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Metropolitan Police
arrests 21-year-old
man on suspicion of
starting fires at UK
PM Starmer’s private
house, another
INCLUSIVE OF CALCUTTA TIMES INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER | To subscribe call 1800 1200 004 or visit subscribe.timesofindia.com property and a car
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INCLUSIVE OF CALCUTTA TIMES |

BANGLADESH EC SUSPENDS REGISTRATION OF

SHEIKH HASINA’S AWAMI LEAGUE, BARRING ITS
PARTICIPATION IN PARLIAMENTARY POLLS 20

CBSE Class 12: 95 percenters

rise but 90 percenters dip
88.4% Students ONCE AGAIN, GIRLS HAVE MORE REASONS TO SMILE
Photo: Tarun Rawat

Pass Exam, Up  In Lakshadweep, 100%

of girls cleared the exam,
followed by 99.8% in T’gana
From 88% in ’24
TOP REGIONS
Meghna.Dhulia
Pass percentage
@timesofindia.com
Vijayawada 99.6
New Delhi: The Central Bo-
ard of Secondary Education
T’puram 99.3
announced the results for the
Class 12 exams on Tuesday,
Chennai 97.4
revealing a success rate of B’luru 96
88.4%, a slight improvement
from last year’s 88%. This ye- Delhi West 95.4
ar, 24,867 students achieved an
aggregate score of over 95%.
Delhi East 95
Girls outperformed boys once Class 12 students rejoice at a
again, securing a pass percen-
school in Delhi. Overall, 91.6%
tage of 91.6% compared to
of girls passed as compared
85.7% for boys.
with 85.7% of boys
There was an increase in
the candidate pool, rising
from 16.2 lakh in 2024 to 16.9
lakh in 2025. However, the
number of students scoring
With higher count in state’s 90%+ pool,
above 90% dipped slightly by
4,601, settling at 1.1 lakh.
it’s advantage HS in UG admissions
The count of students [email protected] 19.3%, CISCE sources said. If
achieving 95% and above in- BENGAL NUMBERS the Bengal numbers follow
creased slightly, rising from Kolkata: At 89.2%, Bengal’s 89.2% | CBSE Class 12 the national average, there
24,068 in 2024 to 24,867 in 2025. pass percentage was higher could be close to 5,500 stud-
pass percentage in state
Top-performing regions than the all-India figure of ents with more than 90% here
overall included Vijayawada, 88.4% in CBSE Class 12 exams, 92.7% | Pass percentage since 27,804 students passed
which topped the charts with the results for which were de- among girls. Boys 86.3% the exam from the state.
a 99.6% pass rate. It was follo- clared on Tuesday. Though 94.9% | CBSE Class 10 In CBSE, 14.9 lakh passed
wed by Thiruvananthapu- more boys than girls appeared pass percentage in state the exam nationally, of whom
ram with a pass rate of 99.3%, for the exam from 339 schools 7.5% secured over 90%. Ass-
Chennai with 97.4%, Bengalu- in the state, girls were way in top colleges. HS students, uming a similar pattern in
ru 96% and Delhi West 95.4%. more successful with a pass who are in majority in the Bengal where 39,792 students
For girls, Lakshadweep percentage of 92.7% against pool of students with overall passed the exam, there could
emerged as the standout per- 86.3% for boys. scores of 90% and above, seem be around 3,000 students with
former among states, with a With CBSE 12 being last of to hold an edge over students scores of 90% or more. This
perfect 100% pass rate, follo- the three major board exam from the other two boards. could take the total number of
wed closely by Telangana at results to be published, the Of the 4.7 lakh students above-90% students in Bengal
99.8%, Andhra Pradesh at other two being Higher Sec- who cleared the HS, 7,307 to anything between 15,000
99.6%, and Kerala at 99.6%. ondary and ISC, the race now scored above 90%. In ISC, the and 16,000.
begins for admissions to pop- number of students with
Pass percentage, P 11 ular undergraduate courses above-90% marks was around Better in humanities, P 6

Dilip Ghosh’s Days before fresh trade talks, India

stepson found
dead at home initiates WTO action on US steel duties
New Delhi: Days before com- inst the US at the WTO which
NOT 1ST SUCH ACTION
S rinjoy Dasgupta, 25, the
stepson of former BJP
state president Dilip Ghosh,
merce and industry minister
Piyush Goyal visits Was-
hington for a fresh round of
 Not the 1st time India has
had to be done by a stipulated
period.
The notification to WTO’s
moved WTO on US duties.
was found dead under mys- talks on the proposed bilate- Similar action was taken Council for Trade in Goods
terious circumstances in ral trade agreement, govt has during Trump’s 1st term, on Monday only reserves
his New Town flat on Tues- for the first time threatened when he had slapped 25% India’s right to retaliate at
day. He apparently died to act against the US after a any future date. “It is for In-
duty on some steel products
hours after partying with a barrage of attacks by Presi- dia to decide if it wants to
group of friends. Family dent Donald Trump, who cal-  On Monday, Japan & EU move ahead with the propo-
members said Srinjoy had a led India “tariff king”. too moved WTO on US tariffs sed retaliation after 30 days
history of neurological dis- Govt’s decision to initiate  Commerce minister of the notification or later or
orders and was under medi- steps at WTO for a possible Piyush Goyal scheduled resolve it as part of ongoing
cation. A preliminary post- “retaliatory action” against to hold BTA talks with US bilateral negotiations,” an
mortem report hinted at 25% tariffs on steel and alu- officials from May 17 to 20 official said.
acute pancreatic haemor- minum product imports ca- This is, however, the first
rhage as the possible reason me on the same day as Tr- Govt sources have denied time that India has proposed
for his death. P 3 ump’s claim that India-Pa- any such discussion. action against a trade measu-
kistan ceasefire became pos- Officials argued that govt re announced by Trump. TNN
TOI sible after he suggested the was already planning to ini-
US will stop trade. tiate safeguard action aga- Safeguard measure, P 21

Hooch laced with toxic methanol

kills 21 in Amritsar, 10 arrested
Marari Kalan (Amritsar): stration scrambled to fix ac-
Methanol-spiked hooch kil- DELHI CO LINK countability, including su-
led 21 people in seven villa-  DGP says alleged kingpin spending DSP Amolak Singh
ges of Punjab’s Amritsar dis- procured methanol from and stationhouse officer Av-
trict since Monday night, a Ludhiana company via tar Singh in Majitha subdivi-
Is your toothache the sign of putting the AAP govt in the online platform & another sion for negligence.
a heart attack? line of fire over what the op- consignment from Delhi firm DGP Gaurav Yadav said
position said was a consequ-  Methanol suppliers Pankaj alleged kingpin Sahib Singh
Which is healthier, shrikhand
ence of giving the liquor ma- Kumar & Arvind Kumar held procured methanol — a toxic
or ice cream? fia free rein. Till late Tues- alcoholic compound used as
along with local distributors
+ much more, on P17 day, four of 10 others hospita- a solvent in industrial pro-
 Most victims are daily-
lised with symptoms of ducts like plastics, paints
wage & industrial workers
Tiger dies of methanol poisoning were in
a critical condition, reports the racket was among 10 su-
and textiles — from a Ludhi-
ana company.
bird flu, 2 zoos Yudhvir Rana.
The alleged kingpin of
spects arrested within hours
of the deaths as the admini-  Online platform, P 10
shut for 1 week
L ucknow and Gorakhpur
zoos and Etawah Lion
Safari were closed for a
Young champs, here’s your chance
week after it was confirmed
on Tuesday that a tiger,
which died in Gorakhpur
to be ‘#Unstoppable21’ again
zoo on May 7, had bird flu. A TIMES NEWS NETWORK in their fields — be it sports
wolf recently died at Go- or science, performing arts

I
rakhpur zoo and the results n 2023, TOI launched the or entrepreneurship.
of her sample are awaited. first edition of ‘#Unstop- And now TOI is back
A sick tiger was recently pable21’. It was a pro- with the second instalment
transferred to Kanpur zoo, gramme to celebrate the spi- of ‘#Unstoppable21’, presen-
raising concerns about the rit of India’s youth. The idea ted by Reliance Foundation.
spread of the virus. P 8 was to identify 21 youth un- If you think you are an
der 21 years who had made a Unstoppable young Indian
mark in India and abroad. aged below 21 who is making
Halt delimitation: The response was pheno- a mark in the world, or know
Manipur parties menal. Applications poured
in, and our eminent jury had
someone who is doing so,
nominate yourself or the
a hard time handpicking the person at www.toiunstop-
I n a display of rare unity,
15 political parties in Ma-
nipur have urged an imme-
final 21. Among these 21 were
D Gukesh. The next year –
pable21.in.
Registrations open today
If you think you are an
diate suspension of delim- 2024 – he would go on to beco- Unstoppable young Indian and you have till June 7 to
itation exercise in the state, me the youngest World making a mark, or know sign up. Entries are open in
warning that reliance on Chess Champion ever. And someone who is doing so, 7 fields: humanities, science,
“outdated and flawed” cen- there was R Praggnanand- send in your nominations at sports, fine arts, performing
sus data could trigger fresh haa, another chess prodigy www.toiunstoppable21.in arts, social activism and ent-
unrest. They submitted a who had become the young- repreneurship.
joint memorandum to the est International Master in super-talented young men
governor on Monday. P 11 history. It was indeed a list of and women who had excelled Nomination process, P 24
PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 00:43

PAYBACK FOR PAHALGAM THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Finally, India makes it official:

Trump didn’t broker pause
Says DGMOs But Trump says
Worked Out yet again he
Understanding brokered deal
Sachin.Parashar New York: US President Do-
@timesofindia.com nald Trump on Tuesday once
again claimed that his admin-
New Delhi: India on Tues- istration “successfully bro-
day reiterated its rejection kered a historic ceasefire” be-
of US President Donald tween India and Pakistan.
Trump’s offer to mediate in Amid repeated claims by Trump, seen here in a file photo with PM “As I said in my inaugural
the dispute with Pakistan Modi, that he mediated a ‘ceasefire’, govt reiterated that the specific address, my greatest hope is to
over J&K, and said India had date, time and wording of the understanding was worked out be a peacemaker and to be a
a long-standing national po- between DGMOs during their phone call at 3.35pm on Saturday unifier. I don’t like war,” he
sition that any issue pertain- said at a Saudi-US investment
ing to the Union Territory is responsible for the coun- day. The request for this call forum in Riyadh. “Just days
would be addressed by India try’s nuclear arsenal, would was received by MEA from ago, my administration suc-
and Pakistan bilaterally. meet on May 10, govt recalled the Pakistani high commis- cessfully brokered a historic
“That stated policy has that Islamabad had later on sion at 1237 hours, Jaiswal ceasefire to stop the escalat-
not changed. As you are record denied any “nuclear said. “The Pakistani side had ing violence between India
aware, the outstanding mat- angle”. May 10 was the day In- initial difficulties connecting and Pakistan,” claimed
ter is the vacation of illegally dia pounded 8-10 airbases in the hotline for technical rea- Trump, adding, “And I used
occupied Indian territory by Pakistan, forcing Pakistan to sons. The timing was then de- trade to a large extent to do it.
Pakistan,” MEA said when seek a DGMO-level dialogue. cided based on the availability And I said, ‘Fellows, come on.
asked about Trump’s offer. India’s armed forces have of the Indian DGMO at 1535 Let’s make a deal. Let’s do
Govt also rejected the US denied they hit a nuclear site hours,” he added. some trading.”
president’s claim that he had at Kirana Hills, debunking re- “Early on 10th morning, “Let’s not trade nuclear
threatened to stop trade with ports about a radioactive leak we had mounted an extreme- missiles. Let’s trade the things
India and Pakistan to get there. PM Narendra Modi had ly effective attack on key Pa- that you make so beautifully.
them to agree to a “ceasefire”. said on Monday that India kistan Air Force bases. That And they both have very pow-
“From the time Op Sin- would not tolerate any nucle- was the reason they were erful leaders, very strong lead-
door started on May 7 till the ar blackmail by Pakistan. now willing to stop firing and ers, good leaders, smart lead-
understanding on cessation “India has a firm stance military action. Let me be ers. And it all stopped. Hope-
of military action on May 10, that it will not give in to nucle- clear. It was the force of Indi- fully, it’ll remain that way, but
there were conversations be- ar blackmail or allow cross- an arms that compelled Pa- it all stopped,” he said.
tween Indian and US leaders border terrorism to be con- kistan to stop its firing,” Trump added that he was
on the evolving military situa- ducted invoking it. In conver- Jaiswal said. very proud of secretary of
tion. The issue of trade did not sations with various coun- Govt also said the message state Marco Rubio and all of
come up in any of these dis- tries, we cautioned that their from India to countries that the people who worked so
cussions,” MEA said. subscribing to such scena- were in touch with both par- hard. “Marco stand up. What a
Also, with Trump claim- rios could hurt them in their ties was clear, consistent and great job you did on that.
ing that he had averted a nu- own region,’’ MEA spokes- the same as what was an- Thank you. Vice President JD
clear war, govt said India’s person Randhir Jaiswal said. nounced from public plat- Vance, Marco, the whole group
military action was entirely Amid repeated claims by forms. “It was that India was worked with you, but there’s a
in the conventional domain Trump that he had mediated a responding to the April 22 ter- great, great job, and think
and warned other countries “ceasefire”, govt reiterated rorist attack by targeting the they’re actually getting along.
not to get carried away by Pa- that the specific date, time and terrorist infrastructure. How- “Maybe we can even get
kistan’s nuclear bluff. wording of the understand- ever, if the Pakistani armed them together a little bit, Mar-
While there were reports ing was worked out between forces fire, Indian armed co, where they go out and have
that Pakistan’s National the DGMOs during their forces will fire back; if Pakis- a nice dinner together.
Command Authority, which phone call at 3.35 pm on Satur- tan stops, India will also stop.” Wouldn’t that be nice?” PTI

Modi’s visit to Adampur exposes

Pakistan’s claims of having hit base
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
PM lauds IAF
AFP

New Delhi: Pakistan’s claim

of having bombed the Adam-
pur airfield and destroying an
for not hitting
S-400 surface-to-air defence
system deployed there was lit-
civilian planes
erally blown to smithereens New Delhi: PM Modi on
when PM Narendra Modi vis- Tuesday praised the Indian
ited the crucial frontline IAF Air Force for ensuring that
base on Tuesday. there were no civilian collat-
Travelling in a C-130J eral victims of its precision
‘Super Hercules’ aircraft strikes despite Pakistan’s
from New Delhi, PM landed use of civilian passenger air-
on the very same runway in craft as shields.
Adampur that Pakistan “Coming face to face with
claimed to have wrecked, ‘India is eternally grateful to our armed forces for everything they do passenger planes when you
and then addressed military for our nation’, the PM said in Punjab on Tuesday are in a military operation... I
personnel in the backdrop can only imagine how diffi-
of an S-400 launcher, fact- troops, with an all-terrain bombers, jets, spy planes, cult a moment that would have
checking Islamabad’s disin- transporter-erector-launch- missiles and drones at a been. I am proud that you
formation campaign. er vehicle of the S-400 system range of 380 km, constitutes could hit your targets without
In the videos and photos in the background. the outermost layer of In- damaging any of the passen-
released by govt, Modi, wear- “It was a very special expe- dia’s integrated air defence ger planes,” he said while ad-
ing the cap of the Western Air rience to be with those who system and is fully plugged dressing Air Force, Army and
Command with the Trident epitomise courage, determi- into the IAF’s integrated air BSF personnel at Adampur.
symbol and its motto ‘Aakash- nation and fearlessness. India command and control sys- “Your successful targets
amasmatseema (sky’s the is eternally grateful to our tem (IACCS). The S-400 has not only destroyed bases of
limit)’, is seen interacting armed forces for everything four kinds of missiles to in- terrorists and airbases but al-
with military personnel at dif- they do for our nation,” PM tercept targets at ranges of so marked a defeat of their evil
ferent places with no signs of posted afterwards on X. 120, 200, 250 and 380 km. intent and audacity,” he said
damage in the background. The frontline Adampur Under the $5.43 billion PM stressed that while the
PM is also seen standing base, under the huge West- (Rs 40,000 crore) contract in- forces damaged Pakistan’s
in front of an upgraded ern Air Command led by ked with Russia in 2018, IAF airbases, India’s air defence,
MiG-29 fighter jet in one of Air Marshal Jeetendra Mis- has deployed the first three comprising S-400 as well as
the photos. In another, he is hra, houses MiG-29s but al- S-400 squadrons in north- ‘Made-in-India’ Akash mis-
positioned in front of the so operates Sukhoi-30MKIs west and east India to cater siles, ensured that country’s
motto of the Adampur air- and other aircraft during to both China and Pakistan. military assets remained un-
base: ‘When enemy pilots emergencies like the ongo- Delivery of the remaining scathed. The day also saw Tom
don’t sleep well’. ing Operation Sindoor. two S-400 squadrons, howev- Cooper, a combat aviation his-
The most noteworthy The Russian-origin er, has been delayed till 2026- torian from Austria, asserting
photo and video is the one S-400, which can detect and 27 due to the ongoing Russia- that there was no doubt that
where Modi addresses the destroy hostile strategic Ukraine war. India emerged the victor . TNN

In 1st non-military Tiranga rally at Walong, site of

event in many days, India’s only counter-attack in ’62
PM attends TB meet [email protected]

New Delhi: It was another day... and another Guwahati: Leveraging India’s re-
important meeting. But for the first time since cent military achievements and as-
‘Operation Sindoor’ was launched on May 7, serting sovereignty along the LAC in
PM Modi wasn’t discussing eliminating ter- India’s eastern sector, Arunachal
rorist infrastructure in Pakistan and POK, re- Pradesh CM Pema Khandu held a cab-
ports DurgeshNandan Jha. inet meeting on Tuesday at Kibithoo,
Tuesday’s meeting chaired by PM was to India’s first village that faces China.
discuss the country’s progress made in elimi- Earlier, Army personnel and lo-
nating tuberculosis (TB) — which remains cals led a “Tiranga Yatra” at nearby
one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseas- Walong, commemorating the tri-
es affecting over one million people annually. umph of Indian armed forces in Oper-
India contributes approximately one-fourth ation Sindoor. China also claims Wa- Arunachal CM Pema Khandu (circled) leads
of the cases worldwide. long as part of its “southern Tibet”, or the Tiranga Yatra in Walong on Tuesday
In 2018, PM gave a clarion call to eliminate TB Zangnan, as Beijing refers to it. The
in India by 2025, five years ahead of the global yatra and cabinet meeting were direct The Battle of Walong is an ex-
target. A PMO statement said Modi in the meet- responses to such claims, asserting ample of the unparalleled bravery
ing lauded significant progress made in early de- India’s sovereignty, officials said. and sacrifice of Indian soldiers
tection and treatment of TB in 2024 and called “The patriotic fervour at this who held back Chinese troops for 27
for scaling up successful strategies nationwide. easternmost frontier rekindled our days, forcing the Chinese to deploy
He also reviewed the recently concluded 100- love for the nation and strengthened its reserve division to Walong.
day TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan covering high-fo- our collective resolve to stand in un- The yatra culminated at Walong
cus districts, wherein 12.97 crore vulnerable indi- wavering support of our brave de- War Memorial, where Khandu and
viduals were screened; 7.19 lakh TB cases detect- fence forces,” Khandu wrote on X. others paid homage to the soldiers
ed, including 2.85 lakh asymptomatic TB cases. These events, held in strategical- who made the sacrifice while defend-
Over 1 lakh new Ni-kshay Mitras joined the ly significant locations in Anjaw dis- ing India in the 1962 war.
effort during the campaign, which has been a trict, underscore the historical, mil- Khandu said the “historic sitting
model for Jan Bhagidari that can be accelerated itary, and symbolic importance of of cabinet aapke dwar at Kibithoo, In-
and scaled across the country to drive a whole-of- Walong and Kibithoo, home to the dia’s first village in Anjaw district”,
govt and whole-of-society approach, Modi was Mishimi and Meyor tribes. made some key decisions aimed at the
told. The meeting was attended by Union health Walong holds historical signifi- welfare of our people, strengthening
minister J P Nadda, health secretary Punya Sa- cance as the site where Indian forces govt departments for efficient service
lia Srivastava, director general of the Indian mounted their only counter-offensive delivery, boosting revenue genera-
Council of Medical Research Rajiv Bahl and sev- against advancing PLA troops during tion, and advancing the mission to
eral PMO officials. the India-China war 63 years ago. make Arunachal “atmanirbhar”.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: trina.banerjee T: 05-14-2025 02:03

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INCLUSIVE OF CALCUTTA TIMES INDIA’S LARGEST ENGLISH NEWSPAPER | To subscribe call 1800 1200 004 or visit subscribe.timesofindia.com

Indian-origin Anita Anand is the first Hindu Council of International Civil Aviation Ukrainian Prez Zelensky says he will be waiting French movie star Gerard Depardieu
woman to become Canada’s foreign Organisation has found Russia responsible for for his Russian counterpart Putin in the Turkish found guilty of sexually assaulting two
minister. The former law professor, who shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over capital this week to conduct face-to-face talks to women on the set of a movie in which
has also served as defence minister, takes Ukraine that killed 298 lives over a decade ago. end over-3-year-old war, amid heavy pressure he starred in 2021. Given an 18-month
oath with hand on Bhagavad Gita,
Gita, P 20 Kremlin rejects the ruling, calls it ‘biased’, P 20 from US and Europe to reach a settlement, P 20 suspended prison sentence, P 20

11 acquitted in
Muzaffarnagar
riots case
PM to Pak: Stop supporting Women not in combat,
so separate selection
Monsoon on
track for early
onset in Kerala
A court has acquitted 11 ac-
cused in a case of looting
and arson during the 2013
Muzaffarnagar riots that left
terror or face annihilation board, Centre tells SC
Plea Challenges IN THE COURTS
T he southwest monsoon
stayed on track to hit the
Kerala coast around May
27, as forecast by IMD, mo-
62 dead and over 50,000 home-
Modi At Airbase 3 local Lashkar ving into Nicobar Islands
AFP

less, citing lack of evidence and some areas of north

Hiring Process For  Delhi court grants bail to
and witnesses turning hosti-
le. The 11 were charged with Pak Claimed It terrorists killed Army’s Legal Dept
10 Trinamool netas for
Andaman Sea, parts of so-
uth Bay of Bengal and And-
violating prohibitory orders
looting and setting fire to
the house of one Kamrud-
Had Damaged in south Kashmir Dhananjay.Mahapatra and protesting outside ECI
aman Sea on Tuesday.
IMD said conditions we-
office last April | P 9
din, who fled with his family
and later took shelter in a
refugee camp. P 8
[email protected] T hree Kashmiri terrorists
linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba
were shot dead Tuesday du-
@timesofindia.com

New Delhi: The Centre has

 Delhi HC closes case after
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey
re favourable for further ad-
vance of monsoon over the
entire Andaman and Nico-
Jalandhar: Prime Minister ring an Army-led counterter- told Supreme Court that removes alleged defamatory bar Islands, some parts of
Flyer mentions Narendra Modi on Tuesday
sharpened India’s new anti-
rorism operation in south
Kashmir’s Shopian district.
men and women are recrui-
ted to the Judge Advocate
post against Trinamool
MP Mahua Moitra, P 8
south Arabian Sea, Maldi-
ves and the Comorin area
‘bomb’ at Kol terror doctrine, saying Pakis-
tan had the choice of stop-
Two of the slain men were
identified as locals from Sho-
General (JAG or legal) de-
partment in the Army thro-
 Maha arms haul accused
over the next three to four
days. The normal date for
denied bail after mom’s death
airport, arrested ping support to its terror pro-
xies or facing annihilation.
pian whose family homes we-
re demolished with explosi-
ugh separate service selec-
tion boards (SSBs) because
over national security | P 9
monsoon’s onset over Ker-
ala is June 1. TNN
At Punjab’s Adampur airbase Tuesday, barely 100km from the Pak border,  Accused in NDPS case not
A 26-year-old passenger
from Imphal was arr-
ested at Kolkata airport on
Referring to the serious da-
mage caused to Pakistan’s cru-
cial air bases, the PM said,
PM Modi lauded IAF for its patience, and precision in strikes by avoiding
civilian planes used by Pak as cover. His visit also called out Pak’s claims of
ves following the April 22 Pa-
halgam attack in which 26 pe-
ople were killed. The identity
women officers are not rea-
died for combat roles, while
the men get mandatorily at-
entitled to default bail even if
a charge sheet is filed within
Sensex slides;
Monday for allegedly utter-
ing the word “bomb” while
“Patrons of terrorism must
have got it now that harbou-
having bombed the Adampur airfield, and destroying an S-400 air defence
system deployed there (seen extreme right, behind MiG-29) | FLAP OPP
of the third terrorist is not
confirmed yet. Officials have
tached to artillery units as
part of induction.
time, says Cal HC | P 3 retail inflation
 SC: Married daughter
preparing to board a Mum- ring evil designs against India not confirmed either if the A woman had challenged can’t claim damages after at 69-mth low
bai-bound IndiGo flight. The
incident triggered a full-
scale security alert and del-
can have only one consequen-
ce: their annihilation. Killing
of innocent Indians can have
India briefs 70 nations on trio had direct links to Pahal-
gam massacre, saying inves-
tigations are underway. P 16
separate SSBs and merit
lists for male and female offi-
cers recruited to the depart-
mother’s death in accident
for frontline combat deploy- A record 2,975-point sen-
sex rally gave way to
ayed flight operations. P 4
FULL COVERAGE:
FLAP OPP, P 15, 16, 24
‘new normal’ in Pak ties Woman injured
ment. The apex court had re-
served its verdict on the plea
ment where contact with
enemies is likely. They ar-
profit-taking on Tuesday,
with the index closing near-
2 rape survivors EDIT PAGE: Leading Vs
New Delhi: India on Tuesday
Pak says 11 soldiers,
and asked the Centre to file en’t deployed for counter-in- ly 1,300 points down. Banks,
Leadering; Rattled In Pindi
amplified the “new normal” in
in Punjab drone its submissions. surgency or counter-terror IT and Reliance Industries,
refuse test by its relations with Pakistan to
40 civilians killed Govt said operational re- forces, such as Rashtriya Ri- the sectors and stocks that

male docs in UP
only one consequence: ruina- the international community
blast dies adiness determines vacanci- fles & Assam Rifles, it cited. rallied the most in the pre-
tion and complete ruination.”
Addressing IAF, Army and
by spelling it out to foreign de-
fence and military attaches of P akistan military said Tues-
day that 11 soldiers and 40
A 50-year-old woman who di-
es in Army, and as a policy,
women officers aren’t meant ‘Gender integration’, P 24
vious session, were the
most sold on Tuesday. Retail

T wo sexual assault survi-

vors, aged 25 and 26,
BSF personnel at Adampur
airbase, one of the important
70 nations. Defence Intelligen-
ce Agency director general Lt
civilians were killed and 199
injured in last week’s Indian
ed of critical burns in a
drone explosion in Punjab’s
inflation eased to a 69-
month low in April due to
brought in by police on Tues-
day, declined to undergo
tests after learning that only
installations targeted by Pa-
kistan but which escaped las-
ting damage, Modi also said In-
Gen D S Rana briefed the atta-
ches on Operation Sindoor.
India did not invite Chi-
strikes. Seven women and 15
children were among the de-
ad. Pak army’s media arm re-
Ferozepur district on May 9
became the first civilian casu-
alty outside J&K in the recent
Will always strive for sustained moderation in fo-
od prices, triggering hopes
that RBI will persist with its
male doctors were available
at the govt facility. P 8
dia would consider a Pakistani
regime that backs terror a legi-
na’s defence attache for the
briefing. Turkiye was invited
leased the names and pictures
of the soldiers who died, inclu-
India-Pakistan conflict. The
civilian toll in Pakistani airs- social, political justice: interest rate-cutting cycle
for now. P 21
timate target for military reta- but when it said it would send ding a squadron leader. P 24 trikes and shelling has gone
Harvard loses liation. He reiterated that Ope-
ration Sindoor was only pau-
a junior officer, India refused.
China and Turkiye are major May 7 after “a deliberate plan-
up to 20. A 28-year-old BSF ja-
wan from Bihar, died of in-
CJI-designate Gavai Khandu cabinet
$450m more in sed and India would respond arms suppliers to Pakistan. ning process for selection juries sustained in cross-bo- New Delhi: True to his stead- meets in village
PTI
strongly to any terror attack or Lt Gen Rana also said In- of targets with confirmed rder firing in J&K. From the fast alignment to Ambed-
govt grants military misadventure. dia conducted strikes on nine
terror hubs in Pakistan and
terror linkages”. TNN uniformed services, five mili-
tary and two paramilitary per-
kar’s philosophy of equality
and dignity for the downtrod-
bordering China
T rump administration
has decided to cut anot-
‘No corner in Pak...’, P 24 POK in the early hours of Misinformation, P 24 sonnel have been killed. P 16 den and a day before taking
oath as CJI, Justice Bhushan A sserting sovereignty alo-
ng LAC, Arunachal Pra-
her $450 million in grants to
Harvard University, a day
after it pushed back against
India rejects US claim of ...Yet again, Trump says Ramakant Gavai said he con-
siders his position as a judge
desh CM Pema Khandu held
a cabinet meeting on Tues-
day at Kibithoo, India’s first
govt allegations that it’s a
hotbed of liberalism and
anti-semitism. P 20
mediation, trade threat... he ‘brokered ceasefire’  EDIT PAGE: Well Done,
Quietly Done, CJI Khanna
CJI-designate Justice B R Gavai (L)
with outgoing CJI Sanjiv Khanna
village that faces China. This
came after Army personnel

O U
nce again rejecting US and the claim that he used tra- S President Donald Tr- together. India has denied that and head of judiciary an op- and locals held a ‘tiranga yat-
President Trump’s of- de to ave-rt a nuclear ump, on a visit to Saudi a third party was involved and portunity to strive for social Public trust has to be ra’ at nearby Walong, comm-
WEATHER fer to mediate in the dis-
pute with Pakistan over J&K,
war between In-
dia and Pakis-
Arabia Tuesday, once
again claimed that his admi-
that trade had anything to do
with the pause in hostilities.
and political justice, reports
Dhananjay Mahapatra. earned: CJI Khanna emorating Op Sindoor. Chi-
na also claims Walong as pa-
India on Tuesday said it had a tan. Govt said nistration “successful- “I said, ‘Fellows, co- “Justice must be equitab- anjiv Khanna’s tenure as rt of its “southern Tibet”. On
Max 35.20C(-0.6) Min
23.50C(-3.5). Sunrise: long-standing national posi-
tion that any issues pertaining
India’s military
action was in the
ly brokered a historic
ceasefire” between
me on. Let’s make a deal.
Let’s do some trading,”
le irrespective of a person’s
social or monetary status,”
S CJI was short but eventful.
His steely resolve to serve
X, Khandu wrote about back-
ing India’s forces, citing “pat-
Thu 4.56am Sunset: Wed 6.09pm.
Partly cloudy sky. Hot & humid to the UT would be addressed conventional do- the two countries. Trump said as Saudi Gavai said. “Timely justice is transparency was his call to riotic fervour at this eastern-
weather very likely during daytime. by India and Pakistan bilate- main and warned Addressing a Crown Prince Moham- the ultimate goal,” he said. upload videos and report on most frontier”. FLAP OPP
Possibility of thundery development rally. “That stated policy has other countries not to Saudi-Ameri- med bin Salman applau- the Justice Varma case on the
towards evening. Max & min temp not changed. As you are aware, get carried away by Pa- can investme- ded. Lauding secretary  Pendency, P 10 SC website. On his last working
likely to be 37°C & 280C. Max humi-
the outstanding matter is the kistan’s nuke bluff. nt forum in Riy- of state Marco Rubio and Vice- day, he said, “Public trust in ju-
dity 92% min 48% Rain: 8.2mm
vacation of illegally occupied Slamming Pakistan, adh, he said he President J D Vance, Trump diciary cannot be commanded.
Indian territory by Pakistan,” MEA said a nation which “used trade to said, “Maybe we can even get It has to be earned.” P 10
the foreign ministry said. had nurtured terrorism on a large ex- them (leaders of India, Pak) to-
This was part of the first an industrial scale thinking tent” to gether a little bit, Marco, whe-
official rebuttal of Tru- that it could escape the conse- bring the re they go out and have a nice
mp’s mediation offer quences was foo- two co- dinner together. Wouldn’t that
ling itself. FLAP OPP untries be nice...” FLAP OPP
PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sankar.debnath T: 05-13-2025 21:51
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: avik.das T: 05-13-2025 23:42

TIMES CITY THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

MAX-MIN TEMP DIFFERENCE CLIMBS TO 11.7 TWO WEEKS AFTER FIRE, FRUIT TRUCKS, ILLEGAL
DEGREES AFTER MONDAY’S SQUALL | 4 EATERIES BLOCK RITURAJ LANE | 6

Dilip’s stepson found dead at New Default bail not an option

in drug cases: Calcutta HC
Town home, cops probe reason [email protected]

Kolkata: An accused in an NDPS (drug) case is

ce. Filing a supplementary charge sheet to
bring on the record the forensic laboratory test
report is also permissible.

Was On Regular Medication For Neurological Disorder, Says Mother

Mayukh Sengupta
not entitled to default bail if a charge sheet,
even without a chemical report, is filed within
time, the Calcutta High Court ruled while can-
“Bombay and Guwahati HCs have held that
a charge sheet without the chemical examina-
tion report does not entitle the accused to de-
Tamaghna.Banerjee “He didn't say it out loud, He was first taken to Ohio celling the interim bail granted to the accused. fault bail. On the strength of the authorities
@timesofindia.com It’s my misfort- but he wanted to stay with Hospital in New Town. A so- The legal point on whether the charge sheet presently subsisting, we are not in a position to
une that I didn’t me. He wanted to build a hou- urce at the hospital told TOI without a chemical report in the NDPS case en- return a finding that the charge sheet without
Kolkata: Srinjoy Dasgupta, experience the se where we all would stay to- that in addition to signs of titles the accused to statutory bail is pending the chemical examination report makes the in-
25, the stepson of former BJP gether. I told him the house high alcohol consumption, before the Supreme Court. However, the divi- vestigation incomplete,” the HC held. The four
state president Dilip Ghosh, joy of having a can come later, but he should he was frothing from the mo- sion bench of justices Debangsu Basak and Md accused had applied for bail on March 26. The
was found dead under myste- son, but now I face start living here first. He was uth, which led to the suspi- Shabbar Rashidi held that, as of today, the law police had filed a charge sheet, and subsequent-
rious cir- the sorrow of losing happy that we would be toget- cion that there was either a is that a charge sheet is complete if the materi- ly a supplementary charge sheet along with a
cumstan- her. But see what has happe- drug overdose or some form als and evidence are before the court along with chemical report. A commercial quantity of
ces at his
one ned,” she broke down. of poisoning, and they called the charge sheet for the court to take cognisan- brown sugar was seized from the accused.
home in Dilip Ghosh | BJP LEADER Ghosh regretted: “It’s my the cops. Police shifted the bo-
New Town misfortune that I didn’t expe- dy first to Bidhannagar Sub-
on Tues- Majumdar — a Mahila Mor- rience the joy of having a son, divisional Hospital and then
day. He ap- cha functionary — also lived but now I face the sorrow of to RG Kar Medical College
parently Rinku Majumdar at the hospital in the same flat. After she losing one. I can’t compre- and Hospital for the post-
died hours after partying on Tuesday married Ghosh on April 18, hend how everything chang- mortem.
with a group of friends at the she shifted to Ghosh’s bunga- ed so drastically.” Probing into the case, po-
flat. Family members said he help, upon seeing his state, low at Ideal Villas in New At Sukhabrishti apart- lice said they found some me-
had a history of neurological called neighbours and his Town. ment, a neighbour, Anamika dicines next to Srinjoy’s pil-
disorder and was under regu- mother, Rinku Majumdar, “On Tuesday, their domes- Roy, said there were a few fri- low. “We are recording the
lar medication. A prelimina- who rushed him to a local ho- tic help called me and said ends who stayed back at his statement of his friends,” sa-
ry post-mortem report hinted spital in her car where he was Pritam was unconscious. flat on Monday night. “When id a senior officer. “There we-
at acute pancreatic haemorr- declared dead on arrival. About a year and a half ago, I went in, I saw one of his fri- re also some scratch marks
hage as the possible reason Srinjoy, a software engi- he lost consciousness once. ends rubbing his feet and try- on his shoulder. We are check-
for death. neer associated with an He was under medication for ing to wake him up. I also tri- ing the injuries as well.”
Police said Dasgupta, MNC, lived in a second-floor a neurological condition. But ed to wake him, but he was Srinjoy’s father, Raja Das-
nicknamed Pritam, was fo- flat of building number 409 at I believe he wasn't taking his unresponsive. Some time la- gupta — Majumdar’s former
und unconscious and frot- the Sukhabrishti housing medication properly for a ter, his mother came and they husband — also came to the
hing from his mouth by one complex in New Town. Prior while,” Majumdar told repor- took him to a hospital,” said hospital but refused to speak
of the friends. The domestic to her marriage to Ghosh, ters. Anamika Roy, a neighbour. to reporters.

Caregivers go
2 in 2 days: Snatchers target missing after
delivery execs in Bhowanipore Debobrata Shome
Behala theft
Dwaipayan.Ghosh Dwaipayan.Ghosh
@timesofindia.com COPS PROBE SIMILARITIES @timesofindia.com

Kolkata: Two cases of snat- First case Second snatching Kolkata: Two caregivers are
ching, each targeting a delive- under investigation following
ry agent or an app-bike rider, Time: 3:15am, Time: 12:16am, the theft of gold jewellery and
were reported from the Bho- Saturday Sunday cash from the home of a 70-ye-
wanipore area in the early Place: Near Place: Sarat Bose ar-old woman in Behala.
morning hours last weekend. Sambhunath Road The theft took place betwe-
In both incidents, scooteret- Pandit Hospital en May 9 and May 11 at the resi-
Victim: Rajiv
tes were used to block the vic- dence of Chandana Talukdar
Victim: Gautam Ranjan Kumar, 36,
tim’s path before the accused on Raja Rammohan Roy Road,
Kumar Gupta, 22, app bike driver Zomato delivery
snatched costly mobile pho- where she lives alone. The theft
Loss: Rs 2,000 stolen near Sambhunath agent
nes and cash. In both instan- was discovered Monday mor-
ces, the accused, numbering Pandit Hospital Loss: Smartphone stolen ning when Talukdar, who was
two to three, looked very yo- How: Two youths came on a scooterette How: Three youths cornered victim with a ill, regained consciousness and
ung and carried beer bottles (number ending 2194) scooterette found her caregivers missing
with them. and her wardrobe ransacked.
The first victim, Gautam registration number ended chain for a delivery in the Bal- victims have confirmed that “The gold jewellery and se-
Kumar Gupta, 22, an app-bi- with 2194,” Gupta wrote in his lygunge area. When I reached they can identify the perpet- veral thousand rupees were
ker, was targeted around 3:15 complaint. in front of the Sarat Bose Ro- rators if brought before missing from the wardrobe,”
am near Sambhunath Pandit In a similar incident early ad address around 12:16 am, them,” said an officer. Prateek Talukdar, the victim’s
Hospital on Saturday. Accor- Sunday morning, around three persons riding a scoote- The incidents have spar- son who works in Delhi, told po-
ding to his police complaint, 12:16 am, Zomato delivery rette cornered me and then lo- ked concern among delivery lice. He filed a formal compla-
two young men on a scooteret- agent Rajiv Ranjan Kumar, oted me,” he stated in his personnel and app-based ser- int at Behala police station fol-
te approached him from the 36, fell victim to another snat- complaint to Bhowanipore vice providers in the area. lowing the discovery.
Elgin Road side while he was ching on Sarat Bose Road. Police. The app delivery agents have The caregivers were hired
counting his day’s earnings. Three individuals on a scoo- “We are examining CCTV urged local authorities to in- from an agency after Chanda-
“The pillion rider quickly terette cornered him near 48, footage from the areas and ha- crease police patrolling du- na was hospitalised on April 1
snatched approximately Rs Sarat Bose Road. The perpet- ve formed special teams to ring late hours. “These inci- for a sudden illness. Cops have
2,000 from me before speeding rators snatched his costly mo- track down the suspects. We dents highlight the risks fa- received identification docu-
towards Harish Mukherjee bile phone from its holder be- have some strong leads, and ced by delivery personnel and ments of the suspected caregi-
Road-SP Mukherjee Road. fore fleeing the scene. detentions have begun,” said app-based service providers vers, which were collected by
One of them was holding a be- “I had picked up an order a senior police officer from who work during odd hours,” Prateek during the hiring pro-
er bottle, and their vehicle’s from a popular confectionary the south division. “Both the said Amit Roy, one rider. cess as per standard protocol.

