Seattle, Sep 19 (IANS) Author and former UN official Lakshmi Puri says a multi-season web adaptation of her novel “Swallowing the Sun” is being developed, with screenplay work under way as she takes the book’s international edition on a tour of the United States.

In an exclusive interview with IANS at the Jaipur Literature Festival in Seattle, Puri discussed the adaptation, the family history that inspired her novel and her belief that storytelling can advance the cause of women’s empowerment.

The proposed series has made significant progress she said and expressed hope that it would eventually appear on a major streaming platform. She did not identify a platform or announce a release date.

“So they are writing the screenplay and it's, it's, and then, you know, the whole process is ongoing,” she said.

Puri said the adaptation was announced in September last year. Her account placed the project in development, with writing and other work continuing.

The novel’s journey, she said, began at the Jaipur Literature Festival in early 2024, which its international edition was launched this year. Returning to the festival’s international circuit in Seattle brought a sense of renewal as she introduced the book to another readership, she noted.

Puri described the novel as an instant bestseller that had also received critical acclaim. Marathi and Telugu translations were available, she said, while a Hindi edition was expected soon. She said the Marathi and Telugu editions had also become bestsellers.

The international edition was launched in Britain in February this year. Her US tour takes her from Seattle to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston, with a mix of festival sessions and separate engagements.

Two appearances are linked to JLF, in Seattle and Houston. She also plans to attend the South Asian Literature and Art festival and participate in other events.

One engagement coincides with Gandhi Jayanti. Puri said she would use that occasion to discuss how Mahatma Gandhi comes alive in “Swallowing the Sun”, which places its characters against the backdrop of India’s struggle for independence.

Asked what inspired the novel after a career that took her around the world, Puri traced its origins to a story much closer to home.

Her work at the United Nations had focused on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Fiction offered another way to pursue the same cause, through characters whose lives could bring those concerns directly to readers.

“So I realised that this cause is best promoted through storytelling,” she said.

Within her own family, she had a story she had wanted to explore for decades. Puri described her parents as feminists ahead of their time, whose lives combined a commitment to education with a deep engagement in literature and culture.

Her mother, she said, was among the early women in Maharashtra to pursue postgraduate education and study law. Her father was a lawyer who, she said, contributed to work on India’s Constitution in support of B.R. Ambedkar.

Both parents wrote poetry. Their interests, values and experiences helped shape the world she wanted to recreate.

Yet Puri was careful to distinguish inspiration from biography. The novel pays tribute to her parents and their generation, but its characters and narrative belong to fiction.

Poetry runs through the book, alongside its engagement with Marathi culture and literature. Puri said she wanted to bring that cultural inheritance to readers while telling a story that travelled beyond a single region.

The narrative moves across India, taking in places including Indore, Mumbai, Banaras, Shimla and Delhi. Its roots remain in Maharashtra, but its geographical and emotional reach is wider.

“So it's a pan-India story, quintessentially Indian, but universal in appeal,” she said.

She described it as both an epic romance and a story of women’s empowerment. The questions it explores include how women a century ago found the confidence to act, pushed against restrictions and participated in the freedom struggle.

The title comes from a verse by the saint-poet Muktabai. Puri pointed to its imagery of extraordinary, seemingly impossible feats as the source of the novel’s underlying faith in human possibility.

“So, you know, emphasising that if you have faith, if you persist, if you dare, you can achieve the impossible,” she said.

That spirit, she explained, also speaks to people who feel insignificant or limited by their surroundings. Her characters’ experiences carry the idea that circumstances need not determine the limits of a person’s contribution.

Puri also placed the book’s international journey within the wider movement of Indian literature across borders. She praised the Jaipur Literature Festival’s organisers for taking Indian writing abroad while introducing international writers to audiences in India.

“And that osmosis has been a major contribution to spreading India's soft power around the world,” she said.

She welcomed the festival’s expanding presence in countries including the United States, Britain and Spain. Its overseas editions, she said, had helped its reach grow with each passing year.

Responding to a question about the future of writing in the age of artificial intelligence, Puri expressed hope that the written word would survive in its original conception, returning the conversation to the human impulse behind her own book.

Puri’s career has spanned diplomacy, service at the United Nations and literary work. A former UN assistant secretary-general, she linked her turn to fiction with the gender equality cause she had championed internationally, drawing on family experiences to explore it through individual lives.

“Swallowing the Sun” brings together romance, poetry, women’s aspirations and India’s freedom struggle. Its central story draws on the generation that inspired Puri within her own home, while its translations and international edition carry that account to readers beyond its original English-language audience.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Actress Sobhita Dhulipala has opened up about the preparation in Mallakhamba for her role in Pa. Ranjith’s Vettuvam, saying that while stunt doubles were used during rehearsals for sequences, the cast made sure to perform every stunt themselves and “took it as a challenge.”

