In order to mark the New Year 2023, people in Australia witnessed dazzling fireworks as they acknowledged New Year with a celebration on Saturday. Dazzling fireworks lightened up the Sydney Harbour Bridge as the sky got painted with different colours. The bridge is well-lit with flashy illuminations all around.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he considers the Bharatiya Janata Party as his “guru” (teacher) as the BJP
P5
z India has confirmed its first case of Omicron’s XBB.1.5 in Gujarat this December, Insacog data showed on Saturday
z Russian man, who had “disappeared” after deaths of two other men in Odisha recently, was found on Saturday
z Mumbai court on Saturday sent Sheezan Khan, accused in TV actor Tunisha Sharma’s death, to judicial custody for 14 days
z The Lakshadweep administration has prohibited entry into 17 of the total 36 islands citing national security
Moni Sharma
Bengaluru: Urging party workers to ensure that BJP forms a government with twothirds majority in Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that the party will go alone in the 2023 assembly polls, and said it will be a direct contest as voting for JD(S) is like casting the ballot for Congress.
He also urged people to decide whether they are standing with a party of patriots, referring to the BJP, or with “tukde tukde gang” under the leadership of Congress.
“There are clearly two sides and it is a straight fight this time. Journalists say there is a triangular fight. I said no, it is a straight fight, because voting for JD(S) means voting for Congress. So, is it a straight fight or not?” Shah asked. P5
First India Bureau
Ahmedabad: As many as nine people were killed and 32 others sustained injuries due to a collision between a bus and an SUV in Gujarat’s Navsari in the wee hours of Saturday.
Additional district collector Ketan Joshi told that out of the 32 injured, 17 were taken to a hospital in Valsad, 14 were admitted to a hospital in Navsari and another wounded person was taken to Surat for treatment. Joshi said 9 bodies were recovered by police teams and taken for autopsy.
An ex-gratia of `2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased, injured will get `50,000.”
Mumbai: On the last day of the winter session in Nagpur, Nationalist Congress Party leader and Leader of the Opposition Ajit Pawar gave away ‘Child Bravery Awards’ in the name of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. On this occasion, he said, “Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not a religious leader but a protector of Swaraj. It is wrong to call him
Dharamveer.” As a result of the comment, a political ‘ruckus’ ensued in the state on Sat urday as Deputy Chief Minister - Devendra Fadnavis - took cogni zance of Ajit Pawar’s statement and gave him a befitting reply.
Fadnavis said, “Chhatrapati Samb haji Maharaj protected religion and Hindutva. Why did Aurangzeb kill him? Sambhaji Maharaj was asked to convert,
but he refused. He sacrificed his life for Swadesh, Swabhoomi and
haraj did not leave Swadharma and Swarastra. So no matter how hard Ajit Pa
Meanwhile, Fadnavis also took cognizance of Sharad Pawar’s statement on this occasion. “I don’t want to talk about Sharad Pawar’s statement. ED or CBI will talk in that matter. Sharad Pawar should read the court order regarding bail of Anil Deshmukh before preparing his narrative and then then try to set the narrative. Then you will realize what the court said,” he said.
Pawar had said that superstition is not encouraged in Maharashtra. “The Chief Minister should announce that Bal Shaurya Puraskar will be given at least on the birth anniversary of Swarajrakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not a religious hero, he was a swaraj rakshak. He never advocated religion. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established Hindu Swarajya. But some deliberately mention (Sambhaji) Dharamveer… Dharamveer…. Even when I was in the cabinet, I had made it clear that Sambhaji Maharaj should be referred to as Swaraj Rakshak”, Ajit Pawar said.
Nashik: An officebearer of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) spiritual wing on Saturday called for resignation of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar from his post as leader of opposition in the state Assembly.
He has alleged that Pawar hurt the feelings of people by saying Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not a “dharmaveer”.
Addressing a press conference, BJP’s Adhyatmik Aghadi officebearer Tushar Bhosale said Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is the pride of the Hindu community.
He demanded Pawar either apologize or re-
sign from his post.
“Speaking in the state Assembly on Friday, Ajit Pawar said Sambhaji Maharaj was
not ‘dharmveer’ (protector of religion). The post of the leader of the opposition is for presenting the people’s
views in the House, but Ajit Pawar has hurt the feelings of the people,” said Bhosale.
Alleging Pawar has
“insulted” Sambhaji Maharaj, Bhosale demanded the NCP leader either apologize or resign as the LoP on moral grounds.
“Who has given you the right to say that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not dharmveer? You do not have the right to apply your family’s thoughts to our great people,” he said. He wondered
Pune (PTI): India’s Yuki Bhambri and Ramkumar Ramanathan started their campaign at the Tata Open Maharashtra with contrasting victories in the singles qualifying opening round here on Saturday.
While Bhambri dominated Diego Hidalgo 6-2 6-2 in a lopsided match, Chennai-based Ramanathan, who entered the draw as a wildcard, registered a sensational come-from-behind 2-6
7-5 6-2 win against Otto Virtanen.
South Asia’s only ATP 250 event is being conducted by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in association with the Maharashtra government.
Meanwhile, other three Indians in action Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Sidharth Rawat and Aditya Balsekar suffered defeats in their respective matches in the tournament.
whether Shiv Sena –Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray will condemn Ajit Pawar for his remarks.
Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the eldest son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was captured and tortured to death on orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1689.
Pune (PTI): The decomposed body of a woman was found partially buried behind the locked bungalow of a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator at a village in Satara district, police said on Saturday.
Former MLC Kanta Nalawade’s family members found the body while cleaning the premises of the bungalow, where they stay only occasionally, they said.
“The mutilated and decomposed body of a woman was found partially buried in the soil at the back side of the bungalow, which was locked. It was found by the members of the family when they arrived there on Friday and started cleaning it,” said a police official.
The family membersimmediately informed the police, who launched an investigation, he said, adding that the identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained. Satara district Superintendent of Police Sameer Shaikh said, “We have recovered the decomposed body of a woman from the bungalow premises. We are checking all possible angles in this matter.”
Thane (PTI): A total of 37,719 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect a representative to the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Konkan Division Teachers’ constituency, an official said on Saturday
The elections to this constituency will be held on January 30 and the nomination process will start on January 05. The counting of votes will take place on February 02.
Of the 78-member state Legislative Council, there are seven constituencies where only teachers meeting a few criteria are allowed to vote. In the Konkan teachers’ constituency, elections have been necessitated as incumbent Balaram Patil’s term ends in February.
Thane (PTI): Police have registered a case of defamation against an office-bearer of the Youth Congress from Thane city for allegedly posting “derogatory” content against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Prasad Lad on social media, an official said on Saturday.
The case was registered at Naupada police station in Thane based
on a complaint lodged by a BJP activist, he said. The complainant Ashish Salaskar is a local functionary of the BJP in south Mumbai.
In the complaint, he alleged that the accused had posted on Facebook some derogatory remarks against Lad. There were several defamatory comments against Lad and his mother.
Thane: In an incident on Friday, an office-bearer of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was allegedly attacked by former councillors of the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at Parbwadi area of Wagle Estate in Thane. A case has been registered by the Wagle Estate police.
A BJP party worker from Thane said, “On
Sharad Pawar emphasizes on importance of the agriculture sector in India on New Year’s eve
Baramati (PTI): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President, Sharad Pawar, on Saturday said if 2023 witnesses a good monsoon, it will be a “great” year for the country, as it will
help the agriculture sector thrive and drive up the economy.
He also noted that India can become an important country in terms of export.
Pawar was talking to media persons in his hometown in Pune district on New Year’s eve.
“As many as 50 to 60% of the people in our country are dependent on agriculture. If we get favourable rainfall, it will be a great year for all of us. The purchas-
Thursday, there was an argument between Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and BJP’s Prashant Jadhav over an illegal banner being put up in Parb-
wadi area of Wagle Estate. After intervention of the Wagle Estate police, both parties left the place.” “Later, a mob of 15 to 20 people attacked
Jadhav on Friday evening. He sustained head injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital,” he added.
