant accountant general at CAG’s Kolkata office. Though the original table is yet to be brought from Kolkata, Raman’s life-size statue has been put on display with a similar table and chair.

Inaugurated last week by CAG G C Murmu, Chadwick House is one the most modern museums in India and the first for the federal auditor in 164 years of its history. Among the exhibits is Chanakya’s lifesize statue in a sitting posture, writing the Arthashastra, the first written document on the principles of accounting.

The supreme auditor has a 75-year-long ties with the historic building. It was Chadwick House where the first batch of audit and accounts service probationers held their training, Murmu said.

The museum showcases audit heritage from evolution, achievements to important milestones achieved. Chadwick House provides audio- video interactive displays of artefacts with graphic panels and QR code to access information that gives a glimpse of the audit institution since 1860 when it came into being.

The CAG renovated the building after taking it over from the I&B ministry. Chadwick House was constructed by a British national in the 1880s and was bought by Maharaja of Kapurthala Sardar Charanjit Singh in 1904. He often hosted Gandhi in this house.

“During the freedom struggle, Chadwick House was a favoured residence of Mahatma Gandhi while in Shimla from where he also addressed the public. In 1946, during his visit here for the Cabinet Mission discussions, once again the father of the nation stayed in Chadwick,” Murmu said.

Venkaiah’s life showcases public service commitment

PM Modi on Sunday released three books on M Venkaiah Naidu as the former Vice President turned 75. The PM hailed Naidu’s eloquence, wit and steadfast focus on developmental issues

By Narendra Modi

Today, India’s former Vice President and respected statesman M Venkaiah Naidu Garu turns 75. I wish him a long and healthy life and also extend my greetings to all his well wishers. This is an occasion to celebrate a leader whose life journey showcases dedication, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to public service. From his early days in the political arena to his tenure as Vice President, Venkaiah Garu’s career exemplifies his unique ability to navigate the complexities of Indian politics with ease and humility. His eloquence, wit and steadfast focus on developmental issues have earned him respect across party lines.

Venkaiah Garu and I have been associated with each other for decades and I have learnt a lot from him. He loves people. He started as a student activist and preferred to work with the Sangh Parivar because he was inspired by its ideology of ‘Nation First’. After stints with RSS and ABVP, he joined and strengthened Jana Sangh and BJP.

He joined the resistance against the Emergency imposed in 1975 and was jailed for inviting Loknayak JP to Andhra Pradesh. His commitment to democracy led him to join the movement against the dismissal of the N T Rama Rao govt by Congress in the mid-1980s.

Venkaiah Garu has always been comfortable swimming even against the most formidable tides. In 1978, Andhra Pradesh voted for Congress but he beat the trend and was elected as a young MLA. Five years later, he defied the NTR wave to get reelected as a BJP MLA, thus paving the way for BJP’s growth across the state.

All vouch for Venkaiah Garu’s oratory skills. He is certainly a wordsmith but he is as much a worksmith. As a young MLA, he distinguished himself as a people’s representative and a lawmaker. No less than a stalwart like NTR noted his talent and even wanted him to join his party but Venkaiah Garu refused to give up his core ideology. He went on to play a big role in strengthening BJP in AP. He led the party in the assembly and even became the state BJP chief.

Recognising his effort, the BJP leadership appointed him the party’s national general secretary, a remarkable achievement for a grassroots worker. He soon rose to become the party president.

In 2000, when Atal ji was keen to induct him in the govt, Venkaiah Garu surprised all by expressing his preference for the ministry of rural development. However, being the son of a farmer who spent his early years in villages, Venkaiah Garu was clear about the choice and was involved in the conception and implementation of ‘Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. When the NDA govt was formed in 2014, he handled the crucial portfolios of urban development, housing and urban poverty alleviation. It was during his tenure that we launched the important Swachh Bharat Mission.

When I came to Delhi in 2014, I was an outsider and benefited from Venkaiah Garu’s insights. He was an effective parliamentary affairs minister — he knew the essence of bipartisanship but at the same time he drew a line when it came to norms and rules.

Nominating him as NDA’s vice presidential candidate in 2017 involved a dilemma. Finding his replacement in the govt was tough but at the same time, there was no better candidate for the vice presidency than him. I can never forget the speech he gave when he resigned as minister and MP, recalling his association with the party. It showed his commitment.

Upon becoming Vice President, he undertook various steps that also enhanced the dignity of the office. He was an outstanding chairman of Rajya Sabha.

When the decision to remove Articles 370 and 35(A) were placed on the floor of Rajya Sabha, Venkaiah Garu was in the chair. It must have been an emotional moment for him, the young boy who was drawn to Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s dream of a united India was in the chair when this was finally achieved.

Venkaiah Garu is a voracious reader and writer too. In Delhi, he is also known as the person who brought the glorious Telugu culture to the city. His Ugadi and Sankranti programmes are clearly among the most cherished gatherings in town. He loves food and also hosting people.

Even now, Venkaiah Garu has an active public life and calls me on issues he is passionate about as well as important developments.

I wish him once again on this milestone. I hope all those who have a passion for public service learn from his life and imbibe those values. It is people like him who make our nation better and more vibrant.

(The author is the Prime Minister of India)

THE SPEAKING TREE

THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

Among the most challenging decisions are those that present us with a dilemma; you need to weigh your current situation and possible outcomes and then find the courage to make a decision, writes

MARGUERITE THEOPHIL

All of us from time to time are faced with decisions that are extremely difficult to make. Even straightforward decisions are tough, but the hardest of all is when confronted with a dilemma, which refers to a decision that must be made where choices available are equally unappealing, or may address one problem while creating another. There’s never an easy choice, since all options, even that of ignoring or inaction, carry the potential for loss or disturbance.

A simple folktale illustrates it so well: A hardworking widower had to bring up his two daughters on his own. When they grew up, he was relieved and happy when they each married a good man.

The older girl married a gardener, the younger a potter, both from the neighbouring village. After the weddings, the girls left for their husbands’ homes.

The following year, both invited their father to visit them in their new homes. At the older daughter’s home, he was welcomed warmly by the couple. Soon after he arrived, he asked his daughter, “How are things with you, daughter?”

“Very well,” she replied. “We have all we could ask for, but I have one wish: that this hot, dry weather ends soon and we have heavy show- ers that will thoroughly water all our growing plants and trees for sale.” Later, visiting his second daughter, who seemed happy and well settled too, he asked the same thing, “How is everything with you, daughter?”

“My husband is a good and loving man, and works hard. There is nothing we lack. But, my one hope though, is that the rains stay away, and this spell of dry weather may continue for a good while, so that our tiles and pots he made for sale are well-baked and dry.

“Oh dear”, thought the loving father, “If one must have dry weather and the other rain, what must I pray for then?”

We see that what is distressing or painful about a dilemma is having to make a difficult choice between two things; a choice one really does not want to make.

Dilemmas can involve choosing between things of equal importance to you; or even between two things, neither of which you want. At times they can involve a struggle between our hearts and minds, or simply seemingly practical choices. An often-used phrase ‘on the horns of a dilemma’ refers to the possibility of being impaled by either unpleasant choice you make.

And yet there are times we just have to make the choice. Do I stay on in this well-paid job for another year though I repeatedly fall ill from the pressure and stress? Or, do I leave and take up the other job where the salary is poorer, but the pressure is far less? But what about all my financial commitments? But if I fall really ill, that’s bad too. Such a situation and subsequent reflection may be easier for some to resolve, but most people will naturally agonise for a long time.

Any dilemma can involve ethics – what we deem to be right and correct and/or values – what we deem to be worthy and important. One step in addressing a dilemma is becoming clear to ourselves on these two. At times, putting off making a decision helps, but that is not a luxury every situation offers. In some cases, procrastination makes things even worse.

None of us can predict the future. You will never have all the information you will need. So, in such an issue, problem or concern in your decision-making process, in which neither choice you make offers a great outcome, you need to weigh your current situation and possible outcomes, good or not so good and then find the courage to make a decision on one option with the information you have at the time.

17-year-old Assam trans girl loses school seat over bikini pictures

The family says she’s being targeted because of her gender. Her mother, in a letter to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, wrote, ‘My daughter, with dreams as vast as the Brahmaputra, has faced the heights of discrimination and prejudice. Yet, she stands unwavering, aspiring to contribute to the society…’

Kangkan.Kalita@timesgroup.com

My girl child, born in a male body, didn’t choose this life of struggle where she is being bullied and hated for who she is… the recent incident at her school in Assam has shaken the core of our faith in institutions meant to protect and nurture our young… The school, which should be a sanctuary of learning, became an arena of judgment… This is the plight of my daughter, a plight shared by many, often silenced by the shadows of ignorance.

These are excerpts from a letter to Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma by a Guwahati woman after photos of her 17-year-old transgender daughter in a swimming pool in a bikini, posted on her social media platform, forced her to leave the school last month.

While the mother has slammed the principal of the reputed co-educational school in Guwahati for “slandering”, “belittling” and “mocking” her daughter and “targeting her truth and her very being”, school authorities said the photographs “expressed vulgarity” and all that they had asked for was to have the posts removed from social media.

As the world celebrated June as Pride Month, photos of the transgender girl in a bikini, clicked during a family vacation on June 9 and posted on social media, became not just a flashpoint between the school and her family but also put a question mark on the issue of gender inclusivity in educational institutions in India.

The family has asked Sar- ma for a slew of changes – from embracing diversity with gender-inclusive uniform in schools to extending protection against bullying and harassment.

Also, the state’s Transgender Welfare Board has moved Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), saying “nobody can sexualise a child’s body and a photo”.

On June 26, ASCPCR began hearings in the case, with the transgender girl’s family narrating the incident. “We heard the complainant and would now summon school authorities. After hearing both the parties, we would convene on a specific date. Thereafter, legal action would be initiated,” commission chairperson Shyamal Prasad Saikia said.

On June 10, a day after the transgender girl posted the photos, the school principal called the parents at 9pm. “‘Your daughter is disgusting and shameful. Come tomorrow and take her out of my school…’ this is what the principal told me,” the student’s mother recounted the call.

The family opted for a transfer from the school rather than what they said was “capitulating to infringement on her right to exist”.

School management said they have taken care of the 17-year-old student and counselled her throughout besides protecting her from bullying by some students.

The principal said after she posted the photographs in swimsuit “expressing vulgarity”, the school earned a “bad name” among academia and that the school could not tolerate “such behaviour”. He said the school never intended to target her and had merely asked her to remove the posts.

However, the student’s family hurled allegations at the school, saying the issue of bikini photos was an excuse to get her out of school. They alleged that she became a target because of her gender. “The school doesn’t find similar photos posted by boys disgusting or shameful. It indicates their sick mentality,” the mother said.

In the letter to Assam CM, which later went viral on social media, the student’s mother said, “My daughter, with dreams as vast as the Brahmaputra, has faced the heights of discrimination and prejudice. Yet, she stands unwavering, aspiring to contribute to society…”

“The phone call at night from the principal was a stark reminder of the battles we still face. Her social media, a space of personal expression, was scrutinised and slandered. A family pool outing, a moment of innocent joy, was twisted into a weapon of shame just because my daughter wore a bikini,” the letter said.

“We asked for a transfer certificate from the school after she was shamed and subjected to mental harassment. We decided to keep her away from such a toxic environment,” her mother said, adding that the family wants a public apology from the school. Now, she might have to forfeit an entire academic year as she was issued the transfer certificate amid the ongoing session.

State Transgender Welfare Board president Rituparna Neog said, “In the explanation given to us, the school’s view is that the photos were sexually explicit. I have forwarded this to ASCPCR, with the point that nobody can sexualise a child’s body and photos.” Neog is also a member of the National Council for Transgender Persons.

The principal told TOI that the message was clearly communicated to the family. “Body piercing, tattooing are against our rules. Posting obscene photos on social media is not desired. We told them they could delete the photos and start behaving properly or withdraw the student from the school,” he said.

“I am delighted that transgenders will now raise their voice for liberty and fairness. They glanced at my photos but failed to acknowledge my academic achievements,” said the student, who passed class X with 76% aggregate.

Girder of under construction bridge collapses in Jharkhand

Bokaro: Girder of an underconstruction bridge over Arga river at Bhelwaghati in Jharkhand’s Giridih district, around 235km from Ranchi on Bihar border, collapsed late on Saturday night owing to incessant rain, reportsDivy Khare.

In neighbouring Bihar, a bridge collapsed on Friday in Madhubani due to heavy rain, making it the fifth such incident in nine days. Another had collapsed in Kishanganj on Thursday.

The bridge in Jharkhand was being constructed on Fatehpur-Bhelwaghati road to connect Dumritola and Karipahri villages. Residents said water level in the river rose significantly following downpour on Saturday and strong currents resulted in the girder breaking apart. Also, one of the pillars got bent.

Road construction department executive engineer Vinay Kumar said the incident was triggered by heavy rain.

The bridge was being built at an estimated cost of Rs 5.5 crore, an official said.

5-month-old bridge collapses in Manipur

A five-month-old bridge over the swollen Imphal river at Mutum Phibou in Manipur’s Imphal West district collapsed Sunday morning, taking down with it a firewood-laden truck and four occupants, one of whom died, reports K Sarojkumar Sharma. The accident occurred within weeks of villagers complaining to a visiting minister of defects in the structure.

NIA search op in Rajouri over Reasi bus attack

Jammu:NIA on Sunday conducted searches across Rajouri in J&K in connection with the June 9 terrorist ambush on a pilgrim bus in Reasi that claimed nine lives and left 41 wounded, reports Sanjay Khajuria.

“NIA took over probe on June 15. It searched five locations linked to hybrid terrorists and overground workers,” said an NIA spokesperson. These sites were identified by Hakam Khan, a local suspect arrested for allegedly providing shelter and food to the terrorists, and aiding them in hiding and navigating the area undetected.

In addition to NIA, security teams from Army, paramilitary forces, and J&K police are scouring the hilly, forested terrain following four attacks over June 9, 11 and 12) in Reasi, Kathua and Doda.

Sarpanch of Ajit Pawar-led NCP shot dead by rivals in Maha

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:Sarpanch of Maralwadi village in Maharashtra’s Parli, who belongs to Ajit Pawarled NCP camp, was shot dead by his rivals over a financial dispute. Police have booked five, including an NCP (SCP) functionary.

Bapu Andhale (35), the deceased, was attacked on Saturday. Dyanoba Gitte, Andhale’s associate, also suffered bullet injuries. He was admitted to a hospital. On Sunday, Beed SP Nandkumar Thakur said the main accused has also sustained bullet injuries and has been admitted to a hospital.

“Four other accused are absconding. We have recovered one firearm from the site. It is still unclear if there was a gun fight between two groups,” he said. Thakur said six people have been detained and efforts are on to trace the absconding.

Police said Andhale had borrowed money from one of the accused. “He was allegedly not returning the money,” inspector Sanjay Lohakare of Parli police station said.

Acting on a complaint by Gitte, police have registered an offence under Section 302 (murder) of IPC among other charges.

TNN

Amit Shah calls for ‘cooperation among cooperatives’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah on Sunday appealed to people associated with cooperative institutions to open their bank accounts in District Cooperative Banks (DCBs) to help the cooperative sector become viable.

He said if the mantra of “cooperation among cooperatives” is successful, cooperative institutions will not need to take help from anyone. “There is no need to take even a single rupee from central or state govt. The entire cooperative movement can run strongly with money of cooperative institutions,” he said.

Shah was addressing the 76th AGM of Kheda District Central Cooperative Bank Limited, Nadiad, through video conferencing. The bank has introduced loan management, document management system and tablet banking for the first time in the cooperative bank- ing system of Gujarat, which is considered a landmark achievement. Nadiad is in Kheda district from where Amul was started.

Referring to this successful model of cooperatives, Shah said Amul set an example of achieving “Sahkar se Samriddhi” (prosperity through cooperation) in front of the entire country and the world.

The Union minister said since its inauguration in 1950, Kheda District Cooperative Bank has served farmers of the region well and today it is in net profit of about Rs 31 crore. There were times when there were apprehensions about its future, but after getting the license in 2012, it now has a reserve fund of Rs 258 crore and deposits of Rs 2,500 crore.

Shah expressed the need for involving DCBs for strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), saying stronger PACS will further strengthen cooperative banks.

Odisha to roll out spl scheme for women on Modi’s 75th birthday

Debabrata.Mohapatra@timesgroup.com

Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt on Sunday announced to launch on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on Sept 17 Subhadra Yojana, a key promise in BJP’s election manifesto, under which every woman will receive a Rs 50,000 voucher that can be encashed over two years. Modi is likely to attend the launch of the scheme, approved at the first state cabinet meeting.

Govt had earlier committed to implement the project, partially funded by the Cen- tre, within 100 days of assuming office. It is working on the modalities of how the money will be credited, in how many instalments, and the amount per instalment.

“Drafting of the modalities is being finalised,” Odisha chief minister Mohan Majhi said.

As per the BJP manifesto, the scheme promised to benefit all women residing in Odisha, irrespective of their economic status and domicile. However, as per the 2011 Census, Odisha has 2,07,62,082 which will need Rs 80,000 crore budget for the project.

“We are working on the modalities to consider if it will apply to all women or those aged 18 years and above, or one woman in every household. We will also take a call on whether women staying outside the state would be considered or not. Whether working women will be included and their income criteria will also be taken into consideration,” a senior govt official said.

Though govt has emphasised that the vouchers can be used to enhance women’s socio-economic status, including education, healthcare, and entrepreneurial ventures, a concrete list of permissible expenditures will be ascertained in the final guidelines, the official added.

Gym owner shot dead in Bihar

Motorcycle-borne miscreants gunned down a 35-year-old gym owner on Janghariya bridge under in Bihar’s Rohtas district Saturday night, report Kshitiz & Alok Chamaria. The crime occurred when Aditya Kumar Srivastava was returning home on his bike with one of his staff, after closing the gym.

Cong brass forced to step in as K’taka faction feud intensifies

Reshuffle, Gag Order On Cards As Sidda, DKS Camps Tussle

TICKING TIME BOMB? The intervention comes amid demands from several party functionaries to replace Siddaramaiah with DKS as CM

BV.Shivashankar@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru: A potential cabinet reshuffle and a gag order are among measures Congress has adopted to address a factional feud within its Karnataka unit, which has pitted supporters of chief minister (CM) Siddaramaiah against those of his deputy DK Shivakumar.

Congress high command has intervened, issuing a stern warning to maintain discipline as the feud is negatively impacting the state’s administration and damaging the party’s image, sources said on Sunday. This comes amiddemands from several party functionaries to replace Siddaramaiah with Shivakumar as CM, and to appoint more deputy CMs.

Although Siddaramaiah denied it, sources said he has been asked to reshuffle his cabinet to include senior legislators who were initially denied ministerial positions. The CM faces pressure from several legislators, led by seniors Vinay Kulkarni and P M Narendra Swamy, to overhaul his council of ministers. Around 40 MLAs are waiting to replace non-performing ministers.

On Sunday, Shivakumar met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi, while Siddaramaiah met party MP Rahul Gandhi the day before.

“Kharge, Siddaramaiah, and I have arrived at a decision on how to work in inter- est of the party,” Shivakumar said. “There is no need for any minister, MLA, or any individual to talk about it in public. If any functionary continues to talk to the media about the CM or deputy CM posts, then it would be inevitable for both AICC and KPCC to take disciplinary action.”

Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar issued strict instructions to their supporters to refrain from making public statements on the CM and deputy CM issues. The central brass has also decided to send veteran Madhusudan Mistry to review Congress’ performance in Kar- nataka in Lok Sabha polls and gather legislators’ opinions on the leadership dispute.

The state unit is planning to send a fact-finding team to all 28 parliamentary constituencies. “The objective is to hear from all quarters about prevailing issues and restore discipline to prepare the party to face a series of polls ahead,” said KPCC working president GC Chandrashekhar.

Shivakumar’s opponents have called for his replacement as Congress state president, citing the party’s “one man, one position” principle. Shivakumar currently serves both as deputy CM and state party president.

However, Shivakumar’s brother and former MP DK Suresh dismissed these demands, suggesting that those calling for his resignation should either “put up or shut up”. Suresh referred to former chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde, who dissolved govt and called for early elections after a poor performance in LS polls, challenging those seeking positions to lead the party to victory before claiming privileges.

MP sarpanch shoots woman dead following drunken brawl, booked

Bhopal: A village sarpanch in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia shot a woman dead and injured another in a dispute following a drunken brawl on Saturday night, police said.

Ratiram Yadav and Ravindra Yadav got into a heated argument while drinking in Vanvas village. People intervened to pacify the two, but Ravindra decided to inform his brother Arvind Yadav, the village sarpanch.

The brawl turned ugly when Arvind came along with his accomplices.

They allegedly attacked Ratiram’s family in their house. During the altercation, he reportedly fired shots. A bullet hit Ratiram’s daughter-in-law, Ahilya, who died on the spot. Another bullet injured Ratiram’s niece, Priyanka. Accused then fled. Police have registered a murder case against 13 people, including Arvind and Ravindra.

TNN

Sikh preacher apologises for attending RSS event

Kurukshetra:Sikh preacher Baba Gurwinder Singh from Haryana’s Kurukshetra issued a written apology to Akal Takht at Golden Temple in Amritsar. This comes after photos of him attending an RSS event were circulated on social media, sparking outrage among the Sikh community, reports Jaskaran Singh. Baba Gurwinder, head of Gurdwara Udasin Braham Akhara Sahib in Mandi village, said he attended a school programme in Kurukshetra on June 23, which turned out to be an RSS event. Expressing remorse, he wrote: “I will not do any such act in future, which hurts the Panth.”

Second Navy officer held for Korean visa racket, suspected to be kingpin

The racket came to light following a complaint against a Navy officer from South Korea’s consulate in Mumbai

Ahmed.Ali@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: Mumbai police crime branch probing human smuggling to South Korea has arrested a second naval officer and suspected kingpin of the racket, Sub-Lt Braham Jyoti (29), along with a 26-yearold woman, Simran Teji, who ran a company through which she would allegedly send people abroad using forged documents.

The racket came to light following a complaint against a Navy officer from South Korea’s consulate in Mumbai. Police said many of the applicants, mostly from J&K, have travelled to S Korea, destroyed their documents, including passports and visas, and have sought asylum. A police team is working on identifying them.

A police note said the first officer arrested, Lt Commander Vipin Dagar (28), would prepare forged documents, forward them to the South Korean consulate in Mumbai and visit it on Jyoti’s instructions. Both officers were posted in Western Naval Command, which has its headquarters in Mumbai.

Two others, Ravi Kumar and Deepak Dogra, have been arrested from J&K and are being brought to Mumbai, police said. Police said Kumar wanted to leave for South Korea on a visa acquired through forged documents, while Dogra appears to have been monitoring the overall operation and identifying potential targets.

All arrested accused have been sent to police custody till July 5. They have been booked for cheating, forgery, breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy under IPC as well as relevant sections under Passport Act.

Police have seized 14 passports, documents of four ficti- tious companies, fake rubber stamps, stamp papers, various certificates, and three bank accounts with a balance of a little over Rs 2 crore. An examination of Jyoti’s bank account showed that he had accumulated Rs 1.6crore in the last eight years, which was beyond his known sources of income.

Investigations showed that the gang would entice people seeking opportunities abroad, particularly in South Korea, to apply for visas even if they were ineligible. The two naval officers would visit the consulate in Mumbai in uniform, claiming to be close relatives of the applicants, to ensure that certain discrepancies were overlooked, said police. They even forced the consulate employees to expedite visa applications, they added.

Police said Teji (26) had established a fictitious company, Tosha International, through which she would send people abroad.

Lanka registers protest with India for death of navy sailor

New Delhi: Sri Lanka has registered a protest with India for the death of a navy sailor who was killed while attempting to seize an Indian vessel allegedly poaching in Lankan waters. The sailor sustained critical injuries due to “the aggressive manoeuvres of the Indian trawler, resisting its seizure”.

Daily Mirror reported on Saturday that the Lankan foreign ministry summoned a junior official from the Indian high commission and expressed concerns about the incident. Sri Lankahas arrested and booked 10 Indian fishermen for causing the death of the sailor.

Asked about the action against Indian fishermen, ministry of external affairs had said last week it’s already raised the issue with Lankan authorities. “On these 10 fishermen, our high commission is aware of the matter. We are aware of the matter and we have taken up this issue with the Sri Lankan side. Hopefully, we will see how best to take it forward,” said the MEA spokesperson.

“In Colombo, the foreign ministry summoned a diplomat from the Indian high commission to convey the Sri Lankan govt’s concerns about the incident. The ministry’s South Asia Director General Niluka Kadurugamuwa conveyed the govt’s concerns and also reiterated Sri Lanka’s opposition through a formal note to continuing IUU fishing, especially bottom trawling and indiscriminate poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters,” said a report in Lanka’s Sunday Times.

There was no confirmation by the Indian side about the summoning.

TNN

Waterfall trip turns tragic as 5 drown near Lonavala dam

Pune: A monsoon outing in the backwaters of Bhushi Dam in Pune’s Lonavala turned tragic for a group of 15 from two families as five of them drowned in a waterfall near the dam on Sunday afternoon, reports Mihir Tanksale & Gitesh Shelke.

The picnickers from Sayyadnagar in Pune’s Hadapsar were playing in a stream of the dam when 10 of them began to slip into the waterfall as the volume of water rose. Locals managed to rescue only five of them.

Pune Rural SP Pankaj Deshmukh told TOI, “There was a flash flood-like situation after heavy rain in the hills where the families went for a picnic. Bodies of a woman and a 13-year-old girl were recovered in the afternoon. That of an eight-year-old girl was recovered in the evening.”

Police issued an advisory to tourists going to the picnic spot not to venture into its waters. But the group ignored warning , said DSP Sathya Sai Karthik.

PM congratulates team on T20 WC win

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they speak with PM Modi on Sunday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian cricket team on their victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, personally speaking to several players over the phone on Sunday. He praised their outstanding performances, particularly highlighting captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, both of whom announced their retirement from T20 internationals post the win.

Modi commended Rohit Sharma for his exceptional leadership and notable T20 career. “You are excellence per- sonified. Your aggressive mindset, batting, and captaincy have given a new dimension to the Indian team. Your T20 career will be remembered fondly. Delighted to have spoken to you earlier today,” Modi conveyed to Sharma.

The PM also had high praise for Kohli, who was instrumental in the final match.

“Like the innings in the finals, you have anchored Indian batting splendidly. You’ve shone in all forms of the game. T20 cricket will miss you, but I am confident you'll continue to motivate the new generation of players,” Modi told Kohli.

Modi singled out Hardik Pandya for his nerve-wracking final over and Suryakumar Yadav for his stunning boundary catch to dismiss Da- vid Miller, which proved pivotal in the match’s outcome. He also commended Jasprit Bumrah for his significant contributions with the ball.

The PM expressed his gratitude towards head coach Rahul Dravid for his immense contributions to Indian cricket. He emphasised the excellent skill and spirit exhibited by the team throughout the tournament.

“The team’s performance has filled the country with pride. Their dedication and hard work have been inspiring, and this victory is a testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence,” he added.

Times City

- Illegal felling of trees: Panel issues notices to officials

- Fall Guys: Trees Losing Out To Infra Push

- Focus on Hathnikund-Okhla Barrage stretch for floodplain demarcation

- 252% increase in prosecution over lane violations from previous year

- ‘All I am left with is tears’: Woman whose husband’s body was found at underpass faces uncertain future

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Illegal felling of trees: Panel issues notices to officials

TIMESNEWSNETWORK

New Delhi: A three-member fact-finding committee of Delhi ministers has issued notices to senior officials of DDA, forest department and Delhi Police over the felling of 1,100 trees in the Ridge area, allegedly without permission.

The committee of ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Imran Hussain was formed on Saturday and will submit its report to the forest minister.

The committee has directed the principal secretary (environment and forests), DDA vice-chairman, principal commissioner (LD and LM), DDA, along with the commissioner (housing), DDA, deputy commissioner of police (south Delhi) and the station house officer (SHO) of the area and other senior officials, to be present at a meeting on July 1.

The committee will submit a factual report to Supreme Court by July 11.

“As the next date of hearing in this matter is 12.07.2024 and the Hon'ble Supreme Court has directed GNCTD to file an affidavit based on the facts before 11.07.2024, your cooperation is needed to adhere to the strict timelines imposed by Supreme Court of India,” the communication from Bharadwaj read.

The court had earlier directed Delhi govt and civic agencies to call a meeting and discuss comprehensive measures to enhance the city’s green cover. A vacation bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it expected the forest department and the tree authority to keep a vigil on the activity of illegal felling.

Following the hearing, urban development minister Bharadwaj accused DDA of lying in court. He claimed that it was clear in DDA’s records that lieutenant governor VK Saxena went to Satbari forest on Feb 3 along with a DDA chief engineer and gave verbal instructions to cut 1,100 trees. This is written in emails of DDA officials, which establish the matter, he said.

TIMES Special

Fall Guys: Trees Losing Out To Infra Push

How Despite HC’s Ban On Cutting Greens, Permissions Continue To Be Granted In Name Of ‘Crucial Projects’

Kushagra.Dixit@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently reprimanded Delhi Development Authority for the unauthorised felling of 1,100 trees despite the ban on chopping down of trees imposed by Delhi High Court in Aug 2023. The forest department, however, continues to receive permission to bring down trees for “crucial projects”, some of which are granted through gazette notification after special permission is granted.

While illegal felling also continues, TOI tried to understand the process of obtaining permission for clearing areas of trees. It also discovered that there is no data after 2021 on the number of trees felled in recent years and that some construction projects have faced hindrances due to denial of felling permission.

As per the information provided by the forest department, the authority to grant permission for tree felling lies with the designated tree officer. However, at present, this permission has been suspended for private users and only projects designated as “crucial” by the govt are being granted the necessary clearances to proceed with tree felling.

“We are not giving permissions to individuals, though they form only a negligible proportion of permit seekers,” said a forest official. “However, for infrastructure projects, the stipulated agencies are being allowed to obtain the permission from the high court.” The officials added that the volume of applications for permission seeking transplantation and/or felling have reduced substantially in recent times.

According to an expert, there is a need to review the existing laws on protection of trees. Independent legal and policy researcher Kanchi Kohli said, “A socio-ecological understanding of trees is crucial for equitable urban governance and climate planning. A transparent monitoring and disclosure of tree cover loss and addition can assure citizens of govt’s recognition of the importance of trees in mitigating air pollution, heat and other urban crises.”

Kohli said it was necessary to review the laws on urban tree protection for their current relevance with an increasing demand for clearance of urban areas of trees for both linear and area-based infrastructure.