The film’s action-heavy world required the cast to undergo rigorous preparation in traditional physical and martial arts forms.

Sobhita said in a statement: “The preparation that went into this role blasted open my mind and body into new kinds of awareness.”

She added: “Some of the sequences that were choreographed require years of martial arts practice, so even while there were stunt doubles for rehearsals, we all made sure to do every single stunt on our own, and we were a really solid team; we took it as a challenge.“

The actress shared that it is “such an inspiring state to be in.”

“A special shout out to the boys in the film for being my friends through this wild journey together. I thrive in physical charge and this film gave me the space to experience it with such great energy.”

For Sobhita, the preparation has extended beyond the conventional demands of an action role, with her training across Adi Murai, Malla Khambh and the deadly Surul (curling blades) as part of the process.

Vettuvam follows a rural gangster who is a modern-day Robin Hood to his people, but who turns himself in to the police to avoid his enemies. What he finds within the prison system is far worse.

Sobhita made her acting debut in Anurag Kashyap's Raman Raghav 2.0 in 2016 and then played the lead role in the series Made in Heaven.

She went on to appear in commercial successes with Goodachari and Major, the Malayalam films Moothon and Kurup, the two-part Tamil epic Ponniyin Selvan: I and Ponniyin Selvan: II. Sobhita was also seen in the Hindi crime thriller series The Night Manager and expanded to American cinema with the action thriller Monkey Man.

--IANS

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Nagoya, Sep 19 (IANS) Indian shooter Rahi Sarnobat said she faced no accommodation issues after arriving in Japan for the Asian Games 2026. Brushing aside the reports of delayed accommodation, the veteran shooter stated that she did not face any issues and got her room on time.

Sarnobat, who is among the 35-member shooting squad set to feature in the Asiad in Aichi-Nagoya, spoke about the delay in getting a room in Japan “Actually, there was no issue at all. There was some confusion with the organisers, but I got my room well on time. I am perfectly all right," Sarnobat told IANS.

Reports had earlier claimed that Sarnobat faced issues getting her room on time, having to switch hotels to secure accommodation.

The 35-year-old is a 2018 Asian Games gold medallist in the 25m pistol event. She also won a bronze in the team event in the 2014 Incheon Asiad.

India will get their shooting campaign underway on Sunday. India had a prolific shooting outing in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, when the squad brought 22 medals - seven gold, nine silver and six bronze. They would be eager to replicate the performance and bring more laurels to the nation in the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medallist, will lead the Indian contingent alongside kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat at the Asian Games opening ceremony here on Saturday.

Manu’s journey from a 16-year-old making her Asian Games debut to becoming one of India’s flag-bearers gave her a moment to reflect on how far she has come in sport, as she said that the honour brought back memories of her early days in shooting. Bhaker is competing at her third Asian Games, having first represented India at the 2018 edition in Jakarta and Palembang.

--IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 19 (IANS) The Kerala government will take a final decision in the coming days on the course of action to be taken on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) report in the CMRL-Exalogic case, State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Saturday.

Speaking to the media, Chennithala said the government had received the Advocate General’s legal opinion on the ED report.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is currently out of station and, once he returns, the two would discuss the opinion and take a final decision on the way forward, he said.

“Monday is a holiday here. In the coming few days, the State Government will take a decision,” Chennithala said.

According to sources, the AG has advised the government that it can proceed with an investigation based on the ED’s 25-page report submitted to the state police chief.

The opinion states that a case can be registered and investigated under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The legal opinion has left it to the Vigilance Director to decide whether to conduct a preliminary enquiry or register a full-fledged FIR.

It also gives the investigating agency the freedom to determine the nature of the probe.

The ED report contains allegations and findings relating to controversial financial transactions between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic Solutions, a company owned by Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

According to the ED, its investigation has uncovered evidence and documents beyond the allegations that had surfaced earlier.

It has alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan, who was Chief Minister at the time, misused his official position and received illegal payments, with the money allegedly routed through Exalogic.

The ED has sought action under the Prevention of Corruption Act against more than 12 people, including Pinarayi Vijayan, former minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas and Veena Vijayan.

The report also refers to other financial transactions running into several crores and points to a wider financial network beyond the accounts of the companies directly involved in the CMRL-Exalogic transactions.

It mentions the alleged involvement of Riyas, Veena Vijayan and a CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretariat member.

The government is also facing demands that the case be handed over to the CBI, citing concerns over the impartiality of a State Vigilance probe and the wider implications of the allegations.

