New Year celebrations sweep across India amid tight security and festive fervour

Tourists celebrate and dance on Mall Road on New Year’s Eve in Manali, Kullu on December 31, 2025. (IANS Photo)

New Delhi, (IANS): India welcomed the New Year with grand celebrations, countdown parties and festive gatherings, as state governments across the country stepped up security measures to ensure that the celebrations passed off smoothly and without incident.

In major metropolitan cities, including Delhi and Mumbai, large crowds thronged iconic landmarks such as India Gate, Connaught Place and Marine Drive to usher in the New Year, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere.

Meanwhile, authorities across the country issued traffic advisories, guidelines for restaurants and hotels, and deployed additional security forces in anticipation of massive footfall in public places.

Despite chilling conditions in Delhi, Connaught Place and Vasant Vihar saw a steady influx of revellers, with families and groups gathering in markets and open spaces ahead of the New Year celebrations.

Speaking to IANS in Connaught Place, a tourist said, "I have come from Punjab to celebrate the New Year here, and I hope this year is good for everyone."

"It is cold, but we are happy to welcome 2026 here with our friends," another said.

Officials said that in areas expecting heavy crowds in the national capital, the police put comprehensive security arrangements in place to prevent any untoward incidents and to maintain law and order.

Security arrangements on the ground in Delhi were closely monitored by several senior officials, including six Assistant Commissioners of Police and one Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police. As many as 1,469 police personnel were deployed across Delhi’s West District alone to ensure public safety during the celebrations.

In Rajasthan, stringent traffic safety measures were also implemented, including the setting up of checkpoints, inspection of vehicles and strict action against those found driving under the influence of alcohol.

In Maharashtra, eateries, restaurants, hotels, orchestra bars and pubs were permitted to operate till 5 a.m. on January 1 as part of the New Year celebrations.

In Bengaluru, around 20,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure smooth New Year’s Eve celebrations, as more than ten lakh people were expected to gather at various locations across the city for the festivities.Even as people in the eastern parts of the world began bidding farewell to 2025, popular hill destinations such as Shimla and Manali witnessed a huge rush of tourists and revellers, braving the biting cold to ring in the New Year amid the mountains. New Year celebrations sweep across India amid tight security and festive fervour | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → January 02, 2026

Night curfew in Mumbai on UK virus strain fears

The Indian state of Maharashtra has imposed a night curfew on cities including the country’s financial hub Mumbai because of fears about the new coronavirus strain from Britain, the local government said.

In addition, Mumbai airport said Tuesday that all air passengers from anywhere in Europe or the Middle East will have to go into institutional quarantine upon arrival and then be tested.

The announcements come even though daily numbers of new coronavirus infections has fallen sharply in India in recent weeks, including in Maharashtra, whose capital Mumbai is home to one of Asia’s biggest slums.

India is yet to confirm any cases of the new strain.

The Maharashtra government said that the night curfew beginning on Tuesday would last until January 5.

The restrictions will put a dampener on New Year’s celebrations in Mumbai and elsewhere in the western state of around 120 million people, which has seen the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in India.

On Monday, India joined other countries in suspending all flights from Britain home to a large Indian diaspora starting from Tuesday night until December 31.

India has reported the world’s second-largest number of coronavirus infections after the United States and crossed the 10-million caseload mark last week. It has registered more than 145,000 deaths.

The Indian government hopes to start vaccinating the population early next year, including an initial 300 million people from high-risk groups and healthcare workers.India has yet to approve any vaccines but several drugmakers have applied for authorization, including AstraZeneca, which has partnered with India’s Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine maker. - AFP  Source: https://www.daily-bangladesh.com/

Read More........ → December 23, 2020

Now, 'Smart Helmets' confront corona headlong in Mumbai, Pune

For the first time in the country, 'Smart Helmets' have been deployed for mass screening of suspect COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and Pune, the country's two worst-hit metro regions, officials said here on Friday.

The deployment in Mumbai's northern suburbs is part of the recent public-private-partnership initiative of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the success achieved in Dharavi.

Imported from South Korea, the Smart Helmets have been provided by an NGO Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS), each costing Rs 6,00,000, taking the COVID-19 combat strategy to a new high-tech dimension, said BJS managing committee member Dr Neelu Jain.

"Each helmet is equipped with two cameras, an image camera in the front and a thermal camera on the side which can simultaneously screen 13 persons per minute," Dr Jain told IANS.

Earlier, the health teams used infrared thermal guns to check peoples' temperatures but it had limitations as it could screen around 200 persons in one hour.

However, the new portable Smart Helmets can screen up to 6,000 people per hour, provided they stand in a queue, making the process simpler and quicker, she said.

India's commercial and entertainment capital accounts for the country's highest 105,923 COVID-19 cases and 5,930 deaths till date. Source: https://southasiamonitor.org/:

Read More........ → August 25, 2020

No total lifting of lockdown after June 30: Maharashtra CM

Besides Covid-19, he said people must protect themselves from other monsoon diseases like malaria and dengue

Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday indicated that the ongoing lockdown restrictions will go beyond June 30, though the Unlockdown process is being gradually implemented to put the economy back on track.

"Don't think that the lockdown restrictions will cease after June 30...The threat of Covid-19 still looms over the state and all precautions need to be taken," Thackeray asserted, addressing the state this afternoon.

Besides Covid-19, he said people must protect themselves from other monsoon diseases like malaria and dengue.

The CM again appealed to all doctors and private hospitals to start their services in view of the ongoing pandemic.

Simultaneously, the Mumbai Police on Sunday announced a series of measures under the #MissionBeginAgain by appealing to people to strictly adhere to the guidelines.

Outdoor movements continue to be restricted for essential activities like buying food, vegetables, visits to markets, salons, barber shops, with a radius of 2 kms only, said Deputy Commissioner of Police and Mumbai Police Spokesperson Pranaya Ashok.