According to green activist Bhavreen Kandhari, while the absence of data makes it diffi- cult for people to pursue legal options to protect the city’s green cover, any data can be meaningful only in its proper context. She pointed out that both public and private agencies often had a poor assessment of the number of trees that needed to be felled for a project.

“In 2016, NBCC decided to chop down 16,500 trees for developing the general pool residential accommodation in the city,” said Kandhari. “When it was dragged to court on the issue, it reassessed the needs at just 6,000. You can imagine the casual approach from this. There is an absolute absence of green engineering. Also, every year the state govt brags abo- ut having increased the city’s green cover but there is a big disparity in different areas of the capital.”

Activist Verhaen Khanna noted that people advocating pruning of trees seemed to have little connection with nature. “Heatwaves have become increasingly intense in summers and reduction of tree ca- nopies exacerbates the problem,” said Khanna. “In areas such as New Friends Colony, haphazard pruning has left trees unbalanced and weakened. Such trees can only recover with time. Rather than resorting to the negative step of pruning, we should focus on positive actions to ensure healthy life for our trees.”

Focus on Hathnikund-Okhla Barrage stretch for floodplain demarcation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Delhi Pollution Control Committee has presented its findings to National Green Tribunal regarding the demarcation of floodplain in Delhi to prevent future flooding incidents. The report was submitted in response to an earlier NGT directive, which was based on a Times of India article titled, “Why Flooding Has Forced DDA’s Master Plan Rethink”, published in Aug 2023.

Earlier in March, an NGT bench, headed by chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, asked Delhi govt to submit a report on the demarcation of Yamuna floodplain based on floods that occurred once in 100 years, to identify a larger and more accurate area compared with govt’s previous practice of using data of floods that could occur once in 25 years. The bench had then pointed out that this will place on record the river’s deepest flow into the land. It also asked govt to submit the standard operating procedure followed by NGT-constituted joint committee to do the demarcations.

In a submission by DPCC, a high-level committee was convened in May to address this matter. During the meeting, National Mission for Clean Ganga, a member of the committee, disclosed that ministry of jal shakti had established a separate committee to conduct a comprehensive joint flood management study of Yamuna. DPCC, in a report dated June 26, said “a meeting of the high-level committee (HLC) was held on 07.05.2024 under the chairmanship of chief secretary, govt of NCT of Delhi… executive director, National Mission for Clean Ganga, one of the members of HLC, informed the committee that ministry of jal shakti had constituted a committee for a joint flood management study of the river Yamuna for its reach between Hathnikund and Okhla Barrage in which principal secretary, irrigation & flood control department (I&FCD) is a member from GNCTD.”

DPCC added that the report would focus on the cause of the event and measures for better ground preparedness in case of such events (floods) in the future. “Further, I&FCD informed that for this exercise, the department has engaged the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, for determining the area and outer limit of 1:100 years floodplain based upon flood frequency analysis and water level stimulation. It was informed that the outcome is awaited. I&FCD was directed to expedite the exercise. Accordingly, it was further decided that demarcation of the floodplain with flood frequency once in 100 years will be taken up once I&FCD completes the abovementioned exercise. However, the floodplain once in 25 years basis shall be completed,” stated DPCC.

The report further stated regarding the SOP for demarcation of the floodplain that I&FCD had identified the flood of 2011 as 1 in 25 frequency event.

252% increase in prosecution over lane violations from previous year

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Delhi Traffic Police has reported a staggering 252% increase in prosecutions for lane discipline violations in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

The statistics reveal that between Jan and June 2024, traffic cops booked 2,577 people for driving in the incorrect lane, a significant increase from the 732 challans issued in 2023.

IGI Airport (572), Mayur Vihar (344), Madhu Vihar (339), Kamla Market (215) and Civil Lines (195) have emerged as the top five hotspots for lane violations. Narela reported 194 violations, occupying the sixth spot. Kotwali (178), Timarpur (164), Kapashera (86) and Kalyanpuri (59) occupied the bottom four spots on the top ten list.

Special commissioner HGS Dhaliwal said: “To enhance road safety and reduce traffic congestion, stricter measures have been implemented to ensure motorists adhere to proper lane driving. The unit has intensified surveillance and enforcement activities across the city, deploying additional personnel to monitor traffic flow and identify offenders."

"By identifying areas with the most frequent traffic violations, this study facilitates targeted enforcement efforts to enhance road safety and ensure compliance with traffic regulations," special CP K Jagadesan said.

Traffic police said it was partnering with various stakeholders, including civic authorities and educational institutions, to raise awareness about the importance of adhering to lane discipline.

Unsafe lane changes are a common traffic violation typically occurring on roads with two or more lanes in the same direction, marked by clear dividing lines. For a traffic cop to issue a challan, they will typically witness a driver switching lanes without taking proper precautions. This often involves swerving into another lane without signalling.

The dangers of constantly switching lanes far outweigh any perceived benefits. “Frequent lane changes are a recipe for disaster. Drivers weaving in and out of traffic have less time to react to unexpected situations in neighbouring lanes. A study found that drivers who frequently change lanes are twice as likely to be involved in accidents compared to those who maintain their lanes,” said a senior traffic cop.

‘All I am left with is tears’: Woman whose husband’s body was found at underpass faces uncertain future

VINEETA SAYS After our son passed away, my husband had to again start working because of our financial condition. One-and-a-half years ago, he got a job as a security guard. He put his heart and soul in it and probably paid with his life for it

DEVASTATED: Vineeta has now lost both her son and husband

Ridhima.Gupta@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Behind a large mountain of garbage, in the narrow lanes of Jaitpur Extension in Badarpur, lives 55-year-old Vineeta, who is now grappling with the devastating loss of her husband, Digvijay Kumar Chaudhary (61).

His lifeless body was found near an underpass in Okhla on Saturday after heavy rain in the city.

In her house in Gali number 2, Vineeta, surrounded by relatives, was breaking down intermittently. “Ab rone ke alawa mere paas bacha hi kya hai," she said. She has already endured the heartbreaking loss of her only son to Covid.

Several decades ago, Digvijay, a native of Bihar, had moved to Delhi to earn enough to feed his family and raise three children — two daughters and a son. He did odd jobs. A few years ago, the younger daughter passed away because of an illness. In 2021, the couple lost their only son. The elder daughter is married and lives away from the couple.

The couple lived on their own, supporting each other, said Vineeta. “After my son passed away, the financial strain on us was immense, which is why he (Digvijay) again had to start working. About a year and a half ago, he got a security guard’s job, into which he put his heart and soul. Probably because of that, he lost his life.”

For a 12-hour-plus shift, all seven days a week, he used to earn around Rs 15,000. “I used to tell him, if the shift is 12 hours, why do you work more? He would say, ‘I am a security guard supervisor. I should be taking care of other things as well’,” Vineeta said.

Outside stood a black-and-red scooty that Digvijay used to ride to work. The family said that on Friday, around 4am, when it was pouring, Digvijay spoke to the night shift guard who told him that there was waterlogging in the basement of the company's building.

“I heard him on the phone asking the other guard to turn on the motor to pump the water out, to which the person on the other side said it would be difficult for him to do so. Then he (Digvijay) told me that he had to go to look into the matter. He left around 5am,” Vineeta recounted.

She said Digvijay usually checked on her a couple of hours into work. That day, when he did not call by noon, she called on his cellphone. To her surprise, a police officer took the call.

“I am wondering if I had not called up, or if his phone had stopped working, would I have not even found out what happened to my husband. There was no communication by police, even though he was carrying all his identity proof with him,” Vineeta said, showing the Aadhar and company ID, which all looked a bit damp.

The circumstances surrounding the demise remain unclear. “We don't know if he was electrocuted, or he drowned or was hit by a vehicle. We are told we will get a postmortem report in a week,” a family member said.

TOl spoke to the company where Digvijay worked — Trutuff Facility Management Pvt Ltd. Until Sunday, it had not contacted the family. “As per our contract, the company is not liable for any injury or mishap. But we will have a meeting and look into it on humanitarian grounds,” an official said.

TALE OF TWO UNDERPASSES

While Pragati Maidan tunnel (top) reopened on Sunday after being closed due to the unprecedented rain on Friday, Sarita Vihar underpass continued to battle waterlogging, posing difficulties to motorists

Heavy Rain Alert In City For 3 Days

Weekend Prediction Off The Mark Despite High Humidity

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: The weather in the city remained humid and cloudy on Sunday, despite the meteorological department's prediction of light to moderate rain. No rain was recorded until late Sunday evening.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has, however, issued an orange alert for heavy rain for the next three days — Monday to Wednesday.

On Sunday, the humidity oscillated between 60% and 97% throughout the day, with bright sunshine in a few places, making it uncomfortable to be outdoors for too long. The IMD expects the humidity to remain high throughout the week.

Experts said, the monsoon trough line remained away, towards the south of the city.

“The monsoon is towards the south of Delhi and is expected to move northwards on Monday. It will pass over Delhi and thus there are chances of good rain over the city on Monday and Tuesday. It will thereafter pass over towards the Himalayan foothills,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate change and meteorology, Skymet.

Meanwhile, the city's base station, Safdarjung, recorded a maximum temperature of 37.1 degrees Celsius, the season’s normal, against 35.6 degrees Celsius a day earlier. The minimum temperature was 27 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, against 28 degrees Celsius a day earlier.

June recorded extreme heat and extreme rain events. The average monthly minimum temperature was 29.8 degrees Celsius, which is 1.9 degrees Celsius higher than the longperiod average for June at 27.7 degrees Celsius. This figure is the highest for the month since 2012 (30.6 degrees Celsius).

Despite normal or below normal temperatures, high humidity levels also kept the feel-like temperature or heat index high. The heat index on Sunday was marked at 51 degrees Celsius.

The net monthly rainfall for June was 243.4 mm (228% excess rainfall), the highest since 1936 for the month. Of this, 228.1 mm was recorded on Friday, the day monsoon arrived in the city.

In June 1936, the city recorded 415.8 mm of rainfall. In June 1933, the city recorded 399 mm of rainfall.

Meanwhile, the IMD had forecast heavy rain for the city with gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph. On Monday, the maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to drop and hover around 33 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Rain causes outage in Delhi zoo, power restored after 2 days

SOME RESPITE

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Delhi Zoo has restored power after grappling with a two-day outage.

Zoo officials said the power had failed on Friday after excessive water from flooded city areas made its way into the zoo, breaking a wall and damaging the transformer. This had impacted the animal enclosures, offices, and staff quarters.

“Due to unprecedented rain, added by the breakage of the boundary wall from the Sundernagar side, water rushed to the substation area, and transformer circuits got heavy moisture and malfunctioned,” said a senior official from the zoo.

To maintain essential operations, the zoo was relying on two diesel generator sets, which were running alternately. Officials said the emergency measures were put in place to ensure the well-being of the animals and the smooth functioning of critical systems within the zoo. According to sources, the Delhi Zoo had two generator sets, and two more were procured on rent.

Until Sunday evening, water was being pumped out using floating pumps, etc, and staff were ensuring that electric circuits and other devices were moisture-free.

“The electricity was being supplied from alternative DG sets. Experts were working to fix the issue, and by Sunday evening the transformer began working again,” said the official.

The city saw extremely heavy rainfall on Friday — recording 228.1 mm of rainfall, a record for the month in 80 years. There was loss of life and property, and several services were briefly interrupted.

Delhi Zoo, also known as the National Zoological Park (NZP), was inaugurated in 1959 and currently houses over 97 different animal species. This includes white tigers, Royal Bengal tigers, rhinoceroses, and hippopotamuses, among others.

100mm rain in 1 hour on Fri, 25% more than entire June’s quota

Amit.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Safdarjung received 25% more rain in one hour on Friday morning than it normally gets in the entire month of June as a deadly interaction of multiple weather systems led to a cloudburst over areas in central Delhi.

While Friday’s convergence of multiple systems was localised over a very small region, this was the third instance in less than two years when extreme rain in the city was caused by an interaction of two or more weather systems. Worryingly, experts and climate models suggest these types of events are likely to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change.

“Between 5am to 6am, Safdarjung recorded nearly 100mm of rain. It was a cloudburst phenomenon with the maximum rain concentrated around the Safdarjung station,” IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told TOI.

The normal rainfall for the month of June at Safdarjung is 80.6mm. In a single hour, the month’s normal was exceeded by 25%. The day’s rainfall, at 228.5mm, was nearly four times the June normal.

So, what caused such extreme rainfall, the highest single-day spell at Safdarjung since 1996 and the highest in June since 1936? “At that time, two cir- culations, one over Haryana and another over south RajasthanGujarat, were bringing some moisture from the Arabian Sea. At the same time, there was a low-pressure system over Bay of Bengal near the Odisha coast that was energising the southwest monsoon and pushing these winds towards northwest India. The circulations in the north also attracted the monsoon towards the region, leading to its swift movement towards Delhi-NCR,” Mohapatra said.

He said the final piece in the mix was a high-pressure system in the upper layers of atmo- sphere over Delhi that caused convergence of winds in the lower layers, leading to perfect conditions for intense thunderstorms. “It was a multiple-scale interaction which caused extreme rainfall over a very narrow region. In technical terms, it was a mesoscale convection system,” the IMD chief said.

While Friday’s conditions differed significantly from previous instances, it was nonetheless the third multi-system convergence causing heavy rain in the capital in less than two years. The previous instances were in July last year and Oct 2022.

These weather interactions have become a prime cause of extreme rainfall in north India in recent years, including the catastrophic Kedarnath deluge of 2013. And climate change could be adding to their destructive potential. “We can be fairly certain that these interactions, when they do happen, will be increasingly linked with extreme rainfall and flooding,” said meteorologist Kieran Hunt from the UK’s University of Reading, who has been researching on two-system interactions over India.

Dual problem: Atishi visits Minto Bridge, water plant

RAIN DEATHS: Govt Announces `10L For Kin

GOVT SAYS Due to heavy rain, the pumps deployed at the Minto Bridge underpass took time to drain out the water. There was a problem of waterlogging here for a few hours

With Chandrawal plant flooded due to heavy rain on Friday morning, water supply to large parts of central Delhi has been severely affected. Residents of Motiakhan came out on the roads to protest on Sunday

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Water and Public Works Department (PWD) minister Atishi visited the Chandrawal water treatment plant and the Minto Bridge pump house on Sunday after the recent heavy rain.

Since Friday's heavy rain, a section of the Chandrawal water pump has suffered damage, leading to a reduction in drinking water production in several parts of central and north Delhi. The Minto Bridge underpass was once again heavily flooded, and the area was closed to traffic.

Delhi govt also announced that it will provide Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the families of those who drowned due to heavy rain in the city. Minister Atishi said it has been reported that there were "several deaths" from drowning on June 28. “It is hereby directed that the families of all those who lost their lives shall be provided a compensation of Rs 10 lakh,” she said in an order.

During her visit to Chandrawal, the minister directed officials that all departments concerned, including Delhi Jal Board and the urban development department, should do a joint inspection of the plant and prepare a plan on that basis so that such problems do not arise in any plant in the future.

This is, however, not the first time that the water plant has faced the same problem.

Later in the day, accompanied by senior officials, Atishi visited the Minto Road pump house of PWD and instructed officials to further increase the capacity of the pump house and use new technologies to prevent waterlogging.

Govt said that on normal days during monsoon, Delhi receives 20-25 mm of rainfall. But this year, 228 mm of rainfall happened in just 24 hours, which is 25& of the total rainfall during monsoon in Delhi.

In such a situation, due to this unexpected rain, the problem of waterlogging in the underpass has come to the fore.

In 2022, the PWD built an additional drainage line here, and even automatic pumps were deployed along with an emergency alarm system, due to which there was no waterlogging in 2022, but these measures failed recently. “Due to heavy rain, the pumps deployed at the Minto Bridge underpass took time to drain out the water. There was a problem of waterlogging here for a few hours,” said the govt. Even last year, during floods, the same problem occurred at this plant, and water supply was affected for several days.

Areas including Karol Bagh, Jhandewalan, and Paharganj have been severely affected. Residents of DDA Colony Rani Jhansi Complex and Motiakhan came out on the roads to protest as water pipelines have been dry for the last three days, residents said. “It is very difficult for us to manage household chores without water. Schools are going to open tomorrow, and things will get worse if the water supply does not resume. Thousands of people are living without DJB water supply, as a few tankers cannot meet the water demand of these areas,” said Tapasi Mohanty, a resident of Motiakhan.

The Pragati Maidan tunnel, which was flooded due to heavy rains, was opened for traffic on the evening of Sunday, said PWD officials.

Unbearable! This May was seventh hottest since 1951

There were as many as nine heatwave days at Safdarjung in June and five in May, another number that hasn’t been surpassed in recent times

Amit.Bhattacharya@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: While several heat records were surpassed in Delhi in June, what made this summer that much more unbearable was the extremely long spell of high heat. The average maximum temperature this year in the MayJune period, corresponding with peak summer in the city, was as much as 0.5 degree C higher than the previous hottest corresponding period recorded in 2012. This year’s average maximum was 41.7 degrees C as compared with 41.2 degrees C in 2012.

To put these temperatures in perspective, the mean maximum temperature in MayJune has touched (or crossed) the 41-degree mark only four times in the last 74 years at Safdarjung. The other two years being 1995 and 2010.

May 2024 itself was the seventh hottest since 1951 with an average maximum of 41.4 degrees C. This was the first time during the analysed period that the average maximum in both May and June was above 41 degrees C. The period saw a 40-day spell of consecutive 40-degrees-plus daily temperatures, an unprecedented event. There were as many as nine heat- wave days at Safdarjung in June and five in May, another number that hasn’t been surpassed in recent times.

The extreme heat in the last two months meant that the entire summer in the capital — April-May-June — was the third hottest on record since 1951. The three-month average this year was 40.1 degrees C, surpassed only by 2010 (40.8) and 2022 (40.2). These are the only years when the April-June mean maximum has crossed 40 degrees.

Heat wasn’t the only type of extreme weather suffered by Delhiites this season. The torrential rain on Friday morning (June 28) was a 28-year high for a single day and highest in 88 years for the month of June.

At least 187 people in Delhi have lost their lives to extreme weather this season, with TOI recording a minimum of 176 heat-related deaths.

How Lifting Weights Can Be A Boost For Your Later Years

Can Help Preserve Muscle Strength, Mobility, Says Study

Anuja.Jaiswal@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Lifting heavy weights on a regular basis — about three times per week — when nearing retirement age can significantly maintain the strength in your legs well into your later years, according to research recently published in the journal BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.

The study, conducted on a group of healthy older adults in the 64-75 age bracket, concluded that “one year of heavy resistance training may induce long-lasting beneficial effects by preserving muscle function” in this population. Additionally, improvements in leg strength were observed even with reduced lean mass. The response to resistance training is affected by neural adaptations.

Doctors across the city said the study highlights the importance of heavy resistance training in preserving leg strength, which is crucial for mobility and independence in older adults.

“Heavy resistance training is particularly beneficial for older adults as it helps maintain muscle mass, bone density and mobility. It doesn’t necessarily mean lifting extremely heavy, but rather using weights that challenge the individual’s strength and muscle function,” said Dr Yash Gulati, senior consultant, orthopaedics, joint replacement and spine surgery, Apollo Hospital.

Dr Jayant Arora, senior director, orthopaedics, Fortis Gurgaon, said as individuals age, they experience a condition known as sarcopenia — a decline in muscle mass, particularly in the lower limbs. This significantly impacts their mobility, alters their gait and walking speed and consequently elevates the risk of falls. Emphasising the importance of preserving muscle strength as people age, Dr Arora said implementing strategies to mitigate the ef- fects of sarcopenia can contribute to improved physical function and quality of life in older adults.

According to Dr Gulati, “The primary benefit of heavy resistance training in maintaining leg strength is that it stimulates muscle growth and strengthens the bones. By stressing the muscles and bones, the body responds by increasing protein network formation and depositing additional minerals, resulting in stronger and more resilient leg muscles and bones.”

Emphasising the importance of tailoring heavy resistance training to a person’s specific characteristics, including body weight, strength level and overall fitness, Dr Rahul Kumar, senior consultant at Joint Replacement and Sports Injury Centre, Paras Health, Gurgaon, said, “The amount of weight used should be enough to fatigue the muscles within 6-12 repetitions while maintai- ning proper form.”

For those new to such training, Dr Kumar advised starting with lighter weights and progressively increasing the load as strength and confidence improve. He also stressed the significance of seeking guidance from a fitness professional to determine suitable weights and ensure proper technique, which is essential for preventing injuries and achieving the best possible results.

Before starting any new exercise programme, it is crucial to consider one’s health status too. According to Dr Biplab Das, director and senior consultant, neurology, Narayana Hospital, “Individuals with severe osteoporosis, uncontrolled hypertension, certain cardiovascular conditions or joint problems should exercise caution.”

For those with pre-existing medical conditions, it is highly recommended to undergo a thorough assessment prior to engaging in heavy resistance training or any other form of exercise. This evaluation helps determine the most appropriate and safe exercise plan tailored to individual needs and limitations.

Dr Hitesh Bhandari, orthopaedics consultant, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, pointed out that men generally possess more muscle mass and strength, enabling them to lift heavier weights at the beginning of their training. However, he said, “Women can achieve similar relative strength gains with resistance training. Despite the potential difference in the absolute weights used by men and women, the fundamental principles of resistance training remain the same for both genders.”

Technical study of T1 likely to be completed in a month: Official

New Delhi: The detailed technical study of the Delhi airport's now shut Terminal 1 (T1) is expected to be completed in a month and depending on the findings, the decision will be taken on recommencing operations at the terminal, a govt official told PTI said on Sunday.

All flights from T1 have been shifted to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, and all of them were being operated, officials said.

On June 28, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of T1 partially collapsed amid heavy rains resulting in the death of a person and causing injuries to at le- ast six people. Following the incident, the civil aviation ministry said structural engineers from IIT Delhi have been asked to immediately assess the partial collapse of the canopy.

The official said the technical study of T1 is expected to take about a month. After the findings come in, a decision will be taken about recommencing operations at T1, the official added.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by a GMR Groupled consortium DIAL has three terminals — T1, T2 and T3 — and handles aro- und 1,400 flight movements daily.

T1 was used for domestic flight operations by IndiGo and SpiceJet.

From T1, officials said, 72 flights of IndiGo have been shifted to T2 and T3, and 17 flights to T3, adding that all the flights are operational.

“All SpiceJet flights to/from Delhi from 1st till 7th Jul'24 will operate from Terminal 3, Delhi Airport. Necessary information has been communicated to all the passengers on their registered contact details (SMS/Email),” the airline said in a post on X.

PTI

6-year-old dies as portion of terrace collapses in NE Delhi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: A six-year-old boy died after a portion of the terrace of his house in northeast Delhi's Pratap Nagar collapsed on Sunday, causing him to fall.

After receiving a PCR call about the incident around 5pm, a police team rushed to the spot, a police officer said.

The child was reportedly playing on the terrace when the incident occurred. The family, residing in the building as tenants for the past six months, had rushed the boy to GTB Hospital where he was declared brought dead, the officer said.

Santosh, the boy's father, works as a labourer in a factory located on Sewadham Road.

According to police, the collapsed section of the terrace measured about 50 square yards. The building itself is old and there were no ongoing construction activities at the time of the incident.

The house owner, Ramji Lal, who lives on the ground floor of the building, is currently absconding, the officer said, adding that a case has been registered against the owner and further investigation were ongoing.

Delhi Metro targets opening of 3 Phase-IV priority corridors by 2026

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: To open all three priority corridors by 2026, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is progressing rapidly with its Phase-IV expansion work. At present, over 50% progress has already been achieved on these corridors comprising 65 kilometres of new lines.

On the Majlis Park–Maujpur section, about 80% of civil work has already been completed. Tunnelling works are in progress on various stretches of the Aerocity– Tughlakabad (Golden Line) and the Janakpuri West–Ramakrishna Ashram Marg (Magenta Line) corridors.

Despite the adverse situation due to Covid and delay in various permissions, Phase- IV section from Janakpuri West to Krishna Park Extension is almost complete and is likely to be opened by this Aug.

“The Majlis Park–Maujpur corridor is also likely to be opened during the next year. The rest of the sections of the priority corridors are expected to be opened in a phased manner by 2026. However, certain permissions for tree cutting and acquisition of land pockets at isolated locations are still awaiting approval,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, DMRC.

Though work on the Phase-IV of expansion started in Dec 2019, immediately after the finalization of tenders, progress of work was significantly impacted for almost three years from 2020 on- wards due to the Covid pandemic and delays in getting tree-cutting permissions. “DMRC has been working continuously on the Phase-IV project practically since the last one and a half-two years only, which gives the organisation just about four years’ time to complete the entire work by the year 2026,” said Dayal.

Out of Phase-IV’s 65 kilometres, 28 kilometres will be underground, and the rest will be elevated. Of the total 45 stations in these three corridors. 11 new interchange stations will also come up as part of this new expansion. The upcoming interchange stations are Janakpuri West, Peeragarhi, Pitampura, Haiderpur Badli Mor, Majlis Park, Azadpur, Pulbangash, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Delhi Aerocity, Chhatarpur and Tughlakabad.

“The project is being monitored at various levels on a day-to-day basis. Site visits are also taken up at the highest level to expedite the work. Tree cutting permissions are being pursued at appropriate levels,” said Dayal.

Two more corridors under Phase 4, Inderlok–Indraprastha and Saket G Block–Lajpat Nagar have also received approval recently. DMRC at present is processing for statutory clearances including land acquisition from the concerned authorities. Forest and tree cutting permissions are also being taken up at the appropriate levels. Further processes regarding the planning and tendering for civil works are in progress.

Mayor takes stock of cleaning ops in waterlogged areas

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Sunday visited a few waterlogged spots and took stock of the cleaning work being carried out by Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Inspecting Barapullah drain and the area around it, which was waterlogged during the record-breaking rainfall, Oberoi said that permanent pumps installed in the area were completely submerged in water, necessitating the installation of temporary pumps. Super sucker machines have also been deployed to resolve the issue.

The mayor, during an inspection at Kishanganj railway underbridge, noted significant waterlogging and said that six pumps have been installed, with plans to deploy two additional 83 HP pumps soon. She also assured residents that there will be no further waterlogging in the area.

Mayor Oberoi directed the immediate repair of the bent iron barrier at the underbridge and overnight repair of the broken drain. Announcing the formation of a quick action team to swiftly address waterlogging issues, she urged residents to register their complaints with the control room. “All MCD councillors and officers would be available 24 hours,” she added.

Oberoi also visited parts of Safdarjung Enclave which had experienced severe waterlogging and flooding of residents’ homes. She identified an open drain in the area as the cause of waterlogging and instructed officials to cover the drain as soon as possible.

Waste-to-charcoal plants in Gurgaon and Fbd soon

After setting up the plants in Gurgaon-Manesar and Faridabad areas, this initiative will be expanded to other cities in Haryana. NVVNL officers will soon visit a few sites for establishing green coal plants

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chandigarh: Aiming to rid itself of pollution arising out of landfills, Haryana will soon get waste-to-charcoal plants — also known as green coal plants — in the National Capital Region areas, officials said on Sunday.

An MoU will be signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL) and the Haryana govt.

After setting up the plants in Gurgaon-Manesar and Faridabad areas, this initiative will be expanded to other cities in Haryana. NVVNL officers will soon visit a few sites for establishing green coal plants.

The project will give relief to Haryana from the controversies over the pollution caused by landfills in Gurgaon and Faridabad. The issues are under the scanner of National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had even given deadlines to state in addition to slapping penalties.

Union power, urban development and housing minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during a meeting with officials from the concerned departments in the Union govt and the state on Friday evening, instructed that the municipal corporation, in collaboration with NVVNL, should set up a green coal plant at Bandhwari or alternative sites around Gurgaon and Manesar.

He stated that this plant should be capable of consuming around 1,200 tonnes of solid waste daily.

Similarly, the Faridabad civic body, he said, should start the process with NVVNL to set up a plant with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day on the available land in Mothuka village.

Establishing waste-to-green coal plants in Gurgaon-Manesar and Faridabad will not only provide a permanent solution to the waste problem but also increase energy production.

The meeting was held at Shram Shakti Bhawan in New Delhi.

The Union minister, it is learned, is “committed” towards reducing the problem of the increasing quantity of municipal solid waste and using it beneficially for renewable energy production.

During the meeting on waste-to-en- ergy, detailed discussions were held on NVVNL's initiative to produce green coal from solid waste.

TIMES Special

As A New Era Begins, Here’s Why You May Find It Easier To Approach Police

You Can Now File FIR Online From Delhi Police’s Portal, Report Crime From Outside City Through Zero FIR

Rajshekhar.jha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Starting today, people in Delhi may find approaching the police easier. With the new laws being rolled out from July 1, not only can they file an FIR online from Delhi Police's portal, but can also report a crime from outside the city through a zero FIR. Not just that, the people can also expect police to be fairer with audio and video recording of procedures, such as search and seizures, and even questioning having been made mandatory.

The new laws also have deadlines prescribed for following of procedures so that the police are accountable and people are not left to wait endlessly.

With Delhi Police directly reporting to ministry of home affairs unlike states, the city cops are under greater pressure for a glitch-free implementation of the new laws. Union home minister Amit Shah is learnt to have given clear instructions to LG Vinay Kumar Saxena and police commissioner Sanjay Arora for ensuring a smooth rollout. Shah has also asked the top cop to give directions to the supervisory officers to have zero tolerance for any deviation from the prescribed norms laid down in the new laws, sources said.

With around 40,000 cops having completed their extensive training in BNS (Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita) and BNSS (Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita) -which have replaced IPC and CrPC -Delhi Police seems confident of rolling out the new laws.

"Till June 24, as many as 36,716 cops had been trained. We have now made subsidiary training units, which will train cops at the district level. This exercise will go on till every single cop has been trained in the new laws," said a senior officer. In the first two phases, around 21,000 cops re- ceived the training and over 17,000 have been trained in the third phase, which is ongoing.

In the coming months, Delhi Police may also consider procuring tablets for its investigating officers to fulfil the requirements laid out in BNS, it was discussed at a recent meeting with police brass. The tablets will have police's app, e-praman, installed on them and will be connected to CCTNS (crime and criminal tracking network and system) in order to file e-FIRs and chargesheets online.

This will allow them to make videos of the crime scene and take pictures with GPS and time-tagging.

"There is emphasis on ensuring that the evidence collected is authentic and that the investigating officer is present at the crime scene. The hash value of this digital evidence will be preserved to rule out any tampering and ensuring unaltered evidence reaches the court," a senior cop said.

The app and the tablet will help cops upload the videos directly to the crime and criminal tracking and network system. The sanctity of digital evidence is the top priority for cops and the plan is to use a cloud-based service besides the regular storage to save their crime scene videos, photographs and audio files, officials said.