The final decision by Satheesan and Chennithala is, therefore, expected to determine whether the matter proceeds through Vigilance or is referred to another central investigating agency.

--IANS

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Ranchi, Sep 19 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren did not appear in person before a special PMLA court in Ranchi on Saturday in connection with a money laundering case linked to 8.86 acres of land in the Bargain area of the city.

His counsel informed the court that the Chief Minister was occupied with pre-scheduled constitutional responsibilities. The court has fixed September 21 as the next date of hearing and directed Soren to appear either physically or through virtual mode at 4 p.m. on that day.

The proceedings in the special court resumed after the Jharkhand High Court on Friday rejected Soren's discharge petition, refusing to grant him relief in the case.

The High Court upheld the special PMLA court's earlier order dismissing his discharge plea, thereby clearing the way for further proceedings before the trial court.

Soren had challenged the PMLA court's order rejecting his discharge application and had also sought a stay on the ongoing proceedings before the lower court.

After hearing arguments from both sides on September 16, the High Court had reserved its verdict, which was delivered on Friday.

The case pertains to 8.86 acres of land in Ranchi's Bargain circle area. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating allegations that the land was acquired through illegal means and that the transactions associated with it involved irregularities.

According to the agency, land-related documents and procedural records were allegedly manipulated.

Soren has denied the allegations, maintaining that there is no sufficient direct evidence against him.

The ED, however, has contended that documents recovered during the investigation, witness statements and other circumstantial evidence establish a prima facie case.

On June 8, the special PMLA court rejected Soren's discharge plea, observing that the material available on record was sufficient at the prima facie stage to proceed further with the case.

The court had clarified that no conclusion regarding guilt had been reached at that stage.

The ED has filed a charge sheet against Soren and around 18 other accused persons in the matter. The special court has already framed charges against several of the co-accused.

--IANS

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Seattle, Sep 19 (IANS) The Jaipur Literature Festival opened its third Seattle edition with a defence of reading and human imagination, as writers, civic leaders and diplomats explored how stories can connect cultures in a city helping shape the age of artificial intelligence.

The gathering at the Seattle Public Library brought India’s literary traditions into conversation with the concerns of an American technology centre. Speakers discussed the preservation of memory, the importance of empathy and the place of books in children’s lives as technology changes how people learn.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson welcomed the festival as a meeting of the Pink City and the Emerald City. She said the library was a fitting place to begin, describing it as a space that felt like the city’s living room.

“Seattle is at its heart a city of readers,” she said.

Wilson pointed to reading in neighbourhoods, classrooms, coffee shops, bookshops and libraries. She said JLF had quickly become part of Seattle’s cultural rhythm, bringing together writers, artists, scholars, students and curious readers from across the Pacific Northwest.

“Festivals like this one remind us that stories bring us together. They build bridges,” she said.

For Wilson, that connection was also about entering experiences beyond one’s own and imagining possibilities that might otherwise remain unfamiliar.

“In a room like this with open seats and open minds, we get to practice empathy,” she said.

The mayor raised a concern particularly relevant to Seattle: what the rise of AI might mean for reading, attention and the ability to write and think.

She acknowledged the city’s complicated position. Much of its economy was tied to the technology sector, including companies developing AI tools with potentially substantial benefits for humanity.

But, speaking as the parent of a three-year-old, Wilson said she worried about the effects on children growing up in a world very different from the one she had known.

She recalled how reading had helped her reach beyond her own experience and understand people living in another country or another period of history. The question, she suggested, was how children would develop those capacities amid technological change.

That made a public commitment to literature, writing and reading especially valuable, she said.

Wilson urged festivalgoers to attend sessions that interested them, meet someone new and trade book recommendations. She hoped they would carry something from the festival into their lives after leaving.

India’s Consul General in Seattle, Prakash Gupta, placed the gathering within another story of change: the expanding presence of Indian culture and the Indian American community across the United States.

Gupta recalled arriving in November 2023 and meeting festival organisers over coffee at a hotel. The consulate and the Seattle festival initiative were beginning their journeys at roughly the same time, he said.

Both sides were still working out how to establish themselves, but shared the determination to get started.

Watching JLF grow into a gathering at the Seattle Public Library had been a privilege, Gupta said. He described it as bringing together minds from India and Seattle.

He said the festival’s spread across American cities reflected the Indian American community’s growing size and its contributions to the country’s economic life.

Gupta also welcomed the participation of diplomats who had become authors. As a member of the Indian Foreign Service, he said, the festival offered opportunities to reconnect with senior colleagues through their writing.

His wider point was that art could reach people across geographical and cultural boundaries.