Ex-bank manager loses

`4.5L to cyber fraud
Dwaipayan.Ghosh
bank employee offering
@timesofindia.com
assistance with a credit card
Kolkata: A former bank ma- application. Despite his pre-
nager lost Rs 4.5 lakh to cyber vious experience in hand-
fraudsters in a credit card ling bank fraud cases, the re-
scam, leading to the arrest of tired manager shared his
an app-based bike rider in so- bank account details and
uth Kolkata. It has been reve- ATM card information with
aled that he had rented out the fraudster.
his account to fraudsters for “Multiple unauthorized
easy money. The cops have al- transactions totalling Rs 4.5
so detained a private bank’s lakh were made from the vic-
manager and questioning tim’s account,” said inspec-
him on allegation that he hel- tor Rajesh Kumar of Cossi-
ped the bike taxi rider to com- pore police station. During
mit the crime. interrogation,
The Cossi- JAMTARA LINK Sahu confes-
pore police arrested the ac- sed to renting out his bank
cused, identified as Ashish account to fraudsters for a
Sahu, from Bansdroni for al- commission, finding it
legedly allowing his bank ac- more lucrative than his regu-
count to be used for transfer- lar income from bike-riding
ring fraudulently obtained services.
money. A private bank mana- The investigation revea-
ger is also being questioned led connections to the noto-
for suspected involvement in rious Jamtara gang, with ac-
the crime. complices operating from
According to police sour- Kolkata. “While the primary
ces, the victim, whose identi- perpetrators are from Jamta-
ty remains undisclosed, was ra, they have established a
contacted through social me- network in; Kolkata,” Kumar
dia by someone posing as a added.

Friend killed 45-day closure

for `100 for Siriti upgrade
Kolkata: Cops have recove- Kolkata: Services at Siriti
red a young man's body that crematorium will remain
was buried near a brick kiln suspended from May 15 to Ju-
in Shyampur. The victim has ly 31 due to an urgent up-
been identified as Pradeep grade work, informed a KOl-
Mondal. Initial investigation kata Municipal Corporation
revealed that a young man, official on Tuesday. The
identified as Swapan Das, had KMC health department will
asked for Rs 100 from Pradeep add two more electrical fur-
to buy drugs. When Pradeep naces taking the total num-
refused to give him the mo- ber of furnaces to four. In ad-
ney, a heated argument ensu- dition, the civic body will of-
ed between the two, and in a fer a wooden pyre to the citi-
fit of rage, Swapan strangled zens who prefer to cremate
Pradeep. As Pradeep became following traditional norms,
unresponsive, Swapan buri- said a KMC health depart-
ed his body. TNN ment official. TNN
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: k.mukherjee T: 05-13-2025 23:36

4 TIMES CITY THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Fraud extortion calls from Pakistan ‘Mere paas bomb hai?’

cry lands flyer in jail
numbers rise amid border tension Tamaghna.Banerjee
@timesofindia.com WORDS TO AVOID IN AIRPORT, AIRCRAFT
Cops Ask Users To Check Info Sources, Alert Them Against Malware ‘Follow norms Kolkata: A 26-year-old air Bomb /grenade
passenger from Imphal was Gun/firearm/shooter Crash/engine failure/
arrested at Kolkata airport emergency landing
Dwaipayan.Ghosh
@timesofindia.com POLICE ISSUE ADVISORY
double-check any claims ma-
de by unknown callers, especi-
for sale of on Monday afternoon for al-
legedly uttering the word
Knife/weapon
Terrorist/terrorism
Anthrax/bioweapon/

Kolkata: Even cyberspace is

Intelligence agencies Additional cyber threats include
ally those pretending to be
from the police. No legitimate
walkie-talkies’ “bomb” while preparing to
board a Mumbai-bound Indi-
Hijack/hijacking
chemical weapon
Smuggle/ drug mule/
witnessing a war, with allega- found a Pakistan-linked Increase in hoax calls officer demands money via Go flight. The incident trig- Explosives/IED/dynamite cocaine/meth
cyber-attack campaign Dwaipayan.Ghosh
tions of organised Pakistani Fake news phone calls. The caller’s num- @timesofindia.com gered a full-scale security
hacking groups attempting to featuring ‘Dance of the ber, for example, like +92, sho- alert and delayed flight ope-
hack leading websites. Indian Hillary’ malware Fraudulent extortion uld send an alarm to the poten- rations.
calls from Pakistan Kolkata: Bengal Police wrote
intelligence agencies uncove- It is being distributed tial victim. Stay calm. Panic to all e-commerce officials and The flyer, Regal Chong-
red a Pakistan-linked cyber-at- through WhatsApp, Cop recommendations can lead to poor decisions,” their suppliers to respect the tham, reportedly told an In-
tack campaign involving a Facebook, Telegram, e-mails Trust only official sources they wrote. recent mandate where the Cen- diGo security officer at the
dangerous malware named “Always try to contact the tral Consumer Protection Aut- step ladder point in Hindi,
Key malware capabilities | Verify info before sharing
‘Dance of the Hillary’. Accor- person projected as the victim hority (CCPA) initiated action “Mere paas bomb hai?” (Do I
Infiltrates via video/
ding to Punjab and Maharash- Report fake news and remain composed before against listing and sale of wal- have a bomb?), moments be-
document files, accesses
tra cops, this malware is being immediately taking action. Contact local kie-talkie devices on e-com- fore boarding IndiGo flight
sensitive user data, can
spread via popular social me- Avoid sharing troop police. Educate family mem- merce platforms that lack 6E 5227, scheduled to depart
dia platforms, including potentially enable remote bers. Make sure that elderly fa- for Mumbai at 1.30 pm from
device control movement information three key aspects — proper dis-
WhatsApp, Facebook, Tele- mily members are aware of closure of operating frequenci- Bay 57L. operating procedures (SOP). hal on flight 6E 6716, was ta-
gram, and email. It infiltrates on how to deal with such calls. crime so that it is easily under- potential scams and know es, licensing information, and According to officials, The airport’s Bomb Detec- ken into custody for questio-
smartphones through video “One form is to flood your standable for citizens. At the how to avoid them. Call 1930 — equipment type approval. Chongtham grew frustrated tion and Disposal Squad ning. He is a resident of Sega
or document files and, once phone with fake news to make end, they also shared tips to av- the national cybercrime por- Bengal Police followed the while interacting with airli- (BDDS) and a sniffer dog Road Jonjeng Hajailukai in
opened, can access sensitive it sound ‘believable’. Similar- oid falling victim to such cri- tal — and the divisional cyber same lines as Delhi Police, ne staff during the seconda- unit promptly arrived at the Imphal and was staying at a
user data such as banking in- ly, fraudulent extortion calls mes. “Always trust only offici- cell and lodge an FIR,” they ad- which also echoed the guideli- ry ladder point checking and scene to inspect Chong- hostel in Mumbai.
formation, passwords, and from +92 (Pakistan ISD num- al sources for information or ded. nes and tweeted the same. Ab- multiple checks of passeng- tham’s belongings. Cops said they were pro-
personal details. The malware ber) have seen a sudden jump govt instructions. Always Police said that even the sence of such critical informa- ers’ baggage as part of en- Security protocols were bing the motive behind the
may also enable remote cont- as tension rose between the check official sources before Department of Telecommuni- tion, as sought by CCPA, stated hanced security measures quickly enforced, and all bo- statement. Preliminary re-
rol of infected devices. two nations post the Pahalgam forwarding. Immediately re- cations (DoT), earlier this ye- cops, constitutes a violation of because of the current ten- arding operations were su- ports suggest the possibility
However, the “war” is not attacks, with fraudsters using port fake news. Do not share ar, issued an advisory to citi- multiple laws. According to sion between India and Pa- spended. At the time of the of a prank or poor judgment
just limited to organised mal- two modus operandi — threa- any news on troop movement zens about calls from foreign CCPA, this includes the Consu- kistan. In an apparent act of incident, 179 of 186 passeng- on the part of the flyer, tho-
ware attacks. There is also a tening digital arrest of the vic- or plans. Do not share any numbers, especially from Pa- mer Protection Act, 2019, the In- sarcasm, he remarked, “Me- ers had already boarded. The ugh officials have not ruled
major spike in individual at- tims or threatening that their communal or offensive con- kistan. According to the mini- dian Telegraph Act, 1885, the re paas bomb hai” to an airli- remaining passengers and out other possibilities.
tempts to deceive victims with son/daughter was detained by tent under any circumstan- stry, these calls are being recei- Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, ne employee. Security per- crew were de-boarded, and Flight operations resu-
hoax calls. Both Kolkata Poli- police/central agencies,” said ces,” the police stated. ved by citizens wherein cal- and the Use of Low Power, Very sonnel, adhering to strict the aircraft underwent a tho- med after security agencies
ce’s cyber cell and Bengal Poli- a police source. “It is a warning about the lers, initially, in the name of Low Power Short Range Radio airport safety protocols, im- rough inspection. cleared the aircraft. No ex-
ce, led by the CID and the Cy- In a fresh post on their soci- clever tactics that cybercrimi- DoT, threatened mobile users Frequency Devices (Exemp- mediately apprehended him Following a thorough ex- plosive materials were fo-
ber Crime Unit (CCU), have al media page, cops have even nals use to exploit emotions that their numbers would be tion from Licensing Require- and initiated emergency amination using explosive und.
now listed the do’s and don’ts provided an example of the and technology gaps. Always disconnected. ment) Rules, 2018. procedures. vapour detectors (EVDs), Authorities have reitera-
Upon receiving the alert, authorities declared his lug- ted the importance of adhe-

Kol ATC helps Travel agents offer

the Bomb Threat Assess- gage safe, and no threats we- ring to strict security proto-
ment Committee (BTAC) re found. Despite this, secu- cols at airports. They emp-
was activated and classified rity measures were intensi- hasised that making bomb-
the situation as “specific”, fied, and relevant agencies related remarks, even in jest,

flights return to ‘cool’ alternatives

leading to the aircraft being were informed. can lead to serious legal con-
moved to an isolation bay in Chongtham, who earlier sequences, including deten-
accordance with standard arrived in Kolkata from Imp- tion or arrest.

normal path to domestic tourists ‘Anti-national’

post: Barasat
ED traces `50 cr
[email protected]

Kolkata: Six days after the air traffic

have again provided the information
to pilots that the earlier routes are
back in operation. Some pilots are cho-
SUMMER OPTIONS
S India | Munnar, Wayanad,
meat-seller
in police net
to a/cs linked to
arrested Pak man
control in Kolkata scrambled to re-rou- osing to revert to the old route and we Yecaud, Ooty, Coonoor,
te all overflying aircraft from South- are ensuring safe navigation,” said a Kodaikanal and Anaimalai Hills
East Asia to Europe in the wake of controller. Sanjib Chakrabarty &
Operation Sindoor, controllers on Tu- Pakistan announced the reopening E India | Darj, Gangtok, Pelling, Amar Kar TNN
esday helped some international of its airspace shortly after the ceasefi- Lachen, Lachung, Koraput Kolkata: A meat-seller, Riz- [email protected]
flights revert to the original routes re was announced on Saturday eve- N-E India | Cherrapunji, wan Qureshi, in his mid-40s,
across North-West India and Pakistan. ning. But India waited a couple of days Tawang and Aizwal was arrested by Barasat Poli- Kolkata: Enforcement Direc-
Though the Notice to Airmen (NO- to make sure the ceasefire violations ce in North 24 Parganas on torate (ED) has tracked Rs 50
N India | Nainital, Mussoorie,
TAM) on airspace restrictions to the by Pakistan ceased before announcing Tuesday for allegedly uploa- crore in accounts linked to
west of Delhi was withdrawn on Mon- the decision to lift the restriction in its Auli, Lansdowne, Ranikhet ding an anti-national post on Azad Hussain, the Pakistani
day morning, it took around 24 hours airspace. and Chopta social media. national arrested by the cen-
for the first aircraft to venture into the During the restriction, nearly 800 W India | Mahabaleshwar, Qureshi reportedly sha- tral investigating agency
airspace that was buzzing with drones flights that used to fly over Delhi before Panchgani, Matheran, Lonavala red a distorted image on his from Birati on April 15 in con-
and missiles last week. heading into Pakistan en route to Eu- and Khandala KORAPUT MUNNAR Facebook profile, showing the nection with a fake passport
The development rope were redirected via Indian Prime Minister bo- racket. More alarmingly, ED File picture of Azad Hussain
brought relief to fore- NORTH-WEST Mumbai and the Gulf or Tamaghna Banerjee me popular during the pandemic were wing at the feet of his Pakista- officials discovered details of after his arrest
ign carriers operating Muscat. & Subhro Niyogi TNN again in vogue now with people re-eva- ni counterpart — a post that how Azad sent Bangladeshi
flights between Euro- ROUTES REOPEN While the workload luating or cancelling their summer va- triggered outrage amid alrea- nationals to countries like
‘Bangla’ man held in fake passport
case turns out to be Pak national
pe and South-East Asia as the detour of controllers in Kolkata suddenly spi- Kolkata: Coffee plantations in God’s cation plans due to disruptions stem- dy strained ties between the Dubai, Malaysia, and Cambo- Acted On Orders From Pakistan On Forged Docus, `2.6Cr Transactions Found: ED
RohitKhanna
IN INDIA SINCE ’19 Cops to grill passport verification hold of his fake Indian identi-

via Mumbai and the Gulf pushed up ked in the early hours of May 7, own Country; a hill station in the heart ming from heightened tensions betwe- two nations. dia by forging documents.
@timesofindia.com officials to unearth scam trail
Fake Law Clerk `2.5L-`3L FOR A FAKE PASSPORT
Amar Kar
ID cards for the passports.
“Das operated under the guise of
4 held in visa scam ty documents, he started
spreading his network across
F
a ‘muhuri’. He made fake Aadhaar

Kolkata: A suspected Bang- ¥ Accused: Azad Hussain

Held For Making
Forged Docus
Police will question
verification and
granting officers at
passport offices on
how they vetted the
for being involved in
making fake Aadhaar,
PAN and voter ID
cards that were used
to make passports for
and voter ID cards in exchange for
money,” said a senior Barasat dis-
trict police officer. A senior official
of West Bengal Law Clerk Associa-
tion said Das was not associated
our men, Raj Kumar Rao, Jit the country, an officer said.
Das, Mainuddin Shah and
Sanjib Chakraborty & forged documents and Bangladeshis. One of with their organisation. “He is not a
Dwaipayan Ghosh TNN faulty police reports for his sons is in police and court clerk or a member of our asso-

ladeshi national, arrested Kolkata: The Kolkata Police special

granting passports Samir Das, a grocery another one is a doctor ciation,” the official said.
Investigators have learnt that
He got in touch with a num-
¥ Assumed name in
Police have sent store owner who Bangladeshi
investigation team (SIT) probing the Bangladeshi applicants spent Rs
letters to five passport operated in the guise of nationals could get an
passport scam has sent letters to five 2.5lakh to Rs 3 lakh to get passports,

Vivek Kumar Patel, were

offices for the a law clerk at Barasat Indian passport for `2.5
passport offices in Bengal to ques- made with fake documents. The
questioning court, was arrested lakh to `3 lakh

from Birati on April 15 in a fa- ber of agents across India

tion verification and granting offi- gang leaders, Manoj Gupta and Sam-
cers there. These officers had alle- ir Das, on Wednesday for allegedly haria told TOI. aresh Biswas, both in cop net now,
gedly vetted the applications of 73 forging documents, including Aad- Acting on a tip-off, a team from spent Rs 50 to Rs 60,000 from that mo-

B’desh: Ahammed Hussain

passports, which were made on for- haar cards, PAN cards and voter ID the Barasat police station raided ney to pay other gang members. The

arrested from Kestopur for

ged documents, as well as their poli- cards. Das, went by the guide of a law Das’s house and detained him on Tu- rest of the money was pocketed by

fuel consumption and hiked operating controllers in Mumbai ATC have been of Eastern Ghats; divine paradise in en India and Pakistan. Tension gripped the Bara- Sleuths, who stumbled
ce verification reports (PVRs) befo- clerk at the Barasat district court, is esday evening. He was later arres- them, dividing them at a certain per-

ke passport case, turned out re issuing them.

Arrested Kolkata Police sub-in-
suspected to be involved in a fake
passport racket. “Das had migrated
ted. Das was also involved in making
fake Aadhaar cards to help Bangla-
centage. For Tarakanath Sen, a tem-
porary worker at a passport service
and helped illegal immi-
Azad
spector Abul Hai had prepared the from Bangladesh. He seems to be an deshis obtain passports. Police said centre, the allocation per passport
police verification reports of 51 out agent who helped Bangladeshi ille- Das had two sons, one in the police was Rs 5,000. Moktar Alam, who in-

to be a Pakistani national, sta-

of the 73 passports.
The summons coincided with the
gal immigrants get ID cards, such as
Aadhaar, voter ID cards and PAN
force and the other a doctor. Cops are
investigating if his cop son helped
troduced Bangladeshi citizens to Sa-
maresh and Manoj Gupta, would get
allegedly running a visa scam grants from Pakistan and
TOI | JAN 9, ’25
arrest of a grocery shop owner, Sam- cards,” Barasat SP Pratiksha Jhark- him create fake Aadhaar and voter Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000.

ying in India with a fake ¥ Assumed name in India: and duping people with false Bangladesh to get visas to In-
Bangladeshi passport, the ED Ajad Mallik records. During initial days promises of jobs in Dubai, dia and other countries. To
said in court on Tuesday. of interrogation, Azad main- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, stay below the radar of the in-
Ahammed Hossain Azad (53)
¥ 2017: Got Bangladeshi tained his assumed identity Turkey and Kuwait. Twenty vestigating agency, Azad re-

costs, leaving the routes in the red. bearing the brunt of the additional lo- India’s eastern frontier; colonial “The terror attack and India’s apt sat area soon after the post upon a larger conspiracy
had constantly been in touch passport and tried to pass off as a resi- original passparts have been portedly opened a company
with his associates in Pakis- dent of Feni district in Bang- seized from them. TNN as a façade for his illegal ope-
¥ 2019: Entered India on
tan and he operated on their tourist visa ladesh. “He tried to hoodwink rations. “It is clear Azad was
instructions, preparing for- us by suppressing his actual said an ED officer. engaged in money launde-
ged documents here, officers sports and forged documents origin. He mentioned his two He entered India on a tou- ring and his operations were

“The closure of the route and diver- ad since then. While the Mumbai FIR charm and nature trails with Himalay- response following escalations of aeri- surfaced. A group of locals re- across multiple countries, su-
told the court. He was enga- to illegal immigrants. sons and his wife in Bangla- rist visa in 2019 and managed a threat to national security,”
ged in money laundering, Though Azad initially desh. But an investigation re- to get Indian identity docu- said ED’s lawyer Bhaskar
they added. managed to convince the in- vealed that the accused was ments, such as Aadhaar, vo- Prasad Banerjee in court.
ED officers, who have fo- vestigators that he was from from Pakistan. He had snea- ter ID card and a passport. “Another case of fraud has
und transactions of Rs 2.6 Bangladesh, the investiga- ked into Bangladesh and ma- The investigators said been registered against him

sion of flights was similar to what wo- used to handle 1,200 overflights prior to an views — travel agents are offering al conflict instilled a sense of fear portedly stormed Qureshi’s spect that Azad was running
crore so far, have reasons to tors started suspecting his naged to get a Bangladeshi Azad had consistently been by the ED.”
believe the amount was gene- nationality after examining passport in 2017 in the name in touch with people in Pakis- The court has remanded
rated from issuing fake pas- his WhatsApp chats and call of Ahammed Hossain Azad,” tan. Immediately after he got Azad in ED custody till May 8.

uld happen if any arterial road like

EM Bypass is shut down suddenly.
the airspace restriction, it has had to
handle nearly 2,000 flights in the past
tourists from Kolkata an assortment
of appetizing options to cooler climes
among travellers. Many believe it is not
the right time to go for vacations. They
shops, ransacked them, and
dragged him out before physi-
the network from Bengal
upon instructions from “per-
TOI | APR 30, 2025
Cars will take diversions provided by four days. this summer. are willing to stay back this season sons in Pakistan”. They alrea- tacted several agents in India
police. Controllers in Kolkata did so in “The northern section of Mumba- While Darjeeling and places in Sik- with their families. We hope the situa- SHOPS dy found Azad’s WhatsApp and helped illegal immi-
the early hours of May 7. When the
shut route or Bypass then reopens, so-
i’s oceanic airspace, typically busy, be-
came increasingly congested as cont-
kim still remain the favourite go-to do-
mestic destinations for tourists from
tion improves soon,” said said Travel
Agents’ Association of India (TAAI)
RANSACKED chats and other digital evi-
dence revealing incrimina-
grants from Pakistan and
Bangladesh obtain visas in
me cars will continue to travel along rollers directed additional flights thro- Bengal in summer, travel agents are ur- chairman (east) Anjani Dhanuka. cally assaulting him. The inci- ting information exchanges India and other countries. For
the alternative route because they al- ugh several routes. Yemen’s airspace, ging those who have had to cancel trips Salt Lake resident Madhura Bag- dent unfolded in full public vi- with several Pakistani natio- Pakistani nationals trying to
ready planned to do so along the route situated south of these routes, rema- to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh fol- chi was scheduled for a 10-day trip to ew. However, by the time poli- nals. At a special PMLA co- enter India, he would first get
or want to wait till they are sure all is fi- ins an area most airlines prefer to av- lowing the terror attack and escalation Kashmir in the last week of April, ce reached the scene, Qureshi urt, ED’s lawyer Bhaskar Pra- them a Bangladeshi passport
ne in the shut stretch of the Bypass. We oid,” explained a controller. of tension with Pakistan to try out al- which she cancelled due to flight rest- fled. He was later arrested sad Banerjee said how money and then an Indian tourist vi-
ternative hill stations. rictions and ongoing tension. from a hideout in Barasat on was transferred to different sa. Once in India, he arranged
Though India is a tropical country, Even those who don’t mind travel- Tuesday afternoon. accounts of Azad and his ai- fake documents for them and
‘WE ARE ENSURING SAFE NAVIGATION’ the vastness of India and its geograp-
hical diversity leads to many travel op-
ling to Kashmir, Ladakh or Himachal
Pradesh post ceasefire are unable to
Qureshi, a resident of Ka-
dambagachhi in Barasat, ran
des. According to sources, Rs
50 crore has been traced so far.
also fake passports for other
countries.
Europe-bound flights typically typically enter via Malaysian tions even during summer across east, due uncertainties over flights. IndiGo three meat shops at Champa- The ill-gotten money, sourced He also arranged forged
traverse Kolkata, Delhi, Pakistan, airspace. Some aircraft access north-east, south-west and north In- Airlines has not set any clear timeline dali More for over a decade. from persons whose docu- documents for Bangladeshi
then Tajikistan and Uzbekistan before Pakistan’s airspace after India before dia. Flight fares to nearly all destina- for when the flights Jammu, Amritsar, A police team from Bara- ments were forged, was sent nationals to go to Dubai, Ma-
entering European airspace proceeding to the Middle-East tions are currently at normal level. Chandigarh and Srinagar could be sat police station rushed to to different bank accounts of laysia and Cambodia. He re-
Aircraft travelling to and from West During the closure, aircraft were This indicates that people aren’t travel- back. Air India Express, which had a the area following reports of multiple persons to erase the ceived cash from them via dif-
Asia traditionally utilise routes via directed via Mumbai to ling. That also means good deals at ho- direct flight from Kolkata to Srinagar, unrest. “We have arrested the trail. ferent channels and sent for-
Yangon and India before entering Muscat across the Arabian Sea and tels for tourists. has also expressed its inability to pro- accused meat seller for pos- Azad also used a network ged papers to his counter-
Middle-East airspace. Aircraft from then east of Iraq and Turkiye For those who are in a dilemma vide a date for commencement of the ting anti-national content. A of illegal money changers to parts in the respective
Singapore and Far-East nations before reaching Europe over whether to travel far, agents are flight, citing security concerns. TAAI separate case was registered transfer money between countries for visas. Azad, who
suggesting staycations in comfortable national committee member Manav in connection with the ran- Bangladesh and India. Imme- opened a company called Mal-
We have provided the information to pilots that earlier routes hotels in places where one can drive Soni said only a few who had urgent sacking of his shops. An in- diately after obtaining Indian lik Trading Corporation, was
are back in operation. Some pilots are choosing to revert to down. Travel Agents’ Federation of In- travel requirement were buying flight vestigation is underway,” Pra- identity documents in 2019, allegedly working under in-
the old route and we are ensuring safe navigation — A controller dia national committee member Anil tickets and then travelling by train tiksha Jharkharia, SP, Bara- Azad began expanding his structions from individuals
Punjabi said staycations that had beco- when the flights are getting cancelled. sat told TOI. network across India. He con- in Pakistan.

Max-min temp difference climbs to More ACs for Mounted Police

11.7 degrees after Monday’s squall horses after 8 fall ill in a day Pic: Sukhomoy Sen; graphic: Dipankar Chanda
[email protected] an AC chamber for at least 3 to 4 ho-
[email protected] five consecutive days before the dip urs,” said another officer.

Kolkata: The showers in the city

RAIN LIKELY TOMORROW, PREDICTS MET on Tuesday. The minimum scaled
to the summer’s highest of 29.7 on
Kolkata: While it is common in
summer for police horses to fall ill
Besides the AC stables, other
measures to keep horses safe have
on Monday night dragged the mer- Difference between maximum ➤➤ Highest max temp | 39.4°C Sunday. due to intense heat,it is not often also been undertaken. “As a heat-
cury down on Tuesday. While the .& minimum temperature in the ➤➤ Highest min temp | 29.7°C “There is good moisture near that eight horses fall sick and get de- wave-like situation is prevailing in
minimum temperature nosedived .past one week the ground level due to the south- hydrated on a single day. That is ex- Kolkata, we have started monito-
by close to six notches, the maxi- westerly wind, which is adding to actly what happened on Monday ring the water intake of the horses
May 13 11.7°C with the Kolkata Mounted Police, at the stable from early morning.
mum saw a dip of 3.4 notches, cau- discomfort factor. But there is also
sing a gap of 11.7 degrees between May 12 9.4°C heating, and these two factors will whose eight horses reported sick in We fill the water containers for
the two mercury parameters. Even be triggering rain, likely from the a single morning. each horse four times a day to ensu-
as there is a possibility of some
May 11 9.7°C latter half on Thursday,” added Bis- “We had to administer quick The ACs will be installed at Police re that each of them takes at least 20
thundershower activities in the ci- May 10 10°C was. Around the same time when a cold baths and send them to the spe- Training School stable to 25 litres of water a day,” said
ty on Tuesday night, the Met office squall was sweeping across the city, cial air-conditioned chamber, the Chatterjee. “We have also modified
sees the mercury rising slightly by
May 9 9.7°C another squall came galloping in night rain and storm helping us to “Heat exhaustion in horses can their patrol timings to avoid peak
Wednesday, as the showers are un- May 8 10.4°C neighbouring Dum Dum at a speed ensure that they are nursed back to be fatal if not treated promptly. The heat hours, increased water sta-
likely to be as potent as those on BEATING THE HEAT of 52 kmph. Areas around Salt Lake health. All their outdoor exercises symptoms include excessive swea- tions across patrol routes, and are
Monday night.
May 7 10.2°C were also lashed by a nor’wester remain cancelled,” recalled a Mo- ting, rapid breathing, and elevated providing electrolyte supplements
“Whenever some significant Forecast Section at Regional Mete- high at around 45 degrees during spell that accumulated to around 12 unted Police official. Learning body temperature, which we obser- to maintain their hydration levels,”
thundershower spells happen, it orological Centre, Kolkata. the peak of the afternoon. The Met mm of rain within the span of aro- from the development, the Moun- ved in our affected horses,” said a he said.
temporarily brings a respite. While A squall gusting at 63 kmph late officials said this was due to high und an hour. ted Police unit sent an SOS to Lalba- source. “We examine every horse that
it is likely to be hot and humid for on Monday night, along with 8.2 moisture content in the lower le- “In view of westerly to south- zar requesting three to four ACs to “AC resting places have become returns to the stable from Maidan,”
the next two days, we can look for- mm of rain, brought down the mi- vels. westerly lower-level winds and be set up at its Police Training Scho- a necessity to keep the horses free said an official. “The vets also sug-
ward to larger thundershower acti- nimum temperature to 23.5°C from The maximum, which surged to strong solar insolation heating, hot ol stable, which presently houses 27 from heat-related diseases so that gest fodder that is easily digestible,
vities from Thursday evening on- 29.2 degrees, while the maximum this summer’s highest of 39.4 deg- and humid weather with isolated horses. “There already exist four they stay fit to do rounds in the vast and flax (linseed) is usually avoi-
wards, bringing a more lasting reli- dipped to 35.2 degrees from 38.6 deg- rees on Sunday, slipped below the heatwave conditions is very likely ACs at the SN Banerjee Road where stretches of Maidan in a hot and ded. We also keep vets ready to treat
ef from the heat,” said weather sci- rees. Despite the dip, the ‘feel-like’ normal mark after six days. The mi- over south Bengal till Thursday,” 38 horses are presently kept,” said a sultry afternoon. If a horse suffers the animals in cases of any emer-
entist HR Biswas, head, Weather temperature continued to remain nimum remained above normal for said a special bulletin from IMD. police source. from a heatstroke, it needs to rest in gencies,” the official added.
Printed by Arnab Chatterjee and published by him on behalf of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd and printed at Times House, Plot no.2, Block-EM, Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 091 and Darpan Times Pvt. Ltd., Telanipara, P.O. Sahudangi, Opp. Bank of Baroda Dt. Jalpaiguri, Siliguri - 734 426 and published at 105/7A, S.N.Banerjee Road, Kolkata – 700 014. Editor : Sunando Sarkar
RNI Regn No : WBENG/1999/01062
PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: bimal.kansabanik T: 05-13-2025 21:52
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: diya.sinha T: 05-13-2025 23:44

6 TIMES CITY THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Change in question pattern Class 12 results better in

humanities than science
pulls up CBSE Class 10 grades [email protected]

Kolkata: A total of 44,631 stu-

SCOREBOARD STARS
Basabdatta Sarkar

94.9% Success SHIFT FROM ROTE LEARNING TO ANALYSIS-BASED STUDIES dents appeared for the CBSE
Class 12 exam from Bengal, of
Rate In Bengal Students TOWN S SCORE | 99.8%
whom 39,792 cleared it. The
EW C pass percentage of 89.2% was
at
Higher Than higher than both the all-India

N
Kendriya I prepared through

HO
average (88.4%) and that for

THE
Vidyalaya an academy and
the Bhubaneswar region

OL
Nat’l 93.7% celebrate
their
stayed focused. I studied
English, Hindi, maths,
(83.6%). Bengal comes under
the Bhubaneswar region.
results on IT and social science.
[email protected] According to principals of
Tuesday Scoring 99.8% feels like many city schools, in CBSE 12,
Kolkata: For students who a dream. I want to study humanities students appea-
had appeared for their CBSE science in Plus-II and red to have outperformed tho-
Class 10 exams, half the ques- SIDDHANTH PAL aspire to study at an IIT se from the science stream. At
tions were competency-based Bhavan’s GKV, humanities
Class 12 students check their marks at a city school
and higher-order-thinking. student Aparajita Saha scored
TOWN SC SCORE | 99.6% SCORE | 99.6%
No. of
RUBY PAR
EW
Principals at several insti- 99.4% while at DPS Howrah,
tutes in the city pointed out
candidates
I believe in PS My focus was on Rishika Trivedi, also from hu- I didn’t expect this
Score
N

from Bengal: score. My subject

HO

K
D
that the change in the ques- conceptual understanding manities, scored 99.2%. 99.4% combination was history,
THE

tion pattern and the gradual 41,711 DPS Howrah principal Su-
OL

learning—memorisation what I studied. While I

shift towards analytical ques- Passed: just doesn’t work. I didn’t read a chapter, I would nita Arora felt one reason for political science, geography,
tions helped board candidates
39,595 or take regular tuition. My think about what kind this could be the excessive fo- painting, nutrition, and English. I
perform better. mother was my biggest of question we could cus on preparation for engine- mostly depended on school, and I
94.9% ering and medical entrance
guide. Consistency was get from every line. My used to study 2-3 hours every
ISC maths revised All-India pass the key. I’ve now taken up aspiration is to sit for
exams by science students. APARAJITA SAHA day. I want to pursue political
Others pointed out that some
C ISCE on Tuesday issued an
advisory on the revision of
the ISC maths syllabus and the
percentage:
93.7% ANGEL AGARWAL
science and feel excited
about what comes next AINESH BANERJEE
NEET or JEE and then, go
in for research
science papers, especially
physics, were tricky.
BHAVAN’S GKV science at Presidency

introduction of applied maths. Around 50% of the ques- ScoreIf you read a chapter
The notice stated that maths for the exam from BDM Inter- tions in CBSE 12 this year were and understand the
national School, and 246 competency-based and analy- 99.2%
would be offered to candidates concepts, it becomes easy. I
intending to pursue pure scored 90% or above. tical. In a press note, CBSE sa-
studied history, political
science, engineering, Anear similar trend of stu- id this year’s 88.4% pass per-
dents scoring higher after ch- centage in Class 12 was better
science, legal studies, English,
architecture and related fields
anged question patterns was than last year’s (87.9%), which economics, and mathematics,
at the UG level, while applied
maths would be for students witnessed in ICSE exams, too. showed “students were well and used books and the internet
RISHIKA TRIVEDI
aiming to study humanities, The CISCE Class 10 students prepared for the competency- for reference. I’m planning to
commerce, finance, business school, who secured 498 out of Joyoti Chaudhuri said, swers. Angel from The New- had to answer 25% questions based question paper”. DPS HOWRAH pursue a BA in economics
and related fields. TNN 500 (99.6%) and Ainesh Baner- “Among 467 Class 10 students, town School said, “I believe in in the critical-thinking format Principals of several city
jee from DPS Ruby Park, who 312 scored above 90%. This re- conceptual learning—memo- (up from 10% last time). schools also said that the shift the examination, with 64 sco- In Birla High School, 100 stu-
From Bengal, 41,711 stu- also scored 498 (99.6%). markable feat was matched by rization just doesn’t work. I Bengal has 435 ICSE scho- from rote learning to compe- ring over 90%. In DPS Ruby dents appeared for the exam,
dents appeared for the Class 10 CBSE has been increasing the stupendous result of Class completed my syllabus by July ols. In the ICSE exams, 43,784 tency-based analytical ques- Park, 894 students appeared of whom 14 scored above 90%.
exams. Of them, 39,595 stu- the weightage of competency- 12 students. Among 894 Class and kept revising after that.” students appeared from Ben- tions had helped students get a for the exam, among whom 273 Bhavan’s GKV’s principal
dents or 94.9% cleared the based questions, and this 12 students, 273 scored 90% At Abhinav Bharati, gal, and 98.8% of them cleared good score and, at the same ti- students scored over 90%. Of Arun Dasgupta said, “The ove-
boards, registering a higher time, half the total number of and above. The academic among the 67 Class 10 exam the exams. me, given them a better under- the 559 students from South rall result was better than last
pass-percentage than the na- questions were such. “It is hel- achievement is a testament to candidates, 14 scored above While CBSE and ICSE standing of each subject. Point who appeared for the ex- year. First of all, the entire stu-
tional figure of 93.7%. Girls ping those who can apply their their hard work, competency- 90%. At South Point High gained from the question pa- CBSE took the initiative to de- am, 156 secured above 90%. dent community has come out
outperformed boys, with 2% knowledge and can think criti- based learning and regular as- School, 741 students appeared per rejig, Madhyamik, which viate from rote-learning prac- In Shri Shikshayatan of the Covid situation. The
more girls succeeding than cally. They can go for a blended sessment.” for the exam, and 311 scored did not make many changes, tices after the Covid disrup- School, 227 students appeared changes introduced, and the
boys. Among the high-scorers curriculum, which is making Several principals reiter- above 90%. At Sushila Birla saw a comparatively lower tion and principals expect the for the exams, and 110 scored changing question pattern,
were Siddhant Pal from The them future-ready,” said The ated that the shift from rote Girls School, 114 students ap- pass percentage. This year, practice to continue. above 90%. In Sushila Birla helped students score better.
Newtown School, who secured Newtown School principal Sa- learning to analysis-based peared for the exam, among of Madhyamik pass percentage Altogether, 137 candidates Girls’ High School, 138 stu- Moreover, the changed pat-
499 out of 500 (99.8%), Angel tabdi Battacharjee learning had been helping stu- whom 66 scored above 90%. A was 86.6, slightly higher than from Class 12 at Lakshmipat dents appeared for the exam, tern will help them in their fu-
Agarwal from the same DPS Ruby Park principal dents think before writing an- total of 715 students appeared last year’s 86.4. Singhania Academy passed of whom 70 scored above 90%. ture as well.”

Cancer, disability, illness no hurdle for these boards bravehearts Graphic: Dipankar Chanda
Purba Majumder friends, he returned stronger and
& Shreya Gupta TNN

Kolkata: On Tuesday, several stu-

SHOW OF GRIT AND PERSEVERANCE scored 56%. “Now, I just want to bu-
ild a business and a life of my own,”
he said.
dents from Kolkata reaped the re- Just a day after his science ex-
sults of true perseverance. Some of
OSH SARA HA GUPT KIT MAITY STAV NAT DH MANC am, Kaustav Nath, a Class 10 stu-
these students — both from CBSE
class 10 and 12 — battled cancer, UT NE AN AU AR
dent at Indus Valley World School,
was rushed to hospital with abdo-
A
NG

H
S

HI
H
K
ASH

chronic illness, disability, and trau- minal sepsis that required an endo-
SIDD

RAJ
I

ma, to pass the boards with flying scopy, biopsy, and multiple saline
colours, and pride. insertions in both hands and legs.
U
Ashutosh Sarangi, a Class 12 He remained hospitalised for four
science student from Indus Valley days, unable to access any digital
School, was undergoing treatment device. A former state-level table
tennis player, Kaustav went on to

AGAINST
score 85.4% in his CBSE board ex-
ams. “Whenever I felt even a little
better, I studied. Our principal,
SCORE | 78.4% SCORE | 76% SCORE | 56% SCORE | 85.4% SCORE | 90%
ALL ODDS A Class 12 science student from Class 10 student from Delhi Commerce student from Indus A Class 10 student at Indus A commerce student at Indus
Reshma Bhattacharya, the coordi-
nator, and the faculty helped me
through every step,” he said. He al-
for lymphoma during Class 11. Indus Valley School Public School, Howrah Valley World School Valley World School Valley World School so appeared for his SST exam just a
“There were days when I just co- Was undergoing treatment for A freak accident just before her Struggled with severe asthma Was rushed to hospital with Has dysgraphia and day after being discharged.
uldn’t sit for long hours at a stretch lymphoma during Class 11 maths exam landed her on bed and multiple allergies, which left abdominal sepsis that required microcephaly Siddhardh Manchiraju, a com-
— the fatigue and side effects from rest with stitches him hospitalised during exams endoscopy, biopsy, and saline merce student at Indus Valley
treatment made even revising a World School, has dysgraphia and
challenge,” he shared. Despite mis- There were days when I It was hard to breathe, It was never easy to microcephaly. “It was never easy to
sing classes and dropping out of co- just couldn’t sit for long I was in pain and still and even harder to step Whenever I felt even a keep up but I pushed keep up but I pushed myself every
aching mid-year, Ashutosh mana- hours at a stretch had two papers left out for school little better, I studied myself every day day. My teachers, parents, and spe-
ged to score 78.4% and now hopes to cial educator were always there for
pursue a BTech in cybersecurity. her maths exam landed her on bed two papers left — AI and science,” the exams. She scored 76%. and multiple allergies, which left Mentally drained and detached me,” he said. Scoring 90% in his bo-
For Sneha Gupta, a Class 10 stu- rest with stitches. “The glass slab she recalled. Her school arranged Ankit Maity, a commerce stu- him hospitalised during exams. “It from studies, Ankit took a drop ye- ards, Siddhardh proved that with
dent from Delhi Public School, Ho- shattered and I ended up with three for a wheelchair and ensured all the dent from Indus Valley World Scho- was hard to breathe, and even har- ar. With renewed determination consistency, courage, and support,
wrah, a freak accident just before stitches. I was in pain and still had support she needed while taking ol, struggled with severe asthma der to step out for school,” he said. and support from his teachers and no dream is too far.

