facebook

Karnataka: Lingayat mutt distances itself from demand for replacement of Prahlad Joshi in Dharwad

Fakir Dingaleshwar Swami, the head of a Lingayat mutt in Shirahatti, held a meeting with a group of community seers at Murugha mutt premises in Dharwad on Wednesday, and sought Joshis replacement on grounds that he suppressed the community members. The clarification from Sri Mallikarjuna Swami, the head of Murugha Mutt, has come as a big relief for Joshi who has been winning the Lok Sabha polls in Dharwad with the solid backing of Lingayats, who are dominant in the region.

The Economic Times 29 Mar 2024 5:56 pm

Cinnamon Nature Trails Redefines Urban Adventure with Ecotourism Expansion in Colombo

Cinnamon Nature Trails, the wildlife and nature-based tourism arm of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, unveils its eco-excursion expertise in the heart of Colombo to introduce the true essence of the destination. A collection of five carefully crafted experiences by in-house naturalists aims to unveil the citys natural diversity and marvels while championing sustainable tourism practices. Cinnamon Nature Trails brings years of experience in the field, collaborating with prestigious production organisations such as BBC Natural History Productions, Nat Geo Wild, and most recently with BBC Studios for BBC Planet Earth 3 for wildlife documentaries. This expansion into Colombo signifies a milestone in redefining Colombos identity from a transit point to a vibrant exploration hub. Chitral Jayatilake, Vice President of Cinnamon Nature Trails, commented , We are truly grateful to bring our expertise in enriching the Colombo experience to the bustling metropolis of Colombo. Through our carefully crafted excursions, we aim to redefine urban adventure, inviting travellers closer to our natural habitats in and around Colombo, allowing them to admire and appreciate the beauty and charms of our surroundings in Colombo. We are excited to launch these hand-picked curated excursions that promise an unforgettable experience through the heart of Colombo, from vibrant markets to serene nature reserves. Whether a guest or a traveller is on a historical exploration, unveiling the citys diversity or discovering off the beaten path, these unique experiences will showcase the essence of Colombo than a mere transit destination. With tourism on the rise and much of the international travellers craving for new experiences, these curated experiences will not only elevate guest stays but will also support in positioning Colombo as a destination that has so much more to offer for a traveller and through the eyes of our in-house team of naturalists. comments Area Vice President of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for Colombo Hotels, Kamal Munasinghe. The five urban ecotourism experiences offered by Cinnamon Nature Trails include: Zookeeper for the Day: Delve deep into the inner workings of the zoo with an exclusive experience that transcends the ordinary visit. Engage closely with the zoos residents and gain invaluable insights into their daily lives. Birding in the Wetlands: Explore the rich avian diversity thriving in the nearby waterways and marshlands, just moments away from Colombo citys hustle and bustle. Spend serene hours in the company of our feathered friends. Tree Walk in the Heart of the City: Uncover hidden gems within the gardens of a prominent cathedral, boasting a remarkable collection of rare and valuable trees. Embark on a tranquil stroll amidst natures abundance, a mere stones throw away from the urban milieu. Spiritual Colombo: Immerse yourself in the serenity of iconic religious sites nestled amidst Colombo citys core, reflecting Sri Lankas diverse religious tapestry. Find solace and tranquillity in the sacred surroundings of these places of worship amidst the hustle and bustle of city life. Street Photography: Step into the vibrant heart of a bustling Asian metropolis, where the symphony of street life orchestrates a captivating cacophony. Witness the vibrant choreography of a million souls, each passionately engaged in shaping their existence. Street photography captures lifes essence in its rawest and most authentic form. Photo captions: The Panel discussion on unveiling the citys natural diversity. From left to right: Kamal Munasinghe, Area Vice President of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for Colombo Hotels, Chitral Jayatilake, Vice President of Cinnamon Nature Trails, Gayan Wijethunga, Cinnamon Ranger Cinnamon Nature Trails for Colombo Hotels and Sriyangani Danapala, Director Brand Development for Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. The Cinnamon Nature Trails team at Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts together withChitral Jayatilake, Vice President of Cinnamon Nature Trails (center)andKamal Munasinghe, Area Vice President of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for Colombo Hotels(far left). Birding in the Wetlands Zookeeper for the Day Tree Walk in the Heart of the City Spiritual Colombo

ADAderana 29 Mar 2024 4:56 pm

Bihar's Grand Alliance announces seat-sharing pact: RJD to contest 26 seats, Congress 9, CPI-ML 3, CPI and CPI(M) one seat each

PATNA: The Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance), the opposition coalition in Bihar including Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and Left parties on Friday announced that the RJD, its largest constituent, will contest 26 out of the states 40 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections. The Congress will contest nine seats, followed by CPI(ML) on 3 seats, and CPI and CPI(M) with one seat each. Former state minister and senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui announced the seat-sharing arrangements among constituents of grand alliance in the presence of RJD state president Jagadanand Singh and other leaders. The RJD will contest the following seats: Gaya Nawada Jehabanabad Aurangabad Buxar Patliputra Munger Jamui Banka Valmikinagar Purvi Champaran Sheohar Sitamarhi Vaishali Saran Siwan Gopalganj Ujiarpur Darbhanga Madhubani Jhanjharpur Supaul,Madhepura Purnea Araria Hajipur The Congress has been allocated Kishanganj, Katihar Bhagalpur Muzaffarpur Samastipur (SC) Paschimi Champaran Patna Sahib Sasaram (SC) Maharajganj Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) Liberation will field its candidates from Ara, Karakat, and Nalanda seats. The CPI and CPI(M) will contest Begusarai and Khagaria seats, respectively. Friday's announcement has come as a rude shock for former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav who recently joined the Congress by merging merged his party - Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) - with the grand old party. He had staked his claim on the Purnea seat, which has now been given to the RJD. Bima Bharti, who resigned from JD(U) and joined RJD, has been nominated as the RJD candidate from Purnea. However Yadav told media he was happy with the decision. No one can separate me from the Congress' flag. I welcome the decision of Congress leadership to strengthen the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. I will go amidst the people with the resolve of establishing the flag of Congress in Purnea. Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav joins Congress, merges his outfit VIDEO | Here's what Congress leader Pappu Yadav ( @pappuyadavjapl ) said on Purnea Lok Sabha seat being given to the RJD. No one can separate me from the Congress' flag. I welcome the decision of Congress leadership to strengthen the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. I will go amidst pic.twitter.com/vUPll6MYR8 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 29, 2024 (With Online Desk inputs)

The New Indian Express 29 Mar 2024 4:36 pm

Mahagathbandhan announces LS seat-sharing for Bihar; RJD to contest 26, Cong 9

Mahagathbandhan announces LS seat-sharing for Bihar; RJD to contest 26, Cong 9 The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar on Friday announced its formula for seat-sharing, with Lalu Prasad's party laying claim on nearly two-thirds of the state's 40 parliamentary constituencies, virtually steamrolling allies - the Congress and three Left parties. The RJD will be contesting 26 seats, nine more than it had fought in 2019 when it drew a blank. The Congress has got nine seats, as many as it had contested in the last elections, followed by CPI(ML) Liberation (three) and CPI and CPI(M) (one each). The belated announcement, coming a day after filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over, was made at a press conference here addressed by RJD national spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha, state Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh and state-level leaders of CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI and CPI(M). Tejashwi Yadav, the Mahagathbandhan's leader in the state legislature, was scheduled to address the press conference but remained conspicuous by his absence. Jha said names of candidates would be announced soon and claimed: ''We have arrived at a unanimous decision, demonstrating a cohesiveness that you may not find in the NDA. We will defeat them at the hustings''. Notably, the RJD had fielded its candidates for the four seats of Gaya, Aurangabad, Jamui and Nawada, which go to polls in the first phase, much to the annoyance of its allies, particularly the Congress which wanted to give ticket to former MP Nikhil Kumar. Moreover, CPI and CPI(M) have already announced their candidates for Begusarai and Khagaria seats. According to the seat-sharing formula, the RJD has also wrested from the Congress Purnia, a seat the latter has been contesting in the past few Lok Sabha polls. Recently, Lalu Prasad, the RJD president, gave party ticket for the seat to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti, stopping short of making a formal announcement. The Congress had last week inducted Pappu Yadav, a three-term former MP from Purnea, whose wife is also a Rajya Sabha MP of the party. Yadav had been hopeful of getting the ticket from the seat claiming that an assurance to the effect was given to him by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. There were murmurs that Prasad, whose ''blessings'' Yadav had sought before he went to Delhi and merged his Jan Adhikar Party with the Congress, was suggesting that the former Purnea MP try his luck from Madhepura, which he had won on an RJD ticket in 2014, or Supaul which his wife had represented more than once. However, that option, too, seems closed as both seats have been claimed for itself by the RJD and it remains to be seen what is going to be the next move of Yadav who has been dropping hints that he will not flinch from fighting as an Independent from Purnea if the need arose. Among the seats given to the Congress are Kishanganj, Bihar's lone Muslim-majority constituency that the party has been winning for some time, and adjoining Katihar where senior leader Tariq Anwar lost by a thin margin in 2019, having won in 2014 on an NCP ticket. Other seats given to Congress include Patna Sahib, where the BJP has been seemingly invincible, Bhagalpur, where party MLA Ajeet Sharma wanted to field Bollywood actress daughter Neha Sharma, who has refused, and reserved constituency Sasaram, a bastion of late Deputy Prime Minister Jagjivan Ram, whose daughter and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, has won the seat a few times but reportedly excused herself this time on account of old age. Other seats assigned to the Congress are Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, West Champaran and Maharajganj. The CPI(ML) Liberation has been given Nalanda, a pocket borough of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) has had an uninterrupted run on the seat for decades. The Left party has also been given Arrah, where the sitting BJP MP is Union minister RK Singh, and Karakat, which the NDA has assigned to former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha. However, the RJD has denied the CPI(ML) Liberation Siwan, where the Left party has for long been involved in a bloody feud with late strongman Mohammed Shahabuddin. Having fielded Shahabuddin's widow Hina Shahab in the last two general elections, without success, the RJD is now understood to have given up on her and looking for other candidates. Hina Shahab has, meanwhile, received support from Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM which has said it will campaign for her if she contested as an Independent or on ticket of ''a like-minded party''. The RJD has also kept with itself Saran, formerly represented by Lalu Prasad, where his Singapore-based daughter Rohini Acharya is likely to make her debut. Also in the RJD kitty is Pataliputra, where his eldest daughter Misa Bharti may again try her luck after tasting defeat two times on the trot. A high-decibel contest seems on the cards in Hajipur, where the RJD will be challenging Chirag Paswan's bid to claim his late father Ram Vilas Paswan's political legacy, amid fears that estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, the sitting MP, could play spoilsport. RJD will also contest Munger, which it seeks to wrest from former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh ''Lalan''. The party has given ticket to the wife of gangster Ashok Mahto for the seat. Other RJD seats are Buxar, Banka, Valmiki Nagar, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Ujiyarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Jhanjharpur and Araria.

devdiscourse 29 Mar 2024 3:26 pm

Man held with deer hides, air guns in Odisha

BALASORE: Investigating a domestic abuse case, Balasore Town police on Thursday stumbled upon wildlife products, arms and ammunition used to poach animals. The accused, 42-year-old Mukti Kumar Rana of Barabati village, was arrested. Police seized a couple of deer hides, five air guns, six arrows, 21 cartridges, 23 boxes of pellets and six empty cartridges from his house. Balasore City DSP Gayatri Pradhan said Muktis wife Priyanka Rana (36) had filed a complaint accusing her husband and in-laws of torturing her at home. The accused were also allegedly threatening to kill her with their air gun. Basing on the complaint, police launched an investigation. On Thursday, a team of police reached the accuseds house and came across the wildlife items and the weapons. Pradhan said during interrogation, Mukti revealed that his forefathers had kept the deer hides in the house. He also claimed his parents were into poaching deer in the forest. The deer hides, arms and ammunition were seized. A case was registered and the accused arrested under sections 498 (A), 294, 323, 354, 307, 427, 506 and 34 of the IPC. The accused was produced in court and further investigation is underway, the DSP added.

The New Indian Express 29 Mar 2024 11:42 am

Done with list, BJP now faces new challenges in Karnataka

BENGALURU: The BJP, which has changed more than 60 per cent of its sitting MPs in Karnataka, is facing a number of challenges ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP-JDS coordination meeting is to be held in Bengaluru on Friday. On one side, aspirants and their followers have been expressing displeasure over being overlooked, and senior BJP leaders have been pacifying them. While dissent in Mysuru-Kodagu, Bengaluru North, Davanagere and Chikkaballapura has almost fizzled out, the party is facing a challenge in Uttara Kannada, Chitradurga and Raichur. Of 25 BJP candidates, nine are Lingayats, four are from SCs, three Brahmins, three Vokkaligas, two from ST, one Bunt, and three from Other Backward Classes. With nine Lingayats on the list, Vokkaliga Sangha members are showing unhappiness. According to a senior BJP leader, the JDS is also fielding two Vokkaliga candidates, pushing up the community number to five, which is not low representation. In Old Mysuru region, some leaders are unhappy with the Vokkaliga representation, after former CM DV Sadananda Gowda and Pratap Simha were denied tickets. The party has fielded 15 new faces this time, of which a few are warhorses in the state, like Jagadish Shettar from Belagavi, Govind Karjol from Chitradurga and V Somanna from Tumakuru. All three senior leaders are considered outsiders in their constituencies, and local leaders are unhappy that the party is fielding outsiders. Senior BJP leader and MLC Ravikumar said they are not outsiders. While Shettar and Somanna are from neighbouring constituencies, Karjol served as Deputy CM and is known in the region. All of them are from Karnataka and know the language and culture. This will not be an issue, he said. One of the main challenges for BJP is its alliance with the JDS. Party sources, on condition of anonymity, said this in fact, is the biggest challenge. Just a year ago, both parties were working against each other inside the House and outside. They contested against each other in 2023 and within a year, it is not easy for parties to work together. It is not as easy as top leaders joining hands. At the grassroots, they are from different parties, said sources. Also, minority votes will get consolidated and Congress will get an upper hand. READY FOR BATTLE Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri), V Somanna (Tumakuru), B Sriramulu (Ballari), Kota Srinivas Poojary (Udupi-Chikkamagaluru), PC Mohan (Bengaluru Central), Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South), Shobha Karandlaje (Bengaluru North), PC Gaddigoudar (Bagalkot), Annasaheb Jolle (Chikkodi), BY Raghavendra (Shivamogga), Dr Umesh Jadav (Gulbarga), Ramesh Jigajinagi (Vijayapura), Dr Basavaraj Kyavator (Koppal), Dr CN Manjunath (Bengaluru Rural), S Balaji (Chamarajanagara), Gayathri Siddeshwara (Davanagere), Bhagawanth Khuba (Bidar), Pralhad Joshi (Hubballi), Capt Brijesh Chowta (Dakshina Kannada), Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar (Mysuru- Kodagu), Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri (Uttara Kannada), Dr Sudhkar (Chikkaballapura), Govind Karajol (Chitradurga), Raja Amareshwara Naik (Raichur) and Jagadish Shettar (Belagavi)