According to Thane BJP workers, Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena’s excouncillor Vikas Repale and Namrata Bhosale carried out the attack.
There are rumours of an internal rift between the Shinde faction and the BJP in Thane going around after the incident.
The model code of conduct came into effect in all the districts of the Konkan division on Friday, Thane Collector Ashok Shingare said.
There are 18,097 female and 19,622 male voters in the constituency, he said. At 14,683, Thane district will have the most number of voters, while Sindhudurg has the least
number of voters, as only 2,164 are eligible to cast their ballot, the official said.
While Palghar has 6,718 eligible voters, Raigad has 10,085 and Ratnagiri 4,069, he said. The administration had appealed to all educational institutions and other agencies to ensure maximum registration of voters, the official added.
ing power of people will rise if agriculture flourishes. I pray that the farmers of the country would be happy in the coming year,” he said.
Once farmers are happy, other businesses will also witness “great” days, said the former Union agriculture minister.“On a global stage, India can become an important country in terms of exports. Therefore, there should be new reforms in industries and trade. No mat-
ter who remains in power today, everyone has to put aside political differences and come together to strengthen the economy,” he said.
On the national political scene, Pawar said, “Opposition parties were not allowed to speak during the Winter Session. There was chaos in the House.”
He also said that the opposition will come together for a discussion at the end of January before the Budget Session.
Nagpur: Security was beefed up at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters at Nagpur on Saturday after an unidentified caller threatened to blow it up with a bomb. “A phone call was received at the Police Control Room at 1 pm. A man threatened to blow up the RSS headquarters in Mahal area with a bomb,” said DCP, Zone III, Gorakh Bhamre. A Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and a dog squad were summoned and conducted a thorough checking of the premises.
But nothing suspicious was found, he said.
Gondia : A total of 14,676 persons have applied for 194 police posts in Gondia district, an official said on Saturday. These posts comprise 172 for constables, for which 13,635 applications have come in, and 22 for drivers, for which 1,041persons have applied. Hall tickets have been issued and the schedule for physical and ground tests has been prepared. The entire recruitment process is expected to be completed by February, said Superintendent of Police Nikhil Pingale.
Chandrapur: A 60-year-old woman was mauled to death by a tigress in Chandrapur district on Saturday evening, said a senior forest officer. The incident occurred in Tohegaon village in the Brahmpuri circle, 127 km away from the Chandrapur district headquarters, when the victim Seeta Salame was working in a farm. Chief Conservator of Forest,
‘2023 will be great, if country gets good rainfall’
Mumbai (PTI): A police constable has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 19-year-old woman student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, police said on Saturday.
The incident took place on Palm Beach Road in Sanpada in the early hours of Friday.
As per the woman’s complaint, she arrived in Sanpada area from the IIT campus in Powai in Mumbai late Thursday night to meet a male classmate.
After strolling on Palm Beach Road, they decided to return to the IIT campus by taking the
first local train of the day at 4.08 am. To kill time, they started roaming in the area till they could board the train.
A police team in a patrolling vehicle questioned them at around 3 am and left when they showed their ID cards and explained why they were there.
A few minutes later, a
Mumbai (PTI): A man was arrested from Mumbai for allegedly threatening bomb blasts at some places in the megapolis including on New Year’s eve, police said on Saturday.
The accused, Narendra Kavale, was arrested from Dharavi in central Mumbai after he called up the police control room between 8.56 pm and 9.20 pm on Friday, said an official.
Kavale had allegedly told the control room that blasts will occur at three to four places in the city on Friday night
and Saturday.
“He told the police control room that one Azhar Hussain has left from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh with threefour weapons and RDX (to carry out blasts),” said the official.
He said prima facie Kavale made the call under the influence of alcohol.
constable arrived on a two-wheeler and started questioning them, stated the complaint.
He allegedly asked the male student to sit on the motorcycle and leave the woman behind, but the latter refused.
When he asked the woman to sit on the twowheeler and she too declined, the police consta-
Thane: A couple going to Shirdi from Mumbai on a two-wheeler was killed after a container truck hit them in the Thane district, although their three-yearold daughter survived the accident, police said on Saturday.
ble allegedly molested her and tried to force her to accept the ride.
A car driver on the road stopped his vehicle and came to their rescue. The constable was then taken to Sanpada police station where the woman lodged a complaint.
After she and her friend returned to the
IIT, a First Information Report under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the constable.
The FIR was transferred to Sanpada police station following which the constable was arrested.
The victims, Manoj Joshi, 34, and his 30-year-old wife Manasi died in the accident that occurred on Friday in Bhiwandi taluka on the Mumbai-Nashik highway. The deceased were from Bhandup, a suburb of Mumbai, they said. “The couple and their daughter were going to Shirdi to take darshan of Saibaba. When they reached Yevai village, a speeding container knocked them down and ran over them, killing them on
Mumbai: A major mishap was averted on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday when a pipeline laid in the Asalpha area of Ghatkopar burst out. Within a matter of minutes, the area was nearly submerged with a huge amount of water that leaked from the 72inch pipeline.
Ward staff and other officials rushed to the spot as soon as the incident was reported. One team rushed to close the
valve at Powai, while the other staff team reached the leakage site and the work was taken
up by staff officials immediately.
The force of the water was so strong that
water flew up to 10 ft high at the burst point.
The waves of water quickly entered the houses and shops in the surrounding area. Due to this, the entire belongings of the house were washed away leaving furniture damaged.
There was complete chaos in the flooded areas due to this sudden turn of events, which led to residents getting scared. Some immediately turned off the electricity while some took the support of the attic to save their lives.
the spot. Their threeyear-old daughter had a miraculous escape. She is safe, but she was sent to a hospital for medical care,” an official said.
The bodies of the deceased were sent to a
` 100
Navi Mumbai: A rise in prices of fruits, especially oranges, has been recorded at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee’s (APMC) fruit market. According to local traders, the reason for inflation is unsteady supply. Oranges which were available between Rs40 to Rs80 per kg are now available at minimum Rs60 to Rs70 per kg.
“There is a huge demand for Nagpur oranges. The Nagpur oranges are juicy and sweet in taste in contrast to the foreign variety.
The price of oranges has increased up to Rs100 per kg,” added the trader.
Navi Mumbai: City environmentalists have claimed that they have succeeded in securing nearly a seven hectare wetland, which was facing extinction due to landfill. It was part of a 10-hectare wetland at Sector 36 and a portion of which was already reclaimed by CIDCO for creating a housing society called Valley Ship.
As truckloads of the soil were being dumped on the banks of the wetland, environmen -
talists raised an alarm and an alert was sent to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), the State Chief Minister and the High Courtappointed Wetlands Committee, by NatConnect Foundation.
“With collective action, CIDCO Executive Engineer Girish Raghuvanshi inspected the area with environmentalists and assured that the pond would be protected,” claimed NatConnect
Director BN Kumar. The landfill would be confined to an already plotted area by CIDCO, Raghuvamshi assured
the green activists.
Jyoti Nadkarni of Kharghar Wetlands and Hill forum pointed out that the debris would
endanger the waterbody while being levelled.
Raghuvanshi instructed his Deputy EE Amit Chavan to ensure that
the landfill work does not affect the wetland in any way.
The officials also agreed to the suggestion to barricade the wetland to prevent any further encroachment. Nadkarni said, CIDCO must put up sign boards to prevent debris and garbage being dumped into the wetlands at Sectors 16, 17, 25 and 27 as well.
Activist Nareshchandra Singh asked CIDCO to have the waterbody cleaned as a vast stretch of weeds is affecting its health.
government hospital in Bhiwandi for postmortem, he said. The police have arrested the driver of the container and registered a case against him, he added.
WORTH `6.53 LAKH
Thane: A Nigerian man was arrested allegedly with cocaine worth Rs6.53 lakh in Thane district, a police official said on Saturday. He was held on a tip off on Friday from Mira Road by a team of Crime Branch Unit V (Wagle Estate), Senior Inspector Vikas Bodke said. “He was nabbed with 16 grams of cocaine on information received in the questioning of three Nigerian nationals who were held on December 24 with 60 grams of cocaine and 70 grams of mephedrone cumulatively worth Rs27 lakh,” he said.