“Thank you so much for bringing the slice of India for this weekend to Seattle,” he said.

Sanjoy Roy, speaking for the festival, asked the audience to consider why literature, libraries and art mattered in a city so closely associated with technology.

He argued that art and cultural expression endured through the rise and fall of civilisations. Libraries, he said, preserved the record of human experience.

“These are institutions that hold memory,” Roy said.

He described stories as a force that brought people together and helped form communities. Literary gatherings offered opportunities to encounter different cultures, philosophies, food and ways of life.

Understanding those differences, he argued, could help counter ignorance. Reducing ignorance could, in turn, help confront hatred and violence.

Roy urged the audience to treat that effort as a responsibility shared by everyone.

“We have to step up to the table. We have to make a difference,” he said.

“This is a gathering of hope.”

Canadian novelist Yann Martel’s keynote explored why stories and imagination matter in uncertain times. He widened the discussion beyond books, pointing to storytelling through oral traditions, plays, poetry, songs, pictures and music.

Entertainment was part of a story’s appeal, he said, but did not exhaust its purpose.

Using the Trojan War narratives as an example, Martel discussed how stories could endure across centuries and shape a people’s understanding of themselves. Figures such as Achilles, Helen and Odysseus remained familiar even to audiences who had never read Homer.

The organisers, meanwhile, emphasised the community effort behind the festival. They thanked donors, sponsors, volunteers and partners for helping bring writers to Seattle and opening their work to new audiences.

Literary festivals, they said, transformed what often began as a private experience — one person reading a book — into a public conversation among strangers.

JLF Seattle forms part of the Jaipur Literature Festival’s international expansion from India. Its programme brings local, national and international voices together, with the Seattle launch following an opening gathering at a gallery the previous evening.

Martel is the author of “Life of Pi”, which won the 2002 Booker Prize. His keynote brought the perspective of a novelist known for exploring belief and imagination to a gathering focused on literature’s place in public life and the connections between Indian and international storytelling.

--IANS

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Patna, Sep 19 (IANS) JD(U) Chief Spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar, on Saturday hit back at party MLA from Mokama, Anant Singh, over his opposition to Kumar in the upcoming Patna Graduate constituency Legislative Council election, saying the legislator 'deserves sympathy' and does not even know how to write 'Assembly' or 'Legislative Council'.

Kumar also took a swipe at Singh, saying that if there were a 'Maha Murkh Sammelan', Singh should be invited as its chief guest.

“When there is a ‘Maha Murkh Sammelan’, its chief guest should be someone who has been a sant of Beur Jail. Bihar Legislative Council member Nitish Kumar has continuously served as the Chief Minister of the state, while Samrat Choudhary has been a Member of the Legislative Council and has also served as Deputy Chief Minister. What is the relevance of the House? Rabri Devi is the Leader of the Opposition. What does this poor fellow have?” Kumar told IANS.

“He is such a person in politics that he deserves sympathy. He does not even know how to write ‘Assembly’ or ‘Legislative Council’. Therefore, when there is a ‘Maha Murkh Sammelan’, let him be its chief guest,” he added.

Kumar also alleged that Singh was moving around with people with criminal backgrounds and said that such activities would be dealt with according to the rule of law.

“I have seen all the videos and who roam around. You are roaming around with goons. All such people will be seen as it is the rule of law and order,” he said.

Neeraj Kumar further said that Anant Singh is a complete failure.

“Does any of this have any value? Did he go to the orientation programme yesterday? Does he even understand what a budget is, what a revenue deficit is, what revenue receipts are, or what a fiscal deficit is? He is a complete failure in all this," he told IANS.

Neeraj Kumar further claimed that Anant Kumar is anti-Extremely Backward Classes.

Neeraj Kumar said, “Didn’t you get your wife elected in 2019? You were going to Ayodhya. You were packing someone up. And everyone else is still here on this Earth, while this person is sitting in Beur Jail... He himself has admitted that the ticket of an Extremely Backward Class candidate was cut. What does that mean? He is anti-EBC! Anyone who does not accept the leadership of Nitish Kumar will be considered a political traitor to the Janata Party."

The remarks came after Singh publicly announced his opposition to Kumar in the upcoming Patna Graduate constituency Legislative Council election, saying he would use all his political strength to defeat him.

Speaking to journalists in Patna, Singh argued that his opposition did not amount to acting against the JD(U), as Legislative Council elections are not contested on the party’s election symbol.

He also alleged that Kumar had previously worked against him and had attempted to undermine senior JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh.

Kumar also reacted to reports of an offer from the RJD and Congress to former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to join their parties.