Night curfew for people and vehicles will be implemented strictly from 9 p.m.- 5a.m., barring essential or medical requirements, besides all other norms like wearing masks in public, following physical distancing rules at all places, etc. Source: https://ummid.com

Read More........ → July 05, 2020

Maharashtra adds over 5K new COVID-19 cases for 4th day in a row

The recovery rate marginally fell from 52.59 per cent to 52.37 per cent, while the mortality rate stood at 4.48 per cent

Mumbai: For the fourth day running, Maharashtras Covid-19 tally jumped sharply by 5,257 new cases on Monday, while the state's fatalities surpassed the 7,500-mark, health officials said.

The state's death toll shot up to 181 on Monday, down from the previous single-day high of 248 recorded on June 23.

Earlier on June 16, the state had reported the highest 1,409 fatalities after taking into account reconciliation of earlier deaths, which drastically escalated the toll.

With Monday's 181 fatalities, the state's death toll climbed from Sunday's 7,429 to 7,610, while the total number of cases zoomed to 169,883, both being the highest in the country.

1 death every 8 minutes

This comes to roughly one death recorded every 8 minutes and a staggering 219 new cases notched every hour in the state on Monday.

The recovery rate marginally fell from 52.59 per cent to 52.37 per cent, while the mortality rate stood at 4.48 per cent.

For most days in June, the state has been recording three-digit highs of deaths and since the past four days, 5K plus new patients, causing big worries to the health officials.

The health department said that of the total number of cases declared till date, 73,298 were active cases as on Monday, lower (favourable) vis-a-vis the number of patients cured, indicating a positive sign.

Mumbai Covid-19 deaths

Of the total 181 fatalities declared on Monday, Mumbai alone notched 92 deaths -- taking the city's death toll to 4,463, while the number of positive patients shot up by 1,226 to touch 76,765.

Besides Mumbai's 92 deaths, there were 26 deaths each in Thane and Pune, 12 in Aurangabad, 11 in Solapur, 8 in Jalgaon, 3 in Amravati, and 1 each in Nagpur, Osmanabad and Nashik.

On the positive side, a total of 2,385 fully cured patients returned home on Monday, taking the number of those discharged to 88,960 -- relatively higher than the 73,298 active cases at present.

Meanwhile, in a significant move to combat the pandemic, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday inaugurated the world's largest and India's first Project PLATINA -- a Plasma Therapy Trial Centre. It will provide free treatment to all critical patients at the 17 government hospitals and 4 BMC hospitals.

As many as 1.42 lakh patients received free treatment under the Mahatma Jyotiba Janarogya Yojana, including 1.22 lakhs for Covid-19 and the rest for serious ailments of heart, kidney etc., said Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

As hinted by Thackeray on Sunday, the state government on Monday extended the lockdown till July 31 and started its stringent implementation across the state, but also promised that there would be gradual easing of restrictions.

Maharashtra District wise Corona status

The MMR (Thane Division) remains a tricky issue as deaths and cases shoot up, with a whopping 3,593 new patients pushing up the number of positive cases to 122,325 on Monday. It has reported 5,530 Covid-19 fatalities so far.

Thane, with 36,002 cases and 871 fatalities, has emerged as the second worst-hit district in the state after Mumbai.

Pune district comes third with 21,303 patients and 740 deaths till now. But the Pune Division ranks second (after MMR) with 24,980 patients and fatalities reaching 1,040 on Monday.

The next major region of concern is Nashik Division with 521 fatalities and 9,040 positive cases, followed by Aurangabad Division with 258 deaths and 6,004 cases, and Akola Division with 126 fatalities and 2,654 cases.

Kolhapur Division has notched 51 deaths and 1,997 patients, Latur Division has 43 fatalities and 981 cases, while the Nagpur Division has recorded 18 deaths and 1,817 cases.

Only Kolhapur Division recorded zero fatalities on Monday, though there were new Covid-19 cases.

The number of people sent to home quarantine increased from Sunday's 570,475 to 574,093 on Monday, while those under institutional quarantine increased from 37,350 to 37,758 on Monday. Source: https://ummid.com/

Read More........ → July 01, 2020

Coronavirus: Dharavi's dramatic return from the brink

After the proactive measures by the BMC, the growth rate came down to 4.3 per cent in May and to 1.02 per cent in June