Two weeks after fire, fruit trucks, Mob attacks

hosp over bill
Traders’ rehab on Teen with
cerebral palsy
cards, Lansdowne Mkt
illegal eateries block Rituraj lane Kolkata: A group of 30-35 peo-
ple, representing a 76-year-old
patient Tamal Das, allegedly
vandalised a private hospitalin
revamp may take off
undergoes rare
epilepsy op
Zeeshan.Jawed
ACTION TAKEN SO FAR
Purba Jadavpur and reported- Kolkata: A boy with cerebral
@timesofindia.com Biplab Bhattacharjee ly assaulted medical staff follo- [email protected] sent had become crucial to palsy, Minhaz Hussain (15),
wing a dispute over unpaid the project, said an official. who suffered recurrent bouts
Kolkata: Two weeks after the 4 persons, including one of the owners, bills on Monday. When asked Kolkata: The modernisa- Ateam from the KMC he- of seizures for years, under-
blaze at Rituraj Hotel, which have been arrested in the Rituraj Hotel to settle the bill for his father, tion of Lansdowne Market, adquarters will visit Lans- went a rare surgery at CMRI,
killed 14 people, little seems to fire case Tanumoy Das started an argu- which has been stuck for ne- downe Market on Wednes- the third such procedure in the
have changed in the fire-pro- A team of fire dept officials, KMC officials, ment and allegedly gathered a arly two decades, may final- day for a survey. An official eastern region. Earlier anti--
ne neighbourhoods of Mech- and cops visited several markets, like Bagree crowd. According to hospital ly see the light of the day wi- said the civic body aimed at epilepsy therapy failed to bet-
hua and Burrabazar. Despite Market and E Mall representative Sonali Mukher- th the KMC preparing to of- starting the redevelopment ter his state, but Vagus Nerve
promises of crackdowns and jee, the mob hurled flowerpots fer rehabilitation to a secti- project in the next two-three Stimulation had lowered sei-
CP Manoj Verma checked preparedness at
a flurry of inspections, the and helmets at staff members, on of traders and proceed months. The developer has zure frequencies, said a doctor.
ground reality remains un- several shopping plazas and hotels causing injuries and damage to with the redevelopment. been given 18 months to fi-
changed: congested lanes, Fire dept carried out drills on some property. A police case was re- A KMC team, compri- nish building a portion of
rampant encroachment, ille- premises in Burrabazar gistered. “No arrest was made the new project, where tra-
gal eateries, and disregard for Fruit vendors and trucks have taken over as of Tuesday evening. The ders can be shifted.
Cops have conducted meetings with the lane in front of Rituraj Hotel
fire safety norms. market associations and sought reports on probe is on,” said an officer. TNN KMC has signed a pub-
A visit to Mechhua revea- their fire safety preparedness accessed during fire incidents lic-private partnership deal
led fruit-laden trucks parked
inside the narrow lanes, lea- Fire dept has advised market committees KMC has carried out checks to ascertain if `2.7cr heist: with a firm for the redeve-

to have windows that can be opened on windows have been sealed and open spaces INSPECTION
ving no space for vehicles to
pass — let alone fire engines. staircase landings blocked without permission `71.9L recovered TODAY
Fruit wholesalers and retai- KMC has instructed occupants of buildings Fire dept has written to decongest fire-
lers continue to occupy the ro- to keep terraces open so they can be prone zones in the central business district Kolkata: After fresh rounds lopment of Lansdowne Mar-
ads, making the area a logisti- of seizures, police have recove- The market will be housed in ket. The new market will co-
cal nightmare. Another alar- up a canopy of plastic sheets m from Rituraj Hotel, at 22, most other buildings here, ter- red Rs 71.9 lakh out of the Rs 2.7 an eight-storey building me up in an eight-storey bu-
ming aspect is the sight of and taken over the road. Lor- Madan Mohan Burman Stre- races are either locked or used crore that was robbed in a taxi ilding, to be constructed on a
small eateries cooking on ries have been parked in et, fruit packaging boxes are to store commercial goods,” heist at the Phillips crossing in sing MMiCs Amiruddin 2.5-bigha plot. Three-hund-
open flames on the pavement. front,” said a local. While stacked floor-to-ceiling in said a fire official. Entally on May 5. (Bobby), Debasish Kumar red and fifty stall owners wi-
“The fire at Rituraj shook KMC sent notices to rooftop common passages. “The sto- A team of cops, fire offici- The latest recoveries, made and Sandipan Bakshi, on ll be lodged the first two flo-
us but we are back to business restaurants and bars across rage of paint in a residential als, and KMC personnel did from Subhasgram and Mathu- Tuesday afternoon met the ors and the rest of the space Minhaz Hussain with his parents
as usual. We have no other the city after the fire, action building is dangerous from carry out checks at Bagree rapur, followed the arrest of a traders at the civic headqu- will be leased out to traders
choice. The enforcement is around the disaster site itself the fire-safety point of view. Market, AV Hotel, and E Mall 21-year-old youth, the sixth to arters and chalked out a re- to set up stalls. “The redevel- Consultant neurosurgeon
patchy, and the administra- has been underwhelming. Il- We have raised complaints after the fire, and city police be rounded up in the case. Sk habilitation plan. The civic opment will be taken up in Rathijit Mitra and his team co-
tion neglects the business legal commercial activity with the local administration, commissioner Manoj Verma Amir Uddin, alias Gujjar, app- market department will ha- phases. In the first phase, nducted the procedure. “We
hub,” said Rajesh Poddar, a continues unchecked inside but nobody seems to be bothe- visited several establish- rehended from Jeliapara in So- ve to shift 131 traders to start the developer will accom- implanted an electrode on the
wholesaler of dates and dry residential buildings — a key red,” said Priyanka Lala, a re- ments, but enforcement appe- uth 24 Parganas, reportedly the construction work but modate the existing stall ow- left vagus nerve in the neck and
fruits who has a stall a few concern that contributed to sident of the building. ars to have lost momentum. told police he had boarded the nine of the shop owners had ners. Then the PPP partner linked it to a pulse generator, pl-
metres from Rituraj Hotel. the Rituraj tragedy. Even escape routes, which “We’ve issued warnings and taxi to carry out the robbery. refused to move out without will complete the rest of the aced under the skin near the
The road in front of Rituraj At 234, Mahatma Gandhi saved lives at Rituraj Hotel, advised corrective measures. The incident occurred a concrete rehabilitation of- building,” said a market offi- collarbone. It sends electrical
Hotel, cordoned off by cops, Road, a godown stocking in- are often obstructed in this ne- But unless there is political when two men were travelling fer. The Tuesday meeting fo- cial. He added that the new impulses to the brain to help co-
has been opened and has alre- flammable paints operates ighbourhood. “Many resi- will and sustained pressure, by a taxi to the Park Circus cused a lot on the shifting, project would be similar to ntrol seizures,” said Mitra. The
ady been encroached upon. from the second floor of a resi- dents could escape via the ter- compliance will remain low,” branch of SBI to deposit Rs 2.7 including of the nine tra- Lake Mall, another PPP pro- earlier VNS cases were held at
“Fruit vendors have put dential structure. Barely 200 race during the fire. But in a fire official said. crore there. TNN ders in question, whose con- ject of the civic body. INK. —Sumati Yengkhom
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sushrita.palit T: 05-13-2025 23:40

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 TIMES CITY 7

Sr citizen, dog die after being

hit by e-rickshaw in Salt Lake Pics: Mayukh Sengupta

Cops Yet To
Nab Accused,
Seize Vehicle
Tamaghna.Banerjee
@timesofindia.com

Kolkata:A 72-year-old Salt La-

ke resident, Sikha Dutta, who
was hit by an e-rickshaw while Sikha Dutta was walking her dog at Salt Lake BL Block when the accident took place
walking her dog outside her
home at BL Block on May 1, been able to nab the accused as rib fracture that deteriorated account.
succumbed to her injuries on these vehicles don’t have a re- her condition. Following her Cops said they are also try-
Sunday night. The dog, a spitz, gistration number. death, Dey lodged a police ing to retrieve CCTV footage
also died. “I was resting at home complaint at Bidhannagar from another house in BL
Dutta, a resident of BL 97 when the neighbours infor- East police station. block to confirm the identity
in Sector II, suffered severe in- med me that my mother had Probing the case, police of the e-rickshaw driver. “We
juries and had a punctured collapsed on the road after be- spoke to multiple residents are also speaking to the ricks-
lung due to a rib fracture after ing hit by a vehicle. She was when one of them – a security haw unions to know more abo-
she was hit by the speeding ve- bleeding from her mouth and guard of an adjacent building, ut the driver,” said the officer.
hicle outside her house when was unconscious. We admit- claimed he witnessed the acci- Speaking to TOI, Dey said
she stepped out for a walk aro- ted her to a local hospital. Ho- dent. “The woman had barely their home is right on the main
und 9.30 pm. The vehicle hit wever, after three days, her stepped out and was trying to road and that crossing the ro-
her and sped away from the condition worsened, and that cross the road when a speeding ad has become a hassle in re-
spot. Police have started a hunt is when we shifted her to anot- e-rickshaw hit her. The impact cent times. “The e-rickshaws
for the e-rickshaw driver, but her hospital in Salt Lake,” said flung her to the left have added to the trouble
despite the presence of an eye- Nainy Dey, Dutta’s daughter. side of the road. The dog also as the drivers seem to have
witness and scratchy CCTV fo- Dey said Dutta suffered a laid motionless,” said a cop no control over their speed,”
otage, cops said they haven’t punctured lung because of a while narrating the witness she said.

Worker dies in Three port vessels to Assault, harass

knife shop cuffs on two
explosion house floating restos in Bowbazar
Kolkata: A 40-year-old worker Ajanta.Chakraborty terest (EOIs) for the project. Kolkata: Three men assaulted
of a knife manufacturing unit @timesofindia.com The vessels, previously used and robbed a resident of Bow-
died on Tuesday afternoon, as residential quarters for bazar on Sunday after his wife
when a grinding wheel on Kolkata: Syama Prasad Mo- pilots during events like threatened to lodge a molesta-
which he was working, explo- okerjee Port, formerly Gangasagar Mela, had outli- tion complaint against them
ded at the workshop in Taltala, known as KoPT, will repur- ved their original utility. for harrassing her. The inci-
police officials said. pose three of its vessels — PL Rupsa and PL Gopal, dent occurred around 11 pm on
Shailendra Sharma was PL Rupsa, PL Hooghly, and measuring 32m and 19m in May 11 outside the victim’s re-
working at the shop on 1 Smith PL Gopal — to operate them length, 6m and 5m in width, sidence in Nabin Chand Boral
Lane also known as Tyre Lane, as floating heritage restau- and 3.8m and 2.2m in depth, Lane. The woman also claimed
when the stone grinding wheel rants. The initiative aims to can accommodate approxi- her gold chain had been snat-
exploded around 3:35 pm. Ra- foster river-based tourism mately 50-100 people. Both ched during the altercation.
jesh Kumar, a local shopkee- alongside cultural and vessels have about 1,000 sqft Muchipara cops have ar-
per said, “We found Sharma hospitality services. of floor area. rested two persons, Subhojit
severely injured. He was blee- A senior “They Dey and Raju Koley. The third
ding profusely from the upper KoPT official RIVER TOURISM will remain individual — Nayan — is ab-
portion of his body.” said: “The vessels will be re- in the river moored next to sconding. Cops said both the
Locals transported Shar- purposed as heritage and shore or jetty and will be complainant and the accused
ma to the nearest hospital, but commercial platforms. We self-propelled with their belong to rival factions of a po-
he was pronounced dead on ar- invite established restau- own power, featuring crafts litical party. “The attack appe-
rival. The exact cause of death rant owners, cafe chains, exhibition space, restau- ars to be connected to an earli-
is not yet determined, said and food franchise opera- rant, a small assembly (for er incident where the suspects
cops, stating prima facie it se- tors to set up floating restau- banquet purpose) and so on. allegedly harassed the victim’s
ems like a case of accidental rants or themed Basic structures will not be wife when she was returning
death. “We are taking all ne- hospitality spaces on the altered,” the official said. In from the market,” claimed the
cessary steps to investigate the Hooghly to create a cultural- 2022, PS Bhopal, a training complaint letter. “The woman
circumstances that led to this ly enriched and visually vessel, was launched with a wanted to file a complaint, thus
incident,” said inspector Amit striking identity for their similar approach. It now leading to the attack,” said a
Roy of Taltala police station. brand.” SMP, Kolkata has hosts weddings, heritage to- police officer.
— Dwaipayan Ghosh called for expressions of in- urs, and corporate events. — Dwaipayan Ghosh
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 02:05

TIMES NATION * THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

FS VIKRAM MISRI TO BRIEF THAROOR-LED HOUSE PINARAYI-LED KERALA GOVT TO TAKE LEGAL PATH
PANEL ON INDIA-PAKISTAN SITUATION ON MAY 19 TO SECURE `1,500CR FUNDS WITHHELD BY CENTRE

Ghost litigant, mystery lawyers Murshidabad

violence: SC
HC disposes of Moitra plea
and fake deal take SC for a ride dismisses PIL after Dubey removes post
for SIT probe TIMES NEWS NETWORK contended Moitra’s comment
provoked the BJP neta by us-
Court Withdraws yer to represent him before
SC. It also came to light that
it and the order sheet of that
day mentioned the names of
obtained by means of fraud,
deception and calculated sup-
New Delhi: Supreme Co-
urt on Tuesday refused to
New Delhi: Delhi High Court
has closed a defamation case
ing derogatory words and
phrases with innuendos.
Order Passed In the lawyer who allegedly rep-
resented the fake party does
four advocates who had ap-
peared for the alleged fake re-
pression of truth and it should
be recalled forthwith.
hear a plea seeking a probe
by a retired judge-led SIT
after being informed that BJP
MP Nishikant Dubey has re-
Moitra’s counsel, howev-
er, pointed out that the objec-
Dec, Directs Probe not practice law any more
and he was even not
spondent, including advocate-
on-record (AOR) J M
During the hearing, a law-
yer appearing for AOR Khan-
into the Murshidabad vio-
lence. A bench of justices
moved an allegedly defamato-
ry social media post against
tionable word used in the
comment or any part of the
AmitAnand.Choudhary aware of the case. Khanna and his daugh- na told the court that he is Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra. plaintiff ’s post on her social
@timesofindia.com Facing the tricky ter Shefali Khanna. In now 80 years old and he had Singh, however, granted li- Justice Manmeet Pritam The HC disposed of Mahua media handles did not relate
situation of who had this case, a caveat was fil- not been practising law for berty to petitioner Satish Singh Arora disposed of Moitra’s plea after Nishikant to Dubey. The court took her
New Delhi: A litigant man- appeared before the ed by the fake respon- the last few years and ex- Kumar Aggarwal to appro- Moitra’s interim plea after Dubey said his allegedly statement on record and said
aged to get a favourable order court on that day and dent due to which notice pressed surprise how his ach the HC and said he co- Dubey’s counsel said the con- defamatory post on Facebook had she was bound to the same.
from Supreme Court after he who had placed the was not issued by the name cropped up in the case. uld file his petition online. tentious Facebook post had been deleted. Advocate Jai Anant The fresh plea was filed by
propped up a “ghost” oppo- ‘settlement agreement’ that court which would have been His daughter also told the Justice Kant told advoca- been deleted. Dehadrai, who also made a post Moitra in her pending defa-
nent who told the court that led to passing of the order, a served on the real respondent bench that she also did not ap- te Barun Kumar Sinha, ap- Advocate Jai Anant Deha- against Moitra, appeared before mation case against Dubey
he had compromised with the bench of Justices P S Nara- and he would have come to pear in the case on that day. pearing for the petitioner: drai, who also made a post the court and assured its removal and Dehadrai in 2023 over
petitioner in a land dispute, simha and Joymalya Bagchi know about the pending case. “The petitioner has not on- “This practice of filing the against Moitra on social from his X handle false and defamatory allega-
which became the basis for directed its registry to hold The real respondent, who ly acted in violation of legal petitions directly in the Su- media, appeared before the tions against her of demand-
SC for quashing orders an inquiry and file a report is based in Muzaffarpur in Bi- and ethical norms but has also preme Court cannot be allo- court and assured its removal order passed last week. ing a bribe for asking ques-
passed by a Muzaffarpur trial within three weeks. Making har, came to know about the committed a fraud upon this wed. It is like demeaning the from his X handle. “In light of Moitra claimed to be ag- tions in Parliament. Dubey ac-
court and Patna HC against it clear that the court cannot SC’s verdict when his son-in- court, which, if not rectified, high courts. Unless two or the fact that defendant 1 grieved by Dubey’s post on cused Moitra of taking bribes
the litigant in the matter. be taken for a ride, the bench law stumbled upon it on the SC will embolden such mala fide more states are involved, we [Nishikant Dubey] already Facebook and a tweet by De- from businessman and Hira-
Five months later, the real said that it would order lodg- website and he rushed to the litigants to continue their de- will not entertain the peti- removed another post from hadrai on X with the screen- nandani Group CEO Darshan
opponent appeared and told ing of an FIR, if needed. apex court. Advocates Gya- ceitful practices,” the respon- tions under Article 32.” Facebook and that defendant shot of Dubey’s post. Hiranandani for asking ques-
the court that he had neither SC had in Dec passed the or- nendra Singh and Abhisek dent said. Allowing his plea, Sinha claimed a threat 2 [Jai Anant Dehadrai] under- The content was related to tions in Parliament.
compromised with the pet- der after the ‘compromise Rai, appearing for him, told the bench withdrew its Dec or- to the petitioner’s life if he took to remove the impugned a CBI case involving Moitra Citing a letter he received
itioner nor engaged any law- agreement’ was placed before the bench that the order was der and ordered a probe. approached the HC. He sub- post from X, the relief sought with the Lokpal of India. Du- from advocate Dehadrai, Du-
mitted that lawyers filing in this application does not bey’s counsel said the post bey said the latter shared
cases on other incidents of survive for consideration. was based on a judgment of with him “irrefutable” evi-
Pak-born woman
moves HC over
11 Muzaffarnagar riots accused violence in the state were
booked under false cases by
police, who were allegedly
colluding with the perpet-
The application is hereby dis-
posed of,” the HC noted in an
Lokpal on his complaint
against Moitra. His counsel
dence of bribes allegedly be-
ing paid to the TMC MP.

forgery charges
Bareilly: A Pakistan-born
acquitted for lack of evidence rators. The bench said if
the petitioner feared for his
life, then he could file a peti-
2 sex abuse survivors Blasts rock
woman, accused of securi- [email protected] of people entered my house recently. We will study the or- tion virtually and directed Patna college,
ng a teaching post in Uttar
Pradesh using forged docu-
ments, approached Allaha-
Agra: Citing lack of evidence
and witnesses turning hos-
and looted gold jewellery and
Rs 1.8 lakh in cash, and set my
house on fire. My family and I
der and then decide our
course of action.”
Several riot-related cases
the HC registrar general to
facilitate the process. PTI refuse med test by student injured
bad HC from an undisclosed
location seeking protection
from arrest.
tile, a court in Muzaffarnagar
acquitted 11 accused in a case
of looting and arson during
somehow managed to escape
and took refuge at a relative’s
house in Shamli.”
have since resulted in acquit-
tals for lack of evidence and
witnesses turning hostile.
Pet rottweiler male docs at UP hosp Faryal.Rumi
@timesofindia.com

Shumaila Khan, 43, re- the 2013 riots that left 62 dead The total number of pending kills 4-mth-old Keshav Agarwal TNN Despite the Patna: A violent altercation
mained absconding since and over 50,000 homeless. WITNESSES HOSTILE trials remains unclear due to presence of a between two student groups at
Jan, when police registered These 11 people, all resi- proceedings in various girl in Gujarat Pilibhit: Two sexual as-
female doctor on Patna’s B N College escalated
a case following a com- dents of Lisarh village in After Kamruddin filed the courts across Muzaffarnagar sault survivors, aged 25 and into mayhem on Tuesday
plaint by education offi- Shamli, were charged with complaint at Phugana police and Shamli districts. Ahmedabad: A pet rott- 26, brought in by police on duty, medico-legal when crude bombs were hur-
cials in Bareilly, reports looting and setting fire to the station, the SIT filed a charg- In April this year, a court weiler killed a four-month- Tuesday declined to under- procedure was led on campus, disrupting ex-
Kanwardeep Singh. house of one Kamruddin, esheet under multiple sec- in Muzaffarnagar acquitted old girl at a housing society go tests after learning that being handled by aminations and leaving a stu-
Police said she submit- who fled with his family and tions, including IPC section 16 men accused of murder in Ahmedabad late on only male doctors were avai- dent severely injured.
ted a fake domicile certifi- later took shelter in a refugee 436 (mischief by fire with in- during the 2013 communal Monday. The dog broke lable at the govt facility. two male doctors, The wounded student, Su-
cate from Rampur to be- camp, said defence lawyer Yo- tent to destroy a house) riots citing lack of evidence. free from its owner’s grasp A staffer at the hospital said a staffer jit Pandey, from Bhaluni
come eligible for the job. gendra Singh. against 11 people. Again, in Sept 2024, another and attacked the infant, said despite the presence of and other health matters”. Dham village in Rohtas dis-
Following a local probe, In his police complaint on District govt counsel Ra- court acquitted 10 murder ac- Rishika, pulling her from a female doctor on duty, the Taking serious note of trict, was rushed to Patna
officials suspended her in Sept 9, 2013, Kamruddin al- jeev Sharma said on Tuesday, cused saying there was insuf- her aunt’s arms. Though medico-legal procedure was the “case of negligence at MCH for treatment.
Oct 2024. leged: “On Sept 8, 2013, a group “The court order was passed ficient evidence. rushed to the hospital, the being handled by two male the hospital”, the DM has so- Chaos unfolded around
baby did not survive the doctors, prompting the sur- ught an explanation from 12.45pm while students were
brutal injuries. vivors to withhold consent. chief medical superinten- appearing for their Certified

Nine awarded ‘life in jail till death’ in Pollachi sexual assault case The society — Radhe
Residency near Hathijan
It also came to light that
the district women’s hospi-
dent Dr Rajesh Kumar and
instructed Pilibhit chief
Internal Auditor exam. Wit-
nesses said a sudden explo-
Circle — erupted in pro- tal has only one female doc- medical officer Dr Alok Ku- sion rocked the corridor of
Coimbatore: A Mahila court hit out at each other over alias ‘Bike’ Babu, K Arulanan- between 2016 and 2018. A viral test, with residents bla- tor on “24-hour duty as per mar. CMO Kumar said, “I the examination block. Wit-
on Tuesday convicted and sen- women’s safety during their tham, T Haronimus Paul, and audio clip of a purported vic- ming the dog’s owner, Dilip the present roster” and two met the ASMC principal on hin minutes, a second bomb
tenced nine men to “life im- respective rules. Judge R M Arunkumar — all aged be- tim pleading with the men Patel, for ignoring repea- male doctors for medico-le- Tuesday regarding the duty was hurled — this time alle-
prisonment till death” in the Nandhini Devi, who pro- tween 30 and 39 — were then had led to widespread an- ted warnings. The canine gal procedures of assault roster of ASMC doctors in gedly striking a student after
Pollachi sexual assault case, nounced the quantum of pun- brought to the court from Sa- ger and anguish across state. was impounded on Tues- survivors. However, the di- compliance with the DM’s hitting the wall and the iron
six years after the incident ishment, ordered an overall lem central prison earlier in On Tuesday, all nine ac- day, and proceedings were rective issued by then UP instructions. I’m hopeful grill near the college gate.
came to light and sent shock- compensation of Rs 85 lakh to the day amid tight security. cused were charged with Sec- initiated against Patel. chief secretary dated Dec 6, that the desired procedure Soon after the blasts, stu-
waves over the audacity of the the eight women victims. The nine men were ac- tions 376 D (gang rape) and 376 Rishika’s uncle, Raju 2022 says all female doctors will be implemented soon.” dents blocked Ashok Rajpath
perpetrators that had prompt- The nine accused — Rish- cused of criminal conspiracy, (2) (n) (repeated rape on the Dabhi, told police this was at autonomous state medi- A 5-year-old girl who had road. The protesters alleged
ed widespread calls for justice wanth alias N Sabarirajan, K sexual harassment, rape, same woman) of the erstwhile the third or fourth time the cal colleges in 14 districts of been sexually assaulted was administrative apathy, clai-
to the victims. Thirunavukkarasu, M Sath- gang rape, and extortion, in IPC , convicted by the court dog acted aggressively. He the state “are supposed to recently made to wait for ming repeated inaction aga-
The court ruling saw ar- ish, T Vasanthakumar, R Ma- the series of incidents includ- and given “life imprisonment demanded strict punish- carry out duties related to over 10 hours for an exami- inst violent and disruptive
chrivals DMK and AIADMK nivannan alias Mani, P Babu ing blackmail that happened till death”. PTI ment for the owner. TNN medico-legal procedures nation at the same facility. elements on campus.

2 UP zoos, lion safari shut

after tigress dies of bird flu iStockphoto
TIMES NEWS NETWORK all zoos in UP to check the
spread of H5 avian influenza
Lucknow: Lucknow and Go- (bird flu). Chairing a high-level
rakhpur zoos and Etawah Li- meeting, Yogi said the safety of
on Safari were closed for a protected animals and birds in
week on Tuesday after a ti- zoos, bird sanctuaries, nation-
gress’ death was confirmed al parks, wetland areas and
due to bird flu. cow shelters must be treated as
Alarm over bird flu was CM Adityanath called for strict topmost priority.
raised after the death of ti- monitoring of all poultry farms in Yogi has ordered regular
gress Shakti at Gorakhpur zoo line with safety protocols and sanitisation of zoo premises
on May 7. Her viscera samples tight control over the movement and strict inspection of their
were sent to National Institute of poultry products food to prevent any contami-
of High Security Animal Dis- nation. The CM directed that
eases, Bhopal, which con- IVRI Bareilly are awaited. all zoo staff be fully informed
firmed on Tuesday that bird Meanwhile, a sick tiger about avian influenza and
flu was the cause of death. named Pataudi was recently equipped with PPE kits and
Lucknow zoo and Etawah Lion transferred to Kanpur zoo, other essential safety gear. He
Safari have been shut as a pre- raising concerns about poten- called for strict monitoring of
cautionary measure. tial spread of the virus there. all poultry farms in line with
A female wolf, Bhairavi, al- UP CM Yogi Adityanath on safety protocols and tight con-
so died at Gorakhpur zoo and Tuesday directed officials to trol over the movement of
the results of her sample from enforce maximum vigilance in poultry products.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 00:19

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 TIMES NATION 9

Mom’s last rites: No Woman gets life

for murdering
10 Trinamool
new husband netas get bail in
bail for arms accused Sudeep.Lavania
@timesofindia.com
EC protest case
Court: Must Be Rejecting the plea of
Mustafa alias Sayed Bademi-
The judge noted that the
argument of the accused
Agra: A court in Agra senten-
ced a woman, Rubina Ali, to li-
TIMES NEWS NETWORK The judge said
that the charge
ya Mehmoodmiya (55), the that none of these arms and fe in jail for poisoning her hus- New Delhi: A Delhi court
Emotional For judge also noted that the ca-
che of arms and ammuni-
ammunition were recovered
and seized from his actual
band, Nirmal Singh, 45, to de-
ath three days after their wed-
on Tuesday granted bail to
10 Trinamool Congress
sheet was filed
without making
‘Motherland’ tion recovered in the case
was horrifying. “Such huge
physical possession was ac-
ceptable to some extent.
ding and fleeing with all the
household valuables in 2016.
members, including MPs
Derek O’Brien, Sagarika
any arrests
Rebecca.Samervel arms and ammunition are “This accused is alleged to On May 24 that year, Ghose and Saket Gokhale, Vivek Gupta, Arpita
@timesofindia.com not at all the articles which have facilitated the procure- Singh's 16-year-old son, Bha- who were booked for pro- Ghosh, Abir Ranjan Bis-
any common man would ke- ment, transportation, pos- rat Solanki, from an earlier testing outside the Elec- was and Sudip Raha. Bar-
Mumbai: Rejecting the bail ep with him,” the judge said. session, and concealment of marriage, found his father ly- tion Commission of India ring Gupta, who attended
plea of the 2006 Aurangabad It was the prosecution's such arms, ammunition, ing unconscious on his bed in April last year, violating the proceedings virtually,
arms haul case accused to at- case that a cache and explosive sub- and Rubina (then 35) missing prohibitory orders. all others were physically
tend the death rituals of his of 43 kg of RDX, 10 stances,” the jud- from home. Singh, a software The court of additional present in court.
mother, a special court said AK-47 assault ri- ge said. engineer, was declared dead chief judicial magistrate According to Delhi Poli-
that if the accused becomes fles, 3,200 live car- The judge also by doctors. Neha Mittal observed that ce, on April 8 last year, the
emotional over the sad demi- tridges, and 50 noted that before An FIR was registered aga- the charge sheet was filed TMC members gathered
se of his mother, one must be hand grenades we- he was arrested in inst Rubina under IPC sec- without making any ar- outside the main gate of
equally emotional for ‘Mada- re sourced from Pakistan 2007, he frequently changed tions 302 (murder) and 328 rests, and granted bail to fi- ECI office and started pro-
re Vatan’ (the motherland). and were intended for at- his addresses and ultimately, (causing hurt using poison). ve sitting MPs on a perso- testing, holding placards
“In this case, huge arms, tacks on then Gujarat CM using high technical support Police investigation revea- nal bond of Rs 10,000 each. and banners, despite CrPC
ammunition, and explosive Narendra Modi and Vishwa and a network of secret in- led that Singh married Rubi- The others were given section 144 being in place,
substances were recovered. Hindu Parishad leader Pra- formers, he was arrested na on May 21, 2016, in Uttarak- bail on a personal bond of and refused to disperse
The safety and security of vin Togadia to avenge the from Hyderabad. hand, and the couple reached Rs 10,000 each with an addi- despite warnings.
the nation must be of utmost 2002 Gujarat riots. The accu- In his plea, the accused their Agra home the next day. tional surety of the same The TMC netas were
importance for everyone. sed worked to strike terror submitted that he was arres- It was Singh's second marria- amount. protesting against central
The facts and circumstances by carrying out jihad, it was ted in 2007. On April 22, his ge after a separation from his The court scheduled the probe agencies CBI, NIA,
in this case, in my humble alleged. The arms and am- mother died. Her burial was first wife. On the night of May next hearing for May 21. ED and the Income Tax de-
opinion, do not at all make munition were intercepted conducted on the same day 23, Rubina served Singh milk The other TMC mem- partment, accusing them
the accused entitled to be re- by the state ATS after a chase in his absence. Now, the laced with poison. Rubina was bers who were granted reli- of targeting opposition
leased even on temporary ba- on a highway near Auranga- post-burial rituals are to be arrested from US Nagar on ef included Santanu Sen, parties at the behest of
il,” the judge said. bad following a tip-off. performed. June 31, 2016. Dola Sen, Nadimul Haque, BJP-led central govt.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 02:00

10 TIMES NATION * THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Public trust has to be Reducing pendency need of hour: Accused got methanol
Gavai ahead of taking charge as CJI from online platform
earned: Justice Khanna Continued from P 1 hour. Augmentation of judi-
cial infrastructure and facili-
 Continued from P 1 Most of the victims and those
battling for life after consu-

I D
Dhananjay.Mahapatra B R Gavai as his colleague on nteracting with TOI after ties for litigants, especially in GP Gaurav Yadav said ming this hooch are daily-wa-
@timesofindia.com the ceremonial bench, Justice visiting the Shanti Stupa district and taluk level alleged kingpin Sahib ge and industrial workers
Khanna said, “The country is in Delhi on the occasion of courts, will be given priority Singh procured metha- from Marari Kalan, Bhangali
New Delhi: When Justice getting an excellent CJI who Buddha Purnima, the CJI- during my tenure,” Justice nol from a Ludhiana compa- Kalan, Threawal, Patalpuri,
Sanjiv Khanna became CJI in is going to uphold fundamen- designate said that B R Am- Gavai said. During his ten- ny through an online plat- Talwandi Khumman, Karna-
Nov last year, many thought it tal rights, rule of law and ba- bedkar’s belief in the princi- ure, the collegium led by him form and another consign- la and Bhangwan villages.
was poetic justice 50 years af- sic doctrines of the Constitu- ples of liberty, equality and Justice B R Gavai will be the first will have the opportunity to ment from a Delhi-based “No matter how big and
ter his uncle Justice H R tion.” He attributed his up- fraternity remains eternally Buddhist and the second Dalit to fill five vacancies that will firm. Methanol suppliers influential the leader or the
Khanna, through a historical Outgoing CJI Khanna said he would bringing and values to his essential for India’s democra- take oath as Chief Justice of India arise in the SC. Pankaj Kumar, alias Sahil, police officer is, no one will be
political blunder in 1977, was not accept any post-retirement job grandfather Sarav Dayal, cy and unity. “Justice must be He will be the first Budd- and Arvind Kumar, who co- spared who sells poison in the
denied the top post for his cou- but would not give up law who was an advocate. In an in- equitable irrespective of a come part of his decision- hist CJI and second Dalit, af- own Sahil Chemicals at Sukh name of alcohol,” CM Bhag-
rageous dissent in support of formal meeting with SC re- person’s social or monetary making process over the ter CJI K G Balakrishnan, to Enclave in Ludhiana, were want Mann wrote on X, also
fundamental rights during residence. He uploaded vid- porters, CJI Khanna said he status,” he said. Legal aid to years. “We will attempt to get head the judiciary in the 75- arrested along with local dis- announcing Rs 10 lakh as
Emergency even though four eos and the Delhi HC CJ’s re- won’t accept any post-retire- the poor is dear to his heart. women judges and give repre- year history of SC. He will tributors Prabhjit Singh and compensation to the kin of
of his cowering colleagues ports on the incident on the ment job but he would not give He wants the National Le- sentation to diverse commu- take oath as the 52nd CJI on Kulbir Singh, and liquor reta- each of the deceased.
caved in to govt’s brute power. SC website, leaving little to up law. gal Services Authority and nities in constitutional Wednesday. the man who in- ilers Ninder Kaur, Sahib Opposition parties de-
Justice Khanna’s tenure as the imagination and winning CJI Khanna walked with- the Supreme Court Legal Aid courts without compromis- spired him with the ideals of Singh, Gurjant Singh, Arun manded that Mann and state
CJI was short but eventful kudos from the public for out security, both in judicial Committee to synchronise ing merit and suitability,” Ambedkar, his late politician and Sikander Singh. excise minister Harpal Singh
and challenging. meeting challenges head on. arena and Lodhi Garden. He their activities with state and Justice Gavai said. father R S Gavai’s prophetic Amritsar Rural SSP Ma- Cheema resign for the lapses.
What brought forth his On his last working day in inherited the legacy of fear- district level legal service au- “Timely justice is the ulti- words played on a loop in his ninder Singh said Prabhjit re- Amritsar DC Sakshi Sawh-
steely resolve to serve trans- the Supreme Court on Tues- lessness and fairness from his thorities to create synergy for mate goal,” he said. “Reduc- mind. He also reflected on his ceived methanol in a 50-litre ney said the administration
parency and call a spade a day, CJI Khanna said, “Public uncle, Justice H R Khanna making litigation affordable ing pendency at every level of educational journey that jerry can from Sahib and di- was informed of people ta-
spade was the discovery of a trust in judiciary cannot be who was denied CJI’s post be- and less tortuous for the poor. the three-tier justice delivery started from a municipal luted it in an unspecified vo- king ill on Monday. A medical
huge amount of cash at Delhi commanded. It has to be cause he stood by fundamen- Diversity and inclusivity is system through a long-term school in a semi-slum area of lume of liquor stock sold team was immediately dis-
HC judge Yashwant Varma’s earned.” With CJI-designate tal rights during Emergency. also a mantra that has be- strategy is the need of the Amravati in Maharashtra. through various outlets. patched to the affected areas.

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 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 01:42

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA *

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 TIMES NATION 11
Manipur guv
urged to At 95%, Class 10 HC reserves
judgment on
BJP neta files PIL in HC over hiring
of civic volunteers at Digha temple
girls have higher Sambhal plea Kolkata: BJP’s Kaustav Bag- vic volunteers in “sensitive”
suspend chi on Tuesday filed a PIL in religious sites without trai-
Prayagraj: Allahabad High Calcutta HC seeking quas- ned law enforcement person-
delimitation Court on Tuesday reserved its hing of a recruitment notice nel posed a risk to public

pass percentage
judgment on the revision pet- for 100 civic volunteers to ma- safety. The petition also said
Imphal: Fifteen political ition filed by Shahi Jama Mas- nage duties at Jagannath recruitment was limited to
parties in Manipur have jid in UP’s Sambhal, challeng- Dham Temple Complex at candidates from Digha and
called for an immediate sus- ing a local court’s order for Digha, report Srishti Lak- its nearby areas, violating
pension of the delimitation  Continued from P 1 survey of the mosque, reports hotia and Subrata Chatto- Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the
exercise in the state, warn- Rajesh Kumar Pandey. raj. He claimed deploying ci- Constitution.

C
ing that reliance on outdat- BSE has reiterated Justice Rohit Ranjan
ed and flawed census data that it does not relea- Agarwal reserved the judg-
could trigger new unrest in se merit lists or divi- ment after the arguments
a region still reeling from sions in its board exam re- were completed by the coun-
ethnic violence, reports sults to prevent unhealthy sels for the masjid committee
Ngathingkhui Jagoi. competition among stu- as well as the Archeological
Politicians cutting dents. “As per a prior deci- Nearly two lakh students Survey of India (ASI), and
across party lines displayed sion by the board, no merit scored above 90% in 2025 Hari Shanker Jain, the plain-
rare unity and submitted a list is prepared or declared. tiff in the suit. On May 5, the
joint memorandum Mon- Additionally, the board do- 93.66% this year. Girls this ASI had filed its counter affi-
day to governor Ajay Ku- es not categorise students year again outshone boys davit in the matter.
mar Bhalla, who assured into first, second, or third in Class 10, achieving a pass
them he would convey their divisions,” said CBSE ex- percentage of 95%, up from
concerns to Centre. amination controller Sany- 94.75% in 2024. Boys recor-
Parties involved in the am Bhardwaj. ded 92.63%, slightly lower
appeal included National However, the board will than their 92.71% perfor-
People’s Party (NPP), JD award merit certificates to mance last year.
(U), CPM, AAP, NCP, BSP, the top 0.1% of students Nearly two lakh stu-
RPI (Athawale), Shiv Sena who achieve the highest dents scored above 90% in
(both factions), TMC, For- marks in each subject. The- 2025. Of them, 45,516 stu-
ward Bloc, RSP, and Mani- se certificates will be acces- dents, or 1.9%, scored above
pur People’s Party. The del- sible through the students’ 95%. This year, 23.9 lakh
egation, led by former dep- DigiLocker accounts, students registered for
uty CM Yumnam Joykumar Bhardwaj added. Class X exams and 23.7 lakh
of NPP, said using 2001 cen- In the Class 10 results appeared, of whom 22.2
sus to redraw electoral announced by CBSE, there lakh were successful. In
boundaries would distort was a marginal improve- 2024, 22.4 lakh students sat
political representation ment of 0.06% in the pass for the exams and nearly 21
and inflame divisions. rate from 93.6% in 2024 to lakh passed.