In the new app, the cops are heavily relying upon the “hash values” to establish that there has been no tampering with the digital evidence. “If the hash value changes, it would mean there has been some modification or tampering. All changes will be recorded,” said an official. The cloud service will also ensure that there is a backup of case files and evidence.

Four special commissioners -Ravindra Yadav, Chhaya Sharma, Madhup Tiwari and Shalini Singh -have spearheaded the project since Jan. Around 4,000 dummy FIRs have been registered at 200 police stations in the city in the last few weeks and the policemen have carried out equal number of mock arrests and seizures under BNS and BNSS. The policemen have also filmed over 1,200 dummy crime scenes during this exercise, sources said.

The policemen have been training in the new laws since Jan this year. Special CP Chhaya Sharma was handpicked for the job. "We started off by training around 5,500 frontline personnel in the first lot. Handbooks and pocket guides were prepared and a comprehensive training programme was initiated. The objective was to keep it simple," Sharma said.

But training such a huge force was not a cakewalk. "It was a challenging task because the investigating officers and other personnel had to first unlearn the old laws and then be thorough with the new laws," said a senior officer.

Students at DU’s management school allege harassment

New Delhi: Several first-year students at the Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) of Delhi University have filed complaints against their seniors alleging harassment by them, prompting the institute administration to launch an investigation into the matter.

FMS dean Venkat Raman said the matter is currently being investigated and action will be taken if the allegations are found to be true.

According to a complaint sent to the grievance redressal cell of the institute, students have alleged they were assigned tasks with “odd deadlines” like 2.30 am and called for interactions at “odd hours” at 5 am on campus failing which they were forced to sign off their summer placement support.

The placement cell of the FMS is run by seniors.

Two emails, one dated June 22 and the other June 23, show students were given assignments at late night at 10 pm and were asked to submit by “2.29.59 am”.

In a complaint to the grievance redressal cell, a student anonymously alleged, “Since June 15, we have been overworked, sleep deprived, subjected to threats and made to feel incompetent. As if the extreme pressure was not enough, the seniors mark our words with nasty feedback that we feel is intended to demoralise and humiliate us.”

A student suffered a “panic attack and fell unconscious” on the campus due to this behaviour, another email reporting the incident alleged.

Asked about the allegations, FMS dean Raman said these MBA students are given case studies for corporate exposure.

“Such tasks are given by seniors to help them prepare better for placement. If a task was given at 2.30 am, then you must see that the seniors were also awake till then to assess the assignments,” Raman said.

They are basically helping each other, he said.

However, in the process if anything wrong was said, necessary action will be taken, the dean said. “We have an anti-ragging committee in place, if anyone feels they were subjected to an objectionable behaviour, the committee can be reached out.”

PTI

Guard dies after wooden log falls on him from tower

Advitya.Bahl@timesgroup.com

Noida: A 50-year-old guard at a housing society in Bisrakh died after a wooden plank fell on him from a tower being constructed on the premises on Sunday morning.

Ram Lakhan, who was from Farrukhabad, was filling his water bottle from the cooler after finishing his night shift around 8.30am when the plank of wood fell on him. Police suspect it fell from the 20 or 22nd floor of La Residentia, moved by gusty winds.

Lakhan, who had been working at the society for the past two months and a half, stayed in one of the under construction towers.

“He had just finished his duty and was filling water from the cooler when the wooden plank fell on him.

Other guards rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he died during treatment,” said Arvind Kumar, the SHO of Bisrakh police station.

Omveer Singh, president of the La Residentia AOA, said the society’s residents would extend all possible help to the family. “We already helped his wife and other family members with the legal procedure,” he said.

‘Misuse of agencies’: Opposition bloc plans protest at Parliament

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Alleging that Centre’s investigative agencies were misleading Supreme Court, AAP MP Sanjay Singhsaid the Opposition INDIA bloc would protest against it on Parliament premises on Monday.

The AAP functionary said that at a meeting held at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s house on Saturday, the parties associated with INDIA bloc had unanimously decided to stage the protest in Parliament at 10.30 am.

He said that despite the trial court granting bail to CM Arvind Kejriwal, Enforcement Directorate immediately sought high court's intervention and secured a stay on his release. “When CM Arvind Kejriwal seemed set to receive bail from Supreme Court, Modi govt got him arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation,” he said. Singh said this was “a blatant misuse of investigating agencies, and both ED and CBI lacked evidence against Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia”.

Addressing a press conference at party headquarters on Sunday, Singh claimed that the country’s investigative agencies had become “political weapons of the central govt”. He said: “When Manish Sisodia’s bail was being heard in Supreme Court, the court told ED that the investigation has been going on for one-and-a-half years, questioning how long will they keep a person in jail. There cannot be an endless investigation, SC had said.” He added: “Then, ED told Supreme Court that they would finish the trial in 6-8 months. Six months have passed, Manish Sisodia is still in jail. ED’s chargesheet has not been filed yet. The trial is far from starting,” he said.

Hitting back, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the political desperation of AAP functionaries was increasing daily. “Whether it is AAP MPs, Delhi govt ministers, or MLAs and councillors, they are not concerned with public interest work but are worried only about CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is embroiled in corruption charges,” he alleged. Sachdeva asked if Kejriwal and other AAP functionaries in jail were innocent, why didn’t they get bail from any regular court. He claimed that Kejriwal government was “completely immersed” in corruption, and the cases that had surfaced were just “trailers”. Sachdeva added: “When the investigation into Delhi Jal Board and espionage scandal begins, the entire picture will be revealed.”

HC may pass order on pleas of Kavitha today

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Delhi High Court is expected to pronounce on Monday its decision on the bail petitions of BRS functionary K Kavitha in the corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, who had reserved the order on two bail petitions on May 28, is scheduled to pass the verdict at 2.30 pm.

Kavitha has challenged the trial court's May 6 order by which her bail applica- tions in the Central Bureau of Investigation's corruption case and the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering case were dismissed.

Her lawyer submitted that out of 50 accused in the excise case, she is the lone woman, and urged the court to consider granting her bail as law keeps women on a different pedestal. The CBI and ED had opposed Kavitha’s bail pleas, saying she was highly influential and powerful enough to influence witnesses, as one of the witnesses has even stated that he was threatened by her.

Bawana-Bhau ‘split’? Cops probe Insta post

New Delhi: Delhi Police special cell is looking into an Instagram post purportedly by gangster Neeraj Bawana’s claiming a split with his associate Himanshu Bhau, a US-based gangster. Bawana, who is lodged in Tihar, has claimed that he had no ties with Bhau and shouldn’t be held liable for the killing carried out by Bhau gang. Cops suspect that it may be a gimmick. TNN

Flats Too Small? FIR Against Realtor After Noida Buyers Approach EOW

‘BREACH OF TRUST’: Homebuyers Allege They Have Been Cheated Of `190cr

Aditya.Dev@timesgroup.com

Noida: The economic offences wing of Delhi Police has registered an FIR against the owners and senior management of Prateek Group after a group of 20 homebuyers accused the Noida-based realtor of cheating them.

The FIR – which followed a complaint by the 20 buyers of Prateek Edifice in Sector 107 – named the owners Prashant and Prateek Tiwari, and senior managers Sunil Kumar Mittal and Anshuman Sharma. According to the police document, the developers orchestrated a fraud of more than Rs 190 crore.

The complainants alleged that the 423 flats that were sold in Edifice were 10-12% smaller in size than what they had been charged for.

“The flats delivered to us were significantly smaller in size than what was promised to us. An architect was appointed to carry out a survey after we approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commis- sion (NCDRC) against the developer. They did not just give us smaller flats, but also carried out construction beyond the sanctioned plan without taking any consent from us,” said Rajeev Goyal, a complainant.

Prateek Group was also accused of collecting Rs 12.8 crore as one-time lease rent from flat owners when the amount payable to Noida Authority was Rs 6.4 crore. According to the buyers, the developer did not even pay the amount to the Authority.

“Eventually, we were handed possession after NCDRC asked the developer to hand over flats within three weeks. Many facilities and amenities that were promised to us were not delivered,” Goyal added.

A spokesperson for Prateek Group said the developer had not received any official communication from police so far. “The flat owners who lodged the complaint have already been given possession of flats. Further action will be taken once we get all the information,” the spokesperson added.

Delhi PUC centres to remain open after Gahlot’s assurances to pump owners

Abhinav.Rajput@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification centres in Delhi will remain operational on Monday as petrol pump owners have postponed their strike following assurances from the transport minister that their request for an increase in rates is under consideration by the department.

Earlier, petrol pump associations in Delhi threatened to close down PUC certification centres from July 1, citing unresolved financial difficulties.

Transport minister Kailash Gahlotsaid on Sunday, "We had held meetings with petrol pump dealers earlier. Officials also held talks with them on Sunday. We are looking at their demands. They have agreed to defer the strike."

Nischal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, said, “On the assurance of the mini- ster of transport, Delhi govt, that rates of PUC would be hiked in the next few days, DPDA has deferred the strike call till July 11."

There are around 650 PUC centres at various petrol and diesel stations across Delhi.

With nearly 80 lakh registered vehicles in the city, the closure of PUC centres could lead to severe consequences, such as increased vehicular pollution. Vehicles operating without a valid PUC certificate face a substantial fine of Rs 10,000.

A senior Delhi government official mentioned that pollution test rates were last raised in 2011, while fines for vehicles caught without a PUC certificate have increased significantly.

Currently, the charges for pollution tests are Rs 60 for petrol and CNG-driven two-wheelers and three-wheelers, Rs 80 for petrol-powered vehicles, and Rs 100 for diesel-powered four-whee- lers. An additional 18% GST is charged separately. Last year, 50 lakh pollution test certificates were issued in Delhi.

As per the Motor Vehicle Act, vehicle owners caught without a valid PUCC can face imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to Rs 10,000, or both. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 mandate that every motor vehicle, including those conforming to BSI/II/III/IV and those running on CNG/ LPG, must carry a valid PUC certificate one year after the date of registration. However, the validity is one year for four-wheeler BS-IV-compliant vehicles and three months for others.

"We have also received requests from people running the pollution test centres, who said it had become difficult to meet expenses as they had to pay huge rents," the official added.

In Delhi, the PUC certification process is carried out in real-time and is integrated with the vehicle registration database.

Two get life term for Delhi woman’s gang rape in Aligarh

Deepak.Lavania@timesgroup.com

Agra: A fast-track court in Aligarh has sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the 2022 gang rape and robbery of a woman who lived with her husband in Mayur Vihar in Delhi. The trial of a third accused, a juvenile, continues separately. The assault unfolded when the survivor, travelling to her in-laws' home, was assaulted in a moving auto by the driver and two of his friends, who later dumped her near a canal.

In her statement to the police, the woman recounted that she had left Delhi by bus at 5 pm and reached Aligarh around 10 pm. She took an auto from the bus stand to go to her village. The auto driver allowed two other passengers to board the auto and took the wrong route. When the woman protested, the driver said he was going to drop one of his friends, one of the two co-passengers, in a village nearby.

While she was talking to her husband on the phone, the accused stopped the auto, strangled her, and snatched her jewellery and purse containing Rs 20,000. Later, the two co-passengers gang-raped her in the moving auto before the driver stopped the vehicle to rape her, while her husband continued to be on the phone call.

The accused fled after dumping her near a canal. Labourers at a nearby brick kiln heard the woman’s screams for help and called the police. An FIR was registered against three unknown men under IPC sections 376-D (gang rape) and 392 (robbery).

During the investigation, police reviewed footage from over 100 CCTV cameras near the bus stand and the crime scene. They identified the auto with “GURU” written on it and the three accused men. Yusuf alias Rehan, 30, was arrested on April 16, and Azad, 27, and the juvenile were arrested the next day. Jewellery, cash, and other stolen items were recovered from them.

Additional district govt counsel (Aligarh), Krishna Murari Johri, said, “The stolen items found with the convicts, DNA report, forensic lab findings, the testimony of witnesses, the statement of the victim in court and the fact that the husband of the victim was on call at the time of the incident played a crucial role in establishing the case against the three.”

He added, “The court of additional district judge (fast-track court) Anju Rajput sentenced the two convicts to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on them on Saturday. The third accused is a juvenile offender, and his trial is continuing in another court.”

Five held for armed robbery

New Delhi: Five gangsters have been arrested for allegedly robbing a restaurant worker of Rs. 65,000 at gunpoint in the Welcome area in the city, police said on Sunday.

They said all five have criminal history and have previously been involved in robbery, murder, attempt to murder and Arms Act cases. Police identified them as Rinku (39), Sunny (27), Sachin (23), Shivam (25) and Himanshu (24).

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Amit Goel said an incident of armed robbery at the Nazeer Restaurant in Delhi's Babarpur area was reported on June 11.

“Two people reportedly robbed Rs. 65,000 in cash and three mobile phones at gunpoint from the cashier and a waiter of the restaurant in Babarpur,” he said. The Crime Branch has launched an investigation. PTI

Times Global

- Sunak rejects poll doomsayers, says Tory win in July 4 polls still possible

- ‘Far-right seen winning 34% of vote in round 1 of France polls’

- Bibi vows to fight on amid report of tweaks in truce plan

- Iran warns of ‘obliterating war’ if Israel starts offensive in Lebanon

- Biden’s poor show at prez debate raises alarm in Israel

- Fast and furious: Russia using bikes to stir chaos in Ukraine

- Video shows NY officer fatally shooting boy, 13, on ground. Police say he pointed a replica gun

- Top Dems rule out replacing Biden

- AROUND THE WORLD

- Jill Biden’s dress makes a post-debate statement

- Iran election shows declining voter support amid calls for change

Sunak rejects poll doomsayers, says Tory win in July 4 polls still possible

PM Rishi Sunak, wife Akshata Murty visit BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London on Saturday

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak insisted the Conservatives can still win Thursday’s UK election despite multiple polls pointing to a commanding victory by the opposition Labour Party. Speaking to BBC, he reiterated his defence of the Tories’ 14-year governance, and said country is do- ing better now than when his party came into office in 2010.

When asked if he would still be PM after the vote, Sunak said, “Yes, I’m fighting very hard and I think people are waking up to the real danger of what a Labour govt means.” Polls show Labour heading for a landslide victory and Keir Starmer on track to become PM, while support for Tories continued to fall to new lows. BLOOMBERG

‘Far-right seen winning 34% of vote in round 1 of France polls’

Exit Polls: Macron’s Alliance 3rd With 20.5%-23% Of Vote, Behind Left Bloc’s 29%; Prez Urges Voters To Stop RN In Round 2; Le Pen Calls For An ‘Absolute Majority’

Emmanuel Macron takes a selfie with supporters in Paris on Sunday

Paris: Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party emerged ahead in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, exit polls showed, but the unpredictable final result will depend on days of horsetrading before next week’s run-off.

The RN was seen winning around 34% of the vote, exit polls from Ipsos, Ifop, Opinion Way and Elabe showed. That was ahead of leftist and centrist rivals, including Prez Emmanuel Macron’s Together alliance, whose bloc was seen winning 20.5%-23%. The New Popular Front, a hastily assembled left-wing coalition, was projected to win around 29% of the vote, the exit polls showed.

Macron, who called the surprise elections just three weeks ago, urged voters to rally against the far right in the second round of balloting. Le Pen called on voters to give the National Rally an “absolute majority” at parliament. She said a National Rally majority would enable the far-right to form a new govt with party president Jordan Bardella as prime minister in order to work on France’s “recovery”. The 28-year-old Bardella has said he would oppose sending French troops to Ukraine — a possibility Macron hasn’t ruled out — and refuse French deliveries of long-range missiles and other weaponry capable of striking targets within Russia.

The exit polls were in line with opinion polls ahead of the election, but provided little clarity on whether once next Sunday’s second round is concluded the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic RN will be able to form a govt to “cohabit” with the pro-EU Macron. A week of political bargaining now lies ahead of the July 7 run-off. The final result will depend on how parties decide to join forces in each of France’s 577 constituencies for the second round. In the past, France’s centre-right and centre-left parties have teamed up to keep the RN from taking office, but that dynamic, called the “republican front” in France, is less certain than ever.

Participation in Sunday’s vote was high, underlining how France’s political crisis has energised the electorate. By 1500 GMT, turnout was nearly 60%, compared with 39.4% two years ago — the highest comparable turnout figures since the 1986 legislative vote.

A longtime pariah, the RN is now closer to come to office than it has ever been. Le Pen has sought to detoxify a party known for racism and antisemitism, a tactic that has worked amid voter anger at Macron. Many voters are frustrated about inflation and other economic concerns, as well as Macron’s leadership, seen as arrogant and out-of-touch with their lives. Le Pen’s anti-immigration party has tapped that discontent, notably via online platforms like TikTok.

The new left coalition, the New Popular Front, also poses a challenge to the pro-business Macron and his centrist alliance. It includes the French Socialists and Communists, the greens and the hard-left France Unbowed party and vows to reverse an unpopular pension reform law that raised the retirement age to 64, among other economic reforms. REUTERS & AP

‘Make Europe Great Again’: Orban forms new EU alliance with Austria’s far-right & Czech’s centrists

Hungary’s nationalist PM Viktor Orban on Sunday announced the formation of a new EU parliamentary alliance with Austria’s far-right party and the Czech centrist group of ex-premier Andrej Babis. Orban — whose country takes on the EU’s rotating presidency on Monday — has long railed against the “Brussels elites”, most recently accusing Brussels of fuelling the war in Ukraine. Hungary has vowed to use its EU presidency to push for its “vision of Europe” under the motto “Make Europe Great Again” — echoing the rallying cry of Orban ally former US president Donald Trump. “A new era begins here, and the first, perhaps decisive moment of this new era is the creation of a new European political faction that will change European politics,” Orban told reporters in Vienna at a joint press conference with Austria’s Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl and Czech ANO party leader Babis. The new alliance, “Patriots for Europe”, will need support from parties from at least four other countries to be recognised as a group in the EU parliament.

REUTERS

Bibi vows to fight on amid report of tweaks in truce plan

Israel is committed to fighting Hamas until the militant group is eliminated and all the other goals of the war are achieved, PM Netanyahu said Sunday. He spoke after an Axios report said that the Biden govt has circulated amended language for some elements of its proposed deal on hostage releases and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Citing sources, Axios said the US is working with Qatari and Egyptian mediators to make changes to what would up for discussion in the first stage of a proposed three-stage peace deal, in a bid to get both Israel and Hamas on board. Israel’s goals continue to include freeing the remaining hostages in Gaza and ensuring the area never constitutes a threat to Israel again, Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting. BLOOMBERG

Iran warns of ‘obliterating war’ if Israel starts offensive in Lebanon

Locals walk past houses destroyed in Israeli fire in Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab near Israel’s border

Iran has threatened an “obliterating war” if Israel launches a full-scale attack in Lebanon, as diplomats work to prevent tensions between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran, from escalating into an all-out conflict.

In a post on X, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said “all options”, including the involvement of Iran-backed armed groups across West Asia, “are on the table”. Chief among those groups is Hezbollah, a powerful militia in Lebanon. At the same time, Iran dismissed warnings that Israel could invade Lebanon as “psychological warfare”.

Enemies for decades, Israel and Hezbollah have frequently exchanged fire along Israel’s northern border. Since Gaza war began last Oct, the cross-border strikes have intensified. Israeli officials have warned for months that Israel might invade Lebanon if Hezbollah did not pull its forces back from the border area. Hezbollah has also threatened to launch an incursion into Israel.

US, Europe warn Hezbollah to ease strikes on Israel

US and European officials are delivering warnings to Hezbollah, which is far stronger than Hamas but seen as overconfident, about taking on the military might of Israel. They are warning the group should not count on the US or anyone else being able to hold off Israel if it decides to launch an offensive into Lebanon.

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths used the word “apocalyptic” to describe a war that could result. Hezbollah holds an estimated arsenal of some 150,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel. Israel, meanwhile, has pledged to unleash Gaza-like scenes of devastation on Lebanon. NYT & REUTERS

Biden’s poor show at prez debate raises alarm in Israel

Prez Joe Biden with wife Jill greet supporters at a campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday

Israelis expressed growing concern on Sunday that US Prez Biden’s shaky debate performance could spur on the country’s foes at what many view as a critical time for American leadership in the region. Israeli commentators from across the political spectrum warned that Iran and its proxies could try to exploit Biden’s apparent weakness as Israel fights Hamas in Gaza and weighs the prospect of an all-out conflict with the Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Several of Israel’s newspapers featured the debate on their front pages. Analysts for Israel Hayom, a right-wing free paper, and the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper differed sharply in tone but both raised the specter of enemies of Israel and the US testing the administration’s resolve. “Will Hezbollah and Iran assess that Biden is too busy now to back Israel in case all out war breaks out in Lebanon” Amos Harel, Haaretz’s analyst, wrote. During the debate, Trump accused Biden of not wanting Israel to “finish the job” in Gaza — calling him weak and using the word “Palestinian” as an insult. Biden offered little in the way of a response.

Yediot Ahronot, a mainstream Hebrew daily, described Biden’s performance as a “catastrophe.” “Weakness is not a characteristic that an American prez can broadcast,” it said. NYT

Fast and furious: Russia using bikes to stir chaos in Ukraine

RISKY & WILD TACTIC: Russian soldiers riding motorcycles, dirt bikes, quadricycles and dune buggies now account for about half of all attacks in some areas of the front, Ukrainian soldiers and commanders say. The drawback is that they give no protection from rockets and machine gunfire

They first appeared as a cloud of dust on the horizon. A few seconds later, the motorcycles carrying Russian soldiers sped into view, zigzagging across a field, kicking up dust, attempting a noisy, dangerous run at a Ukrainian trench. “They moved fast, they spread out and they swerved,” said Lt. Mykhailo Hubitsky, describing the Russian motorcycle assault he witnessed.

It’s a type of attack that has been proliferating along the frontline this spring, adding a wild new element to the already violent, chaotic fighting.

Russian soldiers riding motorcycles, dirt bikes, quadricycles and dune buggies now account for about half of all attacks in some areas of the front, soldiers and commanders say, as Moscow’s forces attempt to use speed to cross exposed open spaces where its lumbering armoured vehicles are easy targets. These nonconventional vehicles have been turning up with such frequency that some Ukrainian trenches now overlook junk yards of abandoned, blown up off-road vehicles, videos from reconnaissance drones show.

The new tactic is the latest Russian adaptation for a heavily mined, continually surveilled battlefield, as Moscow’s forces work to achieve small tacti- cal gains, often of just a few hundred yards. The Russians’ farthest advance in the region is 15 miles from its starting point. “We are fighting a war over every metre,” said Captain Yaroslav, an artillery commander with 80th air assault brigade.

With reconnaissance drones ubiquitous in the skies over the Donbas, the armoured vehicles of both armies are easy targets. The faster-moving motorcycles and buggies are harder to hit with artillery and they can swerve to avoid mines that armoured vehicle operators might not see. The use of cheap, disposable dirt bikes and buggies also helps conserve Russian armoured vehicles.

The drawback is that they provide no protection for Russian soldiers, who are exposed to a hail of machine gun fire as they approach the trenches. If they make it across a field, the riders cast aside their bikes, enter the Ukrainian trench and engage in close combat on foot. “How they find people willing to do this, I don’t know,” said Volodymyr, a Ukrainian sergeant. “Sometimes, none of them will make it, sometimes all of them.” That hasn’t deterred Russian commanders from continuing to employ the tactic. “All the tree lines,” said Sapsan, a sergeant in the 47th Brigade, “are now full of these buggies and motorcycles.” NYT

Video shows NY officer fatally shooting boy, 13, on ground. Police say he pointed a replica gun

The inconsolable mother of 13-yr-old Nyah Mway at city hall in Utica. The boy was identified as a refugee born in Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority community

New York: Video released late Saturday shows an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who had been tackled to the ground after he ran from police and pointed a replica handgun at them.

The teen was killed a little after 10pm (local time) Friday in Utica after officers in the city about 400km northwest of Manhattan stopped two youths in connection with an armed robbery investigation, police said.

The youths, both 13, matched the descriptions of the robbery suspects and were in the same area at around the same time the day after, police said. One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law. The body camera video released by police captures an officer saying he needs to pat them down to ensure they don’t have any weapons in their possession. Immediately one of the two, identified by police as as Nyah Mway, runs away.

Authorities froze frames of the video where a running Nyah Mway appears to point the gun at the pursuing officers. Police also edited the video to in- sert a red circle around the weapon to show it to viewers. The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.

“During a ground struggle” with the teen, one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, Utica police chief Mark Williams said.

The teen was given “immediate” first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, the chief said.

The replica gun carried by the teen “is in all aspects a realistic appearing firearm with GLOCK markings, signatures, detachable magazine, and serial numbers,” Lt Michael Curley, a police spokesperson, said via email. “However ultimately it fires only pellets or BB’s.”

A bystander video posted to Facebook shows one of the officers chasing after Nyah Mway and tackling him to the ground. It also shows the officer punching the teen as two other officers arrive. A gunshot rings out as the teen is on the ground and the officers quickly stand up.

The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the agency. Husnay and officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti were placed on administrative leave with pay.

The police body camera video shows a chaotic scene.

Nyah Mway points the replica handgun at the officers while he runs from them. The officers scream “gun!” to each other as they run. Patterson then tackles and punches Nyah Mway, and as the two are wrestling on the ground, Husnay opens fire. Officers initially thought Nyah Mway may have shot himself, and Patterson says, “I don’t know if he shot me.” It is not clear whether he is referring to Nyah Mway or his fellow officer. Patterson was not struck. Bystanders scream at the police throughout the recordings, and at one point an officer yells back: “We’re trying to save him right now!” The other youth was detained in the back of a police vehicle and was not involved in the shooting.

The police department released the body camera videos following a public outcry as the shooting roiled Utica, a city with a population of 65,000. It is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The Center, a nonprofit that helps to resettle the refugees.

Nyah Mway, who local media reports said was an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School, was identified as a refugee born in Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority.

The police department is conducting an internal investigation to see whether officers followed policies and training. AP

Top Dems rule out replacing Biden

Washington: Top Democrats Sunday ruled out the possibility of replacing Prez Biden as the Democratic nominee after a feeble debate performance.

A post-debate CBS poll showed a 10-point jump in the number of Democrats who believe Biden shouldn’t be running for prez, to 46% from 36% in Feb.

“Bad debates happen,” said Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, who is seen as one of the possible replacements for Biden. House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said: “I believe a setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback.” Another top House Democrat, James Clyburn, agreed: “He should demonstrate it going forward his capacity to lead the country.”

REUTERS

AROUND THE WORLD

4 DEAD IN STORMS IN SWITZERLAND AND ITALY: Storms in Switzerland and northern Italy caused extensive flooding and landslides, leaving at least four people dead, authorities said on Sunday. The bodies of three people were recovered following a landslide in the Fontana area of the Maggia valley in the Italian-speaking Ticino canton (state) on the southern side of the Alps. Storms and heavy rain pounded southern and western Switzerland on Saturday and overnight. Camping sites along the Maggia river were evacuated, and part of the small Visletto road bridge collapsed (above). One person was missing in the nearby Lavizzara valley

Scientists trying to give robots a fleshy face and a smile

Engineers in Japan are trying to get robots to imitate that particularly human expression —the smile. They have created a face mask from human skin cells and attached it to robots with a novel technique that conceals the binding and is flexible enough to turn down into a grimace or up into a squishy smile. The effect is something between Hannibal Lecter’s terrifying mask and the Claymation figure Gumby. But scientists say the prototypes pave the way for more sophisticated robots, with an outward layer both elastic and durable enough to protect the machine while making it appear more human. Beyond expr- essiveness, the “skin equivalent”, as the researchers call it, which is made from living skin cells in a lab, can scar and burn and also self-heal, according to the study. “Human-like faces and expressions improve communication and empathy, making robots more effective in healthcare, service and companionship roles,” Shoji Takeuchi, lead researcher, said.

Kim Jong-un latest move for cult status: Face pins

North Korean officials wore pins with a portrait of Kim Jong Un in public for the first time, the latest step in the development of a cult of personality about the leader. In April, the music video for a propaganda song praising Kim as a “friendly father” and a “great leader” was aired on the state-controlled Korean Central Television.

FASHION SPEAKS

Jill Biden’s dress makes a post-debate statement

As Prez Joe Biden attempted to address some of the concerns about his age and energy on Friday, his wife Jill, a political spouse who often seems to choose clothes that recede into the background, took her place by his side in a navy blue crepe dress plastered with one word over and over again: “Vote”. Given the many post-debate reactions focused on viewers’ anxious feelings, it could not have been a coincidence.

This is the third time in the past four years that the first lady has worn a garment with a message written on it. In 2020, before the last presidential election, she wore a pair of knee-high boots that also read “vote.” And in 2021, at the first G7 meeting in Britain after the prez took office, she wore a jacket with the word “love” on the back. The choice was widely interpreted as a riposte to the jacket Melania Trump notoriously wore during her husband’s administration with the words “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” scrawled on the back.

Now, the matchup is back, and so are words on clothing. It is, perhaps, only to be expected. Jill Biden is an English teacher. She knows exactly how much succinct language matters — even if it is on a dress. NYT

Iran election shows declining voter support amid calls for change

Of 61M Eligible Voters, Only 40% Cast Ballots, Marking A Record Low Turnout

Masoud Pezeshkian, the reformist contender, came out on top thanks to his ‘clean record without any accusations of financial corruption’. Official figures showed Pezeshkian leading with 10.4m votes (42.4%)

Tehran: The first round of Iran’s presidential election revealed shrinking support for both reformists and conservatives even though some voters are pushing for change by backing the sole reformist candidate, analysts say. Masoud Pezeshkian, the reformist contender, and ultraconservative Saeed Jalili led the polls held on Friday to replace the late ultraconservative president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last month. In the official results announced Saturday, Pezeshkian led with 10.4 million votes (42.4%), followed by Jalili at 9.4 million (38.6%). A third conser- vative candidate, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, the current speaker of parliament and former mayor of Tehran, was a distant third at 3.3 million (13.8%).

Friday’s vote, marked by a historically low turnout, “clearly shows that both reformists’ and conservatives’ bases have considerably shrunk,” said Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group think tank.

In the lead-up to the election, Iran’s main reformist coalition supported Pezeshkian, with endorsements by former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, a moderate. “The reformists brought out the big guns and tried their best to mobilise their base,” Vaez said on social media platform X, but “it was simply insufficient”.

Likewise, the conservatives failed to garner sufficient votes “despite the tremendous resources they deployed”, he added. Vaez pointed out that the combi- ned votes of Jalili and Ghalibaf totalled 12.8 million. That figure was well below Raisi’s 18 million votes in the 2021 election.

Of the 61 million eligible voters, only about 40% cast ballots, marking a record low turnout in the Islamic Republic where some people have lost faith in the process. More than one million ballots were spoiled.