Mumbai: Marking a major success story, Mumbai's sore underbelly - Dharavi - has made a dramatic return from the brink in the ongoing war against coronavirus. As per the latest official data released on Sunday, Dharavi's doubling time of corona cases has become more than twice compared with the wider Mumbai city - indicating a major turnaround in the situation there. With a series of stringent measures for Covid-19 prevention, combat strategies and strict enforcement implemented, the results finally have begun to show in the hotspot. Mumbai Mayor elated: "The Dharavi 'tension' is off our heads now. We have worked really hard to bring it to this level and it has given excellent results with the local peoples' full support," an elated Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar told IANS. She said that the multi-pronged strategy also involved isolation in large numbers to "break the chain" and the local population extended wholehearted cooperation in this. "I am confident that the situation in Dharavi will improve even further in July. This will give us time to concentrate on the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai which are causing concern," Pednekar added. Dharavi, in south-central Mumbai, enjoys a dubious reputation of being Asia's largest slum pocket with a population of over 5 lakh crammed in a 2.25 square km area, making it the most congested place on earth. Mumbai Corona doubling rate: While the doubling rate of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai is 34 days, that in Dharavi is practically double at 78 days, according to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Union Health Ministry. The first Covid-19 case and death from Dharavi was reported on April 1 - three weeks after the city's first case and two weeks after Maharashtra's first fatality in Mumbai (March 17). During April, Dharavi figures shot up dramatically to 491 cases at a growth rate of 12 per cent and a doubling period of 18 days. After the proactive measures by the BMC, the growth rate came down to 4.3 per cent in May and to 1.02 per cent in June. Similarly, the doubling time improved from 18 days in April to 43 days in May and now 78 days in June, spelling a huge relief for the civic and state health authorities. Doubling time of over 30 days is considered ideal, but Mumbai had a doubling period of 15 days around mid-May. Mumbai Corona deaths: While Mumbai has notched 65,329 cases and 3,561 deaths, in Dharavi, the latest data shows 2,170 cases with 79 deaths till date, including only nine so far this month. The challenges in Dharavi were enormous with average 8-10 people packed in tiny homes or hutments averaging to 10 feet by 10 feet, common toilets used by over 100 people, common water taps used by thousands daily, sheer narrow lanes where two people have to turn sideways to pass, and other crowding issues, said an official. "This posed severe limitations on luxuries like 'physical distancing' or 'home quarantine', since many homes also doubled as workplaces or mini-factories." 'Model 4 Ts' : Accordingly, the BMC adopted a model 4 Ts - Tracing, Tracking, Testing and Treating, proactive screening with over 47,500 people covered by medicos and private clinics in home-to-home screening, and setting up fever clinics for high-risk categories, etc. Another around 15,000 through mobile vans and around half a million were surveyed scrupulously by the civic health teams, with around 8,246 senior citizens were identified and separated from the others to arrest any infections, for a total of 5,48,270 surveyed and screened in Dharavi. Of these, as Pednekar said, the suspected cases were immediately shifted to well-organised Covid Care Centres or Quarantine Centres, set up in all possible schools, marriage halls, sports complexes, etc, served by community kitchens with 24x7 medical services at hand. BMC containment strategy The BMC also forged strategic PPPs for containment measures, all available private medicos, clinics and hospitals were mobilised, and provided with full PPE kits and other equipment for door-to-door screening and identifying the suspects as early as possible. As part of the effective containment strategy, there was uninterrupted supply of essential goods and supplies to the local community, and only critical patients were shifted out of Dharavi to hospitals while 90 per cent got full treatment within the slum area. The BMC distributed over 25,000 grocery kits, 21,000 lunch and dinner food packets, local elected representatives also supplied foodstuffs and PPE kits, etc free of cost, thereby eliminating the need for people to move out of their homes. There was frequent large-scale sanitisation of the containment zones or sealed localities, public toilets, buses operated for staff movement, local community leaders of different communities were appointed as 'Covid Yoddhas' to serve as a link with the authorities and dispel any fears or concerns of their members. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in) Source: k

Read More........ → June 22, 2020

Godrej Properties sells 300 flats for Rs 700 cr in Mumbai

By PTI Dec 07 2015 , New Delhi, Realty firm Godrej Properties has sold 300 flats worth over Rs 700 crore in just one week in its project at Vikhroli, Mumbai, even as the housing segment is facing huge demand slowdown. Godrej Properties, the real estate development arm of the Godrej group, today informed BSE that "it has sold 300 apartments within one week at 'The Trees', its flagship project in Vikhroli, Mumbai." "The value of the apartments sold is in excess of 700 crore making this Godrej Properties' most successful ever launch in terms of value of real estate sold. This is also one of the country’s most successful recent launches," it added. Godrej Properties has launched 374 apartments in the first phase of the project. "We are thrilled with the customer response to the launch of The Trees in Vikhroli. We will do everything possible to ensure we deliver our customers an outstanding and innovative project," Godrej Properties MD and CEO Pirojsha Godrej said. Spread across 34 acres, the mixed-use development project contains a commercial precinct spread across 9.4 acres, which houses Godrej One, the Godrej Group's global headquarters. The central mixed use precinct, spread over 9.2 acres, will comprise of a 5-star luxury hotel, cultural buildings, luxury residential and a high street retail park. The more private luxury residential precinct spread across 6.7 acres, which was recently opened for sale, will house a community of residential buildings with private parks and an iconic clubhouse facility. Godrej Properties is developing residential, commercial and township projects spread across 110.30 million sq ft in 12 cities. On the back of BKC deal, the company has achieved a sales booking of over Rs 3,200 crore in the first half of the fiscal, crossing Rs 2,681-crore sales booking in the entire 2014-15 fiscal. The company in September had sold 4.35 lakh sq ft office space to Abbott India in 'Godrej BKC' project at Bandra Kulra Complex (BKC), Mumbai for Rs 1,479 crore. Source: mydigitalfc.com, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org

Read More........ → December 07, 2015

Anand Mahindra receives honorary doctorate from IIT Bombay

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has been conferred an honorary doctorate at the 53rd Convocation of IIT Bombay. Mahindra was conferred a doctor of science (honoris causa) for his commitment in furthering the cause and growth of the automobile industry, and for his significant contribution to the social development of India. The doctor of science (honoris causa) is the highest honour bestowed by IIT Bombay. Over the past two decades, Mahindra has contributed immeasurably to the development of India's indigenous automotive industry and the success of vehicles like the Scorpio and the XUV500 is testimony to this contribution. ''Everyone says that 'Jugaad' is India's biggest contribution to the world. What I want from all of you is to work towards moving from 'Jugaad' to 'Jhakaas'. This is about thinking differently and not just thinking cheap,'' said Anand Mahindra, speaking to the graduating students after receiving the award. '''Jhakaas' is about disruption and sustained disruption requires an educational culture where questioning is encouraged and failure is embraced. I would argue that one of the 'I's in IIT stands for imagination. So, I urge you all to go out there and focus on this 'I'. This will lead us to not only 'Make in India' but also 'Imagine in India,'' said Mahindra. Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, as the chief guest for the occasion delivered the convocation address to the gathering. Source: domain-b.com, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org

