SS Eng_10/01/2023_14

Agency News: Hyderabad

Ocugen Inc., Bharat Biotech’s partner for US and Canada for COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin (BBV152) on Monday said it got positive results from the Phase 2/3, observer-blind, immuno-bridging and broadening study of the jab in US. A press release from the US biopharmaceutical company said the study enrolled 419 US adult participants that were randomized 1:1 to receive two doses of Covaxin or placebo, 28 days apart. “The successful completion of this study represents an important milestone to the ongoing management of COVID-19. Given that a portion of the public remains hesitant to receive mRNA vaccines, this investigational COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which relies on a wellestablished approach to vaccine development and manufacturing, may provide an important additional vaccine option,” Shankar Musunuri, Chairman and CEO of Ocugen said.

Agency News: New Delhi

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on issued an advisory to all television channels against reporting incidents of accidents, deaths, and violence including violence against women, children and elderly in manners which grossly compromises on ‘good taste and decency’. The advisory has been issued after several instances of lack of discretion by television channels were noticed by the ministry. The ministry has said that television channels have shown dead bodies of individuals and images/videos of injured persons with blood splattered around, people, including women, children

and elderly being beaten mercilessly in close shots, continuous cries and shrieks of a child being beaten by a teacher, shown repeatedly over several minutes including circling the actions thereby making it even

Religious conversion a serious issue, should not be given political colour: Supreme Court

Agency News: New Delhi

Observing that religious conversion is a serious issue which should not be given a political colour, the Supreme Court on Monday sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani on a plea seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversions. A bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar asked Venkataramani to appear in the matter in which the petitioner sought a check on religious conversions through “intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits”, and assist as amicus curiae.

“We want your assistance also, AG. Religious conversions by

force, allurement etc. There are ways and ways, anything by allurement, if that is happening, when what should be done? What are the corrective measures?” the bench said. At the outset, senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for Tamil Nadu, called the petition a “politically motivated” PIL, insisting there was no question of such conversions in the state. The bench took objection and remarked,” You may have different reasons to be agitated like this.

more ghastly, without taking the precaution of blurring the images or showing them from long shots. It has further highlighted that the manner of reporting such incidents is distasteful and distressing.

Centre’s Response Sought On Requests Challenging Places Of

Worship Act

Agency News: New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union government to file its reply to a batch of PILs challenging the validity of certain provisions of a 1991 law which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha gave the Centre time till the end of February to submit its response to the petitions against some provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some of the intervenors,

raised the preliminary objection to the challenge of a statute through PILs, calling it a serious issue. “I have certain points to make. First, this challenge has been made through PILs...I can understand if there is a dispute concerning a structure. This is an Act in regard to which certain observations have been made in Ram Janmabhoomi case,” Mr Sibal said. “My preliminary objection is that these PILs cannot be entertained unless they relate to a particular structure.

There cannot be a public interest qua judgement of a court taking a certain view,” Mr Sibal said.

He added that before the court goes into the final hearing of the matter, these preliminary issues needed to be dealt with.

Agency News: New Delhi

The new Parliament building will be ready by the end of January and finishing touches to its interior are being given at a very fast pace, government sources said on Monday. They said the decision on whether the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament will be held in the new building or the existing one is yet to be taken. The new Parliament building is part of the redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation’s power corridor.

Revamping the three-km Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate, constructing a common central secretariat, a new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-

president enclave are also part of the project being executed by the CPWD, which comes under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. “The new Parliament building will be ready by the end of this month. The internal finishing work is going on at a very fast pace,” a government source said. The construction work had begun two years ago. Another source said on Monday that the government will soon take a decision on the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

Agency News: Bangalore

Aimed at galvanising the support of womenfolk ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be addressing a women’s convention here on January 16, party’s State president D K Shivakumar said on Monday. He said the party is planning a separate manifesto for women ahead of polls, due by April-May, and want’s to release a “guarantee letter” expressing Congress’ commitment towards them. The KPCC chief was speaking to after inducting JD(S) leaders from Ramanagara and Mandya districts - Vishwanath and Radhakrishna - respectively along with their supporters at the party office here. Vishwanath had even contested against Shivakumar in Kanakapura assembly segment.

Agency News: Chandigarh

The Chandigarh zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau has busted an international drug syndicate operating from Ludhiana and arrested 16 people, including two Afghanistan nationals, a senior official said on Monday. The NCB official said in Mohali that the action against the syndicate smuggling heroin began on November 15 last year with seizure of the contraband and arrest of a person. During follow-up raids and searches, the NCB unit busted the entire chain of this international drug syndicate, Deputy Director General (Northern Region) of the NCB Gyaneshwar Singh told. During investigations, the NCB busted two heroin processing laboratories in Ludhiana

which were being operated by Afghan nationals, who have been arrested. “A special investigation team under Amanjit Singh, Zonal Director, NCB-Chandigarh, has been formed and includes investigating officers from various NCB zones as this international drug syndicate is spread across various countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc. and different states.

Pregnant Woman, Husband Hurt During Bonfire, Women’s Body Blames In-Laws

Agency News: New Delhi

A pregnant woman and her husband sitting by a bonfire sustained burns from its flames after a boy poured paint thinner into it in outer Delhi’s Bawana, police said on Monday. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal, however, alleged that the woman was set ablaze by her inlaws and husband. According to the police, the incident took place on Friday night when Khusboo, who is seven months pregnant, her husband Veer Pratap and a boy were sitting by a bonfire to keep themselves warm in the cold. The fire was dying down and the boy poured paint thinner into it, causing it to suddenly spread. Khusboo sustained “superficial” burns on her

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal, however, alleged that the woman was set ablaze by her inlaws and husband.

face and limbs, while her husband sustained burns on his legs and left hand, the police said. Both of them are undergoing treatment at the Safdarjung Hospital, they said. Khusboo’s statement has been recorded in which she has stated that it was an accident, a senior police officer said.

The AAP on Monday held a protest outside the BJP headquarters here over the aldermen nominated by the Lt Governor to the MCD House being administered oath before the elected representatives and accused the saffron party of flouting rules. The protest was led by Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj and party leader Adil Ahmad Khan.

On January 6, the maiden meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House was adjourned without electing mayor and deputy mayor as BJP and AAP councillors exchanged heated words and came

to blows over presiding officer Satya Sharma administering oath to the aldermen first and not the elected representatives. Only four aldermen could take oath before the House plunged into chaos. The AAP alleged that the BJP made the aldermen take oath first in order to get them voting rights for the mayor and deputy mayor elections. “We are here to protest against what was done on January 6. We feel that these nominated aldermen were administered oath first as they might be given voting rights. We want a statement from the LG that they will not vote and only then our protest will end,” said AAP’s mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi.

Agency News: New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that people say Indore is a city but “I say Indore is a ‘Daur’ (age) which walks ahead of time”. He said that Indore, being ahead of time, carries heritage along with it. Prime Minister Modi said that all Indian diasporas are ‘Rashtradoots’. “You are brand ambassadors of India, brand ambassadors of Yoga and Ayurveda, brand ambassadors of India’s cottage and handicrafts and India’s millets”, he said. PM Modi

requested the chief guests to take with them some millet products from India mentioning that the UN has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets. PM said that Pravasi Bharatiyas (NRIs) have a significant place in India’s journey in the ‘Amrit Kaal.’