For Vaez, the decline in turnout, from around 49% in 2021, was “a real embarrassment for the leadership” in Iran, where ultimate political power lies with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Political commentator Mohammad Reza Manafi said Pezeshkian’s lead reflected a push for “fundamental changes” regarding the economy and relations with the rest of the world. However, those favouring Pezeshkian “do not expect a miracle or a quick solution but hope he can gradually prevent conditions from worsening,” he added.

Iran has been reeling from the economic impact of international sanctions, which have contributed to soaring inflation, high unemployment and a record low for the Iranian rial against the US dollar.

Pezeshkian, an outspoken heart surgeon who has represented the northwestern city of Tabriz in parliament since 2008, came out on top thanks to his “clean record without any accusations of financial corruption,” said Manafi. The reformist has urged “constructive relations” with Washington and European capitals to “get Iran out of its isolation”. In contrast, Jalili is widely recognised for his uncompromising anti-West stance. He is a ex-nuclear negotiator and currently a representative of Khamenei on the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s highest security body. AFP

For conservatives, the combined votes of Saeed Jalili and speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who came in third, totalled 12.8m. That figure was well below Raisi’s nearly 18m votes in the 2021 election

Times Special

- In history’s footsteps: Why the Nalanda story still fascinates us

- What’s in a name? Forget Shakespeare, just ask a Bengali

- Homing in: The startuppers who want to transform their own backyards

- SOCKS TO SKULL EMOJIS, the new ways to tell your age

- HANDLED WITHOUT CARE

- If you aren’t home, they don’t get paid

In history’s footsteps: Why the Nalanda story still fascinates us

Centuries after its decline, the ancient university lives on in the works of poets, historians, fantasy writers and filmmakers

Nalanda was truly amazing... and worth taking pride in. But there’s also a deep unease about what happened to itNAMIT ARORA, HISTORIAN

Forlorn under the red earth buried for centuries I rise today like a phoenix, eight hundred years later from ashes of my burnt books. I open my arms today to embrace you whoever you are, from wherever you are come, walk into my enlightened fold as once Buddha and Mahavira did seeking shelter in my groves. I remember Hiuen Tsang and Faxian — the seekers from the East, I hear footsteps of Aryabhata and Charaka in my ancient compound today you too come; come as I rise again. Abhay K’s poem ‘The Rise of Nalanda’ celebrates the revival of the university

Shruti.Sonal@timesgroup.com

Born in the Nalanda district of Bihar, poet-diplomat Abhay K has made several visits to the ruins of the Nalanda Mahavihara over the years. Guides regaled him with stories about the world’s first residential university that attracted nearly 10,000 students from all over the world, and how the fire that engulfed its gargantuan library burnt for over six months. Over time, his interest took the shape of a full-fledged research project. “I started getting curious about how, why and when Nalanda became a seat of learning and who were the key people responsible for establishing it. Who taught and studied there. What contributions did they make to disciplines like philosophy and science? What led to its decline?” says Abhay, whose forthcoming book ‘Nalanda’ is based on his research. It weaves together historical facts with a narrative flair to transport readers to the prehistoric city of Rajgir, where the university existed between the early 5th and 13th centuries.

Though the revival of the university was first proposed by former president APJ Abdul Kalam way back in March 2006, it’s only now that a new campus has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. Beyond the controversies and politics, there’s one thing that hasn’t flagged — interest in its legacy, which has been kept alive through the pages of fiction and non-fiction books, TV documentaries and AI-generated videos that recreate it, amassing thousands of views.

What intrigued veteran filmmaker and art historian Benoy Behl, who first visited Nalanda back in 1976, is how it laid the foundation for modern academic rigour and study. “There was a formalised way of writing a thesis which followed the format of a discursive argument. Scholars had to write points in support of their thesis and against it. Then, there were sub-points under each of the arguments,” says Behl, who chronicled his study of the sculptures that remain at the site as part of his broader documentaries for Doordarshan, as well as his books, ‘Art of India’ and ‘Buddhism: The Path of Compassion’.

Interestingly, one of the most big-budget projects on Nalanda was the 2016 film, ‘Xuanzang’ (after the famed 7th century traveller Hiuen Tsang). The first Indo-Chinese joint production became China’s official entry for the best foreign language film at the 89th Oscars, and included several scenes of the Buddhist traveller’s accounts of his time at Nalanda, with dialogues in Sanskrit. Legendary filmmaker Wong Kar-wai was its executive producer and its Indian crew included actors like Sonu Sood, Neha Sharma and Ali Fazal.

What is it about Nalanda’s story that has led it to occupy so much space in the public imagination, centuries after its demise? Historian Namit Arora, author of ‘Indians: A Brief History of a Civilisation’, says there are two reasons. “One is that it was truly an amazing thing. The fact that India had this centre of learning where students came from all over the world to study a diversity of subjects is something worth taking pride in,” Arora says. It also attracts attention for the wrong reasons. “There’s a deep unease about what happened to it. Who’s to blame? One group is made the villain, which makes for very captivating but false stories,” he adds.

The aura of mystery makes it ripe for fiction, too. Delhi-based historical fiction writer Shivani Singh’s murder mystery novel ‘Nalanda’ follows the journey of Siddhartha, a young Buddhist monk studying at Nalanda, who is roped in to investigate a murder on campus. “I was fascinated with its sense of mystique, its grandeur and its dramatic destruction,” Singh says.

For Singh, part of the appeal was the lack of primary empirical evidence of what happened to Nalanda, which allowed her to give free rein to her imagination. Apart from the ruins at the site, which include a few sculptures, its story has been pieced together largely through the travel accounts of Buddhist monks who studied there, and later, western scholars.

Arora’s book, on the other hand, deals with questions around Nalanda’s demise, including the theory of its destruction at the hands of Bakhtiyar Khilji in circa 12th century. He is of the school of thought that Nalanda was too large to be completely destroyed in one attack.

Debates and theories aside, attempts to examine Nalanda’s legacy are picking up steam. Before the museum at the site was closed for renovation in March, it attracted a steady stream of scholars. Birendra Kumar, additional in-charge of the Nalanda Museum, says that about 300 to 500 researchers used to visit every day from India and abroad. While most of them were interested in its Buddhist heritage and the archaeological remains, there has been a new interest in studying it as a role model for universities today, especially when it comes to blending formal education with the study of spirituality and religion, adds Kumar.

In order to revive Nalanda, it’s important to understand what it stood for, says Behl. “It was where the building blocks of logic and understanding were laid — the kind that did not exist anywhere else in the world.”

CAMPUS REWIND: Abhay K (left) paid many a visit to the ruins to research for his book; Benoy Behl has chronicled the site’s sculptures

What’s in a name? Forget Shakespeare, just ask a Bengali

The only rule of daak naams is that there are no rules. As naming conventions go, it is the Wild Wild West (Bengal). They have no intrinsic meaning... Some theories claim they are the result of a bout of insanity that afflicts new parents. Can the name Tublu, for instance, ever spring from a rational mind?

Rohan Banerjee

Over a hundred years ago, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: To those human beings who are of any concern to me I wish suffering, desolation, sickness, ill-treatment, indignities — I wish that they should not remain unfamiliar with profound self-contempt, the torture of self-mistrust, the wretchedness of the vanquished...

Nietzsche’s ideas have influenced many people around the world. But few have embraced this dictum with as much gusto as a Bengali parent bestowing a nickname upon their child.

No Bengali can escape this blight. It is our fate, our destiny. Within days of our birth, the nickname — or daak naam, to use the Bengali term — is yoked to our identity. Even our biggest movie stars cannot escape it.

The only rule of daak naams is that there are no rules. Insofar as naming conventions go, it is the Wild Wild West (Bengal). Daak naams spit in the face of dictionaries and laugh at lexicons. They have no discernible logic and no intrinsic meaning. Some theories claim they are the result of a bout of insanity that afflicts new parents. Can the name Tublu, for instance, ever spring from a rational mind? Or perhaps there is devilry at play. What else would explain a pair of college professors christening their twins, Kochi and Buchi?

For obvious reasons, the daak naam does not make its way to the official documents certifying our existence. That dreary world is left to our ‘proper name’ (bhalo naam). The daak naam prefers the freedom of the oral tradition. It revels in being spoken, often changing its form to accommodate a surfeit of vowels. (As you would have noticed from the above examples, no decent daak naam can have less than two vowels; the best have three or more.)

In our early years, it holds us in a stranglehold. Parents, relatives, neighbours — it is on everyone’s lips. Lacking the faculties to register a protest, we gurgle and giggle, thus encouraging its continued usage. It is not for me to speculate how years of being called Bogola can damage the formative mind of an infant.

As we grow older, our sense of self is cleaved in two. When we venture outside, we are trained to slip out of the daak naam — leaving it at the threshold of our home — and step into our ‘proper name’. Initially, we do not give this metamorphosis much thought. It’s a bit like speaking one language at home and another at school — each identity comfortable in its assigned place.

Then, one day, everything changes. The setting may vary — a classroom, a friend’s birthday party, the schoolyard — but the scene usually follows a familiar script. A daak naam inadvertently stumbles into this genteel gathering and is immediately pounced upon. The child, to whom the daak naam is attached, tries to deny it but it is too late. Blood is in the water and the kids have smelt it.

“Your parents call you Puchki?” “What does Poltu even mean?” “Beguni! Beguni! Beguni!” (The precise sobriquet does not matter — all daak naams are fatal.)

Your ears ringing with their taunts, you learn an important lesson. You must guard your daak naam with your life. You take pains to ensure your relatives never refer to you as Jhontu in front of your fiancée. You spend the rest of your life pretending your daak naam does not exist, hoping you have nullified its threat; but deep in your heart, you know you can never be rid of it. It hangs around your neck, like a decaying albatross. Its stench still clings to you — perceptible, in particular, to the keen noses of nosy Bengalis in your social circle. They sniff you out and befriend you. They bide their time until they have gained your trust — waiting for years, if necessary — and then eventually, they propose a trade: your daak naam, for theirs.

To prudent souls, this offer is an instant red flag. In Bengali relationships, the daak naam is a Rubicon one does not cross. There is a shared understanding of past trauma that neither party wishes to relive. (You once saw your best friend instinctively respond when someone shouted Bhutai, only to look away the next instant, his face ashen. The two of you never talk about it.) And, more importantly, no self-respecting Bengali ever volunteers to reveal their daak naam. The only ones who would even contemplate such a brazen act are the meagre few with nothing to lose — those who got away with Raja, Bunty, Pinky, and suchlike. They dangle the promised knowledge of their worthless names as bait, to fish for more valuable treasures. Those who fall prey to their wiles are compromised forever.

You may be a business tycoon, but you will never know peace if you’re always wondering when that one colleague will waltz into your corner office, point at you, and say, ‘Listen up, everybody! His name is Panchu!’ You may win many awards but every time you go up on that stage, you will hold your breath and scan the crowd for that one friend who may suddenly stand up and shout, ‘Congratulations, Dugdugi! We’re so proud of you!’

No matter who you are or what you do, you will always be looking over your shoulder, wary of that one individual who can tell the world you’re a Laltu.

To my fellow Bengalis, let this be a reminder. Daak naams are a deadly serious matter. Handle them with care. To everyone else, I hope you now understand what the Bengalis in your life, if any, have to deal with. Handle them with care.

P.S.: You are probably curious about my daak naam. Since you read this column, I would be happy to share it with you. It is….

Uday Deb

Homing in: The startuppers who want to transform their own backyards

Before Covid, people believed that if you don’t move to a bigger city for greener pastures, you’re not living the good lifeHITESH DHARMDASANI, BELAGAVI ENTREPRENEUR

Ketaki.Desai@timesgroup.com

Things were going well for Hitesh Dharmdasani. After finishing a masters in cybersecurity in the US, he’d been working at a startup in San Francisco. That company did an IPO, leaving Dharmdasani with a handsome sum in his bank account. This is back in 2015 — a period he describes as a “post-recession boom” in the US startup ecosystem. So, his plan to move back to India, and that too, his hometown of Belagavi, Karnataka, struck others as, politely speaking, sort of stupid. But he’s been running his cybersecurity startup out of the small town for many years now, and has even created an organisation called Belagavi Technology Companies Association (BeTCA) to bring together the small but budding startup ecosystem of Belagavi.

Like him, many entrepreneurs are looking beyond the charms (and problems) of big cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai or Gurgaon and homing in on their own backyards. This is also why Tier 2 and 3 cities are seeing so much startup action. A 2024 report by Primus Partners found that 90% of startups in 2023 were started in Tier 2 and 3 cities. These startups creating 150 lakh jobs last year.

Anugraha Ganesan and Dinesh Baluraj moved back from the Netherlands to Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu’s rice bowl, to launch their drone startup Yali Aerospace in 2022. “People didn’t take our work seriously based on location. We met hundreds of venture capitalists. Some ignored us, some treated us poorly. A few asked us to move to Bengaluru or hand over the technology. I was getting good pay abroad, so I was not here to make quick money,” Baluraj told TOI. Their patience paid off — this year, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu invested an undisclosed amount in their startup.

The pandemic played a big role as many entrepreneurs returned to their hometowns during lockdown, and found that remote working let them function just as efficiently. It changed mindsets too. As Dharmdasani puts it, “Before that, people believed that if you don’t move to a bigger city for greener pastures, you’re not living the good life.”

Others, of course, were far ahead of this change. Rohith Bhat moved back to Udupi a year after starting his company Robosoft out of Mumbai. “In the first two years, I was building software and delivering it to American clients like Apple. This was all happening over the internet, so I saw no reason to stay in Mumbai. Everyone told me I was cray, but luckily things worked out,” he says. He sold Robosoft to a Japanese firm for $100m. He now runs a gaming company called 99Games. “If I could do it in the ’90s, why would someone think they can’t do it now?”

Bhat acknowledges that it’s not all roses. “It takes convincing to persuade middle management, in particular, to move to smaller places. My pitch to them has been that it’s a great lifestyle decision. If they’re still able to do cutting-edge work and have a better quality of life, they are happy.”

Amey Kadle, founder of Ajinkya Technologies and member of Belagavi-based BeTCA, says that while finding talent is not that hard, retaining it can be challenging. “We’re able to offer salaries at par with Bengaluru organisations. But there are issues with retention.

With young men, when it comes to having an arranged marriage, they want to move away because it’s hard to find a match. Parents don’t want their daughter to marry a boy in Belagavi. We actually just started a small Bengaluru office for this reason,” he says. Plus, for people in relationships, it can be hard for both parties to find employment they’re happy with in a small town.

Another potential hurdle is funding, founders say. While things have changed in recent years — Bhat had been laughed out of the room when he was raising funds in 2013, and was told that no one funds companies in small towns — there are still challenges when it comes to courting venture capitalists. For one, some investors like to keep a close eye on the startups they invest in, so the distance may prove to be a hur- dle. Sajith Pai of Blume Ventures says while he wouldn’t turn a startup away for funding because they’re from a small town, he does see it as a constraint. “I’ve only seen a few high-quality startups in Tier 2 and 3 cities because investing and talent are challenges. If it’s very early on and you want to bring a small group of people together, it makes sense. But longterm, it makes sense to be in Bengaluru or in Delhi if you’re a consumer brand.” There’s a reason, he says, that small-town startups often move to a big town to scale up.

Jivraj Singh Sachar, host of the Indian Silicon Valley podcast and investor, sees not being in a startup hub like Bengaluru to be a double-edged sword: “While peer talent and conversations are available in startup hubs, you could argue that they become deafening or counterproductive.” But, at the same time, he cannot deny that there is something about the energy — the ambition in the air of a city like Bengaluru — that does have intangible benefits. “It makes you believe in something bigger than yourself,” he says. However, he has seen more startups coming out of small towns like Jaipur and Surat, for instance. Small-town success stories, he feels, will inspire more entrepreneurs.

This lack of ecosystem and community is exactly what BeTCA is trying to change. Dharmdasani says they are now connected with at least 50 companies running out of Belagavi; many of them are funded and doing well. For those who ask ‘why Belagavi?’, Ajit Patel, founder of electric vehicle startup Rivot Motors, has an answer: “When TVS started, someone must have asked them ‘why Hosur?’. Today, Hosur has a supply chain which has led other companies to go there. I want to be TVS — to create opportunities for future generations to be here.”

Even in Bihar, where the ecosystem is still in a fledgling stage, entrepreneurs with an emotional connection to the state are trying to give it a fillip. Himalay Verma’s return to Bihar to start SKILL Foods, a food and agriculture startup aimed at generating employment, has been quite a journey — from a chance meeting with Ratan Tata at Verma’s alma mater Cornell University that led to a job, to his wife’s role as breadwinner while he worked out his startup logistics. Now, he’s on the Bihar Industries Association where they’re currently selecting the best business plan submitted by about 150 budding entrepreneurs. “I’ve taken sessions with young people at BIA and many of them have amazing ideas — one is making an app for barber appointments, while others are making soap out of flaxseeds. Over the last 15 years, I’ve seen many people move back and launch homegrown startups,” he says.

SOCKS TO SKULL EMOJIS, the new ways to tell your age

No longer must one rely on birth dates or wrinkles (hello, botox!) to figure out how old a person is. The things you wear, say, and how you text define the generation you belong to

How tight are your jeans

The baggy vs skinny fit debate is one that shows no signs of getting over – more so now that voluminous cargo/ parachute pants have become super popular. But if you’re still in a monogamous relationship with slim fits and jeggings, a Gen Z-er can spot you a mile away. They like big, billowing teamed with a crop top and maybe an oversized shirt to layer

Short socks, huh!

Even your socks — yes, socks — can define your generation. Gen Z would not be caught dead in ankle-length or invisible socks that they consider to be “too short”, according to a NYT piece. One Gen Z-er interviewed in the story says the only person he knows who wears ankle socks is his dad, in case you want to feel old. The kids would rather wear crew socks that go up to their calves. This has even become a point of generational quibbling on social media, with millennials saying things like “You will pry these ankle socks off my cold, dead feet.”

Partial to middle part

Even the way you part your hair reveals something about your generational alliance. A middle part is the way to go for Gen Z, unlike the side part or side fringe that has come to be associated with millennials. Lately, though, there is photographic evidence that the reign of the middle part may finally be over. Actors from Emily Blunt and Penélope Cruz to Jennifer Lawrence have been flaunting their side parts again

Full stop to periods

For millennials, punctuation in texts is a sign of proper etiquette — the digital equivalent of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. However, Gen Z views a period at the end of a sentence like a digital slap. They prefer lowercase letters and minimal punctuation, creating an approachable, casual vibe. It’s as if every sentence ends with an implied shrug and apology

LOL, you’re old

Alongside proper punctuation, some emojis and internet acronyms have become cringe-worthy. Unlike millennials, who popularised LOL, BRB, and OMG, Gen Z has evolved a new internet language with phrases like stan, rizz, drip, cap, and ‘it’s the _ for me’, dominating their conversations. Normal emojis don’t always mean what millennials think they do. For example, the skull emoji does not signify death but rather dying of laughter — it’s the new laughing emoji. Similarly, the standing person emoji has become a meme response equivalent to the millennial ‘umm, ok?’

Emily Ratajkowski in a baggy pair of jeans

Celebs like Rihanna are rocking side parts again

HANDLED WITHOUT CARE

Workers At E-Commerce Giant Amazon’s Warehouses In Delhi-NCR Say Even Toilet Breaks Are Frowned Upon By Managers And The Slightest Pause In Work Can Invite Arbitrary Blacklisting

RAW DEAL OF THE DAY: (Top) Amazon’s Del-5 warehouse in Gurgaon. Photos shared by workers show harsh conditions they have to work in, which can entail resting on the toilet floor to avoid detection by floor cameras. Catching one’s breath is to risk a message from managers warning them about their targets

Ankita.Anand@timesgroup.com

At precisely 8.20am, 10 minutes before the day shift begins at Amazon’s cavernous warehouses, the assembled workforce is put through a drill.

“One”, says the supervisor. “100”, the group choruses in response, arms stretched.

“Two”, says the supervisor. “100”, the group responds, arms striking a different pose.

“Three,” comes the next cue. The arms move again. The chorus is unchanged: “100”.

“Four”. “100”. “Five”. “100”. Six. “100...” This peculiar count goes on for five minutes.

The next five minutes are for briefings on the day’s targets before the 10-hour shift begins at the depots, which Sheetal, a worker, says “feels like being trapped in a jail”, each minute akin to being put through a boot camp.

The PT session is more a workout for the mind than muscle, reinforcing and hardcoding the message that all workers have to meet 100% of their targets, says Ritesh, who works in Del-5 (Bilaspur). “It’s meant to get us into the zone.”

It’s this relentless pursuit of “100” which, workers say, has spawned a punishing work culture in Amazon’s Indian warehouses, echoing complaints in other countries that have raised questions about the backend practices of the “customer-obsessed” global e-tailing giant.

Sheetal, who works in the stowing section of Del-4 (Manesar), told TOI she has to meet “brutal hourly targets” that involve packing 150 items per hour — a ceaseless walking, bending, squatting, pivoting routine that she and fellow workers are expected to perform with robotic precision.

“Once you’re in, you’re on the move all the time. No breaks and no sitting down, even if you need to put stuff into the lowest rack. Bend and stretch, but don’t sit. Sitting counts as idle time. Even toilet breaks are idle time. We get pulled up for it. Cameras cover all sections of the warehouse, so supervisors have eyes on us all the time,” Sheetal says. “Workers get text messages if they are seen sitting down. Supervisors send screenshots encircling anyone who is inactive on our WhatsApp groups,” she adds.

‘Prime’ Time Hard, Mistakes Costly

The tolerance threshold for “time-wasting”, according to workers, is even lower in the customer promise department that caters to Amazon Prime. The cart of a Prime customer must be filled within the stipulated time. “In case we get injured or feel unwell, we’re simply told to continue. If we can’t, we must face consequences. I had to rush to the washroom once, but when I returned after five minutes, the work had been given to someone else and I was threatened with blacklisting,” says Gita, who works in Del-4.

Sheetal says she was threatened with termination for a mistake and eventually had to give an undertaking to save the job. “I had stowed nine ‘high-risk-value items’ into a stack meant for ‘small items’. The system is automated, but the scanners missed it, too. I was called by the SLP (security loss petition) team in the only room that has no CCTV cameras. They asked me to give it in writing that it was my mistake, else they would charge me with theft,” she says.

Monthly Take-Home Of Rs 10K

Del-4 and -5, both located in Gurgaon, are two of Amazon’s largest warehouses in NCR, with around 2,000 workers each. The contracted ones have a monthly CTC of Rs 13,520 (Rs 10,087 take home) and part-time ones like Sheetal, who book slots through an app, are paid Rs 614 per shift. The workers aren’t Amazon employees but have contracts with firms like Om Unique, Om Enterprises, Pranav, Simran Enterprises, and Weaving Enterprise.

Workers are entitled to a pickup-and-drop service and get two half-hour breaks during the shift— one for lunch from 12.35pm to 1.05pm, and the other from 4pm to 4.30pm. There are two categories of workers — blue badges (contract employees) and green badges (regular employees). Contract workers say there’s a class divide at work with the ‘blues’ getting the rough end of the stick. Frustration building up over time, catalysed by massive heat stress during one of the harshest summers in north India, prompted the warehouse workers to issue a media statement on June 4 and send a memorandum to govt and Amazon on June 7 about work conditions that they called intolerable. An official of Om Enterprises did not offer any comment. The other firms could not be reached.

Note To Govt — ‘It’s Unbearable’

“Pooja, an Amazon warehouse worker and member of Amazon India Workers Association (AIWA), has informed that male and female workers are forced to work under unbearable temperatures in warehouses,” said the June 7 memo, which coincided with photos surfacing of workers sitting on the restroom floor to catch a breath, evading CCTV surveillance. If caught, there’s a penalty by way of pay deduction.

Asking for a heat surcharge payable to workers and better work conditions like shaded areas, drinking water and pink toilet access audits for women, the memo said that on May 20, Pooja recorded a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius in the dock area of her warehouse, 32 degrees in the canteen, and 34.2 degrees in the stow section where she works. “That’s why workers, particularly women, are forced to take rest in washrooms amid unhygienic conditions,” it said.

Akhil (24), who works in the docking area of Del-4 — it’s where incoming cargo is offloaded and is the most physically demanding section — said it became insufferable during the heatwave, with no fan or cooler around. But there was no let-up on deliverables.

“Large metal containers, which can be as heavy as 100kg, are brought here. In summer, these are red hot to touch. Our job is to put them on the conveyor belt that takes them into the warehouse. The belt never stops,” said Akhil, who has been working here since 2020 after clearing his Class XII boards, hoping to save to study further and improve his job prospects.

Delhi-NCR saw 38 straight days of 40 degreeplus temperatures from May 13.

An Oath — No Toilet Breaks

The June 4 AIWA statement revealed that a supervisor in Del-4 made workers take an oath on May 16 to meet targets without taking toilet or water breaks. Workers TOI spoke with said this happened around 4.30pm. The day was hectic as orders kept pouring in and supervisors realised by afternoon that they were running behind the target. So, one of them asked the workers to extend their hands in the air: “Say after me: ‘we will achieve the target, we won’t go to the washroom, we will not drink water’,” the supervisor allegedly told the workers. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken congisance of the matter and sent a notice to Amazon.

Just like in fitness gyms, the warehouses play groovy Haryanvi, Punjabi, Hindi and Bhojpuri numbers — most of the workers are from UP, Haryana, Punjab and Bihar — to keep the adrenaline high. “There’s another song that’s played regularly to motivate us — ‘Amazon ke cheeteh’ (Cheetahs of Amazon). They treat us nothing like that,” said Pratap (23), who works in the inbound section of Del-4.

Blocked Cards A Common Complaint

Pratap had his access card blocked in 2020 during the pandemic, when he got high fever during his shift and had to be taken to hospital. “When I went back to the warehouse, my card was declined, and I was told it was cancelled because of the ‘trick I pulled’. Two months later, I got a call asking me to come back. I rejoined in Jan 2021,” he said. Pratap’s case isn’t a one-off. Since 2022, 16 complaints have been sent to Gurgaon’s assistant labour commissioner (ALC) by Amazon warehouse workers. All pertain to employees being blocked or blacklisted arbitrarily. None of these cases has been decided yet.

A woman from Uttarakhand, who joined Del4 as a contract employee of PSN Supply Chain Solution, wrote in the complaint, “I was told my card was blacklisted by ‘higher-ups’ and they will call back when it’s reinstated... When I applied for another job, they rejected my application, saying I’d been blacklisted by Amazon.” AIWA legal advisor KK Niyogi said, “The ALC sent a notice to the warehouse and the company, asking them to appear for settlement, but nobody came.” It has now been told to approach authorities to get the case referred to the labour court.

Trade Practices Loaded Against Workers

Niyogi, who has worked with trade unions for three decades, said warehouse workers are caught in a maze of trade practices that are loaded against them. “For one, the contract period never extends beyond 11 months, so a com- pany can circumvent laws for regular employees. Secondly, warehouses have been set up in Haryana to access cheap labour.

“The minimum wage in Delhi is nearly double that in Haryana and the lack of unions in Haryana allows companies to escape the consequences of non-compliance with laws,” he said.

Despite this, manpower is easily available because of the sheer number of youths looking for jobs. “The Amazon model, which is unique globally and is being increasingly adopted, exploits the youths by hiring them for labour-intensive jobs. There is no skill development happening,” Niyogi said, adding there was little automation in the warehouses.

“The use of AI is limited to tracking the speed of workers and ensuring they meet targets. For instance, if a conveyor belt is moving fast, workers are forced to match the speed, without which they could end up getting injured,” Niyogi said.

Injuries aren’t uncommon, said Akhil, especially in the docking section. In May 2023, Akhil’s finger was injured as it got stuck in the conveyor belt. He said he got an ESIC card — it gives access to free treatment at the ESIC hospital — after much pleading with the supervisor “and on the condition that I would not get paid for the day”.

Why Protests Haven’t Worked

Since 2022, Amazon warehouse workers have been organising protests against working conditions every ‘Black Friday’ — the busiest business day. They call it ‘Make Amazon Pay’ and apply en masse for leave. But since leave applications are cancelled, only 100-odd workers gather, braving the risk of blacklisting.

AIWA said it is fighting for an eight-hour workday, minimum salary of Rs 25,000, humane work targets, adherence to labour laws, proper seating arrangements, festival bonuses and compliance with International Labour Organisation norms. Dharmender Kumar, convenor of AIWA, said, “No action has been taken on these complaints as workers here cannot unionise like they can in foreign countries. Amazon is still not communicating with us and has only issued statements to the media. But they’ve said they are looking into the allegations.”

What Amazon Has Said

In a media statement put out after workers’ complaints over heat stress, Amazon said: “Safety and wellbeing of our associates is of utmost priority for us... All Amazon sites have been equipped with heat index devices that constantly monitor changes in temperature, and our teams implement appropriate corrective measures to provide comfortable working conditions. These include temporarily suspending work in areas reporting a high heat index. Our buildings are temperature controlled... have proper ventilation, offer adequate provision of water and ORS, and follow job rotation as well as work-rest cycles in case of high heat index.

“We are also sensitive to the needs of associates who may have prior health conditions, and our sites are equipped to provide additional emergency medical assistance to those who may need them, such as in cases of a heat stroke.

In a letter to govt, reported by Economic Times on June 26, Amazon India referred to the oath incident as “an unfortunate and isolated” one. “Prompt disciplinary action has been taken against this employee,” it said, adding that the employee had thought of it as a motivational exercise. “We take the lessons learnt from this disappointing incident seriously and will double down on our efforts to re-train our managers on workplace, health, safety and wellbeing,” it said.

No Action On Complaints: Union

In response, AIWA released another statement on June 26, pointing out that none of the concerns it had raised — prolonged work hours, lack of adequate restrooms and seating, setting of unachievable targets, blocking of cards and blacklisting, lack of annual wage revisions and a forum for grievance redress — had been addressed by the warehouse management.

(Names of workers changed on request)

If you aren’t home, they don’t get paid

Mahesh.Buddi@timesgroup.com

R evolving around customer convenience, just how rough the gig economy can get on those who spin its wheels can be gauged from a day in the life of Vijay. Or Sunil Kumar. Or Rajvir.

Vijay sets out on his bike at 7am. On a typical workday, he has to make 50 parcel deliveries within a radius of 10km. For each parcel delivered, Vinod gets Rs 15-16. “If it’s prepaid, I get Rs 15.15 and, if it’s cash on delivery, I get Rs 16. If a parcel is undelivered, I do not get paid,” says the 43-year-old who works nearly 10 hours from 7am-5pm every day, making between Rs 750-800 on a good day.