Read More........ → August 16, 2015

Mumbai University has 12 billionaires

University of Mumbai ranks 9th in list of rich alumni schools

The University of Mumbai has been ranked among the top 10 schools that produce the world’s billionaires and has more number of such undergraduate alumni than London School of Economics. According to this year’s Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census, 12 billionaires obtained their bachelor’s degrees from the University of Mumbai, making it one of the top 10 schools in terms of number of billionaire undergraduate alumni. “With 12 billionaire alumni, India’s University of Mumbai has the most billionaire graduates of any university based outside the US,” the report said. The University of Mum-bai was ranked 9th on the list which was topped by the University of Pennsyl-vania as the school had 25 billionaire undergraduate alumni. It has more billionaire alumni than MIT, NYU, University of Colum-bia and Duke University. Besides, University of Mumbai, the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, Lomon-osov Moscow State Univer-sity and ETH Zurich in Switzerland are other scho-ols that made it to the top 20 billionaire schools list. Interestingly, higher education has not been a prerequisite to achieving billionaire status as 35 per cent of the 2,325 billionaires in the world do not have a tertiary-level degree. Among those billionaires who hold a degree, 42 per cent graduated with a bachelors, 26 per cent have masters, 21 per cent finished their MBA, and 11 per cent attained a PhD, the report added. Source: Article

Read More........ → October 25, 2014

Not nearly enough women' in Cabinet, says Cameron

PM admits the government needs more women - but why did he need his wife to explain it to him?

DAVID CAMERON has decided there are not ”nearly” enough women in the top echelons of government. ”My wife likes to say that if you don't have women in 50 per cent of top positions, you are not missing out on 50 per cent of the talent, you are missing out on more than 50 per cent of the talent and I think she's right”, the Prime Minister told an audience in Mumbai today. Nice sentiment, says the Daily Telegraph’s Emma Barnett, but there’s a problem – the prime minister is acting on advice from Samantha rather than coming to his own conclusions. ”If Mr Cameron really has to take his advice on promoting women from his wife, akin to having her help him pick out a pair of socks or a decent tie, our Prime Minister really has proven just how out of touch he is. ”It’s a bit like when someone white talks about racism, and quickly qualifies their views by explaining that ‘their best friend is black’.” Barnett believes that Cameron – who in his last reshuffle cut the number of women in his 27-strong cabinet from five to four – should know for himself why it’s important to have women in his party and his Cabinet. Responding to Cameron’s Mumbai speech, Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston tweets: ”Actions speak louder than words.” The backbencher, one of 47 female Conservative MPs (out of a total of 302), says the House of Commons ”still has the feel of a 1950s boys boarding school and unlikely to change unless dragged into 21st century”. Cameron doesn’t just have a problem with too few Conservative women in politics – he’s also losing female voters. Peter Kellner, president of the pollster YouGov, points out that ”the politics of gender have bubbled to the surface of political debate” with some Conservative MPs concerned ”women are deserting them in such numbers that the party will lose the next election”. Source: The Week UK

Read More........ → August 23, 2014

Nikhaar set to open EBOs in next two-three years

Nikhaar, the brand best known for its kurtis and tunics has grown manifold since its inception. The journey from a small workshop to multiple factories has been phenomenal. Moving ahead, in the next two to three years Nikhaar plans to open at least 4-5 EBOs starting with a flagship store in the fashion hub of Bandra in Mumbai. And then it wants to spread across other retail destinations within Mumbai and other states. At the moment the brand is available with more than 750 stores across India and more than 100 stores worldwide as also through over 50 websites. “We have also ventured in the e-commerce sector working with leading companies like Jabong, Myntra, Flipkart, Snaodeal, Homeshop 18, Ebay, Fashionara, among others, which are doing extremely well,” explains Nadeem Petiwala, Creative Head of Nikhaar. Nikhaar plans more openings in the next two or three years“The brand’s journey has been the most successful one. We have had experience working with all kinds of people from educating unskilled workers to working with the industry bigwigs, departmental stores, shopping malls across the world,” says Petiwala. “As there are ups and downs in every field, labour woes still remain an unsolved problem other than issues like excise and LBT. But challenges teach you some important lessons and prepares for bigger challenges in business,” he adds. Nikhaar targets consumers from the age group of 16-60 years, as it offers something for everybody. “We make deep incuts, racer-backs, strappy styles for the younger generation as well as longer lengths and three quarter sleeves for the aged ones. The middle aged clients are a mixed bag… some preferring the stylish merchandise, while some preferring the sober tastes,” opines Petiwala. Products on offerBeing a pioneer in women’s tunics and kurtis, these are Nikhaar’s core products. It also manufactures good quality leggings, Patiala salwars, dhoti salwars. The latest being collaborations with the top Pakistani designers. Every season, Nikhaar creates a dedicated line to set the trend. “Kurtis are in demand. The trend for the extreme bright colours continues this season with more detailing and westernized cuts for the festive season with subtle work detailing. Crepes, georgettes and chiffons are in these days and are comfortable to wear in any season,” elaborates Petiwala on the new styles on offer for Autumn/Winter 2013. Talking about the excise removal and its impact, Petiwala said, “Excise has been removed but that has compensated with the increase in prices for the raw material, so there is no change in the price.” Bookmark or Source: Article

Read More........ → December 12, 2013

Sex Determination Case Bombay HC Issues Notice To Shah Rukh

The Bombay High Court has issued notices to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, his wife Gauri Khan and the BMC on a petition filed by social activist Varsha Deshpande, challenging a magistrate's order refusing her application for documents pertaining to the couple's youngest child AbRam, who was born through surrogacy. Deshpande has alleged that SRK and his wife had conducted a sex determination test before AbRam’s birth and she has filed a complaint in the magistrate’s court seeking action against the Bollywood power couple and Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital under the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT). In September this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had given clean chit to the Khans and they informed the HC that allegations leveled against the superstar and his wife of conducting pre-birth sex determination tests of their surrogate son AbRam were baseless. Varsha has now sought documents pertaining to the surrogacy process and documents collected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in its inquiry into the matter. On Friday, Justice R P Sondurbaldota issued notices to Shah Rukh, Gauri, Jaslok Hospital, and the civic body, and posted the matter for hearing on January 10. Source: Article