Agency News: Patna

Amidst several incidents of drunk flyers coming to the fore recently, two drunk passengers caused havoc on a Patna-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi. Both passengers have been arrested at the airport police station for being in an inebriated state. Patna Airport SHO Robert Peter said that the police took action after the manager of Indigo filed a written complaint against the accused. He further said that the accused would be produced

before the court. The brawl took place on IndiGo flight number 6E6383. According to the sources, before landing, Indigo informed Air traffic controllers (ATC) that two passengers were carrying liquor. The passengers were stopped by the crew members for consuming alcohol and they apologised.

The Supreme Court today

an independent and Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe in the hooch tragedy in Bihar’s Chhapra

has claimed over 40 lives so far. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and PS Narasimha allowed the petitioner to approach the High Court with the plea saying that relief sought here can be granted by the High Court. Why are you coming here? All your reliefs can be granted by the High Court. Let the High Court decide.

Agency News: Mumbai

Agency News: Mumbai

Were babies not born for three years, a division bench of the Bombay High Court, comprising Justice GS Patel and SG Dige, asked during the hearing on Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder’s plea against the Food and Drugs Administration’s (FDA) order cancelling their licence, on Monday. The HC is likely to pronounce its order on Wednesday.

Government Pleader Milind More told the court that the tests on baby powder samples could not be conducted as per the new rules, as ordered by the court, due to shortage of time. Moreover, Ravi Kadam, Senior Advocate, informed the court that the samples were collected in 2019 and a show-cause notice was issued to the company in 2022. The

division bench asked More as to what they had done to stop the sale of baby powder after the samples were tested in 2018. The bench said that it was difficult for them to come up with a solution as they were deciding on an order passed by the authorities under the old rules which are not in force today. The HC said the batch of samples tested, which are allegedly dangerous, was out in the market between 2019 and 2023 and has already reached the consumers. Justice GS Patel said, “Were babies not born for three years?” .

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar will undergo an eye operation on Tuesday, senior party leader Ajit Pawar said. Speaking at a book launch event on Monday, Ajit Pawar said his uncle couldn’t attend the programme as he had to get himself admitted to hospital. Pawar, 82, was supposed to unveil a book on legislative speeches of senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare. “Today, Pawar saheb was supposed to unveil this book, but that could not happen as he has an eye operation scheduled tomorrow and he had to get himself admitted. This is why he could not attend the event,” said Ajit Pawar. He added the NCP chief had undergone surgery for one of his eyes sometime back.

Rakul Preet Singh seen at the trailer launch of Chhatriwali.

Agency News: New Delhi

Agency News: New Delhi

refused to entertain a petition seeking

that

New Parliament building to be ready by January-end, say govt sources

Bharat Biotech’s partner says Covaxin shows positive results in Phase 2/3 study in US

chief Sharad Pawar to undergo eye surgery on Jan 10

SUNVILLA SAMACHAR

Covid kills China’s most influential personalities but Xi goes ahead with New Year address

NCP’s Bhujbal Seeks Caste Census in Maha on Lines of Bihar, Writes to Shinde, Fadnavis

Agency News: Mumbai

10 Per Cent Quota for EWS Against Social Justice Ideals,

Says TN Govt

Agency News: Chennai

Delhi LG Writes to Kejriwal to Resume Meetings, Lauds Him For Taking Governance Seriously

Public obituaries of famous professors and scientists make it difficult for Beijing to hide the Covid-19 death toll. China ratchets up influence operations against Taiwan in the new year while the semiconductors industry is stuck in Beijing’s neck like a wooden log. The Taliban has signed an oil deal with China worth $540 million. Chinascope looks at news from China – and the world – as the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong prepare to head into the Chinese New Year. Data manipulation in the age of rapid information flows can be tricky, even for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In the past few weeks, Chinese research institutions and scientific organisations have published the obituaries of famous doctors, scientists and engineers, making it difficult for Beijing to hide the casualties from the latest Covid wave. “The Chinese Academy of Engineering reported that 20 members have died in less than a month, compared with an average annual death rate of 16,” wrote South China Morning Post.The deaths resulting from Covid related complications aren’t just restricted to engineers and scientists; obituaries of celebrities have confirmed the scale of this crisis. According to some obituaries circulating online, 39-year-old opera singer Chu Lanlan of the New Peking Opera fame, who had also performed during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, passed away because of a Covid-related complication. Another celebrity, 87-year-old Zhao Qing, passed away in recent days, according to an online obituary. The names of Chinese celebrities dying from Omicron variants BF.7 and BA.5.2 continue to trickle on Chinese social media. A list of 34 Chinese painters—who have lost their lives since 18 October 2022—was shared on Weibo. Most renowned painters on this list were aged 60 and above. Meanwhile, China continues to struggle to develop an effective vaccine for the population reeling from mass Covid infection.

Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday demanded an independent caste-based census in Maharashtra on the lines of Bihar, saying such an exercise in other states has benefited citizens.

Bhujbal made the demand in a letter sent to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and cited the example of Bihar, where a castebased head count has started.

The Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government in Bihar on Saturday launched an ambitious survey of castes in the eastern state with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying the exercise would prove helpful for the upliftment of all sections of society. The demand for a caste-based census

- Kapilkumar M. Hirpara Editor

Odisha: Police, Farmers, Scuffle on Road to CM’s Residence

in Maharashtra has been pending for a long time, Bhujbal said in the letter. Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh, too, have conducted similar exercises which are benefiting residents of these states, he noted, in an apparent reference to welfare schemes rolled out based on the surveys. The former minister, a prominent Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader, said Members of Parliament Sameer Bhujbal, Gopinath Munde and 100 other MPs had in 2010 moved a resolution in the Lok Sabha seeking a caste-based census at the national level.

Karnataka Polls: Siddaramaiah to Contest from Kolar Seat; BJP Says He Has Conceded Defeat

The 10 per cent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) will not be implemented in Tamil Nadu as it is against the ideals of social justice, the state government said on Monday. The state is firm on continuing the present reservation policy (of 69 percent), the government categorically stated. “Tamil Nadu has adopted a unique reservation system to further social justice in the State and ensure advancement of socially backward classes. This government is firm on continuing the present reservation policy in the State, as the 10 percent quota for EWS is against the ideals of social justice,” the text of Governor R N Ravi’s speech copy tabled in the Assembly stated. Steps are being taken to provide loans worth Rs 210 crore through the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation and

The state is firm on continuing the present reservation policy (of 69 percent), the government categorically stated

Tamil Nadu Minorities Economic Development Corporation to ensure economic development of socially backward sections in the society, it said. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Agency (CMDA) has embarked on a pioneering effort to create a new growth cluster through land pooling in Madampakkam, spanning 600 acres. Land will be pooled with the consent of land owners and classified based on their usage to promote planned development, while ensuring that the benefits of development are shared with the land owners, the speech copy stated.

Amid a series of disagreements and allegations between them, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking him to resume meetings between them for a “conflict-free governance of the city.” Saxena also said that they used to regularly meet till October 2020 but this did not continue. In a letter, taking a jibe at Kejriwal, Saxena wrote, “I am in receipt of several letters from you over the past few days.