His earnings are entirely through commission. There’s no reimbursement for the fuel he burns, no concept of leaves or a weekly off. No one forces him to work, of course. But such is the model that if he takes a day off, he makes no money that day. If the weather turns bad — like heavy rain or harsh heatwave — there’s just one invariable outcome for him: a no-pay day. “When I started, I got Rs 24 per parcel. The fee has come down but everything else, petrol to food, is costlier,” says Vijay.

While complaints from Amazon workers turn the focus on working conditions at warehouses, there are thousands engaged in delivery jobs, bringing to your house everything from groceries to gadgets, who are grappling with similar problems, from low pay and lack of benefits to, perhaps, even more testing work conditions.

Sunil Kumar, who delivers parcels from 3pm-11pm in Delhi, is always praying that his next customer is home. “Bringing back more than two undelivered parcels displeases the supervisor and affects the number of parcels as- signed to me the next day,” says the 32-year-old from Farrukhabad in UP who moved to Delhi last year after signing up with Amazon’s Amflex. After rent, petrol, food and other expenses, Kumar, who has a son and a daughter, is left with around Rs 7,000 a month for everything else — from school fee to medical needs.

And the physical strain of carrying heavy parcels and driving long hours begins to show after some months. Sunil says he has a persistent backache and insomnia and describes the job as a “majboori (compulsion)” as he hasn’t found anything else.

Rajvir, a 27-year-old from Jalore in UP who has been working with Delhivery’s vendors for four years, says what hurts him most is pay cut for lost parcels even in case of theft. “Besides, if a customer pays one rupee less because they don’t have change, it’s deducted from my payment,” he says.

Muhammad Mukhtar Alam, national coordinator of Gig Workers Association of India (GigWA), says they have urged the labour ministry to bring in a heat wave surcharge and compensation for families of workers in case of death due to heat stroke. “Most companies now claim to have accident cover for delivery workers, but provident fund and hospital facilities are not there. We have also sought an emergency helpline for distressed workers.” he says.

An Amazon spokesperson said Amazon Flex allows delivery partners “to be their own boss” and they are “not expected to make a delivery if they don’t feel safe”. “Most delivery partners tell us that they love the flexibility of the programme,” the spokesperson said.

A Flipkart spokesperson said the company had taken several steps to help out during the heatwave, including providing glucose drinks. “We are also enabling flexibility in the afternoon delivery schedules by encouraging restful breaks when the summer heat is at its peak and allowing relaxed delivery timelines so that packages can be delivered in the evening too,” the spokesperson said.

A Delhivery representative, too, said glucose drinks were provided to field workers during the heatwave. “Field executives are at liberty to take breaks to avoid peak afternoon heat by fulfilling orders earlier or later in the day. We also equip our executives with protective gear such as raincoats and winter jackets.” The representative added that “all last-mile executives are provided with a grievance redress platform”.

(Names of workers changed on request)

Times Sport

- THE NIGHT INDIA PARTIED TILL DAWN

- ENGLISH BREAK FAST

- Asterix meets Tintin

- David vs Goliath? Not quite

- Germany ride out of thunder, and lightning

- CANADA MAKE MAIDEN ENTRY INTO KNOCKOUTS

- Spalletti keeps Italian job

- MARTINEZ BRACE STEERS ARGENTINA INTO LAST-8

- WAR ON VAR: CONFUSING TECHNOLOGY

- Djokovic hopes to go all the way

- Sumit Nagal keen to make SW19 return count

- GALLERY

- SA fight back after Sneh Rana heroics

- FOR ROHIT,, A SENSE OF CLOSURE

- SKY evokes memories of Kapil’s magic catch in ’83

- ‘This is no redemption, I don’t think on those lines’

- ‘At 17, he had unbelievable hitting prowess’

- Template decided after 2023 ODI WC defeat

- ‘Victory a tribute to team’s brotherhood’

- Each player in the team may get 5cr as reward

- A gut-wrenching loss, but good for it to sting: Markram

- Jadeja follows Rohit and Kohli into T20I retirement

THE NIGHT INDIA PARTIED TILL DAWN

We, the people, needed this. The tears of joy rolling from overwhelmed eyes of cricketers, the seesaw of emotions better than any OTT drama, the beautiful noise of festivities rising from the streets — we needed them all. In a season harangued by unrelenting summer heat and unending examination scandals, good news has often been a rumour. But late Saturday night, for a few hours and more, the nation forgot its woes and toils. Everyone became a happier and elevated version of oneself. The T20 triumph in Barbados by captain Rohit Sharma and his resolute men united India in a song that soared above class hierarchies and cut across regions and differences. The World Cup was the balm we badly needed to rejuvenate our tired selves & souls

ENGLISH BREAK FAST

Southgate’s Men Finally Show Some Spark, Script Comeback Against Plucky Slovakia To Advance Into Quarters Against Swiss

Gelsenkirchen: England advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship after Jude Bellingham scored a stunning overhead kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to spark a comeback 2-1 win after extra time against Slovakia on Sunday.

Bellingham’s acrobatic overhead kick leveled the round-of-16 game at 1-1 with seconds remaining at the Veltins Arena. Harry Kane headed in the winner in the first minute of extra time as England avoided one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Euros. Ivan Schranz scored in the first half for Slovakia and his goal looked like being enough to eliminate England, which was one of the pre-tournament favorites and runner up at the last Euros.

But Bellingham’s wonder goal sent the game to extra time and Kane sealed the win and a place in the quarterfinals where England will play Switzerland in Dusseldorf.

England were unable to get a foothold against a Slovakia team who were aggressive from the start and pressed their opponents relentlessly, taking the lead with an Ivan Schranz strike from a counter attack in the 25th minute.

Declan Rice hit the post from long range as England desperately sought an equaliser, but it wasn’t until five minutes into added time that Bellingham found the net, with his side’s first shot on target in the game, before Kane headed home in the first minute of extra time.

England captain Kane, who had a ratther inconspicous presence throughout, came alive a minute into extra-time. Cole Palmer’s free-kick is punched to the edge of the box by Slovakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Eberechi Eze meets it with a scuffed volley which comes to Ivan Toney who heads it across the box for Kane to nod in. It completed England’s turnaround in a matter of minutes, For so long it looked like being one of the most humbling defeats England had ever suffered — bringing back memories of its elimination at the hands of Iceland at Euro 2016.

Boos rang around the stadium in the first half as frustration grew among fans after Slovakia took the lead through Schranz’s goal in the 25th minute. England ranked fifth dominated the second half in search of an equalizer. AGENCIES

HARRY HOUDINI: Harry Kane scores the winner for England in extra-time against Slovakia at Arena AufSchalke on Sunday

Asterix meets Tintin

Neighbourly Disputes: Misfiring Belgium Face World Cup Demons In France Showdown

KEVIN DE BRUYNE

Duesseldorf: Belgium have a chance for revenge on Monday when they face neighbours France in the last 16 of Euro 2024, a showdown between two big-hitters who have played well below expectations so far.

Defeat to France in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup was extremely bitter for Belgium, as a so-called “golden generation” of players was sucker-punched by Les Bleus after a stunning last-eight victory over Brazil. And frustration boiled over in the stands in Stuttgart on Wednesday even though their goalless draw with Ukraine pushed Belgium into the knockout stage.

Belgium would have avoided France and in fact been on the other, ostensibly easier, side of the draw had they beaten Ukraine and finished top of Group E. Instead the Red Devils had to settle for a point which infuriated their supporters.

The fury was such that star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne appeared to instruct his team-mates not to head over to applaud supporters after the game, later saying little more than “we need them against France”.

“I think we had a lot of chances. For me we don’t really need to change anything, just be more sharp,” Johan Bakayoko told reporters on Saturday.

“And yeah, we need to have a bit more luck which is also a part of football. Sometimes we score four or five times and sometimes we don’t.”

Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann’s current struggles reflect that of a France side for whom the goals have worryingly dried up.

France emerged from their group unbeaten but they scored just twice in three matches, one an own goal which allowed them to beat Austria, and the other a penalty by Kylian Mbappe in a 1-1 draw with Poland.

In between there was a 0-0 stalemate with the Netherlands in which Griezmann notably squandered a couple of excellent opportunities.

Griezmann, now 33 and playing at his sixth major international tournament for France, was extraordinary at the World Cup in Qatar.

The contrast between Qatar and the Euros so far for Griezmann has been striking. The Atletico Madrid star reverted to a role on the left of a midfield three in the win against Austria, but the broken nose suffered by Mbappe in that game had a big impact on his vice-captain. Griezmann, now wearing the captain’s armband, was again asked to play behind the centre-forward in this case against the Netherlands but endured an off-night. So much so that he was dropped against Poland, only appearing as a substitute for the last half-hour. “It was just a choice. That’s all,” insisted Deschamps after that game in Dortmund.

Not since Euro 2016, when France lost the final as hosts, had Griezmann been omitted from the starting line-up in a major tournament game with something on the line.

So now the question is what role Griezmann will play against Belgium. The expectation is that he is recalled to the starting line-up where he can support Mbappe. With Mbappe available there is a little less pressure on Griezmann to score.

AGENCIES

David vs Goliath? Not quite

Portugal Face Slovenia For Place In Last Eight

Frankfurt: Concerns are building among Portugal supporters over Roberto Martinez’s approach as his side take on Slovenia in the Euro 2024 last 16 on Monday.

Portugal arrived in Germany among the contenders to win the tournament for a second time, but despite topping Group F, their performances lowered expectations over how far the Selecao can go. They scraped a last-gasp 2-1 win over the Czech Republic, impressed in a 3-0 victory against Turkiye and then fell to a shock 2-0 defeat by debutants Georgia. Martinez deployed a 3-5-2 formation against the Czechs and Georgia which his players struggled to get to grasps with, while their more familiar 4-3-3 worked well against Turkiye.

After qualifying for the Euros with a 100 percent record, Portugal’s form since has been far patchier, with Georgia inflicting the first competitive defeat in Martinez’s reign. Slovenia were the first side to beat Martinez’s Portugal in a March friendly, with his 3-5-2 system failing again that day. But veteran Portugal defender Pepe said that the team needs to step up and follow Martinez’s instructions better.

“I think we lost when we should have lost and now we need to learn from that,” said the centreback ahead of the clash with Slovenia in Frankfurt. “(We must learn) from what we didn’t do as players, whether we followed what the coach asked us to do in general, and of course, try not to make mistakes in the next game.”

However some in Portuguese media believe the players are puzzled by Martinez’s plans and therefore are struggling to execute them. Despite rotating virtually his whole team for the defeat by Georgia, Ronaldo still started. Matjaz Kek’s side could prove thorny opposition for a Portugal team struggling to hit their stride.

AGENCIES

Germany ride out of thunder, and lightning

Pass Denmark Test But Clouds Remain

Dortmund: Germany are through to the quarter finals of a major tournament for the first time in eight years, but clouds remain for Julian Nagelsmann’s Euro 2024 hosts.

The home side won 2-0 in Dortmund, coming up not only against a determined and organised Denmark, but also a 25-minute thunderstorm delay which derailed Germany’s early momentum.

In a match Nagelsmann called “bizarre” and “wild”, Germany needed a fair share of luck to get past the Danes, with two VAR reviews within a minute going in favour of the hosts.

Nagelsmann’s unforced changes to his starting XI will also come under fire, particularly the decision to replace the in-form Florian Wirtz with Leroy Sane, who had another frustrating night.

Having ridden out the storm on Saturday, Germany will hope for a clearer week ahead. Nagelsmann’s decision to replace the defensive-focused Maximilian Mittelstaedt with the attack-minded David Raum was a reward for the latter’s assist for Niclas Fuellkrug’s late equaliser against Switzerland. The other unforced change was difficult to understand, with Nagelsmann dropping Wirtz for Sane.

Wirtz, 21, came on with nine minutes remaining and was an immediate upgrade. The coach’s decision to again pick Kai Havertz over Fuellkrug also raised eyebrows, despite the Arsenal forward converting a second-half penalty.

In general play, Havertz had a number of chances but could not break through. Fortunately for Germany, Jamal Musiala had killer instinct when it mattered.

AFP

MAN OF THE MOMENT: Jamal Musiala seals the win for Germany

CANADA MAKE MAIDEN ENTRY INTO KNOCKOUTS

Orlando: Canada sealed qualification for their first-ever Copa America quarterfinals in a drab 0-0 draw with Chile on Saturday, as manager Jesse Marsch praised his side for playing intelligently and closing out the match against 10 men.

The draw moved Canada up to four points in Group A, five behind leaders Argentina, whose win over Peru in Saturday’s other match ensured Can- ada’s progression.

“We could have made life so much easier on ourselves by finding a way to finish it off, but we knew Argentina scored at the beginning of the second half, so the key was to not give anything away,” Marsch said.

“I tried to encourage them to stay stable and balanced ... It’s not just the goalkeeper and the defenders, the entire team has been very organised tactically, and disciplined.

“That has meant that we are very difficult to play against. We have looked athletic and strong in every match, and that’s what has helped us move forward.”

Spalletti keeps Italian job

LUCIANO SPALLETTI

Berlin: Italy are back at square one after a humbling exit from Euro 2024 as Luciano Spalletti was tasked on Sunday with revitalising the Azzurri despite his role in an embarrassing title defence.

A shockingly one sided 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in Berlin, where Italy won the 2006 World Cup, led to last-16 elimination. Saturday’s limp loss was one of the lowest points in Italy’s history, and the latest in a worryingly large number of humiliations, including missing out on the last two World Cups. On Italy’s national broadcaster RAI, the verdict was swift and brutal: “unacceptable”, “slow and predictable”, said commentators, while the headlines in newspapers ranged from “Shameful” to suggesting the players take up farming.

Spalletti’s future as Italy coach had been in doubt. However the 65-year-old was confirmed in his post as Italy’s chief Gabriele Gravina said a “long-term project” could not be abandoned.

AFP

MARTINEZ BRACE STEERS ARGENTINA INTO LAST-8

Miami: Argentina shrugged off the injury absence of Lionel Messi to maintain their perfect start at the Copa America on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Peru in Miami.

Lautaro Martinez scored twice at the Hard Rock Stadium to seal a win that ensured Argentina advance to the quarterfinals as Group A winners.

With Messi sidelined after complaining of a sore right hamstring, and coach Lionel Scaloni serving a one-game suspension, Argentina made nine changes to their starting XI at the Hard Rock Stadium.

But despite the makeshift-looking line-up, Argentina were always in control against a disappointing Peru side who managed just one shot on goal during a one-sided encounter.

Martinez’s first goal came just after half-time. A sublime through ball from Angel Di Maria released the Inter Milan forward, who calmly lifted a deft finish over advancing Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Argentina had a chance to double their lead in the 72nd minute after Jesus Castillo handled in the area to concede a penalty.

But Leandro Paredes crashed his ensuing spot-kick against the woodwork to leave the score at 1-0.

Martinez then grabbed a second in the 86th minute, latching on to a long pass forward before finishing past Gallese.

Replays indicated Martinez appeared to shove defender Aldo Corzo in the build-up but referee Cesar Ramos waved Peru’s protest and the goal stood.

“It was tough in the first half because they were defending deep, but the first goal opened up the game,” Martinez said afterwards. “There’s a lot more to come from us.”

AGENCIES

WAR ON VAR: CONFUSING TECHNOLOGY

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said the game is now better for its technology. “If VAR interrupts the game and you compare it to the former days. I think it’s more fair than if you have no VAR.” Former England captain Alan Shearer doesn’t think so. “The hand ball law is (expletive),” Alan Shearer, the former England great, wrote on social media. A look at the decisions that evoked criticism...

Referees remotely controlled: Referees can often seem to be remotely controled, going against FIFA’s pledge in 2016: “Never lose the authority of referees, never take it out.” “Michael Oliver is not making this decision,” Tottenham’s Australian coach Ange Postecoglou said of the penalty award during the Denmark game. The ball clearly struck Andersen’s hand though from a hard-hit cross at such a close distance that Oliver did not initially judge it a foul. VAR intervened, applying the strict laws of the game regarding handball and penalty was awarded to Germany. VAR officials also were not technically responsible for the offside judged against Denmark’s Thomas Delaney, who had a toe or two beyond the last German defender. It was a binary ruling by the multi camera-based Semi-Automated Offside Technology (SAOT) system.

The unlucky Belgian: This is the tournament, of course, where the joint top scorers through Saturday have three goals and Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku alone has had three goals overruled by VAR. Lukaku being offside before scoring against Romania was similarly marginal.

Overruled! After 20 corrections by VAR in 36 games, the rate was bumped up by the three key overrules — two goals disallowed, one for each team, and the Germany penalty awarded — in the second of the R16 games.

Offside tech: The offside tech has been giving decisions within an average of 46 seconds, while VAR decisions overall were averaging 1 min, 36 secs.

AGENCIES

WIMBLEDON 2024

Djokovic hopes to go all the way

Thought Of Missing Wimbledon Was Just Not Correct, Says 7-Time Champion

TOUGH NUT: Novak Djokovic during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ahead of the Wimbledon

Prajwal.Hegde@timesgroup.com

London: Jelena Djokovic posed a question to her husband as he fast-tracked his recovery from knee surgery, rushing to compete at Wimbledon, where he is already a seven-time champion. Mrs Djokovic, a constant presence at courtside, only verbalised the query on every connoisseur’s mind.

The 37-year-old Serbian, who has won 24 major titles, but is yet to win an Olympic gold, earlier in the year labelled the 2024 Summer Games a priority for himself. Yet, here he was, seeking counsel — from Taylor Fritz to Stan Wawrinka to champion Alpine ski racer Lindsay Vonn — after his right knee went under the knife to repair a torn medial meniscus in Paris. There should be more Wimbledons for Djokovic in the next couple of years, but who knows if there’ll be an- other Olympic Games for him?

Why the rush then? Why the unnecessary risk?

Djokovic conceded that the question, when posed to him again at his pre-championship press conference, was fair.

“I wouldn’t call it a fear of missing out,” Djokovic said. “It’s this incredible desire to play, particularly because it is Wimbledon. The thought of me missing Wimbledon was just not correct. It’s probably less of a rational or logical explanation, but more of a feeling of a desire to play Wimbledon.”

Djokovic, seeded two, faces Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva in the first round. “I wanted to see how fast I can recover, be in a condition to compete at best-of-five on grass,” Djokovic said. “I didn’t come here to play a few rounds and prove to myself that I can actually compete in one or two matches. I want to go for the title.”

Djokovic, who finds himself in an unlikely situation, as he’s yet to win a title this season at the halfway stage, is aware that his next tournament is the Olympics on clay.

“We put in a huge amount of hours into rehab in the last three weeks, raising the level of intensity of training and rehab every single day,” he said. “I haven’t had any setbacks. If I had one setback, I would then be questioning whether I should be here or not. But I haven’t had a single one. Why not give it a shot?”

Djokovic — who could play Tomas Etcheverry in the third round, Holger Rune in the fourth and projected to meet seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals — arrived in this leafy suburb a week ago, sporting a knee brace.

“It’s been a good week of training, particularly the last three days. I played practice sets with (Jannik) Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, (Daniil) Medvedev, Emil Ruusuvuori and Rune,” he said. “The knee has responded well so far, that’s why I decided to be in the draw.”

The Serbian, seeded to play fourth seed Alexander Zverev in the semifinals, is in the lighter half of the men’s draw, which gives him an opportunity to play himself into the tournament.

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and the world No. 1 Jannik Sinner headline the top half and are seeded to meet in the semifinals.

Sumit Nagal keen to make SW19 return count

SUMIT NAGAL

Prajwal.Hegde@timesgroup.com

London: Results may or may not be a case for Sumit Nagal at the 2024 Wimbledon tennis championships.

This outing is about an evolving relationship — a tricky surface, an address that’s built on the foundation of tradition, and a city where the 26-year-old has a connection. At a venue where he has history, having triumphed in the boys’ doubles here nine years ago, the India No. 1 is looking to write his transition story. From boy to man.

Nagal will step out on a match court at SW19 for the first time in six years when he takes on Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round late on Monday. The grass looks greener this time round.

Nagal, who thrives on clay, said grass was a ‘different type of physical’. A beast.

“On clay you can slide,” he said, speaking to TOI on Media Day. “If you slide on grass, you can roll over your ankle or even tear your groin. On clay, rallies are longer, on grass rallies are shorter, but your legs are active all the time, you have to stay low, and your base has to be solid and big.”

“One of my strengths is court coverage and if I can use that strength well, I can have the upper hand,” said Nagal sporting a duck egg blue tee. “I believe I can do well on grass, if I can get used to the movement, I can be good.”

Nagal’s best result in the juniors came at Wimbledon — on his least favourite surface, and in doubles, even though singles is what he enjoys playing. This time the Indian will also feature in the doubles draw, where he’ll play alongside Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic.

“The grass is slower on the Championship courts and I am enjoying playing on it. I am excited,” Nagal said. “When you feel that way, anything is possible.”

Nagal, who is ranked 72, and Kecmanovic, the world No. 53, have met once in the pros. The 24-year-old came out on top in that meeting, four years ago on hardcourt. Kecmanovic, who has a career-high ranking of 27 achieved last January, has played five tie-break sets in his two grass-court outings this season -Halle and ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

Nagal, who motored on uncommon courage in sealing an Olympic slot in the last week, arrived in London early and practised on the grass.

“We have known each other for a while, since our junior days. We are friends,” he said of Kecmanovic.

“We played a few times, practised a few times. He knows my game and I know his. It’s going to be a battle.”

GALLERY

Russell wins after Max, Norris collide

Spielberg: George Russell claimed a dramatic victory for Mercedes on Sunday after a sensational late collision between series leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull and his nearest rival Lando Norris of McLaren in the closing laps of an action-packed Austrian Grand Prix. It was the British driver's second career victory, endorsing the improved form of the Mercedes team in recent races, as he made the most of Verstappen's impulsive and aggressive move against Norris, to finish 1.9 seconds clear of Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren.

Praggnanandhaa beats Giri: After missing out on opportunities to win, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa finally broke through and scored a hard-earned victory over Dutchman Anish Giri in the fourth round of the Superbet Classic chess tournament in Bucharest. D Gukesh had little trouble holding off Firouzja Alireza of France to a draw.

Bhatia and Rai keep lead at tight Rocket Mortgage Classic: Akshay Bhatia and England's Aaron Rai shot 4-under par 68s to remain co-leaders through the third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Saturday in Detroit. Bhatia and Rai began the round sharing the lead, but the overall leaderboard has tightened. Rai had five birdies and a bogey, while Bahatia navigated his third consecutive round without a bogey. They're both at 17-under 199 going into Sunday's final round.

AGENCIES

SA fight back after Sneh Rana heroics

Neha.Surana@timesgroup.com

Chennai: Indian spinner Sneh Rana’s (8-77) spectacular spell in the first innings was overshadowed by a resolute performance from South Africa on Day Three of the one-off Test here on Sunday.

After South Africa were bowled out for 266, courtesy offspinner Sneh’s masterclass, the hosts enforced a follow-on. The visitors then staged a comeback as Sune Luus (109, 203b; 18x4) was once again in the thick of things. On Saturday, she scored a composed half-century and paired with Marizanne Kapp to keep India at bay.

In the second innings, Luus found company in skipper Laura Wolvaardt (93 batting, 252; 12x4) and together they stitched together a massive 190-run association for the second wicket. It was the highest South African partnership for any wicket in women’s Tests.

Responding to India’s mammoth first innings tally of 603/6, South Africa were 232/2 in 85 overs at stumps, trailing by 105 runs. To reach there, the SA batters dealt with the Indian attack patiently.

Proteas’ opener Anneke Bosch’s wicket off Deepti Sharma made way for Luus, who stood like a wall to score her maiden century. Her splendid knock contained 18 hits to the fence, off which she struck 10 against the day’s first innings star -Sneh.

Sneh, who earlier thrived on the spin-friendly surface, was kept under check by Luus in the latter half of the day. She went on the back foot to tackle the spin attack as it gave her additional time to respond. As she continued to chip away, the deficit for SA kept reducing.

When she reached the three-figure mark, Luus received a standing ovation from the spectators and her skipper Wolvaardt was visibly chuffed.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur took it upon herself to bring an end to the threatening stand by castling well-settled Luus’ off-stump. Harmanpreet let out a huge roar before exhaling with relief.

Earlier, South Africa began the day at 236/4 but with Sneh tormenting them with her guile. The middle and lower order crumbled for the addition of 30 runs.

BRIEF SCORES: South Africa 266 in 84.3 overs (Kapp 74, Luus 65, Rana 8-77) and 232/2 in 85 overs (Luus 109, Wolvaardt 93*) vs India: 603/6 decl.

FOR ROHIT,, A SENSE OF CLOSURE

He Started As A Young Member Of MS Dhoni’s 2007 World T20-Winning Side & Bows Out Of The Format With Another World Title, This Time As Leader. Truly, Things Have Come Full Circle For One Of India’s Modern Batting Greats...

TIMES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown (Barbados): The oncechubby teenager is a greying veteran now. The young Mumbai boy, who loved to fool around off the field and bat like a happy prince when on it, has seen all the ups and downs a cricketer can experience over an 18-year career. And now, as Rohit Sharma pulls the curtains down on his T20 International career, the World Cup-winning captain feels life has come full circle.

“Someone told me sometime back that when I started in 2007, I won the World Cup in South Africa and now I am leaving with another World Cup. My career has truly come a full circle,” Rohit said at the Kensington Oval after India’s win.

The official press conference was done long back, in which he announced that he was retiring from the format. The captain was soaking in the moment of victory with his teammates, coaches and support staff. When the media requested him for another chat on his T20 career, Rohit was typically accomodating. “Chalo, kar lo yaar, aa jao.” He called us in front of the dressing room.

The skipper went back to those days of youth when he was just finding his feet as an international cricketer. As a member of MS Dhoni’s side that won the first World T20, he batted at No. 6 in the final against Pakistan. In the last over of the innings, the then 20-year-old hit left-arm pacer Sohail Tanveer for a six, a shot that doesn’t get discussed too often.

It was a crucial shot that proved to be the difference in the end and when TOI reminded him of it, Rohit said: “Haan, bilkul yaad hain, I was a kid then…basically I had a role then to play as a No. 5 or 6 and finish- ing used to be important. Scores of 150 those days used to be challenging and I was still in the process of learning the format. Now I understand it much better and I tell these young boys how important it is to perform those little roles given to them.”

Rohit has gone through many phases as a batter. From a middleorder floater, he slowly turned into a white-ball opener and by the middle of the 2010s, he became a bit of a monster who started getting feared by one and all. But his real development as a cricketer happened later in the decade, when he mastered the red ball, and that too, as an opener. And that went a long way in him becoming an all-format captain, a role that he has performed wonderfully well.

Rohit will continue to play ODIs and Tests, as well as the IPL. But when asked how difficult it is to juggle formats, the 37-year-old said: “Oh yes, all formats are different and it is difficult to adapt, more so as a captain. There are technical aspects that you have to work very hard on.

“Then there’s constant planning in T20s to out-think a batter, but you know it’s a fun format, a challenge. I have always enjoyed challenges.”

Had India won the ODI World Cup in November last year, there was a serious possibility that Rohit and Virat Kohli would probably have skipped the T20 World Cup. Sources close to the team management had indicated that it was the disappointment of Nov 19, 2023 that pushed them to carry on for that sense of closure. But Rohit said he doesn’t “make decisions so far ahead”. “Whatever I feel right inside me, I do that. I don’t know whether I would have played or not. In fact, I hadn’t thought that I would retire from T20s here, just that I thought this was a perfect situation for me,” the righthander insisted, adding that this World Cup was something that he desperately wanted to win.

It felt all so right that a captain who has been so consistent and scored three crucial half-centuries in this World Cup, and also played the best innings of the event against Australia, has had his wish fulfilled.

BOOKENDS: Rohit Sharma (left) celebrates after India won the T20 World Cup by beating South Africa in Bridgetown, Barbados on Sunday. A much younger Rohit (on the right) is over the moon after India beat Australia in the 2007 World T20 semifinal at Kingsmead, Durban on Sept 22, 2007. That team, led by MS Dhoni, went on to win the inaugural edition of the tournament by beating Pakistan in the final

SKY evokes memories of Kapil’s magic catch in ’83

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown (Barbados): It was happening just below the press box and wasn’t visible at first instance. While the world watching on television had seen Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible catch and were probably sure David Miller was out, those closest to the action just couldn’t figure out what had happened.

It had to be the replay, the wait, and the explosion of euphoria over the next few minutes that told all of us at the Kensington Oval that this World Cup might just be India’s.

When TOI caught up with Surya as he was going back to the dressing- room after signing a few autographs, the best T20 batter in the world said: “I really don’t know what was going through my mind. All I could see was the World Cup flying away and I just latched on to it.”

When great catches in Indian history come up for discussion, the first that comes to mind is the one that Kapil Dev took to dismiss Viv Richards in the 1983 World Cup. It altered the course of Indian cricket history, and Roger Binny, the highest wickettaker of the 1983 World Cup and the current BCCI president, told TOI Surya’s catch was as good as Kapil’s.

“Kapil’s catch was magnificent in its own right. He had to run back, keep an eye on the ball and complete the catch, which he did with great ease. This was a case of incredible athleticism, where Surya was dealing with the variable of the boundary rope. We would have probably lost if he had dropped it, just as it was with Kapil’s catch. These two catches are on a par,” Binny said at the Kensington Oval on Saturday.

Captain Rohit Sharma isn’t one who likes to make comparisons. Rather he described his own emotions as the catch was getting completed. “I was standing at long-off so I could clearly see Surya there. He is very calm under pressure, has got brilliant hands. The moment he took that catch, I knew he was inside (the rope). I was very calm, still, until the scoreboard says out, it’s not out. But I had already started already thinking about the other five balls we still had to bowl,” he said.

‘This is no redemption, I don’t think on those lines’

Coach Dravid Signs Out On A High, Says He Will Miss Personal Bond He Shared With Rohit

PILLAR OF SUPPORT: Coach Rahul Dravid is lifted by the Indian team at the Kensington Oval

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown (Barbados): A World Cup in West Indies 17 years ago left Rahul Dravid the captain shattered. On Saturday, the West Indies gave it back to him on his last day as coach. The humiliation of crashing out at the group stage of an ODI World Cup seemed like a long-forgotten memory as the legend was up in the air again, this time his players right there to hold him.

Dravid, who referred to himself as “unemployed,” with just a hint of a smile, after India’s win at the Kensington Oval, never won an ICC trophy in his playing career, though he did come close a few times. As coach, despite building a team that has been No. 1 across formats for a while now, the defeats in two finals in the World Test Champion and ODI World Cup must have hurt.

Barbados gave him back a few things, though he refuses to call it “redemption”. “It is a memory of a lifetime for me. But this is no redemption, I don’t think on those lines. As player I was not lucky enough to win a trophy but I always knew I gave it my best and I know many greats who haven’t won a big prize. I was lucky to be given the coach’s job and it is a great to be part of a moment like this,” Dravid said, savouring the moment as the sun hid behind the clouds.