Thane: Police have registered a case against two persons, including a peon working with a government office in Thane district, for allegedly separately demanding a bribe from a man for getting an order in his favour, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said. The peon works at the tehsildar office in Shahapur. He demanded Rs2.5 lakh for arranging a favourable order.
Another accused, a private person, also demanded Rs3 lakh from him for the same purpose, the ACB said.
Thane: A court in Thane district sentenced a 28-yearold labourer to imprisonment for life for bludgeoning a colleague to death and injuring two others.
Principal district and sessions judge Abhay J Mantri found the accused guilty of charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and imposed a fine of Rs3,000. Additional Public Prosecutor AP Ladwanjari informed the court that the accused and the victims worked as sweepers.
How does one assess 2022? In my judgement only by recalling major events.
The Ukraine war began in February 2022, when President Vladimir Putin decided to attack Ukraine. His expectation was that it would be walk over. He could not have been more wrong. A popular Ukrainian comedian has become a war hero. The people of Ukraine have shown amazing bravery, patriotic zeal and iron will. The Russian leader has been merciless, inflicting frightful damage all round. It will take at least a decade to rebuild Ukraine.
Ambedkar is undoubtedly the outstanding intellectual, Indian politics has produced. A hundred years ago the life of an untouchable was like living in hell. How he over-came the cast barrier is described by the author with, both feeling and genuine sympathy. In many ways I admire Ambedkar. No one could have written our constitution in such a masterly way
Climate change is all too visible. From Chicago to Florida, Vancouver to New York, the land mass is six to ten feet under snow. Thousands of flights have been cancelled. Hundreds of passengers are standard at innumerable airports, with shortage of proper shelter, sleeping space, child care and sanitation. Water taps have frozen, any number of towns and localities are without electricity. In others parts of the world nature’s has inflicted the fury of fires and floods. The flood waters in Western Pakistan took agonising weeks to subside. The damage and destruction was unpretended? In those areas of Pakistan it seldom rains.
The, almost insane and brutal military regime in Myanmar has given 77 year old Aung San Suu Kyi, a 33 year prison sentence. The words, “Human Rights” are not familiar to the military of what was once a civilized Buddhist country.
The population of the World touched 8 billion in 2022. In the next decade it will cross 9 billion. This will result in a shortage of almost everything except human beings and arms. Imagine a China and a India each with 2.5 billion people. This is not a fairy tale but a horrendous possibility.
The United Nations is dysfunctional. It is helpless in dealing with the atrocities being committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. They misrule a country, while, mentally living in the 18th century. Why does not the Islamic world do something, it possess both money and might. Pakistan cannot take effective action because hundreds of thousands of Taliban live in the Frontier province of Pakistan. If the Taliban rule lasts a decade, a vast number of girls will grow up illiterate. Most unexpectedly the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party has chosen a non-white as its leader. This was unthinkable even a decade back.
UK PM: INDIAN-ORIGIN
Rishi Sunak is now Prime Minister. His great grand parents (Indian) migrated from Gujrawala to East Africa. His parents settled down in the UK. The rest is history. Good luck, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
QUEEN PASSED AWAY
Queen Elizabeth, the longest serving British monarch, passed away on September 8 at Balmoral. She became Queen on the death of her father, King George VI on 6th February 1952. Queen Elizabeth II’s regime lasted almost seventy years, seven years more than that of her great, great grand mother, Queen Victoria.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s internal and external image goes up by the month. He was unanimously elected President of G20 in Bali a few weeks back. The G-20 is the richest, most powerful and influential organisation in the world. Shri Modi has his work cut out.
“Ambedkar: A Life” is a splendid book. Shashi is that rare politician who can actually write. I have read several biographies of Ambedkar. This is arguably the best. Ambedkar is undoubtedly
the outstanding intellectual, Indian politics has produced. A hundred years ago the life of an untouchable was like living in hell. How he overcame the cast barrier is described by the author with, both feeling and genuine sympathy. In many ways I admire Ambedkar. No one could have written our constitution in such a masterly way. I find his references to Gandhiji totally unacceptable. Ambedkar never won an election. Without the generosity of Gandhi and Nehru he would not have got elected to the Rajya Sabha. Gandhi forgot and forgave. Not Ambedkar. Three person’s did not condole Gandhiji’s assassination. One was Ambedkar. The other two were Churchill and Stalin. Gandhi remains a world figure. Ambedkar’s achievements and fame are confined to India, that is Bharat. Was BR Ambedkar a great man. Yes, but not greater than Gandhiji.
Punjab’s Education
Minister Harjot Singh Bains deserves some praise for doing away with names of caste and fraternity given to about 56 government primary schools earlier. Bains said the schools felt that in present times names associated with castes made “them feel uncivilised” and also “promoted segregation in the society on caste lines”. Education in Punjab is imparted on the principle of equality and there is no justification for discrimination in schools’ names based on castes. After the minister’s order, government primary schools in the state are being renamed after a local hero or a known personality. It is a very small step towards end-
ing casteism.
Punjab is a Sikh majority state but Scheduled Castes constitute 4.3 percent of SC’s in India. It is the Jat Sikhs who dominate the state’s politics and culture but are only 20 percent of the population whereas Scheduled Castes constitute nearly 32 percent of the total population of over 30 million. Despite their majority Punjab had its first Dalit chief minister in September 2021 when Charanjit Channi,
an SC MLA, was elevated to post. The edu minister’s claim of equality and no discrimination in state gets rebutted. And sadly discrimination was stark during Covid when Jat Sikhs reportedly sent food to Dalit homes as they were not allowed to enter gurdwaras for langar or touch vessels. Sikhism’s principle of “Sarbat da bhala” (welfare of all) saved Dalit community from starvation during the pandemic.
ear 2022 will be gone in a few hours time but 2023 will come saddled with the same old fears and hopes. News of another Covid outbreak has been and will continue to be disconcerting. Will the virus be as disruptive in 2023 as it was in 2020 and throw economies and lives out of gear? One can only hazard some guesses and carry on with life hoping nothing dreadful will happen. With peace not on the horizon, the Ukraine war may only turn worse and cause more destruction and disruption in supplies than it has done so far. That’s a challenge the world is most apprehensive about. So far India has steered clear of troubled waters with adroitness but will it remain unaffected in 2023 and keep supply chains intact for the benefit of domestic consumers. Inflation and energy prices will determine if 2023 is cheerful or disappointing.
Humanity survives on hope, which has helped it get over the worst calamities.
@ianuragthakur
MAHENG/2022/14652
Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Dangat Media Pvt Ltd, No.22, Dighe MIDC, Vishnu Nagar, TTC Industrial Area, Dighe, Navi Mumbai-400701.
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), calling them ‘Himaveer’ (snow bravehearts) and said no one can encroach even an inch of our land when they guard the borders.
He said the ITBP personnel guard our borders in harsh conditions and the title of ‘Himaveer’ for them is bigger than Padma Sri and Padma Vibhushan.
“We cannot even imagine how they guard our borders in minus 42 degree Celsius temperature. This can happen only with a strong willpower and supreme degree of patriotism. The ITBP works in the odd geographical conditions in Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh or Jammu and Kashmir,” Shah said after inaugurating the Central Detective Training Institute of the ITBP here.
“People of India call
the ITBP soldiers as 'Himaveer.' This title is bigger than the Padma Sri and Padma Vibhushan civilian awards.
While the civilian awards are the government title, 'Himaveer' is the title given by the people of India,” Shah
Agartala:
base in the state.
told the gathering.
Among all the central armed police forces, the ITPB works in the most odd weather conditions,
Bengaluru (PTI): Union
nounced
Saturday
country
days in a year. Delivering a
inauguration
the
“They (soldiers posted in border
have this opportunity to stay with their families
at headquarters for 100 days... We are preparing rosters for this purpose.” “The stress and tension of soldiers will come down. This is a difficult task, I understand. But, I believe from a humanitarian point of view it has to be done,” the Home Minister added. He assured ITPB soldiers that before elections, the government will make a plan in this regard. “PM Naredra Modi’s govt is dedicated to the welfare of soldiers and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF),” he asserted.
he said. “I am always assured and never worry at all about the IndoChina border when our ITBP soldiers are pa-
trolling or camping because no one there can encroach even an inch of our land,” the Home Minister said.