The New Indian Express 29 Mar 2024 7:31 am

Karnataka: Kharge not in fray, but fight still between him & BJP

KALABURAGI: Though All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Gulbarga (SC Reserve) constituency, people in the northern Karnataka district believe that this time too it is a political battle between Kharge and incumbent MP, Dr Umesh Jadhav (BJP). Mallikarjun Kharges son-in-law, Radhakrishna Dodmani, is the Congress candidate from the constituency. Radhakrishna, popularly known as RK in political circles, is making his debut in electoral politics. Hailing from Gundgurti village in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburgi district, Radhakrishna is a B.Com graduate and was instrumental in the success of his father-in-law in almost all his previous elections. Radhakrishna is a known face among the Congress leaders and workers, but he is a stranger to the people of the constituency. He has so far never addressed any election rallies. Gulbarga, which was a general category constituency until 2009, was considered a safe seat for the Congress, with the party winning 15 of the 18 Lok Sabha polls. However, that changed in the 1996 and 1998 polls, with Qamarul Islam of the Janata Dal and Basavaraj Patil Sedam of the BJP getting elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 and 1998, respectively. But, again in 1999 and 2004, the constituency elected Congress candidate Iqbal Ahmed Saradagi, who is Kharges classmate. In 2009, Kharge entered national politics by contesting from Gulbarga for the first time after it became a SC Reserve constituency. He defeated the BJPs Revu Naik Belamagi by a margin of 13,404 votes, which increased to 74,733 votes in the 2014 elections. Kharge tasted defeat for the first time in his political life at the hands of BJP candidate Dr Umesh Jadhav in the 2019 LS polls by a margin of 95,452 votes. Dr Jadhav was earlier a Congress MLA from Chincholi constituency. The Congress banks mostly on bringing amendments to Article 371 J of the Constitution for Kalyana Karnataka as about 10,000 youths from the region, including those from Kalaburagi district, got admission into medical colleges and nearly 1 lakh students in engineering colleges of the region in the last 10 years. The Congress claims the credit for establishing ESIC Medical College, Central University of Karnataka, Trauma Care Hospital, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, and the Kalaburagi Bench of the High Court in Kalaburagi. On its part, the BJP claims of launching a mega textile park in Kalaburagi, which will give direct employment to 1 lakh people and indirect employment to 2 lakh people. It also claims credit for starting a direct Vande Bharat Express from Kalaburagi to Bengaluru and another weekly express train between the two cities. Ironically, none of the parties have evolved a formula to safeguard the people of the constituency, who face droughts or floods almost every year. The farmers are not getting remunerative prices for tur, which is a major crop in the district. The migration of farm laborers is also rampant. The Assembly segments that come under this constituency are Chittapur, Gulbarga-North, Gulbarga-South, Gulbarga-Rural, Sedam, Jewargi, and Afzalpur of Kalaburagi district, and Gurmitkal of Yadgir district. According to a survey, over 7 lakh voters are Lingayats, 2 lakh belong to the Lambani community, 3.5 lakh hail from the Backward Classes, 3 lakh are Dalits, 3 lakh are Muslims, and the remaining belong to other castes/communities. While the Congress enjoys the support of Dalits, Minorities, and, to some extent, Backward Classes, the BJP enjoys the support of the Upper Castes, Lambanis, Backward Classes, and SC (Left), opined a political pundit.

The New Indian Express 29 Mar 2024 7:01 am

Bihar: Over 70 candidates file nomination papers for four seats going to polls in Phase 1

Bihar: Over 70 candidates file nomination papers for four seats going to polls in Phase 1 More than 70 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the four seats in Bihar where voting will take place in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, the election department said on Thursday. The maximum number of candidates were in Gaya (22), followed by Aurangabad (21), Nawada (17) and Jamui (12). Scrutiny is scheduled for March 30 while April 2 is the last date for withdrawal. All the four seats are likely to witness a straight contest between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc and three candidates each from both sides filed nomination papers on the final day. The NDA candidates were former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi (Gaya), Vivek Thakur (Nawada) and Arun Bharti (Jamui). Nomination papers were also filed by Abhay Kushwaha (Aurangabad), Archana Ravidas (Jamui) and Kumar Sarvajeet (Gaya), all candidates of the RJD, which is a part of the INDIA bloc but has ruffled many feathers by giving party tickets for a number of seats without taking allies, particularly the Congress, into confidence. Notably, former Congress MP Nikhil Kumar was expected to be the INDIA candidate from Aurangabad where the RJD has fielded a JD(U) turncoat. Sitting BJP MP from Aurangabad, Sushil Kumar Singh had filed his nomination papers earlier this week. Manjhi, 79, who heads Hindustani Awam Morcha, filed his nomination papers for the reserved Gaya seat in the presence of state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary, who is also a deputy CM, minister Shravan Kumar, who belongs to the JD(U), and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan. The NDA leaders also addressed a public meeting organised on the occasion, before heading for Jamui, which is also a reserved seat. Arun Bharti, married to Chirag Paswan's sister, has been fielded by the party of his brother-in-law who is shifting base to Hajipur after having represented Jamui in Lok Sabha for two consecutive terms. In Nawada, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP candidate Vivek Thakur filed nomination papers in the presence of the aforementioned leaders, besides Union minister Giriraj Singh, who had made his Lok Sabha debut from the seat in 2014 but moved to Begusarai five years later. Thakur's principal rival is RJD candidate Shravan Kumar Kushwaha who had filed his nomination papers earlier this week. In all the four seats, NDA leaders asserted that they were aiming to win ''all 40 seats in Bihar'' to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieve the target of ''370 for BJP'' and ''400 plus'' for the coalition. In contrast to the fanfare with which NDA candidates filed their nomination papers, it was a low-key affair for nominees of the RJD, with top party leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav away in Delhi. The Mahagathbandhan, the INDIA bloc's prototype, though confined to Bihar, is yet to make a formal announcement of seat-sharing among RJD, Congress and three Left parties. CPI and CPI(M), both of which are likely to settle for one seat each, have announced their respective candidates from Begusarai and Khagaria. Mahagathbandhan leaders in Bihar, meanwhile, said a press conference will be addressed by Tejashwi Yadav here on Friday when a formal, albeit belated, announcement was likely. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party has also fielded candidates in all the four seats. Meanwhile, in a related development, two-term JD(U) MP Santosh Kushwaha also filed his nomination papers for the Purnea Lok Sabha seat which goes to polls in the second phase.

devdiscourse 28 Mar 2024 11:10 pm

Seer vs BJP: Local mutt head may pit himself against union minister Pralhad Joshi in Dharwad

A Lingayat seer is challenging Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for the Dharwad seat, threatening to run as an independent if the BJP doesn't replace Joshi by March 31. Dingaleshwara Swami, from Fakireshwara Mutt, has the Lingayat community's support. Joshi, a Brahmin, has been warned for neglecting Lingayats. Despite the challenge, Joshi remains confident of winning with Lingayat support. The BJP has until April 2 to respond to the seer's demands, or he may enter the race.

The Economic Times 28 Mar 2024 7:57 pm

Ravi Kishan on the appreciation for his role in Laapataa Ladies, Took 33 years for people to realize I am worth something

Actor-politician Ravi Kishan is on all-time high after getting unprecedented praise for his performance as a morally ambivalent cop in Kiran Raos Laapataa Ladies. This week Ravi has another release titled Mahadev Ka Gorakhpur where he plays title role. He is darned kicked about the real-life parallel. As you know, Gorakhpur is my constituency. And I am big Shiv bhakt. So, we wrote this film Mahadev Ka Gorakhpur for me. It is a Hindi-Bhojpuri bi-lingual. I hope to revive the old glory of Bhojpuri cinema with this film. In his 33-year career, Ravi Kishan has done it all. Hindi, Bhojpuri and even South Indian films. But nothing he has done in the past can compare with the recognition he is getting for his role as the paan-chewing morally ambivalent cop Shyam Manohar in Kiran Raos Laapataa Ladies. Its destiny. God has been kind. Never in my 33-year career have I seen such praise for a performance. My God!Yeh to kamaal ho gaya. Main aapko ek baat bataoon? Main paan khata hoon toh Amitji (Bachchan) aa jaate hainmerebody mein. Yes, how beautiful is this character:daraatabhi hai, hansaata bhi hai, rulata bhi hai I love my introduction sequence where I am listening to a lady render a thumri in my police station. Right away the audience is intrigued. Gaana sunaane pe paise kam. Wah, he said. Ravi is all praise for his director Kiran Rao. Oh my God, she is such a beautiful soul. So clear about what she wants from an actor and yet she gave me all the freedom in the world to interpret my character as I wanted. I give her for credit for tapping my potential. Mera chaunk (tadka) toh rehta hi hai. My eyes, the body language, they all add to my character. I ate 160 paan during the shooting. Thankfully Ididntget addicted to paan. Kiranji wanted my character to keep eating something. She suggested samosa. I said why not paan? While dubbing I was chewing gum. There wasnt much dubbing, most of it was lip-sync. We worked in a controlled environment, he said. Ravi also enjoyed playing the lawyer Tyagi In the web series Maamla Legal Hai. He is so different from Manohar inLaapataa Ladies. I loved playing both.Maamla Legal Hai had me cast in a father-son role. Laapataa Ladies had me addressing issues as wide-ranging as corruption and womens empowerment. Manohar in Kiran jis film is happy being corrupt. But somewhere he has a conscience. He encourages the girl to carry on studying even while he pockets the bribe money. I think most of us are grey rather than black or white. I like playing balanced characters. Thoda bura thoda achcha. Manohardoesntsuddenly turn into Robin Hood to win brownie points with the audience. He sees that the girl needs a helping hand, so he helps her. Lekin woh suddenly Bhagwannahinbannjaata, he said. The praise for Laapataa Ladies has gone to Ravis head. Idontknow what to do, he said. Main kho gaya hoon. I either cry alone with happiness or pray. It took 33 years for people to realize I am worth something. I always used to get one ball and people expected Id hit a sixer. Now this time I got six balls. Previously it was always like, Raviji, aap aaye hain to aap kar hi lenge. I was fed up of being taken for granted. I am getting calls left right and centre. I believe production houses are writing stories with prominent characters for me. They want me to finish with the elections and start projects with them. Also, Netflix is very happy with me. WithMaamla Legal Hai, the big bazaar in the heartland has opened for them. They dropped the series suddenly and it proved a jackpot. Ravi likes both his roles, as an actor and a politician. No one helped me to make my place as an actor. No one helped me as a politician either. Whatever Ive achieved I did it on my own. There is an adage in English, Its time to payback. I want to make a difference to mankind as an actor and a politician, said the actor. Also Read: Ravi Kishan opens up about his painful childhood memories; says, My father wanted to kill me

Bollywood Hungama 28 Mar 2024 7:43 pm

Northern Railway Announces Special Trains Between Chhapra and Anand Vihar Terminal

Additionally, Northern Railway is operating unreserved Special trains between Anand Vihar T. Gaya and New Delhi Darbhanga to accommodate the extra rush of passengers. The details of these Special trains are as follows:

Zee News 28 Mar 2024 7:32 pm

Lok Sabha Polls: Karnataka's Lingayat Seers Set March 31 Deadline for BJP to Replace Pralhad Joshi as Candidate

Seers of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community said if the BJP fails to replace union minister Pralhad Joshi in Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency, they will field their own candidate for the upcoming polls

News18 28 Mar 2024 7:03 pm

No interference in Indonesian elections, lawyers for Prabowo tell court

No interference in Indonesian elections, lawyers for Prabowo tell court The legal team of Indonesian president-elect Prabowo Subianto told the Constitutional Court on Thursday that the state had not interfered in last month's election, and a case brought by his opponents to disqualify him should be thrown out. Rival candidates Ganjar Pranowo and Anies Baswedan on Wednesday challenged Prabowo's resounding victory, asking the court to order a new vote, and to disqualify both Prabowo and his vice presidential running-mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of outgoing President Joko Widodo. Otto Hasibuan, one of the lawyers on Prabowo's legal team, told the court there had been no violations or interference by the president or state institutions to sway the outcome of the Feb. 14 election. These calls for re-election, disqualification, potentially trigger other problems that will lead to constitutional crisis, Otto told the court. Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, has been accused of favoring his erstwhile rival Prabowo and son Gibran, who were announced winners of the election by the national poll body last week. Gibran was able to team up with Prabowo after the Constitutional Court issued a last minute ruling changing eligibility criteria. At the time, the court was led by Jokowi's brother-in-law Anwar Usman. Anwar has been barred from presiding over election disputes since an ethics panel found him guilty of violations. More than 300 academics and activists on Thursday submitted a legal opinion to the court arguing that Gibran's candidacy for vice president was problematic. Prabowo's lawyers argued Gibran's candidacy was valid and involved no nepotism. Describing allegations of wrongdoing made by the losing candidates as administrative complaints, Prabowo's legal team said such matters should be handled by the country's election watchdog rather than the court. Challenges to election outcomes are not unusual in Indonesia and the court is expected to make a decision on April 22. The winner of the presidential election is to be inaugurated in October. (Additional reporting by Gayatri Suroyo and Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor, Miral Fahmy, Peter Graff)

devdiscourse 28 Mar 2024 5:24 pm

Gaya constituency Bihar Lok Sabha election 2024: Check polling date, candidates list, past electionresults

The Gaya (sc) Lok Sabha Constituency Election 2024 will take place on April 19, 2024 (Phase 1)

DNA India 28 Mar 2024 4:23 pm

Experience The New Gujarati Music Video For Kale Juda Thai Javana By Rakesh Barot

Enjoy the latest Gujarati song Kale Juda Thai Javana sung by Rakesh Barot. The music for this captivating track has been composed by Shashi Kapadiya, with heartfelt lyrics penned by Raghuvir Barot. The music video for Kale Juda Thai Javana has been skillfully directed by Faruk Gayakwad. Don't miss the opportunity to watch the latest Gujarati video song Kale Juda Thai Javana, by Rakesh Barot and immerse yourself in its mesmerizing melodies. For more Gujarati songs, be sure to visit the music videos section of Gujarati ETimes. Experience the musical prowess of Rakesh Barot, New Video Songs of 2024, Shashi Kapadiya songs, Gujarati Gana Video Song, Faruk Gayakwad music videos and Raghuvir Barot songs.

The Times of India 28 Mar 2024 2:47 pm

Yediyurappa says Pralhad Joshi had no role in his removal from CMs post

Bengaluru: Veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa has clarified that Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had no role in his removal from the Chief Ministers post. He made this statement following allegations made by Lingayat seer Dingaleshwar Swamiji. Pralhad Joshi had no role in it. Under no circumstances will Joshis ticket be replaced, he told reporters. Lingayat []

goachronicle 28 Mar 2024 12:21 pm

Electricity shut for 10 to 5 PM in Udaipur today

Udaipur : Time: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Affected Areas: Karan Nagar Manwa Kheda Dwarika Apartment Jal Vihar Balaji Nagar Trimurti Complex Rameshwaram Apartment Mahadev Apartment Hanuman Nagar Banjara Basti Shriram Nagar Gayatri Nagar Dungla House Police Station Sector 6 Veena Nagar Bappa Rawal Nagar Satellite Hospital Road Trimurti Complex Manwa Kheda Village Parsvnath Nagar

Udaipur Kiran 28 Mar 2024 12:05 pm

Retailers flock to religious destinations for new avenues of success

CBRE South Asia said in a report that markets such as Amritsar, Ajmer, Varanasi, Katra, Somnath, Shirdi, Ayodhya, Puri, Tirupati, Mathura, Dwarka, Bodh Gaya, Guruvayur, and Madurai as key cities witnessing retail boom.