Read More........ → December 12, 2013

Sachin Tendulkar inaugurates hi-tech cath lab in Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 30 (ANI): Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar inaugurated here a highly specialised catheterization laboratory for cardiac patients in Holy Family Hospital. The lab will enable cardiac patients to immediately undergo a surgery if their angiography shows that he or she requires it. "I feel that, with this facility in the hospital, we have been blessed to serve the community," Tendulkar said on Sunday. He added that the date of inauguration coincided with his mother's birthday. "The doctors have been doing a wonderful job for a number of years now. And I have no hesitation in saying that I have full confidence in you that you will continue to do this noble job. And it becomes our responsibility...not only of the doctors, but whoever is able to help a common man or a needy person, we should try our best," said Tendulkar. He also revealed that machinery used in the labs is second of its kind in India. A catheterisation laboratory or cath lab is a diagnosis room in a hospital or clinic with examination imaging equipment used to support the catheterisation procedure. By Sanjeev Shukla (ANI). Source: News Track India, Image Credit: drbrianpinto.com

Read More........ → November 12, 2013

Salman signs record Rs 500 cr deal with STAR

Mumbai: Blockbuster star Salman Khan has set a new record by signing a Rs.500 crore deal with Star TV Network India for the television broadcast rights of his upcoming films. Post 2009 blockbuster "Wanted", the 47-year-old's career is going from strength to strength. In the last five years, he has churned out a string of successful films - "Ready", "Dabangg", "Bodyguard", "Ek Tha Tiger" and "Dabangg 2" - all these films earned over Rs.100 crore at the box office. Hemal Jhaveri, general manager at Star Gold, said: "Yes, we have signed a deal with Salman Khan and whoever asks me why Salman, I would only say why not Salman Khan? His past box office record has been outstanding and his film, which has been premiered on TV, is exceptional." "He still has the highest record for his film 'Bodyguard' which had the highest rating so far," he added. According to the deal, the channel would own exclusive TV broadcast rights of Salman's all new films. "The deal is from 2013 onwards where all his films in which he acts, produces or be part of, we will have the broadcast rights exclusively with us," said Jhaveri. Salman, who is right now having some health issues and is likely to fly to the US for treatment, has handful of films in his kitty - "Kick", "No Entry Mein Entry" and Sooraj Barjatya's next untitled film among others. He will start shooting for them soon. Source: News-Bullet

Read More........ → February 21, 2013

Rajnath Singh to head BJP after Gadkari quits

New Delhi: Rajnath Singh was on Wednesday unanimously elected president of BJP, capping last minute dramatic turn of events which saw Nitin Gadkari being forced out of the race for the second term. The 61-year-old senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh takes the baton back from Nitin Gadkari whom he handed  over the post in 2009. Singh, who emerged as the consensus candidate on Tuesday night after Gadkari 

dramatically opted out of the race for a second term, was the only candidate to  file the nominations and was declared elected unopposed. Gadkari was among the first ones to wish the new party president soon after the announcement by election officer Thawar Chand Gehlot in the presence of top party leaders including LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu. Gadkari, whose  candidature was

being pushed strongly by RSS, suddenly quit the race in the midst of allegations of impropriety by his company Purti Group. I am taking over as BJP president in unhappy circumstances: Rajnath Singh.After taking over, Rajnath Singh said, "I accept this not as a post, but as a responsibility" and said he would take the battle to a decisive end by bringing BJP to power." He said he was taking over in not very conducive

conditions in the wake of allegations levelled against the outgoing chief Nitin Gadkari. Singh said though the party wanted Gadkari to continue as party president for a second term, but he took a moral high by deciding not to contest for a second term till his name was cleared of all charges. The new chief exuded confidence of steering the party in the forthcoming assembly elections in various states later this year and expressed the hope to see formation of an NDA regime led by BJP in the next general elections. A  BJP
parliamentary board meeting thanked outgoing president Nitin Gadkari for his "dynamic" leadership for the last three years and unanimously endorsed Singh as his successor. Rajnath Singh and incumbent Nitin Gadkari arrived at the party office in the same car for a meeting of the party's parliamentary board, after which he filed his nomination. Earlier, Rajnath Singh met party leader LK Advani. Rajnath Singh was chosen for the BJP president's post after several senior leaders objected over giving a second term to
Gadkari, who is facing corruption charges. Gadkari also made an announcement on Tuesday evening saying he will not seek a second term as he wanted his name cleared of the corruption charges. The BJP president has traditionally been elected unopposed. Rajnath's Singh's name emerged after a series of meetings involving party leaders Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu, Ram Lal and Ananth Kumar. Revolt in BJP forces out Nitin Gadkari Rajnath Singh is set to be BJP president, capping an internecine battle that saw

two white-moustachioed patriarchs biting the dust but not before thwarting each other.Nitin Gadkari, the incumbent battling corruption charges and enjoying the blessings of the RSS chief, put in his papers on Tuesday night after it became clear that sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had run into an ambush attributed to LK Advani. Advani drew the satisfaction of foiling Bhagwat's candidate but he had to accept the diktat of the RSS that picked Rajnath, a former BJP president. Till late on Tuesday evening, it appeared that Bhagwat would have his way. But two events appeared to have turned the tide against the RSS chief and

Gadkari. The income tax department focus on the corruption charges on him that the BJP chief and the Sangh have stoutly denied. Even then, the Gadkari camp appeared so confident that a media statement referred to his "re-election", only to retract an hour later. Advani, backed by his peers Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha, refused to accept Bhagwat's proposal to renew Gadkari's term. Apart from the notion
that Gadkari's reinstatement would hobble the BJP's anti-corruption campaign against the UPA, Advani's stiff opposition stemmed from his fear that Gadkari was a front for the Sangh. Sources said the Advani camp had concluded that under Gadkari, Bhagwat hoped to intervene "directly and decisively" in the party's affairs. Bhagwat, on the other hand, was unprepared to countenance Advani looming like a shadow over the BJP. The RSS-Advani equation, said sources, was so "skewed" with mutual distrust that the Sangh suspected that Advani, once the "apple of its eye", could manipulate himself as a prime minister frontrunner if the BJP gained an edge in the 2014 polls. In the afternoon, prodded by Advani, Yashwant, the former