Srinagar (PTI): Basic rights in the country have now become “luxuries” and “entitlements” bestowed upon only those who toe the government's line on political, social and religious matters, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday. In a letter to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, she also alleged that the trust deficit and growing alienation has only widened in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. “I write to you with a deep sense of concern and worry about the prevailing situation in the country especially J-K. Your recent observations on the inability of lower judiciary to grant bail in ordinary cases in a functioning democracy as ours should have been adopted as a directive rather than just being consigned to a single column story churned out in newspapers,” Mufti said in the
I write to you with a deep sense of concern and worry about the prevailing situation in the country especially J-K.
letter posted on her Twitter handle.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy on Friday, CJI Chandrachud had said that over 63 lakh cases across the country have been considered to be delayed due to nonavailability of counsel and over 14 lakh cases are delayed as they await some kind of document or record.
New Delhi (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he considers the BJP as his “guru” (teacher) as it shows him a roadmap and teaches him “what should never be done”.
At a press conference, the Wayanad MP said, “I want them (BJP) to attack us aggressively, this will help Congress party understand its ideology. I consider them (BJP) as my Guru, they are showing me the way and training me on what is not to be done.”
While talking about the Bharat Jodo Yatra which entered New Delhi on December 24 before taking a nine-day break, he said, “When I started this, I just took it as an ordinary yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Slowly we understood that this yatra has a voice & feelings.”
“The doors of Bharat Jodo Yatra are open for everyone, we are not going to stop anyone from joining us. Akhilesh ji, Mayawati ji and others want ‘Mohabbat ka Hindustan’,” he invited other Opposition parties ahead of 2024 elections.
I consider them (BJP) as my Guru, they are showing me the way and training me on what is not to be done.
New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday lashed out at the BJP and said that Indians know that the BJP has cheated them. Kharge took to Twitter and reminded PM Narendra Modi of his promises. He said that the BJP could not meet all these promises in 2022. “@narendramodi ji, today is the last day of 2022. You said that by
This
New Delhi (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power for a third consecutive term after the 2024 general election, even though there could be many candidates for the post.
Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) and the country’s only candidate for the post of prime minister is Narendra Modi. “Narendra Modi will become the prime minister again with the blessings of people,” he told a press conference here.
Patna (PTI): Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday made it clear that he had “no problems” with the Congress, his ally in the state, pushing for Rahul Gandhi as Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections. Talking to media here, the Janata Dal (U) leader also reiterated that he was “not a claimant” for the top post.
New Delhi (ANI): As 2023 is knocking at the door, the next year is going to be politically crucial as several highstakes political battles are set to take place that are likely to set the tone for 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
At least nine states, from the northeast to the west and south to the central part of the country, are due to witness assembly elections in 2023. The coming year also holds significance for the anti-BJP
parties who have been vocal about forming a united opposition for some time now. The
election-bound states include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh,
Telangana, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram. Further, if all goes well, the gov-
ernment may also hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir next year. In that context, the election-bound 2023 can be considered as the semifinal ahead mega battle of 2024.
Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are the two states where there is a Congress government. So it is probably not wrong to be said that there is a fight for survival for Congress which got a boost after winning the recently
held Himachal polls.
In Rajasthan, Congress wrested power from the BJP in 2018 by winning 100 seats in the 200-member state Assembly. The BJP, which got a thumping majority by winning 163 seats in 2013, could manage to get only 73 seats in 2018.
The State will again see a direct fight between the BJP and Congress in 2023. Since 1990, the power in Rajasthan has been swinging between BJP and Congress.
New Delhi (ANI): Chhattisgarh
Minister Bhupesh
New
relief to West Bengal resident Shyam Babu Giri, who was alleged to have cheated the officer posted in the Ministry of Commerce of Rs 33,400. The judge, while noting that “extraordinary relief of anticipatory bail can be granted only in extraordinary circumstances”, said the details of the modus operandi by which the offence was committed was yet to be ascertained.
—Mehbooba Mufti, Former J&K CM (in her letter to the Chief Justice of India)
—Rahul Gandhi, Congress leaderAssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during a press conference, in New Delhi, on Saturday. —PHOTO BY PTI Chief Baghel on Saturday paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in the national capital and expressed deep condolences on the demise of his mother Heeraben Modi, also known as Hiraba Modi, who passed away at the age of 100 on Friday. BAGHEL
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has greeted the nation on the eve of New Year – 2023. In his message, he said, this joyous occasion is an opportunity to continue our efforts
The nation that is on rise as never before, is a favored global destination of growth, opportunity and investments.
—Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President
with greater vigour ensuring the upward growth trajectory.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that the nation that is on rise as never before, is a favored global desti-
nation of growth, opportunity and investments. He has appealed to people to usher in the new year with a resolve to take India to greater heights of progress and prosperity.
Jammu: In his yearender media conference on Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh said that 2022 was more peaceful as compared to the previous four years.
Addressing mediapersons here, the DGP said that 56 foreigner terrorists were among 186 killed in 2022.
Giving details, Singh said, “One hundred youth joined militancy in the year, 17 were arrested, the others were killed and only 18 are now active. We haven’t seen such a lowest local militant recruitment in the past four years. Also, a total of 159 militants/ over ground workers (OGWs) were arrested.
Fourteen cops and 17 security force personnel were killed in operations against the militants in the year 2022.
“Mission Zero Terror is our New Year resolu-
tion. In 2022, we busted 146 militant modules. The law and order situation was most peaceful in 2022.
A total of 1,350 UAPA cases are under investigation. The SIA and SIUs are doing a great job.
“We conducted large
Chandigarh: Chandigarh Police on Saturday said they are investigating allegations of rape attempt levelled by an athletics coach against Haryana Sports Minister Sandeep Singh, a former Olympian. Former captain of the Indian national hockey team, Sandeep Singh has rubbished the charges as "politically motivated". The woman, who participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics, was recruited as a junior coach in the Sports Department in September.
Kolkata: In a joint raid by personnel of the Indian Army and the West Bengal district police, a citizen of Nepal impersonating as an Indian Army colonel, was arrested on Saturday from Sukhiapokhri area adjacent to the Indo-Nepal border in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The arrested person has been identified as Man Bahadur Gurung, a resident of Taratal in Bardiya district of Nepal.
Hyderabad: At least 15 passengers were injured when a TSRTC bus rammed into bushes at Rajendra Nagar on the city outskirts on Saturday. According to police, driver of the city bus belonging to TSRTC lost control and as a result the vehicle veered off the road and rammed into roadside bushes before coming to a halt. The accident occurred near Hydershakote in Rangareddy district.
Hyderabad: Anjani Kumar, who earlier held post of Director General, ACB, on Saturday assumed office as the new DGP of Telangana. The 1990-batch IPS officer, who took charge at state police headquarters, succeeded M. Mahendar Reddy, who demitted office on reaching superannuation. Several senior police officials congratulated Anjani Kumar on the occasion. Mahendar Reddy, who served as the head of state police force for five years, was given farewell by his successor and other senior police officials.
scale anti-militancy operations through out the year in which 186 militants, including 56 foreigners, were killed. Majority of the slain militants were affiliated to Lashkar-eToiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed,” the DGP said.
Srinagar: A total of 172 terrorists, including 42 foreigners, were killed in more than 90 operations carried out by the security forces in Kashmir in 2022. “During year 2022, total 93 successful encounters took place in Kashmir in which 172 terrorists including 42 foreign terrorists got neutralised,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar wrote on Twitter.
New Delhi: Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested a man wanted in the cases related to the spurious liquor tragedy in Bihar’s Saran which claimed the lives of 73 people, an official said on Saturday.
The accused has been identified as Ram Babu Mahto, a resident of Doila village in Saran district.