Livemint 28 Mar 2024 12:01 pm

Today's Birthday: 28th March 2024

Happy Birthday & welcome to special section of Webdunia . Here, We render the Astro update & sheds light on the personality of the Birthday Boy/ Girl. If your birthday falls on the 28 th of the month, then your birth number is 2+8 =10, 1+0 =1. You are born with a penchant for a lavish lifestyle and hate to take directives from anyone. Bravery and curiosity are your main traits. The birth number is influenced by the sun. People influenced by the sun are headstrong and ambitious. However, it is very difficult for others to understand your personality. You have a great aesthetic sense and optimism builds up you as a troubleshooter. Due to immense self belief you are often the centre of attention of any function or social gathering. Lucky Day : 1,10,19,28 Lucky Number : : 1, 10, 19, 28, 37, 46, 55, 64, 73, 82 Lucky Year : 2017, 2026, 2044, 2053, 2062 Ishtdev: Sun, Goddess Gayatri Lucky color : Red, Saffron,Cream The year ahead:- The year is set to bring a lot of happiness in your life. The work pending for a long time will be completed. You live a healthy and disease free life this year. Nubile boys and girls will be getting hitched this year. Recruitment for unemployed and promotion for already employed is on the cards. Celebs with birth number 1 Chhatrapati Shivaji Indira Gandhi Jackie Shroff Veer Savarkar Mirza Ghalib Sikander

Web Dunia 28 Mar 2024 9:12 am

Lingayat seers demand Joshi be shifted, BS Yediyurappa rules out any change

HUBBALLI: While a group of Veerashaiva-Lingayat Swamijis demanded that the BJP central leadership shift Union Minister Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad to another parliamentary constituency, BJP Central Parliamentary Board member BS Yediyurappa ruled out of any such change and said that if the seers have had any misconception about Joshi, it will be sorted out through talks. On Wednesday, seers from various Lingayat mutts of the region met at Moorusavir Mutt here and decided to oppose Joshis candidature from Dharwad. The contention of the seers, especially Dingaleshwar Swamiji of Shirahatti Bhavaikya Peetha, is that the Union minister has systematically opposed leaders of all communities and has no respect for religious heads. The meeting resolved to ask the BJP leadership to change the candidate and set March 31 as a deadline. If the party fails to decide by then, the seers will meet again on April 2 and announce their next course of action. The seers ruled out going back from their stand or holding any negotiations with the BJP leadership. Dingaleswhar Swamiji, rumoured to contest against Joshi as an independent, alleged that Joshi was the real force behind Yediyurappa losing his chief minister post. Also, many other Lingayat leaders have been betrayed by Joshi, he charged. If the BJP is so fond of Joshi, he should be shifted to another constituency as the party has already set such a precedent, the seer said, obliquely referring to Jagadish Shettar. Sharing his experience, the swamiji said that when he called Joshi over phone three years ago for some social work, the latter had insulted him saying, Did you not get any Lingayat leader for this work? Joshis brother too spoke to me rudely, saying hundreds of seers come to his door. It seems Joshi is intoxicated with power. The Shirahatti seer, however, tried not to target any single community, particularly to which Joshi belongs. He said, We are not against any community or party... not even against Joshi or his community. But we are against Joshis attitude and approach towards other communities. We are deeply hurt by his behaviour. We are serious about changing his candidature. BSY rules out change But Yediyurappa dismissed the seers demand and said BJP will in no way change Joshis constituency. Because of Joshis nature of taking people of all communities along, he has developed as a leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has acknowledged this and given him a top position in the government. There could be some misunderstanding among the seers. I will speak to all of them, including Dingaleswhar Swamiji, he said. Joshi, however, refused to react to the allegations of the seers, saying he held Dingaleshwar Swamiji in high regard and whatever charges the seer has made, he will consider them as blessings. He is also not averse to speaking to the Swamiji if the latter agrees, he added.

The New Indian Express 28 Mar 2024 7:48 am

The royal mango arrives early

Every Sunday, I visit the farmers market in Noidas Sector-39 like a weekly pilgrimage. Surrounded by the sight and aroma of freshest seasonal produce, it sparks ideas within me when planning my weekly menu. Plus, the produce is the best marker to track the shift in the season. From the plump red carrots and pearly white cauliflowers, we are now moving to fresh okra and gourds of various types, indicating the swiftly approaching summers. What took me by surprise, though, was the arrival of the safeda mango in early March! While the safeda is typically an early bloomer, it still isnt commonly found until at least the second week of April. This year, it arrived in the markets of NCR more than a month ahead of scheduleand was being sold at `150 per kilo. Mango lovers couldnt be happier, but at the same time, are erring at the side of caution. I dont know if this will be of good quality, said a concerned Manju Shukla, a resident of Sector-39 Noida. This occurred much to the annoyance of Omkar, the owner of the fruit stall. Jaldi aa gaya hai madam kyunki aaj kal garmi jaldi hoti hai (The mangoes arent bad, theyve come to market early because summers have arrived sooner). This, though, is not the first time that such anomalies have happened. A quick rummaging of mango incidents across the country led me to find out about Gujarats kesar mango debacle from 2022. It was a day after Christmas, when this Gujarati mango variant showed up in considerable abundance 60 kilos, no less at the port market of Porbandar. As per reports, they were lapped up for as much as `500 a kilo! While I resisted buying the safeda a couple of weeks ago, right on cue, my mother arrived from Mumbai with a box of the sweetest-smelling Ratnagiri alphonso mangoes in hand. Apparently, this isnt just an NCR phenomenon the markets in Maharashtra and Karnataka are brimming with the seasons bounty earlier than expected, because of the unexpected flush in the mango orchards of the Konkan. Amusingly, while this brings mango lovers, much joy, theres also cause for concern. Cold environments are not natural for mangoes to grow in and such untimely produce suggests a host of man-made factors at play. These include the use of artificial boosters that change the produce of the natural mango cycles, different grades of fertilisers that affect soil diversity significantly, the increasing evidence of global warming and climate change in all aspects of our lives, and also, genetically modified crops that may not be sound for soil fertility or the natural food produce cycles. Nevertheless, understanding consumerism means taking any measure of science to bend natures laws to our wishes. Much like so many others, I too fell to the draw of these untimely mangoes from Ratnagiri. Like clockwork, I washed the mangoes and placed them in a bucket of water to test if they had been naturally ripened, before drying and storing them in the refrigerator. I also extracted the pulp of a few and stored it in the freezer for those sudden aamras-poori cravings. Having grown up in Mumbai, the quintessential Gujarati dish of aamras (sweetened pureed pulp of mango), batata nu shaak (potato subzi) and poori have become a part of my culinary traditions too.My neighbouring houses, too, spotted the early supplies of mangoes that started conversations. Amid one such discussion, I realised how this fruit plays a massive role in popular culture. It is one fruit that is enjoyed all across the nation. From featuring in lassis, milkshakes and ice creams to being in pickles, mangoes are present uniformly in our offerings at least in the summers. Moreover, the dishes prepared with it do not need much adulteration in the form of added masalas to be made tasty. Mangoes have a taste of their own, one that draws in millions. Perhaps this is why theres so much buzz this year around them hitting mandis early perhaps, after all, this isnt really a bad thing for us, the average consumer! Vernika Awal is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog Delectable Reveries

The New Indian Express 28 Mar 2024 6:29 am

Karnataka: BJP MLC Tejaswini Gowda quits party ahead of LS polls

Bengaluru: BJP MLC Tejaswini Gowda submitted her resignation on Thursday here ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Tejaswini still had three months left as an MLC but submitted her resignation to the Chairman of Karnataka Legislative Council, Basavaraj Horatti. Also ReadSome Lingayat seers ask BJP to change its Dharwad LS candidate Joshi In Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

The Siasat Daily 27 Mar 2024 10:48 pm

Some Lingayat seers ask BJP to change its Dharwad LS candidate Joshi

Hubballi: A few Lingayat seers in the region met here on Wednesday and asked the BJP central leadership to change the partys Dharwad Lok Sabha candidate Prahlad Joshi, Fakira Dingaleshwar Swamiji of Shirahatti-Balehosur said. He said, at the meeting it was decided that like in the north, Swamijis in the south too should work in Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

The Siasat Daily 27 Mar 2024 10:14 pm

Karnataka: Pralhad Joshi had no role in my ouster, says Yediyurappa

Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had no role in his ouster from the Chief Ministers post. Pralhad Joshi had no role in it, he said. He said that under no circumstances would Joshis ticket be replaced. Lingayat seer Dingaleshwar Swamiji has alleged that Union Minister Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

The Siasat Daily 27 Mar 2024 10:06 pm

Yediyurappa says no to demand after Veerashaiva Lingayat seers want Pralhad Joshi replaced in Dharwad

Seers from various mutts meet in Hubballi to set a deadline for the BJP high command to find another candidate on the basis of what they say ill-treatment meted out to the community

The Hindu 27 Mar 2024 7:54 pm

Understanding Hyderabads rich musical legacy

HYDERABAD : Hyderabad is renowned not only for its diamonds, emeralds, and pearls but also for its glorious history of offering shelter to many great musicians, artistes, and poets in India during the Nizams rule. All the great musicians turned towards Hyderabad when the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and other kings in India were gone, said Ustad Basheer Ahmed Khan, the senior-most sitarist of Hyderabad, during a presentation on the Lineage of Hindustani classical music in Hyderabad Deccan. Organised by Tatvaa Arts, in collaboration with Badruka School of Music and Dance, the session featured classical vocalist and music historian Anjali Malkar, and Ustad Basheer Ahmed Khan, sitarist, offering a journey through the rich tapestry of Hindustani Classical musics lineage in Hyderabad Deccan. Many musicians and artistes present in the audience immersed themselves in a rare raag, Raag Gauri, as the session kicked off with a concert by Anjali Malkar. She further enchanted the audience with Raag Rageshri. This rare musical experience was brought to life by accompanying artistes Prashant Serdeshmukh on tabla and Rahul Deshpande on harmonium. Emphasising the evolution of Hindustani classical music in Hyderabad, Anjali Malkar said, The Nizams brought many musicians from Delhi, Lucknow, and other cities to Hyderabad because of its rich culture and patronage. The Nizams were avid patrons of music, and the artistes recognised that very well. Consequently, they flocked to Hyderabad, where they were generously supported by the Nizams. Ustad Basheer Ahmed Khan She explained the musical development from Qutub Shahs until the Nizams of Hyderabad.She noted that the Khayal Gayaki, a form of Hindustani classical music, was first propagated in Maharashtra by the Gokhale Gharana, which had its origins in Hyderabad. Renowned Sitarist Ustad Basheer Ahmed Khan reminisced about many musical memories of past Hyderabad. Discussing the current Hindustani classical music scene in the city, he remarked, Gradually the number of concerts started decreasing. However, I believe its back on track now, since most organisations are conducting events regularly. Additionally, there are three government music colleges in Hyderabad contributing to the classical music scene.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 2:39 pm

Crop damage worries Karimnagar farmers

KARIMNAGAR: Due to lack of irrigation water facilities, farmers in Gangadhara, Boinpally, Ramadugu, and Malyala mandals in Jagtial district are struggling to protect their standing crops. Farmers who got water from the nearby Flood Flow Canal (FFC) are laying pump set motor lines to lift water. However, the canal water has also d ecreased and almost dried up. As a result, thousands of acres of standing crops are at risk. The investigation by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) into the barrages of the Kaleshwaram project has led to the barrages being emptied, halting water lifting from pump houses. It should be noted that if water was lifted from the Kaleshwaram project, it would flow through canals and the FFC, ensuring irrigation facilities and improving groundwater levels in nearby villages. Meanwhile, farmers staged a protest on NH563 (Jagtial Karimnagar) on Tuesday, demanding the release of water from SRSP or Yellampalli through the Gayatri pump house into the FFC to assist farmers. Rajaiaha, from Achampalli village in Ramadugu mandal, stated that a weeks worth of water would be sufficient to protect their standing crops, otherwise, 90% of the crops would be lost. They raised slogans of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan and blocked NH563. The police intervened and cleared the roadblock after some time. Farmers suggested diverting water from the Yellampalli project into the FFC through Medaram and Gayatri pump houses for irrigation, which would also improve groundwater levels in surrounding villages. Former MP B Vinod Kumar inspected weathered crops at Rahimkhanpet in Rajanna-Sircilla district. He criticised the government for neglecting the farmers plight. He pointed out that at Medigadda, Godavari water, with a flow of 5,000 cusecs per day, is being wasted and flowing into the sea. Former Choppadandi MLA Sunke Ravishankar alleged that during the BRSs regime, the FFC was full year-round, and farmers were able to produce two crops. However, after the Congress government came to power, farmers have been facing issues similar to those of 10 years ago.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 12:06 pm

2.8K cops deployed for security in Uppal stadium: Commissioner of Police Tarun Joshi

HYDERABAD: With two IPL matches scheduled to be held at the Uppal stadium, an elaborate police bandobast has been made in coordination with different wings, said Rachakonda Commissioner of Police Tarun Joshi. A total of 2,800 police personnel are deployed, the CP told the media on Tuesday. In terms of security, around 360 CCTV cameras are installed in and around the stadium, including the places at vehicle checkpoints and parking places. A joint command and control room has also been established to check all the footage for immediate action. There are scanners to detect explosives; bomb disposal teams and sniffer dogs will also be deployed. A separate SHE Team has been established to control eve-teasing. In case of emergency, there will be 35 ambulances and four fire engines stationed at the stadium. Traffic diversions Police have also imposed traffic diversions for heavy vehicles from 4 pm to 11.50 pm. For heavy vehicles moving from Chengicherla, Boduppal and Peerzadiguda towards Uppal, they will be diverted in the HMDA Bhagayath Layout - Nagole. Vehicles from LB Nagar to Nagole and Uppal will be diverted from the Nagole Metro station. The suggested route is HMDA Layout - Boduppal - Chengicherla X Road. For the traffic moving from Tarnaka towards Uppal, the suggested route is towards Nacharam - IOCL Cherlapally.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 12:03 pm

Karnataka: Three loot train passengers after spiking drink, held

BENGALURU: An interstate gang, who looted ornaments and money from train passengers after sedating them by mixing pills in their drinks, were recently caught by the Government Railway Police. The gang had stolen 120 gram of gold during their latest dacoity three months ago. The arrested are Mohammad Shoukat Ali, Mohmmad Sattar and Mohammad Avad. Briefing the media, GRP Superintendent S K Soumyalatha said a special team was set up to investigate the case following the incident on December 17 last year on board the Jodhpur-Bengaluru Express. The victims were Davar Lal and his wife Samli Devi who were travelling to Bengaluru from Palimar railway station. When the train reached Arasikere around 6 am, the trio befriended the couple and mixed pills with their Badam milk. When they fell unconsicous, they took Rs 20,000 in cash and 120 gram of gold worth Rs 6.2 lakh, she added. The Arasikere station has registered cases against under sections 328, 379 and 34 of the IPC. The accused are in judicial custody now, she added. Two women held In another incident on the Murdeshwara-Bengaluru Express, two women serial robbers have been arrested for stealing 402 gram of gold worth Rs 38 lakh from a woman passenger travelling in the AC compartment. Samim Kunil filed a complaint stating that gold was stolen from her vanity bag by diverting her attention. Mangaluru amd Mysuru railway police jointly arrested Gayatri and Sandhya against whom multiple cases were filed in different railway police stations.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 11:09 am