One of India’s greatest batters of all time, Dravid comes from a different generation. His quiet, understated and methodical approach isn’t always a straight fit with a group of young players who are mercurial. Even if you are a legend, it’s not always easy to impress ideas upon them, especially when they are stars in their own right.

Rohit Sharma, for whom Dravid was his “first international captain”, was probably the go-between when it came to the younger crop of players and the 51-year-old coach. The skipper himself said it wasn’t easy for Dravid as he had to “suppress his instincts many times”.

“It is not easy to match the wavelength of these boys. So, Rahul bhai suppressed him- self. He understood what the boys wanted, he made that his priority. It is not easy for anybody to do all these, but Rahul bhai did that for the whole team. He understood what the boys needed and worked accordingly,” Rohit said.

Dravid agreed. “There are things which are different. They are fantastic talents, their energy, their confidence are of a different level. We had to take this confidence ahead and win an ICC trophy that was eluding us. But it’s because of them we are getting a moment to celebrate like this,” the outgoing coach said.

There’s no denying that the Rohit-Dravid captain-coach combo will be remembered in Indian cricket just the same way Ganguly-Wright, DhoniKirsten and Kohli-Shastri will be remembered. They seemed to understand each other very well which worked wonders for the team, and Dravid insisted it is the personal bond that he will miss most.

“Hope we still remain friends,” Dravid laughed. “But honestly, I will miss Rohit the person most. The kind of respect, care and commitment he has shown to me, it’s really touching. He will be a great captain, a great player, but he is the person who I will be most fond of.”

“What’s the legacy that you’re leaving behind?” The question had to be asked. Dravid, the master of understatement, was in his elements again when he said he is “not a legacy person”. “I am glad we gave the best we could and lucky to be working with such a hard-working, intelligent group of coaches. But I am happiest for those Indian fans who keep coming back.” Dravid said he will be “moving on” and going on with his life from next week.

‘At 17, he had unbelievable hitting prowess’

Abhishek Nayar, Former India Cricketer & Rohit Sharma’s Close Friend, Talks To TOI About The India Captain’s Journey...

ABHISHEK NAYAR

Gaurav.Gupta@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: “It was some time in 2003,” Abhishek Nayar jogs his memory as TOI quizzes the former India and Mumbai allrounder and current Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach about his first interaction with his “close, close” friend Rohit Sharma.

“We (Mumbai’s senior team) had gone to Hyderabad to play in the Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup. I fell sick there. I had a fever and was sleeping in my room. A certain Rohit Sharma, who was supposed to be my roommate, arrived after playing for Mumbai in an U-19 event. Realizing that I would be disturbed, he would go out of the room to talk on his phone. I found that very considerate. He was shy and would hardly talk.

Slowly, we developed a friendship, a close bond which has remained strong,” Nayar says.

Soon, Nayar would have a glimpse of a then teenaged Rohit’s precious talent. “We batted together in one match. I saw someone who was hitting some unbelievable sixes in red-ball cricket, not a familiar sight those days. He played a few 30-run odd cameos, but his highly impressive sixes caught my eye.

“Since then, I knew Rohit was special. I’ve always enjoyed his batting. While playing for the Mumbai U-19 team, he would hit huge sixes, and that too consistently, which would land up on the first and second tier at the Brabourne and Wankhede Stadiums. You don’t see that kind of hitting prow- ess from somebody who is 17,” Nayar says.

And then came the moment that catapulted Rohit, then just 19, into the Indian team, almost out of nowhere. It was April 4, 2007. Chasing 142 against Gujarat at the Brabourne Stadium in a league match of the inaugural edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, Mumbai had slipped to 32/3 in the sixth over before Rohit smashed a match-winning 101 not out off just 45 balls, including 13 fours and five sixes. It was the first hundred in T20 cricket by an Indian. Mumbai’s next highest score in that five-wicket win was Wilkin Mota’s 14. “One of his sixes broke the glass at CCI when he smashed Siddharth Trivedi for a six on the first floor,” Nayar says.

Amongst those watching the match was former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, then the na- tional chief selector. “It was the only game in that tournament in which Rohit got runs but he was still picked soon for India, so a lot of credit goes to Dilip sir, who was a blind believer in Rohit’s talent,” Nayar reminisces.

A few months down the line, Rohit was part of India’s team, which triumphed in the inaugural World T20 in South Africa.

A few years later came the big shocker. Not in the best of form and fitness, Rohit was dropped from the 2011 World Cup team, which went on to clinch the title.

“It was the biggest rejection of his life. While India won that World Cup, Rohit felt that he had lost the most personally, However, I would call that as the moment of ‘transformation’. Thereafter began his renaissance (with Nayar helping him out with his fitness). It was a transition that saw his attitude and mindset towards the game, and his fitness, undergo a complete 180-degree transformation,” says Nayar.

Template decided after 2023 ODI WC defeat

From P1

While there were serious efforts made to push the needle while batting, the defeat in the 2023 ODI World Cup final was a cruel blow for these bravehearts in blue. But as the management tried to deal with disappointment, a template was forged over the next few months.

It was decided that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would open the batting and it would not change unless there’s an injury to any one of them. Four allrounders were included and add to that three left-arm spinners — something that’s not exactly common in any form of cricket.

Rohit explained why these unique methods were followed as India went after the prize that has been eluding them for so long. “See, allrounders needed to add depth. We wanted to see how we could cover all bases, how we could get bowlers who can swing the ball in the beginning and reverse it in the end. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar had a big role to play in it and the BCCI allowed us to do what we wanted to do. They put a lot of faith in the team and that worked,” Rohit said.

While it was a moment of redemption for a team, there are a few in the group for whom it meant a little more. Dravid had never won a World Cup as a player, and he described Saturday as “a memory of a lifetime” for him. Hardik had gone through incredible upheavals on personal and professional front. He seemed to have answered all those both with the bat and the ball. “Yes, a lot of people have said a lot of things about me without probably knowing me. It’s fine, here I am now in front of you guys, being able to do what I was asked to do by the team,” Hardik, who could well be India’s next T20 captain, said, with the World Cup in his hand.

And then, there’s a Virat. The greatest T20 batter ever for India was having a torrid time in this World Cup till it all turned around in the final. Battling form, the champion played a match-winning knock that won him the Man of the Match award in the last T20 game of his career. Virat was happy. He was signing autographs, obliging all those who wanted selfies, but when there was a request for a farewell chat, he smiled: “Talking is not my forte. Playing is.”

Many of them are exiting the Indian T20 set up. Coach Rahul Dravid had announced before the tournament that this would be his last stint. Virat Kohli said goodbye to the format at the prize distribution ceremony. When TOI asked Rohit Sharma about his thoughts on his T20 career, the captain said: “This is the moment for me to leave this format. I hadn’t thought of it before, but the way things shaped up, this is the time to go.”

TIMES IN THE CARIBBEAN

‘Victory a tribute to team’s brotherhood’

Hardik Says World Cup Triumph Is The Best Farewell India Could Have Given Rohit And Kohli

From villain to hero: Booed and ridiculed in the IPL, Hardik Pandya had a T20 World Cup to savour

Dwaipayan.Datta@timesgroup.com

Bridgetown (Barbados): Hardik Pandya has been to hell and back in the last few months. An injury cut short a promising ODI World Cup campaign and that eventually cost him his T20 captaincy as well. It was followed by a disastrous move to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in the IPL, replacing Rohit Sharma as the captain, which wasn’t too well received by fans. His form, too, took a nosedive and there was a clamour to drop him from the T20 World Cup squad.

The BCCI and captain Rohit, however, felt Hardik had done enough to get a chance. He was included to add depth to a lineup both in batting and bowling. It was ironic that he was left to bowl the last over with 16 to play with in the final, but Hardik rose to the occasion and got the job done.

He also got the wicket of the super-dangerous Heinrich Klaasen that actually started South Africa’s downfall. During a chat with the media after the game, Hardik talked about what he had endured, how he fought back and what was going through his mind when he was bowling the last over. Excerpts....

How do you feel about this win, in which you had such a crucial role to play?

It is obviously very special. From where I come from, this is something that is always a dream and it is a feeling that I can’t describe, more so when I knew that everything came down to me at the end. I am just very happy for the group.

You have gone through a lot in these last few months. A lot has been said about you as well...

Yes, a lot of people said a lot of things without knowing who Hardik Pandya is. Everyone had an opinion and I don’t mind that, but I have always main- tained that you never reply with words. You can only answer with your actions. Yes, there were difficulties but I knew that I won’t be down always. I believe it is important to be graceful in victory and in defeat, and I tried to maintain that. Only thing I want to tell the fans is that they, too, should learn to be graceful, at times they should also find better ways to express themselves. Anyway, I am sure they will also be happy today.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have retired. You may well become the next T20 captain. How do you see things looking forward to the 2026 World Cup?

2026 is far off. For now, I am very happy for Rohit and Virat, two giants of Indian cricket who deserve every bit of the success. We will obviously miss them in the format but at the same time, this is probably the best farewell that we could have given them. This victory is a tribute to the brotherhood that has been created in the team.

What was going through your mind when you came to bowl the last over?

I think I was enjoying it. Not too many people get such chances which can change their lives. Things might have gone the other way, but it didn’t bother me. I knew there was no point taking pressure, I just tried to bank on my skillset. I think it was written in the stars. I have always tried to keep smiling through the difficulties and I can assure you this is going to be a very long smile.

You shone both as a batter and a bowler in different phases of this World Cup...

Now that we have won, I feel that even if I hadn’t scored, it wouldn’t have mattered. Individual performances don’t matter when the team doesn’t win. But whenever I got the chance, I was happy that I could contribute something to the team’s cause. I have always played my cricket that way, if it is one over, I try to do it to the best of my ability.

Hurricane Beryl may disrupt team’s return to India

Indian cricket fans might have to wait to see their T20 World Cup-winning heroes back in the country as the Rohit Sharma-led side’s travel plans have been impacted by a hurricane in Barbados. Reports said that hurricane Beryl, originating in the Atlantic, had intensified with maximum sustained winds of 210 kmph.

The Category 4 hurricane was about 570km east-southeast of Barbados and reports said that the airport in Bridgetown was shut on Sunday evening. Team India was supposed to take a flight from New York via Dubai on Monday. The plan now is to travel in a charter to Delhi once flights resume. PTI

(Top): Social media was abuzz mixing two of the country’s greatest obsessions, Bollywood and cricket. This one from 2001 hit Lagaan went viral (Below): Chance of India’s win when Klaasen and Miller were on song

Each player in the team may get 5cr as reward

BCCI secretary Jay Shah (left) with outgoing coach Rahul Dravid

Continued from P1

The massive booty of Rs 125 crore awarded to players and support staff tells you about the BCCI’s unbridled joy at Team India finally ending a desperate wait for its first T20 World Cup title since 2007, the first World Cup crown since 2011, and the first ICC title since 2013.

It’s not clear how this massive prize money will get distributed amongst the players and the support staff. India had picked a 15-member squad, with four reserve players, for the Cup. The roughly 15-member support staff was led by head coach Rahul Dravid, and included the batting (Vikram Rathour), bowling (Paras Mhambrey) and fielding coach (T Dilip). Then, there were three throwdown specialists, three physios (two initially, and then another one flew on after one fell ill), one trainer, manager, logistics manager, the video analyst, security and integrity officer. There could still be more members of the support staff added to this list.

It is estimated that all the 15 players of the squad could end up receiving at least Rs 5 crores each, while the four reserve players and the members of the support staff too will receive at least Rs 1 crore.

It is learnt that the prize money amount is more than six times of what the team received from the ICC ($2.45 mil- lion, or Rs 20.37 crore) for winning the World Cup.

Compare this to what the then much financially weaker BCCI rewarded to ‘Kapil’s Devils’ 41 years ago for upsetting the mighty West Indies at Lord’s on June 25 to win India’s maiden limited overs World Cup! Recently, at an event in Mumbai, former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, who was a member of that team, recalled, “When we won the World Cup in 1983, the then BCCI president, NKP Salve, announced a prize money of Rs 25,000 per player. At that point, when Lata Mangeshkar (legendary singer) heard that we would get this prize money, she said: ‘I’ll have an evening (concert) for the players, and subsequently, she had an evening for the players in Delhi, and we received a cheque of Rs 1 lakh each for the first time in our lives!”

However, in 2024, a time where the players have often been accused of prioritising the IPL over national duty, this kind of a sum, while it appears a tad extravagant at first, is par for the course. “In the age of the IPL, where players are paid handsomely by their franchises, Rs 125 crore to a team for winning the T20 World Cup is a simple message to the players — win trophies for India and you’ll be cash-rich,” a BCCI member told TOI.

A gut-wrenching loss, but good for it to sting: Markram

CRESTFALLEN: The South African team after the seven-run loss to India in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on Saturday

Bridgetown: A devastated South African skipper Aiden Markram is hopeful that at some point he would be able to see the good in his team’s T20 World Cup campaign but for now, all he feels is a “sting” which, he hopes, will ensure a “fire in the belly for next time”.

South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls in a chase of 176 against India but fell short by seven runs despite Heinrich Klaasen’s awe-inspiring 27-ball 52 in the see-saw summit clash here on Saturday.

India had Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya’s death bowling and a blinder of a catch by Suryakumar Yadav to thank for the close win after the peerless Virat Kohli set up the match for them with a brilliant 76-run knock.

“It’s not the first game of cricket that’s been lost with a team needing 30 of 30 – it’s more that India was allowed to bowl well, they’re allowed to field well, they’re allowed to go from that position to a position of strength,” the 29-year-old Markram said in the post-match press conference.

“Right now to pinpoint something is quite tough but we’ll reflect over the next few days, over the next few weeks, try and find areas that we could have maybe improved in during today’s game, but also to highlight the things that went really well for us,” he added.The pain aside, Markram is proud of his teammates, who managed to get rid of the chokers’ tag to an extent by making their first World Cup final.

“I think one thing that I will definitely say is how proud we are. Not just of today, the game itself, but the competition as a whole, the build-up to get here.

“So, in hindsight, the things will still feel really good about this competition. But like I mentioned, just for the time being, it stings a bit, but it’s good for it to sting. It gives you that little bit of fire in the belly for next time that you’re here,” he said.

Markram admitted that Klaasen will find it tough to make peace with the result after such a “special effort”.

“We’ve seen him do it many, many times around the world and to deliver it in a stage like this is a really special effort. So, it’s going to be tough for him, that’s what I say when I mean we reflect back. There’s going to be lots of things to be happy about,” he said.

While the Indian players had happy tears in their eyes, the Proteas broke down in the realisation that another major title had slipped through their hands, only this time at the final hurdle. “It’s just gut wrenching, that’s really what it is. Each player has been on a different individual journey to get to this first final. Ultimately you become really tight as a group and you want good things to happen to this group because you know they’re great people,” he said.

“When you get really close like that, especially the nature of how the game went, obviously adds to the emotions and it’s one of those things but yeah, we can channel it moving forward but I think next couple of days you let it be. You let yourself feel the way you want to feel and then really start reflecting in a positive manner.”

Despite the disappointment and heartbreak, Markram did not forget to applaud India’s brilliance and composure in the final. “It’s tournament cricket, it’s tough cricket, it’s not easy to win trophies and you’ve got to take your hats off to a team like India for lifting the trophy. A lot of hard work goes into it. But yeah, we’d like to think we’re one step closer and hopefully moving forward we can get that first win and it can be a snowball effect of quite a few to come,” he said. PTI

Jadeja follows Rohit and Kohli into T20I retirement

Allrounder Played In 30 Matches Across Seven T20 World Cups

Bridgetown: Seasoned India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday announced his retirement from T20 Internationals, joining his illustrious teammates Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in bidding adieu to the format a day after winning the World Cup here.

One of the world’s finest fielders, Jadeja said he will continue to play ODIs and Tests.

“With a heart full of gratitude, I bid farewell to T20 internationals. Like a steadfast horse galloping with pride, I’ve always given my best for my country and will continue to do so in other formats,” the 35-year-old wrote on Instagram underneath a picture of him holding the trophy.

“Winning the T20 World Cup was a dream come true, a pinnacle of my T20 International career. Thank you for the memories, the cheers, and the unwaver- ing support. Jai hind,” he added.

Having made his debut in T20Is against Sri Lanka back in 2009, he played 74 matches, scoring 515 runs and taking 54 wickets.

In the T20 World Cup title clash in Barbados on Saturday, India beat South Africa by seven runs to claim their second title in the tournament’s history.

The triumph was followed by the duo of Rohit and Kohli announcing their retirement from the format.

Jadeja, a great servant of Indian cricket for more than a decade and half, did not have much to do in the tournament and was often overshadowed by Axar Patel. He batted for only 22 balls in five innings and could log only 35 runs. With the ball, he bowled 14 overs for just one wicket at an economy rate of 7.57. He is a four-time IPL winner. He was part of Shane Warne’s inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals in 2008 as a rookie. However, it is with Chennai Super Kings that he found success and stardom winning three titles in 2018, 2021 and 2023. With 10 needed off the last two balls, he hit a six and a four to win the 2023 final for CSK against Gujarat Titans.

AGENCIES

Editorial

- That Catch, This Match

- Bihar’s Real Status

- Life of fans

- The Angels And Demons Within Us

- In This Election, America Has Already Lost

- Their Gift To Indian Cricket

- CONTRAPUNTO

- Sacred space

That Catch, This Match

A triumph that’ll live in India’s collective memory, T20 World Cup win means a lot more

India’s cricket fans needed this. Cricketers in tears as the reality of the triumph sank in, India’s streets alive, late at night, with wild celebrations, deliriously happy posts on social media – fans needed them all. For many of them, coping with grim realities of life, real good news is often in short supply. But late Saturday night, momentarily, their troubles seemed swept away. Life was touched by magic. This is what sporting triumphs do, in any country fortunate enough to experience them. The T20 World Cup came to India at a time the country, across class, caste, region and languages, really needed a unifying moment of joy.

Like monsoons that replaced heatwaves, the cricketing triumph also brought relief, ending a drought. For too long, India was monotonously regular at exiting, either in semi-finals, or, failing to cross the final hurdle. Questions were rightly raised about the team’s temperament in big, knock-out games, and its ability to handle pressure. This tournament provided a resounding answer, “Yes, we, too, can.” The victory came after defeating Australia (World No. 2), England (defending champion and World No. 3), South Africa (World No. 5) and familiar foe Pakistan. It doesn’t get more comprehensive than this. We were World No. 1 earlier too. But minus the glittery trophy, it meant little. Now we are a deserving World No. 1.

No such win is achieved without meticulous homework and careful planning. Coach Rahul Dravid and the support staff deserve plaudits for nurturing a talented team and instilling in them a self-belief that didn’t leave them even in the toughest moments. So do BCCI’s national selectors for choosing a squad, which despite a few debatable choices, was in harmony with a larger plan and vision. This was a genuine team effort. But if there is one cricketer in this fine team who stands out, it is Jasprit Bumrah. Coming back from a debilitating back injury last year, Bumrah is a living example of how high-quality craft can become sublime art. It’s mystifying how he does what he does – another way of saying he’s a sporting genius.

Finally, a word for South Africans. Their cricket was brave and beautiful. They didn’t choke. It is just that sports can be cruel, sometimes by millimetres – as happened to Miller when SKY took that catch. That catch, this match, will always be part of India’s collective memory.

Bihar’s Real Status

JDU’s resolution for spl category funding is political ritual. Money isn’t the problem. Misgovernance is

JDU has said its party brass will meet Modi to lobby Bihar’s cause for special category status, a category that no longer exists. The party brass even passed a ‘resolution’. But it’s self-delusional, even gimmicky, for both economic and political reasons.

Limited help | The 11 states and UTs that receive such fillip from Centre are the eight Northeast states, J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand. The funding plan – Centre-state funding of central schemes is split 90:10 – was conceived for specific conditions: states along the international border with hilly terrain and geographically difficult areas where supply of public services is difficult. Insurgencies added to the need for Central help.

Bihar has sought ‘special category’ status since 2007 and, unsurprisingly, never met the criteria. Centre has repeatedly stated such status was hardly meant for a state where misgovernance is largely responsible for its poverty – giving in would only spark off a similar clamour from other poorly run states. Bihar’s assembly passed a resolution for ‘special category’ status last year. Following its caste survey, Nitish govt announced an allocation of `2.5L cr over next five years to help 94L poor families. Then it turned to Centre for funds.

It’s about sushasan, babu | JDU’s resolution in Delhi is politics that’s too clever by half. Modi’s only expected to roll this ball down the road. Nitish Kumar of all netas should know that looking to Delhi for assistance will hardly help his poll rhetoric ahead of 2025’s Bihar assembly elections, where he’s the incumbent, in alliance, as of now, with BJP. Leave alone the staggering numbers of poor, alarm bells are clanging in Bihar – five bridges have given way in the last nine days. Yet Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, ex-Bihar CM, can only see “conspiracy”. It’s exactly this poverty of mind of Patna’s leadership that drives its mindless governance. This is Bihar’s burden to bear, and it makes Bihar the poorest of major states, with highest out-migration.

Patna has failed to even utilise funds it gets. More money doesn’t get the work done. Bridges are breaking up, and Bihar, still a bimar state, is sinking under the weight of decades of misgovernance, not for want of funds.

Life of fans

How World Cup victories get deeply woven into our personal timelines

Arnab Ray

What do World Cup victories mean to us? I don’t mean the players; we all know the answer to that. But what does it mean to us, the fans, the ones who do nothing? I can tell you what it means to me. They say that before one dies, the moments that mattered in our life flash before our eyes. World Cup victories will be in my final kaleidoscope.

I will see Kapil Dev running back on the green of Lords, my little boy’s heart in my mouth, taking a catch that changes the history of a nation. I will see Misbah, with the Cup in hand, hand it over to the gentle dollies of Joginder Sharma, and I will see Dhoni, of course, sending the ball into the night sky. To that now, add Suryakumar Yadav, balancing himself on the line between victory and defeat, pivoting the game on a knife’s edge back to India.

I will see them all, and I will see more. I will see who I was with when those moments came to pass. My father aging from ’83 to 2024 in the images in my mind, and a new entrant to those memories, my daughter in 2024. I will see myself, too, reflected in the echoes of how I felt, from the boy wide-eyed in wonder in ’83, hoping the power doesn’t go out again during the telecast to the young man in another country in ’07 and ’11 and now back in my own, this time a father – four different me-s in shape, size and mind, tied together through time simply by a chain of indescribable happiness, the happiness made happier by how rare these moments of World Cup victory are, dots on a timeline plagued by defeat and disappointment.

But why this happiness for the achievements of a group of strangers, the cynical older me asks, ones who play for a club called BCCI? Why bother? It’s because it’s these moments that tie our happiness to billions of others. It’s when the trajectories of our lives all meet at a common emotion at the exact same time before they diverge again in random ways, making us aware, even if for a fleeting moment, of a simple yet forgotten truth. We are not alone.

The Angels And Demons Within Us

THE SPEAKING TREE

Jug Suraiya

On March 4, 1861, the 16th President of United States, Abraham Lincoln, took the oath of office and made his inaugural address to his country, over which loomed the gathering storm of a murderous civil war.

Seven of the states of the South had already seceded from the Union because of Lincoln’s determination to abolish slavery. It was feared that the remaining eight southern states would soon follow, tearing the republic apart.

The towering, gaunt-faced president appealed to his compatriots, “The mystic chords of memory…will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched as they will be…by the better angels of our nature.”

What are the ‘better angels’ in us that Lincoln evoked, in the hope of avoiding a blood-drenched conflict? And if there are the better angels – of compassion, love, and fellowship – must there not also be their opposite, the demons of hate, and rage, and violence, the two sides often engaged in an unresolved civil war within us?

In his 1886 novella, RL Stevenson personified the angels and demons in us in the characters of the good and gentle Dr Jekyll and the homicidal Mr Hyde, two diametrically opposed psyches inhabiting the same physical body.

The German-Swiss philosopher-novelist, Hermann Hesse, rendered his interpretation of this human duality in his 1927 parable, Steppenwolf. The protagonist, the middle-aged Harry Haller, is suffering from a deep-seated emotional and spiritual crisis.

He deems himself an outsider, isolated from the conventionalities of everyday life, and is engaged in a relentless daily, internal battle between an innate animalistic wolf-being and the yearning to elevate himself to the ranks of the “Immortals”, such as Goethe and Mozart, representative of the pinnacle of human attainment.

There is a lurking Steppenwolf in all of us, caught as we are in a confrontation that we might try to avoid acknowledging, between the ideals of truth, honesty, kindness, and generosity and their adversaries – falsehood, deceit, avarice and malice.

Only too often, and too clearly, do we distinguish right and wrong, what we ought to do, and what we are tempted to do; we hear simultaneously the voice of our better angel and the seductive whisper of fallen Lucifer.

The choice we make, in matters trivial or tragic, small or great, is often not a choice at all, but a submission to what the Greeks called akrasia, a state of unmindfulness in which we act against our better judgment through weakness of will.

DH Lawrence wrote:

“This is what I believe:

That I am I.

That my soul is a dark forest.

That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest.

That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self and then go back.

That I must have the courage to let them come and go.

That I will never let mankind put anything over me, but that I will always try to recognise and submit to the gods in me and the gods in other men and women.

There is my creed.”

To be human is to track our way through this haunted forest in that unique expedition that we call our life.

In This Election, America Has Already Lost

Mumbling Biden and bombastic Trump are frozen forever in gifs from the first presidential debate. Two rambling geriatrics are blundering their way to arguably the world’s most powerful post

Chidanand.Rajghatta@timesgroup.com

American presidential elections are sometimes won, or lost, in what is later perceived as a single moment of brilliance – or blunder. In the 1984 presidential debate, an aging Ronald Reagan – in hindsight a youthful 73 at the time compared to the 160 years split between Joe Biden and Donald Trump – allayed concerns about his advancing years with a joke that made even his relatively young opponent, Walter Mondale, 55, laugh: “I will not make age an issue in this campaign because I don’t want to use my opponent’s youth and inexperience against him.”

In 1988, a solitary mistimed, mismatched image tanked Michael Dukakis’s presidential campaign when he was 15 points ahead of George Bush Sr: a photo of him atop an Abrams tank, looking midget-y and fidgety.

Those moments occurred in an era when there was no internet or social media. On Thursday, June 27, 2024, however, it wasn’t a howler that foreshadowed a possible Democratic debacle; it was a brain freeze. In a moment that immediately was amplified into a GIF that’ll keep on giving, President Joe Biden, at 81 already under scrutiny over his age and senescence, searched for coherence while answering a question about the economy during the first presidential debate with Donald Trump. The momentary mental meandering and mumbling uncorked a cascade of questions about his capacity to navigate another four years in White House.

Beyond the brain freeze, so disjointed was his overall performance and so decrepit did he appear, that within hours, even some Democrats were baying for Biden’s blood as they doom-scrolled social media to assess the disaster. They suggested that he step aside in the 2024 presidential race. The liberal chatterati and commentariat too hit the panic button, calling on the President to pass up on the Democratic nomination and allow the party convention to throw up a fresh, younger candidate.

That optics, rather than substance, should define a presidential campaign, is a feature of American politics – perhaps politics everywhere in the age of Twitter and TikTok. Americans expect their leaders to be youthful and articulate, delivering well-honed lines in curated events. Campaign slogans and one-liners are trialled and practised extensively before use. Biden spent a week in Camp David preparing his lines. Then he flubbed it.

Biden’s opponent was by no means lucid or youthful. But even amid his familiar bluster replete with lies, delusions, and dissimulation, Donald Trump projected a confident, if bombastic, demeanour in pitching for a second term. He essayed a strong voice and pugnacious body language. In contrast, Biden looked parched and pallid. He spoke in a weak rasp, repeatedly stumbled over words. It’s an affliction that comes from an old problem – talking too fast to overcome a stammer he has had to conquer.

Although he recovered some mojo at a public rally the day after, the party remained down on him following the debate fiasco, watched by 51mn Americans. Even before the televised torment, a Gallup poll found 67% of Americans saying Biden is too old to be president, nearly twice as many as those who said the same for Trump, who at 78, is only around four years younger.

Neither man is telegenic. Biden, harshly dubbed walking dead by unsparing critics because of his robotic gait and shuffle, showed his age. Trump, all jowls and scowls, displayed ignorance no bluster could hide. It was painful watching, mitigated partly by the fact that hosts CNN muted the mic of one candidate when the other was speaking to forestall interruptions. Anchors also abjured fact checks to keep the debate moving.

Both worked to Trump’s advantage. The mic stop prevented him from maundering his way to a train wreck, as he’s often prone to do, enforcing a verbal discipline that he himself is not known to summon. Lack of immediate fact checking also allowed him to gaslight his way in a more restrained performance despite familiar lies and dissembling. The back-and-forth included dancing around policy questions that required greater command of facts and figures, where Biden has the advantage – if only his communication were comprehensible – because of his long years in public life and lawmaking.

The optics were bad even though the topics were familiar – abortion, immigration, economy, climate change, among others, all flagged and flogged to death. With entrenched positions reflecting their constituents’ views rather than their own convictions, the debate offered nothing new. The only takeaway is that they’re in for months of repetitive dissimulation till Nov 5.

The debate basically informed the world that a Trump II administration would be no different from Trump I, only turbocharged by even greater hubris. Just as a Biden second term will be more of the same, with less energy and passion.

Polls are again pointing to a tight race in which a resistible force is tangling with a movable object. There is national dismay at having to choose between two rambling geriatrics for arguably the world’s most important job. In this tedious contest, Trump did not clinch the debate; Biden blew it. Regardless of who won the first war of words, America lost.

Their Gift To Indian Cricket

Rohit and Virat quit T20 internationals in style, and after creating a team culture that can pay off for years to come

Anand Vasu

The passing of the torch only means something when the flame is proud and tall. And Rohit Sharma has ensured that he is handing a healthy sprig of burning brush to whoever will take it and run.

Not only did Rohit end India’s title drought (last ODI World Cup win in 2011 under MS Dhoni, last T20 World Cup crown in 2007), he said his time had passed. Taking a falling leaf from this banyan was Virat Kohli, whose innings of 76 spearheaded India’s win in the final, saying he too had played his last essay in this format.

Two pivots who made all difference | There is an easy grace about Rohit, the way he bats, how he addresses his elders, when he rebukes his teammates that does not come naturally to his predecessor Virat Kohli. But the two are remarkable champions and without their coming together this world title might not have been possible.

The culture they have built, six-packs on one side and taking care of each other and carrying everyone with them is remarkable, if largely unknown. They may not like each other but between the two of them you have seen a culture emerge and evolve.

Others who took up baton | You do not win a World Cup on the back of two players, and there have been others who have served masterfully. No praise will be enough for Jasprit Bumrah, who is in a league of his own. Arshdeep Singh’s left-arm variation of angle could not have worked if he was not accurate.