According to Ravindra Singh Yadav, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), information was received by the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch that Mahto may be hiding somewhere in Delhi.
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday greeted people of the state on the eve of the New Year and wished it ushers in a period of plenty, equity and wellbeing for everyone.
“I earnestly wish that the year 2023 strengthens our harmony in ideas and endeavours for Kerala’s development and ushers in a period of plenty, equity and well-being for everyone in our state,” Khan added.
New Delhi: In a statement, BSF mentioned, “The troops of the Punjab Frontier have maintained an extremely high level of alertness and vigil. Resultantly, BSF has successfully detected and captured 22 drones and seized 316.988 kgs of heroin, 67 weapons, 850 rounds.”
With four international airports already in operation in Kerala, the state government on Saturday gave the nod for land acquisition to build a fifth airport in Kottayam district near the famed Sabarimala temple.
The order from the Revenue Department states that 2,570 acres of land will be taken between Erumeli South and Manimala. The Cheruvally rubber estate has been selected as the place for the proposed airport.
Outside of the rubber estate, 307 acres of land will also have to be acquired, the order says.
The airport will be located 48 kms from the Sabarimala airport and will have a runway of 3,500 metres.
The state-run KSIDC has been appointed as the nodal agency for all the preliminary work, including taking over the land.
The state govt has all along contested that this land originally belonged to it.
Jammu: A total of 186 terrorists, including 56 Pakistani nationals, were killed and 159 arrested in 2022 which proved to be the most successful in recent years. J&K DGP said the police and other security agencies are moving in the right direction to achieve “zero terror” activities in the Union territory.
“On the basis of technical surveillance as well as specific inputs, Mahto was nabbed from Dwarka,” Yadav said.
New Delhi (ANI): The Delhi & District Cricket Association Director Shyam Sharma said a DDCA team will be at Max Hospital in Dehradun to monitor Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s health, who met with an accident on Dec 30, and if needed the batterwicketkeeper would be airlifted to Delhi for his plastic surgery.
While returning from Delhi to Roorkee, Pant’s car collided with the divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee near
Indore (PTI): Four members of a family tested positive for coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district on Saturday, and their samples have been sent for genome sequencing, an official said. A 45-year-old man, his wife and their daughters, aged 12 and seven years, living in Agrawal Nagar colony have tested positive for the infection, district surveillance officer Dr Amit Malakar told PTI.
“Their samples were sent for testing after they complained of cough and cold,” he said.
Srinagar: The prolonged dry spell in Kashmir was broken as the valley received overnight light to moderate snowfall which brought slight relief from the intense cold conditions, even as the flight operations at the Srinagar airport were affected early morning.
The snowfall, which was the season’s first in the plains of the valley, however led to the closure of the SrinagarLeh national highway, the officials said.
While the plains of Kashmir received light snowfall, the higher reaches experienced moderate snow.
Hammadpur Jhal on Friday. Sharma said that Pant might be airlifted to the National Capital for further surgery as he suffered multiple injuries.
Talking to ANI, Sharma said: “A team of Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) is going to Max Hospital Dehradun to monitor his health, if required we’ll shift him to Delhi and chances are high that we’ll airlift him to Delhi for plastic surgery.”
Assam: Ahead of the EC’s deadline on starting the delimitation exercise for assembly and parliamentary seats, the Cabinet decided to merge four districts with existing ones and redraw boundaries in 14 places on 31 Dec. As per details, Biswanath district will get merged with Sonitpur, Hojai with Nagaon, Bajali with Barpeta and Tamulpur with Baksa. Also, the decision comes into effect immediately and notifications have been issued and with this the number of districts in state will now get reduced from 35 to 31.
New Delhi (ANI): The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers on Saturday said that medicines are being made available under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), priced 50-90 per cent less than that of branded medicines fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ensuring high-quality medicines at affordable prices to all.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi
Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India in November 2008. The target of opening 3,000 Kendras was achieved in December 2017.
Further, a revised target of total 6,000 outlets was also achieved in March 2020.
In this journey, the number of Kendras has now increased to 9,000
from 8,610 in the last financial year.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in a
statement said that the government has deepened the reach of PMBJP with more than
9,000 stores covering 743 out of 766 districts across the country.
The Government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,000 by March 2024.
The product basket of PMBJP comprises 1,759 medicines and 280 surgical devices covering all major therapeutic groups such as Cardiovascular, Anti-cancers, Anit-diabetics,
Anti-infectives, Antiallergic, Gastro-intestinal medicines, Nutraceuticals, etc.
“In addition to this, various nutraceutical products like Protein Powder, Malt-based Food Supplements, etc. and some AYUSH products like Ayuraksha Kit, Balraksha Kit and Ayush-64 tablet as immunity boosters have been added to the product basket of the Pariyojana,” the Ministry said.
Family of four tests positive for coronavirus in MP’s IndoreHARYANA SPORTS MINISTER FACES ALLEGATIONS OF RAPE ATTEMPT
New York: The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual list of the 10 largest charitable gifts announced by individuals or their foundations totaled nearly $9.3 billion in 2022. Topping the list is Bill Gates, who gave $5 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to back the grantmaker’s work in global health, development, policy & advocacy, & U.S. education. Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $104 billion, attracted attention in July when he announced he was giving $20 billion to the foundation. —PTI
Mukesh Ambani chairs and runs $104 billion (revenue)
Reliance Industries, which has interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, and retail.
RATAN TATA
Tata Group started the year 2022 with a bang as it took over Air India and in a historic order, Tata Groupled Air India is reportedly close to placing landmark orders for as many as 500 aircrafts. As per a report, these 500 jets are being bought from both Airbus and Boeing as Air India prepares to transform itself under the Tata Group.
Reliance Industries Ltd also announced that it will acquire German firm Metro AG’s wholesale operations in India for Rs 2,850 crore as the conglomerate Ambani seeks to strengthen its dominant position in India’s mammoth retail sector.
show Shark Tank India.
The Lenskart founder became a favourite on social media for his sharp business skills, vision, humble approach, and confidence.
The company doubled its revenue in the last financial year at $121 million through online and in-store sales. Gazal Alagh was also seen at Shark Tank India.
boss Musk completed the $44 million deal to take over Twitter.
Mumbai: After years of lackluster performance, the Indian banking sector has been a clear outperformer in 2022 and the credit growth in Q4FY23 is expected to be stronger, said Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. As per report by Emkay Global, the Indian banking sector performance was led by stronger than-expected credit growth after years of a lackluster performance, sharp margin uptick benefiting from the rate cycle and a far stronger balance sheet now.
MKT GROWS 16% TO REACH $17.8 BN IN Q3
The richest Indian and the third richest in the world, Adani left behind Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Adani grabbed headlines throughout the year for his ventures and deals but his appetite for headlines made him grab not only headlines but also a media house. NDTV’s takeover remained the highlight of all his ventures.
Falguni Nayar quit her investment banking job to start Nykaa, a retailer of beauty products. Nayar took Nykaa public in November 2021 and became India’s richest self-made female entrepreneur in 2022. As per the IIFL Wealth Hurun India rich list 2022, Nayar is India’s richest woman with a net worth of Rs 38,700 crores.
The country was pleasantly surprised when Piyushappeared in the reality
Mumbai: Anant Ambani, the son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and Karan Adani, the son of Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, have both been nominated as members of Maharashtra’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC), as per the chief minister’s office (CMO). Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran will preside over the council, which will include 21 members. “The EAC will play a key role in achieving the goal of a $1-trillion economy. It will function as a private research body with a focus on issues related to agriculture, banking, engineering and education among others,” Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis earlier said in the legislative council. —AGENCIES
The Mahindra group owner is a sound businessman and a social media enthusiast.
Along with running a successful business, he is famous for his candid tweets and interactions on the micro-blogging platform. Be it an incorrectly spelt ‘Croissant’ or telling people why it’s none of his business who his daughters choose to marry, the billionaire made headlines for his social media takes and gestures throughout the year. Anand Mahindra, the chairman of Mahindra Group, currently stands at the 91st rank in India’s list of the wealthiest people.