“We have openly rejected the offer. You are making an offer? We are with the NDA, and the leader of our party is Nishant Kumar. The Samrat-Nishant duo has created such a stir in Bihar’s politics that now political opponents are making all kinds of offers. But the offer is rejected,” he said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India is the only G20 country that has fulfilled all the commitments made at the Paris COP21 Summit, ahead of schedule, highlighting the country's progress in renewable energy, clean mobility and other areas of environmental protection.

He made the remarks after inaugurating the international conference on 'The Future of Environment and Climate Dynamics', where he outlined India's achievements in addressing climate change and protecting the environment while integrating its traditional environmental values with modern development.

Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, "India is the only country in the G20... and I am stating this right in front of the top leaders of the G20. India is the only country that has fulfilled all the commitments made at the Paris COP21 Summit ahead of schedule. I am talking about the strength of India. Non-fossil fuel, solar energy capacity, curbing carbon emissions -- on every parameter, India's performance is a subject of positive discussion across the world today."

He said initiatives and international platforms such as the vision of 'One Sun, One World, One Grid', the International Solar Alliance, CDRI, Global Biofuels Alliance, International Big Cat Alliance and Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) are serving as platforms for India's dedicated commitments towards climate action and environmental protection.

"India is moving forward by integrating its ancient values of environmental protection into a modern vision. Over the past years, India has made extraordinary progress in every field and sector associated with the environment. Our major focus has been on renewable energy, and it has played a significant role in protecting the environment," he said.

PM Modi highlighted the expansion of India's solar energy capacity, saying that around 12 years ago, the country's solar power capacity was approximately 2 gigawatts, while it has now crossed 160 gigawatts.

"Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, we launched a mission to make homes themselves the centres of solar power generation. Under this scheme, rooftop solar panels have been installed in more than 50 lakh households so far. This is greater than the total number of households in many countries around the world. For this, the government has provided financial assistance of up to around Rs 80,000 per household. Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, the government has worked to install solar pumps in the fields of 30 lakh farmers," he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the government's efforts to promote energy efficiency through LED bulbs, saying that the initiative has helped conserve electricity after LED bulbs were distributed to households in very large numbers.

Through solar energy alone, PM Modi said India has succeeded in curbing nearly 20 crore tonnes of carbon emissions.

He said India has also made significant progress in other clean energy sectors, pointing to the growth of wind and hydro power as well as the country's efforts to expand nuclear energy generation.

"Along with solar energy, India has achieved major milestones in other clean energy sectors as well. Over the past 12 years, the country's wind energy capacity has increased three-fold. There has been substantial growth in hydro energy capacity. And now, the country is progressing swiftly on nuclear energy generation. And those who keep delivering long lectures on the environment... when I take the work on nuclear energy forward, they will line up in the courts to stall it," he added.

"Today India is progressing rapidly in areas such as clean mobility and green hydrogen. Just a few days ago, India's first hydrogen train was flagged off, and it is the world's longest hydrogen train. This marks the beginning of a new era in clean mobility," he said.

Highlighting the rapid growth of electric mobility in the country, PM Modi said the number of Electric Vehicles in India has increased dramatically over the past 12 years.

"In the last 12 years, the number of Electric Vehicles in our country has surged by nearly 950 times -- 950 times! In the year prior to 2014, fewer than 3,000 EVs were sold in India, just 3,000! In contrast, nearly 25 lakh (2.5 million) EVs were sold in India last year. This means India is seizing the opportunity of the EV revolution with full vigour, which is also benefiting the environment," he said.

He also referred to the FASTag system on highways and expressways, saying that the technology has reduced waiting time at toll plazas and consequently helped curb fuel wastage.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the expansion of India's Metro rail network, comparing the present network with the situation before 2014.

"Up until 2014, our country had a Metro network of roughly 250 kilometres spread across only 5 cities. Today, Metro trains operate in more than 20 cities across the country, and India has joined the ranks of nations worldwide that possess a Metro rail network exceeding 1,000 kilometres," he said.

PM Modi also spoke about efforts to promote natural farming and climate-resilient agriculture. He said that under the National Mission on Natural Farming, 24,000 clusters covering nearly 12.5 lakh hectares have been formed across the country.

He further said that nearly 3,000 varieties of climate-resilient crops have been developed, highlighting the focus on strengthening agricultural practices in response to changing environmental conditions.

Under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, PM Modi said crores of trees have been planted across the country and that the tree-planting movement continues to progress steadily.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Feb 13 (IANS) Maharashtra NCP(SP) President Shashikant Shinde has written a commemorative editorial in the party’s magazine, shedding light on the hidden dynamics of the split and the alleged merger plans between the two NCP factions.

Shinde claimed that late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was forced to exit the original NCP due to threats and conspiracies orchestrated by "invisible powers."