EC: 20-yr-old legacy issue of

duplicate EPIC nos. resolved
Debashis.Konar different EROs in such cases “The genesis... was traced
@timesofindia.com since 2005. To resolve this back to 2005 when various
long-pending problem, the en- states/UTs were using as-
Kolkata: Election Commis- tire electoral database of over sembly constituency-wise
sion, in a statement on Tues- 99 crore electors was sear- different alphanumeric seri-
day, said it had resolved a le- ched by CEOs of all the 36 sta- es in a decentralised manner.
gacy issue since 2005 of mul- tes/UTs and EROs of all the These series had to be chang-
tiple people based in diffe- 4,123 assembly constituencies ed again in 2008 after delimi-
rent states having the same across India in all the 10.5 lakh tation of constituencies. Du-
EPIC number. Those with polling stations. On an avera- ring this period, some ACs er-
such cards were issued fresh ge, there are about 1,000 elec- roneously continued to use
ones with new numbers, the tors per polling station. The either the old series or, becau-
poll panel said. se of typographic errors,
This issue was flagged by ‘NO MALPRACTICE’ they used the series allotted
CM Mamata Banerjee and to some other constituenci-
Trinamool Congress, citing number of similar EPIC es,” the panel said.
cases where people from Ha- numbers found was minuscu- EC, however, denied cla-
ryana, Rajasthan and Guja- le, averaging around one in fo- ims that this could have led to
rat shared the same EPIC ur polling stations.” malpractices. “Every voter’s
numbers as Bengal voters. The commission said name is in the electoral roll of
EC, in a press release, sa- that “during field-level veri- the polling station where he/
id: “In its effort to sanitise the fication, it was found that she is an ordinary resident.
electoral rolls and keep them holders of such similar Having an EPIC of a similar
updated, EC resolved a nearly EPIC numbers were genui- number never enabled any
20-year-old legacy issue of si- ne electors in... different such person to vote at any
milar EPIC numbers, which polling stations”. All such other polling station. Thus,
were erroneously issued to electors have since been is- the issue of a similar EPIC co-
genuine electors just because sued new EPIC cards with uld not have impacted the re-
similar series were used by new numbers, it added. sults of any elections,” it said.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: bimal.kansabanik T: 05-13-2025 22:01

12 THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: protik.chowdhury T: 05-13-2025 22:10

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | Kolkata

How You Can Make The Most of Personal Development Plans

By Raj Bowen good news. Let’s look at the most signifi- computing land in some mysterious files has become fashionable to fective guidance must take at understanding the emerg-
Now the bad news. Histor- cant derailers first: ability to de- somewhere, never visited merge both, making a sub-op- into account the level of diffi- ing complexities of our busi-

D
uring the April to June ically, most so-called feed- code. These again and the next year, the timal mess of both. The for- culty, personal and team im- ness, faster’ makes far more
quarter and often way back has ranged from out- Lack of top leader sponsor- are usually circus starts again. mer is about business out- pact, business implications, sense. ‘Becoming a more em-
into the rest of the year, right dismissal and passive ship: Sponsorship involves adapted from Here’s a practical ap- comes; the latter is about per- the time frame for results, pathetic and authentic peo-
most organisations get into a indifference to harsh cyni- the leaders taking account- obsolete, aca- proach to ensure this exer- sonal change. and the nature of those out- ple leader’ will go nowhere.
frenzy of firming up develop- cism — all of which reflect ability to get the stated out- demic book cise delivers meaningful val- 2. Communicating the comes. A sensible objective ‘Make it a habit to take a keen
ment plans for employees. The mere compliance, less genu- comes happening. This mess- models and serve little ue to both employees and the message that less is more: It is must spell out a change in be- interest in and getting to
title goes by various acronyms ine commitment. Only in a age cannot be delegated. purpose. organisation. totally fine for employees to haviour, not just list desir- know the people I work with’,
but the intention, in most small percentage of compa- Separation of the KRA focus on one or two areas to able qualities. makes much better sense.
cases, is usually genuine — nies, the process blends well Fascination for complexity: Lack of clear follow- (key responsibility area) doc- start with. Long lists are out. 4. Kill jargon: ‘Develop my
that we can all improve if we into true benefits for the indi- Some development planning through plans: Often, the ument from the personal 3. Helping employees se- strategic visioning’ is ab- (The writer is an executive
make right efforts. That’s the vidual as well as the firm. forms would need AI level year’s development plans growth document is key. It lect the right objectives: Ef- surd. ‘I need to become better coach & leadership adviser)
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: bimal.kansabanik T: 05-13-2025 21:59

14 THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 01:51

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA*

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 PAYBACK FOR PAHALGAM 15

Pak cradled terror, no ‘French def players willing to make in

escaping fallout: India India... not sure others ready to do so’
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Trump’s J&K claims French ambassador to India Thierry Mathou tells TOI editors at a recent roundtable how his country is looking to
New Delhi: India slammed
Pakistan again on Tuesday
‘dangerous’: Cong widen bilateral ties, expand trade, attract more students and tourists and double down on the defence partnership at
a time of deepening global uncertainty amid Trump’s tariff war and the conflict in Ukraine. Edited excerpts:
for supporting cross-border
terrorism, saying a nation
which had nurtured terror-
C alling US President Donald
Trump’s remarks about
brokering a ceasefire and
On India-France ties has been invaded — Ukraine. An offer
Strategic autonomy is the core prin- of peace has been put on the table and
ism on an industrial scale resolving the Kashmir issue
ciple of French diplomacy and it is also the US contributed to it. And Ukraine is
thinking that it could escape “dangerous”, Congress Tuesday
the case with India. We have the same Defence and eager for peace but not Russia.
the consequences was fool- said the Modi govt had lost security really is the
view on the Indo-Pacific. My president In order to have peace, everybody has
ing itself. Govt was respon- “moral courage and moral
ding to a statement by the Pa- MEA spokesperson Randhir authority” after the PM failed to
has always been very clear. We oppose core of our partnership... to come to the table, including Russia.
any kind of hegemon in the region. Coming to India, building in But that’s not the case. Most EU coun-
kistan foreign ministry Jaiswal addresses a press meet in refute or clarify the US leader’s
We realise that thanks to this strate- tries now realise they need to take their
which described PM Naren- New Delhi on Tuesday claims in his address to the
gic partnership, which celebrated its India and transfer of future into their own hands as far as
dra Modi’s address to the na- nation. The party also asked if technology. That’s the key
25th anniversary two years ago, our com- security and defence is concerned. I’m
tion as “inflammatory”. Front, an LeT proxy which Modi govt would set up a review
mon interest is really to work hand in sure that in a couple of years, when
“The terrorist infrastruc- claimed responsibility for Pa- on Pahalgam like the one the hand in different sectors. That’s why we peace is back in Ukraine, you will see a
ture sites that India de- halgam, as a terror group. Vajpayee govt undertook by adopted a new roadmap when PM Modi totally different Europe. Our dream, to
stroyed were responsible not As foreign secretary Vik- setting up a review committee visited France. Defence and security re- some extent, would be to have this stra-
only for the deaths of Indians ram Misri said last week, India after Kargil War. ally is the core of our partnership. We tegic autonomy at the European level,
but of many other innocents has provided information to Congress’s Ashok Gehlot just had good news about the Rafale (M) which is obviously not the case so far.
around the world. There is the 1267 sanctions committee said the country is confounded aircraft. In the coming months and
now a new normal. The soon- for its listing and will soon why the ceasefire was years, you will see more... Make in India Strategic autonomy and European unity
er Pakistan gets used to it, the share more details with the announced when the armed is a priority for India and all our big The need for unity and autonomy is
better,” MEA spokesperson monitoring team. The govt forces had an upper hand and stakeholders in the defence industry clearly shared by all EU members.
Randhir Jaiswal said. stressed that India will keep India could have debilitated want to play the game. That means com- Ukraine was a real trigger for all of us
The govt denied that there the Indus Water Treaty in Pakistan to the point that it ing to India, building in India and trans- to understand that we shouldn’t rely on
has been any India-Pakistan abeyance until Pakistan credi- would never have sponsored fer of technology. That’s the key. outsiders. Look at Germany. The deci-
hyphenation, going by the bly and irrevocably abjures its terror in future. He said people’s What we have done through a new sions they have taken are historic. Like
statements coming out of the support for cross-border ter- anger at the nature of the roadmap is to enlarge the relationship. the next chancellor’s decision to invest
US. On the contrary, the govt rorism. On Pakistani claims ceasefire is the reason why BJP We have three pillars. The first is defence massively in defence. The way Europe
said, there was widespread un- of having inflicted heavy dam- is taking out ‘Tiranga Yatras’. TNN and security. The second is what we call sees itself is changing. But obviously it
derstanding in the world that age upon Indian military facil- the partnership for the planet... issues approach to student mobility. Our in- US push for military sales to India will take some time.
Indian tourists were the vic- ities, the govt said satellite pic- “Till the night of May 9, Pakis- like climate change and biodiversity tention is not to attract hundreds of My answer to that is simple. When it
tims of terrorism in Pahalgam tures were available commer- tan was threatening India protection. The third pillar is, for me, thousands of students. We want to at- comes to transfer of technology, or re- On freedom of press in India
and that the epicentre of ter- cially and it was possible to with a massive assault. Once maybe the most challenging because it’s tract the best. And we want those stu- habilitation of the industrial sector, you Having a strategic partnership and
rorism was across the border look at the sites which Pakis- their attempt failed on May 10 the key to long-term (ties): people-to- dents to come back to India because won’t be able to find a better offer than very close relations with India means
in Pakistan. He said India tan claims to have attacked. morning and they received a people exchanges. Indian diaspora in we want our university partnership that from the French. Judge us from the that we talk of everything. On the
would continue to pursue the On who first sought an end devastating Indian counter-re- France is quite small compared to your and student mobility to be part of our past and from the present. And what you French journalist issue, a solution was
UN listing of The Resistance to the fighting, Jaiswal said: sponse, their tune changed.” diaspora in other countries. And one of strategic partnership. have seen so far is just the beginning of found. Both countries trust each other
the consequences is that the number of We have about 800 French companies a long journey. Our Indian partners trust and that is the core of the relationship.
students in France is also very small. in the country. They us. They know that our

BJP’s Tiranga Yatra Pak diplomat

found running
30,000 Indian students in France by 2030
Our president gave us a very ambi-
are already employ-
i n g m o re t h a n
500,000 Indians. So, DIPL MEET
industry is here to stay,
to invest, as I said, to pro-
duce, to make in India,
Easier Schengen visas for tourists
When you want to go to France as a
tourist, we do our best at the Embassy

to honour forces spy ring, expelled

tious target, to very rapidly have 30,000
Indian students (8,000 registered for 2023-
2024, 10,000 threshold expected to be
achieved this year). We have created a
we tell our Indian
students, well, try to learn French but,
if not, you go to France anyway to study
and after you graduate, you come back
to do transfer of technol-
ogy. I’m not sure that other stakeholders
would be ready to do the same.
of France in India to process the visa
application in 48 hours after we receive
the file. As France is part of Schengen
zone, we are also bound by Schengen

begins on Friday New Delhi: India on Tuesday

expelled a Pakistan high com-
mission staff member, declar-
mechanism for international classes
and signed agreements with 35 universi-
ties. And in those universities, we have
to your country because your country
needs you and you can help us develop
this strategic partnership. We don’t
On end-2025 deadline for India-EU FTA
In Europe, we have rules not to put
barriers in our market. As a matter of
rules. We really want to welcome more
Indian tourists, students, professionals.

RohitKhanna The way India responded by ing him persona non grata for specific classes only for Indians (classes want to facilitate any brain drain. fact, the European market is the most On India-China thaw
@timesofindia.com restoring the faith and hono- indulging in activities not in internationales). We haven’t done this open in the world. Well, I think it’s essential for these
ur of these women has sent a keeping with his official status for other countries. So, we take Indian Trump’s tariff war It means huge opportunities for In- two big giants in the world and in Asia
Kolkata: Bengal BJP will on strong message to the world. in India. According to sources, students at the end of high school, send Well, I think the new American ad- dian companies. But, at the same time, to find a way to fully normalise their
Friday hold a ‘Tiranga Yat- The PM has mentioned that the staffer had an important them to those classes for one year ministration has brought to the inter- we have rules which are there for every- relations. What I said about India being
ra’ in Kolkata, while the par- the war has not ended,” Ma- role to play in nurturing a spy (where) they will have intensive French national scene more volatility and un- body. Like for our own companies… a key for finding solutions to challenges
ty’s women’s wing will take jumdar said. ring that was busted by Punjab learning and, at the same time, start predictability. I would say that more protecting the environment, for exam- like global health, climate change is true
“the spirit of Operation Sin- BJP had earlier announ- Police in Amritsar last week. courses for the curriculum they would than ever the strategic partnership be- ple. It’s well known that we have a strong also for China. At some point, the two
door” to the streets, empha- ced the launch of the 11-day Govt said he had been like to follow. It means that after one tween France and India is the key. Stabil- interest in the agri business, in export- countries will have to find a way to not
sising the prominence of pan-India campaign to hono- asked to leave India within 24 year, there is no language problem. ity is important. And it’s not a question ing wines, champagne.... For Germany, just resolve the border issue but also find
“women power” in the ar- ur the courage and sacrifice hours. “Charge d’affaires, Pa- French business schools now are only for govts, it’s also essential for the it will be the automotive sector. India has ways to address the big challenges that
med forces. of the armed forces. kistan high commission, was among the best in the world. What is private sector. I see an advantage in this its own interests. We have to sit around the world is facing. The 20th century to
“We will start the Ti- Falguni Patra, Mahila issued a demarche to this ef- very interesting is that since last year new situation... which is that once again the table and look at all the parameters. some extent or the 19th century was the
ranga Yatra from Kolkata. Morcha president of BJP, sa- fect today,” the ministry of ex- Indian students are the top foreign partnerships like the one we have with I am confident that now there is political West’s century. Now, all eyes are on Asia.
Some districts have already ternal affairs said. The said nationality in our business school. For India are going to be very important. We will on both sides for that. And you have two big players — India
prepared themselves. Even RALLY IN KOL person is a staff at the mis- the simple reason that in these schools just had a historic visit by the European and China. We naturally wish they can
if the police try to stop us, sion, not an officer. Punjab Po- the curriculum is totally in English. It Commission president during which it On Europe and the situation in Ukraine have normal relations.
they will fail. They don’t ha- id: “We are emphasising a lice had earlier said they had suggests that Indian students find was announced that the India-EU FTA You have to understand there is one This interview happened before
ve any power to stop a rally message of patriotism, na- arrested two persons. TNN France attractive. We have a different will be finalised by the end of this year. aggressor, Russia, and one country that the Pahalgam terror attack
with the Tricolor,” Bengal tional solidarity and respect
BJP president Sukanta Ma- for the Tricolour. The first
jumdar said. rally for Operation Sindoor
PM Narendra Modi’s spe- will be held on Friday and
ech on Monday has set the to- will coincide with Tiranga
ne for the party’s outreach Yatra. We will use abir to
programme across India. spread the message that eve-
The yatra will focus on the ry Indian is ready to protect
“strategic gains” of the ar- the sindoor of our mothers
med forces and strengthen and daughters.” The morcha
BJP’s nationalism narrative. will later launch a door-to-
“The terrorists had wi- door campaign to take the
ped sindoor off the women. message to each household.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 01:04

16 TIMES NATION THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Indian air defence Pjb woman dies of

burns, 1st civilian
3 local Lashkar Former RS
MP Nepaldeb
terrorists killed Bhattacharya
stops Turkish drones death outside J&K in south Kashmir dies at 74
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Most Of Them Taken Out By Cheaper Desi Drones [email protected]

Maintain highest TIMES NEWS NETWORK Kolkata: Former Rajya

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Getty Images Bathinda: A 50-year-old
woman, who suffered critical
state of vigil: Srinagar: Three Kashmiri
Sabha MP and senior CITU
member Nepaldeb Bhatta-
burns in a drone explosion in Rajnath to forces terrorists linked to Pakis- charya (74)
New Delhi: Turkish drones, Punjab’s Ferozepur district tan-backed banned group died in the
extensively used by the Pakis-
tani army during the recent
limited conflict with India,
on May 9, died Tuesday
morning. Her death marked
the first civilian fatality out-
W ith Prime Minister
Narendra Modi drawing
a new red line against
Lashkar-e-Taiba were shot
dead Tuesday during an
Army-led counterterrorism
early hours
of Tuesday
at a private
came into prominence for the side J&K tied to recent India- Pakistan-backed terrorism, operation in upper reaches nursing ho-
first time when Ukraine used Pakistan hostilities. defence minister Rajnath of south Kashmir’s Shopian me in Kolka-
them to destroy Russian de- Sukhwinder Kaur had Singh on Tuesday reviewed district. Two of the slain ta. He is survived by his wi-
fence assets in the initial been hospitalised in critical the operational situation men were identified as Sha- fe, Manjula Bhattacharya.
phases of Russia-Ukraine The drones first came into prominence when Ukraine used them to condition after debris from a along the western front hid Kuttay and Adnan Shafi Security personnel during an His body was brought to
war. However, these drones, destroy Russian defence assets Pakistani drone — intercept- with Pakistan and directed Dar, both locals from Shop- encounter in Shopian the CITU office at Sramik
which can stay airborne for ed by Indian air defence — the armed forces to maintain ian whose family homes Bhavan. His remains were
up to 27 hours, as claimed by crashed onto her home in their highest state of vigil. were demolished with explo- were wounded. then taken to Muzaffar Ah-
their manufacturer, failed to MP mantri sorry for ‘insulting’ Col Qureshi Khai Pheme Ke village. The The meeting chaired by sives following the April 22 The resort lies along med Bhavan and later Di-
penetrate targets when Rus-
sia bolstered its air defence.
Ukraine, as per reports, has
M adhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah on Tuesday came under
a barrage of fire over his highly objectionable remark
against Col Sofiya Qureshi, who has become a face of India’s
impact sparked a blast and a
fire that engulfed a parked
car and parts of the house.
Singh was attended by chief of
defence staff General
Anil Chauhan, Navy chief
Pahalgam attack. Officials
have yet to confirm identity
of the third terrorist.
Mughal Road connecting
Kashmir valley with Poonch
district of Jammu. He also
nesh Majumdar Bhavan.
His last rites took place at
the Bhatpara crematorium.
since been using them for re- Operation Sindoor, and tendered an apology later in the evening. Punjab CM Bhagwant Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Officials have not con- had a role in the killing of a Bhattacharya served as
connaissance and reposition- A video of Shah went viral on social media on Tuesday, in Mann announced an ex gra- Army chief Gen Upendra firmed if the trio had direct BJP sarpanch in Heerpora all-India general secretary
ing its artillery. which he is heard making the insulting comment during a ‘halma’ tia grant of Rs 5 lakh for her Dwivedi, defence secretary links to Pahalgam massacre, of Shopian on May 18, 2024. of SFI for seven years from
India may have learnt a programme — a tradition to volunteer for environmental work — family. Videos that circulat- Rajesh Kumar Singh and IAF saying investigations are Dar, according to police, 1979. “Despite health issues,
lesson from the Ukraine war, in Dr Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow) on Monday. TNN ed online after the strike vice chief Air Marshal underway. Police records was responsible for killing a he remained active in the
it seems, as it destroyed Turk- showed Kaur’s husband Narmdeshwar Tiwari. TNN list Kuttay as an active ter- migrant labourer in Shop- trade union movement un-
ish drones as well as China’s ing the new leader of the Mus- for India’s defence ministry Lakhwinder Singh, with rorist since March 8, 2023. ian’s Wachi on the day he til he fell seriously ill and
missiles mid-air, thus deny- lim world — were not of the briefing on Operation Sin- burns on his back. He, Kaur, “At the time of the blast, Dar joined LeT on Oct 18, joined Lashkar-e-Taiba. was hospitalised recently.
ing the advantage that Pakis- same calibre as the ones it had door — a move seen as frus- and their son Monu were all Lakhwinder was trying to 2024. Both were trained lo- Tuesday’s offensive was He joined the road trans-
tan had hoped to gain by un- sold to Ukraine but it was tration over its drones’ fail- critically wounded and ini- sleep while Sukhwinder was cally. Police said Kuttay was launched after intelligence port workers’ Parliament
leashing them in swarms in pointed out that they were ure. The Indian armed forces tially treated at a private hos- working in the kitchen,” said involved in the April 8 shoot- inputs received by Rashtri- march on March 24 this ye-
retaliation against Operation taken out mostly by cheaper also have sophisticated and pital. The couple was later re- an official. Despite an en- ing at Danish Resort in ya Rifles indicated presence ar and also participated in
Sindoor. True, the drones sup- ‘Made-in India’ drones — a deadly Israeli Harop drones, ferred to DMC Hospital in forced blackout, lights re- Shopian, where two German of armed terrorists in Shoe- the Brigade rally on April
plied to Pakistan by Turkiye blow to Erdogan’s aspiration also known as “loitering mu- Ludhiana, where Kaur died. mained on in the house. tourists and their driver kal Keller area. 20,” CITU general secretary
— which under President Re- to emerge as the new Caliph. nition”, which identifies a Tapan Sen said.
cep Tayyip Erdogan has been No wonder Turkiye de- target and crashes into it Bhattacharya played a

‘Clear-cut Indian victory… IAF hit

nursing the dream of becom- puted a junior representative with loaded explosives. crucial role in organising
unions for rail hawkers, sec-
tor workers and transport

Hackers from 5 nations targeted entrances of Pak N-weapons site’ workers. He was a Rajya
Sabha member from 1981 to
1988. In 1997, he was expelled
from CPM on charges of an-

PSUs, critical infrastructure Austrian aerial warfare analyst and military historian
Tom Cooper tells Times Now’s Navika Kumar in an
wouldn’t let anybody ran-
domly shoot missiles in that
ti-party activities but was
inducted again in 2003.

Swati Bharadwaj &

U Sudhakar Reddy TNN
tempt was to both embarrass
India and also extract sensi-
was claimed to have been de-
faced. Another, national- interview on the impact on Pak of India’s Op Sindoor that
direction. This is a clear
message. We can hit you 3 from Bengal
tive information about its de- trust.nic.in, also experi- the videos are evidence that India has struck and destroyed where it hurts. The conclu-
Hyderabad: It’s not just the fence systems, including its enced a breach, but was re-
the entrances to nuclear sites in Pakistan. Excerpts: sion is unavoidable. Pakistan die in Gujarat
country’s western border missiles, they said. stored later. cannot protect its own nucle-
that took heavy enemy fire According to Interpol We’ve been following you base… And the fact is, in the ar weapon storage sites, can- tower collapse
during Operation Sindoor. trainer and cyber forensic CCL website restored: The here in India, and you vir- way the military understands not even protect its air bases.
India was attacked in cyber- expert Pendyala Krishna Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) tually declared that India warfare, when you start tar- Therefore, India is in a posi- Rajkot: Three migrant
space, too, by state-backed Shastry, the attacks were website suffered a major had a clear-cut victory in geting enemy nuclear weap- tion of clear advantage… workers from Bengal were
hackers and hacktivists from part of a broader campaign technical glitch on Tuesday the skies. Could you elabo- on storage sites, it means you killed, and another was in-
Pakistan, Turkiye, Bangla- waged by Pakistani actors after a message appeared rate… why you think India are absolutely sure the enemy Do you believe the radioac- jured when a transmission
desh, Malaysia, and Indone- against Indian digital assets. from one Mr Habib 404.Pakis- had an advantage, and cannot hit back… And from tivity reports that have tower collapsed on them in
sia, with backing from Chi- tani Cyber Force that said, where did Pakistan fail? this point of view, it’s a clear- surfaced today? Bajana village of Gujarat’s
na, according to cybersecuri- DIGITAL BATTLEGROUND “You thought you were safe, ■. … It’s relatively simple in cut victory for India. ■ I haven’t studied them Devbhumi Dwarka District
ty experts. but we are here.” Officials military terms … Pakistan at- firmed… of course, Pakista- closely yet… But the point is on Tuesday. The deceased
Apart from defence PSUs These groups reportedly shied away from the Pakis- tempted to hit back at India India has so far given no nis, a few I have spoken to, this: whatever the radioac- were identified as Nistar
and their MSME vendors, crit- deployed malware, conduct- tan cyberattack angle, re- with UAVs, with artillery mis- confirmation on striking they have said, ‘No.’ But I tivity explains, the fact is that Rul (24), Tanmay Murmu
ical infrastructure like ports, ed phishing attacks, and ports Sanjay Sahay. siles, even with ballistic mis- any nuclear storage sites. have a strong feeling … that the nuclear storage site has (25), and Purimal Mardi (23),
airports, power grids, trans- launched denial-of-service CCL’s PRO Alok Gupta siles… this effort failed be- In fact, at a press confer- India is not shooting missiles been hit, not directly the stor- police sources said.
portation services like Indian operations targeting critical said, “The website has been cause Indian air defences ence by the defence forces, wildly around the place age site, but the entrance into Workers were laying
Railways and airlines, tele- sectors such as finance, tele- restored and is functioning shot down the mass of incom- they even jokingly said where their (Pakistani) nu- the underground complex. It overhead wires for the tow-
com players like BSNL, fin- com, energy, and public ser- normally. There is no loss or ing weaponry. On the other they didn’t know where clear weapons are stored. So, means that most likely the er when it collapsed, lead-
tech platforms like UPI, digi- vices. Zone-H, a website that distortion of company data. hand we have seen early on these existed. the overall conclusion is that entrance and exit to this stor- ing to the tragic incident,
tal wallets, stock exchanges, tracks defacements, report- At present, we can only say May 10 the IAF striking not ■ There is a video clearly New Delhi does not want to age site have been cut off … If inspector Bhupendrasinh
and major Indian conglomer- ed incidents involving Indi- that the problem was due to a only PAF bases but also the showing hits on entrances, further escalate. And once the Pakistanis cannot enter Sarvaiya of Khambhaliya
ates with investments in in- an govt domains. The web- technical glitch. We cannot entrance, both entrances, to on both entrances of the nu- you keep in mind, Indian gen- the storage site, if they can- police station said. A pri-
frastructure too came under site of National Institute of conclude whether it was the Pakistan nuclear weap- clear storage site, which erals in particular … they are not reach their nuclear weap- vate company was carrying
attack, sources said. The at- Water Sports (niws.nic.in) hacked or not.” ons storage site at Mushaf air means it has been geo-con- stolidly conservative … they ons … it’s game over. out the work. TNN
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: priyadarshini.kar T: 05-13-2025 21:56

When a spoonful gets lethal: Hidden risks with kid meds

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 TOI Papri chaat or bhel puri, which one is healthier?
Read these and many more: toi.in/healthplus
17
NUTRITION PREVENTION WELLNESS BODY
TIPS, TRENDS & TECH
LATEST IN HEALTH RESEARCH KNOW YOUR VITAL STATS

Everyday plastics disrupt

sleep cycle just like caffeine
Chemicals in daily
Covid lockdowns saved lives, u r Plate Should B
Yo inbow, Here’s We
a hy
AR
plastic objects can
cause sleep disorders
in a similar way that
caffeine does, a study
published in the journal
Environment International has found.
but did they make us sicker?
Researchers tested a medical feeding Many Indians feel their infections go on longer after Covid. A new global study backs
tube and a hydration pouch used by
runners to find that plastic chemicals this with a theory called ‘immunity debt’ — but doctors remain divided on its validity
interfere with cell signals that

iStock
regulate our internal clock, throwing DurgeshNandan.Jha iStock timents which led to children miss-
it off course by up to 17 minutes. @timesofindia.com ing out on crucial jabs.

I
“This adds to evidence that plastics Fruits and vegetables get their vibrant hues from a
contain compounds that cause a t’s a cacophony of coughs and DOES THEORY HOLD GROUND?
sneezes at the out-patient de- Dr N K Mehra, an immunologist and variety of phytonutrients, which are naturally occurring
wide range of toxic effects. A
partment (OPD) of a top hospi- emeritus scientist at the Indian chemicals that offer many benefits for the body. Find
fundamental shift in the design and
tal chain in Delhi. “I suffered a Council of Medical Research (ICMR), out what the colours mean for your health
production of plastics is essential to
bout of fever and cough two says the continued debate on immu-
ensure their safety,” study authors
told the Guardian.
weeks ago. Even though the fever nity debt being responsible for a RED
subsided within three days, the transient increase in seasonal infec-
cough stayed,” says a patient waiting tions was against the fundamental Red fruits and vegetables are coloured by
Simple urine test can now to see the doctor. Another one, sitting concept of ‘immunological memory’. a natural plant pigment called lycopene. In
nearby, adds, “I would rarely fall sick “Once our body is exposed to a general, they help reduce cancer risks.
detect prostate cancer early during season change earlier. But virus either through infection or The antioxidants in tomatoes and
Biomarkers in a simple after Covid, it has become routine. I vaccination, it develops generation- watermelon can ease stress. Red strawberries and grapes
urine sample can wonder why this is happening.” al immune memory which protects
also have anthocyanins that protect blood cells from
accurately indicate Such refrains have become com- him or her from further infection
damage. Blood cells carry oxygen to the brain and other
presence and severity mon among people across the coun- of the same antigen. How long
parts of the body, and keep you fresh.
of prostate cancer, try as they make regular rounds of
clinics due to fever, cough and other
HOW INFLUENZA CASES WENT UP AFTER post-infection/vaccination immu-
nity lasts varies from one virus to Apple, beet, red cabbage, cherry, red grape, red bell
researchers from
Karolinska Institutet, Imperial College symptoms associated with seasonal LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED another. For flu viruses, infection pepper, pomegranate, radish, strawberry, tomato,
London, and Xiyuan Hospital in China illnesses post-Covid lockdowns. Winter season in (%) in one season may or may not offer watermelon and pink guava
Though many theories have protection in the next, depending
have found. The study used AI ORANGE | YELLOW
emerged to explain this phenome- on how closely related the two
analysis of gene activity in cancer
non — including long Covid in strains are,” Dr Mehra says.
cells to identify biomarkers with high which debilitating health problems A 2022 study by the University of They contain carotenoids. Beta-carotene in
diagnostic potential in nearly 2,000 can persist for months after recov- New South Wales in Australia had sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots is
people. Researchers say these urine ering— some studies link the in- 200% found that some people had an over- converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain
biomarkers surpass the precision of creased frequency and severity of 100 active immune function (where the healthy mucous membranes and eyes.
current blood-based PSA test used to such common infections to an ‘im- 80 immune system reacts excessively Oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C that boosts your
detect the cancer and could lead to munity debt’. 50 even to mild threats, leading to aller- immune system — it’s even better than most dietary
30 gies and a host of other health issues)
earlier detection, improved prognosis. supplements. It also has folic acid and vitamin B9, which
10
WHAT IS IMMUNITY DEBT? Summer season in (%)
0
till several months after suffering gives energy and prevents stress.
The term first found mention in from Covid. But those were isolated
Ultra-processed food adds mid-2021, after New Zealand saw a
–20
cases, researchers said, and hardly
Apricot, carrot, lemon, mango, orange, papaya, peach,
–50 pear, yellow bell pepper, pineapple, pumpkin,
to risk of premature death sudden surge in hospitalisations –80 accounted for extensive immune im-
as babies caught the deadly Res- pairment induced by Covid. sweet corn, sweet potatoes
A new meta-analysis
piratory Syntactical Virus (RSV). NA Not everyone is convinced. Mi-
on over 2 lakh people GREEN
Experts say ‘immunity debt’ refers chael Levin, professor of paediat-
has found that the
to a hypothesised reduction in pop- rics and international child health
more you eat ultra- ulation-level immunity owing to at Imperial College, London told the
They contain chlorophyll. Some
processed food, the lack of regular exposure to dis- Source: Advanced Science Guardian that kids and adults do members of the green group, including
more likely are you to ease-causing bacteria and viruses. build up a repertoire of immunity spinach, dark leafy greens, green
die prematurely. “We found that for According to a study last tween 2012 and 2024, including India. from June 1, 2020, but orders to en- from exposure. “It’s plausible that peppers, peas, cucumber and celery
each 10% increase in total calories month by researchers from the Researchers found that during Cov- sure physical distancing remained we may now have a population that contain lutein that powers your eyes. Leafy greens such as
from ultra-processed foods, the risk University of Oxford and Beijing’s id-19 restriction periods, flu cases in place for a much longer period. has met fewer common viruses and spinach and broccoli are excellent sources of folate, a
of dying prematurely rose by nearly Peking University, the measures dropped by an average of 46% world- Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior is, therefore, more susceptible (to vitamin that plays a vital role in keeping you active.
3%,” study co-author Carlos Augusto that kept us safe during lockdowns consultant, internal medicine at them). Moreover, if fewer people Green apple, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage,
Monteiro told CNN, adding such food — such as masking, washing Delhi’s Apollo hospital, says the du- have such immunity, there will be
cucumber, green grape, lettuce, sweet lime,
is full of synthetic additives that can hands, and social distancing By limiting flu ration and severity of common in- more transmission in the popula-
throughout the pandemic — dras- fections like flu, cold, and RSV tion,” he told the newspaper. How-
peas, capsicum and spinach
cause severe damage to our system. exposure over the
tically reduced exposure to not just (which causes cold-like symptoms) ever, he added that many times, we
Covid-19, but also other dis-
past few years, we’ve built has certainly gone up post pandem- don’t really know how much and
BLUE | PURPLE
Can managing emotions ease-causing pathogens. When the up a more vulnerable ic. But Dr Chatterjee adds that more whether repeated exposure is at all The anthocyanins in blueberries, grapes and
relieve chronic pain? masks came off and we left the population that is now research was needed to link it to an needed to sustain immunity. For raisins are antioxidants. They improve blood
safety of our homes, the pathogens seeing a major ‘immunity debt’. “More frequent instance, in diseases such as small-
If you know how to vessel health. Studies have shown that eating
caused a spurt in infections. and prolonged infections due to pox and measles, just one infection
regulate your anger “The degree of immunity debt rebound in common bacteria and viruses — for usually gives lifelong protection. more blueberries improves memory function.
and anxiety, you can was linked to how stringent a coun- infections example, upper respiratory tract Blueberry, eggplant, fig, plum,
get rid of chronic pain try’s Covid-19 restrictions had been Daniel Prieto- infections — could also be due to VACCINES TO CLEAR ‘DEBTS’ purple grape and raisin
forever, a new study during the pandemic. Places that Alhambra, UK long Covid or persistent symptoms Nonetheless, a more proactive way
published in JAMA implemented the most severe lock- EPIDEMIOLOGIST of Covid-19,” says Dr Rommel Tick- of curbing the sudden surge of infec-
Network Open has found. Study downs and social distancing meas- oo, director of internal medicine at tions would be to enhance protocols
The two most prominent phytonutrients (or
cohorts underwent eight behavioural ures tended to see the largest flu Max Hospital, New Delhi. for vaccine-preventable diseases. For,
resurgences later,” wrote study wide. However, in 2022, the first win- A study by the analytics firm even if there is a perceived ‘immuni- pigments) found in these plants are known as
therapy sessions to manage negative
author and Peking University ter after restrictions were lifted, flu Airfinity and Bloomberg conduct- ty debt’, vaccines could tackle that. allicin and anthoxanthin, which act as
emotions and focus on positive
scholar Li Chen. Co-author and Ox- cases surged by an average of 132% ed last year showed that since 2020, Dr Shuchin Bajaj of Ujala Cygnus antioxidants. Allicin also helps lower cholesterol
feelings, where participants showed
a significant drop in pain intensity ford epidemiologist Daniel Prie- above pre-pandemic levels. It warns more than 40 countries have seen Healthcare says future pandemic and blood pressure. Some members of the white
to-Alhambra wrote, “By limiting flu that an ‘immunity debt’ could lead at least one disease outbreak peak strategies must balance non-pharma- group, such as bananas and potatoes, are good
and depression symptoms. “By
exposure over the past few years, to major flu outbreaks in the years at levels ten times worse than the ceutical interventions with immuni- sources of the mineral potassium, too.
changing how we manage emotions, we’ve built up a more vulnerable after a pandemic as populations re- pre-Covid baseline. It cited the re- ty preservation, especially for en-
it’s possible to change the experience Banana, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushroom, onion,
population that is now seeing a ma- gain susceptibility to other viruses. turn of measles — declared elimi- demic infections. “It would be wiser
of pain itself — not just temporary potato and turnip
jor rebound in infections.” In India, a nationwide lockdown nated in the US in 2000 — while to have phased relaxation, off-season
relief but a long-term improvement in The study, published in the jour- was enforced in four phases, from whooping cough is on the rise too. vaccination, and preparedness for
quality of life,” study lead and nal Advanced Science, analysed glob- March to May 2020, to curb the However, experts say this could be post-pandemic surges in non-target Email your feedback to [email protected] with
psychologist Sylvia Gustin said. al flu data from 116 countries be- spread of the virus. It was lifted indicative of the anti-vaccine sen- pathogens,” he adds. Health Plus in the subject line. Please mention your name and city

WHICH ONE IS HEALTHIER? MY MOST INTERESTING CASE

Ice cream 1 serving (100gm) Shrikhand
Both are summer desserts but their composition
and nutritional values are quite different. Ice
cream is cream, milk and sugar, whereas
140
2.4gm
CALORIES
PROTEIN
234
6.2gm Toothache that wasn’t: How a
shrikhand is made of hung curd and sugar. Ice 7gm FAT 5.3gm
cream is high on fat and low on protein.
Shrikhand has almost thrice the amount of
protein but very high sugar content.
13gm
10gm
CARBS
ADDED SUGAR
42gm
35gm
dentist spotted a heart attack
Dr Krunal Thakker admitted, given prompt medical treatment and
110mg CALCIUM 150mg

A
Ritika Samaddar, chief clinical nutritionist, Max Healthcare stabilised. Doctors told him waiting even one
few years ago, a 57-year-old male pa- more day could have led to tragic consequences.
tient walked into my dental clinic On the surface, the idea of jaw pain as an

Shoes that can warn you about injuries? How

complaining of a dull, nagging pain alarm bell for a heart attack may seem bizarre.
in his lower left molar. What I didn’t But research proves otherwise. An American
know then was that his ‘toothache’ had noth- study found that in some cases, reduced blood

wearable technology is transforming foot care

ing to do with his teeth. For past two days, he flow to the heart due to clogged arteries can
said he’d been feeling discomfort in his lower cause referred pain — sometimes felt in the jaw,
jaw — not sharp or electric like a typical dental neck or even ears. It often mimics a dental issue
issue, but a gnawing throb that worsened when so convincingly that both patients and doctors
he climbed stairs or went for a walk. Oddly, there can miss the red flag.We’re often trained to think
Craig Gwynne ature monitoring experienced a 71% was no swelling. No sensitivity to hot or cold. of tooth pain as purely dental. To be sure, not

Y
lower rate of foot ulcers and a 52% I picked up my mouth mirror and examined every toothache or jaw pain signals a heart at-
our feet work hard every day lower rate of amputations. This im- his teeth under the overhead lamp. The X-rays tack. But in patients with a history of heart or
supporting your body, absorb- provement was linked to earlier de- were equally uneventful — no decay, no infection, coronary disease — especially when oothache
ing impact and adapting to tection and intervention. no gum disease. He had no chronic medical comes with symptoms like jaw pain, headache,
different surfaces. But they history, wasn’t on any medication and appeared shortness of breath or sweating — we must wid-
often get ignored until something goes POTENTIAL CHALLENGES — at least on paper — to be healthy. After a while, en our lens. This case reminded me that being
wrong. Imagine your shoes Privacy remains a significant issue I noticed that he looked pale and that a good clinician means looking beyond the ob-
alerting you to foot injuries TECHNOLOGY with these devices, as they constantly beads of sweat had begun to dot his forehead even vious. As healthcare professionals, we must
before you feel any pain, or FOR HEALTH collect sensitive health data. Ensuring though the air conditioner in my clinic listen not just with our instruments but with
your socks warning you data is secure is therefore crucial. Ac- was at its lowest temperature setting. When I our intuition. The body doesn’t always scream.
about the risk of an ulcer before symp- curacy is also important, as devices asked a few more questions, he mentioned Sometimes, it whispers through the wrong door.
toms even appear. This is the promise must reliably avoid false alarms or that he’d also been experiencing shortness of And it’s our job to hear it.
of new wearable foot technology. missed warnings. And although prices breath during walks. That’s when my instincts Dr Thakker is a Mumbai-based dentist.
About one in five adults in middle have decreased, wearable technology kicked in: Was I missing something critical? He spoke to Sharmila Ganesan Ram
and old age experiences foot pain, rang- may still be expensive for many people, Then it struck me — ‘re-
ing from minor aches to problems that Startup Bonbouton’s smart limiting its widespread use. ferred pain’. Pain from an im-
limit daily activities. Some foot condi- foot insoles identify localised The future of wearable foot technol- pending heart attack doesn’t
tions, particularly linked to diabetes, inflammation in diabetes ogy is promising, however. Devices are always begin in the chest. In
can be life-threatening. Patients with patients and notify them becoming smaller, more affordable and fact, especially in older adults,
foot ulcers caused by diabetes have a easier to use. Innovations like 3D print- it can manifest as jaw pain —
40% chance of dying within five years ing now enable customised smart in- typically on the lower left side.
of symptoms appearing, which is high- that measure how pressure spreads can identify important changes during soles that perfectly match a person’s Cardiac issues can present as
er than many cancers. If untreated, across your feet when you walk or run. daily activities. This reduces risk of foot shape, boosting comfort and accu- pain radiating to the chest,
ulcers can lead to severe infections and They can detect abnormal walking pat- severe complications such as poor cir- racy. Upcoming developments also in- arms, neck, face, jaws and even
even necessitate amputation. terns with over 90% precision, spotting culation, tissue damage and infection. clude flexible sensors that can connect the teeth. I had seen it in med-
New wearable devices such as smart issues before they cause pain or injury. Wearable foot technology offers to smartphones and healthcare sys- ical textbooks, heard about it
insoles and socks can prevent these advantages for groups like athletes tems. These allow for remote monitor- at conferences — but now, was
serious complications through early DIAGNOSING DEVICES and people with chronic conditions. ing and personalised care, moving to- it sitting right in front of me?
detection. They work by constantly These devices have proven especially Athletes, especially those involved in ward more flexible, user-friendly de- I felt a jolt of urgency.
tracking your foot pressure, walking useful for older adults and people with high-impact sports like running, of- signs that can integrate into everyday “Please visit the nearest
patterns and even skin temperature. neurological conditions like stroke, ten put immense stress on their feet, life. The goal is the same — to make hospital right away and see a
The collected information is analysed multiple sclerosis, or movement disor- increasing injury risk. Smart insoles health monitoring more accessible, cardiologist,” I told him.
using advanced algorithms and AI, pro- ders such as Parkinson’s disease. provide immediate feedback, allow- comfortable and proactive without the Thankfully, he listened. That
viding timely warnings about potential Smart socks use sensors to measure ing athletes to adjust their running need for bulky equipment or clinic vis- decision saved his life.
foot problems. Machine learning, for foot temperature and pressure, detect- technique. Studies show that athletes its. Wearable tech is a significant step At the hospital, tests con-
instance, has successfully predicted ing early signs of inflammation. Re- using these insoles improved their forward for foot health. These devices firmed that he was in the early
diabetic foot ulcers from this wearable search shows these socks can predict running form and experienced fewer could soon become part of everyday stages of a heart attack. The
data, helping healthcare providers in- and help prevent foot ulcers among injuries. One study found that high- healthcare. THE CONVERSATION pain he thought was in his
tervene before complications occur. diabetics. Smart compression socks, risk patients with diabetes who used The writer is a senior lecturer in Podiatry, tooth was actually his heart
Smart insoles contain tiny sensors which also monitor blood oxygen levels, smart socks with continuous temper- Cardiff Metropolitan University crying out for help. He was
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: sushrita.palit T: 05-13-2025 23:39

18 WITHOUT COURAGE JUSTICE IS WEAK THE TIMES OF INDIA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

RATTLED IN RAWALPINDI
A thought for today
A leader is best when people barely know
he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
they will say: we did it ourselves
LAO TZU Op Sindoor puts a question mark on Pak army’s three-part doctrine. Costs of low-intensity
harassment have shot up. Neither today’s Taliban nor Gulf Islamic states are reliable allies. And
Leading Vs Leadering military escalation ladder has so many steps that use of N-weapons is an impossibly tough call
[email protected] transitioning world order has an increased tolerance to Pak concept, requires that it should at best strive for a
conventional military action. Military conflicts are a new friendly, dependent regime in Afghanistan and if not,
Memo to top bosses: the two are very different. Pakistan army could well find itself, normal across geographies, which provides the political at least have a neutral regime in place. Through its
Don’t claim credit. Get the job done strategically, at the crossroads after
India’s strikes on air bases at the heart
space for limited action without much opprobrium.
Next, innovations in military tech, particularly by
constant attacks on the current regime in Kabul, Paki-
stan now has a hostile Afghanistan to contend with.