Another shark from the Shark Tank India, Namita became a household name and inspiration for not only entrepreneurs but many social media memes for her careful, calculated, and polite approach on the show. A chartered accountant by profession, Thapar is the executive director of Pune-based Emcure Pharma, worth $730 million.
The 34-yearold’s company Honasa Consumer, which hosts the brand Mamaearth, became a unicorn in January 2022 after closing a $52 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital India. Valued at $1.2 billion, the company was co-founded by Ghazal and her spouse Varun Alagh.
Leena Nair made the headlines after she joined the French ultraluxury lifestyle brand Chanel as Global CEO in January 2022. An alumnus of XLRI Jamshedpur and Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli in Maharashtra, she became the first woman to become CEO of the iconic and admired company Chanel. Before Chanel, she had a long career at Unilever.
After getting appointed as successor to Twitter cofounder and CEO Jack Dorsey in November 2021, Parag Agarwal again hit the headlines after the Elon Musk-Twitter saga started in 2022. He departed from the company on less than friendly terms, having been reportedly escorted out of the building along with other top executives on the same day that Tesla
New Delhi: Elon Musk was the second person ever to amass a personal fortune of more than $200 billion, breaching that threshold in January 2021, months after Jeff Bezos.
New Delhi: The global cybersecurity market grew 15.9 per cent year on year to $17.8 billion in the third quarter this year, despite deteriorating economic conditions, a report has shown. Palo Alto Networks was the number one vendor in the quarter, growing 24.9% and increasing its market share to 8.4 per cent, up from 7.8 per cent in Q3 2021.
Cisco was the secondlargest cybersecurity vendor, with growth of 16.7 per cent and a flat market share of 6.9 per cent. Network security was the largest category, representing $5.1 billion and growing 14.8%. —PTI
New Delhi: The government is set to roll out of center’s new integrated food security Scheme from 1 January 2023, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said. As per the decision made by cabinet, led by PM Narendra Modi, the new Scheme would provide free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries under NFSA, for the year 2023. It would also ensure effective and uniform implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA). —AGENCIES
New Delhi: Global cellular internet of things (IoT) module shipments grew by only 2% (on-year) in Q3 2022, as China led the market followed by North America and Europe. According to a report by Counterpoint Research, China’s shipments decreased 8 per cent (YoY) in Q3 due to a resurgence of Covid-19 cases.
Automotive, router/CPE, PC, industrial and point of sale (POS) were the top five applications in terms of value in Q3. —PTI
Islamabad: Pakistan’s economic situation is facing “severe headwinds” with inflation being forecast to stay high between 21-23% and the cashstrapped country’s fiscal deficit widening by more than 115% in the first four months of the current fiscal year. Pak’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) said that the economic growth is likely to remain below the budgeted target in FY23 due to devastation caused by floods, as per reports. PTI
The Tesla Inc. chief executive officer has now achieved a first of his own: becoming the only person in history to erase $200 billion from their net worth. Musk has seen his wealth plummet to $137 billion after Tesla shares tumbled in recent weeks, including an 11% drop on Tuesday, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Elon Musk’s fortune peaked at $340 billion on Nov. 4, 202.
New Delhi: Investors have submitted proposals to the UP State Industrial Development Authority (UPSIDA) for the construction of industrial facilities in various state districts totaling more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
The UP government stated in a statement released here that memoranda of intent (MoUs) worth Rs 83,000 crore had been inked regarding these investment proposals.
The Global Investors Summit, which will take
place in Lucknow from February 10–12, 2023, will see the completion of these MoUs. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), UPSIDA, Mayur Maheshwari said the state government is making complete efforts to make Uttar Pradesh a trillion-dollar economy. To achieve the target, nine teams of senior officials of UPSIDA were constituted.
In the first phase, meetings were organised with investors and entrepreneurs in 22 districts of the state.
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi-NCR market has 98,290 unsold housing units at the end of 2022 calendar year and it will take around five years for builders to sell these stocks at current sales velocity, as per PropTiger. com. In its latest report, housing brokerage firm PropTiger has mentioned that unsold inventory rose 17% in 2022 to 8,49,510 units across eight major cities.
Out of these, nearly 8.5 lakh unsold stocks, 80 per cent units are under construction, while 20 per cent homes are completed and ready-to-move-in. These
cities are -- Delhi-NCR, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and
Ahmedabad. With improvement in housing sales across 8 cities, the inventory overhang -- the estimated time builders would
months during 2021, the consultant said. “Pune, Kolkata and Chennai have the lowest inventory overhang of 26 months, whereas, Delhi NCR continues to have the highest inventory overhang of 61 months,” PropTiger said.
take to sell off the existing unsold stock based on the current sales velocity -- has declined to 33 months in 2022, as compared to 42
The Delhi-NCR market has been facing this issue of unsold inventories for many years as sales velocity has remained subdued. The NCR market is plagued with the problem of stalled projects as many big developers including Unitech, Amrapali, Jaypee Infratech, The 3C Company and Ajnara Group.
Born in London and raised in Delhi, Jayshree Ullal was among those who proved their mettle. The president and CEO of Arista Networks, a computer networking firm, she got listed on the Forbes list of America’s richest self-made women. With a net worth of $1.9 billion, Ullal owns 5% of Arista’s stock.
Devika Bulchandani is another addition to Indian talent rocking the stage at the global level. She was appointed as the Global CEO of the advertising, marketing, and public relations agency Ogilvy in September 2022. She is responsible for all aspects of the creative network’s business across 131 offices in 93 countries. Before being appointed as global CEO, Bulchandani served as Global President and CEO of Ogilvy North America & took the helm from Andy who stepped down as Global CEO.
New Delhi: The auto major said that the acquisition of Ford India’s (FIPL) manufacturing plant at Sanand, through its subsidiary, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEML) will be completed on 10 January 2023.
On 7 August 2022, Tata Motors said that its subsidiary, TPEML and FIPL had executed a unit transfer agreement for the acquisition of FIPL’s manufacturing plant situated at Sanand, Gujarat.
Chennai (ANI): Tata Steel and TuTr Hyperloop have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) at IIT Madras, to jointly work on the development and deployment of hyperloop technology at scale. The main research areas will focus on key challenges of design and materials selection.
Debashish Bhattacharjee, Vice-President, Technology and New Materials Business, Tata Steel, said: “We encourage and foster homegrown technologies and are committed to drive them towards commercial success.”
Tata Motors to complete acquisition of Ford India’s manufacturing Plant
Musk becomes first person in history to lose $200 billion
There are many surefire arrows in BJP’s quiver for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, such as the rise of Hindutva, Uniform Civil Code, Ram Mandir, etc., but in the last few elections, including the UP elections, the most successful ‘Brahmastra’ of the BJP has been to the ‘Poor - Free ration’.
PM Modi himself believes that ‘the poor cannot be fed by just showing the photo of the food, it is necessary to provide them ration to fill their stomach.’ The intelligence report received by the government also indicates that the PM’s ‘free grain scheme’
given to poor has added to PM’s popularity. A source close to the PMO claims that the PM has told his core group on several occasions that ‘if the total budget of the Government of India is around Rs 40 lakh crore, then if out of this Rs 2 lakh crore is given as free ration to the poor people, what is wrong with it? After all, we are a ‘welfare state’, it is our responsibility that ‘No one sleeps hungry.’ So, there are indications that the programme of giving free ration to 813.5 million poor Indians will continue at least till 2024 elections. It will remain so, no matter how much the economists break their heads over it.
Senior Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde became so emotional on Congress’s Foundation Day, Dec 28, that he announced his retirement from politics on the same day. If sources are to be believed, Shinde was running very upset with Party High Command for some time. Shinde had been hoping for a long time that the Gandhi family would give him an important role in Party. Even two years ago, his name was floated for the post of Congress President, as he was considered very close to Rahul Gandhi. This time also, another Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge won the race for President’s post, as the Gandhi family was also looking at the upcoming assembly polls in Karnataka. This time, when Rahul’s BJY was leaving Maharashtra, Shinde wanted to take Rahul to Chandrapur & get a gigantic statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar unveiled by him. Rahul was also ready for this, but in last minute, Shinde’s opponents filled Rahul’s ears & the ‘Yatra’ passed by the statue but Rahul didn’t unveil it. Now, on January 26, local leaders of Chandrapur (including BJP leaders) would unveil the statue. Anyway, Shinde wasn’t even invited to Chintan Shivir of Congress, felt that enough is enough and thought it right to sit at home.