He further said that a final decision to merge the two parties was reached in the presence of Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar and was to be announced on February 12.

In a massive revelation, Shinde asserted that Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders had agreed to hand over the entire command of the unified party to Ajit Pawar following the merger.

“Fulfilling this merger and rebuilding the party with strength would be the only true tribute to Ajit Dada," Shinde wrote.

Shinde clarified, "It was our decision to hand over all party responsibilities to Ajit Dada once the merger process was complete. However, fate had other plans. We were all mentally prepared to accept Ajit Dada’s leadership.”

Shinde appealed to the party faithful, asserting that a merger is the only true tribute to the late leader. He noted, “Ajit Pawar’s dream remains unfulfilled, and it is now the party's responsibility to complete it. Unity: Reuniting and strengthening the NCP is the ultimate goal. Leaders and workers must set aside their differences and broaden their perspective to achieve this unity.”

Following the publication of the article, senior NCP(SP) leader and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh remarked, "I am unaware of what our State President has said. Since he wrote the article, he likely has more information than I do. I personally have no knowledge of this matter."

While Sharad Pawar has avoided commenting publicly on the matter, Shinde’s article has brought these behind-the-scenes developments to light. However, Shinde’s revelations have sparked a new controversy and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) has reacted with sharp skepticism.

Party spokesperson Suraj Chavan questioned the timing of these claims. Chavan alleged that discussing a merger while the leader’s mortal remains were still at Vidya Pratishthan suggests a "lust for power" rather than genuine respect. He clarified that Sunetra Pawar is now the ultimate authority of their party and any dialogue must happen through her.

Further, the party legislator Amol Mitkari stated that no such merger discussions have occurred within their internal party meetings, attributing the rumours to the rival camp's leaders.

While the Pawar family continues to demonstrate a unique balance of political rivalry and familial bond — recently seen at family weddings — the political future remains clouded.

All eyes are now on Sunetra Pawar. Whether she will pursue the "unfulfilled dream" of a unified NCP or maintain a separate identity, remains a question that will define the next chapter of Maharashtra politics.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) India’s share in global electronics demand has expanded at a rapid compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2 per cent, significantly outpacing global growth of 4.4 per cent between 2015 and 2024, driven primarily by the sharp rise in mobile phone exports, according to NITI Aayog's Trade Watch Quarterly report for July-September 2025-26, launched on Friday.

Between 2016 and 2024, electronics exports increased nearly five-fold, reaching USD 42.1 billion. With global electronics trade valued at USD 4.6 trillion, the sector represents one of the largest and fastest-evolving segments of the world economy. India has demonstrated particular strength in products such as mobile phones, consumer electronics, and communication equipment, with exports increasingly directed towards major final-consumption markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE, the report states.

Electronics, the thematic focus of this quarter's edition, has emerged as a cornerstone of India's manufacturing and export transformation. Now the second-largest item in India's export basket, the sector is both technology-led and deeply interconnected with industries such as automotive, renewable energy, telecom, defence, and digital services, making it a powerful multiplier for industrial growth.

The report states that having established a strong foothold in assembly and system integration, India is now entering the next phase of its electronics journey, moving decisively toward component manufacturing and higher value addition. This transition is supported by targeted policy measures, including the Union Budget's Rs 40,000 crore allocation under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, aimed at strengthening domestic capabilities.

The analysis underscores that sustained competitiveness will be driven by deeper integration into global electronics value chains, encompassing printed circuit board design, semiconductor assembly and testing, power electronics, and embedded systems. Complemented by continued improvements in logistics efficiency, tariff rationalisation, and industry-aligned skill development, these shifts position electronics as a key engine of India's export growth and technological advancement in the coming decade.

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery said, "Electronics, as the organising core of modern manufacturing value chains, with semiconductors and components, plays a key role in determining trade balances and technological sovereignty. While India has achieved scale in final assembly, sustained competitiveness will depend on correcting structural cost disabilities, deepening domestic component ecosystems, and leveraging anchor investments in components to embed Indian firms more firmly within global production networks."

The publication also provides a comprehensive assessment of global and domestic trade trends at a time when global trade growth has moderated but remains positive, with services continuing to outperform goods and developing regions emerging as key drivers.

The analysis highlights that India's trade performance in Q2 FY26 was driven by export-led momentum sustaining the overall trade expansion amid heightened global uncertainty. Services and merchandise exports recorded robust growth of around 8.5 per cent, outpacing import growth in both merchandise and services.

At a structural level, the edition underscores the deepening of trade among developing economies, which has expanded nearly four-fold since 2005 and now accounts for a rising share of global exports, with India’s trade trajectory increasingly aligned with this Global South rebalancing through regional value chains and new trade corridors.