E
very successful corporation, mission, or nation, is a whodunnit. of the country. The reason is not just way of drones and UAVs, have made available low-risk On the political side, this depth translated into
Who made it a success? The simple, obvious answer – many about India’s military dare or the political options to democratic govts for conventional rallying all Islamic countries behind Pakistan on the
damage caused from the attacks but attacks, where human casualties can be kept at a mini- Kashmir issue. This did work for some decades but over
people working together, making small contributions to the
the fundamental questions they have raised on Pak mum. In Op Sindoor, India never physically crossed the past few years, India has cultivated strong relation-
whole – has no takers because most people tend to be heroes at heart. army’s long-held core strategic paradigm. LoC or the international border but was still able to ships with Gulf countries. For them, India is a big
Democratising success pulls us off our imaginary equestrian Bleeding India by a thousand cuts, strategic depth inflict major damage on Pakistan. growth prospect that cannot be shrugged away for
statues. That’s why credit for collective success is always pinned on and the nuclear bomb form the core of this Pakistan. This was visible during Op Sindoor
an individual – on Steve Jobs at Apple, on Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore, doctrine. Pak army has followed this when Saudi Arabia and UAE stepped in to let
on Newton, despite his full disclosure about seeing further by template for over five decades, which is how Pakistan know that they wanted an end, not
it has remained firmly in control internally, an escalation to the conflict.
“standing on the shoulders of giants”.
legitimised terrorism externally, and Finally, the nuclear weapon. This pillar is
But this approach is too passive for Trump, who appropriates punched well above its weight with powers still at play as Pakistan is trying to make a case
credit actively. Specimen A: his Truth Social claim about brokering like US and China. against India, alleging damage to nuclear
the India-Pak ceasefire. Specimen B: his brag about countries So, what has Operation Sindoor done? facilities. However, the principal lesson is that
“kissing my ass” over tariffs. He’s positively glowing after the UK Take the ‘thousand cuts’ policy started by over time, steps have got added to the military
and China trade deals and might photobomb the Putin-Zelenskyy Zia-ul-Haq. It was predicated on an assump- escalation ladder because of the qualitative
tion that there was low-intensity, low-cost improvement in weaponry. As a result, space
meet in Istanbul, if it happens. Trump’s behaviour is an example
conflict possible against India without it has opened up for limited kinetic war before the
of what Seattle-based blogger Venkatesh escalating into a full-scale conventional limits of nuclear deterrence can be breached.
Rao termed ‘leadering’ some years military war. This was drawn up after India This dilemma, as demonstrated in Op Sindoor,
ago – “the art of creating a self-serving asserted conventional superiority in 1971, renders Pakistan’s nuclear option somewhat
account of whatever is already happe- leading to the formation of Bangladesh. ineffective against India, further limited by
ning, and inserting yourself into it in a It also relied on the international context the fact that it will not survive India’s second
of the day. The calculus was that post-1971, US strike if it ever pursued that path.
prominent role”.
will intervene to stop India in case it chose to In many ways, this three-fold doctrine has
It’s Rao’s view that even leadership – escalate matters. The pressure through inter- probably outlived its course for Pakistan with

Chad Crowe (USA)

the good kind – is overrated because a national institutions, financial implications India now politically and psychologically
leader’s five minutes of insight, on whicha and overall external pressure, Pakistan unencumbered to use the full array of military
lifetime of fame is founded, is almost assessed, would not allow India to sustain a options at its disposal anytime it’s provoked.
entirely a function of chance. Was Napo- conventional military campaign. And so, The worry for Islamabad/Rawalpindi is that
Pakistan’s unique model of state-sponsored it’s not just PoJK but entire Pakistan that will
leon’s defeat at Waterloo proof of English genius, or a result of a giant
terrorism flourished. The ability to wage a low-risk conventional military be considered fair play by New Delhi.
volcanic eruption in Indonesia two months earlier that made Europe The notion that there can be no meaningful battle is, however, linked to the availability of resources As it hits the drawing board to rework its strategic
too rainy and muddy, as scientists have recently suggested? conventional response from India to Pakistan’s non- to access quality weaponry. India’s rising economic basics, the limits of its all-weather friendship with
Good leaders give credit where it’s due, and focus on getting the conventional, low-cost terror options has now been profile and political clout is a big plus on this count, a China were also revealed. Beijing will stand behind
job done. Consider yourself lucky if your organisation has one at negated with Op Sindoor. The four-day military action fact that Pakistan knew but has not adequately factored Islamabad/Rawalpindi but not openly as a committed
the summit. But if you’re saddled with the leadering kind, good showed that besides striking terror targets inside Pak into its calculus. military ally.
territory, India was able to both escalate and sustain its The second pillar in Pakistan’s paradigm is strategic If it ever so happens in future, that would again
luck, for they are clueless. In times of rapid change – which the
campaign to the point that Pak air bases were denuded depth. This has two facets to it: physical and political. provide a dangerous turn for India. But for now, China’s
third decade of the 21st century is, what with a pandemic, AI, EVs of any air defence. In physical terms, this meant increasing geographical calculated stakes in Pakistan do not involve exposing
and sundry wars changing the old order – leadering types can run What Pakistan has not conceptually realised with depth for Pakistan to not just lock India in a conventional itself to any military front. Short of that, Pakistan can
your ship aground. Luckily, Trump, for all his leadering, isn’t a time is that while state-sponsored terrorism may be a conflict but also mount a counteroffensive. For this, get any help but its fighting frontiers with India are for
warmonger. The real danger lies in a leader who seeks war – politically low-risk option for Islamabad, the risks of Afghanistan has been critical. Here, India’s strategy to it to handle alone. And that’s exactly the isolation
whether in the market or on the border – for personal glory. That waging a conventional response have also reduced engage early with a new Taliban regime paid off. which hit home along with the munitions that landed in
significantly in today’s context. Pakistan, on the other hand, accuses Taliban of Chaklala, barely half hour from Pak army’s military
type eventually finds the slippery slope of a Waterloo.
To begin with, the global picture has changed. A fomenting terrorism on Pak soil. Strategic depth, as a headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Gulf Spring? Not Yet Well Done, Quietly Done, CJI Khanna
Oil sheikhs are trying to reform their societies & From making top court’s internal probe transparent in the Justice Varma case to holding govt depts
economies. But top-down approaches have limitations
accountable in an I-T case, to public sharing of judges’ assets, he leaves SC an improved institution

T
rump began his tour of Gulf countries yesterday. As a man
obsessed with his brand, he may notice his hosts are in the Arghya Sengupta (all Supreme Court judges) to decide key administrative But this shows why, no matter how effective CJI
matters, a practice that had reportedly fallen by the might be, the institutional decline of the Supreme
middle of a major rebranding. Oil-rich Gulf Arab states are
Justice Hans Raj Khanna may have wayside in the recent past. He was open in admitting Court runs so deep it is beyond any individual to
trying to rewire their society and economy, knowing that a post-oil been unintentionally prescient when the failings of the judiciary in implementing an effective remedy. Three issues go to the core of the malaise. First,
future awaits them. This means putting locals to work, trying to he titled his autobiography Neither system of legal aid, so that the poorest and most vulne- an unholy nexus between lawyers and judges at the cost
foster innovation, and changing the social contract between people Roses Nor Thorns. Four decades later, rable could access the justice system. For a quiet, closed of ordinary litigants. A 2015 study found the chances of
and govt. Some good things have happened. In Saudi Arabia, this epithet aptly describes the tenure man, his tenure as the administrative head of the success in SC roughly double when a party can afford
Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms have led to new freedoms for of his nephew Sanjiv Khanna as Indian judiciary was marked by openness. a senior advocate. The situation is unlikely to
CJI, which ended yesterday. When he took over, his His actions spoke louder than his words. be different today. Second, SC itself has
Saudi women, created a Saudi entertainment industry, and even
predecessor DY Chandrachud had just demitted office Sometimes his words spoke too. too often forsaken the law in some
attempted to redefine the role of religion in everyday life. DECODING
in Xiopolitics-I
a blaze of publicity. Some lauded Chandrachud for As CJI, he significantly constrained illusory quest for complete justice.
DECOLONISINGTHE
But there are also LAW-5 challenges. First, the impetus for this change his the powers of revenue authorities This has invited all kinds of ele-
In openness. Many decried
again be him for what appeared to
writers’ views are
How to write statutes for free India was the Arab Spring wave of the previous
decade and the threat posed by Islamic
be
over
October, Xi Jinping
unrelenting
anointed
5-part
andseries on the man
simply
will
as China’s attention-seeking.
leader. A special
& what
stayed he
mum.
CJI Khanna took
There were no media
to arrest persons wantonly.
His judgment in Radhika
ments to take their chances in
court despite law and common
PBoth
State terror group. ER S O Na direct
represented AL might mean for India & the world
interviews, no publicised temple visits, no significant Agarwal’s case will be quoted sense indicating otherwise.
weekend speeches. His silence was exactly the balm the by legions of lawyers seeking The best argument no longer
challenge to the authority of oil sheikhs
BUDGET
DECODING THE JOB MARKETand brought home the danger of funding Supreme Court needed. relief for small traders, wins – it depends on how the
DECODINGInvisibilityXiopolitics-5
was the hallmark of Khanna’s tenure as senior citizens and innocent wheel is spun.
and supporting radical Wahhabi groups
2023-24
across the region. Gulf states are now
cracking down on such extremist networks
InCJI.
anointed
5-part
He Xiwrote
October,
kably.asHis
series
lists.
Jinpinghis
speeches
China’s
on the
Social
will judgments
again be
leader. Awere
man &platforms
media what he
competently, not remar-
not usually covered by journa-
special
did not burst into activity
taxpayers caught in the
crosshairs of trigger-happy
tax collectors. CJI Khanna
Though it marginally
came down in CJI Khanna’s
tenure, pendency of cases has
THE might mean for India & the world
every time he said something. Like a good umpire in a had earlier been senior stan- steadily increased – it’s now a
FREEBIES and promoting theological
the question is – areLata
moderation. So,
A TRIBUTE
the reforms driven by cricket match, he kept himself out of the limelight. ding counsel for the income whopping 81,773. This is simply
D E B AT E Mangeshkar
a genuine commitment 1929-2022
to openness or are
But when one is CJI, the limelight is not a choice. tax department for many years because SC, like all other courts,
With the alleged recovery of stacks of burnt cash in the as a lawyer. isn’t run as a professional institu-
they meant to protect the monarchies? GALWAN
house of Justice Yashwant Varma of Delhi high court, It may seem routine for a judge tion. It needs a professional CEO for
FREEBIES
Second, a top-down approach to innovation has limitations. It’s
THE

TWOCJI Khanna
YEARS AFTERwas faced with his first and only stern test to shed former associations and take case management together with a
all very well to create a futuristic city like Saudis’ of leadership. He acted promptly in setting the in-house an impartial view of matters. But to cadre of trained administrative staff. It is
D E B AT E HIGH Neom. PRICESBut foste-
inquiry procedure into motion. understand how difficult that actually is, hoped incoming CJI Justice Gavai will set
ring local innovation requires serious investments B I G Q U Ein
S Tinstitutions,
IONS
ECONOMY
He made all key communications between himself, one only needs to look at the concurring opinion some of these institutional reforms in motion.
which again grates against the authority of monarchies. Third,
THE FREEBIES
the grand reorientation has opened space for foreign policy
CJ of Delhi high court and Justice Varma public, in delivered in that case by CJI Khanna’s colleague, who As CJI Khanna walks into the sunset, there could

realignments. This D isE Bbest

A Texemplified
E by the Abraham Accords WATCH-2
a healthy infusion of transparency. The inquiry
committee set up for the task worked efficiently and
was earlier law secretary to a state govt.
The concurring judge wrote “any liberal approach
not be more of a contrast with how his uncle HR
Khanna did so. Superseded as CJI by his junior MH
that normalise relations with Israel. But the latter’s war in Gaza has found some basis in the allegations. CJI Khanna took in construing the stringent provisions of the Special Beg, the senior Khanna resigned, saying, “Courts
also exposed divisions between oil sheikhs and the Arab street over the only course of action open to him – recommended Acts may frustrate the very purpose and objective of must earn reverence through the test of truth.” Four
the Palestine issue. Fourth, India-Gulf relations are experiencing
positive momentum. But this may have triggered Türkiye, a rival to adam@home
Justice Varma for impeachment. All this within a
period of two months.
Transparency was not an episodic matter for CJI
the Acts.” These do not appear to be the words of an SC
judge, duty-bound to hold govt authorities accountable,
especially under special statutes like Customs Act and
decades on, his nephew Sanjiv Khanna has lived this
adage and leaves SC in a better place than in which
he found it. This is exactly what India needs from
Saudi Arabia, to enhance ties with Pakistan and play the role of Khanna, but an article of faith. He used this episode to PMLA where they have sweeping powers. Such judges its future CJIs.
keeper of the faith. Finally, Gulf monarchies still have loads of Calvin
restart andtheHobbes
practice of judges declaring their assets would do well to take a leaf out of their Chief Justice’s The writer is Research Director, Vidhi Centre for Legal
petro-dollars, which can be used to strategically delay change. Gulf publicly. He convened meetings of the full court book on how to be both impartial and humane. Policy. Views are personal
investments in renewables being a case in point. Oil sheikhs are
trying. But success is not guaranteed. Calvin & Hobbes Sacredspace

Beggar’s banker There is no

religion,
wealth,
A cautionary tale about a destructive destitute sensuality or
discrimination
and his mystifyingly generous benefactor for a yogi free
Jug Suraiya from such
opposites as ‘I have done this,’
Once upon a present time there was a streetside beggar, but and ‘I have not done that.’

KARNATAKA
though penniless, he was quite content with his lot because he
had a rich banker who would give him whatever he asked for. Ashtavakra Gita 18.13
Such donations were supposed to be loans, but both beggar

FINAL COUNTDOWN-4
and banker knew that there was no way that they could ever

The Nishpaksh Yogi Does Not Take Sides

be repaid. The beggar couldn’t even afford to keep up with the
interest payments he was meant to make on the so-called loans.
What did the beggar do with all the money he got from the banker? Did he
spend it on feeding his family, sending his children to school, building a home
of his own? Narayani Ganesh of the land. Sometimes he could rebel Ashtavakra says, “I do not long for the duality all around us, there is a huge
No. He spent all the money he got from the banker on buying expensive against the system, and that too is part of dissolution of the universe. /Nor do I expanse of uncharted space that Krishn

W
bricks, stamped ‘Made in China’, which he would give to ragamuffins to hurl at e all have our own identities – I his dharm as a citizen. A teacher’s have any interest in its abidance,” in the Gita describes as being free from
the home his neighbour had built for himself. may be the prime minister of dharm is to provide students with holistic (Ashtavakra Gita 17.7). opposites: “He should be known as a
The neighbour had once been a pavement dweller like the a country, an administrative education; members of the armed forces The yogi cannot get into the pros and perpetual renunciate who neither hates
beggar. But by dint of discipline and hard work had earned and officer, member of the armed forces, swing into action when people and cons of a war, for example, for he nor desires. For, free from pairs of opposi-
saved enough to put a roof over his head, feed many if not all of his CEO of a corporation, actor, student, country are threatened or hurt remains in peace, untouched by all tes, he is easily set free from bondage,” (5.3).
family, and send most if not all of his children to school. teacher, patriotic citizen. The list is by invaders and terrorists. the turmoil, abiding in a space In Zen Buddhism, a dilemma is
When the neighbour complained about the long, though one cannot say it is an The dharm of a prime above dualities. The yogi has presented to an initiate and she is asked
bricks damaging his home, the beggar would deny infinite list as all earthly identities are minister is to protect and only one hat to wear – that of a to resolve it. In the process of reasoning
secondopinion all knowledge of ragamuffins, of bricks bought circumscribed. Not so, for the Yogi. administer the country. sthitaprajna, one of sam- and finding an answer, it is gently
with the banker’s money, and all the rest of it, and He is apart from and above all these The dharm of a yogi is abuddhi, as Krishn says in the revealed that apart from taking either of
start hurling the bricks himself, until told to stop by a Godfather called Globocop. identities. He is one who is on a journey very different. He has no Gita: “He who is of the same two extreme positions, there is a very
But everyone knew the beggar would be up to his old tricks again, as he had of Self-discovery, rising above the truck with the material mind – to good-hearted, fri- vital position that is described simply as
done time after time. mundane world and soaring beyond world and its dualities. A ends, enemies, the indifferent, ‘mu’. Attempts have been made to
Why did the beggar spend all the banker’s money on bricks to throw at his even the cosmos, perhaps. realised yogi cannot claim to voice his the neutral, the hateful, relatives, the provide an explanation in words.
neighbour? Some said it was because of something called K, which was an What is the dharm of a citizen? As opinion as a citizen – that would be righteous and unrighteous – excels,” Mu is the experience of cutting off
unmentionable word. Others said it was out of envy of his neighbour’s success member of a democratic country, it is his stepping out of his yogic domain. Yogis (Gita 6:9). The Yogi remains unruffled. the ego or reaching a no-ego state. This
compared with the beggar’s own failure. It was a big puzzle to everyone, even dharm to cast his vote (or not) in elections, are beyond sankalp-vikalp, decisive Prince Ram in the Yog Vasisht says to enables the mind to become empty,
perhaps to the beggar himself. besides following norms laid down by thought and doubt, they are nishpaksh, Sage Vasisht, “I do not long to live and I do making it free from prejudices. Like the
But an even bigger puzzle was why the banker kept giving the beggar money. govt and society, institutions, communi- that is, they are impartial, unbiased, not long to die.” He is neutral about life as nishpaksh Yogi.
What was that Incredibly Mystifying Funda, otherwise called IMF? ties and families and conform to the laws fair and so they are neutral. As well as about death. Even as there is [email protected]
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: priyadarshini.kar T: 05-14-2025 00:11

THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025 TIMES Special 19

China plus one: Trump’s tariffs, some partly on pause now, can affect many Indian industries. manufacturing due to the availability of
cheap labour,” says Arvind Rai of Mod-
elama Export Pvt Ltd, which manufac-
In the first part of a series, TOI explains how apparel exporters are coping tures and exports woven garments, out-
erwear, tops, dresses, kids’ wear, men’s

In exports hub,
shirts, etc. “(Political) trouble in Bang-
ladesh had a positive impact on India’s
apparel and textile industry. Our orders
increased by 10-20% across the board
and is likely to sustain,” he adds.

US tariffs aren’t
What most Indian exporters don’t
have, however, is the ability to scale up
to prepare for a scenario where even 5%
of orders from China are diverted here.
Anuj Goel of Sonu Exim, which runs
three factories in Noida and exports Rs

all bad news 250 crore worth of apparel annually to

the US and Europe, says, “We already
struggle to complete orders in peak sea-
son. Supply of raw materials from Surat,
Salem, Bhiwandi and Ludhiana can’t
[email protected] garments are ironed, folded, tagged and keep up. Unless the supply chain scales

F
placed into cartons for shipping. up, we can’t handle additional demand.”
estive season is some distance On the second, Pooja and her col- In fact, India would have to depend
away. But Pooja’s thoughts have leagues operate an orchestra of sewing STITCH IN TIME: Workers on supplies from China, which accounts
moved to her savings kitty. The machines that is just finishing up with at Sonu Exim’s factory in for 62% of our total fabric import. Anu-
27-year-old has plans — leftovers brown shimmer-sequined tops for an Noida Sector 83 race to rag Kapoor of RADNIK, an export firm,
from last year, plus new ones — American buyer. Not a thread should be complete a large order agrees that scaling up is a challenge, but
and this is an important time to make out of place in the export-quality tops, for an American client says it’s doable. “If our buyers give a five-
them happen. April and May are the tail so the stitchers work with meditative fo- year commitment, we’re ready to scale
end of peak export season that begins in cus. The whirr of machines blocks out up,” he says, citing Bangladesh’s example
Sept. But this year, it doesn’t feel like it. all other noise, keeps them in the zone. top destination of India’s textile exports after the 2023 mass arrests of opposition
“There has been no overtime for sev- “It’s for one of our regular buyers,” a in FY24, accounting for 28% of the trade. Since 2021, India has been exporting more 2.8 workers that led to a period of turmoil.
eral weeks,” says Pooja, briefly pausing supervisor says. “We’re finishing one The Gautam Budh Nagar hub itself than $2bn worth of garments every year “When political instability erupted in
at her stitching station. of the last batches of last houses more than 4,000 units that make Bangladesh, Indian exporters began
These stretch end to end in season’s orders.” clothes for brands like GAP, Ralph Lau- to the US. In 2024, it was among the top 5 scaling up production as one of our big-
parallel lines at garment In a normal year, ren, Zara, Mango, to name a few. Women’s sources of garments exports to America gest competitors was facing economic
exporter Sonu Exim’s cav-
ernous second floor work- SURVIVING workdays in April would
stretch till 9pm and bring
clothing makes up the bulk of readymade
exports to the US from here as well as
turmoil. But as Bangladesh’s economy
became stable again, our expansion pro-

TRUMP’S 2.3
shop in the industrial zone in extra cash from over- units in Gurgaon and Faridabad. Mens- jects had to be abandoned. So, we need a
in Noida’s Sector 83. time. “But this month wear is majorly manufactured in units 1.8 guarantee from buyers,” he explains.
She’s part of the highly
skilled section of the gar- TARIFFS and in March, we’ve been
wrapping up by the usual
in the south, like Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur.
A baseline tariff of 10% came into 1.6 Indian Garments
Many of the American clients are
catalogue buyers, wholesalers who sam-
ment factory, which em- 6.30pm,” says Pooja. effect on April 5 and the possibility of ple stores for retailers to choose from.
ploys 1,500 workers in dif- an additional 26% — announced by Exports To US, $ Bn
ferent functions across five floors. The Threat Of A US Slowdown Trump but put on hold for 90 days — Source: US International Trade Commission Lean Season To Re-strategise?
first floor is for cutting fabric, third for For the textile clusters of Gautam Budh looms. But what export unit owners
$1.5 bn 1.5 Roshan Baid of Paragon Textiles,
finishing touches like fixing loose threads Nagar — one of India’s top exporters of fear will hit them before tariffs do is 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 which exports primarily to the US, says
or sequins, fourth for quality checks, and readymade garments — the “something weakening buying sentiment in the US. the current lean season is a good time to
fifth for chemical treatment to soften the amiss” factor has been building up with They have been warily reading fore- prepare. “We are already past the peak
fabric and ‘lock’ the colour. Packing, the US President Donald Trump’s constant casts of America going into a recession of uncertainty around port fees the US in- and summer collections have been sent
final step, is a separate section where rattling of the tariff sabre. US was the under Trump 2.0. Workers, too, speak Amid forecasts of a tends to charge Chinese vessels),” says an out. If there is a confirmed increase in
Photos: Yogesh Kumar of “mandi” (slowdown) in America. “If recession in the US, export exporter. “This has hit delivery timelines. orders, we’re ready to expand. Many of
that happens, it’s a scary thought for us But the ships have begun moving and the us have planned units at the new Yamu-
because our jobs will get directly affect- unit owners fear that falling backlog is slowly clearing up.” na apparel park,” he says.
ed. I don’t understand tariffs, but I hope demand in America may hit But the turbulence is not without a India exported $10.5 billion worth of
our jobs and incomes remain safe,” hint of opportunity. While China, the textile and apparel products to the US in
says Rajeev, who works in the finishing sooner than Trump’s tariffs world’s largest textile exporter, is locked 2024, accounting for 28.5% of the coun-
department of an exporter. in a tariff battle with the US, the other try’s total textile exports. Of this, ready-
The health of the US economy is hasn’t lashed Indian shores yet. But rip- big textile-exporting countries — like made garments accounted for $8.7 bil-
linked to the well-being of thousands ples, if minor, are nonetheless visible. Vietnam (46%) and Bangladesh (37%) lion, the largest share. While India holds
of families. “I learnt some stitching “Buyers are asking for a 5% discount, es- — have much higher tariffs than India. just 3.9% of the global apparel trade, it
from my father but this is my first job sentially to share the burden of the 10% Indian exporters are also hopeful that has steadily emerged as a preferred part-
in a professional setup. I took up the tariff,” says Nikhil Thukral of Twenty Delhi and Washington will thrash out a ner for US buyers in recent years.
job to increase my family’s income,” Second Miles, a Noida-based apparel trade deal. US vice president JD Vance To capitalise on the opportunity, ex-
says 22-year-old Heeba. She has recently firm that exports garments worth Rs 30- said earlier this month that “good nego- porters want better govt support through
moved to Noida from Aligarh and began 40 crore annually to the US, Europe and tiations” were under way with India. subsidies for MSMEs, investment in lo-
working at a loungewear exporting unit Dubai. “Most exporters have agreed to gistics, and faster raw material supply.
in Sector 6, making Rs 12,000 per month. this to maintain long-term relationships Counting On ‘China Plus One’ “We have an abundant labour force, our
Mahesh Pal (48) is on the other end with buyers. But new orders have slowed Besides, India will continue to benefit wages are competitive, our govt is stable
of the spectrum, stitching garments for down. It’s a wait-and-watch situation. from the ‘China plus one’ model as com- and our economy is strong. These are all
two decades. “This is the only work I We hope the US reduces tariffs on India panies look to diversify their supply to India’s advantage and it is also among
have ever done,” says Pal, who is from after the 90-day pause,” he adds. chains (evident in the huge expansion the top cotton producers globally, so we
UP’s Mahoba. “I never got formal train- The other headwind is the rise in freight of Apple’s iPhone manufacturing in Ta- can support a large garments industry.
ing, just learnt on the job,” he says. costs as a fallout of the US-China trade war. mil Nadu). “Global companies have been With govt support, it can grow much big-
“Because of the uncertainty around tariffs, working on this model for two to three ger,” says an exporter.
Trump Actions Present An Opening freight rates have gone up by 10%. Contain- years. Irrespective of the outcome of tar-
Workers at Twenty Second Miles’s manufacturing unit in Noida’s Sector 6 The churn triggered by ‘Trumponomics’ ers were stuck in Chinese ports (because iffs, India will gain traction as a base for With inputs from Bagish Jha
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 2 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri T: 05-14-2025 02:10

TIMES GLOBAL * THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
EVERY DOGMA HAS ITS DAY
— ANTHONY BURGESS

JACKIE CHAN SAYS CGI STUNTS ARE A ‘DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD,’ SIMON PEGG SAYS ‘MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’ STINT RESCUED
SAFER FOR ACTORS BUT ‘MISSING’ A ‘SENSE OF REALITY’ HIM FROM A BATTLE WITH DEPRESSIVE ALCOHOLISM

Trump to lift US sanctions Harvard loses

another $450m in
federal grant over
Zelensky urges Trump to
attend peace talks, but
Pakistan envoy to
B’desh goes on
sudden leave,
on Syria in big policy shift anti-semitism
Washington: Trump adminis-
tration is cutting another $450
Putin’s plans still unclear
Istanbul: President Volody-
sparks speculation
Ahsan Tasnim TNN

AFP
Likely To Meet Syrian Prez Ahmed al-Sharaa, A Former US agrees to sell million in grants to Harvard
University day after the Ivy Le-
myr Zelensky of Ukraine ap-
pealed to US President Tru-
Dhaka: Pakistan’s high comm-
issioner to Bangladesh, Syed
Al-Qaida Commander, Who Was In US Jail For 5 Years Saudi $142 billion ague school pushed back aga-
inst allegations it’s a hotbed of
mp on Tuesday to meet him
this week for peace talks, say-
Ahmed Maroof, who has been
notably active since the fall of
Riyadh/Damascus: Presi- arms package liberalism and anti-semitism. ing it would put pressure on the Sheikh Hasina govt, has ta-

NYT
dent Donald Trump said on Tu- In a letter to Harvard Tues- President Vladimir Putin of Kremlin said on Tuesday that ken sudden leave and departed
esday he would order the lif-
ting of sanctions on Syria at
the behest of Saudi Arabia’s
T he US agreed on Tuesday to
sell Saudi Arabia an arms
package worth nearly $142
day, a federal anti-semitism
task force said Harvard will lo-
se grants from eight federal
Russia to attend, but he cast
doubt on Putin’s desire for
either talks or peace.
they will announce who is
attending the talks in Istanbul
when Putin sees fit to and
Dhaka, prompting a wave of
speculation in diplomatic cir-
cles and on social media.
crown prince, a major US poli- billion, according to a White agencies in addition to $2.2 bil- The Kremlin on Tuesday declined to say if the Russian Maroof left Dhaka on May
cy shift ahead of an expected House fact sheet that called it lion that was previously fro- declined to say whether Pu- president will attend himself 11, travelling back to Islamabad
meeting with Syria’s interim “the largest defence zen. The letter said Harvard tin would travel to a meeting via Dubai. On the same day, the
President Ahmed al-Sharaa. cooperation agreement” has become a “breeding gro- in Turkiye, where peace talks Trump publicly prodded Pakistan high commission in
Trump is set to say hello to Washington has ever done. und for virtue signalling and are set for Thursday in Istan- Zelensky to accept the offer Dhaka officially notified Bang-
Sharaa on Wednesday in Saudi The agreement, signed during discrimination” and faces a bul. “As soon as the president of negotiations, but the Ukra- ladesh’s ministry of foreign af-
Arabia, a White House official US President Trump’s visit to “steep, uphill battle” to reclaim sees it fit, we will announce” inian president went a step fairs of his departure. A spoke-
said, setting up an encounter Riyadh, covers deals with its legacy as a place of acade- the delegation’s makeup, said ahead on Monday, saying he sperson for the embassy said
between the president and the more than a dozen US defence mic excellence. “There is a the Kremlin spokesperson, would travel to Turkiye for a the envoy is in Pakistan for
former al-Qaida commander companies in areas, including dark problem on Harvard’s Dmitry S Peskov. face-to-face meeting and chal- “consultations” but did not ela-
who took power after Bashar air and missile defence, air campus, and by prioritising ap- Zelensky said of Trump: lenging Putin to do the same. borate further. The commis-
al-Assad was toppled. Two Sy- force and space advancement, peasement over accountability, “If he were to confirm his On Tuesday, speaking to sion said deputy high commis-
rian presidential sources told maritime security and institutional leaders have for- participation, I think it wo- journalists in Kyiv, Zelensky sioner Muhammad Asif will
Reuters that they would meet communications, the fact feited the school’s claim to tax- uld give an additional push said he and Turkiye Presi- serve as acting high commis-
on Wednesday morning. sheet said. “The package payer support.” The letter was for Putin to come.” Trump sa- dent Recep Tayyip Erdogan sioner. However, it has not dis-
“I will be ordering the cessa- signed today is a clear dem- signed by officials at education id on Tuesday that he would would be waiting for Putin in closed the expected length of
tion of sanctions against Syria onstration of our commitment department, health and hu- send secretary of state Marco Ankara, the Turkish capital, Maroof ’s leave in its formal
in order to give them a chance at to strengthening our partne- man services and the general Rubio to Istanbul and has al- but would also be ready to tra- communication.
greatness,” Trump told an in- rship,” the fact sheet said. services administration. Uni- so offered to attend. Trump is vel to any city Putin chooses. Maroof had played a promi-
vestment forum in Riyadh, at Trump is greeted by Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday Saudi is the largest versity officials did not imme- also sending senior envoys “If Putin is truly ready, nent role in organising high-le-
the start of a tour of Gulf Arab customer for US arms. REUTERS diately provide comment. Har- Steve Witkoff and Keith Kel- not just in the media but in vel visits, including that of Pa-
states. “It’s their time to shine.
Red carpet welcome? Saudi Arabia vard has faced escalating sanc- logg, three sources familiar real life, to meet, then at the kistan’s foreign secretary, and
We’re taking them all off,”
Trump said, “Good luck Syria, rolls out a lavender one for US prez Trump vows Iran tions after becoming the first
university to defy govt’s de-
with the plans said.
The talks have taken on
leaders’ level, we will do eve-
rything to agree on a cease-
has travelled extensively across
Bangladesh, with his most re-
show us something very speci- won’t get N-weapon mands to limit pro-Palestinian growing importance as Rus- fire,” he added. cent visit to Cox’s Bazar on May
al.” Trump said he had made
the decision after discussions N o, don’t call it purple. When President Trump disembarked from
Air Force One in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, he stepped onto the
with Saudi Crown Prince Mo- rich lavender-coloured carpet unfurled before him, just one feature U S President Donald Trump
called Iran the “most dest-
activism and end diversity, equ-
ity and inclusion practices. AP
sia, Ukraine and the US have
weighed in and goaded each
other, each time raising the
“Because it is with him
that I must negotiate a cease-
fire. He is the only one who
9. Given his high-profile role,
Maroof ’s abrupt departure has
fuelled speculation about the
hammed bin Salman and Tur- of the lavish welcome extended to the visiting American president ructive force” in West Asia, stakes. Over the weekend, Pu- decides.” Andriy Yermak, reasons behind his leave. Some
kish President Tayyip Erdogan, on the first day of his Gulf tour. Along with a fighter-jet escort in the
whose govts have both strongly air and riders on Arabian horses on the ground, the lavender carpet
blaming Tehran for instability
across the region and warning Two Indian tin called for direct talks with
Ukraine, while ignoring de-
the Ukrainian president’s
chief of staff, said on Tues-
observers have questioned
whether it reflects a shift in Pa-
urged the lifting of sanctions. is one of the distinctive and symbolic Saudi protocols for greeting
The surprise move was an- high-profile dignitaries. Saudi Arabia swapped red carpets for
the US will never allow it to
obtain a nuclear weapon. students killed in mands by Kyiv and its allies
to agree to an immediate cea-
day Trump had made clear
he “expects” both Zelensky
kistan’s diplomatic strategy or
relates to recent regional deve-
nounced despite deep Israeli lavender in 2021, as the ruling royal family sought to define its own
suspicion of Sharaa’s admini- protocols and celebrate national identity, according to a report by
Offering what he described as
both a final warning and a car accident in sefire by Monday or face furt-
her sanctions.
and Putin to be present for
talks in Turkiye. REUTERS
lopments. Maroof assumed his
post in Dec 2023.
stration. Israeli officials have the official Saudi Press Agency published at the time. “Lavender in
continued describe Sharaa as a the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is associated with blossoming wildflo-
potential opening for
diplomacy, Trump said Iran has Pennsylvania
jihadi, though he severed ties wers that carpet the kingdom’s desert landscapes in the spring and
with al-Qaida in 2016.
Syrian foreign minister
is a symbol of Saudi generosity,” the report said. NYT
a choice between continuing its
“chaos and terror” or
embracing a path toward
New York: Two Indian stu-
dents have been killed in an ac-
cident in Pennsylvania after
Hasina’s party barred from election
Asaad al-Shibani, in a state- the leader of al-Qaida’s official $10 million bounty on Sharaa’s
ment to Reuters, said it mar- wing in the Syrian conflict. He head in Dec. The UN, which
peace. The US president said he
was willing to strike a new deal
their car crashed into a tree and
struck a bridge, officials said.
Dhaka: Bangladesh’s election
commission has suspended India expresses concern over ban
ked a turning point for the Sy- first joined al-Qaida in Iraq, has been pushing countries to
rian people in their efforts to where he spent five years in a lift sanctions on Syria, welco-
with the Islamic Republic but
only if its leaders changed
Another passenger in the
front seat of the vehicle was in-
the registration of ousted for-
mer PM Sheikh Hasina’s Awa- on Awami League, Dhaka responds
rebuild. Sharaa was for years US prison. The US removed a med the move. REUTERS course. REUTERS jured in the accident on Satur- mi League, effectively barring TIMES NEWS NETWORK “We have witnessed how
day morning and rushed to a lo- the party from contesting the Awami League completely

I
cal hospital, they said. next national ndia expressed concern destroyed our democratic fa-