Karnataka: No cakewalk for Joshi as seer likely to enter fray

BENGALURU: The upcoming Lok Sabha elections are expected not to be a cakewalk for four-time MP and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. Reason: A candidate from the influential Lingayat community is likely to contest the elections from the Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency as an independent. Dingaleshwar Swamijis candidacy is expected to be announced in the next couple of days, and even if a small percentage of the 5.5 lakh Lingayats vote for him, it could spell trouble for Joshi as Lingayats have mostly voted for the BJP in the past. Joshi, a four-time MP from the Dharwad segment, is an influential leader from Karnataka and is currently Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal, and Mines. When contacted, the Veerashaiva Mahasabha said that they were aware of the latest development and said they would not raise any objection to any Lingayat contesting from Dharwad. Meanwhile, Dingaleshwar Swamiji has called for a meeting of seers at his mutt on Wednesday morning, where several issues, including his candidature, are likely to be discussed. When contacted, Dingaleshwar Swamiji refused to divulge any details about his candidacy. The Congress has fielded Vinod Asuti, a Kuruba, from the Dharwad segment. Dharwad District Minister Santosh Lad said that Dingaleshwar Swamiji is an intellectual and extremely articulate, and has a large following. The constituency is home to 5.5 lakh Lingayats, 3.5 lakh Muslims, 2.7 lakh SCs, and 2 lakh Kurubas. The Lingayats had supported Joshi, a Brahmin, even when Vinay Kulkarni, a Lingayat, had contested against him. When contacted, BJP Dharwad district chief Thippanna Majagi said, As a party, we are not perturbed. Our leader, Pralhad Joshi, has been instrumental in implementing several development projects in Dharwad. Besides, when a Lingayat candidate (Vinay Kulkarni) contested against Joshi, the latter defeated him convincingly. Last time, the lead was over 2.05 lakh votes, and so we are prepared to face any candidate. Of the eight Assembly segments in Dharwad, BJP and Congress emerged victorious in four seats each in last years Assembly polls. A political pundit opined that if the Linagayats entirely do not vote for Joshi, then there could be a problem for BJP.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 8:27 am

Will 'Namma Bengaluru' elect its first woman MP this time?

BENGALURU: Not a single woman MP has been elected from Bengaluru although 17 Lok Sabha elections have been held in the past 73 years. Now, both Congress and BJP have fielded strong women candidates for Bengaluru South and Bengaluru North constituencies, respectively. It remains to be seen if voters of the IT city will elect a woman to the Lok Sabha for the first time. Bengaluru, which had two Lok Sabha constituencies till 2009, has three since then. This time, BJP has fielded Union Minister for State Shobha Karandlaje for Bengaluru North and Congress has chosen Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddys daughter Soumya Reddy for Bengaluru South. Former mayor and Congress leader Gangambike Mallikarjun told TNIE that Lingayat social philosopher Basavanna had stressed the need for women leadership in various walks of life. Indira Gandhi was the countrys first and the only woman PM. Considering all this, we should have had many women leaders in top positions in the country. But, women are yet to get their proper share of representation in all elected bodies, she added. Recalling her own experience, Gangambike said she aspired to contest from the Chickpet Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket last year. I was Bengaluru mayor and had also worked in many positions not only in the party, but also in various associations and organisations. Just because I am a woman, I was not given a ticket for Chickpet, she added. Unfortunately, no political party is keen on giving more representation to women in politics. Reservation for women in various elected bodies should be implemented properly, she said. Bengaluru should be represented by women in the Lok Sabha. Bengaluru has unique problems and women candidates can tackle them effectively by not getting influenced by any vested interests, the former mayor said. Karnataka has elected 15 women MPs in the past 17 LS elections, including bypolls. Indira Gandhi contested from Chikkamagaluru in the 1978 LS bypoll, which gave her political rebirth. This time, BJP has chosen Shobha for Bengaluru North and Gayathri Siddeshwar for Davanagere. The Congress has also selected a few women candidates. Prominent winners Sarojini Mahishi was the first woman MP elected four times from Dharwad North Lok Sabha constituency (1962-1980). In 1978, Indira Gandhi won Chikkamagaluru LS bypoll against Veerendra Patil. Tejaswini Gowda defeated JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda in the 2004 LS polls from Kanakapura constituency In 1999, former AICC president Sonia Gandhi fought against former BJPs Sushma Swaraj in Ballari and won. In 2019, actor Sumalatha Ambareesh won the Mandya seat as an independent candidate.

The New Indian Express 27 Mar 2024 8:08 am

Manjunath enters main draw, Krishna-Pratheek make it to second round

Madrid, Mar 26 (PTI) India's Mithun Manjunath secured two wins in the men's singles qualifiers to progress to the main draw of Madrid Spain Masters Super 300 badminton tournament here on Tuesday. In the opening round, Manjunath, a former national champion, prevailed 15-21 24-22 21-18 over compatriot S Sankar Muthusamy, who had claimed the 2022 world junior championships silver medal in Spain. A trainee at the Prakash Padukone academy, Manjunath then defeated Chinese Taipei's Liao Jhuo-Fu 21-13 21-13 to storm into the main draw. The world no. 64 Indian will face another Taiwanese in Wang Tzu Wei in the main draw. Indian doubles pair of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Sai Pratheek K outlasted Canada's Dong Adam (Xingyu) and Nyl Yakura 21-15 28-30 21-11 in a thrilling opener. However, Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand fell in the opening round of women's doubles. The Indian pair, seeded fifth, lost 18-21 22-20 18-21 to USA's Annie Xu and Kerry Xu, ranked 33rd to almost end their chances of making the cut for Paris Olympics. Sameer Verma also lost 10-21 14-21 to Singapore's Jia Heng Jason Teh in the qualifier. He had defeated Alvaro Leal 21-9 21-12 in the first round. Aadya Variyath also lost in qualifiers. PTI ATK KHS Disclaimer: This article is published from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Deccan Chronicle team

Deccan Chronicle 26 Mar 2024 10:45 pm

Assam: BJP Lok Sabha MP Pradan Baruah files nomination from Lakhimpur

NORTH LAKHIMPUR: Pradan Baruah, the sitting BJP Lok Sabha MP from Lakhimpur, officially filed his nomination for re-election in North Lakhimpur on Tuesday (March 26). Accompanied by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with other ministers, coalition partners, and MLAs, Baruah submitted his nomination papers before the district returning officer, Gayatri Hayelinge, in North [] The post Assam: BJP Lok Sabha MP Pradan Baruah files nomination from Lakhimpur appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

NorthEast Now 26 Mar 2024 7:18 pm

Badal Premiere Locked: Shwetha Menons Political Thriller Will Release On THIS Date

Starring Shwetha Menon, debutant director G Ajayans upcoming film Badal will premiere theatrically on April 5. The political thriller also stars Salim Kumar, Joy Mathew, Ambika Mohan, and Gayathri Suresh.

News18 26 Mar 2024 7:10 pm

Where is BFSI spending its advertising money in its most important quarter?

In 2023, the Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) industry utilised AI and CGI to engage with their audiences and market their services, taking a different approach to their marketing strategies. While the modes of communication have evolved in the advent of technological developments, January, February and March play a crucial role in BFSI marketing every year. This quarter, media experts note that the focus has been on leveraging massive sports tournaments along with further development in artificial intelligence as key methods to reach the target audience. Jitto George , EVP - Media Solutions, Schbang shares, The entire BFSI industry spends around 5000 crore annually out of which 35 to 38% is in this quarter. This year we could see a 10% increase in spending overall including this quarter. Jitto George It has been noted that TV, Print and Radio spends alone grew by 25% last year. With this, George mentions that on average, TV and Print attract 24% each while OOH and radio attract 7% and 5% respectively and digital attracts 40% of media investment. Sports play a key role in BFSI marketing Sports partnerships, whether it is through sponsorship opportunities or collaborations with sports personalities have been an area of focus during JFM in 2024. The recently culminated Womens Premier League (WPL) and the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) have presented the perfect opportunity to reach out to the wide cricket community in India. Cricket has been a key platform for BFSI brands, driving both reach and engagement. Sponsorships and partnerships have helped maximize brand metrics, says Shrikant Shenoy , Associate VP Strategy, Lodestar UM. Shrikant Shenoy For instance, Shenoy mentions that IDFC First Bank has secured title sponsorship rights for all BCCI matches for domestic or international cricket for the next three years. IPL has opened association opportunities at both the tournament and individual team levels. Along with this, it has been observed that Rupay, PayTM, and CRED have become IPL associate sponsors, with branding opportunities like Rupay on the go boundary, PayTM branding on umpire uniforms, and CRED powerplay. Second-line sports have also seen a rise, with Rupay taking on the title sponsorship of the Prime Volleyball League. Sharing why the BFSI industry has found a liking in sports, Ruchika Varma , Chief Marketing Officer, Future Generali India Insurance, says, Sports marketing campaigns, if executed properly, can serve as an excellent platform for reaching out to consumers and creating an impactful brand recall. Future Generali India Insurance has associated with cricket through the Womens Premier League (WPL) as associate sponsors. Ruchika Varma Varma believes that this has been the perfect platform to introduce their health insurance plan called HEALTH POWHER which caters to the unique needs of women. This product akin to the league, has been specifically designed to meet the varied needs of women across their life stages. On the other hand, Nimish Agrawal, Executive Vice President and CMO, Niva Bupa comments that the brands TG is more male and tier 1 centric, and it has found two large tent-pole events to leverage in this period, which is IPL, Budget / Elections. For IPL, the digital formats have really pushed the ad spends. There are varied levels of targeting available which cater to all kinds of advertisers given their budget. We also have leveraged IPL and find great ROI on the spends on the digital format and have seen good traction on our website in terms of new user visits, lead volume and bump in Google searches whenever we advertise in live cricket. According to TAM's AdEx report for H1 2023, it was observed that the BFSI sector witnessed a significant uptick in advertising spends with a 91% increase in digital ad impressions compared to the same period in 2022. Nimish Agrawal TV as a medium is explored for media events like budget and elections than digital, says Agrawal based on the brands analytics. Agrawal states, On an average, approximately 40-45% of the annual budget is deployed in Jan-Mar period. The media mix for the quarter has Television as the central pivot, given its mass reach and cost efficiency, followed by digital channels to drive an incremental reach. While cricket is the largely watched sport in the country, many BFSI brands have also turned their focus on sports like Badminton. In 2023, DBS Bank India closely tracked the burgeoning popularity of badminton in India, and announced a partnership with five young and promising badminton stars, Chirag Shetty, Satwik Rankireddy, Lakshya Sen, Gayatri Gopichand, and Tressa Jolly. Shoma Narayanan , Managing Director and Head - Group Strategic Marketing and Communications, DBS Bank India says that the sport of badminton embodies attributes such as precision, dedication, teamwork, and building trusted partnerships, which closely align with the brand values. We executed a series of impactful partnerships and campaigns this quarter, allocating approximately 25-30% of our annual marketing budget for this period, Narayanan elaborates on the spends during JFM. Shoma Narayanan Similar to DSB Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank has taken to collaborating with sports personalities like Smriti Mandhana and Rani Rampal as part of their marketing initiatives in the past. Vignesh Murali , Senior Vice President & Head Brand, Marketing & Corp Com., Equitas SFB comments, Our past collaborations with sportswomen like Smriti Mandhana and Rani Rampal have helped us improve our brand reputation and positioned us as a socially responsible bank that values gender diversity. Furthermore, womens underrepresentation in financial decision-making being a reality, endorsing women's sports and personalities helps us inspire them to take interest in financial products and indulge in financial decision making. With IPL going in full swing, the brand has decided to partner with Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans to maximize their reach. Vignesh Murali Murali shares that Chennai is the largest market for the brand, which makes this strategic partnership inevitable. Along with this, they are also focusing on increasing their brands presence in Gujarat, hence the partnership with Gujarat Titans for the last two years. Media allocated Shrikant Shenoy of Lodestar UM indicates that JFM tends to be a busy quarter for BFSI, with multiple categories like life insurance, health insurance, and home finance stepping up consumer outreach to meet the demand for tax-saving investments. These categories usually lead the list of top BFSI spenders in JFM, displacing other big spenders like credit cards, retail banking and financial services. Shenoy also remarks, While Television tends to be the lead medium, commanding a larger share of the ad pie and driving awareness for categories like insurance, Print has staged a resurgence in recent times, vying for 40-50% of JFM spends on traditional media, as per syndicated data. Radio has successfully held on to 10-15% of spends, effectively playing the role of a reminder or support medium. DBS Bank kick-started its year with a partnership with Shark Tank India for its TV spending. The brand strategically directed a significant portion of the marketing budget towards TV and OOH channels to enhance the visibility of this association. Additionally, a digital and OOH campaign spotlighted the brands clients, including SMEs and social enterprises. Through this, they showcased their success stories, highlighting how DBS Bank India has been a partner in their journey. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DBS Bank India (@dbsbankindia) View this post on Instagram A post shared by DBS Bank India (@dbsbankindia) The brand has also leveraged AI for its creative capabilities. Shoma Narayanan of DBS Bank India shared that the brand launched a new edition of its 'Sounds of the Budget,' which is now in its fifth year in February. This campaign aimed to help younger audiences understand the intricacies of budget announcements in an engaging manner. Narayanan comments, While most digital campaigns explaining the Union Budget rely on static visuals or talking head videos on social media, our approach with 'Sounds of the Budget' was more innovative. We transformed real-time updates from the finance minister's announcements into short-form rap songs with easily understandable lyrics, all crafted with the assistance of generative AI. View this post on Instagram A post shared by digibank India (@digibankindia) Equitas SFB has focused on executing product-focused marketing campaigns to bolster sales. This involves hosting over 1000 on-ground events nationwide, strategically promoted digitally to maximize participation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Equitas Bank (@equitasbank) Vignesh Murali shares, These activities are tactically planned in Metro and Urban areas, notably targeting gated communities, malls, fun zones, family outing spots and association tie-ups. Overall our BTL activation takes the front seat in this quarter where we park near to 7-10% of our annual budget. These engagements are aligned with the celebration of seasonal festivities, sports tournaments, wellness camps, etc. to enhance consumer connect. The brand also adopts an omnichannel media strategy, with a digital-first approach while leveraging the key pin code areas on pan-India level. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Equitas Bank (@equitasbank) Murali states, Approximately 60% of our media budget is allocated to digital platforms including OTT, Display, Video, Search, Social Media and Influencer marketing, while the remaining 40% is invested in offline channels such as TV, Outdoor, Print and on-ground activations. Niva Bupas Nimish Agrawal reveals that the brand is currently using AI and LLM and focusing on Chatbots / Voice bots and Content. He states, Our category is more advisory in nature, where a large part of consumer problem is to understand the category a bit better. We intend to leverage the Chat/Voice bot to help consumers better understand the category, product, adequate coverage, etc. This helps Niva Bupa scale the coverage on the customer side while unlocking efficiency on the telecaller/advisor side. Agrawal comments that content creation takes 70% of the teams bandwidth and 40% of the marketing cost. Of the 11 brands that picked up the tender document for the IPL sponsorship till 2028, five of them are from the BFSI industry. This itself shows the potential of such partnerships. With a focus on sports tournaments like WPL, IPL and underrated sports, the BFSI sector has kept its efforts on leveraging traditional marketing strategies and newer technologies to make the best out of the quarter. Schbangs Jitto George brings the conversation to a close by saying, If India is poised to become a 7 trillion economy, the only way it will be able to double from the current number is by having money in the market and the BFSI industry is the only one that could enable it and hence we will see a steep rise in spending over the next few years from BFSI brands specifically.