The twirly trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel could not have had such a chokehold in the middle overs – if such a thing exists in a 20-over game – if not for how and when they were deployed by an astute captain to exacting fields.

India had two senior gun batsmen as openers, and even if one did not fire till the final game, when he did, it made the difference between a middling score and a competitive one. If you’re going to hate on Rohit vs Kohli, best stop reading now, because they work together.

Having this duo at the top meant everyone and everything that came after could just put their heads down and follow instructions. And this is what India did day in and day out till the tournament was won, not losing a single game. Can any more be asked of these players?

There may be ticker tape parades when they return home and blazer-enforced felicitations at Rashtrapati Bhavan, but that will only be official recognition from a country that should already be grateful.

What victory portends | By winning this World Cup, Rohit has opened the doors for many others to go out there and express themselves without worrying about results. For all you know, this could be the proverbial opening of the floodgates, with India winning many more titles and dominating the game for a time.

For one thing, India can finally switch to a Twenty20 mindset like never before. All those fearless youngsters who muscle their way to the top of the Indian Premier League tables can feast.

In this squad alone, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh, two of the most uninhibited hitters at either end of the batting spectrum, did not get a look-in. With Rohit and Virat going, opportunities automatically open up.

Winning as a habit | Nothing succeeds like success. Look at those who dominated this great game in the past. Australia got on a roll after winning the World Cup in 1986-87 and then could not be stopped for decades, but they also had the power at the boardroom table at the time. India are there now. The other old force, England, peeps in from time to time, always staying in the picture.

But, what this lot – Rohit, Virat, Bumrah, Jadeja and others – have done is to throw open the arena. To an entire nation of believers. In future, it will be less difficult to join the dots. From Kapil Dev’s rank outsiders to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s all-rounders, it took 28 years. Now, India have reached the final in three formats under Rohit in the blink of an eye. The World Test championship is not yet enough of a reality in the public eye. But the 50-over World Cup and the T20 World Cup are, simply because these are tournaments that crown the best in the world.

There will be people who say that Rohit did not lead India to the ultimate prize, as he does not have the ODI title. But those will soon find themselves in the minority as the world is changing at pace.

Rohit, in the evening of his career, was smart enough to make a way for himself in the new world. And he took the Indian team with him, even occasionally kicking and screaming.

The sun will rise from the east two kites trilling, one crow cawing, with a cat watching in disdain, but the game will go on. This is the gift this champion team has given to generations to come.

The writer is a sports journalist

CONTRAPUNTO

The heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory

–BOB MARLEY

Sacred space

Truly dualism is the root of suffering. There is no other remedy for it than the realisation that all this that we see is unreal, and that I am the one stainless reality, consisting of consciousness.

Ashtavakra Gita 2:16

Times Business

- Card dues & gold loans beat bank credit growth of 20%

- VW in talks to sell stake, rope in local partner

- Bull run: FPIs turn buyers, invest `26.6k cr

- Money spent abroad grows 29x in a decade

- Ola Elec to invest $100mn in its gigafactory

- Hold MF Units In Your Demat... Or Buy From Fund House Directly

- Import of glass fibre faces probe

- Correction

Card dues & gold loans beat bank credit growth of 20%

Card Spends Up 26%, Gold 30% Even As RBI Flags Concerns

Mayur.Shetty@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: For banks, credit card outstanding and gold loans remain outliers in growth. The segments recorded a year-on-year increase of 26.2% and 29.7% respectively as of May 2024.

This is much higher than the 19.8% growth in overall bank credit which — adjusting bank’s books for the addition of loans due to HDFC’s merger with HDFC Bank — shrinks down to 16.1%.

The increase in credit card and gold loans comes at a time when RBI has expressed concerns over unsecured credit and is taking a hard look at the gold loan books of some lenders, given the surge in prices of the yellow metal.

Another segment that has been of concern to RBI — bank credit to non-banking financial companies — has moderated. But this segment’s growth is still faster than overall bank credit growth at 16%.

Monthly sectoral data on bank credit released by RBI shows that credit card outstanding stood at Rs 2.7 lakh crore as of May, up from Rs 2.6 lakh crore at the end of March 2024 and Rs 2.1 lakh crore a year ago.

Banks’ gold loan books stood at Rs 1.2 lakh crore at the end of May, compared to Rs 1 lakh crore at the end of March and Rs 90,036 crore in the year-ago period. Bankers said that the increase could also have been due to an increase in market share from NBFCs. Credit cards and gold loans are watched carefully because they reflect household indebtedness and at times financial distress.

The personal segment, with a year-on-year growth rate of 28.7%, continues to be the fastest-growing among industry, agriculture, services and personal loans. However, this is due to the HDFCHDFC Bank merger, which has resulted in home loans growing nearly 39% yearly (16.9% excluding the merger).

Excluding the merger impact, services are the fastest growing segment at 23.2% versus 17.8% in the personal segment. A large component of service industry loans comprises of providing loans to lenders.

While the growth rate in credit to NBFCs has moderated from a high of 27% a year ago, the book size continues to remain large at nearly Rs 15.7 lakh crore — up 1.3% from Rs 15.5 lakh crore in March.

VW in talks to sell stake, rope in local partner

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com

Prague: German auto giant Volkswagen is in talks to sell stake in its India business to a local partner, having failed to crack the market despite investing over $2 billion in the country.

The company is developing new cost-competitive cars to shore up its low market share against launching “over-engineered” European vehicles that have failed to find success, a top global executive has said.

The group has also advocated that hybrids should be given lower tax rates as govt cannot “force people to buy electrics” at a time when the market takes time to transition from internal combustion engines to green cars, Klaus Zellmer, global CEO of Skoda Auto (which is leading VW group’s India investments and strategy), has said.

On reasons for talks with potential local partners — where Mahindra & Mahindra is understood to be the front-runner — Zellmer said, “We have been in India for over 20 years and have not proven to be on the right track. So, you try a new track. I am convinced that if we find the right partner, then we can only learn and benefit from each other… ”

Zellmer did not specify the timelines by when the group will close the local partner talks. Asked whether it will be a partnership where equity will be offered to the new player, he said, “We are looking for a true partnership… that is (to have a) skin in the game. It’s a bit like getting married without a contract. It means (getting access to) engineering competence, sales competence, procurement competence.”

He said European cars are often “over-engineered” which may not be required in India. “Often we build cars according to our own expectations, and they tend to be over engineered. And, over-engineering always comes with a price tag. This price tag is something that weakens our competitive position. So, we need to learn, (and) we need to be aware of the sweet spot.”

He said India partner will give local connections for sourcing and procurement to make the vehicles competitive. “Combined with our engineering excellence, it can be a winning combination… It will not be right to say that we are a weak partner who is looking for directions, for somebody to lead us. It has to be on eye level for both, we have to benefit each other, and then it can be a lot more successful than in past.”

On incentives for hybrids, he said, “I can only say that lessons learnt in China, Europe and US suggest just giving options between BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and ICE — take it or leave it — is not the right way. If you look at China and share of hybrids, it’s staggering and higher than BEVs… This is what we need to do...”

(The writer was in Prague at VW group co Skoda Auto’s invite)

Bull run: FPIs turn buyers, invest `26.6k cr

New Delhi: After two months of net outflows, foreign investors turned buyers in June, infusing Rs 26,565 crore in Indian equities, driven by political stability and a sharp rebound in markets.

Looking ahead, attention will gradually shift towards the Budget and Q1 FY25 earnings, which could determine the sustainability of FPI flows, Vipul Bhowar, director, listed investments, Waterfield Advisors, said.

According to data with depositories, FPIs have made a net infusion of Rs 26,565 crore in equities this month. This came following a net outflow of Rs 25,586 crore in May on poll jitters and over Rs 8,700 crore in April on concerns over a tweak in India’s tax treaty with Mauritius and a sustained rise in US bond yields.

V K Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said political stabilityand the sharp rebound in markets aided has forced FPIs to turn buyers in India.

AGENCIES

Money spent abroad grows 29x in a decade

Forex Spends Outpace Increase In Inward Remittance, Which Rises 71% In FY14-24

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The increase in forex spends by Indians has far outpaced the growth in remittance of foreign exchange workers into India over the decade.

Money spent abroad has gone up nearly 29 times — from $1.1 billion in FY14 to $31.7 billion in FY24 — largely due to travel. The amount sent home by foreign workers has gone up 71% from $70 billion to $120 billion over the same period. India continues to be the highest recipient of foreign remittances, getting nearly twice the amount received by Mexico at $66 billion.

According to a study by the Bank of Baroda, money flowing into India has increased at a CAGR of 5.5% over the last decade — higher than the global growth rate of 4%. Only Mexico, at 10%, has grown its inward remittances at a faster decadal CAGR than India, which has helped it overtake China to claim the second place.

“From just $1.1 billion in FY14, remittance outflows increased to $31.7 billion in FY24. This translates into a CAGR of over 40%, which is much higher than the CAGR of remittance inflows in the same period,” said Aditi Gupta, an economist with BoB. According to Gupta, the rise of an aspiring middle-class has ensured that discretionary spending of households goes up, which is reflected in higher travel ex- penses to foreign countries. In 2024, BoB expects inflows to continue to grow.

Global growth is expected to gradually improve, with the US expected to remain resilient. Labour markets in the US, UK and Eurozone remain robust with unemployment rates near record lows, which bodes well for inward remittances. Further, while there seems to be some slowdown in remittance inflows from the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCCs), stable oil prices should help in reviving inflows from the region, the report said.

In terms of sources of re- mittance inflows globally, the US is the largest source of remittances to the world, accounting for over 25% of total remittance inflows in the world in 2021. This was followed by the GCCs at 17%. Apart from these, Germany, the UK and Russia are also important contributors to global remittance flows.

Ola Elec to invest $100mn in its gigafactory

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru: Ola Electric founder Bhavish Aggarwal said the company is investing $100 million in the initial phase of building its gigafactory to produce indigenous lithium-ion batteries at its facility in Tamil Nadu.

The company aims to power its electric vehicles with its own battery cells by early next year, replacing the batteries currently sourced from Korea and China. Aggarwal believes that in-house battery production will reduce costs and improve profitability, although the decision to pass on the benefits to consumers will depend on market conditions.

The company is also developing solid-state batteries at its battery innovation centre in Bengaluru, which it claims will reduce the risk of battery fires. However, this technology is still in the research phase, and Aggarwal acknowledges that it is difficult to provide a timeline for completion, as solid state battery technology is still nascent globally, with companies like Toyota Motors and Nissan also working on similar technology.

Ola’s giga factory operates an all-women factory for EV manufacturing. In contrast to recent reports suggesting that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn, one of Ola’s suppliers, has excluded married women from its iPhone plant workforce, Aggarwal said, “Women are more disciplined and dexterous on the floor. There are more women in the junior level and you would have seen some men in the factory. Those are at the managerial level. We don’t find a lot of qualified women at the managerial level and end up hiring men. Even there, we hope to hire more women.”

TOI IN THE CLASSROOM

Hold MF Units In Your Demat... Or Buy From Fund House Directly

As many as 7.9mn new investors started investing in mutual funds over the last one year, taking the total number of unique mutual fund investors up to 46mn. Many more investors are likely to buy mutual funds in the coming months. Investors have an option to buy and hold their mutual fund units in their demat account or they can buy units from the fund house which does not require any demat account.

How Do You Buy & Hold MF Schemes?

Once you have chosen a mutual fund scheme to buy, the next step is to proceed to buy these units and execute your transaction. There are a number of ways to buy mutual funds, be it the fund house websites, RTA (registrar and transfer agent) websites, third-party platforms and stock brokers. Investors can opt for a statement of holding, or certain brokerages give you the option to hold units in a demat form. Some brokers only offer MFs in a demat form, while a few offer a mix of the two. Depending on the comfort and ease of an investor one can choose between the two. Investors who buy units in the physical form can later convert them into a demat form, by submitting a request to the depository participant and units bought in demat form can also be rematerialised again.

Advantages Of Buying MFs In Demat Form...

Distributors believe one big advantage of buying MF units in a demat form is that you can get a consolidated view of your investments in one place, along with other investments. Investors often buy stocks, gold bonds, ETFs and NCDs which lie in the demat account. With mutual fund units there too, investors can get a consolidated view of their portfolio. In addition, since all investments are in a single location, it makes portfolio management simpler. Investors can monitor, track their assets, transaction history, and portfolio performance with a single statement. Another big benefit of holding mutual funds in a demat account is that it helps in streamlining the transfer of units to the nominee or legal heirs in the event of death. In the case of physical mutual units, investors will have to submit a separate set to each asset management company where you have an investment, while in a demat account, one single set of documents need to be submitted to just the depository participant.

Why Are Investors Hesitant?

One of the big disadvantages is that investors have to incur additional costs related to maintenance of the demat account, which is levied by the broker. One big problem with units in a demat form is that they are serviced only by the depository and investors can’t ask queries to the fund house or transact with the fund house or the registrar. There are certain platforms that use demat which do not allow STP (systematic transfer facility) in demat accounts, which many investors look to use while staggering their investments.

—PRASHANT MAHESH

Import of glass fibre faces probe

New Delhi: India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into the import of glass fibre from China, Thailand, Bahrain, following a complaint by a domestic player.

The commerce ministry’s investigation arm is probing the alleged dumping of glass fibres and its articles originating in or exported from these countries. The duty is aimed at protecting domestic industry from cheap imports.

Glass fibre or fibre glass is reinforced plastic that is strong, lightweight, flexible and can be moulded into many complex shapes. It has many industrial and domestic uses. Owens-Corning (India) has filed the application seeking initiation of anti-dumping investigation on imports.

AGENCIES

Correction

In a graph carried in edition dated June 29, the weekly change in stock prices of Somany Ceramics, GR Infra, India bulls Housing & Ambuja Cements were recorded erroneously due to a technical glitch at the data sourcing site. The error is regretted.

IBBI forms: To ease the compliance burden and enhance effectiveness of the liquidation process, IBBI has launched a set of electronic forms under IBC Code.

AGENCIES

Delhi Times

- TOIFA TO HONOUR THE FINEST TALENT ON OTT

- FINALLY!

- TOIFA returns with its inaugural edition of OTT awards

- Amy’s b’day note for ﬁance Ed Westwick

- TRIPPIN

- Privacy is my luxury: Himanshi on reports of ‘ugly’ breakup

- TV is a women-centric medium, says Karan Vohra

- SUDOKU CHALLENGE

- Not gyaan, give a pregnant woman her space

- On Doctor’s Day, dermatology clinic chain unveils new clinic in the capital

- ‘Preventive care is a significant aspect of a cardiologist’s role’

- Air pollution increases the risk of acute respiratory infections, says doctor

- ‘Practise body awareness, investigate family history to detect breast cancer’

- Stay strong, stay positive: Chhavi tells Hina

- Tears, hugs and bhangra: Men in blue celebrate

TOIFA TO HONOUR THE FINEST TALENT ON OTT

Recognising the significance of streaming platforms, we are delighted to launch the TOIFA – Hindi OTT edition. Through a rigorous voting process, we will celebrate outstanding talent on OTT – Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO Publishing & Executive Director, BCCL

(L-R) Siddharth Roy Kapur, Shibasish Sarkar and Sivakumar Sundaram unveil the TOIFA trophy

The Times of India (BCCL) has relaunched its prestigious Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), with the unveiling of its inaugural OTT edition. A press conference was held on Friday to announce the awards that promise to honour exemplary talent in acting, content creation, and technical prowess in Hindi films and web series that were released on digital platforms in 2023. At the event, the magnificent TOIFA trophy was also revealed.

CONTINUED ON 3

FINALLY!

FOR ALL THE MOMENTS FROM THE POST-WIN CELEBRATIONS

SEE 12

TOIFA returns with its inaugural edition of OTT awards

We are delighted to partner with the TOIFA OTT edition and are confident that they will provide credible and prestigious recognition for outstanding work in the streaming space – Shibasish Sarkar, President, Producers Guild of India

I was impressed by the commitment of the organisers to create a credible and respected platform that will recognise excellence in streaming – Siddharth Roy Kapur, Founder, Roy Kapur Films

Siddharth Roy Kapur and Shibasish Sarkar

CONTINUED FROM 1

The announcement was made in the presence of Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO Publishing & Executive Director of Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd (BCCL), along with Shibasish Sarkar, President of the Producers Guild of India and Siddharth Roy Kapur, Founder, Roy Kapur Films. The grand TOIFA Awards ceremony will be held in the last week of July 2024, in Mumbai.

Sharing his excitement, Sivakumar Sundaram said, “The Times of India Film Awards has emerged as the definitive awards platform for the Indian film industry. This year, recognizing the increasing significance of streaming platforms, we are delighted to launch the TOIFA – Hindi OTT edition. Through a rigorous voting process in partnership with the Producers Guild of India, we will celebrate outstanding talent from across 28 different award categories on OTT.”

TOIFA is committed to setting new standards and ensuring credibility and industry recognition. And what sets this award apart is the TOIFA Academy, which has been constituted in collaboration with the Producers Guild of India. This alliance reinforces TOIFA’s standing as the paragon of excellence in the Indian entertainment industry. Another highlight is that TOIFA will have the largest film jury in the country – 175 members of the Producers Guild of India. The nominees for the awards were shortlisted by 30 members of the Screening Jury, comprising known actors, filmmakers, studio execs, writers, casting directors and film critics. The entire process is being audited by EY.

Talking about the Producers Guild of India’s collaboration with TOIFA, Shibasish Sarkar said, “We are delighted to partner with the TOIFA – OTT edition and are confident that they will provide credible and prestigious recognition for outstanding work in the streaming space. Especially so, as the jury/academy comprising Producers Guild of India members will be voting on the various award categories.”

The awards are being mentored by an Advisory Council comprising industry stalwarts like Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Sameer Nair, Sid- dharth Roy Kapur, Nikkhil Advani, Aanand L Rai, Guneet Monga Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Madhureeta Mukherjee.

Siddharth Roy Kapur stressed on how TOIFA’s attempt to set high standards of credibility and transparency made him want to associate with it. “I was pleased to join the Advisory Council of the TOIFA – OTT Awards because I was impressed by the commitment of the organizers to create a credible and respected platform that will recognize excellence in streaming. This aligns perfectly with our shared goal of celebrating exceptional talent across all creative and technical disciplines in the industry.”

The TOIFA – OTT Edition 2023 is presented by KRasa, Co Powered by Goldiee Masale & KPT Pipes in association with Usha Kakade Productions & Amanté!

Ultimately, content is all about audiences, and the TOIFA – OTT Awards are committed to inclusivity. To ensure consumers have a voice, the TOIFA – OTT edition has introduced People’s Choice Voting Awards in four popular categories.

 Male Actor Web Film

 Female Actor Web Film

 Male Actor Web Series

 Female Actor Web Series

To vote, log onto www.toifa.in

Amy’s b’day note for fiance Ed Westwick

Amy Jackson and Ed Westwick; (inset) her post on Ed’s birthday

Amy Jackson took to Instagram to celebrate fiance, actor Ed Westwick’s 37th birthday with heartfelt wishes. Sharing a series of intimate photos, Amy expressed her love with a touching message, declaring, ‘You’re the best decision I’ve ever made. Happy birthday, baby.’ Ed responded warmly, commenting, ‘My dreams come true with you every day. Thank you for this sweet message. I love you.’

Recently, Amy took to her Instagram account to drop a series of pictures as she celebrated her bachelorette party with her friends on a private jet in France. Earlier in January, Amy had announced her engagement to Ed.

TRIPPIN

SIDHARTH MALHOTRA is on an European vacay. Sharing a series of pictures from his strolls through the scenic landscapes, the actor wrote on Instagram, “Following the path less travelled”

Privacy is my luxury: Himanshi on reports of ‘ugly’ breakup

While Himanshi Khurana and Asim Riaz announced in December 2023 that they had parted ways after four years of dating, a recent report claiming the erstwhile couple had an “ugly” and “messy” breakup prompted the actress to react with a story on her Insta.

The actress wrote, “My biggest flex is that nobody ever knows what’s really going on in my life. Where I am, or my next move, unless I make it known. Therefore anything anyone says is just an assumption. Privacy is my luxury. Privacy is my peace.”

Himanshi Khurana with Asim Riaz in a music video that they had acted in; (left) the post she shared on social media in December announcing the breakup

TV is a women-centric medium, says Karan Vohra

Television is a women-centric medium with not much focus on male actors. Often the makers don’t care much about the male actors and because of this. So, I have done few shows on television

Karan Vohra

Karan Vohra, who is currently seen playing the lead in TV show Main Hoon Saath Tere, celebrated his twins’ Akshveer and Aryaveer’s first birthday on June 16. Sharing his excitement, Karan says, “My babies turned one and we celebrated their birthday with a small party at our home.”

On the work front, Karan says he is choosy about the projects he takes up. He explains, “Television is a womencentric medium with not much focus on male actors. Often the makers don’t care much about the male actors and because of this. So, I have done few shows on television.”

SUDOKU CHALLENGE

POV

Not gyaan, give a pregnant woman her space

Going by the response to Deepika Padukone’s decision to wear heels to an event, it would seem even men could teach her a thing or two about how to carry her baby bump. And women have a lot to tell her about what to wear and how.

There is something about our obsession with pregnant women. And it is not confined to homes where motherin-laws, aunts and other senior female relatives prevail upon the woman with the standard line: “I’ve been there, done that, more than once.” The assumption being a first-time mother is in dire need for gyaan, even if she is the one carrying the baby. Not the world.

The pushback started perhaps with the bold pregnancy photo shoots that screamed agency. Women such as Konkona Sensharma and Sameera Reddy blazed a trail despite the backlash, inspiring hundreds of women after them to take charge of their pregnancy narrative from the word go.

There is nothing to hide, nothing to be apologetic about, was the message as women worked, partied and carried their pregnant bodies exactly the way they wanted to.

When Kalki Koechlin decided to have a baby with her partner, she was flooded with advice. In an interview, the actress, who chose to have a water birth with a trained midwife, explained how she was sifting through all kinds of inputs, including one that said she should eat her placenta. Kalki of course did exactly what she wanted to. Meanwhile, Masaba, who has been sharing her pregnancy journey, recently talked about the visible changes in her skin, renaming the persistent acne as ‘baby kisses’. Evidently, she is in no mood to pay any heed to ‘well meaning’ advice about how to deal with hormonal changes.

It is heartening to see women clap back at those who feel they have the moral authority to tell them how to get their pregnancy act together. Or like Swara Bhaskar, gather the strength to talk about the difficult postpartum phase as well. To quote Richa Chadha, who is also expecting her first child with Ali Fazal: ‘No uterus No Gyan’.

Agree? Disagree? Got a POV idea? Write to us at: pov@timesgroup.com

DOCTOR'S DAY

On Doctor’s Day, dermatology clinic chain unveils new clinic in the capital

Interior of the clinic

This year, on Doctor’s Day, Oliva Skin, Hair & Body Clinic aims to highlight its commitment to excellence with the recent launch of its flagship clinic in Greater Kailash II. The brand’s management team says, “With a large team of over 115 dermatologists, our brand offers personalised and effective treatments, ensuring top-notch care without compromising safety.”

To celebrate Doctor’s Day, the brand has unveiled various offers. “Our new clinic in GK-II, as well as Pitampura, Punjabi Bagh, and Preet Vihar branches, bring you unmissable offers. One can choose from a range of offers – flat 20% off on all treatments, flat 10% off on advanced anti-ageing treatments, full body laser hair removal starts at just `16,000, flat 30% off on all our premium products, flat 25% off on our advanced body contouring treatment, flat 15% off on our transformative beyond weight loss treatment, save big with plan 999 and plan 2999. To know more, one can visit our clinic,” informs the team.

“We have a large team of dermatologists and specially-trained trichologists, aestheticians, and nutritionists, along with advanced techniques. This diverse expertise helps offer personalised care,” says the team, adding, “We have in-depth consultations designed to understand your skin and hair concerns in detail. These help dermatologists customise treatments to each client’s needs. All our dermatologists are qualified MDs and are further meticulously trained on a gold-standard curriculum.”

They further inform, “Oliva’s clinics are equipped with US FDA-approved technology, ensuring that clients receive treatments with the highest safety standards. We also have a range of personalised solutions, including acne/acne scar treatments, advanced hair regrowth treatments, laser hair removal for unwanted hair, diverse skin lightening treatments, Oliva’s exclusive Instaglow skin rejuvenation therapy, antiageing treatments and transformative weight loss solutions.”

Address: First and second floor, M Block Market, M-2, Greater Kailash II

Contact: 91211 06610

Website: www.olivaclinic.com

Disclaimer: The views/suggestions/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts.

‘Preventive care is a significant aspect of a cardiologist’s role’

Dr Ankit Kalra, Cardiologist and Director of the hospital

On the occasion of Doctor’s Day, it’s important to note the role of a cardiologist. Dr RN Kalra says, “A cardiologist’s role, focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases of the cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, is critical in managing conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertension. They perform a range of diagnostic tests, including electrocardiograms (EKGs), echocardiograms, and stress tests, to assess heart function and detect abnormalities.”

Dr Ankit Kalra, Cardiologist and Director of the hospital Dr Kalra adds, “In addition to diagnostic duties, cardiologists prescribe medications, recommend lifestyle changes, and perform or oversee procedures like angioplasty, stenting, and pacemaker implantation. They collaborate closely with primary care physicians, surgeons, and other specialists to provide comprehensive care for patients with complex cardiovascular issues.”

Preventive care is a significant aspect of a cardiologist’s role. Dr Kalra further says, “By adopting the latest state-of-the art technology, cardiologists have set new benchmarks in terms of treatment for all kinds of heart ailment at Kalra Hospital. Preventive care involves patient education on risk factors like smoking, diet, and physical inactivity. The noble mission of physicians, cardiologists, and surgeons is to selflessly serve humanity with unwavering dedication and integrity, contributing to the overall health and well-being of India.”

Disclaimer: The views/suggestions/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts.

Dr Ankur Kalra, Associate Professor in Cardiology, Indiana, USA

Dr R N Kalra, Medical Director of the hospital

Air pollution increases the risk of acute respiratory infections, says doctor

Dr Parveen Kaur, Head, Department of Critical Care, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital

On Doctor’s Day, Dr Parveen Kaur highlights a pressing issue – air pollution – a silent but deadly human-made problem. According to the World Health Organisation, it claims 7 million lives worldwide annually and leads to heart diseases, strokes, chronic respiratory diseases, and lung cancer. Speaking about the same, Dr Kaur emphasises that air pollution can trigger asthma, worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and increase the risk of acute respiratory infections. She believes that air pollution affects every- one, regardless of wealth or status.

She adds, “Air pollution contains a mixture of polluting particles that can cause lung cancer by accumulating in the lungs and damaging the DNA in cells, potentially leading to cancer. Additionally, exposure to industrial substances like arsenic, organic chemicals, radon, asbestos, radiation, tuberculosis, and environmental tobacco smoke in nonsmokers also increases the risk of developing lung cancer. But collective actions and a healthier way of leading a life can help all of us keep these chronic diseases at bay.”

Disclaimer: The views/suggestions/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts.

‘Practise body awareness, investigate family history to detect breast cancer’

Hina Khan, 36, recently revealed her diagnosis of Stage 3 breast cancer. Doctors share insights into the rise in breast cancer among young women and the steps needed for early detection

It is to be noted that rural areas have a lower incidence of breast cancer compared to urban areas, again pointing to lifestyle differences

My advice to young women is to prioritize selfawareness and take proactive health measures. Practice self-body awareness to detect any changes early. Avoid alcohol consumption. Maintain a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and regular exercise. Start early investigations if there is a family history of breast cancer Dr Arun Kumar Goel

Riya Sharma

WHEN SHOULD YOU START GETTING SCREENED?

Normally the screening starts after the age of 40 but if there is a history of breast cancer in the family then the screening should start five years earlier, suggests Dr Amit Upadhyay Senior Consultant, Oncology & HematoOncology, PSRI Hospital

■ It is recommended to dobiennial mammography screenings for those in the age group 40-50 and annually thereafter for women with average risk

■ Women with a higher riskprofile may benefit from early screening

■ Consult a healthcare providerto determine the appropriate screening schedule based on individual risk factors and medical history

■ Early detection and personalisedmultidisciplinary management are crucial in treating breast cancer effectively— Dr Ramesh Sarin

DOC Talk

Early symptoms that should not be ignored

■ A lump in the breast orunderarm

■ Changes in the shape and size of the breast

■ Recent onset nipple inversion

■ Changes in the colour ortexture of the breast skin

■ Any lump in the armpit (axilla)

— Dr Arun Kumar Goel, Chairman& Head, Surgical Oncology, Andromeda Cancer Hospital

‘AGE IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN BREAST CANCER DEVELOPMENT’

Dr Ramesh Sarin, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, explains that the risk of breast cancer increases as women age, with most cases occurring in women over 55. “However, breast cancer in young women tends to be more aggressive and diagnosed at advanced stages. Early detection and screening are crucial for young women with a higher risk profile, such as those with a family history or genetic predisposition,” he adds.

The median age of presentation at diagnosis is 49 years in India, as against 62 in the Western population, shares Dr Divya Sehra, Consultant Gynecologic Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Dwarka. “The incidence varies widely within India too, being higher in metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai, mainly due to reproductive factors (late marriage, delayed childbearing, low rates of breastfeeding) and lifestyle factors (sedentary life, red meat-based diet, tobacco, and alcohol consumption),” she adds.

‘CANCER IN INDIAN WOMEN OCCURS TEN YEARS EARLIER THAN IN WEST’

In 2023, a study based on data from 1.5 lakh screenings by Apollo Hospitals between 2018 and 2023, found out that a striking 25% of breast cancer cases among Indian women occurred at the age of 39 years or less. The recorded minimum age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is 23 years.

“Research from ICMR and Tata Memorial indicates that in the last 10-15 years, cancer in India in women occurs ten years earlier than their Western counterpart. For women under 40 years of age, the incidence is double to what it is in the West. This trend is attributed to various factors, including genetics, family history, and lifestyle choices,” points out Dr Ramesh Sarin.

Hina Khan; (inset) the post she shared on Insta

Stay strong, stay positive: Chhavi tells Hina

It’s a difficult time for Hina. I’m sure she will come out of this stronger than ever. I would like to tell her that it may seem tough right now, but this, too, shall pass – Chhavi Mittal

Chhavi Mittal was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022

After Hina Khan posted on social media that she has been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, we spoke to actress Chhavi Mittal, who battled breast cancer in 2022. Talking about Hina’s post, Chhavi said, “It’s a difficult time for Hina. In her post, she seems focused on staying positive and strong, which is good. We should respect her privacy. I’m sure she is in good hands and will come out of this stronger than ever. I don’t know Hina personally, but I would like to tell her that it may seem tough right now, but this, too, shall pass. In the future, you will look back at this period and understand how you were bestowed with strength. Stay strong, stay positive.”