In Kerala, the bitterness between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammad Khan is increasing. Recently, on the occasion of Christmas, Governor Khan organised a grand party at Raj Bhavan, where invitation was sent to the CM & other prominent State leaders. But neither the CM came to Governor’s party, nor did any leader of the state’s main Opposition Congress party attend. While a special invitation was sent to Congress leader VD Satheesan from the Raj Bhavan, he didn’t turn up, nor did any minister of the Vijayan government attend the Guv’s feast. On the contrary, Vijayan kept his Christmas party at the Mascot Hotel, which comes under Kerala Tourism, where Governor was not invited. Leaders of many parties including Congress were involved in this party, which was enough to show the mirror to the Governor, that is, neither the ruling party of the state is liking the unnecessary interference of the Governor in the administration nor the Opposition Congress itself.
Those who think that PM Modi keeps a distance from the media, they are in for a surprise. The PM keeps meeting selected journos and takes ‘feedback’ from them. Just like in past, the PM invited some selected editors for tea at his home. An enlightened editor wanted to know PM’s opinion about 2024 general elections and told him that ‘24 won’t be easy for you, because you are losing Karnataka’. On this, PM quipped saying, ‘Thankfully you have only Karnataka in your mind, otherwise our condition isn’t good even in MP & C’garh. But you can’t consider state elections as a benchmark for LS polls, voting patterns of voters are different in both polls. Congress had won MP, Chhattisgarh & Raj in 2018-2019 assembly polls as well, but how much did it increase seats of Congress in the 2019 LS polls? Now let everyone play their own game (PM was probably referring to Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra) when the time comes, I will also play my game.’
The enthusiasm that is being seen all over the country regarding Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra ’ and the huge crowd that is gathering in it, has still not brought any tension to BJP. The saffron party’s survey says that ‘his visit may have made Rahul the most acceptable face of the Opposition, but he has not been able to project himself as an alternative to Modi.’ Sources close to Rahul reveal that ‘ Rahul has also decided in his heart that he will not be the face of the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Instead, in the elections of 2024, the concept of ‘collective leadership’ will be implemented, which will mainly be formed by bringing together three people, and apart from Rahul, Priyanka can be a face in this. If Sonia will not participate in this race due to her health reasons, then the slot of a third leader remains vacant.
Congress has a long list of contenders to fit in this slot, which will also be decided when the time comes.
N ewly appointed President of Bihar Congress Akhilesh Singh has invited Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge to Bihar to flag off the ‘Yatra’ starting from Jan 5 from Digvijay Singh’s ‘Nanihal.’
But
in
Mumbai (PTI): On New Year’s eve, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to deliver on its promises in 2022.
A statement by NCP Spokesperson, Mahesh Tapase, questioned if the Union government had a roadmap for the development and repayment of debt.
Should the nation expect new ‘jumlas’ (poll rhetoric) in 2023, Tapase asked.
Incidentally, general elections are scheduled to be held in 2024.
“Now that we have only a few hours left of 2022, it is time the na-
tion revisits the promises made by the BJP government. GDP stands at 6.5% against 10% as promised for 2022. Farmers’ income has not doubled nor 100% irrigation achieved,” said the NCP leader.
Eradication of mal-
nutrition, 24x7 electricity, 100% broadband connectivity in all gram panchayats along with digital literacy for all as well as a USD 5 trillion economy were some of the promises made by Modi’s government, he claimed.
“The government has
written off Rs10 lakh crore of bank loans and these were not majorly the credits taken by farmers and small traders. SMEs scheme for non-collateral credit is only on paper as banks refuse to entertain proposals,” he alleged.
The Central govern-
“Now that we have only a few hours left of 2022, it is time the nation revisits the promises made by the BJP government. GDP stands at 6.5% against 10% as promised for 2022. Farmers’ income has not doubled nor 100% irrigation achieved,” said Tapase. Eradication of malnutrition, 24x7 electricity, 100% broadband connectivity in all gram panchayats along with digital literacy for all as well as a USD 5 trillion economy were some of the promises made by Modi’s government, he claimed.
ment’s borrowing in eight years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule has touched Rs80 lakh crore, the rupee stood at 82 to the US dollar, while two lakh persons had renounced Indian citizenship and migrated in 2022, said Tapase further.
After registering its strong presence in the Gujarat elections, the next target of the Aam Aadmi Party could be Madhya Pradesh or Rajasthan. Arvind Kejriwal’s strategy is to build AAP’s mass base in one state year- after -year till 2029. AAP’s focus is more on those states where it can replace Congress. It seems that Kejriwal has imbibed the BJP’s agenda of ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’, apparently, somewhere in his campaign, he is also getting the support of saffron beliefs.
Thane (PTI): Navi Mumbai's metro rail line number one will soon begin operations as a trial from Central Park and Belapur stations has been successfully completed, an official of state-run planning authority City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) said on Saturday.
The trial on the 5.96km stretch between the two stations was conducted on Friday in the presence of Sanjay Mukherjee, ChairmanManaging Director of CIDCO and Brijesh Dix-
it, MD of Maha Metro, an entity of the state and Union governments tasked with engineering assistance to commission the line.
“A trial run was held earlier between Central Park and Pendhar and now we have completed the trial from Central Park to Belapur. Operations of metro line number one will commence soon,” Mukherjee said. Line number one is from Pendhar to Belapur and is 11km-long. This is one of the four elevated Metro rail routes being developed.
Sattar claims confidential talks at CM Shinde’s residence leaked, has informed latter about the same
Aurangabad (PTI): State Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar on Saturday claimed that a leader from his own party was among those who instigated allegations of corruption against him.
Talking to Marathi news channel, Sattar, who did not name anyone, said he had complained to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde about the issue.
The minister, who be-
longs to the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena, was targeted by the opposition during the just-concluded Winter Session of the state legislature. It came after the Bombay High Court stayed his decision in a land dispute.
“I am also being held responsible for decisions which were not taken during my tenure.... A person from my own party is behind the allegations along with
opposition people and other ‘well-wishers’ of mine,” Sattar said.
Confidential talks held at the chief minister’s residence were leaked and he had re-
think they may get my ministry if I am gone. But I would not name anyone,” Sattar further said.
On the allegation that he passed an illegal order in a land dispute, he said, “I have given land (titles) to 19 families who were starving. They had proof of possession, and even other evidence was verified.”
quested Shinde to look into this matter, he said.
“Some people are surprised that a member of the minority community has got such an important portfolio. They
The Bombay High Court recently issued a notice to Sattar for ‘regularizing’ private possession of land reserved for public ‘gairan’ (grazing) in Washim district in the face of a civil court order.
Asks if more ‘jumlas’ in store for 2023, roadmap for development and repayment of nation’s debtThe government has written off Rs10 lakh crore of bank loans and these were not majorly the credits taken by farmers and small traders. SMEs scheme for non-collateral credit is only on paper as banks refuse to entertain proposals. —Mahesh Tapase, Nationalist Congress Party Spokesperson
‘Trial done, Metro rail line no. 1 to start soon’
PM’S ‘CHAIR PE CHARCHA’ WITH JOURNALISTS WILL KHARGE GO TO BIHAR?
BJP IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT RAHUL’S YATRA
As we enter into the NEW YEAR 2023, let us all think about what can we do to make it better not just for our own selves but also for others. The first thing is to love yourself. It is only when we love and accept ourselves that we will have acceptance and love for others in our hearts. Promise yourself that you will take joy in the little things in the days that unfold- by the sunshine on your face, the breeze in your hair, the smell of coffee, the smile of a child, the beautiful flowers dotting, the roadside- all make our life beautiful and joyful… these simplest of things. Strive to make the minutes better, and the hours, days, weeks, months and the year will automatically open their petals for YOU with peace and prosperity and happiness.