Feed Burner 26 Mar 2024 6:49 pm

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan trailer launch: Akshay Kumar recalls his RISKIEST stunt to date in Khiladi 420: 70% bachne ke chances nahin the. I was crazy to do something like that. I shouldnt have done it

The much-awaited trailer ofBade Miyan Chote Miyanwas finally unveiled today at a multiplex in Mumbai by the films principal cast, director Ali Abbas Zafar and producer Jackky Bhagnani, Honey Bhagnani and Himanshu Mehra. Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff have done death-defying stunts in the film, as evident in the trailer. Prithviraj Sukumaran even remarked, To be putting these superstars through such risky stunts, part of me believes that its a miracle that they are alive and well today! During the question-and-answer session with the media, Akshay Kumar was asked about the riskiest stunt he has performed to date. Akshay didnt mention the name of the film but its clear that he was talking about the aeroplane-based stunt that he performed inKhiladi 420(2000). Akshay Kumar said, The biggest action I have done in my life was when I had to stand on top of a plane. The plane was on the runway.Usko pakadna, uske upar chadna, uske upar khade ho jaana aur fir wahan sehot air balloonpejumpmaarnamain samajta tha uss waqt wohpaagalpan tha. I was mad, I was crazy to do something like that. I shouldnt have done it. I tried once in my life to test God. Thank God, I was safe! 70%bachne kechancesnahin the aur30%bachne kechancesthe. It was that difficult, but I would never do it again if I was told to repeat a stunt of this kind. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bollywood Hungama???? (@realbollywoodhungama) Akshay Kumar continued, Ab main thoda samajdaar ho gaya hoon. Before attempting such stunts, I think 10 times. This is because now I have to preserve myself. It is not about doing crazy things; it is about safety first.Pehle humchoppersejumpmaarte the, toh neeche gaddebhi nahin hote the. Kabhi kabhi ghutna toot jaata tha. Kuch bhi ho jaata tha. Now, safety has become a main concern. The insurance facility is there. He ended his answer by saying, Hence, my job is now to preserve myself and keep myself healthy. Also Read: Bade Miyan Chote Miyan trailer launch: Prithviraj Sukumaran opens up on Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroffs RISKY stunts: Its a MIRACLE that they are alive and well today

Bollywood Hungama 26 Mar 2024 6:44 pm

News18 Afternoon Digest: BJP Demands Kejriwal's Resignation; Lok Sabha Elections 2024 LIVE Updates

We are also covering: Ranjani, Gayatri Hit Back at Madras Music Academy Chief Over Letter on Their Withdrawal From Conference & other top stories

News18 26 Mar 2024 12:54 pm

Hrithik Roshan Starrer Krrish 4 Shoot To Start In 2025? Heres What We Know

The first film in this superhero franchise was the 2003 film Koi Mil Gaya starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta.

News18 26 Mar 2024 12:33 pm

Why The Laadla Team Chanted Gayatri Mantra After Divya Bharti's Death

Laadla was directed by Raj Kanwar, based on a screenplay written by Anees Bazmee.

News18 26 Mar 2024 12:10 pm

Rooban - Official Teaser

Watch the Official Teaser from Tamil movie 'Rooban' starring Vijay Prasath and Gayathri. 'Rooban' movie is directed by Ayyappan. To know more about 'Rooban' Teaser watch the video. Check out the latest Tamil Teasers, new movie Teasers, trending Tamil movie Teasers and more at ETimes - Times of India Entertainment.

The Times of India 26 Mar 2024 11:26 am

Ranjani-Gayatri Hit Back at Madras Music Academy Chief Over Letter on Their Withdrawal From Conference

Carnatic vocalists Ranjani-Gayatri and Harikatha exponent Dushyanth Sridhar have withdrawn from the Music Academy Conference 2024.

News18 26 Mar 2024 11:16 am

Tamil Nadu BJP MLA Nainar's assets increased by 19.5 per cent between 2021 and 2024

TIRUNELVELI/TENKASI: The value of family assets of BJP MLA and Tirunelveli Lok Sabha candidate Nainar Nagendran increased by 19.54% between March 2021 and March 2024, according to his affidavit filed here on Monday. Nagendran filed his nomination with returning officer-cum KP Karthikeyan. The value of Nagendrans familys movable and immovable assets was Rs 26.71 crore in March 2021, which has now increased to Rs 31.94 crore. Nagendran and his wife, Chandra Nagendran, possess 800 sovereigns of gold worth Rs 3.84 crore. Nagendran, an MA holder, has four cars and a tractor in his name. He has a debt of Rs 5.1 crore and has 13 bank accounts, of which four accounts have zero balance. Nagendran and his wife have invested in Chandra Hotel, Sri Krishnan Inn, Soprose Hotel, Lakshmi Gayathri Hotel, Kalyani Trust and KR Travels India Private Limited. He also has cases against him under Sections 153A, 152, 504, 505 (2), 500 and 506 (1). AIADMK candidate has assets worth Rs 3 crore Meanwhile, AIADMK candidate M Janshi Rani filed her nomination in the presence of Ambasamudram MLA Esakki Subbaiah and the partys district secretary Thachai Ganesraja. Her family has assets worth Rs 3 crores. Janshis Ranis family assets were worth Rs 2.56 crore during the local body elections in 2022. Janshi Rani and her husband P Muruganandam have 100 sovereigns of gold worth Rs 40 lakh. She is a BA Economics graduate. Others file nomination papers Selvakumar of Bahujan Dravida Party, Chandran of Veerath Thiyagi Viswanathadoss Thozhilalarkal Katchi and Independent candidates Chinna Maharaja, Raghavan and Thalapathy Murugan filed their nominations in Tirunelveli constituency. John Pandian files nomination from Tenkasi Tamil Nadu Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader John Pandian, who is contesting with the BJP's symbol, filed his nomination with returning officer A K Kamal Kishore in Tenkasi. Independent candidates S Kanaga and M Arumugaswami also filed their nominations.

The New Indian Express 26 Mar 2024 11:03 am

Six transgender dancers prepare for next stage of their artistic journey in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six transgender people, who launched themselves as classical dancers last month, are now eager to expand their artistic careers as teachers and performers. Mythili Chandran, Prana Sankar, Aswathy P S, Sruthi Sithara, Daya Gayathri, Sandhya Milind completed a course in Kerala natanam from the Sri Sathya Sai Free Dance Academy for Transgenders in Ernakulam. Their arangettam was held on February 6 at Kollur Sree Mookambika Devi temple. They are now eagerly seeking opportunities to perform before audiences. While Mythili and Prana plan to start teaching dance, others aspire to be performers. The academy, under the Sri Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust, was set up on International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021, with the aim to transform the lives of transgender people by providing them a platform to showcase their talents and generate sustainable income. The project is supported by Cochin Shipyard. Since its inception, the initiative has been expanded to Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai. Love for dance and the opportunity to make my passion a source of income have contributed to my desire to teach dance. There are very little job opportunities for people like us, but the support from Saigramam is my motivation. Im trying to start classes in my hometown of Palakkad, said Mythili. The trust is committed to assisting students who wish to start their own classes, by covering initial expenses. With a focus on showcasing performances at temples and other stages, the trust aims to elevate transgender artists and promote their visibility in society. We eagerly anticipate organising their performance in front of the President next month, said K N Ananda Kumar, founder of the academy. Initially, the academy focused on mohiniyattam, bharatanatyam and Kerala natanam. Now, following requests from students, we are set to introduce classes in kuchipudi in place of mohiniyattam, said Veena Satheesh, coordinator. More than just a dance academy, the initiative strives to redefine societal perceptions of transgender individuals. By fostering discipline and close bonds between students and teachers, it aims to create a supportive environment where every individual can thrive, Veena added. Before joining the academy as a teacher, I knew these students. Initially, I wondered how they would perceive me in my new role. However, I soon realised that being one of them made it easier for me to address their needs. Understanding their challenges and supporting their growth as a cohesive unit became my priority, said Sanjana Chandran, a transgender bharatanatyam teacher. Kerala natanam has never been formally taught to transgender individuals previously. Its been a novel journey for me too. Despite societal stereotypes portraying them as loud and rude, forming a close bond with them has revealed their warmth and empathy. They undergo comprehensive training, starting from the fundamentals, and are assessed by an external examiner to ensure proficiency. Hence, they possess the qualifications to either start their own classes or pursue careers as performing artists, said Gayatri Subramaniam, a Kerala natanam teacher.

The New Indian Express 26 Mar 2024 10:08 am

Sangitha Kalanidhi award row: Vocalist sisters say inclusive change must start from top

CHENNAI: Vocalist duo Ranjani and Gayatri, on Monday, turned advocates for inclusivity within the Music Academy administration and suggested changes in its entrenched Executive Committee consisting of only Brahmins and royalty. In an official release, the duo responded to a statement from the academys chairman N Murali regarding the ongoing row over the Sangitha Kalanidhi award given to singer TM Krishna, the duo said that transformation was achievable instantly with a simple resolution and a bunch of resignations. Pointing out that Murali has been heading the academy for two decades, the duo said he should consider leading by example, lest the world call it mere lip service, suggesting that he should resign. The singers said they would like to see star performers emerge from underprivileged communities and dominate the stage at the Music Academy in the presence of a diverse crowd from all communities and religious minorities filling up the auditorium. What the controversy over TM Krishna's Sangita Kalanidhi award tells us about the Carnatic music world While accusing chairman Murali of constructing a convenient narrative and casting aspersions on them, they also criticised veteran journalist N Ram as well. They said that while they were initially a bit surprised as to why his response read as a release on behalf of the awardee, it became obvious to them when Ram joined as an undeclared spokesperson, with his campaign branding us a bigoted, casteist coterie. The Music Academy Chennai Dear Mr Murali, We thank you for the courtesy of providing a response to our letter dated 20 March 2024. Wed like to clarify that our letter to you was only a notification of our withdrawal without any request for your decisions or actions. We did not pic.twitter.com/DT6QJoe6N8 Ranjani Gayatri (@ranjanigayatri) March 25, 2024

The New Indian Express 26 Mar 2024 8:33 am

Sriram Karri | Left, right, left: Contradictions expose ideological confusion

Let us start with a joke in a classic format a Carnatic musician, a mobile app food delivery boy and a social media-savvy godman walk into a bar And hell erupts. The Carnatic musician in the middle of a stormy controversy, almost his permanent address, is T. M. Krishna: a Brahmin by birth, winner of the Magsaysay award, perpetual rebel, both an icon and an iconoclast, he combines a peerless artistic genius as a Carnatic vocalist, and is an incessantly mutinous voice, at war with the elitist, Brahmanical, Madras Carnatic music establishment. The Music Academy chose to bestow on him the title of Sangita Kalanidhi, which brought out the prospect of him finally performing at the famous annual conference, which he has boycotted for years. Immediately, several musicians, led by Ranjani and Gayatri, and the Trichur Brothers, who acknowledge his art but scoff his politics, and disagree with his stances against the establishment of Carnatic devotional music, its rigid commitment to puritan discipline, wrote to the Academy expressing their inability to perform at this conference anymore. This is where the public debate went all wrong. Some of the underlying themes are centuries old should you love the art and ignore the artist? Should the moral conduct of an artist colour our critique of the art? What do you do with an artist whose art you love but disagree with the politics of? The answer, and an extraordinary insight, was nakedly staring the nation in its face but we ignored it it missed us in the midst of an anxiety with alacrity to publicly declare our own stance, to side with one and attack another. It was the stance taken by the Academy whose politics Krishna derided and fought, which decided to honour him. The Academy is surely unlikely to be in agreement with Krishnas views on Periyar Ramaswamy, or M.S. Subbalakshmi has chosen to honour his art. This is the biggest insight for us all honour thy critic. These days, no one, honours their critic. It is against the spirit of our age, an anathema to our zeitgeist. The badges of honour for critics in our time are trolling, abuse, cancellation, attacks, arrests, cases, and organised hatred. We as a nation missed the extraordinary gesture of the Academy of not only engaging but offering to honour a critic, a bitter, strong critic of the institution. The debate, paradoxically, had the Left liberal supporters of Krishna flay the cancellation notwithstanding the glorious history of the Leftists as the fountainhead of the cancellation culture. The right wingers, who sensed a larger BJP-DMK political faceoff in these ideological sparring, turned award wapasi gang and the cancellation supporters. No one was bothered by the contradiction in methods. Oh, how quickly the tables turn. Around the same time, in the mobile app-based food delivery world, Zomato was cooking up a storm pure vegetarian food delivery as a service. It raised a far bigger furore, what with apparently more people tending to eat food than listening to carnatic music factoid and all. Champions of pronouns launched a war on the adjective. Staunch advocates of He/Him and She/Her could not stand pure being attached to vegetarianism. Like musician Krishna, the war against Zomatos idea was to attack Brahmanism. Again, paradoxically, those who would normally rush to defend the food freedom of people, choose to pan the right of people to eat anything they want including pure vegetarian food from restaurants of their choice. After all, anyone could opt for the service universally. The public debate again quickly became bitter, political, and almost instantly, mindless too. One way in which we can all analyse our honesty in public discourse, to eliminate contradictions and hypocrisy, is to initiate an alternate fact check. Would you condemn an incident, a trend, even if the identity of the players gets changed? Do you condemn a lynching? A violent crime? A public shooting? A rape? Or do you take a stance after verifying the identity of the victim and perpetrator? Do you launch a tirade or go silent based on the identity of a criminal? Does it sound like a lesser crime to you if the perpetrator shares your identity, or political world view? For example, would you object to someone seeking to order kosher or halal meat-based food orders?, and not wishing to order to eat from any other kind of restaurant? Truth is neither the intrinsic value of any creation getting reduced, nor the gruesomeness of crime augment based on either identity or political worldview of its creator, or perpetrator. But your contradictions reduce you to a hypocritical, opportunist, mean, weak scumbag of a citizen when you change your judgment based on if the author votes like you, or a criminal worships just like you, or not. In the last fortnight, we witnessed a third incident, which too shared its undercurrents, with the above two a similar mesh of overlapping tensions was unleashed discussions unleashed were marked by similar outbursts of collective schadenfreude, or collective rationalising. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev went to hospital for surgery for an emergency treatment, provoking people to call him out for hypocrisy, arguing that since he had advocated ayurveda or naturopathy for people, he should not have gone for an allopathic surgery. Interestingly, those who supported the godman on social media argued that there were no contradictions here, that it was never either-or; there was always a case for allopathic medicine plus alternate medicine where applicable, whereas his critics, almost invariably those who disagree with his ideology, argued that he had lost his right to go for treatment. All three incidents put together beget larger questions for us as a nation. Do we believe in rights for all at all, or just rights for those who support our point of view? Like a licence. Do we believe in any absolute right or wrong, or do we merely conveniently shift all views based on dramatis personae involved in the case? If the answer is that most of us can justify the wrong done by our party, our leader, our brethren in caste or religion, by someone who we like or agree with, then we have lost all judgment. Because in any public debate, it is seldom about the issue; and almost always about you and you, and I, are as Indians today, hypocrites.