At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation for the fact that you have started taking governance of the city serious.”

This comes as the AAP launched an attack on the LG accusing him of illegally nominating BJP workers as aldermen instead of those with experience in municipal administration.

Addressing a press conference, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that Article 243 R and S of constitution states that candidates should be those who have “special knowledge and experience in matters related to Municipal Corporation.” But the ten aldermen chosen for the MCD house had little relevant experience and all of them were BJP workers, he said. Saxena nominated Satya Sharma as presiding officer of a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) meeting from a list of six sent to him by the AAP government, Raj Niwas officials had said on Saturday.

Protesting farmers scuffled with the police here on Monday when they were stopped from proceeding to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence to press for demands relating to paddy procurement in the state. Some agitators were taken to custody as a preventive measure, the police said. A large number of farmers under the aegis of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) waved placards and shouted slogans against deducting five to seven kg of paddy in every quintal allegedly under the pretext of bad quality produce. They also alleged denial of proper MSP on

Unable to reach Naveen Niwas, the chief minister’s residence, the agitators staged a demonstration near the Airport police station and threatened to hold protests across the state if their demands are not met

the sale of paddy. The Sangathan claimed that the farmers were forced to hit the street as they are yet to get the MSP for paddy and are suffering as middlemen make profit at their cost. Unable to reach Naveen Niwas.chief minister’s residence.

Ministers Failing to Perform and Found Missing from Party’s Programme Will Be Denied Ticket: Cong

Congress’ Rajasthan in-charge

Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday said that the ministers who fail to perform and participate in the party’s programme will not be issued ticket in the 2023 assembly elections. Randhawa was talking to the press after the preparation meeting of the ‘Hath Se Hath Jodo’ programme. “This is the last year and performance will be seen. There is a clear indication that every person has to attend party’s meeting and programme. I have asked CM that he is soft and in last year the party has to take stern decision,” Randhawa said as several ministers were absent from the meeting. State Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, “For the next 60 days, the Congress leaders will visit every booth. The party workers will apprise

people with the benefits of flagship schemes of Congress government and present the chargesheet of Centre government schemes, which have failed.” State Congress leaders would go to every village from January 26 for the upcoming programme. It will continue for two months. The Congress party would reach out to every village and the party leaders would go door to door, interact with people and inform them about the state’s current situation and inform them about the Bharat Jodo Yatra. In the meeting, the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) appointed the district coordinators for the ‘Hath Se Hath Jodo’ programme. These coordinators will have discussions with the minister in-charge in the districts and in the next three days, one coordinator each will be appointed in every block.

Ram Temple Opening in 2024 Could Be A Game-Changer But Rs 32,000 Cr Ayodhya Makeover is Bigger

Agency News: Ayodhya

The Shri Ram Janambhoomi Temple in Ayodhya will open on January 1 next year, Home Minister Amit Shah announced last week. The trustees say Ram Lalla idol will be installed in the ‘garbgriha’ on ground floor of the temple on December 30 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present on the occasion. Once open, the temple could see over one lakh devotees daily and by 2047, more than 10 crore devotees can visit Ayodhya annually, the Centre

and Uttar Pradesh government has estimated. This huge increase in pilgrims means the Uttar Pradesh government is gearing up to develop Ayodhya with a mega Rs 32,000 crore plan, involving 264 projects executed by as many as 37 agencies to transform the face of Ayodhya into a global tourism and spiritual destination. The temple’s construction will cost Rs 1,800 crore, entirely from donations. Let’s first detail the full blueprint before assessing the impact the temple will have on the politics of India in 2024.

The Congress leader made the announcement during a rally in Kolar. However, he said that the decision to field him from Kolar is subject to approval to the party high command

Agency News: Kolar

Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that he would contest the upcoming state Assembly polls from Kolar constituency. Siddaramaiah, the Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, presently represents Badami seat in Bagalakote district. The Congress leader made the announcement during a rally in Kolar today. However, he said that the decision to

field him from Kolar is subject to approval of the party high command. Janata Dal (S) leader K Srinivasa Gowda is the sitting MLA from Kolar. He defeated Congress candidate Syed Zameer Pasha by a big margin of 44,251 votes in 2018 polls. Siddaramaiah contested 2018 polls from two seats- Badami and Chamundeshwari. He lost Chamundeshwari seat to JD(S) candidate G T Devegowda by over 36,000 votes. But he was elected to the state Assembly from Badami seat after defeating BJP’s B Sreeramulu by a narrow margin of 1,696 votes. Siddaramaiah contested the Assembly elections of 2008 and 2013 from Varuna seat.

‘Maligning Our Brave Hearts’: Cong Slams BJP for Criticising Ex-army Chief Deepak Kapoor

Agency News: New Delhi

The Congress on Monday lashed out at the BJP for criticising former Army chief General Deepak Kapoor after he participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, and accused the ruling party of “maligning brave hearts”. Gen (retd) Kapoor and many retired top officers of the defence services joined the Rahul Gandhiled ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on Sunday which is passing through Haryana. Tweeting a picture of Gen Kapoor walking alongside Rahul Gandhi in the Yatra in Haryana, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said, “Ex-Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Kapoor was indicted in the Adarsh scam along with other senior Army officers.” “The inquiry committee had opined that they

may be debarred from holding any Govt position or office for shaming the Armed Forces,” the BJP leader said Sunday. Hitting out at Malviya, Congress’ social media department chief Supriya Shrinate said, “General Kapoor, a war veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, recipient of PVSM, AVSM, VSM and Sena Medal among a host of other awards, served our nation from 1967 to 2010 for four decades. You should be ashamed of yourself for maligning our brave hearts. Pity you and your sorry existence.”

Delhi accident case: Accused were aware of Anjali under car, were afraid to take out her body

Agency News: New Delhi

Agency News: New Delhi

Last night, an Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel stationed in Ferozepur, Punjab, shot himself dead after killing his wife, according to army authorities.

An officer of the Indian Army, a Lieutenant Colonel, based in Punjab’s Ferozepur murdered his wife and then shot himself

dead last night, Army sources said. The officer left a suicide note, where he confessed to harming his wife, sources said. The wife was found dead at his residence. The couple had marital issues and were undergoing regular counselling sessions, they said. The Army and the Punjab police have begun an investigation.

Dense fog in North India: Over 260 trains cancelled amid low visibility conditions in northern states

“A total of 267 train, including 82 express trains, 140 passenger trains and 40 sub-urban trains, were cancelled,” a railways official said.

Agency News: New Delhi

Over 260 trains were cancelled due to bad weather conditions on Monday, the railways said. The services were affected as visibility was reduced considerably on Monday morning due to a dense layer of fog that extended from Punjab and adjoining Rajasthan to Bihar through Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. “A total of 267 train, including 82 express trains, 140 passenger trains and 40 sub-urban trains, were

cancelled,” a railways official said. On Sunday, around 335 trains were delayed, 88 cancelled, 31 diverted and 33 short terminated due to foggy weather. Visibility levels dropped to zero metres at Bhatinda and Agra; 25 metres at Patiala, Chandigarh, Ambala, Bhiwani, Safdarjung, Ridge, Ganganagar, Varanasi, Fursatganj and Bhagalpur, and 50 metres at Hisar, Karnal, Palam, Meerut, Lucknow, Bahraich and Patna. According to the weather office, ‘very dense fog’ is when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, between 51 and 200 metres is ‘dense’, between 201 and 500 metres ‘moderate’, and between 501 and 1,000 metres ‘shallow’.