Anita Anand named Canada foreign minister “Deeply saddened to learn

about the unfortunate road ac-
cident in which two Indian stu-
elections.
The move
comes after
over the ban on deposed PM
Sheikh Hasina’s party,
Awami League, while calling
bric, severely squeezed our po-
litical space and compromised
our sovereignty during its 15-
Three More MPs Of mic, she played a crucial role as ting crime. A lawyer by trai- dents from Cleveland State Uni- the interim for free and fair polls in Bang- year long tyrannical and klep-
Reuters

minister of public services ning, she represents Bramp- versity, Manav Patel (20) and govt of Nobel ladesh. In a statement, the mi- tocratic rule. The wounds cau-
Indian-Origin Make and procurement, managing
vaccine and PPE procure-
ton North and has won four
consecutive terms as a Liberal
Saurav Prabhakar (23) lost the-
ir lives,” the Consulate General
laureate Mu-
hammad Yunus banned all ac-
nistry of foreign affairs said
as a democracy, India is natu-
sed by crimes perpetrated by
this party are still fresh,” said
It To Carney Cabinet ment. She also led Canada’s mi-
litary aid efforts to Ukraine du-
MP. She served as minister of
democratic institutions from
of India in New York said in a
post on X Monday. The consula-
tivities of Awami League un-
der the Anti-Terrorism Act af-
rally concerned at curtail-
ment of democratic freedoms
Shafiqul Alam, press secreta-
ry to chief adviser Muham-
[email protected] ring her tenure as defence mi- Dec 2024 to March 2025 and as te added, “Our thoughts and ter days of protests. Govt cited and shrinking political space mad Yunus. “I have already sa-
nister. She started her political chief govt whip in Trudeau’s prayers are with their families national security threats and in the neighbouring country. id the ban on activities of this

A
fter 22 Indian-origin can- career as an MP from Oakville final months in office. during this difficult time. The an ongoing war crimes probe “We strongly support the party is necessary to protect
didates won the April 28 riding in Ontario. Sarai, 50, represents Sur- Consulate is in touch with the against the party’s top brass early holding of free, fair and national security and sovere-
federal elections in Ca- Sidhu, 41, representing rey Centre in British Colum- families and has assured them over the deaths of hundreds of inclusive elections in Bangla- ignty, ensure the safety of July
nada, four made it to PM Mark Brampton East, was promoted bia, and was appointed secreta- of all possible assistance.” protesters. “With the home desh,” said MEA spokesper- Movement activists, and safe-
Carney’s newly sworn-in cabi- to minister of international ry of state for international de- According to the Lancaster ministry’s ban on all activities son Randhir Jaiswal. guard plaintiffs and witnesses
net on Tuesday. Two of them — Anita Anand takes oath at trade after previously serving velopment. Born and raised in County coroner’s office and of Awami League and its affili- Dhaka responded immedi- of International Crimes Tri-
Anita Anand and Maninder Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Tuesday as a secretary of state. First Vancouver to Punjabi immi- Pennsylvania state police, ated organisations, the elec- ately to India’s statement say- bunal.” On elections, Alam sa-
Sidhu — were appointed as mi- elected in 2019, Sidhu has held grant parents, he has served in Prabhakar was driving the ve- tion commission has decided ing elections are entirely Ban- id one must recall how Hasi-
nisters, while the other two, Justin Trudeau and Carney, in- his seat in three consecutive Parliament since 2015. Sarai hicle. Police say both men died to suspend the party’s regi- gladesh’s internal matter and na’s party resorted to grossly
Ruby Sahota and Randeep cluding as minister of innova- elections. He has served on the holds a law degree and has con- at the scene from multiple trau- stration,” said commission se- urged all to respect the “sove- farcical polls and caused irre-
Singh Sarai, will serve as se- tion, science and industry, and standing committees on natu- sistently retained his seat matic injuries. Both deaths we- cretary Akhtar Ahmed late on reign will of our people in mat- parable damage to the electo-
cretaries of state. minister of national defence. ral resources and on transport, across four elections. re ruled accidental. PTI Monday. REUTERS ters relating to elections”. ral processes and institutions.
Anand, 57, a seasoned poli- A native of Oakville, Onta- infrastructure and communi- Ontario emerged as the key
tician and legal scholar, was rio, Anand is the daughter of ties, and was appointed parlia- province in Indo-Canadian re-
appointed as minister of fore-
ign affairs. A prominent Libe-
ral voice, she previously ser-
Indian immigrant physicians.
She first entered parliament in
2019 and quickly rose through
mentary secretary for interna-
tional development in 2021.
Sahota, 45, was appointed
presentation, with three of the
four new cabinet appointees
—Anand, Sidhu and Sahota —
Israeli officials: Conducted DAILY PLANET
Getty Images/iStockphoto

ved in key roles under both the ranks. During the pande- secretary of state for comba- hailing from the province.
air strikes in Khan Younis to
British PM’s linking of ‘mass immigration’ to ‘island of kill Yahya Sinwar’s brother
I
sraeli fighter jets bombar- Civil defence spokesman

strangers’ draws comparison to ’60s anti-migrant speech ded the southern Gaza city Mahmud Bassal said that “ac-
of Khan Younis Tuesday in cording to our crews on the gro-
an attempt to kill Mohammad und, 28 martyrs have been reco-
Naomi Canton tating Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blo- dal, has 50% of her staff from telling Indian students they Sinwar, one of Hamas’ remai- vered from the area”.
od’ speech is sickening. That India. She said: “This will im- will get professional jobs and ning top members in the encla- Israel has threatened anot-
London: British PM Keir speech fuelled decades of ra- pact us greatly. Lots of British international exposure here, ve, according to two Israeli mi- her major military offensive in
Starmer’s remarks on immig- cism and division. Echoing it people don’t want these jobs. but that’s not the reality. There litary officials. the enclave unless Ha-
ration has been compared to is a disgrace.” The PM’s offici- We won’t be able to find enough are not enough jobs in the UK Both officials spoke mas lays down wea- TREMORS IN PARADISE: A 4.4 temblor struck the volcanic area
an inflammatory speech from al spokesperson told TOI: people. We have been told not to and some companies won’t re- on condition of anony- pons and turns over the around Naples as part of a ‘major’ quake swarm on Tuesday, sparking
the 1960s by late Conservative “The PM rejects those compa- sponsor any new staff already. cruit people on graduate visas, mity. Around the same 20 living hostages it fear but no immediate reports of damage. The tremor hit the Campi
MP Enoch Powell. risons and stands be- We have an advert for a and also the salary threshold time, Israeli military sa- still holds, along with Flegrei area in southern Italy at 12.07pm (local time), at a depth of
Starmer said mass immig- hind the argument he healthcare assistant and for skilled worker visas is high. id its forces had struck a the remains of about 40 3km. It was preceded by two quakes of 2.1 and 3.5 magnitude
ration risks were making Bri- made — that migrants all the applications are He said 90% of Indian students Hamas command cent- others. Hamas has re-
tain an “island of strangers” make a massive contri- from overseas. Some of were working in the same part- re underneath Europe-
Yahya Sinwar
fused to disarm, adding Kim Kardashian tells A letter of apology written by
69-year-old defendant Aomar
while introducing the immigr- bution to our country, my Indian staff are quite time jobs they had as a student an Hospital, near Khan Younis. that they will not release the
ation white paper Monday. The but migration needs to worried. Some care ho- on their graduate visas and on- An Israeli military spokesper- captives unless Israel ends the ‘mastermind’ of 2016 Ait Khedache was read out. “I
do appreciate the letter for
white paper is facing a back-
lash from the Indian diaspora.
be controlled, fair, and
at lower levels.”
mes may have to close if
they can’t find the staff.”
ly 10% got graduate-level jobs.
Pratik Dattani, founder of
son declined to say whether war. Sinwar is believed to be
Sinwar was targeted in that one of the most senior Hamas
Paris jewel heist that sure, I forgive you,” she said.
In his 1968 “Rivers of Blo- The announcement that he- Vijaykumar Pydi, media think tank Bridge India, said: strike. Billowing pillars of commanders left in the enclave she has forgiven him New Cannes dress code made
od” speech, Powell had said the alth and care worker visas, the head of Indian National Stu- “The new rules will make Bri- smoke towered around the hos- after over a year and a half of
native British population had
“found themselves made
majority of which go to Indian
nationals, will be abolished has
dent Association UK, said the
number of Indians coming to
tish citizenship much more
difficult. It is surprising how
pital following the bombardm- devastating war with Israel. He
ent, according to videos from is the brother of Yahya Sinwar,
R eality TV star Kim Kardash-
ian told the alleged maste-
rmind of a jewel heist in which
Halle Berry switch outfit
Oscar-winning actress Halle
Berry was caught off-guard by
strangers in their own count- sent shockwaves through the the UK would drastically redu- rightward the Labour govt has the scene verified by NYT. the Hamas leader, killed by Is-
she thought she was going to the Cannes Film Festival’s
ry” because of immigration. care industry in Britain. ce owing to the graduate visa moved. This will create a nega- Gaza’s civil defence agency rael last year, who mastermin-
die that she forgave him, but updated dress code and had to
Suspended Labour MP Za- Nicola Spedding, manager route being curtailed to 18 tive perception of studying said the Israeli strikes killed at ded the Oct 7, 2023, attacks that
that this took switch her outfit choice last
rah Sultana said: “The PM imi- of Heron Hill care home in Ken- months. “Agents in India are and working in the UK.” least 28 people in the areais. set off the war. NYT & AFP
away none of minute, she said Tuesday.
the trauma fr- Under the rules, nudity is not
om being held allowed on the red carpet, and

Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault, gets 18-month suspended sentence at gunpoint in
her Paris hotel
room in 2016.
“voluminous
outfits, in
particular
Paris: French movie star Gé- The verdict was welcomed as an assistant director. the “vulgar, rude, trashy person of the #MeToo movement. Mo-
AFP

“I absolutely thought I was goi- those with a

rard Depardieu was convicted by the victims’ lawyers as a The court heard that Depar- who makes fun of people” that re than 20 women have accused
ng to die,” she told a Paris cou- large train”,
by a Paris court Tuesday on landmark win for French wo- dieu , 76, grabbed Amélie by the he had been portrayed as in the Depardieu of sexual abuse.
rt Tuesday, recounting the att- that block the
charges of sexually assaulting men in the post #MeToo world. waist and pulled her toward media. But he added he was Among those who have rushed
ack, in which she thought she way for other
two women working on the set “For me, it’s a victory, truly,” sa- him on set while he was sitting from a different generation and to Depardieu’s defence is Presi-
was going to be raped and sh- guests and complicate theatre
of a film in which he was starri- id one of the two victims, identi- down. Then he locked her bet- his flamboyant and unapologe- dent Emmanuel Macron, who
ot. Kardashian, 44, cried as she seating are also no longer per-
ng in 2021. He received a suspen- fied only by her first name, Am- ween his legs and ran his hands tic personality was ill suited for condemned what he called a
recalled the attack, in which mitted. Organisers said they
ded sentence of 18 months, and élie. “We are moving forward.” over her buttocks, genitals and the current era. “manhunt” against the actor.
suspects are accused of tying could deny red carpet access
his name will be added to the na- Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu breasts while muttering obsce- From the beginning, it was Depardieu’s lawyer became
her up before making off with to those who do not respect
tional sex offender registry. Diebolt, said she hoped the ru- nities. The assistant director, clear the trial was about more almost as much a subject of de-
jewellery, including a $4-million the rules. “I had an amazing dr-
The judge also ruled that De- ling would mean the “end of im- 34, testified the actor had tou- than two sexual assaults by one bate as his client. He called the
Depardieu’s name will be added to engagement ring given by her ess by Gupta to wear tonight,
pardieu pay damages of 15,000 punity for artists in the film in- ched her breasts and buttocks of France’s best-known film plaintiffs liars, saying one had
the national sex offender registry then-husband Kanye West. and I cannot wear it because
euros (about $17,000) to one of dustry.” “I’ve heard some actors on three occasions on the set. stars. What happened in the co- never been a “real victim”. The
Dressed in a black outfit and the train’s too big,” Berry, a
the two victims and 14,040 eu- recently still supporting Depar- “Les Volets Verts”, a 2021 Fren- The judge called their versi- urt, instead, was part of a long court ruled the women had suf-
wearing shiny jewellery, Karda- festival jury member this year,
ros, including her medical fees, dieu. Now with this verdict, no ch film starring Depardieu — on coherent, consistent and su- overdue reckoning about the fered “secondary victimisa-
shian said the attack changed a said. “I had to make a pivot. But
to the other. Depardieu was not one can say Gérard Depardieu Amélie, as a set decorator, and pported by other evidence. De- country’s obsession with sed- tion” from Assous’ conduct and
lot of things, including prompti- the nudity part I do think is
in court. His lawyer, Jérémie is not a sexual predator.” the other plaintiff, who has not pardieu, 76, denied the assaults uction, the uncritical adulation awarded them 1,000 euros as
ng her to increase her security. probably also a good rule.”
Assous, said he would appeal. The two victims worked on agreed to be identified publicly, in both cases. He said he was not of artists and stalling in France part of the damages. NYT
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: mainak.sain T: 05-14-2025 00:41

TIMES BUSINESS
After an initial tumble to its lowest levels
this year soon after Trump announced his
Liberation Day tariffs on April 2, bitcoin
has slowly clawed back ground. It managed
to outperform stock markets in 10 out of 17 $100,000
THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025
How the Spot bitcoin ETFs launched in the US
sessions in that period. The world’s top and 80,000
price of 60,000
original cryptocurrency is now a whisker bitcoin 40,000
Trump won the US election
away from the $100,000 mark last seen three 20,000
has moved 0
months ago, after a 15% rise in April alone Jan 2023 Apr July Oct Jan 2024 Apr Jul Oct Jan 2025 Apr Source: Reuters

Union Bank pairs

wellness, returns
in new FD scheme
Sensex slides nearly 1.3k pts JSW’s B2B
e-comm arm
turns unicorn
Mumbai: Union Bank of India on
Tuesday launched a 375-day
fixed deposit scheme that offers
a bundled health insurance
a day after record 3k pt rally Mumbai: JSW One Plat-
forms, the B2B e-commerce
entity from the house of ste-
policy, aiming to stand out in the
retail banking space. Called the  Foreign Funds Lead Selloff  Mid & Smallcaps Buck Trend el-to-cement conglomerate
JSW Group, raised a fresh
Union Wellness Deposit, the Rs 340 crore in funding at a
product combines financial TIMES NEWS NETWORK valuation of $1 billion, joi-
returns with a super top-up D-ST, GOLD, RUPEE... ALL FALL DOWN ning the ranks of unicorn
health cover of Rs 5 lakh, Mumbai: A record 2,975-po- startups. The funding was
targeted at health-conscious int sensex rally gave way to Sensex since May 7 strikes Gold (`/10gm) Rupee vs $ led by Principal Asset Ma-
savers. The deposit offers an profit-taking on Tuesday, nagement, OneUp, JSW Ste-
83k 97k 84.5
annual interest rate of 6.75%, with the index closing near- el, and other investors, the
with senior citizens earning ly 1,300 points down. Banks, 84.69 company said in a state-
7.25%. It is available to resident IT and Reliance Industries, 82k ment on Tuesday.
80,747 96k 85
individuals aged between 18 and the sectors and stocks that 81,148 97,100 JSW One Platforms is
94,000
75. The scheme requires a rallied the most in the pre- 81k the third unicorn this year
minimum deposit of Rs 10 lakh vious session, were the most 95k 85.5
85.3 after AI-powered fleet safe-
and caps at below Rs 3 crore. TNN sold on Tuesday. The slide 80k ty startup Netradyne and
came as foreign funds tur- (inverse scale)
logistics platform Porter.
ned into big sellers, ex- 79k 94k 86 The company bagged the la-
change data showed. May 7 May 13 May 7 May 13 May 7 Source: ETIG May 13 test funding at more than
The sensex on Tuesday three times the valuation
opened slightly up but soon ly Rs 1.5 lakh crore, with 1,455 stocks that ended in the stitutional trading data on over its last investment ro-
entered negative territory BSE’s market capitalisation red, there were 2,514 that clo- the BSE showed. In contrast, und in April 2023 when it ra-
and slid through the session. now at Rs 431.1 lakh crore, of- sed in the green zone. domestic funds were strong ised Rs 250 crore. TNN
It closed 1,282 points or 1.6% ficial data showed. The scenario was comple- buyers during the day. These

Retail inflation eases to

lower at 81,148 points. On the Tuesday’s selling, howe- tely reversed for sensex funds recorded a net buying
NSE, Nifty lost 346 points or ver, was limited to large-cap stocks. Of the 30 index cons- figure of Rs 4,274 crore.
1.4% to close at 24,578 points. stocks, with most midcap tituents, 25 closed in the red.
According to Ajit Mishra and smallcap stocks closing HDFC Bank, Infosys, and Re- Broking firm Anand Rathi
of Religare Broking, Tues- higher. On the BSE, the mid- liance Industries contribu- settles front-running case
day’s dip in the index re-
flects caution among inves-
tors despite easing geopoli-
tical tensions and stable glo-
bal cues. The day’s session
cap index closed a marginal
0.2% higher, but the small-
cap index was up 1%. As a re-
sult, the advance-decline ra-
tio on the BSE was in favour
ted the most to the day’s loss
in the index, BSE data sho-
wed. The day’s selling was
led by foreign funds that re-
corded a net outflow of Rs 477
Anand Rathi Share & Stock
Brokers paid Rs 90.2 lakh to
markets regulator Sebi to sett-
le a case of front-running by
one of its sub-brokers, Meh-
lowest since July 2019
left investors poorer by near- of the gainers. Compared to crore, end-of-the-session in- At 3.2% In April, It’s Below RBI’s Target For
rangarh Financial Advisors.

3rd Mth | Triggers Hopes Of More Rate Cuts

JLR eyes boost from UK China defence
stocks slump
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
FOOD PRICES MODERATE
trade deals with India, US
New Delhi: Retail inflation
Retail inflation (%) at 69-month low
Bharti Airtel Q4 net eased to a 69-month low in

surges 77% to `5,223cr

after ceasefire April due to sustained mode-
ration in food prices, trigge-
6
4.8 5.1 6.2
5.2

TIMES NEWS NETWORK TIMES NEWS NETWORK ring hopes that the Reserve 4
3.7 3.6
New Delhi: Bharti Airtel posted 3.2
77% growth in net profit in the TaMo profit falls 51% to `8,556cr in Q4 Bank of India (RBI) will per-
Mumbai: The India-UK Mumbai: Stock prices of de- sist with its interest rate-cut-
March quarter at Rs 5,223 crore
(before exceptional items),
mainly on account of tariff
free trade agreement will
benefit Jaguar Land Rover’s T ata Motors fourth quarterly profit declined 51% to
Rs 8,556 crore, hit by lower volumes and operating
leverage. Revenue was almost flat at Rs 1.19 lakh crore. On a
fence equipment manufactu-
rers in China witnessed sel-
ting cycle for now.
Data released by the Natio-
2

future cars, as customers ling on Tuesday following the nal Statistics Office (NSO) on
hikes. It posted a profit of Rs consolidated basis, the automotive business is now 0
will be able to access them ceasefire declared by India Tuesday showed retail infla- April, June Aug Oct Dec Feb, Apr
2,952 crore in the same period a debt-free, the management said. AGENCIES
much faster, driving its per- and Pakistan. China supplied tion, as measured by the con- 2024 2025
year ago. The company’s
formance in India, said the Pakistan with fighter jets and sumer price index (CPI), slo-
revenue from operations grew Relief points (Change in April %) Pain points (Price rise in April %)
company’s top executive. as against the existing export beyond this quota missiles, among other defence wed to 3.2% in April — lowest
27% to Rs 47,876 crore during -11 Vegetables Oil & fats 17.4
“The current cars alrea- 100%. JLR sold 6,183 vehi- will face the 27.5% tariff. capabilities. since July 2019 — from 3.3% in
the quarter. TNN -5.2 Pulses & products Fruits 13.8
dy in India, the Range Rover cles in India in FY25. The US accounts for a quar- The sharp drop in stock March. Rural inflation was at
franchise—Range Rover, Regarding the US-UK ter of JLR’s sales. It recent- prices came after these stocks 2.9%, while urban inflation -3.4 Spices Personal care 12.9
& effects
Hero Moto Q4 net Range Rover Sport, Evoque,
and the Velar—are being
trade deal, Balaji said, “The
situation is much better
ly restarted shipments to
the US after pausing them
galloped for a few days. In
contrast, the stock prices of
was higher at 3.4%. This is the
third month in a row that the
-0.4 Meat & fish Source: Govt

up 6% at `1,081cr manufactured in India on a than what we were facing following the US’s 27.5% ta- companies within the Das- retail inflation rate has been ducts were down 5.2%. Two tional 75 basis points of rate
CKD (completely knocked before. We await the fine riffs on foreign-built vehi- sault group from France, the below the central bank’s tar- pressure points remained, cuts in this calendar year,” sa-
New Delhi: Hero MotoCorp on
down) basis, so they won’t print in terms of timings, cles that came into effect makers of the Rafale fighter get of 4%. with fruits and oil & fats infla- id Aditi Nayar, chief econo-
Tuesday posted a 6% growth in
be impacted by this FTA whether it’s applicable ret- on April 3. jets that India possesses, clo- Food inflation was at 1.8% tion rates in double digits du- mist at ratings agency ICRA.
net profit at Rs 1,081 crore in Q4
that is coming in,” said di- rospectively or not. We also “Whatever was shipped sed up to 0.9% higher. in April, lower than the 2.7% ring April. “A 25 basis points (bps) rate
of FY25, riding on higher margins
rector PB Balaji. “This will need a few clarifications in to the US will not have any On Tuesday, the stock pri- in March. The food inflation in Experts expect the RBI to cut appears forthcoming in
backed by a better product mix,
benefit future cars, mea- terms of what is due to parts impact if it is going to be a ce of Avic Chengdu Aircraft, April was the lowest since Oct cut rates in June when it meets the June 2025 policy, followed
parts revenue, and cost
ning customers will be able and accessories.” retrospective effect, as we the makers of Chinese fighter 2021. The decline in overall in- to review monetary policy, gi- by easing of 25 bps each in the
efficiencies. The company’s
to access these global cars at The trade deal reduces will continue shipping from jets J-10 and other models, fell flation and food inflation in ven the headroom provided by Aug and Oct 2025 policy revi-
profit in same period of the
global prices much faster.” tariffs on UK-built vehicles here on. We will have to wait over 9% during trading on the April was largely led by a dip the sharp moderation in price ews. If GDP growth print for
previous fiscal was Rs 1,016
Under the FTA, a fully- exported to the US to 10% to quantify the impact of Shenzhen bourse. The stock in the inflation of vegetables, pressures. “We anticipate the Q4 FY2025 does not report an
crore. Revenue from operations
built car imported from the from 27.5%, within a quota the change in tariffs,” Balaji price of Zhuzhou Hongda pulses and products, fruits, CPI inflation to average 3.5% acceleration from the 6.2% se-
stood at Rs 9,939 crore. TNN
UK will be levied a 10% duty of one lakh vehicles. Any said. Electronics Corp, the makers meat and fish, and cereals and in FY26, with the prints for Q2 en for Q3, the MPC may consi-
of PL-15 and other missiles, products. Vegetable inflation and Q3 sharply trailing the der front-loading the rate ea-
Ex-Bhushan promoter’s closed 6.3% lower on the same contracted nearly 11% in MPC’s projections for these sing, with a 50 bps cut in the

plea hearing adjourned

New Delhi: NCLT on Tuesday
Himadri partners with Sicona bourse.

Wall St erases
April, while pulses and pro- quarters, allowing for an addi- upcoming review,” said Nayar.

adjourned its hearing over a

petition filed by Sanjay Singhal,
former promoter of debt-ridden
for 1st desi silicon carbon plant 2025 losses, GAIL gets offers from 5 US
Bhushan Power & Steel, to June
gets tech lift
26. Singhal has approached
NCLT, seeking enforcement of
order passed by the SC, which
Uditprasanna.Mukherjee
@timesofindia.com

Kolkata: Himadri Specia-

In 2023, the Kolkata-ba-
sed company invested Rs 58
crore to acquire a 12.5% sta-
ke in Sicona through a whol-
directly addressing two of
the biggest consumer con-
cerns in EV adoption.
The plant was likely to A rally in the world’s largest
technology companies
cos for stake in LNG projects
on May 2 quashed Rs
lity Chemical is planning to ly owned SPV, Elixir Carbo be in Odisha, Chowdhary wiped out the US stock mar- Sanjay.Dutta pers of projects in Louisiana, Expanding energy im-
19,700-crore resolution plan
set up India’s first silicon Private Limited. Now, it has said. He noted that this ket’s losses for the year on spe- @timesofindia.com one of which has recently se- ports from the US was identi-
from JSW Steel. AGENCIES
carbon plant soon, follo- further invested Rs 81 crore partnership came at a pivo- culation that tensions around cured the Trump administra- fied as one of the measures
wing its technology licen- in Sicona through compul- tal moment for both India President Donald Trump’s New Delhi: Five US compa- tion’s nod to export gas to for reducing India’s trade
figure it out sing partnership with Sico-
na, an Australian
sory convertible notes.
Chowdhary said
and the world.
“As countries seek to lo-
trade war are cooling, with the
latest inflation data showing
nies have submitted bids in
state-run GAIL’s tender for
non-FTA countries.
GAIL chairman Sandeep
surplus during discussions
in Washisgton between PM
$7.8 billion next-gen battery ma-
terials company.
this technology had
advantages like hig-
calise battery manufactu-
ring and reduce reliance on
limited pressures thus far.
Equities climbed toward
acquiring up to 26% stake in
a LNG (liquefied natural
Gupta said the company is loo-
king to tie up more US energy,
Narendra Modi and Presi-
dent Donald Trump in Feb.
Japan’s SoftBank Group Per the agree- her mileage. Unlike concentrated supply cha- the highest since Feb, the gas) project alongside a long- even though it has two long- Gupta said GAIL has
reported its first annual profit ment, Himadri wo- conventional anode ins, Himadri’s partnership month that marked the S&P term supply contract for a term contracts for a total of 5.8 completed the construction of
in four years on Tuesday uld have the right to materials, Sicona’s with Sicona places India on 500’s latest all-time high. The million tonne of gas annual- million tonne per year becau- the Enron-era breakwater at
access, localise and SiCx® material, the technological frontline gauge was up almost 1% on ly, a move that will help India se of price advantage. Dabhol LNG terminal in Ma-
commercialise Sicona’s when used in conjunction of the energy transition. Tuesday, with chipmakers lea- reduce trade surplus with “We expect Henry Hub (US harashtra’s Ratnagiri district,
proprietary silicon-carbon with traditional graphite SiCx® is a transformatio- ding the charge on news the Washington. benchmark rate)-linked LNG which will allow operations
anode technology in India. (typically in proportions of nal product that can be se- US is preparing to announce a “We are currently evalua- prices to average $3.5-4 (per during the monsoon to allow
This technology is regarded 5–20%), significantly en- amlessly integrated into ex- deal boosting Saudi Arabia’s ting five bids,” company’s di- unit) in the short to medium import of more LNG cargos.
as one of the most promi- hances both energy density isting lithium-ion battery ability to buy AI products rector (business develop- term, making energy more af- “We are expecting (statutory)
sing advancements in lithi- (+20%) and charging perfor- anode formulations, offe- from the likes of Nvidia and ment) Rajeev Kumar Singhal fordable (than crude-linked approvals this week.” GAIL’s
um-ion battery performan- mance (+40%). This means ring a scalable and commer- AMD. said Tuesday but declined to gas) for customers. There is director (finance) R K Jain sa-
ce globally, Himadri Chemi- greater mileage per single cially viable path to signifi- Short-term Treasury yi- identify bidders. Separately, great scope for US energy as id the company’s capex plan
cals chairman and MD charge for electric vehicles cantly improved battery elds fell amid bets on two Fed people in the know said the others (oil companies) also ap- will be about Rs 10,000 crore in
Source: Reuters Anurag Chowdhary said. and rapid charging times, performance,” he added. rate cuts this year. BLOOMBERG bidders include two develo- pear to be interested,” he said. current fiscal.

Curefoods bags
Japanese co
starts work for 3
Safeguard measure to affect Krispy Kreme’s Exide eyes `20k cr revenue from
nanometer chip $7.6bn imports into the US pan-India biz
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
lead-acid battery biz in 2 years
TIMES NEWS NETWORK  From P 1 TIMES NEWS NETWORK siness remains positive and solar trade markets wit-
It is for India to The safeguard measures Bengaluru: Curefoods has across most business verti- nessed steady growth in de-

T
New Delhi: In a boost to Indi- he safeguard measu- decide if it wants to would affect $7.6bn acquired pan-India franchise Kolkata: Exide Industries is cals. I believe that Exide, mand, but the home-UPS
a’s semiconductor ambitions, res would affect $7.6 move ahead with the imports into the US of the rights for Krispy Kreme, ex- planning to increase its reve- with its advanced product market remained soft, with
Japanese Electronics started billion imports into proposed retaliation relevant products originating in tending its presence into nue from lead-acid battery portfolio, pan-India distri- its demand expected to ramp
design work for the cutting- the US of the relevant pro- after 30 days of India, on which duty collection North India with the takeover business to around Rs 20,000 bution network and strong up in the first quarter of this
edge 3 nanometer (nm) chip in ducts originating in India, the notification or would be $1.9bn. India’s of 11 stores in Delhi-NCR. The crore over the next couple of brand recall, will continue to fiscal year.
the country as it opened facili- on which the duty collec- later or resolve it proposed suspension of move consolidates the Benga- years from the current benefit from the growth op- Exide intends to commer-
ties in Noida and Bengaluru. tion would be $1.9 billion. as part of ongoing concessions would result in luru-based company’s control Rs 16,500 crore, with the out- portunities,” Roy said du- cialise the first phase of the
The facilities were inaugu- Accordingly, India’s pro- bilateral negotiations equivalent amount of duty over the doughnut chain’s In- look remaining strong. lithium-ion cell manufactu-
rated by IT & electronics posed suspension of con- —AN OFFICIAL collected — INDIA IN WTO FILING dia operations, taking its total “We are aiming to raise +VE OUTLOOK ring operations in Karnata-
minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, cessions would result in footprint to over 100 Krispy the company’s revenue from ring the company’s Q4FY25 ka this fiscal year. In the first
who said Renesas’ work opens an equivalent amount of India’s chief negotiator was such that it is resulting Kreme outlets. the lead-acid business to earnings call last week. phase, it will set up a 6 giga-
a “new frontier” in the count- duty collected. Rajesh Agarwal and a te- in some conjecture, but this The acquisition includes Rs 20,000 crore in the next According to the compa- watt-hour lithium-ion cell
ry’s quest for developing indi- The move comes just am of officials will discuss has been in the pipeline,” he seven retail outlets and four two to three years,” Exide In- ny, domestic auto replace- manufacturing unit.
genous semiconductor prepa- ahead of a visit by an Indi- market access (technical added. Further, sources said, cloud kitchens. Previously, dustries MD & CEO Avik Roy ment demand was robust So far, Exide has invested
redness. “Designing a 3nm an delegation led by Goyal, description of import duty India had initiated a similar Curefoods held exclusive dis- said on Tuesday. At the end throughout the last financi- around Rs 3,600 crore in its
chip is truly next-generation. which will hold talks with cut), rules of origin and move during Trump’s first tribution rights only for So- of the last financial year, the al year, while auto OEM de- wholly owned subsidiary
We’ve done 7nm and 5nm US trade representative non-tariff issues. term when he had slapped uth India. Curefoods also indi- company’s revenue from mand, especially in the pas- Exide Energy Solutions
earlier, but this marks a new Jaimeson Greer and US On Monday, Japan and 25% duty on certain steel cated future plans to deepen this business was around senger vehicles segment, (EESL). “We have the board
frontier.” Renesas is an em- commerce secretary Ho- the European Union had also products and 10% on alumi- the brand’s presence in wes- Rs 16,500 crore. didn’t see any meaningful approval to invest an additio-
bedded semiconductor solu- ward Lutnick between initiated similar action, said nium, which was settled by tern markets, including “As we enter FY26, the uptick in demand. In reserve nal Rs 1,200 crore in this
tion provider May 17 and 20. Next week, another official. “The timing the Biden administration. Mumbai. outlook for the lead-acid bu- power, both industrial UPS financial year,” Roy said.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: goutam.ghosh T: 05-14-2025 00:13

22 THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

IS AI RESHAPING THE WORLD

GENAI AGENTS WILL SWIFTLY RESOLVE YOUR BANKING ISSUES
This food giant’s
G enAI is revolutionising the banking sector.
GenAI-powered conversation agents provide
personalised and contextual engagement,
transactions and systems to swiftly resolve issues or
provide hyper-personalised financial advice. These
mini-assistants can analyse investment portfolios
India AI teams
are helping R&D,
efficiently linking data and process knowledge. and recommend options based on customer goals,
We are not far from a future that is powered all while the customer enjoys a cup of coffee. These
with deep research based GenAI agents that will mini-assistants act as expert problem-solvers,
be able to handle complex reasoning, interact challenging each other’s solutions and evaluating
with other GenAI agents, and tackle a range of
complex tasks. Imagine a banker
interacting with a customer while GenAI
agents run in the background like mini-
various options to deliver the best outcomes.
While the customer and bank representative
maintain control over decisions,
the process becomes faster and
client experience
assistants, gathering data from more efficient.
Nitin Sareen | head, consumer, small & business banking, wells fargo india and the philippinesb

How these Sambhajinagar youth

became world-class AI engineers logistics’ – turned out to be pre-
Anand Mahurkar’s My journey with Findability cisely what Watson needed.
Sciences has been nothing SoftBank spotted the potential
story, like Sridhar short of transformative. The in 2018, offering a joint venture in
training I received has Japan in exchange for a $7 million
Vembu’s, proves significantly boosted my minority stake. Mahurkar reluc-
efficiency and the quality of my tantly accepted, conscious that he
value of talent in thinking. I find myself had remained profitable and debt-
contributing more meaningfully free since day one. The pandemic
smaller cities to our AI initiatives, researching, tested that discipline: 60% of rev-
We had outsourced too much of our technical talent.
So, one of the things I’m very excited about right now
experimenting, and delivering enue evaporated in weeks. He re-
is, I met our first class of university interns this week…
[email protected] successful projects that benefit fused to sack a single employee
so, regenerating some of that early career talent hiring,

T
our customers worldwide. I and clawed back the lost business
creating the right rotational programmes to get them into
alk to almost anyone in learned how data-driven over the next year. “Our noses
Cargill, (make them) aware of our business and how they can
India’s software circles decisions can transform were bloodied,” he says. “We
contribute. I am finding our talent that’s coming out of
about building global- traditional businesses. It’s learnt by failing.”
universities around the world now care not just about applying
class products from unex- fascinating to know that my Throughout those setbacks,
the technology, but applying it to a purpose that matters to
pected places and the work is part of a global Sambhajinagar remained non-ne-
them personally. And certainly food security and the global
conversation quickly lands on Srid- movement, as AI becomes the gotiable. The city’s designation as
food supply chain is incredibly compelling for them.
har Vembu’s Zoho experiment. The new electricity powering various a Smart Industrial Cluster – Maha-
billionaire moved swathes of his businesses in 2025. rashtra’s new AURIC zone – finally Jennifer Hartsock | chief information & digital officer, cargill
SaaS giant from Chennai and the Shravan V Inamdar (centre, sitting), data scientist at Findability Sciences, along Shravan V Inamdar | data scientist, gave Findability the real estate it
Bay Area to tiny Mathalamparai in with his colleagues at the company’s office in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar findability sciences wanted. Recently the company [email protected] sales executives to use natural
Tamil Nadu, showing that high-end bought four acres on which it plans language to suggest the most

J
engineering can thrive amid paddy a village 400 km east of Mumbai. a 700-person AI research campus. ust before Jennifer Hart- appropriate ingredients to
fields as much as inside glass tow- A national scholarship trimmed “No more Bengaluru, no more Hy- sock sat down to talk with bakeries. Cargill has a hugely
ers. But 1,200 kilometres to the his college fees at Sambhajina- derabad,” Mahurkar insists. “Qual- us, Cargill’s chief infor- complex ingredient portfolio
north-west, an equally audacious gar’s Government Engineering ity employment must reach smaller mation & digital officer and it’s not easy for sales folks
story has been unfolding, quietly, College to ₹250 a year. In the 1990s towns. When that campus is full, I had had a discussion with the to know what’s best in all con-
inside an industrial city better he joined Mumbai-based Data- can die peacefully.” head of the company’s global texts. Hartsock says she re-
known for mediaeval caves than matics, rose through the ranks The social dividend matters to AI centre of excellence based cently played around with the
machine-learning models. and was shipped to Boston to help him because he remembers what a in Bengaluru. “I loved it. I system, asking what types of
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, flog document-management soft- 1,000 mechanical-engineering de- think it was awesome. And baking goods zucchini could
formerly Aurangabad, is Maha- ware. “I watched American sales- gree did for his own life. “These the passion is very real. Of go into, and it came back say-
rashtra’s fifth-largest urban centre. people fail, encroached on their kids who joined us used to cycle ten course, that’s a very fast mov- ing it could go into muffins,
It is here that Boston-headquar- turf, and grew the business from kilometres to school,” he says. ing space, so it’s also one we into breads, into cakes. But
tered Findability Sciences has $4 million to $40 million,” he re- “Now they sit opposite CTOs in want to stay in front of,” she since zucchini has a very high
spent the past decade quietly turn- calls. By his mid-thirties he was Boston and Tokyo, explaining K- tells us. moisture content, it recom-
ing 100 young men and women from Datamatics’ president, responsi- fold cross-validation.” And as it turned out, much mended Cargill ingredients
low-income families into artificial ble for 10,000 staff. of our discussion too was that could address that high
intelligence engineers. Entrepreneurial itch prevailed. AGENTIC FUTURE around AI – because it’s work humidity and still maintain
Anand Mahurkar, the CEO and datasets from day one – sales ledg- America, where Findability’s AI In 2010, he registered the neologism The firm claims compound annual that’s become critical to the shelf stability for the product.
founder of Findability Sciences, ers, satellite imagery, crop-sensor optimisation model increased `Findability’ with the US Patent revenue growth of 25%, all self- $160-billion US agribusiness
calls them “the finest AI engineers feeds – and must defend their mod- sugar yield by 2.5%, adding $5 mil- and Trademark Office – “I own that funded bar SoftBank’s minority and food company, and it’s Developing new sweeteners
on Earth”. Nearly all are first-gen- elling choices at weekly colloquia. lion to the company’s bottom line. word, it’s very common now cheque. Its `enterprise forecasting’ work that the India centre is Hartsock’s colleague Flori-
eration graduates; many grew up By the time their two-year appren- Retention is also startlingly though,” he tells us with a laugh – and `business-process copilot’ prod- playing a huge role in. an Schattenmann (CTO and
in humble dwellings on the edge of ticeship ends, they have built at high for the company: many engi- and set about building a platform ucts account for the bulk of turno- “I’ll give a really fun (ex- VP for innovation and R&D)
the city. None arrived with the least one production model for a neers have stayed seven or eight that could stitch together a corpora- ver, and both are built almost en- ample) that is probably less has been innovating on in-
skills the company needed. “The paying customer. years, an eternity in India’s job- tion’s scattered data. “Every or- tirely in Sambhajinagar. scientific, but we gredients using
education system simply doesn’t
teach what we require,” Mahurkar
The results are hard to dispute.
Findability’s Sambhajinagar team
hopping tech culture. The reason,
Mahurkar believes, is clear intel-
ganisation needs the ability to find
information,” he says. “That was
The next frontier is agentic AI
– bundling multiple models so that
think it’s really
cool,” Hartsock
CUTTING-EDGE predictive mod-
els around mol-
rues. “So we start from scratch – now designs, trains and maintains lectual ownership. “They are not the simple idea.” they coordinate like a team of spe- says, as she goes MADE IN INDIA ecules and nar-
two years of painful, unproductive every one of the company’s enter- anonymised resources on a body- That idea, that organisations cialists. The prototype, unveiled in into details of a rowing the uni-
work for us, but absolutely trans- prise-AI products, serving more shopping bench. They see the sugar would find it valuable to organise January at a local conference, was new GenAI prod- Our two major verse of experi-
formative for them.” than 60 large customers across yield tick up because of their opti- and analyse their disparate sources coded by the Sambhajinagar co- uct that they’ve locations for ments they need
Those two years resemble a the US, Japan and India. misation loop. They hear the Dai- of data, turns out to be incredibly hort and is already running pilot developed. It al- massive investment and to perform. One
crash-course in scientific thinking They have built demand- kin foreman say he finally knows useful during the AI wave we are projects in manufacturing and lows Cargill’s talent are Atlanta and of these has
rather than typical corporate up- forecasting engines for Dai- what to stock in Florida.” going through today. But even back agriculture. One sugar client now customers – the Minnesota in the US, and b e e n a r o u n d
skilling. The recruits begin with kin’s vast Texas air-condi- then Mahurkar’s approach was no- wants a centre of excellence that likes of McDon- here in India. We have low-calorie or
remedial mathematics before spend- tioner manufacturing HUMBLE BEGINNINGS ticed. By 2014, Big Data mania was can take the optimisation playbook ald’s and KFC – talent around the world, no-calorie
ing months on probability, linear plant. “We give them That global footprint be- erupting and IBM’s Watson group across palm-oil, soybean and rice to do persona- but where we’re sweeteners. The
algebra and statistical theory. Pro- annual savings of 20 to lies Findability’s boot- asked him to join its advisory mills worldwide. based product investing in our growth stevia leaf has
gramming comes later. “Anyone can 30 million dollars,” strap origins. Mahurkar board. Findability’s plumbing – For Mahurkar, the commercial innovation. The is in these locations. And been one of the
learn to code today – LLMs can write Mahurkar says. “We grew up in Ambajogai, what Mahurkar now brands `data expansion is gratifying but sec- customer could what we’re looking at original sources
decent boiler-plate code,” Mahurkar tell them which mod- ondary. He measures success in ask a question growing is software of such sweeten-
argues. “But without a rigorous els will sell in which I grew up in a village called Ambajogai and paid 250 a human capital. “When I started, I like, `For a mil- engineering, data ers. But it’s pos-
grounding in statistics, you cannot regions, and where year to study engineering in Aurangabad. That thought an office with a big hoard- lennial who is engineering, sible to create
frame or validate an AI model. to stock those mod- education lifted me out of poverty, so I said, ‘I’m going to give ing would be enough,” he says. s o c i a l m e d i a cybersecurity, certainly the exact same
Maths is the oxygen, while coding els, which distribu- this city back.’ Everybody told me Aurangabad was the wrong “Two weeks ago we finally put our s a v v y, w h a t advanced analytics and m o l e c u l e
is merely the plumbing.” tors will buy them, location, but I stuck to my cause. Today a hundred engineers name on a building in Mumbai. would be poten- AI. We’re doing a lot through fermen-
The company partners with Dr and why. All this with solve problems for clients in the United States and Japan. Some But the real billboard is in Au- tial menu items with cloud. We have a tation of other
Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada 95% accuracy.” of our recruits used to cycle ten kilometres to school and now rangabad. It tells every student that utilises ex- full cloud engineering commodities
University’s statistics department. Another success they sit opposite CTOs in Boston and Tokyo, explaining K-fold from a small village that statis- isting or future team in India that too, like cor n.
Professors moonlight as in-house story comes from a sugar cross-validation. tics, not postcode, decides wheth- C a r g i l l p r o d - we’ve been really Har tsock says
trainers. Recruits handle messy manufacturer in South Anand Mahurkar | founder & ceo, findability sciences er you build world-class AI.” ucts?’ The sys- impressed with. they helped
tem will come up Schattenmann’s
with an answer, team with AI