Further, this edition highlights the growing role of e-commerce as a key enabler of future export growth. India is now among the world’s top six e-commerce markets, with electronics accounting for nearly half of online retail.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) In a farmer-centric step to stabilise domestic markets and ensure remunerative returns to producers, the Centre on Friday approved the export of 25 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat, along with an additional 5 LMT of wheat products.

According to a Consumer Affairs Ministry statement, wheat stock availability with private entities during 2025–26 stands at approximately 75 LMT, which is nearly 32 LMT higher compared to the corresponding period last year.

"This substantial year-on-year increase indicates a comfortable supply position in the country. Furthermore, as on April 1, 2026, total wheat availability in the central pool with FCI is projected at around 182 LMT, thus ensuring that export permissions will not impact domestic food security requirements," it said.

Moreover, wheat acreage in Rabi 2026 has also increased to about 334.17 lakh hectares compared to 328.04 lakh hectares last year.

This reflects strong farmer confidence in wheat cultivation supported by assured MSP and procurement mechanisms, and signals the likelihood of another robust harvest, the official statement further added.

The decision to permit export of 25 LMT of wheat and 5 LMT wheat products will help stabilise domestic prices, improve market liquidity, ensure efficient stock rotation, and further strengthen farmers’ income while ensuring national food security.

Meanwhile, to facilitate sugar exports, the government decided to allow export of an additional 5 LMT of sugar to willing sugar mills during the current Sugar Season 2025–26.

Earlier, the government had permitted the export of 15 LMT of sugar during the current Sugar Season 2025–26. This decision is expected to facilitate higher sugar exports and help in managing surplus sugar availability in the country.

As per data, only about 1.97 LMT of sugar has been exported up to January 31, 2026.

In addition, approximately 2.72 LMT of sugar has been contracted for export by sugar mills to date.

The ministry said that the additional export quantity of 5 LMT shall be made available to willing sugar mills, subject to the condition that at least 70 per cent of their allocated quantity is exported by June 30, 2026.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) Actress Asha Negi has reacted to actor Rohit Roy’s ‘dustbin medium’ remark about television, saying she does not know the intention behind his statement or what kind of frustration may have led to it.

Asha spoke to IANS about Rohit, who in an interview had tagged the small screen as a “dustbin medium” and said film stars have a certain level of "style and class" that television actors lack.

She told IANS: “I don’t know what the intention was behind it what people go through… What type of frustration they have experienced? I cannot comment on what he said.”

However, Asha is grateful for whatever she has achieved and credited her success to the small screen via her stint on “Pavitra Rishta” starring Ankita Lokhande and late star Sushant Singh Rajput.

“But for me personally, television has given me everything. I became a household name because of television, and till today people still call me Purvi, my character name from Pavitra Rishta,” she said.

She is thankful to television and said that cinema or OTT could never give what she has through TV.

So, if they remember till now, it is because of television, and that medium is… I will always be grateful to television for giving me what I have today. I don't think OTT or cinema would be able to give me what TV has given me.

Asha’s latest show is “Ali Baba Aur 40 Bhoot”. The upcoming horror-comedy series brings together ancient folklore, haunted mysteries and adventure.

The show also features stars Asha Negi as Ali and Vishal Vashishtha as Baba.

Set against the mysterious world of Central Indian folklore, “Ali Baba Aur 40 Bhoot” follows Alisha “Ali” Nigam, a sharp, science-driven neuropsychology expert, whose search for her missing father pulls her into a world of supernatural mysteries.

The 40-episode series premiered on September 11 on JioHotstar.

--IANS

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Chennai, Sep 19 (IANS) Actor Dhruv Vikram, who is also the son of popular star Vikram, plays the role of a stuntman in his upcoming film, 'Jackie - No Retakes Allowed'.

The film, which is being directed by Karan Arvind Kumar, is being produced by

well known production house Mythri Movie Makers. Interestingly, this is the fourth venture of the popular production house in Tamil.

The makers of the film recently released a promo of the film, titled 'Jackie - First Move', which gave away the fact that Dhruv Vikram plays a stuntman and a body double, who takes on the responsibility of performing dangerous stunts in a film in the place of the hero.

Sharing the promo on its social media timelines, Mythri Movie Makers wrote, "Presenting to you The #Jackie First Move. Flying soon. #Dhruv is JACKIE.

Directed by @karanAkumar12. A @Music_Santhosh musical. Produced by @MythriOfficial."