In a significant revelation in the Kanjhawala case, in which a woman died after being dragged for several kilometres by a car, Delhi Police sources said that the accused were aware of Anjali being trapped under their car within minutes after her scooty was hit by them. “The accused in the car did not take Anjali out because the accused were afraid that if they got down from the car and took Anjali out, they might get into legal trouble if someone saw them,” said the Delhi Police sources. The accused told about their dilemma during their interrogation with the Delhi Police, however, the police say that there is a contradiction in

their statements, so every angle is being investigated closely. The six accused will be produced in court on Monday after the Rohini Court on Saturday granted bail to the seventh accused, Ankush, in the hit and drag case in outer Delhi’s Sultanpuri area. Ankush is the seventh accused arrested in the case. Delhi Police have alleged that he is the person who conspired with the other accused after the incident he helped the other accused flee by arranging an auto.

Theft reported at deceased Anjali Singh’s house; family alleges friend Nidhi’s role

Agency News: New Delhi

The house of Anjali, who died after being dragged by a car for about 12 km in the early hours of January 1 in the national capital, was ransacked and unidentified robbers took away several things, including TV and other articles. However, police are yet to give details, but the locals said that they informed the family members of Anjali about the robbery in their house around 7.30 a.m. on Monday. The house lock was broken and several articles were missing. The officials from the Aman Vihar police station were on the spot. Anu, a relative of Anjali said that neighbours had told them about the theft and said, “We suspect Nidhi to be behind it. Nidhi is trying to keep her belongings in our house for fear of being caught.” Anjali’s

Nidhi

Ensure

Fair Elections in Tripura, People Couldn’t Vote Freely Last Time: Manik Sarkar

Agency News: Agartala

Asking the Election Commission (EC) to ensure free and fair elections in Tripura, former chief minister Manik Sarkar alleged the poll panel set a bad precedent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the last byelections as people could not vote freely. His comment came just two days before the scheduled arrival of the full bench of the EC in the state to review preparedness for the assembly polls. “You have set a bad precedent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and by-elections to the four assembly constituencies in Tripura. Genuine voters could not exercise their franchise freely on these two occasions,” Sarkar said, addressing a programme organised by CPI(M)-backed trade union CITU at the Vivekananda Ground here on Sunday. He claimed that when the CPI(M) tried to draw

the attention of EC functionaries to the alleged misconduct of BJP workers, “the EC officials said they were not responsible for what happened outside polling stations and the police would look into such grievances”. Claiming that the BJP has “no chance” to win the upcoming assembly elections, Sarkar claimed that its strength has weakened substantially as its ally IPFT has lost importance in Tripura politics. Those anti-Left leaders, who were with the BJP during the 2018 elections.

Agency News: Valsad

A government school teacher has been suspended here for allegedly beating ten tribal students after they reported late. Valsad District Primary Education Officer B.D. Baraiya suspended Khadki village primary school chief teacher, Somraginiben Manat after a complaint that she beat 10 tribal students for reaching school late on Friday. Baraiya told on Monday, “An inquiry report has confirmed that chief teacher Somraginiben had beaten

10 tribal students of Khadki primary school. The students had to undergo treatment at the primary health centre. Based on the report, she is put under suspension, a departmental inquiry will be conducted against her.” According to the complaint filed with the Dharampur police station by the parents, “on Friday 10 students living at the Sarvodaya Ashram Shala and studying at the primary school of Khadki village, had reached late for morning prayers, so the chief teacher got angry and beat them with a stick, till the stick broke.”

Rajasthan Congress MLA’s Son Arrested in Gang-rape Case

Deepak alias Dilip Meena, the son of Congress legislator from the Rajgarh assembly constituency Johari Lal Meena, is one of the three accused in the gang-rape of the 15-year-old girl in February 2021, the police said

Agency News: Jaipur

A Rajasthan Congress MLA’s son was arrested on Monday for allegedly raping a minor girl, police said. Deepak alias Dilip Meena, the son of Congress legislator from the Rajgarh assembly constituency Johari Lal

Meena,

MLA’s

earlier.

on the directions of a special court hearing cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court sent him to judicial custody till January 13, Mahua police station SHO Jitendra Solanki said. The gang-rape case was lodged at Mandawar police station in Dausa district in March 2022, he said. In the complaint, it was alleged that the accused took the girl to a hotel on the MahwaMandawar Road and raped her.

Agency News: Jaipur

relatives are also raising fingers at the police. “Police were here for the last eight days but why are they not here since yesterday?” Anu said. On January 1, Anjali and Nidhi were on their way home after a party at a hotel in Rohini when they had a head on collision with a Maruti Baleno car.

escaped with minor injuries but Anjali was dragged under the car for several kilometers. Earlier, police had recorded the statement of Nidhi under section 164 CrPC.

is one of the three accused in the gang-rape of the 15-year-old girl in February 2021, the police said. The two other accused had been arrested

The

son was arrested

Agency News: Bhubaneswar

Top army official kills wife, shoots himself in his house

Tribal students thrashed for being late to class; teacher suspended

IND vs SL 1st ODI: Major doubt over skipper Rohit Sharma participation, faces fitness test ahead of return

Agency News : New Delhi

Team India captain Rohit Sharma is set to return to the India fold in the 1st ODI against Sri Lanka at the Guwahati on Tuesday. Rohit was ruled out of the Test series against Bangladesh followed by the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka last week. Ahead of his return to the side, Rohit will have to undergo a fitness test to prove that he has recovered to return to the rigours of international cricket. Former India captain Kapil Dev also raised doubts over the fitness of Rohit with the 50-over World Cup set to take place in India later this year. “There’s no shortcoming in Rohit Sharma. He has everything but I personally think, there is a huge question mark over his fitness. Is he fit enough? Because a captain should be someone who motivates the other players to get fitter, the teammates should feel

proud of their captain,” Kapil Dev was quoted as saying. “I can say with surety that there is a huge doubt over Rohit’s fitness. There has been a lot of criticism that he hasn’t scored that many runs since he has become captain, I kind of agree with it but I don’t think there is any issue with his cricketing skills. He is a very successful cricketer. If he gets fitter, the entire team will rally around him,” he added.

Salman Butt makes bold remark about Suryakumar Yadav: ‘If he was a Pakistani...’

Agency News : Karachi

Targeting the PCB’s cricketing set-up, former captain Salman Butt said that if Suryakumar Yadav was in Pakistan then it would have been tough for the star India batter to be a part of the national team in his 30s. On the back of his impressive performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Suryakumar Yadav made his international debut in 2021 against England when he was 30. ”I was reading everywhere that he came to international cricket when

he was over 30. I just thought he’s lucky that he is Indian. If he was in Pakistan, he would’ve been a victim to the over-30 policy,” Butt was quoted as saying. Surya played a blistering knock in the third T20I against Sri Lanka as he wreaked havoc on Lankan bowlers.