Deccan Chronicle 26 Mar 2024 1:07 am

'Patch up ho gaya kya?': Disha Patani celebrates with Ex Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar, fans buzz with reconciliation theories

Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff have shared a comical Holi video on their Instagram accounts. They infused a 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' twist into their Holi celebrations. In one clip, Akshay thwarts Tiger's attempt to douse him with colored water. Titled 'Bura Na Mano, Holi Hai,' their video garnered significant attention online. Many, including Tiger's mother, Ayesha Shroff, and comedian Kapil Sharma, responded with laughing emojis. Disha Patani also joined her former beau Tiger and Akshay Kumar for the Holi festivities. She posted the amusing video on Instagram, sparking speculation among fans about her relationship with Tiger. 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' is set to hit theaters on April 10, featuring a multilingual release, including Hindi. The film also stars Manushi Chhillar and Alaya F in pivotal roles.

The Times of India 25 Mar 2024 8:47 pm

Aurangabad BJP MP files nomination papers

Aurangabad BJP MP files nomination papers BJP MP Sushil Kumar Singh, who will be running for a fourth consecutive term from Bihar's Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat, on Monday filed his nomination papers. Singh filed his nomination papers a day after the BJP announced its candidates for all 17 seats, out of 40, it will be contesting in Bihar. Singh, who had made his debut on a JD(U) ticket and aims at a hat-trick for BJP, filed his nomination papers in the presence of a number of party leaders and allies like former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, the founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), and the latters son and state minister Santosh Suman. Manjhi is the MLA from Imamganj, which falls under the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency. The HAM founder will himself contest from the adjoining reserved Gaya constituency, the lone seat assigned to the NDA partner. After filing of nomination papers, the leaders exuded confidence that the NDA ''will win all 40 seats in Bihar and cross the 400 mark in Parliament''. Lok Sabha polls in Bihar have been staggered across all seven phases and voting will take place for four seats -Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada and Jamui - in the first phase on April 19. Filing of nominations will come to a close on Thursday, though so far the Aurangabad MP has been the only NDA candidate in Bihar to have done the needful. Manjhi and Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Thakur, whom the BJP has named its candidate from Nawada, are likely to file their nomination papers in the next few days. Thakur's principal rival is expected to be Shravan Kumar Kushwaha of RJD, who has filed his nomination papers. The RJD has given tickets to Archana Ravidas for Jamui, currently held by Chirag Paswan, who is shifting base to Hajipur and likely to field his brother-in-law Arun Bharti, though a formal announcement is yet to be made by the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which is also an NDA partner. Manjhi's bid to enter the Lok Sabha, from a seat where he has tried his luck twice with no success, will be challenged by Kumar Sarvajeet, the RJD MLA from Bodh Gaya. In Aurangabad, JD(U) turncoat Abhay Kushwaha has got the RJD ticket, evoking protests from the Congress which wants the seat for retired Delhi Police Commissioner Nikhil Kumar, who had won the seat in 2009.

devdiscourse 25 Mar 2024 8:25 pm

Shivamogga Rangayana summer camp for children

The Hindu 25 Mar 2024 7:40 pm

Carnatic singers Ranjani-Gayatri to Music Academy chief

Carnatic singers RanjaniGayatri to Music Academy chief

India Today 25 Mar 2024 5:14 pm

Madras Music Academy President should resign and make way for non-Brahmins: Ranjani-Gayatri respond to The Hindus N Ram for calling them casteist bigots

The Carnatic Musician sisters mentioned The Hindus N Ram, for joining as an 'undeclared spokesperson' and starting a smear campaign branding them as a bigoted, casteist for speaking up against TM Krishna.

OpIndia 25 Mar 2024 4:32 pm

Vocalist Duo Ranjani Gayatri Give Polite But Stinging Response To N. Muralis Letter

The internet was abuzz with the row over the Sangita Kalanidhi Award being given to Carnatic vocalist with leftist leanings TM Krishna. At the centre of the storm was the The post Vocalist Duo Ranjani Gayatri Give Polite But Stinging Response To N. Muralis Letter appeared first on The Commune .

The Commune Mag 25 Mar 2024 3:51 pm

Why Ranjani & Gayatri are more wrong than Periyar

More than 50 years after his death, Periyar has stopped two talented sisters from singing at Music Academy, considered the sanctum sanctorum of carnatic music. Ranjani and Gayatri have boycotted this years music conference by...

The Times of India 25 Mar 2024 2:25 pm

Holi Specials: Indian Railways Unveils Festive Train Schedule

In preparation for the busy Holi festival on March 25, Indian Railways hasrolled out around 540 special train services to accommodate the surge in passengers. These additional trains will link major cities like Mumbai, Patna, Gaya, Katra, Varanasi, Saharanpur, Prayagraj, Pune, and Ambala. Notably, there will be more departures from New Delhi to meet the increased demand. The Ministry of Railways has outlined that these extra trains will cover important national routes such as Delhi-Patna, Delhi-Bhagalpur, Delhi-Muzaffarpur, Delhi-Saharsa, Gorakhpur-Mumbai, Kolkata-Puri, Guwahati-Ranchi, New Delhi-Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Jaipur-Bandra Terminus, Pune-Danapur, Durg-Patna, and Barauni-Surat. This year, compared to last year, there will be 219 additional services to ensure passengers can travel conveniently. Railway officials have also mentioned the deployment of extra security units to manage crowds effectively. Special Trains Schedule for Holi 2024 Here's a rundown of some special trains announced for Holi 2024: New Delhi - Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Express (04033) running on March 22nd and 29th. Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan - New Delhi Express (04034) operating on March 23rd and 30th. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - New Delhi Reserved Express (04075) available on March 24th and 31st. New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Reserved Express (04076) running on March 25th and April 1st. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra - Varanasi (01654) operating on March 24th and 31st. Varanasi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Express (01653) available on March 26th and April 2nd. Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan - Subedarganj Special (04141) running on March 25th and April 1st. Subedarganj - Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan Special (04142) operating on March 26th and April 2nd. Amritsar - Gorakhpur Express (05005) available on March 20th and 27th. Gorakhpur - Amritsar Express (05006) running on March 21st and 28th. Amritsar - Chhapra Express (05049) operating on March 22nd and 29th. Chhapra - Amritsar Express (05050) available on March 23rd and 30th. Additional Trains for Holi 2024 In addition to the listed trains, extra services include: Weekly specials from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) Mumbai to various destinations. Weekly superfast specials from Pune to multiple destinations. Special services from New Delhi to Udhampur and Varanasi. Special services for Vaishno Devi pilgrims from New Delhi. Trains from Delhi to Varanasi operational three days a week. A weekly special train from Katra to Varanasi. A special train from Howrah to Banaras on March 23rd. Booking and Safety Measures for Holi 2024 Passengers can book tickets from reservation counters at railway stations or through the official IRCTC website to obtain e-tickets from home. To ensure traveler safety, additional Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel have been stationed at key stations. Officers are also on standby at significant stations to ensure smooth train operations. Regular announcements regarding train arrivals, departures, and platform numbers will be made to assist passengers effectively. Lunar Eclipse and HOLI 2024: A Unique Celestial Coincidence

News Track 25 Mar 2024 11:10 am

Left Dominates JNU Students` Union Election; Dhananjay Becomes First Dalit President Since 1996

Dhananjay, a PhD student hailing from Gaya, Bihar, is enrolled in the School of Arts and Aesthetics.

Zee News 25 Mar 2024 7:25 am

JNUSU gets its first Dalit president from Left after nearly three decades

JNUSU gets its first Dalit president from Left after nearly three decades The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) on Sunday elected its first Dalit president from the Left-backed groups after nearly three decades. The United Left panel on Sunday effected a clean sweep in the JNUSU election, defeating its nearest rival the RSS-affiliated ABVP. In the polls that happened after a hiatus of four years, Dhananjay from the All India Students' Association (AISA) won the JNUSU president's post by securing 2,598 votes against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Umesh C Ajmeera who secured 1,676 votes. Dhananjay hails from Gaya, Bihar, and is the first Dalit president from the Left after Batti Lal Bairwa, who was elected in 1996-97. Speaking to PTI after the win, Dhananjay said, ''This victory is a referendum by the students of JNU that they reject the politics of hate and violence. The students have once again shown their trust in us. We will continue to fight for their rights and work on issues that concern students. ''The safety of women on campus, fund cuts, scholarship hike, infrastructural and water crisis are among the top priorities of the students union to begin with,'' he added. Amid cries of 'Lal Salaam' and 'Jai Bhim', the winning students were hailed by their supporters. Red, white and blue flags were waved by the students to celebrate the victory of the candidates. Avijit Ghosh from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) trounced ABVP's Deepika Sharma by 927 votes to win the vice-president's post. Ghosh received 2,409 votes as against 1,482 votes by Sharma. Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) candidate Priyanshi Arya, who was supported by the Left, won the general secretary post's by defeating ABVP's Arjun Anand by 926 votes. Arya polled in 2,887 votes while Anand received 1961 votes. The United Left extended its support to Arya after the Election Committee cancelled the nomination of its candidate Swati Singh when her candidacy was challenged by the ABVP. The Left's Mohammad Sajid won the joint secretary's post by defeating ABVP's Govind Dangi by 508 votes. His was the lowest victory among all the four winners. With the Left panel sweeping the polls, the JNU lived up to its reputation of being a Left bastion. The ABVP gave a neck-and-neck fight and was leading on all the four central panel posts in the initial trends. The United Left panel comprises AISA, Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF). The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union polls on Friday witnessed a voter turnout of 73 per cent, highest in the last 12 years.

devdiscourse 25 Mar 2024 5:09 am

Chirag Paswan's party to declare LS poll candidates 'immediately' after Holi

Chirag Paswan's party to declare LS poll candidates 'immediately' after Holi NDA ally Chirag Paswan on Sunday said his Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will declare its candidates for the Lok Sabha polls ''immediately after Holi''. Paswan, whose party has got five of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, also asserted he was ''ready for any challenge'' that came from his estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras. ''We will announce all our candidates in a few days... immediately after Holi, said Paswan, but evaded a direct reply to the question whether he would accommodate Veena Devi and Mehboob Ali Kaiser, sitting MPs from Vaishali and Khagaria, respectively. Both the seats, contested by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party in 2019, have been assigned to the young leader's party this time. The MPs had rallied behind Paras when he split the LJP in 2021, but of late have been repenting that decision and swearing by their loyalty towards the late party founder's son. Paswan was also asked about the threat by Paras, who has resigned from his Union cabinet berth, stopping short of quitting the NDA, but vowed to field loyalists in all seats where his nephew's candidates were in the fray. ''I am ready to face any type of challenge, quipped Paswan, who has made it clear that he will be shifting base from Jamui to Hajipur, the seat currently held by Paras, but represented by his late father several times. ''We will work to ensure the victory of the NDA in all 40 seats in Bihar. That is the common aim of all constituents - BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, ex-Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha and my party, asserted Paswan. While BJP and JD(U) have declared candidates for 17 and 16 seats they are respectively fighting, Manjhi's party has announced his candidature from Gaya. Upendra Kushwaha is likely to enter the fray from Karakat.

devdiscourse 24 Mar 2024 9:58 pm

JIPMAT 2024 Registration Commences: NTA Announces Exam Date

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has initiated the application process for the Joint Integrated Programme in Management Admission Test (JIPMAT) 2024, along with announcing the exam date. JIPMAT is a crucial examination for candidates aspiring to pursue a 5-year integrated course in Management at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) Jammu and Bodh Gaya.

Naukrinama 24 Mar 2024 5:10 pm

JIPMAT 2024: Exam On June 6, Registration Opens For IIM Jammu, Bodh Gaya Admissions

JIPMAT is a nationwide entrance examination for admission into the five-year integrated management programme at IIM Bodh Gaya and IIM Jammu for the academic year 2024-2025.

NDTV 24 Mar 2024 3:35 pm

Tamil Nadu: 'Resigned from IAS in protest', meet the candidate Congress has fielded in Tiruvallur

Resigned from the IAS in protest. Trying to stay on the right side of history, says his profile on platform X. That is Sasikanth Senthil, the Congress candidate for Tiruvallur Lok Sabha constituency. Congress released the fourth list of 46 candidates for the upcoming elections on Saturday evening. Sasikanth Senthil's name figured in that list. Meanwhile, a video posted by him on platform X on Saturday has him making a reference to Mandal Commission and how it hurt the RSS like a urglar stung by a scorpion. But this ex-bureaucrat is not a rabble-rouser, but soft-spoken. No rhetoric. Senthil told The New Indian Express that he found the country going in the wrong direction under a fascist and majoritarian government. I spoke about what is wrong loudly. Senthil said he chose the Congress party since he believed in the partys ideology and the Constitution of India. Im happy working shoulder to shoulder with a leader like Rahul Gandhi, Senthil said. He belong to a village in Tiruvallur, had his education at Chennai, completed engineering course before he went on to clear his civil services exams. Caste discrimination is a nation-wide threat and not pertaining to Tamil Nadu alone. Tamil Nadu is fortunate enough to have had tall leaders like Periyar that it would be easy to take forward the message of anti-caste movement easily, he said. Sasikanth Senthil was credited for, among other factors, helping the Congress storm to power in Karnataka in the assembly polls held on May 2023. But before the Karnataka polls, he had joined and served the Congress party during the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly polls where the alliance led by the DMK and Congress came to power. As The New Indian Express had reported, during his stint in Karnataka, Senthil Kumar focused on the 40 per centcommission campaign, strategically targeting the BJP-led government and Chief Minister Baswaraj Bommai by posting attention-grabbing posters, which caused a sensation across the State. Senthil Kumar tendered his resignation from the IAS on September 6, 2019, and joined the Congress in November 2020. Following the success in Karnataka, he was roped in by the party for the assembly polls in Telangana where too Congress came to power whereby Revanth Reddy replaced K Chandrashekar Rao as Chief Minister. But the key strategist's plans didn't succeed in Rajasthan where too he was appointed as Chairman of the Central War Room as BJP defeated Congress in Rajasthan. Sasikanth Senthil served 10 years in the IAS in Karnataka before he quit the all India services and joined the Congress amid protests over amendments to the citizenship law in 2019. In Tamil Nadu, IAS officers like U Sagayam and Sivakami had shown their inclination towards politics. But they couldnt make much progress. For Sasikanth Senthil it has been a journey from election war rooms to the battlefront. Can he pull it off?