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US AT FIRST INDIA FOR ALL OUR READERS AND MORE.
Is there a more therapeutic activity than cleaning out your closet? Never settle for anything less than clothing that accentuates your greatest features. Get rid of outdated clothing to make place for new wardrobe additions that will fit your ever-changing style in the coming year.
Beginning on New Year’s Day, planning challenges might arise.
There’s pressure to get the year off to a good start, and you could worry that if you don’t achieve anything extraordinary, it might be a sign of things to come. As it was originally intended, New Year’s Day should be a straightforward occasion to pause, consider the positive aspects of the previous year, and make resolutions for even more positive outcomes in the year ahead.
Starting the year off right can be a challenge, especially in light of unwarranted social pressure, but it can also be a thoughtful and rewarding experience. We’ve come up with a list of 9 options suitable for everybody in any mental or physical state to allay your concern over your New Year’s Day plans.
2023 is yours to keep as long as you do, whether you’re searching for a healing getaway or require a day of hibernation.
Festivities at home can be amazingly fun, all you need is a few crazy ideas. City First gives you some insights about unique ways to celebrate this New Year’s Eve at your very own home.
Host a game or party day with friends or family to bring in the new year with joy and fun. Cards Against Humanity or Taboo are usually likely to draw a crowd if you’re not sure which games to choose.
Whether you’re travelling alone, with family, or with your significant other, taking the wheel may be freeing. Make a trip plan or just follow the road as it takes you! It is the best an introvert could wish for.
Meal planning is the ideal method to get your detox after the holiday excess started. Spend time in bulk sautéing, chopping, and baking, in which you can include enough greens in your diet to help prevent winter colds.
Karaoke is undoubtedly one of the best ways to spend New Year’s eve at home. All you need is a record player to set the mood of the night. Gather your friends and family members and spend the eve singing your favourite songs to your heart’s content.
Who like shooting pictures? Everyone who is obsessed with Instagram has to take pictures on New Year’s Eve. Props with a New Year’s theme are quite popular right now and are thus simple to find in stores or online.
These might also be customised with goals you have in mind, events you know are going to occur for you, or anything else you like. Make 2020 New Year’s Eve a night to remember by striking amusing or exceptionally well-planned stances and taking memorable images.
Spending time alone is essential for maintaining good mental health. On New Year’s Eve, you may unwind and splurge. Take a well-deserved break from your busy schedule, and take some peaceful “me time.” The advantages of hot chocolate may be enjoyed while reading your favourite book. Remember to get out of your cosy pyjamas. Thanks to the time you spent by yourself on New Year’s Eve, you may start the New Year by giving yourself more love.
While ringing in the new year might be joyful for some, it can also be challenging for others.
It’s possible that life hasn’t gone as planned for you during the past year. Or perhaps the holidays are a particularly trying time for you (very common, by the way). If so, organising a happy New Year’s Day might help you avoid feeling depressed or lonely.
Over the years, the Greek God of Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan has left no stone unturned with his impeccable acting skills and dance movies. in 2000, the actor made his debut with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hain and has given a whole new definition to fitness and gorgeousness.
Hrithik Roshan recently pointed out how he feels about being termed a star versus being called an actor. He said while one term makes him comfortable and relaxed, the other one felt like a ‘burden’ to him. Hrithik added he is thankful for his stardom.
Hrithik Roshan’s last outing was Vikram Vedha with Saif Ali Khan. The actor has evolved tremendously, and this year he wowed the audience with his performance in Vikram Vedha. While the Tamil film was a hit, the Hindi version failed to do the same kind of business at the
box office. Recently Hrithik opened up about his films and said, “Every time there’s a Vedha, Super 30 life becomes very easy because all you have to do, is your job as an actor. When you do films like Bang Bang, War or Fighter then you have the whole weight of being a star. And, you have to get the aesthetics right, all the expectations and look at a certain way, that really can sap you. That is a very difficult process. For me, doing a film like Super 30, Kaabil is a joy because all I have to focus on is being real, feeling my lines, and all the things that are attributed to the job of an actor. But when you got to take up the job of a star, it is unhealthy actually in many many ways.”
When asked about the job of a star, he described the difference between being an actor and a star. “When someone refers to me as an actor, a good actor or talks about me as the actor that I am, it’s such a warm safe, secure, fulfilled vibration inside, you know. I am comfortable. This is not true for everyone, it just basically goes to show that I am more comfortable, calm and more myself being the actor. The star is the responsibility. I am very grateful for it, don’t
get me wrong, I am very thankful this is something I cherish. I know it’s been given to me, it’s a gift but it’s a bur den that I carry. And, I have to work very hard to thrive. I don’t want to survive I wanna thrive in it, but it’s a journey. As an ac tor, I feel very, very re laxed when there are no expectations.”
Roshan also opened up on how Rakesh Roshan, ‘offered’ him the lead role in his debut film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, despite having told him that he has no in terest in launching him. He said, “My fa ther told me time and time again, ‘I’m not go ing to make a film for you, you’re on your own’. So, I was doing screen tests, I did a couple of them, and I was looking for work. For my photo session, I had no money. I had promised Daboo Ratnani that I will pay him once I start to earn. All of this was going on, and sud denly, I got this of fer. And all I knew was that I had to satisfy my director.”
‘HOMEMAKER
Genelia D’Souza had taken a break from the showbiz business after marrying her beau Riteish Deshmukh and later becoming a doting mom to sons Riaan and Rahyl, Genelia D’Souza has made a comeback with a romantic drama Ved helmed by Riteish Deshmukh himself. In a recent interview, Genelia reflected on her life as a homemaker.
“Last 10 years I have
ctor Shilpa Shetty Kundra is ending her year on a positive note and in her recent post, the actor shared an optimistic note about never giving
Her note was shared with a video from a carnival.
“It’s been a Rollercoaster... Leaving back all the hardships and the negatives... Taking forward only HOPE ..because hope is the seed to a DREAM that can manifest into reality. Never give up on Hope and your Dreams!
Last 2 days of 2022 left .. HOPING for a fantastic 2023, wishing you all a cracking, happy, bountiful and healthy NEW YEAR,” read her caption.
Shilpa had fractured her foot
earlier this year which had confined her for six weeks. She suffered the fracture while shooting for filmmaker Rohit Shetty‘s web series Indian Police Force. However, this didn’t stop her from posting videos on her social media and encouraging her fans to learn exercises that could be practised in a wheelchair.
Neil Nitin Mukesh summed up the year with a series of pictures of his recent weight loss journey. The actor opened up about losing the extra pounds in 2022 and penned, “As I look BACK to the year 2022, l am nothing but grateful. I’m grateful to my family, to my dear friends and above all to the Almighty, to encourage me and give me the strength and power to go through this difficult transformation.”
“As an actor, we mould our-
selves into various characters and take up challenges beyond our imagination. When I gained weight for a role of mine, little did I know that it would be so challenging to lose it all again. But I guess that is exactly what needed, a challenge!! 2022 has been the year for me to understand the importance of health, family, love and relationships.But I thank My father, my mother, my beloved wife, my brother and my darling daughter for patiently dealing with me and my mood swings. I love you all the most.” he further added.
Ahead of New year’s eve, director Zoya Akhtar partied with Ananya Panday and granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan, Navya Naveli Nanda in Phuket, Thailand. Zoya took to her social media handle and posted a happy picture with Navya from the party night, and called herself ‘devil’ and Navya an ‘angel.’
Ananya Pandey
also shared a few pictures on Instagram looking gorgeous in a neon slit gown. She looked breath taking in that dress. On the other hand, Navya wore a simple blue shirt. Ananya captioned the post, “I’ll call this one happiness.”
In Zoya’s post, the filmmaker kept her hair open and wore an evil eye bracelet in her hand along with a devil horns headband. Navya wore an evil eye necklace around her neck along with a white flower garland. Zoya kept her hand around Navya and another hand on her face. She captioned, “Altar Egos #hornsandhalos #devilandangel @navyanan -