SPORTS - BUSINESS

SA all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius retires from international cricket, to focus on T20 leagues

Agency News : Johannesburg

South Africa all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius has retired from international cricket with immediate effect to shift “focus on T20 and other shorter formats”. The 33-year-old has represented South Africa in 30 T20Is, 27 ODIs and three Tests since making his debut in 2016. He holds the record for the best bowling figures for South Africa in men’s T20Is with his 5-17 against Pakistan in 2021.

”A few days ago, I made one of the toughest decisions of my cricketing career. I have decided to retire from all forms of international cricket,” Pretorius wrote said in a statement posted by Cricket South Africa (CSA)

on Monday. “I am shifting my focus to T20 and other shorter formats for the rest of my career. Growing up, my only goal in life was to play for the Proteas. I didn’t know how it was going to happen, but God gave me talent and a serious will to succeed. The rest was in his hands.” The allrounder said by retiring from the national team will he be able to balance his career and family life better as he can freelance across the globe in best T290 leagues.

Sunil Gavaskar slams Yo-Yo test reintroduction, says ‘Cricket fitness should be the prime consideration’

Agency News : New Delhi

Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the recent decision from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to make Yo-Yo and Dexa fitness tests mandatory for selection for players to enter the senior men’s team, saying that cricket fitness should be the main reason for being selected into the side. The BCCI announced recently that they are bringing back the ‘yo yo’ test and some other tests for the fitness levels mainly for the emerging players. “A player could be reeling off centuries and double centuries or picking five and ten wicket hauls while bowling heaps of overs, but

if he can’t pass these tests, then he won’t be eligible for selection.” “Cricket fitness should be the prime consideration. And yes, it would be revealing if these fitness tests are done in the public domain with the media present for then we would know if a player is ‘yo yo’ or no no,” wrote Gavaskar in his column for midday on Monday.

Adani firm hikes CNG price by Re 1 in Gujarat, to cost Rs 80.34 per kg

Agency News : New Delhi

Private player Adani Total Gas Limited hiked the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) in Gujarat by Re 1 per kilogram effective from Monday. This has taken the price from Rs 79.34

to Rs 80.34 per kilogram, said Arvind Thakkar, president of Federation of Gujarat Petroleum Dealers Association. The hike by Adani Total Gas Limited comes days after state-run Gujarat Gas raised the price of CNG by nearly Rs 3.5 per kg, Thakkar added.

Markets rally in early trade on firm global equities; Sensex climbs over 360 points

Agency News : New Delhi

Equity benchmarks rallied in initial trade on Monday amid positive trends in global markets and buying in IT counters.The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 367.92 points to 60,268.29. The broader NSE Nifty advanced 119.4 points to 17,978.85. From the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Wipro, IndusInd Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and Infosys were the major winners. Titan and ICICI Bank were the only laggards.

Elsewhere in Asia, equity markets in Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong traded in the green. Markets in the US had ended sharply higher on Friday. The Sensex had tumbled 452.90 points or 0.75 per cent to settle at 59,900.37 on Friday.The Nifty went lower by 132.70 points or 0.74 per cent to end at 17,859.45. International oil benchmark Brent crude jumped 1.06 per cent to USD 79.40 per barrel.Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded shares worth Rs 2,902.46 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.

Rupee gains 33 paise to 82.33 against US dollar in early trade

Agency News : New Delhi

The rupee appreciated 33 paise to 82.33 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday, supported by a weak American currency and a firm trend in domestic equities. Forex traders said sustained foreign fund outflows weighed on investor sentiments and restricted the appreciation bias. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 82.41 against the dollar, then gained ground to touch

82.33, registering a rise of 33 paise over its previous close. On Friday, the rupee settled at 82.66 against the US dollar. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.25 per cent to 103.61.Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 1.06 per cent to USD 79.40 per barrel.In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 468.29 points or 0.78 per cent higher at 60,368.66.

BOLLYWOOD-HOLLYWOOD

Mahesh Babu To Have Special Appearance In Thalapathy Vijay’s Varisu

Thalapathy Vijay’s muchawaited film Varisu is just a few days away from its release. The family action drama will hit the big screen on January 11, as a Pongal gift to the actor’s fans. The film has created quite some buzz on social media with its trailer and various other updates related to its cast and plot.Now, just a couple of days before its theatrical release, an important development about Varisu’s cast has come to the fore. According to reports, Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu will

have a special appearance in this Vamshi Paidipally directorial.

Vijay and Mahesh Babu are said to be good friends for a long time. Now, they will reportedly share the screen space in Varisu, which will be released in Telugu under the title Varasudu. However, no official confirmation about the same has been made by the

makers as of yet. Meanwhile, team Varisu unveiled the trailer of the upcoming film on January 4, which received a thunderous response from the masses. Within five days of its release, the trailer has crossed a whopping 40 million views and 2 million likes on YouTube. It successfully managed to amp up the excitement of Thalapathy Vijay’s fans about the film.Besides Thalapathy Vijay, the star cast of Varisu includes Rashmika Mandanna, R Sarathkumar, Prabhu, Prakash Raj and Khushbu, among others, in key roles.

Lakadbaggha director Victor Mukherjee: ‘Getting a standing ovation for the film at KIFF was the best feeling’

Agency News : Mumbai

Director Victor Mukherjee is set to make his feature film debut with Lakadbaggha, a film about an animal lover vigilante that has Anshuman Jha in the titular role. An animal lover himself, Victor was compelled to make this film to give a voice to the voiceless.

“You often read about cruelty against animals but it doesn’t stop.

So, we just want some space for creatures that don’t have a voice.

I want people to realise that all it takes is just one act of kindness,” he said. Lakadbaggha had a weeklong schedule in his hometown, Kolkata. “We have shot on some of the busiest streets in Kolkata.

Kolkata has a character of its own — those green window panes, yellow taxis, the trams. It adds to

the mise-en-scene of the film.” The director, who has also produced shows for television, talked about the difference between filming in Kolkata and Mumbai. “The shooting shifts in Kolkata are different from what we are used to in Mumbai. In Kolkata it’s an eight-hour shift, while it’s a 12hour shift in Mumbai. So, we had a limited time. But the Kolkata crew was amazing. They made the seven days in the city easy for us,” he said. Victor was also all praises for his Director of Photography,

“In 2018, there was an incident in Kolkata where people were selling dog meat as mutton. A lot of mutton bans and meat bans had happened in the city. We used that portion in our film. We have also used one of Rabindranath Tagore’s songs as the theme song of our film. I thought that I would get a backlash because I thought that they wouldn’t like it.” .

Agency News : Mumbai

Oscar winner Jessica Chastain is the latest Hollywood A-lister to come out in praise for S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus RRR. The actor, known for her performances in Zero Dark Thirty, Interstellar, A Most Violent Year and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, shared her excitement about

watching the film in a Twitter post. “Watching this film was such a party,” Chastain wrote, sharing a post on Friday by Variance Films, the official distributor of RRR in the US. The movie’s official Twitter handle replied to her tweet and wrote, “Jessica, you enjoying RRR made us happy.” Starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead.

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Ltd’s new business premium rose 5.4% on year to 14.55 bln rupees in December, the company said in an exchange filing. Additionally, the premium exceeded the 12.65 billion rupees in November and the 12.08 billion rupees in October.

The new business premium increased by around 10.1% from April through December, reaching 112.87 billion rupees.