The New Indian Express 24 Mar 2024 11:27 am

TN fishermen to temporarily withdraw indefinite strike condemning arrest by Sri Lankan Navy

RAMANATHAPURAM: The fishermen association announced on Saturday that they will temporarily withdraw their indefinite strike from March 27 after a meeting. Following the arrest of 32 fishermen from Rameswaram by the Sri Lankan Navy for alleged IMBL violation on Thursday, the fishermen associations in Rameswaram announced an indefinite strike and election boycott on Friday. They have announced that the fishermen will be staging a protest in the coming weeks showing their condemnation of the fishermen. While speaking, Sagayam, an association leader stated that the fishermen have staged various protests expressing their condemnation of the fishermen's arrests by Sri Lankan Navy. Officials assured that actions are being taken towards addressing the demands of releasing the Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka and also solving the prolonging issues in the intra-country waters. With the annual ban expected to come into effect soon, it is better to withdraw the indefinite strike considering the welfare of the fishermen, said the officials adding that boycotting the election will not solve any issue.

The New Indian Express 24 Mar 2024 11:05 am

'Garden doesn't lose splendour over few wilted flowers': Kushwaha on JD(U) inducting party leader

'Garden doesn't lose splendour over few wilted flowers': Kushwaha on JD(U) inducting party leader A quibble arose in the NDA in Bihar on Saturday when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) re-inducted into the party a former MLA who was occupying the top post in ally Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM). Ramesh Singh Kushwaha, who had represented Ziradei assembly seat in Siwan district from 2015 to 2020 as a JD(U) MLA, returned to the party along with his wife Vijay Laxmi, fuelling speculations that either of them could be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls. JD(U) national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha said that the couple had met the chief minister, who is also the JD(U)'s national president, a day ago. He, however, evaded a direct comment on Kushwaha's possible candidature from Siwan Lok Sabha seat where rumours are afloat that the JD(U) may drop its sitting MP Kavita Singh, an upper caste Rajput, in favour of someone who may help the party keep intact its core support base of 'Luv Kush', a term used to describe Kurmis and Koeris (Kushwahas), the two most dominant non-Yadav OBC groups in Bihar. ''It is our party president's prerogative to decide Lok Sabha candidates. As of now, no name has been finalised,'' Jha claimed. However, former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, who had floated Rashtriya Lok Morcha last year after quitting the JD(U), trained his guns at the chief minister's party. In a post on X, he sought to pacify ''party workers enraged over our state president joining another party'' by reminding them of a poem by Harivansh Rai Bachchan that spoke of the garden not losing its splendour on account of ''a few wilted flowers''. Kushwaha, who is likely to contest from Karakat, the lone seat assigned to his party, also added, tongue-in-cheek, ''I request my friends in JD(U) to let me know if they need a few more candidates.'' Meanwhile, senior minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, a former state president of the JD(U), who was present at the party office alongside Sanjay Jha at the time of the couple's induction, rejected the charge that they were ''weakening'' an alliance partner. Chaudhary said, ''The NDA is a single unit. But sometimes, a worker of one party may be accommodated elsewhere for bringing maximum benefit to the alliance.'' Asked about the delay in the party announcing candidates for the 16 seats it would be contesting, as per the formula announced by the NDA in Delhi earlier this week, Chaudhary asserted, ''It will be known to you all in less than 24 hours.'' Jha, who represented the JD(U) at the Delhi press conference where the NDA's seat-sharing in Bihar was announced, also indicated that after having jointly announced seat-sharing arrangements, parties in the NDA in Bihar were likely to declare their respective candidates separately. Of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the BJP has got a lion's share of 17. Besides, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has got five seats. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is contesting Gaya, the lone seat assigned to his Hindustani Awam Morcha. Upendra Kushwaha, whose absence at the Delhi press conference had raised many eyebrows, later dismissed suggestions that he was upset over getting a raw deal and disclosed that besides Karakat, his party has been given assurance of a legislative council berth.

devdiscourse 23 Mar 2024 9:10 pm

Enjoy The New Gujarati Lyrical Music Video For Tara Mara Sapna By Kajal Maheriya

Get ready to be swept away by the latest Gujarati lyrical song Tara Mara Sapna beautifully sung by Kajal Maheriya. This captivating track features mesmerizing music composed by Ravi Nagar and Rahul Nadiya, and heartfelt lyrics penned by the brilliant Ganu Bharvad and Raghuvir Barot. Brace yourself for an immersive experience as you watch the meticulously crafted music video for Tara Mara Sapna, skillfully directed by the visionary Faruk Gayakwad. Don't miss the chance to witness Kajal Maheriya stellar performance in the captivating Gujarati video song Tara Mara Sapna. Dive into a world of musical excellence by exploring more Gujarati songs in the music videos section of Gujarati ETimes. Discover the incredible vocal talents of Kajal Maheriya, indulge in the latest Gujarati video songs of 2024, groove to the soulful compositions by Ravi Nagar and Rahul Nadiya, immerse yourself in the Gujarati Gana Video Songs, and appreciate the artistic prowess of Faruk Gayakwad, and the poignant lyrics by Ganu Bharvad and Raghuvir Barot.

The Times of India 23 Mar 2024 3:26 pm

Stalin backs T.M. Krishnas selection for Sangita Kalanidhi award 2024

The Chief Ministers came after some of the Harikatha exponents and Carnatic vocalists, including Ranjani and Gayathri, opposed the selection of Mr. Krishna

The Hindu 23 Mar 2024 12:24 pm

MSS doesnt need superficial custodians of her legacy, says her great-grandson

BENGALURU: Seems like returning awards and boycott season is back; much ado about nothing...Carnatic music is not so new, simplistic, or shallow, that an award given to TM Krishna is going to validate every word or action of his. It is a recognition of his talent and contribution to the Carnatic scene. Surely, neither the music academy nor the executive committee that decided on this is going to be in total agreement or appreciation of all of TMKs music or his socio-political stances. But is his musical prowess worth recognising and rewarding? Definitely! Academy president N Murali issued a statement saying that the sole criterion for conferring the award is musical excellence demonstrated over a significant and sustained career. So there is nothing here to protest about unless Ranjani-Gayatri or whoever else can legitimately claim that he is a bad musician. Which they are not claiming and cannot claim. So thats as far as the award is concerned. Having said that, those opposing this have a right to voice their sentiment about some of TMKs opinions and statements from the past. However, it is misplaced to boycott the award. The tone and reasoning of the opposition are shocking, considering the cherry-picked and half-baked opinions that they hold. Periyar is a well-known and hugely respected, albeit controversial figure in Tamil Nadu, and there have been many controversies surrounding him in the past as well. To use this opportunity to equate an anti-Periyar stance with that of Carnatic music culture or Tamil culture is rubbish. Being a proud Tamilian or musician has nothing to do with being anti-Periyar, who was anti-Brahmin. There is no correlation between appreciating Carnatic music as an art form and Brahminism, and there should not be. If they are claiming otherwise, they are making TM Krishnas point for him. Tamil Nadu and Tamilians have rejected this equation of its culture solely with Brahminism, several times. About TMKs comments on MS Subbulakshmi, he has explained himself multiple times, and nobody can deny the kernels of truth there even if one doesnt fully agree. As her great-grandson, and her being one of the strongest women I know, all I can say is this: I hope she would have responded to TM Krishna and clarified her own choices which were made in a particular period and context that TM has not lived and cannot comprehend fully. She would not have been offended or insulted by this discourse. But she would have engaged with him directly and exchanged views openly, in the spirit of debate and democracy. She does not need spokespersons or superficial custodians of her legacy to use her name and score personal brownie points. TN and Tamilians have seen and ignored such dog whistles for decades, and they shall be ignored now as well. I wish that MS was alive so that she could use the platform of the Music Academy to herself give the award to TMK on the dais, have a constructive debate about the history and legacy of Carnatic music, and put an end to this tussle that erupts every few years. If Ranjani-Gayatri are true artistes, and respect MS, they should do much more to democratise the Carnatic music tradition from within. Performing to a largely homogenous audience is not doing anything to push the needle. Using the excuse of pride in culture, when the inequities of classical music are so obvious, is disingenuous. MS came from the outside and made an iconic space for herself in a challenging competitive landscape. (The writers views are personal)

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 9:02 am

MSS doesnt need superficial custodians of her legacy

BENGALURU: Seems like returning awards and boycott season is back; much ado about nothing...Carnatic music is not so new, simplistic, or shallow, that an award given to TM Krishna is going to validate every word or action of his. It is a recognition of his talent and contribution to the Carnatic scene. Surely, neither the music academy nor the executive committee that decided on this is going to be in total agreement or appreciation of all of TMKs music or his socio-political stances. But is his musical prowess worth recognising and rewarding? Definitely! Academy president N Murali issued a statement saying that the sole criterion for conferring the award is musical excellence demonstrated over a significant and sustained career. So there is nothing here to protest about unless Ranjani-Gayatri or whoever else can legitimately claim that he is a bad musician. Which they are not claiming and cannot claim. So thats as far as the award is concerned. Having said that, those opposing this have a right to voice their sentiment about some of TMKs opinions and statements from the past. However, it is misplaced to boycott the award. The tone and reasoning of the opposition are shocking, considering the cherry-picked and half-baked opinions that they hold. Periyar is a well-known and hugely respected, albeit controversial figure in Tamil Nadu, and there have been many controversies surrounding him in the past as well. To use this opportunity to equate an anti-Periyar stance with that of Carnatic music culture or Tamil culture is rubbish. Being a proud Tamilian or musician has nothing to do with being anti-Periyar, who was anti-Brahmin. There is no correlation between appreciating Carnatic music as an art form and Brahminism, and there should not be. If they are claiming otherwise, they are making TM Krishnas point for him. Tamil Nadu and Tamilians have rejected this equation of its culture solely with Brahminism, several times. About TMKs comments on MS Subbulakshmi, he has explained himself multiple times, and nobody can deny the kernels of truth there even if one doesnt fully agree. As her great-grandson, and her being one of the strongest women I know, all I can say is this: I hope she would have responded to TM Krishna and clarified her own choices which were made in a particular period and context that TM has not lived and cannot comprehend fully. She would not have been offended or insulted by this discourse. But she would have engaged with him directly and exchanged views openly, in the spirit of debate and democracy. She does not need spokespersons or superficial custodians of her legacy to use her name and score personal brownie points. TN and Tamilians have seen and ignored such dog whistles for decades, and they shall be ignored now as well. I wish that MS was alive so that she could use the platform of the Music Academy to herself give the award to TMK on the dais, have a constructive debate about the history and legacy of Carnatic music, and put an end to this tussle that erupts every few years. If Ranjani-Gayatri are true artistes, and respect MS, they should do much more to democratise the Carnatic music tradition from within. Performing to a largely homogenous audience is not doing anything to push the needle. Using the excuse of pride in culture, when the inequities of classical music are so obvious, is disingenuous. MS came from the outside and made an iconic space for herself in a challenging competitive landscape. (The writers views are personal)

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 9:02 am

Music Academy under threat of disintegration: BJP president K Annamalai

CHENNAI: State BJP president K Annamalai on Friday said his party stands with the carnatic vocalist duo Ranjani and Gayatri who opposed the Music Academys decision to confer Sangita Kalanidhi award to TM Krishna. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Annamalai said the Music Academy, revered as the temple of Carnatic music and spiritual consciousness for more than nine decades, is under threat of disintegration by divisive forces detrimental to the sanctity of the organisation. Music Academy slams vocalists, defends Sangita Kalanidhi award for TM Krishna Expressing solidarity with the vocalists and their recent announcement to boycott the award ceremony, Annamalai said the BJP will stand with eminent artistes who have raised their voice against the present authority of the academy. Naming a few artistes who opposed the academys decision, Annamalai termed their move an attempt to maintain the sanctity of the pristine institution. He added, The last refuge for proponents of defunct propaganda and the ideology of hate and division cannot be the temple of Carnatic music.

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 8:11 am

INDIA splits over Begusarai battle as CPI names nominee

PATNA: The CPI on Friday announced a candidate for Bihars Begusarai Lok Sabha seat where the Congress was insisting on fielding former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar another sign of unease in the grand-alliance over distribution of seats for the general election. The CPI and Congress are also part of INDIA bloc formed to fight the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. CPI general secretary D Raja said here that his party would field three-time MLA Awadhesh Rai as the party candidate from Begusarai. Options are open for building a consensus among all constituents of the grand alliance on all seats, he said. A decision on Begusarai was taken at the CPIs state executive meeting, attended by Raja and partys national secretaries Nagendra Nath Ojha and Ram Krushna Panda. Earlier, the CPI had claimed that it was busy in preparations for contesting on three seats -- Begusarai, Banka and Madhubani. In the Banka seat, RJD has already named senior party leader Jai Prakash Yadav as its candidate. Meanwhile, tension between RJD and Congress over Aurangabad seat seemed to have intensified after RJD chief Lalu Prasad announced that Abhay Kushwaha would be the party candidate from there. Aurangabad is considered a traditional seat of the Congress as it was represented in Lok Sabha by veteran party leader and former chief minister Satyaendra Narayan Sinha, his son and former Delhi police commissioner Nikhil Kumar and daughter-in-law Shyama Singh. Peeved over Lalu unilaterally declaring a candidate from Aurangabad, Nikhil accused RJD of violating coalition ethics by allocating tickets for constituencies where the Congress has rightful claims. Nikhil had won Aurangabad seat as the Congress candidate in 2004 but Sushil Kumar Singh emerged winner in three subsequent elections. Ex-CM to be NDA candidate from Gaya Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will be the NDAs candidate from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat, his party Hindustani Awam Morcha announced. According to a statement issued by the party office, the candidature of Manjhi was approved by his son and state minister Santosh Suman, who is the national president of the party.

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 7:49 am

Hegde to miss ticket for Uttara Kannada, Shettar may get Belagavi: Sources

BENGALURU: The BJPs second list for Karnataka is likely to be released on Saturday, with sources saying that former speaker Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri is likely to get the ticket for the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency. What this means is that sitting MP Ananth Kumar Hegde will not be in the reckoning this time. Sources from the BJP said the list for the five Lok Sabha constituencies has been finalised. While Jagadish Shettar is likely to contest from Belagavi, Dr K Sudhakar may get the ticket from Chikkaballapur, while former minister Govind Karjol and BV Nayak, would be the candidates from Chitradurga and Raichur, respectively. Earlier, former CM BS Yediyurappa, who is also a member of BJPs Central Election Committee, had stated that they were going to announce the list on Friday. However, the party leaders are now expecting the same to be announced on Saturday. Meanwhile, the saffron party has geared up with preparations for the polls in full swing. Its dedicated media centre was inaugurated on Friday, and a puja was performed. It will be formally opened by BJP state president BY Vijayendra and others on Saturday. On Monday, the party is slated to hold an state-level election management committee workshop at Palace Grounds in the city. BJP leaders douse dissident fire With many BJP leaders expressing displeasure over not getting tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls, party leaders are now making an effort to convince them to support the party candidates. A team of leaders is visiting each unhappy aspirant in a bid to soothe ruffled feathers. On Friday, former CM and senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa met former minister JC Madhuswamy at former MLA Masale Jayarams farmhouse in Turuvekere. He later told reporters that he had spoken to Madhuswamy. I came here to retain him in the party. I am satisfied with our conversation. Madhuswamy has assured me that he is not quitting the party. Everything will be fine, he said. Madhuswamy, too, said he has not decided whether to join the campaign, but he is not quitting the party. Former BJP MLA MP Renukacharya, too, expressed displeasure over the announcement of Gayatri Siddeshwara for Davanagere Lok Sabha constituency. Sources in the BJP said former minister Murugesh Nirani spoke to Renukacharya and convinced him to support the candidate. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has spoken to Koppal MP Karadi Sanganna, after he and his followers had made their displeasure clear ever since the party candidate list was out a week ago. Joshi said he has convinced Sanganna, who promised not to contest as a rebel candidate. Former CM DV Sadananda Gowda, who was upset over not getting the ticket from Bengaluru North, was reportedly convinced by Sangh Parivar members. Gowda told the media on Thursday that he would remain with the BJP. Former minister and senior JDS leader HD Revanna met Yediyurappa on Thursday, and sought his help in Hassan to ensure his son Prajwal Revannas victory. BJP state president BY Vijayendra is expected to convince former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda, who is not happy with the alliance in Hassan, sources said. Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha met Yediyurappa in Bengaluru and has started working for party candidate Yaduveer Wadiyar in Mysuru.