The promo begins with a film's stunt director and director urging a hero called Random Star Rahul to perform a simple stunt in the film himself. The hero refuses to do the stunt saying, "Why should I risk myself and do this stunt? I can't do this." Puzzled, the director turns to the stunt director and asks him what the stunt was. The stunt director explains, "All I wanted him to do was run towards 50 villains who would be running towards him from the opposite direction. That's all!"

With the hero refusing to do even this stunt, the makers are left with no choice but to go in for a body double. The promo then shows Jackie (Dhruv Vikram) confidently striding out to the sets. In the background, a conversation between Jackie and his girlfriend plays. The girlfriend is heard cautioning Jackie not to break his arms and legs like how he did in his previous stunt.

As the stunt begins, a group of ruffians charge towards Jackie and he takes them on with a smile. Meanwhile, the director and stunt director are puzzled when another bunch of men arrive saying they are ready for the shot. It is then that they realise that the people whom Jackie is fighting are real villains...

The film is being produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar under the banner of Mythri Movie Makers.

The film boasts an impressive technical crew. National Award-winning composer Santhosh Narayanan is scoring the music for this film, while Viki is handling its cinematography. Jayasuriya is responsible for the film's editing, with GM Sekhar overseeing production design. Renowned action choreographer Vikram Mor is designing the film’s action sequences.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Television superstar Ankita Lokhande was seen celebrating the Gauri-Ganpati festival with family and friends and also Ekta Kapoor who is an extremely close friend and mentor of Ankita.

In a video on social media, she explained the significance of Gauri Sthapna and the traditional celebrations associated with the festival.

Ankita was seen talking about the significance of Gauri Maa's arrival and how the tradition is observed in Maharashtrian households.

Explaining the tradition, Ankita said that Gauri Maa comes to her maika (maternal home) during the festival. She explained that after spending time at her maika, Gauri Maa leaves along with her son, Lord Ganesha, and this departure is marked through the Gauri-Ganpati Visarjan.

For the uninitiated, Gauri Avahan is observed on the fourth day of Ganesh Chaturthi.

For the celebrations, Ankita was dressed in an elegant traditional cream-and-gold saree. She paired the look with traditional gold jewellery, green bangles and a gajra adorning her neatly tied bun. Her husband Vicky Jain was seen in a traditional orange-brown kurta, joining her during the festivities.

Ekta was seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Vicky, with the two giggling and laughing together as Ankita attended to other guests and participated in the rituals.

Ankita was also seen having an emotional and wholehearted moment while performing the Ganpati aarti. Dressed in her traditional saree and jewellery, she sang the aarti aloud.

The video appears to have been shot at Ankita's mother's residence, where she was seen participating in the Ganpati rituals.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Actress Swati Sharma, who plays Vaishnavi in 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2', has emerged as Tulsi's daughter-figure after the leap in the show. She spoke about being compared to actress Mouni Roy's iconic character Krishna Tulsi from the original season.

"Honestly, I haven't watched the first part of Kyunki, so I can't really comment on how similar my character was to Mouni's. When I was cast, a few articles were saying it would be somewhat on those lines, but I really don't know how much similarity there actually was," said Swati, who has also been part of shows like 'Yeh Hai Chahatein', 'Chahenge Tumhe Itna' and 'Tu Dhadkan Main Dil'.

It was in 2006, when Mouni stepped into television with Ekta Kapoor's 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi'. Similar to Vaishnavi, Mouni’s Krishna Tulsi, an adopted village girl brought into the sprawling Virani household. She was introduced as the daughter-figure and protege to the central protagonist Tulsi Virani.

Speaking about her own journey, Swati feels Vaishnavi's track has been one of the most significant ones in the reboot.

"But if I look at Vaishnavi's journey individually, I feel it was a very important and major track. Especially the Parth, Vaishnavi and Reyansh chapter - the marital rape track. The emotions, the layering of the character, the journey from hatred to friendship to love to facing physical abuse... this journey gave me a lot to perform," she said.

Swati added: "It was one of the best things that happened to me on Kyunki, and I got a lot of appreciation for that track.

“ As an actor, when you get such depth and such an emotional graph to portray, it really challenges you and helps you grow."

Swati does not want to be compared with Mouni.

"And I definitely don't want to compare myself with Mouni. She's a great star and she has come a long way. She started with television, and today she is doing films and getting appreciated for her work. She has reached a completely different level," she said.

She concluded, "For now, I'd rather compare myself with who I was yesterday and see how far I've come. That is what keeps me grounded and motivated to do better."

'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2', which premiered on July 29, 2025, is a direct sequel and reboot to the iconic 2000s series. The show marks the return of Smriti Irani and Amar Upadhyay as Tulsi and Mihir Virani. It has been created by Ekta Kapoor.

--IANS

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