The annualised premium

equivalent for the private life insurance was 7.22 billion rupees in December, down 2.6% from the previous year, and it was 53.41 billion rupees in April through December, up 4.2%. The retail weighted received premium for the company was 5.77 billion rupees, a 7.8% decrease from the previous year.

ICICI Prudential Life’s new business premium up 5.4% on year in Dec Eight Heritage Routes

Agency News : New Delhi

Going greener and more sustainable towards the environment, the Indian Railways is introducing a green revolution and starting hydrogen and electric trains on the eight heritage routes. The trains are aimed to boost tourism and will be on routes across the country by December 2023. Ashwini

Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for Railways, confirmed this recently. The ministry is to bring steam engine trains back on track but will be the modified version of them equipped with vintage sirens and green steam vapours.

Currently, under the pilot project, the railways are developing a prototype of a hydrogen fuelbased train at the Northern Railway workshop and the test run

will be conducted on the SonipatJind section in Haryana. The new trains will run on the routes of Kalka-Shimla Railways, Nilgiri Mountain Railways, Darjeeling Hills, Kangra Railways, Bilimora Waghai, Mhow-Patalpani, Marwar-Devgarh-Madriya and Matheran Hill Railways in Maharashtra. During his visit to Bengaluru, Ashwini Vaishnaw told the that they will roll out the hydrogen trains on the heritage routes in December 2023. “This will mean that these heritage routes will go completely green,” he added.

Baba, My Bestest Friend: Babil Khan remembers dad Irrfan Khan on the actor’s 56th birth anniversary

Agency News : Mumbai

On the 56th birth anniversary of actor Irrfan Khan, his eldest son Babil Khan took to the stage to talk about his unconventional upbringing, the challenges and perks of growing up as a celebrity’s son, fond memories of his father, and the process of accepting his loss. Irrfan, known globally for his acting in Bollywood and Hollywood films, died in April 2020 after a two-yearlong battle with Neuroendocrine cancer. Babil, who recently made his acting debut with the Netflix film Qala, remembered his father through a 10-minute on-stage talk,

Kuttey star Arjun Kapoor says, ‘I have been waiting for almost 11 years to get into Vishal Bhardwaj’s world’

will soon be seen in

The

titled ‘Baba, My Bestest Friend’, at the Kommune India Spoken Fest 2022. “I was a weird kid, man, when I was growing up, and I think it’s because my parents kept me away… from societal conventions and norms, saturated food, friends, people and a normal education,”.

do all kinds of

I am playing the anti-hero in it. If I have

a

done Finding Fanny (2014) and Aurangzeb (2013) as well. So if I am releasing Kuttey in January, I had Ek Villain Returns too. I am an antihero in both films but their world and tonality is totally different. I am hoping the audience will enjoy my films and see me in different kirdars. I have been working in the film industry for the past 11 years. So, I have been waiting for almost 11 years. I had met Vishalji before I became an actor. When I was planning to work as an actor I had knocked the doors of Vishalji for work amongst the other few. I was obsessed with his work in Maqbool (2004), Omkara (2006) and Kaminey (2009). I approached him and showed him my photographs. I am starting with his production house now and working with his son Aasmaan. Sometimes, when you put it out in the universe, you get to reach there. It’s been worth the wait. You learn from every person and want to improve your craft. Collaborating with makers like Vishal Bhardwaj is why you become an artiste. You want to entertain people but at the same time you want to learn. Interacting with Vishal sir even as a musician and a dialogue writer was a great learning experience. As a creative person, when he talks about dialogues during the reading, we wanted to be around him and it was a great privilege. Every filmmaker has contributed to me to get better. That’s the best part. I got to work with Naseeruddin Shah sir, (the late) Irrfan sir. I worked with Chintu sir (the late Rishi Kapoor), Balki sir. I also worked with Manoj Bajpayee in Tevar (2015). In Kuttey I am working with Tabu ma’am. I just feel everybody I have worked with has brought in loads of creative learning for me. Karan sir and all my co-artistes have made me better. You learn subconsciously as everyone leaves an impression. Naseer saab has worked with dad (Boney Kapoor) and Anil chachu (Anil Kapoor). In Finding Fanny, we were sharing the front seat in the film. We spoke so much that we were very comfortable. He has always been very kind to me. In Kuttey, his was a night shoot and Aasmaan was very worried. We were all very apprehensive how Naseer sir will come in. He came in and hugged me. The start was very good. He liked my earlier films and appreciated me. That is a very big thing for me. I became an actor so I can become a director. I always wanted to be a director and never had an inclination of being an actor. Behind the camera, directors have pushed me so much, which will help me in my direction. They have given me such a huge crux and let me fly. I have learnt an important thing: whatever you do, you have to do with conviction. It’s just the beginning. I have Kuttey then I have Mudassar Aziz’s film and Ajay Bahl’s film. It’s an exciting period for me, I have to take care of myself and enjoy my professional journey as after Covid, we have started working. Professionally, there is ample space rejuvenating, reigniting, refuelling myself while striking a balance and enjoying my work.

Agency News : New Delhi

Agency News : Mumbai

Jean-Marc Selva. “We shot the film with a handheld camera. Going around the streets of Kolkata with Steadicam and rigs was a task for a 59-year-old French man who doesn’t understand English. But he did it with a smile on his face,” the director said. Lakadbaggha was screened at Kolkata International Film Festival. But Victor was afraid of getting a backlash for the film from the Bengali audience.

Arjun Kapoor

Kuttey.

film is the directorial debut of Vishal Bhardwaj’s son, Aasmaan Bhardwaj, and stars Tabu, Naseeruddin Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma and Radhika Madan. It will hit screens on January 13. I chose Kuttey only because I like to

films.

done

Gunday (2014) then I have

Oscar winner Jessica Chastain praises S.S. Rajamouli’s epic RRR

sales

achieves

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

1.6 times the annual levels of FY22 Ajmera Prive, premium residences in Juhu, has received RERA approval and opened its sales book in the quarter, recorded sales of over 10% of its sale potential

Ajmera Realty & Infra India Ltd (ARIIL) , a leadingreal estate company with a pan India presence, announced its operational numbers for Q3 9M FY23. ARIIL has witnessed continued growth momentum in the quarter by achieving sales value of Rs. 128 crores inQ3 FY23 which was an incremental growth of 19% from Rs. 108 crores in Q3 FY22. which includes recently launched project at Juhu which clocked sales of over 10% of the sales potential on receipt RERA registration during the quarter.

In 9M FY23, the company has surpassed the total annual sales value of Rs. 431 crores in FY22 by 1.6 times to Rs. 694 crores. This incremental value is a translation of sales velocity witnessed primarily across newly launched

projects in Mumbai during the period. This is a testament to improvising real estate economics in India and growing demand for the value generating residential assets by ARIIL. The company has expressed confidence in its ability to maintain the healthy pre-sales growth momentum which will further propel an increase in its market share.