finance and foreign minister, signalled that he might contest against Gadkari. Sinha sent an emissary to collect the nomination papers and the voter list from the BJP office. Unlike Mahesh Jethmalani, the Mumbai lawyer supposed to take on Gadkari, nobody regarded Sinha as a "lightweight". By coincidence, Advani and Gadkari were in Mumbai to attend a Sangh event today and they shared the dais. Both met Suresh "Bhaiyyaji" Joshi, Bhagwat's second-in-command. Joshi's message to Advani was terse: if he couldn't accept Gadkari, he had to settle for the Sangh's second choice, Rajnath. A similar request earlier was rejected by Advani, who never trusted Rajnath because he saw him as a Sangh "puppet". Joshi made it clear that none of Advani's nominees were acceptable. In Delhi, opposition leaders, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj were called on by another senior Sangh functionary, Suresh Soni. Sushma's name was earlier broached by Advani. But she declined his offer, signalling that in the power sweepstakes, she opted
to be on the RSS's right side. Former president M Venkaiah Naidu and the general secretary (organisation), Ramlal, were part of the meeting at Jaitley's house.Word reached from Nagpur, which houses the Sangh headquarters, that Rajnath was the RSS's choice and, by implication, the BJP should endorse his candidacy without ado, the sources said. Jaitley did have a patchy relationship with Rajnath in the latter's earlier tenure. But sources said he too figured out that a crisis had to be averted and, in the circumstances, the leader from Uttar Pradesh was perhaps the best bet. Sources said Rajnath was on the Sangh's radar for the past few days. In his first innings, Rajnath had ejected Narendra Modi from the BJP's top decision-making panel, the parliamentary board, ostensibly to please the RSS whose relations with Modi had then plunged to a nadir. Rajnath has since made up with Modi, around whom the BJP's prime minister debates are swirling. Many Congress leaders were praying that Gadkari remains BJP president and a permanent punching bag. Asked if the tax raids backfired, a Congress leader demurred and said Gadkari could not claim the moral high ground since he did not voluntarily step down but was hounded out. Who is Rajnath Singh? Rajnath Singh was born on July 10, 1951 in a farmer's family in Chanduli. He received his basic education in the village and subsequently he completed his MSc Physics from Gorakhapur University UP. He worked as a lecturer of Physics at KB Post-Graduate College Mirzapur, UP. He was an active RSS worker since his student life. He became the RSS karyavah (General Secretary) of Mirzapur city in 1972.

Also remained organisational secretary of ABVP Gorakhpur division from 1969 to 1971. He entered politics in 1974 and soon became secretary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Mirzaur. In 1975, he became district president of Jana Sangh and district coordinator of JP movement. He was imprisoned during Emergency. In 1977, he was elected as an MLA in UP Assembly.In 1983, he became a state secretary of UP BJP and 1984 he became a state president of BJP's Youth Wing (BJYM). In 1986, he became national general secretary of BJYM and subsequently national president of BJYM in 1988. He was elected MLC for UP Legislative Council in 1988 and became education minister in 1991. During his tenure as education minister in UP he established some landmarks by introducing the Anti Copying Act and Vedic Mathematics in the syllabus and correction of various portions of' history textbooks. He became MP Rajya Sabha in 1994 and also the chief whip of the BJP in Rajya Sabha. In 1997, he became state president of UP BJP. In 1999, he became Union surface transport minister. In October, 2000, he became chief minister of UP and was twice elected as MLA from Haidargarh constituency in Barabanki. In 2002, he became national general secretary of BJP. In 2003, he became Union minister of agriculture and subsequently for food processing. In July 2004, he was again appointed as national general secretary of BJP. He became the BJP national president in December 2005. - The Telegraph, Calcutta, Image Link Flickr, Source: News Bullet

Read More........ → January 24, 2013

Ugandan Kiprop, Kenyan Valentine set new Mumbai marathon marks

Pacemaker Jackson Kiprop of Uganda and rookie Valentine Kipketer of Kenya set new course records on their way to the men and women's titles respectively in the $350,000 10th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon here today. Debutant Kiprop, who was supposed to set the pace in the closing stages, overcame a strong field that included defending men's champion Laban Moiben of Kenya to storm to the finish line in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 32 seconds, thus dipping under the two-year-old course mark of 2:09:54.The victory made the 26-year-old richer by USD 55,000 which included the USD 15,000 bonus for breaking the record. In second place was Jacob Cheshari of Ethiopia who, too, bettered the previous course mark by finishing in a fast 2:09:43, while Elijah Kemboi came third in 2:10:03. Last year's winner and pre-race favourite Moiben was 5th in 2:10:55. Kiprop, who is the training partner for London Olympics men's marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, said he came here straight after his three-month-long training stint with the Olympic gold medallist in Kenya and it stood him in good stead. "This is my first marathon. I have been training with Kiprotich in Kenya. I came here straight after training with him for the last three months. I started running in half marathons in 2005. This year, I have started my full marathon," said Kiprop, who won USD 40,000 as winner besides the bonus for breaking the course record. Asked about the conditions, Kiprop said the weather was cool initially and became a bit hot towards the end. The men's race, in comparison to the women's in which 20-year-old Kipketer destroyed the field with front running from 20km out, was a close one with the bunch of nine, including Moiben, leading the field from the halfway stage --the Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link in Bandra. Kiprop and Cheshari stepped on the pace just after Kemp's corner flyover on the return leg and the former pushed further ahead of the rest on the Marine Drive stretch before breasting the tape well ahead of the Ethiopian. Both Cheshari and third-placed Kenmboi said the weather was good. Women's champion Kipketer, for whom this is her second marathon after the Hamburg race in April 2012, said she had no complaints about the weather or the course. She said she could better her time in Germany where the conditions were much cooler as she drank more water during the race. "The weather (in Mumbai) was good, no complaints about the weather or course. I am very happy to break the course record. But I can do better in future, do 2:20. I drank more water too than in Hamburg. "My time here is a big improvement on the 2:28 I did in Hamburg," she added. In fact, she was the odd person out among the top ten finishers, the rest being Ethiopians, and won USD 55,000 in all, including the bonus for breaking the course mark. The results (Top 6): Men: 1. Jackson Kiprop (Uga) 2:09:32, 2. Jacob Cheshari (Eth) 2:09:43,3. Elijah Kemboi (Ken) 2:10:03, 4. Abraham Girma (Eth) 2:10:15, 5.Laban Moiben (Ken) 2:10.55, 6. Abay Tadesse (Eth) 2:14.14. Women: 1. Valentine Kipketer (Ken) 2:24:33, 2. Dinkesh Mekash (Eth)2:28:46, 3. Aberu Mekuria (Eth) 2:29:03, 4. Fantu Jimma (Eth) 2:30:22,5. Yeshimebet Tadesse (Eth) 2:30:52, 6. Megra Marta (Eth) 2:31:01. Source:  Hindustan Times