Predicting rain doesn’t How Abhisar overcame blindness and then the customer could
ask how that menu should be
in India or the US. “It gener-
models to fine tune those
experiments to transition
from a stevia leaf to other

count, building arks does to build a career in technology

ates some really, really cool, commodities. “It allows
innovative, and sometimes those scientists to work bet-
crazy suggestions. But I have ter and faster,” she says.
to tell you, the customer in- A number of AI projects,
Violet Sera [email protected] says. teraction with that was in- Hartsock says, are also going
INSPIRATION Abhisar’s rank in JEE was good credible,” Hartsock says. on to improve efficiency. In

M A
y fascination with bhisar Waghmare was sit- enough to get him into the Nation- It also provides Cargill coding, it’s already easily giv-
science and mathematics ting down to fill out forms and just press random keys to see al Institute of Technology (NIT) at with insights into where ad- ing productivity improve-
began early, guiding me for the JEE entrance when what each one did. Once I under- Surat. Despite that success, offi- ditional product innovation ments of 10-15%. Work is on
into engineering and eventually his younger cousin came to stood what the screen reader was cials processing his admission might be required, and ena- to use AI to find ways to do
software development. After him with a fancy sports bike. Drawn saying, my confidence grew. I was questioned him about how he bles it to work with custom- core ERP projects faster and
two decades in large-scale towards it, like every other teenager always a tech person, so it didn’t take would cope with the curriculum. ers’ recipes to create unique less expensively.
cloud-native development, the in his hometown in Ramtek in Ma- me long to get used to the screen But Abhisar had no doubts. flavours for their markets. The legal team uses AI to
Covid-19 pandemic marked a harashtra, he went on a ride, want- reader. With 2-3 months of continu- While studying, Abhisar in- Even though Cargill teams analyse contracts. AI is being
turning point, inspiring me to ing to try out some stunts. Along the ous practice, I learned to operate the terned at Microsoft and worked on work on predictive analytics, used to quickly understand
channel my skills and steering way, he met some friends who also computer independently,” he recalls. a project for blind people at IIT generative and agentic AI, new govt policies in order to
me towards my true calling — wanted to try their hands on the He then started applying for Delhi. The latter project involved a Hartsock says GenAI is help Cargill’s commodity
healthcare technology. bike. On his way back home, he met JEE once again. This time, friends, wi-fi fingerprinting method. He where most projects are hap- traders. “When one of our
with a terrible accident. Doctors relatives, and even those at the had to create a Python script that pening right now. It’s being govts releases a new policy, it
said they had to choose between sav- blind centre discouraged him from would enable indoor navigation for used to improve customer could be 800 pages. And if we
CAREER LADDER ing his eyes and his life. That was
hardly a choice. The doctors discon-
even thinking of a life in tech. “I
was told a bank job would be best
people with disabilities.
The next challenge came during
experience, to increase the
efficiency of Cargill’s teams,
can figure out a way to sum-
marise that with accuracy for
FOR WOMEN nected the nerves in his eyes. suited due to my blindness. But I college placements. “A lot of GCCs in decision support (ensuring people, that really facilitates
Abhisar lost two years recover- felt it was important to stop bother- and product firms came to hire, knowledge in one part of the faster and more accurate de-
LEADING WITH PURPOSE | Today, ing from over a dozen surgeries. ing about what people said and just talked about diversity, but none company is available easily cision making. With AI, what
I lead the development of EMPOWERING FUTURE LEADERS But he also spent this time study- f o l l o w my instincts. I wanted to knew how to deal with real disabil- to all), and in R&D. took days can now be given to
technology solutions that | In my career, I have learnt the ing to complete his 12th standard, become an engi- ities,” Abhisar recalls. One ChatGPT client the traders in minutes,” Hart-
prioritise patients, caregivers, importance of staying abreast and went to a blind centre in Ma- neer, so I took Even now, he says, not many company developed allows sock says.
and providers. Guided by Warren with technology while harashtra to learn how to operate that path,” he companies understand persons
Buffet’s insight – “Predicting rain delivering business value. a computer without his eyesight. with disabilities. He
doesn’t count; building arks
does” – I focus on proactive
However, to truly excel as a
technology leader,
He requested the teacher there to
let him play around with a screen
thinks disabled people
If you want to should educate these
GLOSSARY OF
problem-solving. understanding the broader
business context is crucial.
reader, instead of learning Braille,
because not many science books
pursue a companies so that poli-
cies evolve. “Many of
IN-GROUP TERMS
career in tech,
PURPOSEFUL ADAPTATION | My
journey at Optum has been
Dedicate yourself to
understanding how your work
were available in Braille at
the time. ignore any
the recruiters did not
know what a screen
USED ON THIS PAGE
about creating technology aligns with the broader vision, “One of the trainers (discouraging) reader was. Their selec-
solutions that genuinely
enhance lives, with the end user
view challenges as
opportunities for growth, and
g ave m e a q u i c k
10-15-minute training
comment coming tion processes weren’t
smooth for people like
K-FOLD CROSS-VALIDATION
your way and focus me. Only Publicis Sapi-
as our priority. I identify key
areas – predicting potential
establish proactive guardrails
to navigate any situation with
session on finger
placement and basic on beating your ent’s selection was con- K -fold cross-validation is a way to check if a machine learning
model is reliable. Imagine you have a bunch of data, like exam
papers. You split them into 5 or 10 piles. You train the model using
“rainy days” – and establish confidence. operation of the defect. ducive for me, and I was
some of the piles, and test it on the one you left out. You do this
strategic guardrails and screen reader. For offered a job,” Abhisar
checkpoints, my “arks”, to Violet Sera is senior director of about a week, I Abhisar Waghmare | says. He is a full-stack again and again, each time leaving out a different pile. In the end,
cloud devops engineer, you look at all the test results to see how well the model did overall.
ensure swift, high-quality software engineering at would go there eve- d eve l o p e r a n d n ow This helps make sure the model works well on different kinds of
product development. Optum India ry day, sit at a com- publicis sapient works on Cloud DevOps data, not just the ones it practised on.
puter in the corner, at the firm.
 PD: 14-05-2025 Z: KolkataCity E: 1 U: saheli.chakraborty T: 05-14-2025 00:00

TIMES SPORT THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA | WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

NEW ZEALAND’S MIKE HESSON NAMED AS OPENER SMRITI MANDHANA RISES ONE PLACE TO
PAKISTAN’S NEW WHITE-BALL HEAD COACH SECOND IN ICC ODI WOMEN’S BATTERS RANKINGS

Coming soon: Test facelift

With Kohli & Rohit Having Retired, Head Coach
Pravin Barnale
Indian trio’s exit mirrors
great Oz shakeup of ’84
Ashwin, Rohit and Kohli’s departure has shades
Gambhir Is Now The Most Powerful Figure In India’s of the Chappell-Marsh-Lillee exit in Australia,
Setup. It’s Time To Back Young Talent & Execute His which triggered a long rebuilding phase...
Plans. The Only Constant Will Be Change... [email protected] hty rebuilding process under Allan
Border. They won their first major

I
[email protected] was clarity that we had to be ready ndian cricket bears shades of the series — the 1989 Ashes in England

I
to move on from Gautam Gambhir rebuilding phase of Australian — four-and-a-half years later! In be-
ndia’s Test team has been and Virender Sehwag. Dhoni was cricket in the mid-1980s. R Ash- tween, they lost to West Indies thrice,
staring at generational the most important person. win, Rohit Sharma and Virat to England and NZ twice each, lost in
change for a while now. The “Kohli, Pujara and Rahane Kohli all played their last Tests in the Pakistan and could not beat India
mur murs of transition were all in and around the Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. over a couple of series.
started with Cheteshwar team. It helped that all three of In 1983-84, three Aussie greats While India are expected to face a
Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane los- them succeeded in South Africa in played their last Test in the home se- bumpy road ahead in Tests, the situ-
ing their places three years ago. 2013 immediately after Tendulkar ries against Pakistan. With Kim ation doesn’t seem that alarming. To
When Gautam Gambhir was ap- retired. The team wasn’t winning Hughes at the helm, wicketkeeper Rod expect a Test series win against either
pointed head coach last year, it but we were heading in the right Marsh, premier batter Greg Chappell South Africa, Australia, England or
was perceived as a forward-think- direction. It was apparent that and pace legend Dennis Lillee, all New Zealand won’t be beyond reach
ing move meant to shake things once Kohli took up the No. 4 posi- called it a day after the Sydney Test. — an unlikely plus from the mingling
up and usher in fresh blood. In tion, he would form the core of the Chappell made his intentions clear of world stars and young Indian play-
that context, Virat Kohli and Ro- batting lineup,” Karim told TOI. after the second day of the Test. Lillee ers through white-ball cricket. Unlike
hit Sharma’s retirements may be This time around, there’s no CENTRE OF ATTRACTION: Shubman Gill (C) is tipped to echoed the same later that evening. in the 1980s, the young Indians are not
perceived as part of the process obvious leader in the team. Coach take over the leadership reins from Rohit (R) and Virat Marsh made his unavailability clear short on confidence or in awe of rival
the selection committee and man- Gambhir came in with the man- for the next series before the conclu- teams either, an ethos drilled by the
agement envisioned for the team. date to usher in changes at the sion of that last Test. leadership of Kohli and Rohit.
There seems to be only way earliest. Now it’s time to execute who hit a rough patch in Austral- tion batters even overseas. But the cussions with Dravid. Moham- Cut to 2024-25. Ashwin played the The Greg-Marsh-Lillee exit void
ahead — invest heavily in talented those plans. “Gambhir becomes ia, and give him more confidence idea was to zero in on a pool of med Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Adelaide Test and left the tour a few was certainly bigger than the current
youth who can form the core of the most important person here. on the upcoming, tough tour of bowlers and keep working with Navdeep Saini were ready to step days later after not being picked for Indian one. India are expected to be
the Test team in time. The returns He has to give confidence to the England,” former national selec- them. Credit must go to Kohli for up. India has to focus on red-ball the third Test in Brisbane. Kohli’s last served well by KL Rahul, Rishabh
are not to be judged immediately. players. The first thing he needs tor Devang Gandhi said. turning things around when he ‘A’ tours. The white-ball team will Test was also the last of that series, in Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman
This isn’t an unfamiliar sce- to do is understand the new cap- decided to play five bowlers in take care of itself because we Pix: Getty Images

nario in Indian cricket. When tain, the vision he has and the Replenishing bowling resources Tests. That regulated the workload have such a strong tournament
Sachin Tendulkar retired in 2013 brand of cricket he wants the It’s not just about filling the of the pacers and became a metric like the IPL,” Gandhi said.
within a year of Rahul Dravid team to play,” Karim said. void left by Rohit and Kohli. Not going forward. Similarly, if you In all the hype around the pace
and VVS Laxman calling it quits, Gambhir can now become the too long ago, India boasted of an have identified the likes of Har- attack, one may have ignored the
the concerns were not too dis- most powerful head coach India enviable bowling attack that shit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, lack of resources in the spin-bowl-
similar. India went through the have ever had. In 2017, Anil Kum- could hurt opposition teams ir- Akash Deep and Arshdeep, then ing department. “We chose R Ash-
throes of transition for a good ble tried to enforce himself but respective of the nature of pitch- stick with the pool,” Karim said. win and Ravindra Jadeja to lead
three years before becoming a then-captain Kohli had the last es and conditions. The famed pace Gandhi revisited the process the spin attack and it paid off.
force in Test cricket under Kohli’s word. Yet, Gambhir has to tread attack of Ishant Sharma, Moham- of creating a strong backup in Probably, they need to give Kul-
leadership. carefully here. “Gambhir has med Shami and Umesh Yadav 2020 with the help of Rahul Drav- deep Yadav more game time and
Former India wicketkeeper clear ideas about how he wants were handed the mantle starting id, who looked after the NCA and groom the likes of Sai Kishore and
Saba Karim, a national selector at his team to approach a game. But from 2012-13. India’s developmental sides. “The Washington Sundar,” Karim said.
that time, says, “We had MS Dhoni he needs to be the man who em- “Those bowlers, including primary job of our selection com- It’s going to be a tough road
leading the team. He was clear powers players and creates lead- Bhuvneshwar Kumar, were identi- mittee was to create bench ahead for India’s Test team. Per-
how he wanted to shape the team ers in the team. I’m sure he’ll fied for the longer run. They ini- strength. I went to eight ‘A’ tours sistence and patience seem to be
and who were his best bets. There back someone like Rishabh Pant, tially struggled to bowl out opposi- as a selector and had robust dis- the need of the hour.
Sydney. Rohit’s last Test, as it turned SIMILARITIES... (Left) Greg Chappell
out, would be MCG’s Boxing Day Test. (left), Dennis Lillee and Rodney Marsh

Captain Kohli, the ‘Tiger’ that burnt bright

While the contributions of Ash- in 1975. Rohit and Ashwin during the
win, Rohit and Kohli in whites are of 2023 Ahmedabad Test against Oz
high value, all three were struggling
in Tests of late. Ashwin’s inclusion in Gill in Tests, even though the five-Test
Pix: Getty Images away Tests was always in doubt when tour of England is a tough assign-
Virat Kohli’s decision to rely on out-and-out pace West and South and it was difficult
for a Punjabi like myself to be ac-
India played with a lone spinner.
Rohit was a Test cricket survivor
ment. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and
coach Gautam Gambhir will have to
was a leaf out of the young Mansur Ali Khan cepted. But it was Tiger who gave and opportunist. In Australia, England tackle the captaincy issue prudently.
Pataudi’s decision as captain in the early 1960s us the feeling of Indian-ness,” Bedi
says in Wigmore’s book.
and South Africa, his figures read 45
innings, one hundred and five fifties.
The Aussies continued with Kim
Hughes for seven more Tests before
to bank on a magnificent battery of spinners Fifty years down the line, Kohli, As for Kohli, his angular vertical Allan Border replaced him middway
too, tried to unify the team through bat pointing towards mid-on while against the West Indies in 1984-85.
[email protected] lay in the belief that Kohli had in a common code — fitness. He learnt deciding whether to play or leave de- India will have to name a new cap-
his pace quartet of Bumrah, Sha- early that to excel in 21st century liveries outside the off stump was a tain right away. When Rohit was not

L
et’s give them 60 overs of mi, Mohammed Siraj and Ishant cricket, fitness had to be of a dif- painful sight Down Under. available for the opening Test, India
hell!” Years down the line, Sharma. It was an attack that was ferent level. He brought changes to India, however, will miss them. won under Bumrah. When Kohli was
when historians will re- meticulously curated by Kohli and his lifestyle and diet to himself After all, it is not easy for a team to unavailable after Adelaide’s ‘36 all
visit Indian Test cricket in coach Ravi Shastri, with the help become the lean, mean machine. replace quality regulars and still re- out’ fiasco in 2020-21, India went on to
the 21st century, Virat Kohli’s war of bowling coach Bharath Arun. STRIPES... (Above) India captain Pataudi (fourth from right) leads his team He also tried to instill the same tain composure and consistency. win the series under Ajinkya Rahane.
cry at the Lord’s in 2021 will ring In many ways, Kohli’s decision for a practice session ahead of the Lord’s Test against England in 1967 in his team, to follow a similar When Marsh-Greg-Lillee called it No one is indispensable, be it Rohit
in their ears. to rely on out-and-out pace was a mantra. It meant that the envelope quits, Australia went through a leng- Sharma or Virat Kohli.
That London summer after- leaf out of a decision that the was pushed. If the pace bowlers,
noon defined the Kohli-way — a young Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi on the final session of the final day,
new era of self-belief when India took as captain in the 1960s, to rely were ready to bowl 140 km/hr, a lot
refused to throw in the towel even on a magnificent battery of spin- to do with the culture of fitness
when the chips were down. ners to churn out results. that was brought in by Kohli.
The team, after a miraculous In Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli
ninth-wicket partnership between Prasanna and BS Chandrasekhar, A two-hour talkathon
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Pataudi had a supremely gifted Kohli didn’t mind the odd ex-
Shami on the fifth morning, could trio. S Venkataraghavan, who change of words with the opposi-
have veered towards the safer con- made his debut in 1965, was made tion on the field, but there’s one
fines of an honourable draw. a regular part of the spin attack as instance when his anger was chan-
But the captain didn’t believe in India played with four spinners for Kohli, Ishant and teammates celebrate an nelized towards his own team. Ac-
settling for a draw, even while play- the first time at Edgbaston in 1967. England wicket during the 2021 Lord’s Test cording to a member of the man-
ing overseas. The 151-run win on Playing in tandem, the quartet agement, Kohli was livid with the
that day was the highest point for restricted England to 298 and 203, way India capitulated in the first
Kohli the captain — arguably a only to be let down by the batters. Cricket: A History: “Almost every The slinger was superb in Test in Cape Town, chasing 208.
more remarkable figure than Koh- But they laid a marker that was Indian bowler in that era wanted white-ball cricket, but no one be- “Vernon Philander destroyed
li the batter, at least in Test cricket. to define Indian cricket for the to be a spinner.” lieved he could last the rigours of us with his medium-pace in the
That day, the basis of that con- next decade, aptly summed up by Half a century later, in 2018, Test cricket till Kohli and Shastri second innings, Kohli couldn’t take
fidence to push for a win at Lord’s Kapil Dev in Tim Wigmore’s Test Kohli took the call to play four pac- decided otherwise. The duo nur- it anymore. We never heard him
ers in Perth. Much like Pataudi’s tured him and introduced him to speaking as harshly as he did to the
MOST SUCCESSFUL INDIAN TEST CAPTAINS* Edgbaston experience, India lost Test cricket in South Africa in 2018. team members — for about two
that Test despite the skipper scor- It would prove the birth of the hours on that day. He made it clear
Captain Span M W L D Win %
ing a magnificent century, but In- ‘Bradman of pace bowling’ — that such a performance was just
Virat Kohli 2014-22 68 40 17 11 58.82 dia had well and truly taken a step termed by Adam Gilchrist — as not acceptable. By the time we got
Rohit Sharma 2022-24 24 12 9 3 50.00 in a different direction. India took their first step towards into the team bus, we knew some-
MS Dhoni 2008-14 60 27 18 15 45.00
As Prasanna and Bedi have in- world domination in red-ball crick- thing had to be changed,” a team
sisted that “playing under Tiger et, culminating in two back-to-back member told TOI.
Sourav Ganguly 2000-05 49 21 13 15 42.85 was no strain”, the likes of Ishant series wins in Australia. Kohli walked the talk in the
Rahul Dravid 2003-07 25 8 6 11 32.00 Sharma and Shami flourished un- next Test in Centurion with a cen-
Mohammad Azharuddin 1990-99 47 14 14 19 29.78 der Kohli. But the captain’s biggest Unifying a team for a common cause tury, albeit in a losing cause. But
contribution will be the ‘Kohinoor’ Pataudi, as Indian captain, had India won the third Test on a mine-
Bishan Singh Bedi 1976-78 22 6 11 5 27.27 he gifted to Indian Test cricket — brought in a unification code to a field in Johannesburg. The first
Nawab of Pataudi Jr 1962-75 40 9 19 12 22.50 Bumrah, the pace parallel of the largely disjointed team. “Our side step towards world domination had
*(minimum 20 Tests) —Stats: Rajesh Kumar maverick leggie Chandrasekhar. was dominated by players from the been taken.

Most overseas players to return for IPL Rabada in WTC final squad Uncertainty for RR, RCB and PBKS:
[email protected]
KKR to be at full strength Cape Town: South Africa ha- while Kyle Verreynne is the Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden
In a setback for Rajasthan Royals, the-
Security tightened ve included specialist wicket-keeper in the Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran
Mumbai: Most overseas players, bar-
ring a few Australians and English-
men, are set to return for IPL-2025
T he Kolkata Knight Riders are
expected to be back at full
strength when they play Royal
ir bowling coach Shane Bond is “high-
ly unlikely” to return, TOI has learnt.
The franchise also remains uncertain
at SMS stadium
Kagiso Raba-
da in their squ-
ad for the
squad.

WTC final must trump

Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Pa-
terson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickel-
ton, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verre-
when the tournament resumes on Sa- Challengers about the availability of England pa- after bomb threat World Test IPL, says SA coach: Coach ynne.
turday (May 17), following a week- Bengaluru on cer Jofra Archer — selected for the Champions- Shukri Conrad said on Tues-
long suspension due to cross-border Saturday. The side’s England vs West Indies ODI series Jaipur: The security has been hip final aga- day that South Africa’s players Australia pick Konstas and
tensions between India and Pakistan. West Indian players starting May 29 — and West Indies strengthened at the Sawai Man inst Australia at Lord’s from must prioritise the WTC final Green: Flamboyant opener
According to a source, among tho- Sunil Narine, Andre batter Shimron Hetmyer. Singh Stadium — which will host June 11-15 following the fast over the closing stages of the Sam Konstas and fit-again all-
se who have confirmed their partici- Russell, Rovman Australian pacers Josh Hazlewo- three IPL matches when the bowler’s return from a suspen- IPL. rounder Cameron Green fo-
pation are Australian captain Pat Powell and mentor od (RCB), who is injured, and Mitchell tournament resumes on May 17 — sion having tested positive for Conrad said there was an und a place in Australia’s 15-
Cummins, who is set to lead Australia Dwayne Bravo have been in Dubai Starc will both skip the remainder of following two bomb threats which a banned substance. agreement that South Africa’s man squad for next month’s
in the World Test Championship final since they left India and is expected to the tournament. were later confirmed to be hoaxes. Rabada spent a month on players would return from In- WTC final. Pat Cummins and
at Lord’s from June 11, and opener return on Wednesday. Their Punjab Kings are still unsure abo- Rajasthan State Sports Council the sidelines at the Indian Pre- dia on May 26 -- the day after his men would be aiming to re-
Travis Head. wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah ut the return of Australian players (RSSC) chairperson Neeraj K Pawan mier League after testing posi- the original date of the IPL fi- tain the coveted mace.
Gurbaz, currently in Kabul, will join Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis while assured fans and stakeholders that tive for a recreational drug at nal. He said he did not expect Konstas was sent home
MI, GT expect their players back: the West Indian contingent in Dubai South African pace all-rounder Marco there is no cause for concern, with this year’s SA20 competition. that to change, despite the IPL from the tour of Sri Lanka af-
The teams currently best placed in beor, while South Africa pacer Anrich Jansen remains stationed in Dubai. comprehensive security measures He is likely to lead the fast- being rescheduled to finish on ter failing to make the squad.
terms of overseas player availability Nortje will join from the Maldives. TNN in place to ensure a safe and smooth bowling attack with seamers June 3 . Green was laid low by a back
are Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indi- Eden Gardens unlikely to get any experience. The bomb threats, on Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, “Our initial agreement injury that needed surgery
ans who are all set to get service of all including England allrounder Will more matches: Meanwhile, a reliab- May 8 and May 12, which caused Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi with the IPL and the Indian bo- last year. AGENCIES
their players. Jacks and wicketkeeper Ryan Rickel- le BCCI source told TOI that Delhi is initial alarm, prompted swift action and Dane Paterson also in the ard was that our players would Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c),
On Tuesday, MI had their first trai- ton, are all expected to arrive from also in contention to host the four from authorities. A third threat mail squad. Keshav Maharaj and return on the 26th,” said Con- Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron
ning session at the Wankhede Stadi- Thursday onwards. IPL-2025 playoff matches, along with was received Tuesday afternoon, Senuran Muthusamy are the rad. He cautioned that discus- Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis He-
um. Rohit Sharma attended the ses- In GT’s case, former England white- Ahmedabad — the likely venue for the prompting the police to launch a two specialist spin options. sions between Cricket South ad, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja,
sion alongwith overseas players Mit- ball captain Jos Buttler and South Afri- final — and Mumbai. full-scale search operation at the Captain Temba Bavuma Africa and the Indian board Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann,
chell Santner, Bevon Jacobs, and Mu- can pacer Gerald Coetzee are expected “The final was moved out of Kol- stadium. This one too turned out to heads the list of batters along were still taking place. Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon,
jeeb Ur Rahman — all of whom had to arrive on Wednesday, while Rashid kata due to forecast of heavy rain aro- be a hoax. with Aiden Markram, Tony de South Africa squad: Temba Bavu- Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau
stayed back with the team. Khan, Kagiso Rabada and Sherfane und June 3, the scheduled date of the — Mandikini Shalya Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan ma (captain), David Bedingham, Webster. Travelling reserve: Bren-
The remaining overseas players, Rutherford had stayed back in India. final,” the source added. Stubbs and David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco dan Doggett.
 PD: 14-05-2025Z: KolkataCityE: 1 U: sukanya.raychaudhuri
T: 05-14-2025 00:58

24 TIMES SPORT THE TIMES OF INDIA, KOLKATA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

Reuters

LEARNINGCURVE Alcaraz, Musetti

PARTING
Over two decades, six coaches
guided Novak Djokovic in quarterfinals
Grand Rome: Lorenzo Musetti rea-
Duration Head coach
Slams won ched the quar-
2004-05 Dejan Petrovic 0 terfinals of the
Italian Open on

WAYS
2005-06Novak Djokovic
Riccardo (R),
Piatti 0
a 24-time Grand Tuesday after
2006-13 & heavy rain for-
Marian Vajda*
2017-22Slam winner, joined 14
forces with Andy ced him to wait
2013-16Murray
BorisinBecker
Nov 2024 6 nearly three ho-
urs at match point before he co-
2022-24 G. Ivanisevic 4 uld finish off his 7-5, 6-4 victory
2024-25 Andy Murray 0 over Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic, Coach Murray Call *Vajda was part of Djokovic’s coaching group
for about 15 years, during which he performed
Earlier, Carlos Alcaraz rea-
ched the quarterfinals after
It Quits With French Open different roles
battling past Karen Khacha-
had had, and it was announced nov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 to continue his
Barely A Fortnight Away in February that they would bid for a first Rome title.
“It was tiring. You know the
continue to work together for
London: Andy Murray and the hard-court events in Indian match was really tough. I had to
former rival Novak Djokovic Wells and Miami and some clay- run. I had to run a lot,” said Al-
have ended their coaching court events. caraz.
partnership after six months, It was anticipated that Musetti’s compatriot Jas-
the pair announced on Tues- would include the French Open, mine Paolini cameback from a
day. Djokovic stunned the ten- while Murray’s success at Wim- set down to beat Diana Shnai-
nis world in November when bledon made that a logical der 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-2.
he hired the retired Murray, choice too, but they have de-
GALLERY
who had no track record as a Thank you, coach Andy, for all the hard work, cided to part ways. Bopanna-Pavlasek pair bows Pradip Datta
coach. fun and support over last six months on and off Djokovic is a three-time out: India’s Rohan Bopanna
But the two 37-year-olds have the court — really enjoyed deepening our friendship French Open champion and and his Czech partner Adam
now parted company after a together.” —Novak Djokovic last year won his first Olym- Pavlasek bowed out of the
tough start to the season for the pic title on the clay of Roland men’s doubles event with a
24-time Grand Slam champion, work together and thanks to his But success has since proved ing 25th Grand Slam triumph, Garros, beating Alcaraz in a straight-set defeat against the
with the French Open looming. team for all their hard work elusive for Djokovic, who is which would take him clear of thrilling final. But Djokovic, British team of Joe Salisbury
“Thank you, coach Andy, for over the past six months,” Mur- stuck on 99 career singles titles. Australia women’s great Mar- so used to being the alpha and Neal Skupski. Bopanna
all the hard work, fun and sup- ray said in a statement. He has not won a single garet Court’s tally of 24 singles male of the men’s game, said and Pavlasek lost the pre-quar-
port over last six months on and “I wish Novak all the best for match on clay this season, los- major titles, appear to be fading. after defeat in Madrid last terfinal 3-6, 3-6. Khalsa High School ‘A’ boys after beating Andrews ‘B’ in All India
off the court, really enjoyed the rest of the season.” ing in the first round at Monte Murray admitted at the month that he was adjusting Inter School Regatta at the Lake Club on Tuesday
deepening our friendship to- The partnership between Carlo and Madrid. Australian Open in January to “a new reality”. Wawrinka, Gasquet get
gether,” said Djokovic.
Britain’s Murray, born just
the two former world number
ones started well, with Djokovic
Djokovic, who turns 38
next week, pulled out of this
he had not wanted to jump
straight into coaching follow-
“Trying to win a match or
two, not really thinking about
French Open wildcards:
Three-time major champion
PSL to resume T-21 and Mannat Brar (77) at
T-25. The Indians as a team
a week before the Serb, thanked defeating Carlos Alcaraz at the week’s Italian Open but has ing his retirement last year getting far in the tournament... Stan Wawrinka and French ve- on Saturday were lying tied-seventh.
his former adversary for the Australian Open, only to be taken a wild card into next but Djokovic’s offer proved too it’s a completely different feel- teran Richard Gasquet were
chance to work with him. forced to retire during his semi- week’s Geneva Open as he good to refuse. ing from what I had in 20-plus among eight men given wild- The PCB on Tuesday con- Diksha stays in top 10:
“Thanks to Novak for the final against Alexander Zverev searches for form. Djokovic was glowing in his years of professional tennis,” card entries for the French firmed the resumption of the Diksha Dagar continued to
unbelievable opportunity to as a result of injury. His hopes of a record-break- praise of the impact Murray he said. AFP Open on Tuesday. AGENCIES Pakistan Super League on be in the top-10 of the La-
May 17. The final will be dies European Tour’s Order
played on May 25. of Merit, despite a tied 52nd

Ancelotti: Real live dearly in my heart,

place finish at the Aramco
Atalanta seal a EB want Tushar in India thrash Nepal 4-0: Korea Championships in
India sealed their spot at the Seoul. Diksha is currently
place in CL Bruzon’s set-up top of Group B of the Saff U-19 lying seventh in the Order of

Bergamo: Atalanta will waste

no time and celebrate an ove-
but everything in life has a date to end AFP
Kolkata: East Bengal club has propo-
sed that former captain Tushar Raks-
hit be part of Oscar Bruzon’s set-up as
Championship after a compre-
hensive 4-0 victory against
Nepal in Yupia on Tuesday.
Merit.

Junior women’s hockey

rall positive season starting Madrid: Carlo Ancelotti said on Tues- announce Ancelotti’s departure was the team management has embarked The hosts scored two goals in team to play in Argentina:
now, coach Gian Piero Gasperi- day he was proud of the legacy he had raised by reporters but he played it on a rebuilding process following last each half. Rohen Singh Chap- The junior Indian women’s
ni said on Monday after a 2-1 ho- built in four mostly successful years down and said everything was done season’s disappointment. hamayum (28’, 76’) scored two hockey team will compete in a
me win over AS Roma sealed in his second tenure at Real Madrid in accordance with all the parts in- A group of club officials, inclu- goals, while local boy Omang four-nation tournament in
their Champions League re- and will only have good memories as volved. ding new executive committee mem- Dodum (29’) and Danny Meitei Argentina from May 25.
turn. he heads to Brazil to take over the five- “I never had problems with Real ber and former India women’s crick- (84’) netted one each.
Atalanta will compete in times world champions. and never will have problems with Re- et team captain Jhulan Goswami, Kanysharee Cup
Europe’s elite club competition Wednesday’s La Liga match at ho- al. It’s a club that lives dearly in my he- called on the top brass of Emami Mannepalli, Ira make matches: New Alipore
for the fifth time since 2019. me to Mallorca was on the back bur- art, but everything in life has a date to Group on Monday. The club gave the main draw: Shuttlers Tharun Suruchi Sangha blew away
“Let’s celebrate now, we ner during the pre-match press confe- end.” investor a list of proposals, including Mannepalli and Ira Sharma on Bally Gramanchal Krira Samity
can’t waste time,” Gasperini rence one day after the Brazilian FA Carlo Ancelotti during a press conference the suggestion of bringing Rakshit Tuesday qualified for the main 11-1 while East Bengal FC beat
told DAZN after securing third (CBF) announced that the Italian wo- in Madrid on Tuesday Ancelotti pat for successor Alonso: on board as a guide-cum-advisor and draw of Thailand Open even Jyotirmoy AC 2-0 in the Cal-
spot in Serie A. uld become Brazil coach after leaving An official announcement on Ancelot- helping the management build the as Kidambi Srikanth bowed cutta Women's League (Ka-
Atalanta, on 71 points, are Real at the end of the season. have to end. I always knew that one day ti is expected before Madrid’s last ga- team. out of the Super 500 tourna- nyashree Cup) on Tuesday. In
seven points above fourth-pla- All but the opening question from my time at Real would come to an end. me of the season at home to Real Socie- “Tushar has played for East ment in Bangkok. another match, Sreebhumi FC
ced Juventus with two games Real’s in-house TV channel were rela- “It has been a wonderful period dad on May 25, with the club’s former Bengal for 16 years and has also ser- also won big, routing Dipti
remaining, which allows the ted to Ancelotti’s imminent move, but which is coming to an end. A great ti- midfielder Xabi Alonso, 43, set to be ved the club as an assistant coach of Anand top Indian after Sangha FC 5-0.
Bergamo side to take a more re- he said his focus will be in Spain until me. But if even life comes to an end, his replacement. the senior team. The management Day 1: Zara Anand was the top
laxed approach to their final he travels to Brazil on May 25. imagine what it’s like when a period “I am very fond of (Alonso). I will be benefitted from his knowled- Indian at tied-12th after the ACTION TODAY
two fixtures against Genoa and “There have been some unforget- with a football team comes to an end. don’t have any advice for him because ge of the game. Tushar will meet our first round of the Queen Sirikit
lowly Parma. “Now it’s a beau- table years that I’ll carry dearly close I’ve enjoyed it, and I want to finish it he has all the tools to be a great coach coach once he returns from Spain Cup in Miyazaki, Japan, on TENNIS: Italian Open, QFs, 6.30
tiful evening, we have two we- to my heart,” Ancelotti told reporters. well. And then, on the 26th, I’ll talk in the future,” Ancelotti said of a play- and we’ll see how Tushar’s expertise Tuesday. The other two Indi- pm & 12.15 am Thursday (Sony
eks to enjoy this season,” Ga- “Football, like life itself, is full of about another challenge.” er he coached at Real during his first can be used for the betterment of the ans are Heena Kang (76) at Sports)
sperini said. AGENCIES adventures that begin but eventually The fact Real have yet to officially spell in charge. REUTERS team,” a club official said. TNN

TIMES NATION
11 soldiers, 40
civilians: Pak Stage terrorist capture, India slams
Pak’s relentless HOW TO NOMINATE YOURSELF
FOR #UNSTOPPABLE21
army counts
its losses gain US favour: Pak game misinformation
campaign
Continued from Page 1
 Share details of your
achievements, future plans,
TOI HAD PICKED THEM FOR #UNSTOPPABLE21 IN 2023

Omer Farooq Khan TNN Rajshekhar.Jha The case of Osama a deadly bombing at night-  Continued from P 1
and if you have received any
@timesofindia.com bin Laden and his clubs in Bali had left over 200
international recognition.