Narayan Jewellers wins & Best Earring Design Award at the JJS-IJ World Climate Institute Meet calls on Leaders to Place Equity at Heart of Energy Transformation

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

The World Climate Institute (WCI) hosted the first meet in 2023 on ‘Global Leadership in Climate Action’ under its Global Dialogue Series with the Hon. Barry Gardiner MP, Director of Climate Parliament and Former Shadow Secretary of State Energy & Climate Change for the UK Government, as the special guest. The event was organised in association with the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and was held in ITC Narmada, Ahmedabad. The other speakers were H.E.Freddy Svane, Ambassador of Denmark to India; S. J. Haider IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Climate Change Government of Gujarat; Sameer Sinha Chair India Green Building Council; Pathik Patwari.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Narayan Jewellers by Ketan & Jatin Chokshi ends the year with a win at the prestigious JJS-IJ Jewellers Design Choice Awards 2022. The modernist traditionale luxury designer brand with 82 years old legacy and a global footprint at the Oscars & New York Fashion Week, won the award for the “Best Earring Design 2022 in the Retailer’s category” at the gala award night. A platform to acknowledge & praise India’s top jewellers, over the last 12 years, JJS-IJ Jewellers Design Choice Awards has been commemorating jewellery pieces that are exquisite in workmanship. Mr. Ketan Chokshi, Jewellery Designer & MD, Narayan Jewellers received the coveted award from actress Lara Dutta during the prestigious

evening. A jury comprising of eminent personalities from the world of jewellery, film & fashion chose the winners from multiple entries received. “It’s a surreal feeling as always, to be recognised for what we love to do, that is designing stellar and statement jewels.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Mr. Prakash Varmora, chairman emeritus of Varmora Group and a devoted MLA from Dhangadrha in Gujarat, addressed hundreds of entrepreneurs today, under the aegis of ILEAD, an initiative of the NGO, I CAN I WILL Foundation. Shri Varmora thanked Mr. Shyam Taneja, the founder trustee of the I Can I Will

Foundation, whom he considers his Guru and inspiration, to have invited him to address business leaders from all over India.

Varmora Group Chairman Prakash Varmora, spoke extensively about the Indian entrepreneurial zeal, claiming that India is on the verge of becoming a world leader and that entrepreneurs would play a critical part in making that a reality. He believes that entrepreneurship is the way forward and encourages MSME owners to do design thinking, dream big and never give up. Mr. Varmora shared nuggets from his path, stating that one’s most incredible resource is confidence and an abundance of thinking.

I’ve discovered that your capacity to interact with people can propel you to incredible heights.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

The Alpha Strategist by Motilal Oswal Private Wealth (MOPW) highlighted that the global economies & financial markets are experiencing ‘Winds of Change’. This infers that their new economic fundamentals are getting predominant which will dramatically alter the growth trends witnessed over the last 10 years. Alpha Strategist report encapsulates the performance analogies of various asset classes during 2013-22 and provides an advisory on the ideal asset mix for wealth creation. Corporate Debt/ Equity has significantly reduced to 0.6x over the last 6 years, Bank balance sheets have improved indicating that the Indian economy is expected to move to a USD 5-6 trn economy this decade. The trend of healthy corporate earnings

growth over the last couple of years is likely to continue over the course of the decade and should cushion equity market valuations in India. The decade of 2013-22 belonged to US equities followed by Indian equities and Developed Markets. US equities have given staggering returns of 15% CAGR for a period of the last 10 years, which is much higher when compared with the Nifty 50 and MSCI DM of 11.9% and 11.4%, respectively. This showcases that US equities returns have outperformed Indian Equities by nearly 310 basis points CAGR over the last 10 years. Other asset classes namely MSCI EM - MSCI Emerging Index INR, Gold - Gold INR, Debt - CRISIL Composite Bond Index, Liquid - CRISIL Liquid Index, and Real EstateRBI House Price Index have given returns in the range of 6% to 8% CAGR.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, a leading general insurance company of India, recently conducted various IEC (Information, Education & Communication) activities and celebrated Crop Insurance Week to spread awareness on PradhanMantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY) Scheme. Mr. AnujTyagi, Deputy Managing Director, HDFC ERGO General Insurance, said, “While India is a global powerhouse of agriculture, the sector is highly vulnerable to risks like unpredictable climate, pests, etc. PMFBY helps in mitigating the financial risks faced by farmers and aids in stabilizing their income. In our endeavour to reach the last-mile customers, we at HDFC ERGO are proud to

partner with the government’s mission of empowering the feeding hands of the country through awareness drives around PMFBY.” India is one of the major players in the agriculture sector worldwide and as per IBEF’s (India Brand Equity Foundation) report, agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of the country’s population. Owing to such large dependency on the agriculture sector, crop insurance becomes a vital aspect to secure the livelihoods of the dependent farmers and maintain healthy GDP growth of the country.

This new year just became happier, as KFC announced the return of Chizza. Yes, you heard that right! The cult fav KFC Chizza is back with a bang, promising to be the biggest blockbuster of 2023. Bringing together the 2 things foodies loves most – chicken and cheese – KFC Chizza is sure to leave you drooling! The product is all set to make a comeback on popular demand after it received immense love by KFC fans over the years, thanks to its flavorful taste and the shockingly delicious crust. What crust you ask? Well, it’s KFC’s crispy chicken on top, and more crispy chicken at the bottom, that has made it a fan favourite. The allchicken, no crust Chizza consists of two zinger fillets of crispy chicken, topped with delectable pizza sauce, molten cheese, a smattering of onions and mixed peppers, finished

with an herb sprinkle. Trust us, this irresistible crispiness and cheesy pull, will leave you wanting more! Starting at INR 299/- Chizza will be available across all 600+ KFC restaurants 10 th January onwards. The delectable Chizza comes with KFC’s 5X Safety Promise of Sanitization, Screening, Social Distancing, and Contactless service with Vaccinated teams.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Celebrate the auspicious month of harvest with Amazon. in and shop from specially curated ‘Pongal & Sankranti Shopping Store.’ The one-stopstore will offer wide selection of products to help you celebrate the festival in style, from Puja essentials, ethnic wear, electronics, large appliances, home décor, kitchen appliances, fashion and beauty essentials, smartphones, accessories, Amazon Devices and much more. Customers can access millions of products from the comfort and safety of their homes and enjoy deals and offers across brands till 18 th January 2023.

Get attractive deals across brands such as Philips, Skybags, Safari, Cadbury,OnePlus, ASUS and much more. Here are some product recommendations that customers can choose from while shopping on Amazon.in’s Pongal Sankranti Shopping Store. The product details, description, features, deals and pricing are as provided by the sellers. Amazon is not involved in pricing or describing the products and is not responsible for accuracy of product information provided by the sellers. The deals and discounts are provided by sellers and/or brands. ‘Amazon.in is an online marketplace and the word store refers to a storefront with selection offered by sellers.’

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Syska Group, the leading FMEG brand in India today announced the launch of ORB-Pro SFD4500 and Galaxia-Pro SFD5500 smart fans.

The introduction of Syska smart fans has been propelled in its true style of bringing forth innovation and aesthetics while offering economic feasibility. These BLDC fans come with energy-saving technology that can cut electricity consumption by up to 50%.

With the goal of reaching every household, Syska has been on a growth trajectory by expanding its product line in the fans segment.