Read More........ → January 22, 2013

I'm not superstitious, only have beliefs: Ekta

Mumbai: TV and film producer Ekta Kapoor is known for her obsession with the letter 'K' and is often called superstitious. However, she says these are only her beliefs. "I actually don't think I am very superstitious because I think I have very strong beliefs. It depends on how you look at a belief. If you don't believe, for you it's superstition. If I believe, for me, it's my belief," the 37-year-old said here Wednesday at the first look launch of her co-production "Ek Thi Daayan". "I really don't think I can scale myself on 1-10 (scale), that's not my job. Anyone else has full right to scale me as very superstitious, slightly superstitious, not superstitious. For me, it will still be my belief," she added. Names of most of Ekta's TV serials start with the alphabet 'K'. She can even be seen sporting a lot of rings and other such things. Ekta is currently busy with her productions "Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Again", and "Shootout at Wadala" and "Ragini MMS 2."'Source: News-Bullet

Read More........ → January 19, 2013

Be your own man: Tata's advice to Cyrus Mistry

Mumbai: Be your own man, Ratan Tata has advised Cyrus Mistry, who will succeed him at the helm of the $100 billion Tata group two weeks from now. "I don't think it is right to have a ghost to shadow over somebody," says Tata, dismissing any notion that his larger-than-life persona would linger even after he retires on December 28 when he turns 75. The Tata patriarch has told Mistry, 31 years younger, "you should be your own person, you should take your own call and you should decide what you want to". Tata spoke about his 50 years with the group, 21 as its chairman, the highs and lows of his tenure, his equation with Mistry and his post-retirement plans during an expansive interview to PTI in his office at "Bombay House", the group headquarters. Mistry, currently Vice Chairman of the conglomerate that spans automobiles, IT, hotels, tea and steel across 80 countries, has been working closely with Tata to prepare for the transition. Have you passed on a success mantra to  Mistry?,  the  outgoing  chairman  was

asked. "No, I told him the same things that I told myself when JRD (late J R D Tata) handed over the mantle to me. The first reaction of anybody is to be Mr J R D Tata because you are filling his shoes. "I instantly told myself, 'I can never do that'. I will never be him much as I try to imitate him. So I took a decision to be myself and to do what I thought was the right thing. I told Cyrus the same thing," he said. During the transition, Mistry had asked him from time to time, 'is this ok, that ok'. He had responded by telling him that he should look at things as "if I were not there because you should be your own person". He had told Mistry, "if you want my inputs I will give it to you but be your own man and be yourself and just be driven by the fact that every act you do and every move you make has to stand the test of public scrutiny". That, he said, was the test he had given himself. "If it stands the test of public scrutiny, do it....if it doesn't stand the test of public scrutiny then don't do it." Asked if his counsel would be available to his successor, Tata replied, "Yes, certainly. He knows where to reach me and, we in fact, would talk business and stay in touch after I leave." He then disclosed that the two of them would have lunch every couple of weeks "over something and we will talk about whatever he wants to talk about". Tata, who will remain Chairman of the various Tata trusts, which hold 66 per cent shares of Tata Sons, was asked as to whether this would not give him a large influence over the group. He replied, "I don't want to say I will have a large influence over the group. I think I would have to wear a different hat of being the major shareholder. The same kind of view that a shareholder might have, not a Chairman's  view  of  the  company. "I should  not

be involved in the business of the company or how the company goes about its growth. But at the same time I should be concerned about the return I get on my shares because it is the only income that the trusts have."The dividend from Tata Sons was to be distributed for charity by the trusts. "So I should protect that," he said. Looking ahead to the future of the group, Tata said that he personally believed that it was poised to continue to grow. "Where it would grow, I think Cyrus Mistry should have his space and define where he would like it to grow," he said. His 20 years at the helm was enough time to charter course. Quite often an organisation has played out one course and is ready to go in a different direction, he said. Often, an unwillingness to have that "course correction brings about the demise of an organisation because when you bring fresh blood into it, he sees things in another way," Tata said. The group would continue to grow at the same kind of growth that it had achieved but the patriarch warned, "competition is growing all the time and sustainability of business is becoming more and more difficult". He went on to say, "So I am sure Cyrus will bring new ideas and new things. I feel very confident that the organisation and his leadership will grow." Asked about the changes he had not been able to achieve in the group, Tata said that he had wanted a more open, flat organisation where there is not much hierarchy, where there is much more informal working relationship at all levels. "We are very hierarchical, not feudal--given to honouring years of experience... We don't touch each other's feet but we still almost bow down every time when one passes." Describing his long tenure as a "journey of great learning", Tata said that he had a role model to look up to in Mr J R D Tata whom he had got to know about six years after he joined the group. He knew him but was not close to him and they had come close together because they were both pilots. Did he have any regrets in life? "No, I don't like to look back. There are many things that, if I have to relive, may be I will do it another way. But I would not like to look back and think what I have not been able to." What is the legacy he would leave at the Tatas? "Apart from values and ethics which I have tried to live by, the legacy I would like to leave behind is a very simple one--that I have always stood up for what I consider to be the right thing and I have tried to be as fair and equitable as I could be. "I may have hurt some people along the way but I would like to be seen as somebody who has done his best to do the right thing for any situation and not compromised," the Tata patriarch, one of the world's most influential business leaders, concluded. Be your own man: Tata's advice to Cyrus Mistry