Chhavi says her own diagnosis and subsequent cancer treatment have made her a stronger person today. She says, “Self-belief is what helped me. There are some things which still bother me physically, but I have accepted that as a part of life. No matter how much I try not to think about what happened to me, it will always stay at the back of my mind.”

— Hasti Doshi

Tears, hugs and bhangra: Men in blue celebrate

Celebs cheer for the win

THE ONE WHERE WE ALL CRIED: Virat and Rohit, the seniors of the team, who spearheaded many matches and moments, announced their retirement from the T20 international after the win

VOICES

I think it was a great testimony... for the team to lose three wickets in the first six overs, to be in the kind of position we were in, but the boys just kept fighting, they kept believing. You know, as a player, I was not lucky enough to win a trophy, but I tried my best whenever I played and it happens, it’s part of sports... There is no redemption. I am not one of those guys who thinks about redemption and those kind of things. There are a lot of other who have not been able to win a trophy. I was lucky to be given the opportunity to coach, and I was lucky that this bunch of boys made it possible for me to be able to win a trophy

– Rahul Dravid, whose tenure as India coach ends now, called the title triumph the memory of a lifetime

And the celebrations have only begun...Every desi wanted to join in when Arshdeep and Virat unleashed their bhangra moves

While the men in blue won the World Cup, Kohli easily won the internet. From flaunting his medal on a call with Anushka Sharma to his playful candid expressions for daughter Vamika, Virat’s heartwarming moments have a fanbase of their own

While sports journalist Sanjana Ganesan attempted to maintain a professional rapport during her post-win interview, Bumrah couldn’t help but hug wifey!

CHAMPION’S WALK: Remember when Messi created this iconic walk while lifting the FIFA World Cup for Argentina in 2022? Shoutout to football fan Kuldeep Yadav for coaching Captain Rohit to recreate the moment!

Amid the countless World Cup wishes, #DoItForDravid trended on social media. However, the former cricketer, who has never been a part of a World Cup winning team, said, “It’s totally against my values. You know, I don’t really believe in this ‘Do it for somebody’.”

WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 2024. My heart rate was up, well done on being calm, having the self belief and doing what u guys did –Dhoni

AND... I love this man @viratkohli. So grateful to call you my home – now go have a glass of sparkling water for me to celebrate this... Our daughter’s biggest concern was if all the players had someone to hug them after she saw them cry on tv….. Yes, My darling, they were hugged by 1.5 billion people. What a phenomenal victory and what a legendary achievement!! CHAMPIONS CONGRATULATIONS!!

– Anushka Sharma

WORLD CHAMPIONS... INDIA!!! T20 WORLD CUP .. 2024... The excitement and emotions and the apprehension... ALL DONE and over... the TV was not seen... we lose when I do..! Nothing more enters the cerebrum... just the tears in tune with the tears of the TEAM!

– Amitabh Bachchan

Hum jeeeeeeeet gayeeeeeeeee.. Tears of joy tears of everything!!!! Congratulations team INDIA!!!!!!! What a win!!!!!

– Alia Bhatt

INDIA ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!! What an ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC way to win the ICC T20 World Cup after 17 long years!!!

– Chiranjeevi

Wooohoooo!!!!!! Congratulations team India..What a fantastic finale and tournament

– Kiara Advani

Words can’t describe the joy! Congratulations Team India, you’ve made history! ..This victory is etched in our hearts..#T20WorldCup #INDvSA2024

– Ajay Devgn

Calm, cool, focused, together and determined to win. Our whole nation stands to learn so much from these boys!!! Congratulations and thank you, Cricket Team of India

– Javed Akhtar

Education Times

- Complete transition to CBT mode can help reduce paper leaks in NEET UG, UGC NET

- Lack of faculty in most medical colleges is leading to a workforce crunch in radiotherapy

- Transfer of Delhi govt schoolteachers will not benefit learning outcomes

- Aspiring biotechnologists must leverage the power of antibodies

- Why academic cycle derailment is a small price to pay for a foolproof exam system

- Zooming ahead while managing gender parity and carbon neutrality

- UGC introduces Disaster Management in UGC-NET to give diverse options to scholars

Complete transition to CBT mode can help reduce paper leaks in NEET UG, UGC NET

The question paper leakage will be curbed as there is no hard copy of the question paper in CBT mode

The problem with conducting NEET exam in 13 languages is that many people get access to the question paper for translation

Sonal.Srivastava@timesgroup.com

The recent NEET UG and UGC NET paper leaks have underscored the urgent need for a more secure examination system. One solution could be transitioning to a Computer-based Test (CBT) format for all high-stakes exams. The CBT mode can reduce question paper leaks by tightening control over access to exam questions.

Over 23 lakh candidates appeared in over 5,000 centres across 557 Indian and 14 foreign cities in the NEET UG exam, conducted in 13 Indian languages—a complex exercise. The paper-based system involving finalising questions, printing, and transporting them to the exam centres is vulnerable to leakages. The shift to CBT could also offer a sense of control and security. It can reassure students and parents, provided it is scaled up to enable thousands of students to take the exam successfully.

Varied approaches

When considering potential solutions, it is crucial to think big. One such approach could involve splitting the exam into 10 sessions of twolakh student batches and conducting it in the CBT mode through a question bank model, allowing everyone two chances. “Conducting exams such as UGC NET and NEET UG in the CBT mode can be difficult simply because there are not enough computers. To make conducting NEET UG in CBT mode feasible, over 20 lakh candidates can be split into 10 sessions with 2 lakh candidates each. Additionally, a question bank with 100,000 questions must be created. Once centres are finalised, slots can be created where candidates can pick the slot and take the exam. Each student can be tested with varied questions, including some difficult and a few relatively easy ones, and the test scores across 10 sessions must be normalised. Like the JEE Main and JEE Advanced, NEET UG can follow a similar trajectory. At the screening level, the stakes are low; later, the advanced exam with a select number of students can be conducted in CBT mode,” says Ramgopal Rao, former director of IIT Delhi and group vice-chancellor of the Birla Institute of Technology &Science (BITS) Pilani campuses.

If NEET UG follows the JEE Advanced process, 10 sets of question papers will be required. “One of the largest CBT exams in India is JEE Advanced. The IITs have ensured faculty involvement in conducting these exams. However, the NTA depends on the volunteers; they have to rely on a third party, and sourcing people from a third party cannot ensure their integrity and ability to conduct the exam. Moreover, the JEE Advanced exam is conducted in Hindi and English, unlike NEET, which is conducted in 13 languages. The problem with conducting the NEET exam in 13 languages is that many people get access to the question paper for translation. It is difficult to maintain the integrity of the question paper,” adds Rao.

Random order

In the offline exam, since the question paper must be printed in an officially decided printing press and later distributed to many exam centres, the chances of the paper leak are high. “In the CBT exam, the question paper can be randomly selected from a large question bank. This can be done a few minutes before the exam so no one will know the question paper in advance. The questions and the choices can be presented in a random order, which reduces the chances of one person copying from another sitting near him/her, and the sharing of answers becomes difficult. To avoid students copying from each other, the proper distance and location of the computer should be considered,” says Professor VN Muralidhara, associate professor, IIIT Bangalore.

Fixing the gaps

The UGC NET was held for the first time in pen and paper mode on June 18 for admission to PhD programmes and appointment as associate professors in colleges. The exam was held on a single day, which saw registration from 11 lakh students. “In largescale entrance exams, cheating will decrease considerably if the CBT exam mode is adopted in its entirety. There seems to be no anxiety about the leakage of questions in exams such as the global Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). The paperbased system has more vulnerable points for error. The choice of the questions and their finalisation, printing, transporting them to the exam centres, storage at the cent- res and usage are huge responsibilities. In the CBT mode, these risks are reduced,” says PV Navaneethakrishnan, former controller of examinations, Anna University. While no system can be guaranteed to be entirely foolproof, significant steps can be taken to ensure the security of online exam papers in CBT mode. “These include encrypting all data, all question papers and candidate responses, using secure servers to store and process exam data, implementing strict access controls and multifactor authentication to limit who can view and handle the exam content, conducting regular security audits, and having disaster recovery plans to protect against data loss,” says Sudhir K Routray, professor and dean, Department of CSE, CMR University, Bangalore.

Lack of faculty in most medical colleges is leading to a workforce crunch in radiotherapy

Ayushi.Gupta1@timesgroup.com

The number of radiation oncology seats in PG Medicine at most medical colleges has remained limited over the years. The two major reasons behind the low count of seats are the low demand for cancer care and the lack of faculty members and infrastructure. Experts suggest that adopting advanced technologies, increasing the availability of radiotherapy machines, updating curricula, attractive scholarships and loan repayment options to students can help increase the number of skilled radiation oncologists. According to the Indian Cancer Journal, as of 2023, India had as many as 706 postgra- duate medical colleges, but only 87 radiotherapy departments. The disparity at the training level is reflected in the lack of skilled medical professionals and limited access to radiation therapy.

Limited seats

Dr Shirley Lewis Salins, associate professor and in-charge, Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology at Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, says, “The Doctor of Medicine (MD) course in Radiation Oncology is offered by approximately 97 medical colleges (both government and private) across the country with over 445 seats per year. The maximum number of seats is concentrated in UP, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. In addition to the MD, DNB Radiation Oncology courses are offered by medical colleges and cancer centres in around 50 centres with approximately 73 seats in each academic session.”

Dr B Srinivas, secretary, NMC, says, “If the NMC increases the oncology seats, then students may pass with a degree but will not have the required skills to be a radiotherapy professional. If there are no teachers, we will have professionals lacking in quality. Not all medical colleges can bear the cost of maintaining an oncology department due to a lack of faculty members. Also, infrastructure and machines demand hu- ge investments.” The NMC aims to increase the number of oncology professionals in the industry by maintaining a chain of trained students who could complete their education and later work as faculty.

Transfer of Delhi govt schoolteachers will not benefit learning outcomes

Educationists feel new transfer policy will disrupt the education system by breaking the established bonds between teachers and students

The NEP 2020 does not recommend frequent transfers as it negatively impacts the education system

Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesgroup.com

The Delhi Directorate of Education (Del E) has recently issued a circular asking the government schoolteachers who have completed 10 years in a particular school must apply online for a transfer. If a teacher does not apply online, they will be transferred to any school as per the official requirement.

The policy will lead to a loss of experienced teachers, affecting the bond between teachers and students, say educationists. A senior government teacher on the condition of anonymity, says, “The NEP 2020 does not recommend frequent transfers as it negatively impacts the education system. There has been no study which shows long-serving teachers hamper studies. Rather, they develop a deep understanding of their students’ strengths, and weaknesses. Disrupting this can hinder student learning and development.”

Stakeholders feedback

Highlighting that stakeholders were not involved before bringing out the directive, he says, “Teachers are not involved in any administrative dealings, and their longer tenure does not equate to corruption. The newly introduced policy is an outcome of the ongoing tussle between the Delhi LG and the elected government, and the teachers and students are being made a scapegoat.”

He adds, “The Post Fixation Cell (PFC) of the Del E brings out a list based on the previous year’s student strength; this helps identify the teacher-student ratio; if teachers are surplus in any school, they are shifted to the ones where the numbers are few to ensure a balance. The Del E has made a blunder by releasing the transfer policy order before releasing the PFC list. Now, if the transfers are implemented in July, and the PFC list is released after that, chances are high that it may lead to a surplus of teachers. Later, teachers will have to be transferred again to correct the imbalance which will have a negative impact on the students’ academic session and learning.”

Mentor teachers

In cases where teaching is not up to the mark, he says that instead of transferring teachers, mentor teachers, who have been trained abroad, should be deployed in such schools. “The new directive will make no qualitative change in the education system. The policy will promote corruption as te- achers might resort to unethical means to retain their positions,” says the teacher. Meanwhile, Government School Teachers’ Association general secretary Ajay Veer Yadav, says, “We met the directorate officials who assured us that the directive will be made optional,as in if a teacher gets a mutual substitute, he/she can opt for it; however, the order guidelines will not be made mandatory.” A senior former government official, says, “A transfer policy was implemented for a long time wherein teachers who want to take a transfer due to various reasons, may apply online. The principals also have the power to recommend teachers on administrative grounds. However, this is the first time that the 10-year clause has been introduced. The Del E has altered the established transfer policy without consulting any of its key stakeholders. They did not get the approval of even the education minister before issuing the circular. The minister has asked the department to withdraw this clause and not force transfer of teachers.”

Aspiring biotechnologists must leverage the power of antibodies

To cater to industry and academic demands, Bennett University offers a 4-year BTech in Biotechnology and a 5-year integrated BTech + MTech in Biotechnology programme, writes Vaishali Verma

In the ever-evolving field of biotechnology, antibody engineering is a field brimming with opportunities and innovation potential. For aspiring biotechnologists, understanding the significance and applications of antibodies can open doors to exciting careers as antibody engineers.

Key opportunities

Antibody engineering is pivotal in developing targeted therapies for various medical conditions, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, snakebite, and infectious diseases. Biotechnologists leverage this technology to create more effective and less toxic treatments.

How to get started

To pursue a career in antibody engineering, aspiring bio- technologists can start with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related fields, focusing on immunology and bioprocess engineering. Advanced degrees like a master's or doctoral programme can provide deeper knowledge in immunology, genetic engineering, and bioinformatics.

To cater to industry and academic demands, Bennett University offers a 4-year BTech in Biotechnology and a 5-year integrated BTech + MTech in Biotechnology programme with a diverse range of specialisations in cuttingedge areas such as Biomedical Technologies, Drug Discovery &Protein Therapeutics, Genetic Counselling & Precision Medicine, Industrial Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology &Biosensors. These programmes also include elective courses in antibody engineering technologies and offer handson training through mini research projects, aiming to equip students to explore dynamic fields such as antibody engineering and other exciting areas in biotechnology.

(The author is assistant professor, Department of Biotechnology, Bennett University)

For admissions, visit https://www.bennett.edu.in/

Why academic cycle derailment is a small price to pay for a foolproof exam system

While there are enough buffers in the system, exam authorities should strike a balance between safeguarding the exam process and maintaining a stable schedule for the students

By conducting classes over weekends and vacations, the academic session can be brought on track

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesgroup.com

Amidst the spate of exam cancellations, re-tests and postponements, students’ academic cycles would inevitably be thrown out of gear, now that the NEET UG, UGC NET, NEET PG exams are in the eye of controversy. Not since Covid have such irregularities been witnessed, for just when the academic sessions seem to have come back on track, the nation seems to be in the grip of a flawed examination system where alleged paper leaks, grace marks, compromised integrity seem more the norm than exception.

Drawing from the pandemic-induced experience, V Ramgopal Rao, vicechancellor, BITS Pilani group, says, “In Covid times, the academic sessions were delayed by around four months, and given the current crisis, there could be a similar fate. The academic calendar of two years may suffer a setback, but by conducting extra classes during the summer and winter vacations, it may be possible to bring the academic sessions back on track. The pandemic experience and the subsequent lockdown was itself a great eye opener, and if we could overcome the challenges and maintain continuity of exams and commencement of sessions, this year too would be no different.”

Addressing the challenge

Discussing the worst-case scenarios, he says, “If NEET UG were to be conducted for over 23 lakh candidates that would have been a mammoth task, and one that may not be feasible unless the Supreme Court deemed it fit. For UGC NET where it appears that the fate of over 9 lakh candidates may have been impacted due and the dates for gaining admission to PhD programmes may be deferred, managing such admissions may not be as difficult as providing admissions through NEET UG, JEE Mains and Advanced where the numbers are much larger.” He elaborates, “A tight academic calendar with manifold courses at the UG level may be more challenging to implement than programmes at the PG level. In any case, with the irregularities in the exam system, it is important to understand what had gone wrong in the first place and address those issues with immediate effect so that similar instances do not recur in future. Rescheduling of examinations and delay in the commencement of the academic session seem like a small price to pay. The problem with NTA is that it was expected to conduct far too many national level competitive exams in a single year, hence, what was lacking was a sense of ownership, unlike the IIT system where the JEE Advanced and GATE is conducted by the IITs on a rotational basis and with the utmost seriousness. Adopting the UPSC format, with leading academics managing the exam process, and involving top institutions in the conduct of exams, can accelerate the integrity of these exams. Be it NEET, JEE Main or CUET, it is important to involve a set of the top HEIs in the conduct of these exams jointly with NTA to democratise the whole exam conducting process,” Rao adds

Quality will not suffer

Discussing the issues impacting NEET UG and PG aspirants, Dr B Srinivas, secretary, NMC, says, “Quality of medical education for MBBS and PG will not suffer despite the unforeseen circumstances. In 2021, the counselling for the NEET UG and PG programmes had been suspended and delayed by around six months, but even then, we were able to cover the MBBS and PG syllabus. Moreover, post Covid, there is enough resilience in the medical education system to overcome what may appear as insurmountable problems. We can shorten the duration of foundation courses and summer vacations, conduct classes of longer durations and over weekends to make up for lost time. Once the loopholes in the exam system are plugged and reforms introduced through a high-powered committeethat has been set up, sessions are more likely to commence on time.”

Zooming ahead while managing gender parity and carbon neutrality

Women are ruling the shop floors at the JSW MG Motors, Halol, as their inclusivity initiatives help women break the glass ceiling in car manufacturing plants that have essentially been a male bastion

Women workers at the JSW MGMotors Halol plant in Vadodara, Gujarat

Priyanka.Srivastava@timesgroup.com

Godhra girl Gayatri had an eye for colours, she started with painting and soon she became the first manual sprayer at MG Motors India. Working for five years, she is now in charge of cross training team helping new female recruits.

When Harpreet from Punjab got her Electronic and Communication diploma, little did she know that a place in the automobile plant was waiting for her. With hands-on training at the plant, she is now a prominent worker on the shop floor.

These are only a few examples as around 34% of the total employees at JSW MGMotors Halol plant are women, who are making their strong presence felt by displaying their agility and an intrinsic creative streak. The company motto is based on three key pillars–innovation, diversity, and community. Around 40% of the women workforce manage the assembly lines that manufacture Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles and Electric Vehicles (EVs).

When the automaker started the recruitment drive, its primary objective was to embrace inclusivity with a strong intent to achieve gender parity and have a 50% women workforce in the coming years. With the support of the Government of Gujarat, the Halol plant made several amendments to state rules of the Factories Act that helped in providing opportunities to women. The only precondition that the state had was the safety of women. The idea of deploying women in the plant was met with a hitch from the local villagers, who were apprehensive about the safety of their daughters, most of whom had never worked in an automobile company. The auto giant introduced women-centric guideli- nes which included ferrying them home at night, pregnancy leaves, Drive Her Back (DHB) initiative to bring qualified women back into the system after a sabbatical and creche facility at the workplace to encourage new mothers to work guilt-free.

Ravi Mittal, director, Manufacturing, points to the company’s focus on employing women from nearby villages. “The assembly process in Halol doesn’t demand muscle work as it is ergo safe. The equipment and the systems are safe to handle, which makes the involvement of women simpler. After onboarding women, we realised training them was convenient as most of them were process-oriented, which led to error reduction. We also noticed 5-6% first output rate efficiency.”

Managing to hire graduates, fresh pass-outs from ITI and students with diplomas in automotive technology (DAT), the new entrants underwent step-by-step, hands-on training. The company is giving an edge to girls with a technical bent and has completed ITI courses in trades such as fitting, diesel mechanics, automotive, electrical work, and welding, which have been male-dominated fields. “We started with 22% women onboarded at the shopfloors, which has now increased to 37% and we hope to reach the 50% target in a few years,” adds Mittal.

Yashwinder Patial, senior director, HR at JSW MG Motor India, says besides managing the shop floors, 33% of female engineers are working in managerial/leadership roles. Moving forward to achieve gender parity and carbon neutrality, the auto giant is focused on the expansion of Electric Vehicles (EVs). MG has collaborated with the IITs for several EV research projects, which are finding a prominent place in its R&D wing.

“We have collaborated with as many as 42 colleges wherein 1000 students have been included in several projectsthat involve EVs, and integration of emerging technologies including IoT and AI. Several interns from various colleges/EdTechs are being hired for an 11-month project, which often gets converted into PPO,” says Patial. Under the MG Nurture initiative, which aims to expedite skill development and foster technical upskilling to bridge the industry-academia gap, the Connected Autonomous Electric Vehicles (CAEV) programme has been introduced in several engineering colleges, ITI and government polytechnics. “The automobile sector will soon see a major shift towards EV, which demands training of manpower and research growth. However, there will be a demand for hybrid technology and upskilling of mid-management workers. Young engineers need to take specialised courses to find entry-level jobs in EV manufacturing units. The changing technology will also stress the need to relearn newer technologies,” adds Patial.

UGC introduces Disaster Management in UGC-NET to give diverse options to scholars

Shehwaaz.Khan@timesgroup.com

The University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced Disaster Management as a subject in the UGC-NET December 2024 exam which will attract more scholars to pursue research in the area, thereby increasing the number of PhDs directly pursuing research in Disaster Management. The decision was made following the recommendations of the UGC expert committee, which assessed the increasingdemands for the subject.

Manish Ratnakar Joshi, secretary, UGC, says, “The expert committee was formed to look at the growing number of students pursuing Disaster Management in their master’s and the number of institutes offering this subject. Moreover, Disaster Management is an emerging field due to the impact of climate change and changing infrastructural demand. UGC considered these factors to introduce it as a separate subject.” The committee has also prepared a syllabus for the UGC-NET December exam, available on the UGC’s official website. “The addition of Disaster Management in the UGC-NET exam will also increase the number of candidates appearing for PhDs, which will further increase the number of Junior Research Fellows (JRFs),” says Joshi, adding that the stipend for JRF-qualified students will be Rs 37,000 per month, which is the same as other subjects.

A welcome move

Jacquleen Joseph, dean, Centre for Disaster Management,Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), says, “Previously, students of geograp- hy, psychology, sociology with a master’s in disaster management would apply for UGC-NET under the subjects they graduated in. However, they will now have the option to apply specifically under Disaster Management.”

Amit Kumar Dhiman, professor and head, Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation & Management, IIT Roorkee, informs that students opt for research in Disaster Management through GATE, CSIRJRF, DST-INSPIRE, and PMRF. “Now that UGC has introduced the subject, it will attract more scholars,” he says.

Table of Contents

TOI Print Edition Jul 01, 2024

Front Page

The World Wasn’t Won In A Day

THE MAGNIFICENT 7

TMC man assaults woman & friend in public, arrested

Cong seeks law to beat 50% quota cap

Bridges fall in Bihar, J’khand & Manipur

Sarpanch of Ajit’s NCP shot in Beed

With three new criminal laws, a new regime comes into effect

This May-June was city’s hottest in at least 74 yrs

CBI arrests Godhra edu trust chief for NEET malpractices

Indians’ forex spends grow 29x in a decade

PM hails people for reiterating faith in statute

For Team India, cricket board announces `125 crore bonanza

2nd Navy officer held for human smuggling racket

1st time: Army, Navy chiefs from same school and class

Times Nation

3 new criminal laws kick in today, data ousts ‘danda’ as policing tool

Sujata Saunik is 1st woman chief secy of Maha

Manoj Singh, Yogi’s trusted officer, is new UP chief secy

PM hails people for ‘unwavering faith’ in statute

TMC man assaults couple, held as video goes viral

2 get life term for raping woman in moving auto in UP

Assam razes illegal homes of 3 rapists

Temple vandalised in J&K, 12 detained

Hazaribag coaching centre head, teacher under CBI’s NEET scanner

Ranchi Univ to probe leak in PhD, MPhil entry tests after plaint

After Anand arrest, CBI drove edu trust head 86km to Godhra

Cops to move SC against Porsche teen’s release from detention

NDA to fight Bihar polls under Nitish, says Chirag

India joins UN’s Doha meet on Af attended by Taliban

‘Underworld culture’: CPI’s Kerala neta slams CPM for criminal ‘links’

Gen Dwivedi takes over as chief of Army, faces China, J&K tests

Navy chief starts four-day B’desh visit today to bolster def ties

IN PUDUCHERRY, A VOTE FOR PARIS

In radio address, PM highlights yoga enthusiasm across the globe

Tripathi, Dwivedi were disciplined, totally focused: Ex-classmate

Cong demands law to tweak Constitution for quota beyond 50% cap

Historic Chadwick House in Shimla gets makeover as CAG museum

Venkaiah’s life showcases public service commitment

THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA

17-year-old Assam trans girl loses school seat over bikini pictures

Girder of under construction bridge collapses in Jharkhand

NIA search op in Rajouri over Reasi bus attack

Sarpanch of Ajit Pawar-led NCP shot dead by rivals in Maha

Amit Shah calls for ‘cooperation among cooperatives’

Odisha to roll out spl scheme for women on Modi’s 75th birthday

Gym owner shot dead in Bihar

Cong brass forced to step in as K’taka faction feud intensifies

MP sarpanch shoots woman dead following drunken brawl, booked

Sikh preacher apologises for attending RSS event

Second Navy officer held for Korean visa racket, suspected to be kingpin

Lanka registers protest with India for death of navy sailor

Waterfall trip turns tragic as 5 drown near Lonavala dam

PM congratulates team on T20 WC win

Times City

Illegal felling of trees: Panel issues notices to officials

Fall Guys: Trees Losing Out To Infra Push

Focus on Hathnikund-Okhla Barrage stretch for floodplain demarcation

252% increase in prosecution over lane violations from previous year

‘All I am left with is tears’: Woman whose husband’s body was found at underpass faces uncertain future

TALE OF TWO UNDERPASSES

Heavy Rain Alert In City For 3 Days

Rain causes outage in Delhi zoo, power restored after 2 days

100mm rain in 1 hour on Fri, 25% more than entire June’s quota

Dual problem: Atishi visits Minto Bridge, water plant

Unbearable! This May was seventh hottest since 1951

How Lifting Weights Can Be A Boost For Your Later Years

Technical study of T1 likely to be completed in a month: Official

6-year-old dies as portion of terrace collapses in NE Delhi

Delhi Metro targets opening of 3 Phase-IV priority corridors by 2026

Mayor takes stock of cleaning ops in waterlogged areas

Waste-to-charcoal plants in Gurgaon and Fbd soon

As A New Era Begins, Here’s Why You May Find It Easier To Approach Police

Students at DU’s management school allege harassment

Guard dies after wooden log falls on him from tower

‘Misuse of agencies’: Opposition bloc plans protest at Parliament

HC may pass order on pleas of Kavitha today

Bawana-Bhau ‘split’? Cops probe Insta post

Flats Too Small? FIR Against Realtor After Noida Buyers Approach EOW

Delhi PUC centres to remain open after Gahlot’s assurances to pump owners

Two get life term for Delhi woman’s gang rape in Aligarh

Five held for armed robbery

Times Global

Sunak rejects poll doomsayers, says Tory win in July 4 polls still possible

‘Far-right seen winning 34% of vote in round 1 of France polls’

Bibi vows to fight on amid report of tweaks in truce plan

Iran warns of ‘obliterating war’ if Israel starts offensive in Lebanon

Biden’s poor show at prez debate raises alarm in Israel

Fast and furious: Russia using bikes to stir chaos in Ukraine

Video shows NY officer fatally shooting boy, 13, on ground. Police say he pointed a replica gun

Top Dems rule out replacing Biden

AROUND THE WORLD

Jill Biden’s dress makes a post-debate statement

Iran election shows declining voter support amid calls for change

Times Special

In history’s footsteps: Why the Nalanda story still fascinates us

What’s in a name? Forget Shakespeare, just ask a Bengali

Homing in: The startuppers who want to transform their own backyards

SOCKS TO SKULL EMOJIS, the new ways to tell your age

HANDLED WITHOUT CARE

If you aren’t home, they don’t get paid

Times Sport

THE NIGHT INDIA PARTIED TILL DAWN

ENGLISH BREAK FAST

Asterix meets Tintin

David vs Goliath? Not quite

Germany ride out of thunder, and lightning

CANADA MAKE MAIDEN ENTRY INTO KNOCKOUTS

Spalletti keeps Italian job

MARTINEZ BRACE STEERS ARGENTINA INTO LAST-8

WAR ON VAR: CONFUSING TECHNOLOGY

Djokovic hopes to go all the way

Sumit Nagal keen to make SW19 return count

GALLERY

SA fight back after Sneh Rana heroics

FOR ROHIT,, A SENSE OF CLOSURE

SKY evokes memories of Kapil’s magic catch in ’83

‘This is no redemption, I don’t think on those lines’

‘At 17, he had unbelievable hitting prowess’

Template decided after 2023 ODI WC defeat

‘Victory a tribute to team’s brotherhood’

Each player in the team may get 5cr as reward

A gut-wrenching loss, but good for it to sting: Markram

Jadeja follows Rohit and Kohli into T20I retirement

Editorial

That Catch, This Match

Bihar’s Real Status

Life of fans

The Angels And Demons Within Us

In This Election, America Has Already Lost

Their Gift To Indian Cricket

CONTRAPUNTO

Sacred space

Times Business

Card dues & gold loans beat bank credit growth of 20%

VW in talks to sell stake, rope in local partner

Bull run: FPIs turn buyers, invest `26.6k cr

Money spent abroad grows 29x in a decade

Ola Elec to invest $100mn in its gigafactory

Hold MF Units In Your Demat... Or Buy From Fund House Directly

Import of glass fibre faces probe

Correction

Delhi Times

TOIFA TO HONOUR THE FINEST TALENT ON OTT

FINALLY!

TOIFA returns with its inaugural edition of OTT awards

Amy’s b’day note for ﬁance Ed Westwick

TRIPPIN

Privacy is my luxury: Himanshi on reports of ‘ugly’ breakup

TV is a women-centric medium, says Karan Vohra

SUDOKU CHALLENGE

Not gyaan, give a pregnant woman her space

On Doctor’s Day, dermatology clinic chain unveils new clinic in the capital

‘Preventive care is a significant aspect of a cardiologist’s role’

Air pollution increases the risk of acute respiratory infections, says doctor

‘Practise body awareness, investigate family history to detect breast cancer’

Stay strong, stay positive: Chhavi tells Hina

Tears, hugs and bhangra: Men in blue celebrate

Education Times

Complete transition to CBT mode can help reduce paper leaks in NEET UG, UGC NET

Lack of faculty in most medical colleges is leading to a workforce crunch in radiotherapy

Transfer of Delhi govt schoolteachers will not benefit learning outcomes

Aspiring biotechnologists must leverage the power of antibodies

Why academic cycle derailment is a small price to pay for a foolproof exam system

Zooming ahead while managing gender parity and carbon neutrality

UGC introduces Disaster Management in UGC-NET to give diverse options to scholars