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 7:48 am

Sri Lankan navy arrests: Ramnad fishers commence indefinite strike

RAMANATHAPURAM: A day after the Sri Lankan navy arrested seven Indian fishermen and impounded two boats for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), all fishermens associations kickstarted an indefinite strike from Friday. As many as 500 mechanised boats have stalled fishing activities to protest the arrest as well as inaction on the part of the government. During the wee hours of Thursday, the Lankan Navy had caught seven fishermen from Rameswaram, on board two trawlers, off Talaimannar. Later that night, the SL naval personnel seized three more Indian trawlers and apprehended 25 fishermen off the Delft Island. A total of 32 fishermen and five boats were caught by Lankan authorities, following which they were taken to SL for legal proceedings. With the recent spate of arrests, the total number of fishermen arrested in March alone went up to 90, while the count stood at 178 fishermen and 23 boats thus far in 2024. The fishermens associations in Rameswaram conducted a special meeting on Friday, where they resolved to return all their government-issued identity cards, like the Aadhaar card, to the district collector on April 8. If the government fails to take action towards addressing the fishermens issues, which have been persisting for years now, the associations threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha election on April 19. They also kickstarted an indefinite strike from Friday. Speaking to TNIE, Sagayam, a fishermen leader from Rameswaram, stated that despite staging a series of protest for all these years, their issues remain unaddressed by the union government. In view of inaction, he added, the fishermen resorted to return their IDs and threaten to boycott elections.

The New Indian Express 23 Mar 2024 6:40 am

Bihar politician who questioned existence of Ram goes on chanting 'Jai Sriram' after getting ticket

Manjhi, once skeptical of Lord Ram, now chants 'Jai Sriram' after being named Gaya candidate. Plans Ayodhya temple visit before poll campaign. Past controversies resurface as he aims for third Gaya seat attempt.

The Times of India 23 Mar 2024 5:52 am

JNUSU polls: 73 pc voter turnout, highest in 12 years

JNUSU polls: 73 pc voter turnout, highest in 12 years The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) polls on Friday witnessed a voter turnout of 73 per cent, highest in the last 12 years, according to a comparison from previous years' data. The JNUSU elections were held in two phases, which were delayed due to logistical arrangements, the election committee said. The polling was held after a four-year hiatus and over 7,700 registered electors cast their votes through a secret ballot. The counting of votes, which was supposed to commence at 9 pm, is also running past its scheduled time because of the delay in polling. After the counting of votes is completed, the JNUSU results will be declared on Sunday. Polling began at the 17 booths set up across different Centres of Studies at JNU around 11 am and continued till 7 pm. It was supposed to begin at 9 am. JNU witnessed 67.9 per cent voter turnout in 2019, 67.8 per cent in 2018, 59 per cent in 2016-17, 55 per cent in 2015, 55 per cent in 2013-14 and 60 per cent in 2012. Supporters of different student outfits chanted slogans and cheered for their leaders as voters queued to cast their votes at their respective centres. Slogans of 'Jai Bheem', 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', and 'Lal Salam' along with beats of drum rented the air as a large number of students started flocking the polling booths after 11 am. Nineteen candidates were vying for positions on the JNUSU central panel and 42 for school counsellors, with eight contenders in fray for the prestigious role of president. The Central panel consists of president, vice president, joint secretary and general secretary. The United Left comprising the All India Students' Association (AISA), Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students' Federation (AISF) fielded Dhananjay for the president's post, Avijit Ghosh for vice president, and Mh Sajid for Joint Secretary. The nomination of Swati Singh for General Secretary from the Left panel was cancelled by the Election Committee late Thursday night after it was challenged with the varsity's Grievance Redressal Cell (GRC) by ABVP. Swati later sat on a hunger strike demanding re-election and re-nomination for the post of general secretary. She alleged that the election committee informed her about the cancellation of her nomination late at night, a few hours before the commencement of the polling through WhatsApp. The election committee, however, in a statement said it cancelled her nomination upon direction from the GRC committee. During the polling differently-abled students also staged a hunger strike over an alleged derogatory remark by ABVP's presidential candidate during the question and answer session. According to the students outfit, the Left's presidential candidate Dhananjay hails from Gaya, Bihar, and stands as the potential first Dalit president from the Left after Batti Lal Bairwa in 1996-67. The RSS-affiliated ABVP fielded Umesh Chandra Ajmeera for president, Deepika Sharma for Vice President, Arjun Anand for Secretary and Govind Daangi for Joint Secretary. Ajmeera's candidacy is underscored by his background as a victim of Naxalite attacks, losing his parents tragically in such incidents. From the Congress's student outfit, NSUI Junaid Raza was running for president and Farheen Zaidi for general secretary. BAPSA's contenders for Central Panel were Biswajit Minji for president, MD Anas A for vice president, Priyanshi Arya for joint secretary and Rupak Kumar Singh for general secretary. Minji, hailing from an Adivasi community in West Bengal, draws inspiration from his parents' struggles as contractual labourers. He claims to be the first Adivasi presidential candidate if elected. Samajwadi Chatra Sabha's presidential candidate, the only female contender for president's post is from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district and aims to fight patriarchy and become the voice of the downtrodden on campus.

devdiscourse 22 Mar 2024 11:33 pm

He Called Women Of Your House Prostitutes, Stop Glorifying Him: Ranjani-Gayatri Give Stinging Response To The Hindus N. Ram Simping For EVR

The recent days have been turbulent for the Carnatic music community, with both artists and enthusiasts facing a storm of controversy. The Madras Music Academys decision to honor left-leaning vocalist The post He Called Women Of Your House Prostitutes, Stop Glorifying Him: Ranjani-Gayatri Give Stinging Response To The Hindus N. Ram Simping For EVR appeared first on The Commune .

The Commune Mag 22 Mar 2024 4:33 pm

BJPs Annamalai, ADMKs Kovai Sathyan Support Ranjani-Gayatri For Their Stance Against Music Academy Awarding TM Krishna Who Glorified Anti-Hindu EVR

The past couple of days have been quite stormy for the world of Carnatic music, artistes, and rasikas alike. Following the decision of Madras Music Academy to confer the Sangita The post BJPs Annamalai, ADMKs Kovai Sathyan Support Ranjani-Gayatri For Their Stance Against Music Academy Awarding TM Krishna Who Glorified Anti-Hindu EVR appeared first on The Commune .

The Commune Mag 22 Mar 2024 3:44 pm

Sympathizing Terrorists, Equating Lord Ram To Dog, Hailing Anti-Hindu EVR And What Not: Unmasking The Hate Politics Of TM Krishna

The internet and the Carnatic music world witnessed a surprising turn of events on 20 March 2024 when the Carnatic musician sisters duoRanjani Gayatridecided to withdraw from participating in the The post Sympathizing Terrorists, Equating Lord Ram To Dog, Hailing Anti-Hindu EVR And What Not: Unmasking The Hate Politics Of TM Krishna appeared first on The Commune .

The Commune Mag 22 Mar 2024 10:04 am

Ex-Bihar CM Jitan Manjhi to be NDA candidate from Gaya

Ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi named NDA's Gaya LS candidate. BJP, JD(U) lead Bihar seats. Chirag Paswan's LJP, Upendra Kushwaha's party got seats. RJD's Kumar Sarvajeet contesting Bodh Gaya LS seat.

The Economic Times 22 Mar 2024 9:47 am

Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini may contest from Bihar's Saran

Rohini Acharya, Lalu Prasad's daughter, likely to contest from Saran in Lok Sabha elections. RJD allocates symbols pre-seat-sharing with Mahagatbandhan. Candidates shortlisted for Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jamui. Prominent leaders involved in the process.

The Times of India 22 Mar 2024 9:29 am

Music Academy slams vocalists, defends Sangita Kalanidhi award for TM Krishna

CHENNAI: In response to vocalists Ranjani and Gayatris recent announcement to boycott the The Music Academy awards following the Sangita Kalanidhi award conferred upon TM Krishna, academy president N Murali on Thursday issued a statement saying that the sole criterion for conferring the award is musical excellence demonstrated over a significant and sustained career. He also expressed disappointment over the language and content of the duos letter, stating that the letter was replete with unwarranted and slanderous assertions and insinuations verging on defamation, and its vicious tone against a respected senior fellow-musician. He further called their decision to withdraw from the upcoming conference, because the academy had chosen for the award a musician they dislike, as unbecoming of artistes and in poor taste. I note that you have shared your letter addressed to me and the Academy on social media, which apart from being discourteous, raises doubts about the intentions behind and the purpose of your letter, Murali said in a statement. Mentioning that the Sangita Kalanidhi Award, established by the Music Academy in 1942, is the highest accolade in Carnatic music, Murali said that choice of the award is always made after careful deliberation. This year, TM Krishna was chosen by the executive committee for his exceptional musical career, devoid of external influence, he stated. The Sangita Kalanidhi awardee will preside over the academic session of the 98th annual conference and concerts of the academy to be held between December 15 to January 1. The vocalist duo took to X on Wednesday to say that TM Krishna has caused immense damage to the carnatic music world and disregarded their sentiments. The issue also took a political turn as the statement had said TM Krishnas glorified a figure like EVR who openly proposed a genocide of Brahmins, repeatedly called/abused every woman of this community with vile profanity and relentlessly worked to normalise filthy language in social discourse. A basic reading of Periyars ideas shows us that he is one of the greatest feminists the world has seen. He never called for a genocide, said DMK MP Kanimozhi in a tweet supporting TM Krishna. #thread 1/6 We have communicated our decision to withdraw from participating in the Music Academys conference 2024 & from presenting our concert on 25 Dec. We made this decision as the conference would be presided over by TM Krishna. #madrasmusicacademy #respectcarnaticmusic Ranjani Gayatri (@ranjanigayatri) March 20, 2024 Singer Chinmayi Sripaada on X questioned the duos impassioned response to TM Krishna receiving the award when the whole of Carnatic music community refused to take any action when several music students spoke about sexual abuse and harassment by multiple Carnatic Musicians in 2018. Musician and composer Chitravina Ravikiran, who was accused of sexual harassment by two of his students in 2018, also said that he is returning the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award conferred on him in 2017 in protest. Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association condemned the opposition to TM Krishna stating that it stems from hate towards his attempts to independently write and sing to democratise Carnatic music and maintain a harmony with all types of art. Those who believe inclusive art should raise their voice against this opposition, their statement said. They also added that allegations against Periyar EVR has been proved wrong several times.

The New Indian Express 22 Mar 2024 8:24 am

Badminton| Treesa-Gayatri win, Tanisha-Ashwini lose in Swiss Open

World no. 26 Treesa and Gayatri will face Australia's Setyana Mapasa

The Hindu 22 Mar 2024 3:45 am

Sangita Kalanidhi to T.M. Krishna | The Music Academy replies to vocalist duo Ranjani-Gayathri after they withdraw scheduled performance

Some other artistes followed with their objections; two persons have returned the Academys awards

The Hindu 22 Mar 2024 2:41 am

Bihar Congress President Meets Lalu Yadav

Patna: Amid speculation that the RJD distributed tickets for the Lok Sabha polls to four candidates, Congress state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh on Thursday met RJD Chief Lalu Yadav at his residence in Patna. Mahagathbandhan insiders have revealed that the Congress leadership was upset with the RJD for allocating tickets to candidates without an official announcement on seat sharing. Reports suggest that Lalu Yadav personally met candidates and distributed party symbols and tickets for the Constituencies Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, and Jamui. After a meeting with the RJD Chief, the Congress leader said that the seat-sharing issue will be resolved shortly. However, he refrained from responding to queries about reports suggesting that Lalu Yadav allocated tickets for all four Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls in the first phase. I came here to meet him (Lalu Yadav). This is not the first time, I keep meeting him regularly, Congress state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh said. He also added that the seat sharing among the alliance partners will be decided in a few days. Besides the RJD and Congress, the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar comprises three left parties CPI(ML), CPI, and CPM. The development follows a decision by the RJD parliamentary board to empower Lalu Yadav to make decisions regarding the partys candidates and alliance partners. Following a meeting of its state and national parliamentary party, the RJD reportedly assigned the party symbol to Kumar Sarvajeet for the reserved Gaya Lok Sabha seat. According to sources, Lalu Yadav also tipped Abhay Kushwaha to prepare to contest from Aurangabad seat. Mr. Kushwaha, a former JD(U) MLA joined the RJD on Wednesday. The allocation of Aurangabad to RJD candidates may upset the Congress party, which believes that it has a strong chance of winning from the constituency. RJD insiders said that Lalu Yadav has also decided to field party state president Jagdanand Singhs son Sudhakar from Buxar seat. He is also likely to consider gangster turned politician Munna Shukla from Vaishali.

Deccan Chronicle 21 Mar 2024 11:33 pm

Jitan Ram Manjhi To Be NDA's Candidate From Gaya Lok Sabha Seat, Says His Party

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi will be the NDA's candidate from the reserved Gaya Lok Sabha seat, his Hindustani Awam Morcha announced on Thursday.

NDTV 21 Mar 2024 10:50 pm

No MP from Gaya has ever become Union Minister: Jitan Ram Manjhi

The News Mill

The News Mill 21 Mar 2024 10:16 pm

LS Polls: HAM-S fields Jitan Ram Manjhi from Gaya

Patna March 21 (IANS) The Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM-S) on Thursday fielded former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi as its candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from Gaya. As per the NDAs seat-sharing formula, HAM-S was allotted one seat and the party has given the ticket to its most powerful leader, Jitan Ram Manjhi. []

bhaskarlive 21 Mar 2024 9:23 pm

Madras Music Academy Honouring TM Krishna Who Glorifies Anti-Brahmin EVR is a Big Issue: Ranjani & Gayatri | Interview

Vocalist sisters Ranjani and Gayatri are among six musicians who have withdrawn from the Margazhi festival this year over the Madras Music Academys decision to present the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi Award to Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna

News18 21 Mar 2024 7:38 pm