Read More........ → December 15, 2012

Bal Thackeray dies in Mumbai with Uddhav, Raj at side

Balasaheb Thackeray (86), founder of the Shiv Sena dies at his residence Matoshree in suburban Bandra on Saturday. After he passed away, son Uddhav was taken ill. Close family members including nephew Raj Thackeray and his wife were by his side. "He had suffered a cardiac arrest. We could not revive him despite our best efforts. He breathed his last at around 3:33 pm," Dr Jalil Parkar, who treated the Sena supremo, said. Bal Thackeray had been critically ill for the last few days and  his condition worsened  on  Wednesday

night when he had to be put on life support. He was taken off life support after showing signs of improvement. Thackeray had been suffering from lung and pancreatic ailments and had been under the supervision of doctors for the past two weeks. Before that he was admitted to hospital for  a  week  in  July following fever, stomach pain and other problems. He is survived by two sons Uddhav and Jaidev and their families. While Uddhav who now runs Sena, lives with Thackeray, Jaidev moved out several years ago due to strained ties. Thackeray's other son Bindumadhav died in an accident 15 years ago. His family also lives in Mumbai. Popularly known as the Hindu Hriday Samrat (ruler of Hindu hearts), Thackeray had single-handedly created and then transformed the Shiv Sena from a rag tag bunch of street youth in 1966 into a formidable political force which governed the state of Maharashtra for a period of four years from 1995 to 1999 along with its Hindutva ally the BJP. A rabble rouser, who started out as a cartoonist alongside R K Laxman in the Free Press
Journal in the 1950s, Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena in 1966 on the plank of job security for the Marathi manoos (sons of the soil) which translated into attacks on South Indians whom he blamed for taking away business opportunities from locals. Referred by many as the uncrowned King of Mumbai, Thackeray made space for himself in Maharashtra’s political arena by addressing the concerns of Maharashtrians who increasingly felt marginalized and deprived in the fast developing metropolis of Mumbai. In the five decades of the Sena’s existence, Thackeray formed an alliance with almost all political parties including the Congress, Socialist and even the Muslim League at various points of time to further his own cause. Thackeray, however, had an anathema of adorning any constitutional posts and was happy in governing through “remote control.” The Sena supremo’s darkest political hour was when he was personally indicted by the Srikrishna Commission Report for directing a pogrom against Muslims in Mumbai in December 1992-January 1993. An astute politician, Thackeray was also well known for being a lover of the good life and had a huge circle of friends amongst Mumbai's filmstars. As he aged, his penchant for sipping warm beer had given way to having a glass of red wine on the suggestion of suggested doctors. In short, Thackeray defied every political stereotype reflected tellingly in a popular saying that went something like this: 'You could like him, you could desist him, but you could never ignore him'. Source: Indian Express

Read More........ → November 18, 2012

70-foot painting for Amitabh Bachchan's 70th birthday

Even as actress Jaya Bachchan lines up a slew of events, gifts and surprises for hubby and mega star Amitabh Bachchan, who turns 70 Thursday, a young fan of Big B is working tirelessly 24x7 to gift him a "touching and a very big gift". Raj Kapoor Chitera, 26, is making a 70-foot oil painting which will show various milestones in Bachchan's personal and professional life. Chitera, a resident of Allahabad, has done such work in the past too. In his earlier works, he has tried to push the case for implementing the death sentence awarded to Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist after the attack in Mumbai in November 2008 that left 164 people dead. He has also taken on the theme of pollution of the Ganga. In 2011, he drew a 1,500-foot long painting on Tendulkar to mark his 38th birthday. Chitera told IANS that he was a die-hard fan of Big B, and proud to belong to the city from where the Bachchans trace their roots. "Through

B Town Wishes Amitabh Bachchan On His 70th... by moviezadda 

 humble present, I this want to show Amitji how he still is a smashing hit with his fans, all of us Allahabad  residents," Chitera says proudly. Originally from Ambedkarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, the painter now lives in Allahabad. Producing a large painting for a big occasion is something Chitera is passionate about. Chitera says his Big B work will be in oil paint and on a roll of veneer, so that he "can send it to Jalsa (Amitabh Bachchan's residence in Mumbai) later". "The painting will have shades of all sorts, you will see a picture of Amitji's bachpan (childhood), his marriage to Jaya Bhaduri and his subsequent successes at the box office," the artist says, adding that the painting too, like a film, would have a story line. The films depicted in the painting would include "Abhimaan", "Shakti", "Sholay", "Zanjeer", "Coolie" and "Baghban". Chitera has been a painter and sculptor in sand for the last ten years. On Oct 11, Amitabh Bachchan's 70th birthday, Chitera would also be simultaneously doing a sand art gift for Bachchan, which will be executed at the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. While Amitabh Bachchan's birthdays have thus far been largely private affairs, this time, the family has decided to make it a mega event as he turns 70. Media reports suggest that Jaya Bachchan, along with Piyush Pandey, will organise a two-day art exhibition - B Seventy - set to open Oct 12 at the Nehru Centre Art Gallery in Mumbai. The exhibition is likely to host 70 Indian artists, including Manu Parekh, Paresh Maity, Anjolie Ela Menon, Akbar Padamsee, Badri Narayan, Satish Gujral, Gieve Patel, Jayasri Burman, Arzan Khambatta, Farhad Hussain, Satish Gupta, Sujata Bajaj and Praneet Soi, among others. The lone effort of this artist from Uttar Pradesh, however, will stand out. And not just for its size. Source: Hindustan Times

Read More........ → October 11, 2012