From drone-lit skies and gemstone rangolis to fragrance journeys and theatrical thalis, India's new-age festive events blend heritage with high-tech spectacle to create memories that feel both intimate and unforgettable.
Round up of all the Ranji Trophy action on Thursday
Following the devastating cloudburst and flash floods that wreaked havoc in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army has launched extensive rescue and relief operations.
'An HAL-private sector tieup is a possibility.'
A commander of the banned CPI (Maoist) was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Palamu district. Another red rebel, carrying a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, was injured in the encounter. Several weapons, including a self-loading rifle, were recovered during the search operation following the gunfight.
Aamir Khan's starry magic, Akshay Kumar's buffoonery and more on OTT this week.
Like his father Karunanidhi and AIADMK rivals MGR and Jayalalithaa, Stalin would like to confine his real political work to Tamil Nadu, and not want to take after the late Congress leader K Kamaraj and take up a national role, even if to create greater political space for son Udhayanidhi, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
Three Thursdays after Nepalese President Ram Chand Poudel conferred the rank of honorary general of the Nepalese army on General Upendra Dwivedi in Kathmandu, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honorary rank of general of the Indian Army on General Ashok Raj Sigdel, Nepal's army chief, at a special investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
'We made a mistake. We misunderstood. Now all is well.'
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been issued a non-bailable warrant by a Mumbai sessions court after he failed to appear in court to address a cheque bounce case. The court rejected his plea for suspension of a three-month jail sentence and ordered his arrest. The case stems from a 2018 complaint by a company that alleged Varma's firm issued two dishonored checks totaling Rs. 3,72,219.
'Bappi Lahiri was looking for a break so he and his father would meet me.' 'I told Director Bhisham Kohli about this promising young boy from Kolkata, and Bappi came over with his harmonium.' 'Bappi played this composition and Bhisham liked it immediately.' 'As we were discussing, I said I would give the words, and that's how I wrote this song.'
The mortal remains of Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, one of the two Air India crew members from Manipur who perished in the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash, were brought back to Imphal on Sunday.
Rider Fateh Jahan Singh Dhaliwal, aged 16, has also approached the court, through his mother, seeking quashing of the list of selected athletes and requested "further directions to conduct the shortlisting of riders for the Asian Youth Games".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi intensified his attack on the Election Commission, accusing them of 'vote chori' and warning of action if the INDIA bloc forms the government. He alleged a 'new special package' for Bihar, named SIR (Special Intensive Revision), is a 'new form of vote theft'.
'Looking at how quickly the hostilities were escalating, the nuclear threshold did not seem that far.'
The Election Commission has asked RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to hand over a voter ID card for investigation after he claimed to possess it despite it not being officially issued. The controversy arose after Yadav alleged discrepancies in the electoral rolls and claimed his voter ID number was changed.
Yarraji also competed in the women's 200m event in Warsaw and clocked 23.53 to finish second behind compatriot Kiran Pahal, who timed her run at 23.33.
The cheeky young man who once gave me one-word answers grew into a philosophical, detached star yet remained simple and humble, never letting stardom steal his heart, notes Rediff's Shobha Warrier who first interviewed the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner in 1987.
Lt. Vinay Narwal, an Indian Navy officer, was killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, while on his honeymoon. His family, friends, and political leaders mourned his loss, describing him as a brave soldier and a promising young man. The attack sparked widespread condemnation and calls for retribution.
Even after 50 years, Sholay remains a lasting reminder of unity, shared memories and the joy of cinema, notes Mohammad Asim Siddiqui.
'In case a particular industry has not passed on the benefits and if we receive complaints, we will take up the matter with the industry body concerned.'
Festive sales are expected to surge 27 per cent to cross Rs 120,000 crore in 2025, driving Amazon and Flipkart to expand warehousing capacity by millions of cubic feet and extend delivery networks to thousands of new pin codes -- an infrastructure buildout that could reshape India's retail landscape for years.
'Madhubala in Kala Pani looks divine and yet, she's not just there for glamour.' 'In Do Raaste, the character of Neelambari (played by Bindu) isn't a heroine in the traditional sense but she has such a pivotal role.' 'That Raj Khosla gave a non-heroine such a central role, instead of the heroine, says a lot about how he valued female characters.'
The textile and apparel sector is India's second-largest employment provider, after agriculture, and it is now caught in a wave of uncertainty following the Donald Trump administration's tariff policy.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has assured the nation that India will respond strongly to the recent terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. He stated that India will not be intimidated by such acts and will take every necessary step to trace those responsible and those who conspired behind the scenes. Singh described the attack as "extremely inhuman" and reiterated India's zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.
A 20-year-old man in Delhi has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his parents and sister to death on their 27th wedding anniversary. The suspect, Arjun, reportedly confessed to the crime, stating he was angered by his parents' preference for his sister and their decision to give her the family property. Police are investigating the incident and have collected evidence against Arjun, including injuries on his hands consistent with the attack. There were no signs of forced entry, and the murder is believed to have occurred within an hour.
'I played five different versions of Woh Subah Kabhie Toh Aayegi for Raj Kapoor, only to be greeted with a totally blank reaction.' 'Thereafter, for 40 minutes, he disappeared, leaving us baffled.' 'But when he emerged, he couldn't stop appreciating our efforts!' 'He said Sahir Ludhianvi's writing was sheer poetry and since all my five tunes were equally wonderful, he would leave it to my discretion to chose the final tune.' 'What could be greater appreciation for an artiste?'
With 17 films crossing the Rs 100 crore mark in the first six months, this year relied less on big-ticket blockbusters.
A CoBRA commando of the CRPF, who was fatally shot by a Maoist sniper while establishing a new base in Chhattisgarh, was posthumously awarded the Shaurya Chakra, India's third highest peacetime gallantry medal. Constable Pawan Kumar and Constable Devan C, both from the 201 CoBRA battalion, were recognized for their bravery and courage in the face of a Naxal attack. In addition to the two posthumous awards, five other CRPF personnel received the Shaurya Chakra for their roles in two separate operations against Naxals.
'People are fed up with rising crimes and poor law and order.' 'Modi must have got feedback and decided not to touch the 'jungle raj' issue as it will backfire.'
'Panchamda created an exclusive theme music for Gabbar Singh, which is used throughout the film every time the dacoit makes an appearance, and in both concept and sound, is so eerie and evil.'
A murder convict, out on parole for treatment, was shot dead by gunmen inside a private hospital in Patna, Bihar. Police are investigating the incident, suspecting old rivalry as the motive.
A special court in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district granted bail to three persons, including two nuns from Kerala, arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion.
The always dependable Pratik Gandhi finds a match in Sunny Hinduja and they are surrounded by a top notch supporting cast, observes Deepa Gahlot.
India remained at the top of the medal tally with a total of 16 medals which included one silver and four bronze.
'Make-in-India played a key role in India's effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor.'
India fully utilised its military modernisation budget in 2024-2025 -- the first time in five years -- and signed a record Rs 2 trillion defence contracts.
Bank employees want a five day work week.
Glass facades and air-conditioned enclaves are giving way to spaces that breathe -- homes that reflect a deeper connection to nature, heritage, and well-being.
'The EC should not have let the initiative go into the hands of the political leadership. By allowing this to happen, they have opened a Pandora's box.'
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