L
Islamabad: Pakistan’s mili- courier, Abu Ahmed people dead, including sever- t Gen Rana highlighted
 After an initial round of
tary on Tuesday said 11 sol- New Delhi: Early March, al Americans. The prime India’s demonstrated
diers and 40 civilians were the US arrested an ISIS-K al-Kuwaiti, exposed suspect was Umar Patek, a strength and national re-
shortlisting, the winners will
be picked by an eminent jury,
killed and 199 others includ- operative involved in the the duplicity of suspected member of the solve through military supe- each of them an acknowl-
ing army and air force person- 2021 Abbey Gate bombing Pakistan and its militant group Jemaah Isla- riority in new-age warfare. edged leader in his or her
nel injured in last week’s Indi- that killed 13 Marines in Af- miyah (JI). The integrated, precise and
an strikes. Pakistan army’s ghanistan. US President Do-
military-industrial On Jan 25, 2011, Patek was prompt response by the Indi-
field, and some young achiev-
ers themselves.
media arm Inter-Services nald Trump was quick to complex dramatically captured by an armed forces to achieve the The jury comprises:
Public Relations (ISPR) re- thank Pakistan for its help handed him over to the CIA. Pakistani security officials stated objectives, executed Chairman of Indian Insti-
leased the names and pictures in nabbing the high-value The case of Osama bin in Abbottabad and handed through intense multi-do- tute of Science, Prof Govin-
of the soldiers who died, in- fugitive from the Pak-Af- Laden and his courier, Abu over to the US, which then main operations, was also D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa
dan Rangarajan (Science)
cluding a squadron leader. ghan border area. “I want to Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, exposed passed him on to Indonesia highlighted,” an official said. Chess Grandmaster Vishwa- with the first edition of ‘#Un- 35% of 1.4 billion Indians are
ISPR said in a statement thank the govt of Pakistan the duplicity of Pakistan as a gesture which “demon- The briefing also show- nathan Anand (Sports) stoppable21’, it won’t be an below 21 — that’s nearly 500
that the civilian casualties in- for helping arrest this mon- and its military-industrial strated the international cased battle effectiveness of In- CEO of MapMyIndia Ro- easy task for the jury. India million young Indians, or 50
cluded seven women and 15 ster,” Trump said in his ad- complex. Pakistani intelli- cooperation between the US dia’s indigenous weapon sys- han Verma (Science and En- is a young country. About crore, almost one and half
children. The injured includ- dress to US Congress. gence agencies claimed to and Indonesia in addressing tems like BrahMos supersonic trepreneurship) times the entire population of
ed 78 soldiers and 121 civilians, What was brushed under have no knowledge of their terrorism”. cruise missiles and Akash air The founder-CEO of Con- the United States.
the statement said. the carpet was an open secret presence in Abbottabad, de- Khalid Sheikh Mo- defence systems as well as the vergence Foundation, found- This is a generation born
ISPR said Pakistan Air in intelligence circles that spite the compound where hammed, a key plotter of “synergised force application” er-chairperson of the Central after 2004, digital natives all of
Force personnel who were the operative, Sharifullah, bin Laden was staying be- the 9/11 attacks, was arrest- of Army, Air Force and Navy. Square Foundation, and a them, a generation for whom
killed included squadron had been in Pakistan spy ing a little more than a kilo- ed in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi The briefing also dwelt up- founder-trustee of Ashoka the future is just unfolding. A
leader Usman Yousuf, chief agency ISI’s custody for over metre away from the Pakis- in March 2003. The US govt on the “technical superiority” University Ashish Dhawan generation that will be at its
technician Aurangzeb, senior a year. The ISI ran multiple tan Military Academy. termed the apprehension of the Indian armed forces in (Entrepreneurship) peak when India turns 100,
technician Najeeb, corporal operations using his network But while the capture the result of “close coopera- the non-kinetic domains of Noted author Chetan Bha- in 2047. It is a generation that
technician Farooq and senior and ultimately handed him and killing of the plotter of tion between US and Pakis- space, cyber and electronic gat (Humanities) holds the key to the future of
technician Mubashir. over to the CIA at the right the 9/11 attacks vindicated tani security agencies”. warfare, the official added. Leading Carnatic singer this vast and diverse country.
However, ISPR did not dis- time — when the regime the US’s lack of trust in Pa- The capture and extradi- Lt Gen Rana also talked Sudha Raghunathan (Per- A lot will be riding on the
close how they died. changed in Washington. kistanis, American leaders tion of these terrorists have about the “relentless anti-In- forming Arts) young — but able — shoulders
Meanwhile, a day after PM This was not the first in- continue to allow them- been seen as attempts by Pa- dia misinformation cam- Going by our experience of the ‘#Unstoppable21’.
Narendra Modi made it clear stance of Pakistan handing selves to be baited by them. kistan to demonstrate its paign” undertaken by Pakis-
that Indus Waters Treaty can- over terrorists — which it Trump seems to be the latest commitment to counter-ter- tan, and its role in under-
not be delinked from action
against terrorists , Pakistan’s
foreign minister Ishaq Dar
had been using — to curry fa-
vour with the US. The ISI
played the same trick in 2010
victim of Pakistan’s dual
game, feeling beholden to
the favour that ISI did to him
rorism. However, these ac-
tions have actually been se-
lective and strategic, aimed
mining regional peace and
stability. “Modalities of our
‘whole of nation approach’
Resume normal
airline ops from
‘Gender integration in
def services evolving’
said the pause in hostilities when it allegedly made the by offering a trophy in the at appeasing the US rather which effectively and swiftly
could be threatened “if the
water issue is not resolved”.
sudden discovery of Taliban
military commander Mullah
person of Sharifullah. Sha-
rifullah and bin Laden are
than genuinely combating
terrorism, a senior intelli-
countered the false narrative
were also explained,” theoffi- May 15: Minister
(With agency inputs) Abdul Ghani Baradar and not standalone cases. In 2002, gence officer said. cial said. New Delhi: Union aviation Continued from P 1 conventional operations
minister Ram Mohan Nai- along northern and Western

C
du Tuesday asked airlines ountering the petition- borders.”

PM: No corner in Pak where terrorists can breathe easy to “resume normal sched-
ules from Thursday (May
15) across all 32 airports”
which were reopened on
er’s argument before a
bench of justices Di-
pankar Datta and Manmohan
that JAG officers do not have
Without referring to Op-
eration Sindoor, govt said,
“No one can predict when
the next conflict arises, in
Continued from P 1 brella of Pakistan army. “By against any terror attack and “India is not only the land statement. Batteries of S-400 Monday morning after six combat roles, the Centre said which or both borders, and
routing the Pakistan army, our it will unilaterally determine of Buddha, it is also the land Triumf surface-to-air defence days. At a meeting with air- not only do the male of- whether as a full-

S
peaking against the Army, IAF, Navy... there is no the manner of its response of Guru Gobind Singh who system formed a defiant back- lines officials, he asked ficers get attached to scale war or limited
backdrop of alleged con- corner in Pakistan where ter- and its timing. Second, India called for befitting reply to be drop, belying Pakistan’s them to ramp up operations. artillery units but are operations. Depend-
cern in global capitals rorists can breathe will not succumb to nu- given to adversaries. Even claim of having destroyed The notice to airmen also expected to dis- ing on the operational
over a possible escalation and easy. We will hit them clear blackmail. Third, our scriptures have sanc- them. Modi landing at the air- (NOTAM) for temporary charge the role of com- need and force
purported offers to mediate, in their home and will we will not differentiate tioned the use of force base also marked a refutation closure of 25 segments of batants in case of strength, combatant
PM Narendra Modi reiterat- leave no room for them between leaders of ter- against evil,” the PM said as of Pakistan’s claim of having air traffic service routes armed conflicts. It cit- personnel deployed
ed that Operation Sindoor to survive,” he added. ror groups and a govt he referred to the killing of damaged the runway, besides within Delhi and Mumbai ed their deployment in Indian in peacetime duties get mo-
had only been paused and that “India’s Lakshman that patronises them,” innocent tourists in front drawing a sharp contrast with flight information regions Peace Keeping Force in Sri bilised irrespective of their
India would respond strongly Rekha against terror is said the PM who once their wives in Pahalgam. the heavily damaged airbases is valid till 5.29am Thurs- Lanka and Kargil operations. arm/service to boost the op-
to a terror attack or a military now unambiguously clear: If again stressed that his govt’s Significantly, he stressed of the hostile neighbour. In day. Once this NOTAM laps- Additional solicitor gen- erational necessities of the
misadventure by deciding the there is a terror attack again, policy to retaliate militarily that the world has gradually his speech, which was punc- es, all air routes in the north eral Aishwarya Bhati said, regular Army.”
manner of retaliation. India will respond... We saw it against terrorism and mili- been coming to terms with In- tuated by chants of ‘Bharat and west will be available. “India is surrounded by The Centre said, “Gen-
He said India’s successful at the time of surgical strikes tary misadventure was not in dia’s ‘new normal’ towards Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mat- Airlines had started re- states inimical to our inter- der integration in the de-
strikes against Pakistan had (2016) and air strikes (2019). conflict with the “this is not terror. The choice of Adam- aram’, the PM kept his stead- suming flights from Monday ests along the immediate fence services is an evolving
shattered the assumption that And now, Operation Sindoor is the time for war” stance he had pur airbase, close to the bor- fast focus on the valour and but Pakistan’s drone attacks neighbourhood. This im- process... The intake poli-
terror groups could hit India the ‘new normal’. As I said, we articulated to appeal for cessa- der which Pakistan targeted bravery of the armed forces, that night in some cities led plies that our Army is man- cies (for JAG) have evolved
with impunity since they have now decided three things. tion of hostilities between with drones and missiles on and saluted them for calling to Air India and IndiGo can- dated to maintain operation- progressively from 70:30 ra-
worked under the security um- First, India will retaliate Russia and Ukraine. the night of May 9, was itself a Pakistan’s nuclear bluff. celling flights Tuesday. TNN al readiness to undertake tio to 50:50 from this year.
CCI NG 3.7 Product: TIMSKolkataBS PubDate: 14-05-2025 Zone: Calcutta Edition: 1 Page: CTFP User: cci Time: 05-13-2025 16:45 Color:

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

ADVERTORIAL, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE | KOLKATA

REGRETTED GETTING
Feedback? Complaints? Story tip-offs?
OF INDIA PLASTIC SURGERY
Mail us @[email protected] IN MY 20S: JAMIE P4

Farhan’s upcoming
film 120 Bahadur is
based on the Battle
of Rezang La
during the 1962
Indo-China war
Simi to debut at
Cannes for Ray’s
Aranyer Din Ratri

I want to show you O

n Monday evening, Simi Gare-
wal shared on Instagram that
she will walk the red carpet at
the Festival de Cannes 2025 for the

what the forces are so

world premiere of the newly restored
Aranyer Din Ratri, Satyajit Ray’s 1970
cinematic gem. The actress will pre-
sent the screening alongside filmmak-
er Wes Anderson and actress Sharmi-
la Tagore.

you can learn about

The film will screen on Monday,
May 19 at the Salle Buñuel, Palais
des Festivals. The restoration has
been carried out by The Film Foun-
dation’s World Cinema Project at

them: Farhan Akhtar

L’Immagine Ritrovata, in collabora-
tion with Film Heritage Foundation,
Janus Films, and The Criterion Col-
lection, with support from the Gold- Simi Garewal in a
en Globe Foundation. still from the
Niharika Lal For Garewal, this return is deeply film
personal. “The month-long shoot

W
hen you have people who trust you with their lives, with the one opportunity was enveloped in magic,” she re-
to tell their story, you have to make sure that you do it in a manner that hon- called in a 2012 Mumbai Mirror in-
Amid the rising tension between ours their trust,” says Farhan Akhtar, who told the story of the Kargil War in terview. “No electricity, no running
India and Pakistan, this scene from water — just moonlit walks, Ra-
Lakshya has been going viral
Lakshya and will soon be seen as Major Shaitan Singh in 120 Bahadur. In an interview
bindra Sangeet, and the incredible
It was a memorable time,
with us, the actor-filmmaker spoke about the responsibility of portraying institutions
like India’s Armed Forces with authenticity. good fortune of working with one of cocooned in this distant
CONTINUED ON 4 the world’s finest directors.” forest, making a film that the
‘If Lakshya released In Aranyer Din Ratri, Garewal
played Duli — a fiesty young San-
world would soon applaud. It
today, people would be My only concern thal woman who embodied the con- seemed no one else existed on
say ‘Bahut lambi film hai!’ or mission for
flict between the urban and rural the planet. It was surreal and
ways of life.
Farhan’s 2004 directorial Lakshya is often films based on real CONTINUED ON 4
timeless – Simi Garewal to Mumbai Mirror
held up as a benchmark in the genre.
Amid the rising tension between India people is to make
and Pakistan, some scenes from the film sure that their stories Laapataa Ladies actress Nitanshi
have been going viral on social media. But are told the way they
Farhan feels that, considering the pace of
really want them to Goel to make Cannes debut
films today, audiences would have found Laapataa Ladies star Nitanshi Goel is living the dream.
the film long. “Today, if I released Lakshya, be told. There has to After charming audiences as Phool in the critically acclaimed
which was almost three hours and 18
minutes long, people would be like – ‘Oh be some degree of Laapataa Ladies, the actress is ready to make her debut
at the Cannes Film Festival 2025. “From watching
my God! Bahut lambi film hai.’ Back then, cinematic liberty, but Cannes Film Festival moments on screens to living
it didn’t feel that way. So those are the that cinematic liberty one, I will be walking my very first red carpet. It’s
things you keep more in mind. The attention
has to go hand in more than a debut, it’s a piece of my heart, a lot of
span of a viewer has changed in the last 25 dreams, and a little bit of India with me. Feeling
years. They want things to move along a hand with what is all the emotions. Holding on to all the gratitude
little bit quicker.”
real (sic),” she wrote on Instagram.

Images generated by AI; for representational purposes only

FAKE NEWS?
AI reimagines...
ANKARA
TOURISM POST
Hindi films
APPEALING TO without Mahira,
INDIANS
After many Indian travel aggregators either ended their partnership
with the official airlines of Turkey or Azerbaijan or paused any
Fawad, Saba
new bookings to these countries, a post on social media has been
circulating claiming to be from the Department of Tourism, Ankara, As tensions escalate between India
stating that “the vast majority of the local population is unaware
of the conflict taking place between India and Pakistan, and it has
and Pakistan, there are calls to remove
no bearing on daily life or the tourism environment.” It adds, “Indian Pakistani actors from film posters and
travellers are welcomed and treated with the utmost courtesy across
Türkiye-in hotels, restaurants, shops, and all tourist attractions. We
songs. After Sanam Teri Kasam’s AI-
therefore confirm that there is no reason to postpone or cancel any generated film poster sans Mawra Hocane
trips to Türkiye based on the current situation.” However, there was no
official confirmation or an update from the Republic of Turkiye Ministry went viral, we asked AI to reimagine how
of Culture and Tourism or Go Turkiye official accounts and website songs and posters, featuring Fawad Khan,
about the authenticity of the post till the time of going to press. TNN
Mahira Khan and Saba Qamar would look, if
the Pakistani actors were airbrushed

When Mahira Khan exits stage left and Shah Rukh

War is not romantic. War is not your Khan is left serenading in O Zaalima… thin air
>> When Fawad
Bollywood movie. War or violence is the Khan skips the
last thing that we should resort to. War is family reunion
a serious business... Although wars will and it’s just Alia
and Sidharth
be forced upon us by unwise people. But, tangled in fairy
war should not be what you cheer for. As a lights... and
feelings in
military man, if ordered, I will go to war. Kapoor & Sons
But that will not be my first
choice. My first choice will
always be diplomacy. Violence
is not the answer.

– Former chief of the Army

Staff Gen Manoj M Naravane
(retd) at The Institute of Cost
Accountants of India (ICMAI) When Saba Qamar’s out of frame and Irrfan
Pune Chapter’s Diamond Khan’s still outdressing everyone at the
Jubilee Celebrations
parent-teacher meeting in Hindi Medium.
No partner? No problem
 CCI NG 3.7 Product: TIMSKolkataBS PubDate: 14-05-2025 Zone: Calcutta Edition: 1 Page: CTLEISUR User: cci Time: 05-13-2025 15:55 Color:

2 WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

CALCUTTA TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA KOLKATA IS TALKING ABOUT
iStock

Kolkata cools down with How to: Make your

makeup last all day
sherbets & shopping sprees
Samik Sen
Pics: iStock

Malls offer a cool labelled long-wear, transfer-

escape from the heat START WITH A CLEAN, proof, or waterproof to
MOISTURISED FACE withstand heat, sweat and
With the mercury soaring, families Always prep with skincare
are flocking to shopping malls movement.
— a gentle cleanser and a
for a break from the sweltering lightweight, non-greasy LAYER THINLY AND
heat. With air conditioning, food, moisturiser help your SET STRATEGICALLY
shopping, and fun under one roof, makeup sit better and stay Apply products in thin
malls are seeing a surge in visitors. longer. layers and build coverage
“The mall at Kasba has witnessed almost gradually. Set cream
a 20% increase in footfall over the past week,” says USE A PRIMER THAT products with a light dusting
Subhadip Basu, corporate general manager of a SUITS YOUR SKIN TYPE of translucent powder to
MAY 12 Mattifying primers for oily
hospitality group and city mall. Summer lock them in place.
vacations have also brought in more skin, hydrating ones for
children and families, boosting dry skin — this step creates USE A SETTING SPRAY
entertainment zones and driving a a smooth base and grips TO SEAL THE LOOK

A
s Kolkata simmers under an unforgiving sun, Gaming zones, food 30% rise in overall sales. makeup throughout the day. Finish your makeup with a
with temperatures consistently hovering above long-lasting setting spray —
38°C, residents are seeking every possible es- courts, and OPT FOR LONG-WEAR mist in an X and T pattern to
multiplexes are scoring OR WATERPROOF
cape – whether it’s clutching a chilled glass of tangy
sherbet or finding solace in the air-conditioned corri- Daaber sherbet, FORMULAS
ensure even coverage.
big due to the summer BLOT, DON’T CAKE
dors of shopping malls. Both road-side sherbet shops
vacations. Salt Lake
mango lassi & more Choose foundations,
eyeliners, and mascaras If you get shiny during the
and malls are witnessing a noticeable spike in footfall
Be it lassis or syrup-based day, use blotting
as everyone looks for comfort, refreshment, and a mo- and Rajarhat malls sherbets, local shops see a papers or a tissue
mentary pause from the scorching reality outside.
– Sundas Jawed & Torna Chakraborty have seen a spike in sales particularly in to absorb oil
the evening hours. ‘There’s instead of layering
MAY 12
jump in sales by a rush post-6 pm when on more powder.
almost 15% people usually come TOUCH-UP
– Ramesh Pandey, VP, looking for something
marketing & events of a to cool them down after
ESSENTIALS
hospitality group Keep a mini kit
a long day,’ says Sunil
with you - blotting
Arora, owner, juice shop
Students often come in large groups during lunch and eatery. Stalls selling
paper, compact
powder, lip colour,
hours, or after their classes. They are particularly seasonal drinks have
and maybe
also witnessed an
fond of daaber sherbet and mango flavoured coolers increase in sales.
concealer — just
– Ravi Sharma, owner of a sherbet shop in north Kolkata in case.

LEISURE
SUDOKU CHALLENGE TIMES HITORI LOOP THE LOOP THE DAILY CROSSWORD
Level: Medium
HOW HOW RULES
TO PLAY
TO PLAY • Connect adjacent dots with vertical
1. A number
Fill in the grid so or horizontal lines, creating a single
may appear
that every hori- loop (Fig A).
just once in
zontal row, every • Crossovers or branches are not
each row
vertical column allowed (As shown by dotted lines Not allowed
or column.
and every 3x3 in Fig B). (Fig A) (Fig B)
Eliminate
box contains • Numbers in the
repeat
the digits 1-9, puzzle indicate the
numbers by
without repeating number of lines that
darkening
the numbers in should surround it,
cells. (see
the same row, while empty cells
example)
column or box. may be surrounded
2. Darkened
You can’t change by any number of
cells must
the digits already lines.
never be adja-
given in the grid. • You can’t draw lines
cent in a row
Every puzzle has around zeroes.
or column.
one solution. • Each puzzle has just
3. Unmarked
one unique solution.
cells must
create a single continuous area, HOW TO
undivided by darkened cells. BEGIN:
4. Every time you darken a cell, you
Example (Fig A) -
can automatically circle its vertical Begin with the zero next to 3. Since no lines can be drawn around zero, By Sala Wanetick & Emily Biegas 14/05/2025
and horizontal neighbours, which mark crosses around it, as shown. Now there is a cross in one space ACROSS Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
means they cannot be eliminated. around 3. So we know the three lines of 3 can only be drawn in the 1 Update a historic home,
5. Any cell "sandwiched" between remaining three spaces. Next, these lines can only be extended in one say
neighbours of the same value can be direction each. Continue, using the same logic. 6 Quick look
ENJOY A HOST OF 10 “Dream on”
circled. (e.g. 6 4 6 )
ENGAGING PUZZLES 6. A "triple" is a special case of
Hints: Keep eliminating possibilities by marking crosses in spaces 14 Enlighten
AND GAMES EVERY DAY between dots where a line isn’t possible, i.e., if you have already 15 Crooner Paul
sandwich. Circle the centre cells, and completed required lines or where a line extension may create a branch 16 Novela introduction?
darken the ends. (e.g. 6 6 6 ) Example or cause a deadend (Fig B). 17 Fleetwood Mac hit
Play now! Scan the QR code or visit toi.in/games
with the lyric “I’ll settle
for one day to believe
SCRAMBLE in you”
19 Jai __
EEEGS 20 Pro vote
Rearrange the letters in 21 Ingrid’s “Casablanca”
the four word jumbles,
GARFIELD

role
one letter to each square/ RARYA 22 Strenuous
circle, to make four 24 Prefix with tech
ordinary words 26 Taylor Swift hit that
AMNTTU features a sweater
metaphor
HOW TO PLAY 28 Milwaukee team ©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 13/05/2025
Now arrange the letters ELODGV 31 “The Daily” podcast
in the circles to form the producer, briefly 69 “Gotcha” 29 Feels remorse
answer to the riddle or to 32 Special glow 70 “The Voice” host 30 Flip-flop, e.g.
fill in the missing word as Life is either a ___ ____ or nothing. - Helen Keller 33 Paul of “The Batman” Carson 34 Confidentiality contract,
indicated (5,9) 35 Venomous snake 71 Elevates for short
40 Elvis Presley hit about 36 Dodges
CALVIN AND HOBBES

someone who only DOWN 37 Landline sounds

looks like an angel 1 Depend (on) 38 “Twilight” vampire
43 Be of __: help 2 Actress Falco Cullen
ARIES: Sudden changes LIBRA: Plan your day by 3 Touched on something
44 __ Point, California 39 Gym count
can mean making deci- scheduling time to do touchy 41 Not a people person,
45 Summer getaway
sions when there’s little your routine, leaving 46 Govt. intel org. 4 Back of the boat say
time for thought, and still enough time for yourself. 48 Gets to giggle 5 Author credit 42 Mariner
less for in-depth analy- Small changes can have 50 Rihanna hit about 6 Buds 47 Prepared to serve,
sis. You can either do the big effects. There are a friends who stick 7 Pioneering computer as pie
minimum and deal with lot of intense emotions together rain or shine 8 Scrape (by) 49 Black out
details later or try to get around today. You may 55 For fear that 9 Danish, e.g. 50 With 56-Across, grilled
things perfect now. be in a tricky situation. 56 See 50-Down 10 Pong platform eel dish
TAURUS: You are enthu- SCORPIO: There is a 57 Quite bright 11 Former baseball 51 Odometer units
59 Alley-__ commissioner Bud 52 Not one’s best effort
siastic about having See what the stars have in store for new growth in your pro- 12 Glazer of “Broad City” 53 Flush
personal time so you can you – according to your moon sign. fessional life as well as 62 Actor Alda
SPELLATHON DENNIS THE MENACE recharge your emotional in your personal life. 63 Musical remakes, and 13 Pretend 54 Blacksmith’s block
what 17-, 26-, 40-, 18 “Euphoria” actor Jacob 58 Wriggly
and spiritual areas. It Responsibilities at home 23 Pet collar attachment
Today’s Ratings: How many words of four may be good to set aside time for a little rest and can make it impossible for you to relax. There is an and 50-Across all are, 60 Fantasy monster
in a way 25 Stand by for 61 Unpaid ads
06-average 07-good or more letters can you relaxation. Your work is an important area for you. increased desire to learn about the business trends. 27 Designate as a
make from the letters Eliminate projects that are going nowhere. You are sure of what you want. 66 Rare rocks 64 Egg cells
09-outstanding 67 Sinister successor 65 Maker of Lincoln Park
shown in today’s puzzle? GEMINI: You can make your life so much easier. SAGITTARIUS: You may be tempted to set aside 28 Grammy winner Erykah After Dark nail polish
68 Verdi work
In making a word, a letter You have some powerful energy within you. An your responsibilities. Adopt a more inward-direct-
can be used as many extreme turn of events serves as a pressure ed attitude, and see what you can learn by tuning.
E times as it appears in the relief valve for all the unexpressed and unresolved That is the right approach, for your sense of com- SOLUTIONS TO GAMES/PUZZLES
puzzle. Each word must energy that had been building up. Rest and relaxa- munication will secure your success. You will be
K A contain the central letter. tion are needed between periods of exertion. feeling very positive today about your romantic life.
TIMES SUDOKU LOOP THE LOOP TIMES HITORI
CANCER: You are working hard; nothing should hold CAPRICORN: You can be enthusiastic about any
P There should be at least
one seven letter word. you back now. Study and research will make you path of discovery. Your courage and honesty are
feel secure about your decisions and efforts. Avoid particularly evident on this day. Your nature will
C C Plurals, foreign words
important decisions, as you may have difficulty con- work harmoniously with others. In matters of the
and proper names are not
centrating. You may get introduced to someone new. heart, you are in somewhat low spirits today.
O allowed. British English A financial opportunity comes your way. AQUARIUS: Confrontations with others may turn
Dictionary is used as LEO: You should consciously put your best foot emotional. You may be somewhat impulsive today.
reference. forward. Adjustments may be needed. A business At work, you are inclined to look on the gloomy side
decision takes careful analysis. Unrealised talents of everything, even when things are going really
can be a positive answer to a flux in income now. well. You are close to full of kindness and concern
For events, email us at VIRGO: Deeply rooted fears may come to the sur- in the face of your troubles.
SPELLATHON SCRAMBLE
[email protected] face today. Relinquish your old attachments and PISCES: You may have to set firm boundaries now.
make an important transition in your growth. You You may have to make some serious adjustments COCK, peak, peck, pock, poke
nothing. - Helen Keller
Volume XXIV. Issue No. 131. Printed by Arnab Chatterjee and published by him on easily get your ideas across to others. Push forward to your approach. A sense of regeneration gives cape, cope, pace, pack, PEA-
Answer: Life is either a great adventure or
your goals without thinking too much. Someone you energy for leadership and improved recognition
behalf of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd and printed at Times House, Plot no.2, Block-EM,
Words: Geese, array, mutant, gloved
Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 091 and published at 105/7A, S.N.Banerjee Road,
Kolkata – 700 014. Editor: Chandrima Pal. RNI Regn No : WBENG/2002/06563 close to you may play a double game. for your creative efforts.
 CCI NG 3.7 Product: TIMSKolkataBS PubDate: 14-05-2025 Zone: Calcutta Edition: 1 Page: CTKT User: cci Time: 05-13-2025 16:21 Color:

VARIETY WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

CALCUTTA TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA 3

Anne Hathaway
BEIGE TAUPE OATMEAL PANTONE’S
MOCHA
wore a khaki
trench coat with MOUSSE IS ALL
sequinned
trousers at the
Ralph Lauren Fall
2025 show Subtle shades that Deepika Padukone
exuded elegance
wearing a beige
embroidered
kurta set at the
ABOUT ELEGANCE
Pantone Colour Institute
named ‘mocha mousse’ its
2025 Colour of the Year.
The Pantone committee

scream wealth quietly

was inspired by the
WAVES 2025 feelings of comfort,
indulgence and subtle
elegance it evoked.
Leatrice Eiseman, the
institute’s executive
director, said, “When
Aakanksha Ahire @virat.kohli
we do colour/word
association, the creams,

C
olours evoke emotions the taupes, the camels
Virat Kohli in a beige
and reflect personali- signify that something
co-ord set and Anushka
ties, but did you know has longevity,
Sharma in a crisp, clean
they reflect wealth too? lineage, and is
white co-ord set
Shades like beige, ivory, secure.”
taupe and more are known
to exude elegance, luxury
and prosperity. These neu-

@deepikap
tral colours are a favourite
of the ultra-rich, and there
is a reason for it.
Alessandro Sartori, the

adukone
artistic director of Erme-
negildo Zegna, an Italian
luxury goods label, told
The New York Times, “The
ultrawealthy don’t want to
show off, and beige colours
are good in that sense… This
class of people is super dis-
creet and doesn’t want to be
seen.”
“To be fashionably super-
rich,” he adds, “is to be clad
in the anodyne colours (col-
ours that are neutral,
bland and that are
not intended to
evoke strong emo-
tions or state- What
ments)... It is all
within a limited
neutral
tonality — stylish, tones
but not too much
out of the perime-
convey
ter of being no- Soft browns and
ticeable.” neutral shades
convey various
emotions and
statements.
Shilpi Gupta, a
fashion designer,
says, “These
colours elevate
Muted tones and confidence
minimalist dressing and suggest
are central to the visual a lifestyle
that does
language of modern wealth. not need external
They highlight quality over validation. They also
highlight quality
quantity… They signal ‘old and craftsmanship.”
money’ values. The understated According to
tones suggest generational wealth, David Beckham exudes The Duchess of Sussex, Bhawna Rao, a
classic elegance in a beige Meghan, wore a tan suit fashion designer,
where luxury is lived, not flaunted linen suit during the from Ralph Lauren at “Soft hues
– Bhawna Rao, fashion designer Wimbledon Tennis the recently held are visually
Championship 2024 Time100 Summit soothing and
are associated
with mindfulness.
HOW TO WEAR NEUTRALS Neutrals convey
zMix textures, not just colours. sweater over wide-leg beige trousers in the same family, gold jewellery or tan sandals dress or a greige co-ord set permanence
Mix cottons, linens, knits and linen trousers with a textured adding depth with tone-on-tone to a blush or camel outfit. For in velvet with nude heels and and reliability.
silks to add dimension to the waist belt. accessories like suede loafers or special outings, opt for a bold minimal gold jewellery for the They suggest a
look. Think oatmeal-toned linen a nude clutch. red lip or statement earrings to ‘less is luxe’ vibe. lifestyle that is not
shirt on white denim or a taupe zGo monochrome and layer elevate the look. swayed by fads.
smartly. For example, layer an zAdd an element that pops (As suggested by Essentially, they
silk slip dress with chunky ivory fashion designers Bhawna
knit. Pair a cream cashmere ivory tank with a stone-toned the overall look. Add a rich zFor glam evenings, go with project a quiet
oversized blazer and wide-leg chocolate brown leather bag, satin. Pair a dusty rose silk midi Rao & Shilpi Gupta) form of power.”
– Inputs from NYT

Jokes, laughs & skits:

Kolkata cracks up
at a comedy night
I
t was an evening of roaring laughter
and unfiltered fun as Kolkata hosted its
inaugural Comedy Night Live on May 7
at a city auditorium. The stage buzzed
with energy as host Vibhor Chaudhary
steered a vibrant line-up — ranging from
spot-on mimicry and quick-fire skits to a
no-holds-barred celebrity roast. Comedy
veterans Ali Asgar and Dr Sanket Bhosale
brought the laughs, joined by the dynamic
duo Bakhtiyar and Tannaz Irani, and the
ever-animated Chinki Minki. The night hit
a high note with a bold roast of actor-poli-
tician Nussrat Jahan, who not only took
the jabs in stride but threw in a few zingers
Nussrat Jahan gets roasted
of her own. – Eshna Bhattacharya (and roasts right back)
The final segment saw Nussrat Jahan as the
centre of a playful roast. Taking every jab with
good humour, she fired back with her own
quips. “For the first time, I’ve been brought to
a show with so much love… just to be roasted,”
she joked.

Even Kolkata couldn’t tell Chinki from Minki Ali Asgar’s special
The twin entertainers brought their real—even Kolkata couldn’t figure out who connect with the crowd
trademark chaos and comic timing to was Chinki and who was Minki. But the duo Ali Asgar barely stayed on stage — he
the stage, instantly connecting with the leaned into it, teasing the audience while spent most of his time engaging with the
crowd. At one point, the confusion was delivering punchlines in rapid fire. audience, dancing, joking, and singing
along to Laila Main Laila that played in
the background. He kept things breezy,
but ended on a heartfelt note with a
tribute to the Indian Army. “I have full faith
in our line of defence,” he said, ending his
The Irani diaries set with a rousing “Bharat Mata Ki Jai!”
The comedy skit by Bakhtiyar & Tannaz Irani
was more than just jokes — it was a walk
through their journey together. “Our skit Mimicry masterclass
tonight is our story,” said Bakhtiyar. “It all
“Bangla khub mishti,” said Dr Sanket Bhosale,
began in 2005. What you see here is us — no
before launching into a medley of spot-on
filters.” The couple’s performance traced key
Bollywood impressions. From Nawazuddin
moments from their personal and professional
Siddiqui and Pankaj Tripathi to Udit Narayan
life, peppered with sharp humour, inside jokes,
and Salman Khan, each voice came alive on
and Bollywood-style spoofs. Tannaz, moved by
stage, earning rounds of applause and laughs
the warm reception, added, “This was our first
from the crowd.
show here and we may never forget you guys.”
 CCI NG 3.7 Product: TIMSKolkataBS PubDate: 14-05-2025 Zone: Calcutta Edition: 1 Page: CTBKBT User: cci Time: 05-13-2025 16:46 Color:

4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2025

CALCUTTA TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA BACK BEAT

I have no doubt about your

‘I make sure acting skills: Ray told Simi
people’s CONTINUED FROM

With her sharp gaze and

fierce independence,
1

Simi as Duli – a
Santhal maiden

stories are
Duli awakens desire but with a dusky
bows to no one. “For a complexion, tribal
Farhan in a week, Manikda jewellery, and a
still from wouldn’t let me shoot. flower tucked
Bhaag Milkha He took me to the baati into her bun
Bhaag khaana (the liquor

told the way shop) where the Ad-

ivasis would
gather at
night to drink
— and let me

they want’
just observe. I
saw women
who were exact-
ly like Duli, my
character. (sic)”
Discovered by Ray after
a chance meeting at Raj
Kapoor’s house, Garew-
al vividly remembers re-
ceiving his letter offer-
Emraan ing her a role: “It’s only
Hashmi in a screen test for make-
Ground Zero up. Not for your acting
CONTINUED FROM 1 abilities – because I
have no doubt whatsoev-
On playing a commanding er about that.” What fol-
officer in 120 Bahadur, lowed was an intense
Farhan says, “I’m playing process of transforma-
one character who’s the tion – both in character
leader and in charge of ‘I want to show and craft. TNN
120 other soldiers. Those
120 soldiers are equally
you what these
as important because institutions are so ‘Simi guided Samit
they fought the battle
alongside.”
that you can learn during the shoot’
“So within that realm, something about
this story was deeply ap-
them’ It took four

Collection DAG
pealing. Razneesh, the
director of 120 Baha- For Farhan, depicting institutions hours to cover
dur, is an army kid, his like the Army and BSF and their me with the black
father served in the stories accurately is paramount. He
Army, his brother is still in the says, “You’re saying that this film paint... And it took
Army. He grew up hearing about Shaitan Singh is about an institution. This is the three hours to remove
served while he was in Kashmir. So, way this institution functions. Why
and the Battle of Rezang La during the 1962 In-
we haven’t tried to do anything extraordi- would I want to change it in the film? In fact,
it later! And in
do-China war, and he’s always wanted to tell that
story. I feel very fortunate to be part of it.” nary just for the sake of doing it. We’ve been I want to show you what that institution between, I became
‘WE ARE CONDENSING SOMEBODY’S LIFE
very true to his story, on how he dealt with is so that you can learn something about another being –
things, all that happened around him, the at- it. The reason that Dubey ji (BSF officer
INTO TWO AND A HALF HOURS; CAN’T mosphere of the valley.” on whose life Ground Zero is based) is the rustic, uninhibited,
VEER AWAY FROM FACTS’ It’s the same sense of responsibility, he way he is, is because of certain training, untutored & raw
Talking about Ground Zero, Farhan says, “As a says, that he brought to Bhaag Milkha certain discipline, certain protocol, a certain Revisiting the experience of shooting the film,
producer, I was only invested in making sure – Simi to Mumbai Mirror
Bhaag, and now, 120 Bahadur, which is slat- education. That’s what makes these people Purnima Dutta, producer, said, “Simi became like
that this script is told in the most effective way ed to release later this year. “My only con- the character that they are.” a family member during those days. Though she
possible. The story is complete in itself – what- cern or mission for films based on real peo- Stories like Ground Zero or 120 Bahadur,
ever we’ve taken and drawn from in the story is ple is to make sure that their stories are told he says, are meant to hold space for those
was staying in a hotel, most of the time, she used Simi was on
to be at our house. I still remember, when I got
taken from his life and from the times that he the way they really want them to be told,” whose contributions might otherwise fade. busy, she used to lay the dining table and make
cloud nine when
says Farhan. “Narendra Nath Dhar Dubey ji accomplished sure we all ate together – she’s an extremely Manik da offered her
Human beings move on; our The real challenge, he says, lies in writing. something that created a pathway to a homely person. I remember Samit (Bhanja, who Duli’s role. She learnt
“We are condensing somebody’s life into two degree of peace in the valley that would not
memories are short. Amid and a half hours. There may be events, emo- have happened for a decade. He should be
played Hari) was a newcomer in the industry,
Bengali meticulously
and was apprehensive of the intimate scenes he
all this, it’s nice to somehow find tions, or conversations that happened over remembered. Human beings move on; our had to play. Manik da told him to get rid of his with us, and it was
a way to remember somebody six months, but you have to bring those into memories are short. Amid all this, it’s nice to inhibitions, and Simi, being a seasoned actor,
quite a challenge for
one scene. And you can’t veer away from it to somehow find a way to remember somebody helped Samit overcome his awkwardness with
who’s done something a point where it becomes far removed from who’s done something constructive for portraying the scenes convincingly.” her to portray a tribal
constructive for society fact,” he adds. society.”
– Inputs by Ruman Ganguly woman – Purnima Dutta

RRR’s musical takeover Regretted getting plastic Jamie Lee Curtis

has revealed she
underwent cosmetic

of the Royal Albert Hall surgery in my 20s: Jamie surgery in her 20s
after her looks were
criticised by a
cinematographer on
the set of her 1985

J
amie Lee Curtis has revealed she ted it since… Way so now because I’ve
underwent cosmetic surgery in her become a really public advocate to say film Perfect
20s after her looks were criticised by to women: ‘You’re gorgeous and you’re
a cinematographer on the set of her 1985 perfect the way you are.’ So oh, yeah I ...
film Perfect. However, the award winning it was not a good thing for me to do.”
actress said she has regretted the decision The surgery also led the actress to
ever since. start taking pain killers and she devel-
During an appearance on 60 minutes, oped an addiction which she was even-
Lee Curtis said, “(The cinematogra- tually able to kick. Agencies
pher) was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not shooting
her today. Her eyes are baggy’. And I
was 25! So, for him to say that was very That’s just not what
embarrassing. So as soon as the movie
finished, I ended up having some plas- you wanna do when
tic surgery. you’re 25 or 26. And I
When asked how the surgery went,
Lee Curtis replied, “Not well. That’s regretted it immediately
just not what you wanna do when and have kind of sort of
you’re 25 or 26. And I regretted it imme- regretted it since… Way
diately and have kind of sort of regret-
so now

The Office spin-off The Paper

to premiere this September
Amber Heard
While the new show introduces a
new setting and characters, it
welcomes twins
retains the signature
mockumentary style of The Office
Audiences flocked to London’s Royal Albert Hall for a special screening of RRR
Amber

S
S Rajamouli’s Heard
RRR took
centre stage
at London’s Royal
Albert Hall as the
Royal Philharmon-
ic Orchestra per-
formed the film’s
score live during a
special screening-
held on Sunday.
The orchestral ren-
dition, conducted SS Rajamouli, MM Keeravani, Ram Charan
by Ben Pope, and Jr NTR took to the stage to share some
brought a fresh di- anecdotes from the film with the audience

O
mension to the n Mother’s Day, Amber Heard revealed that she
film’s music for the

A
new workplace mockumen- has welcomed twins – a daughter named Agnes
fans who filled up BALAKRISHNA DANCING TO tary is set to debut this Sep- and a son named Ocean. On Sunday, she took to
the venue. Rajamouli, Ram Charan, Jr NAATU NAATU: JR NTR tember as the creators of Instagram and penned a heartfelt post. She wrote,
NTR and MM Keeravani regaled the audi- Speaking about the Oscar-winning song The Office announced their spin-off “Mother’s Day 2025 will be one I’ll never forget. This year, I
ence with some entertaining tales. Naatu Naatu, Jr NTR shared, “When series, The Paper. Set in the same am elated beyond words to celebrate the completion of the
RAM CHARAN’S EARLY B’DAY Naatu Naatu won the Oscar, all the ef- universe, the series shifts focus family I’ve strived to build for years. Today, I officially
SURPRISE FOR JR NTR fort we put into the song felt worthwhile. from the Scranton branch of Dun- Still from The Office share the news that I welcomed twins into the Heard gang.
A memorable moment at the event came It will always be special to me – not be- der Mifflin to The Truth Teller, a My daughter Agnes and my son Ocean are keeping my
when Ram led the audience in singing cause of the Oscar, but because I got to struggling Midwestern newspaper hands (and my heart) full. When I had my first baby girl,
Happy Birthday for Jr NTR, whose share the screen with a great friend, in Toledo, Ohio. The familiar docu- Sabrina Impacciatore takes on the role of Oonagh, four years ago, my world changed forever. I
birthday is on May 20. The crowd joined Ram Charan, and an incredible dancer.” mentary crew returns to capture the challenges the no-nonsense managing editor, steering thought I couldn’t possibly burst with more joy. Well, now
in, making the occasion even more spe- He also added with a laugh, “Imagine if of reviving local journalism in the digital age. the newsroom through turbulent times. In a I am bursting times three! Becoming a mother by myself
cial for the actor. his father Chiranjeevi garu and my un- Leading the cast is Domhnall Gleeson, nod to the original series, Oscar Nunez re- and on my own terms, despite my own fertility challenges,
cle Balakrishna garu danced to it.” portraying an idealistic new employee deter- prises his role as Oscar Martinez, now serv- has been the most humbling experience of my life. (sic).”
IMAGINE CHIRANJEEVI & TNN mined to breathe life back into the paper. ing as the paper’s accountant. Agencies Agencies