The collection of fans by Syska has been conceptualised and developed to serve the needs and preferences of consumers while being environment friendly. While both the fans offer air delivery of 220cmm and blade sweep of 1200mm, the ORB-Pro smart fan

utilises 30 Watt for Fan and around 5w for Lighting operation, whereas Galaxia-Pro smart fan consumes 30 Watt. Commenting on the launch of both these fan models, Mr. Rajesh Uttamchandani, Director, Syska Group said, “There is an opportunity for business growth in the fans category and we at Syska are committed towards energy conservation by delivering innovative products for our consumers that are light years ahead of their time. These fans are designed to be modern and technologically advanced and are guaranteed to provide unmatched performance. These appliances come with features that deliver on Syska’s promise of innovation.”

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Ashok Leyland, the flagship company of the Hinduja Group and India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, today introduced its new brand tagline “Koi Manzil Door Nahin”.

Marking the beginning of 75th year of operations in the country, Mr. Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, along with Mr. Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland and Mr. Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Global Creative & Executive Chairman, Ogilvy Group, together launched the new tagline while unveiling the new ad campaign. Ashok Leyland has been the mobility solution provider for transporting people and goods to their destinations, ensuring a reliable ride, since 1948. From manufacturing India’s first double decker bus to creating the first hybrid-electric

vehicle the country, Ashok Leyland has helped millions of people move closer to their dreams and, in the process, turned many dreams into reality.

The trusted Ashok Leyland brand believes that there are destinations still to be conquered and more dreams to be achieved for all its stakeholders and for the company itself. The new positioning celebrates the journey that Ashok Leyland has had so far while preparing for the one that lies ahead. ‘Koi Manzil Door Nahin’ is the embodiment of these journeys and its philosophy.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

The Heavy Engineering arm of Larsen & Toubro has won multiple orders (Significant) in Q3 of FY23. In the overseas market, L&T Heavy Engineering secured orders for one of the heaviest Reactors and Screw Plug Heat Exchangers for a refinery in Mexico. These orders reflect the customer’s faith on L&T Heavy Engineering’s reliability and commitment. The Business also secured orders for supply of critical Reactors and Vessels for blue ammonia projects in USA and Uzbekistan. The Business also bagged strategic orders for process plant equipment

from a European client. All the orders were won against stiff international competition on the back of reliable performance. On the domestic front, L&T Heavy Engineering secured orders to manufacture critical Residue Upgrading Reactors and to design & manufacture High-pressure Screw Plug Heat Exchangers with complex Cr-Mo-V steel material for IOCL’s Panipat Refinery P25 Expansion Project. These orders for manufacturing high technology equipment demonstrate L&T’s continued focus towards ‘Make in India’/ ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative of the Government of India (GoI). Further, L&T Heavy Engineering’s Modification.

Titan, India’s most trusted watchmaker strengthens its watch portfolio under Edge Ceramic collection with the launch of ‘Edge Squircle’. Inspired by minimalistic design, Edge Squircle’ comes with 4.45mm of case thickness sporting a sleek, modern and elegant look.

Available from INR 39,995/-, Edge Squircle comes in shades of black and white across its two unisex variants. The watches exemplifies a horological marvel and expertise in meticulous and elegant styling.

Embodying a squircle shaped dial in dual tone, the watches create a very unique and opulent look.

The dial has a sapphire crystal glass cover on top which gives a classic appeal. It is surrounded by a ceramic case and is supported by a ceramic strap with melts on the

wrist, making the watches all the more splendid. The watches have a small crown and a butterfly clasp in the strap to lock it in place, giving a snug fit to them and letting them sit comfortably around the wrist. Truly defining simplistic sophistication, these timepieces are one’s perfect style partner from the nine to dine hour.

Director

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the world, today announced the launch of its TVS Metro Plus 110 refresh in Bangladesh. The motorcycle boasts upgraded features that are identified as customer needs in this segment. The renewed styling and safety aspects of the product will cater to the new generation and the growing customer demand in the Bangladesh market. The New TVS Metro Plus 110 has an elevated stylish quotient with look, a premium 3D logo and a stylish dual-tone muscular fuel tank.

The motorcycle is known for its technologically advanced features delivering on the commuter needs of mileage, safety, comfort and style. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rahul Nayak, Vice President, International Business, TVS Motor Company, said, We are excited to launch the New TVS Metro Plus in Bangladesh which is one of our key international markets.

In its endeavour to provide high-quality education and training through blended and offline learning models, Veranda RACE, part of the Veranda Learning Solutions, has now opened a new offline learning centre in Vijayanagar, Bengaluru.

This brand-new addition will be 43rd learning centre for Veranda which has centres in over 5 States and Union Territories. Veranda RACE has been providing topnotch education and training to students to help them prepare for Banking, Insurance, Staff Selection Commission, Railways, TNPSC, KPSC and other PSC examinations every year for over 10+ years.

Veranda RACE provides students with an exhaustive collection of

practice test papers with 1,80,000+ Q&A to help them succeed in their endeavours.“Our new offline learning centre will offer students the best learning methodologies combined with rigorous practice for Bank & SSC courses to gain a competitive edge in the upcoming competitive exams and ensure a wholesome & impactful learning experience for our students. Situated at the heart of Vijayanagar, the sprawling Veranda RACE offline learning centre provides world class learning experience with focus on engagement and better outcomes through our exclusive six-level practice programmes, state-ofthe-art computer lab, library with 1,000+ books and expert Veranda RACE mentors and faculty,” said Mr. Santosh Kumar.

is

that ravaged a Dhaka cafe in 2016. After an overwhelming response at the

Rawal

the Zahaan

the 3rd of February 2023. Producer Anubhav Sinha added, “Faraaz is a story that needs to be told and Hansal has done justice to the story of the catastrophic event that shocked the world. It is a story about a hero who made a brave choice and celebrates the spirit of a young boy who stood tall for his loved ones.” Filmmaker Hansal Mehta said, “To me, Faraaz is a story of our polarised times. Through the one event that rocked Dhaka — the 2016 attack on the Holey Artisan cafe — I’ve tried to explore the broader theme of violence and what really drives

Producer

Zee TV’s fiction show Main Hoon Aparajita which focuses on the journey of Aparajita (Shweta Tiwari), a doting mother of 3 daughters, preparing them for the rollercoaster called life after her ex-husband Akshay (Manav Gohil) finds love outside of the marriage with Mohini (Shweta Gulati).

Ever since its first episode, the various ups and downs of Aparajita’s family has undoubtedly

struck a chord with the audience while the constant twists and turns have kept the curiosity alive. With immense love pouring in from the audience, the cast and crew of the show recently celebrated their first milestone as the show completed 100 episodes. Even though the entire cast and crew have been working nonstop to entertain their fans, the Main Hoon Aparajita team took a break recently and celebrated the 100th episode. To celebrate the wonderful milestone.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Hansal Mehta

back with another hard-hitting story based on the real-life terrorist attack

BFI London Film Festival 2022 where it had a world premiere,

Kapoor and Aditya

starrer is set for theatrical release on

young, vulnerable minds towards it. Designed as a nail biting thriller that plays out over one tense night, my attempt with Faraaz has also been to shine a light on the immense courage and humanity that it takes to stand up against violence. Because standing up against bigotry and the carnage it triggers is the only way to defeat it.”

Bhushan Kumar said, “After an overwhelmingly positive response at the BFI premiere, we are excited to finally bring this untold story of a young boy to the world. Faraaz will surely strike a chord in your heart as it celebrates.

Sunvilla News: Ahmedabad

Mrunal Thakur snapped out and about.