New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) India's teenage tennis player Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi believes her maiden professional singles title is only the beginning of her journey on the senior circuit, while maintaining that there can be no question of surpassing former world No. 1 doubles player Sania Mirza, whom she continues to idolise.

The 17-year-old announced her arrival on the professional circuit with a remarkable double-title triumph at the W35 Lagos tournament in Nigeria, winning the singles crown without dropping a set in the main draw after partnering Ukraine's Yelyzaveta Kotliar to the doubles title.

The 17-year-old beat Spain’s Celia Cervino Ruiz 6-4, 6-2 in the final to become the youngest Indian woman to win a W35 singles title, breaking a record held by Sania Mirza for 22 years.

Asked about surpassing Sania, one of India's most accomplished tennis players, Maaya was quick to dismiss the comparison, emphasising the legacy the former Grand Slam champion has left behind for the next generation.

"Well, I don't think you can actually surpass her, you know, because she's a legend and she'll always remain a legend," Maaya told IANS during a virtual interaction with the media.

"So I think it's just that I still do look up to her in a lot of ways because I think she was the idol when I was growing up in the country and she's someone who's made tennis visible in the country after so many years," she added.

Maaya, who has followed Sania's journey through interviews and podcasts, said she had not interacted with the tennis icon extensively but hoped to learn from her experience.

"But I haven't really spoken to her that much. But I wish I could. But otherwise, yeah, I still look up to her, hear all her podcasts, hear all her interviews. And yeah, I think with Sania, she'll remain a legend and she'll forever be my idol," she said.

It was a huge step for the teenager as she navigated her way up through the ranks of the game. Ranked as world no. 1038 prior to the tournament, Maaya qualified for the main draw, then earned a win against number one seed, Justina Mikulskyte in the first round before further success over higher-ranked players.

She completed her fairy-tale run when she defeated Spain's Celia Cervino Ruiz 6-4, 6-2 in the summit clash to win the maiden title on the pro circuit. The Indian, who had also partnered Kotliar to win the doubles title after a 0-6, 6-2, 10-7 win over China's Min Liu and Italy's Carlotta Moccia.

Even with the breakthrough, Maaya downplayed the magnitude of what she had achieved, noting it was a confidence-building experience.

"I think this is just sort of a start because it's the first title. And it's a good sign to start off the pro career. It's a good start for sure," she said.

"But I don't think this is going to make that big of a deal, you know, because it's just a start. And now it's just a confidence that, you know, a confidence that I've given myself that I can compete better. So, you know, probably I'll carry the confidence into the tournament that I'm going after. But it just starts here," she added.

The teenager said she entered the Lagos tournament without expectations, an approach that helped her focus on her game rather than the rankings or the quality of her opponents.

"Well, yeah, first of all, just like you mentioned, first one's always special and lots of sweet memories this week. Yeah, I just, you know, for me, it just felt like another tournament, to be honest, because I've been competing for a while now," she said.

"As a qualifier, I just tried to do as much as I could and went my way."

Reflecting on her unbeaten run in the main draw, Maaya said the experience reinforced her belief that results at the professional level often depend on who performs better on a particular day.

"I think, first of all, I came in with no expectations. Won a round in the qualifiers and I was set up to play the top seed in the first round. And, yeah, I think I just went out there, tried to play as good as I can because I think I was the underdog in this tournament," she said.

"So I just tried to play as good as I can and watched a few matches. You know, everyone plays good over a certain point. If you're playing pro tournaments, I think everyone plays a decent level. And I think when you step on the court, it really matters who plays better that day."

Maaya's opening-round victory over Mikulskyte was particularly memorable, as she recovered from a 0-5 deficit in the first set to win it 7-5 before taking the second 6-1.

Recalling the comeback, the Indian revealed that a glance at the clock prompted an unusual thought that helped her stay in the contest.

"No, it's going to be super funny because I didn't start very well. And she's definitely a really good player. And a lot of things were going on. And 0-5 changed how I looked at the clock. There's a clock on court," she said.

"So I looked at the clock and it was, I think, 25 minutes into the match. And the first thing that came into my mind is I'm not losing a set in 25 minutes. So I just tried to stay. I just tried to play at one point at a time. And just stay alive in the set as long as I could."

The turnaround, she said, gave her the momentum to take control of the second set.

"First of all, if I'm taking a set from 0-5 down, I think that plays a part. The momentum was with me and I just tried to keep going the way that I was. Not changing anything. Just trying to focus on basic things that helped me win the first set," she said.

Maaya also credited the experience of competing in junior tournaments, where players regularly participate in both singles and doubles, for helping her manage the demands of a packed schedule in Lagos.

"I think the good thing of playing juniors is that you're used to competing this way. You know, when you play juniors, you play singles, doubles every week. And, you know, and then you're used to it by the time you have the transition into the pro," she said.

She added that physical recovery remained a priority throughout the week, with stretching, nutrition and rest helping her cope with the workload.

"I've been stretching well. I'm physically perfectly fine. And so far, nothing has happened, touch wood, and nothing would ever happen, hopefully. So I've been just trying to recover as much as possible, stretching well, trying to get some good food, and trying to stay out of the clothes after the match," she said.

The teenager, who trains at Elite Tennis Centre (ETC) in the south of France, also spoke about her association with Spanish great Rafael Nadal's academy, which she left a couple of months ago to pursue what she described as the best option for her development.

Maaya clarified that she was no longer training at the Rafa Nadal Academy and had joined ETC around the time of the US Open.

Asked about her experience of being around Nadal, she described the 22-time Grand Slam singles champion as an inspiring presence whose experience could benefit young players preparing for major tournaments.

"I think he's a really inspiring person to have around in the first place," she said.

"I think he's got that aura to inspire people just with his presence. And he used to talk to players before we go to slams or before major tournaments. And, yeah, he's always a very motivating person."

Maaya also recalled spending time on court with Nadal's uncle and former coach, Toni Nadal, during the summer of last year.

"There were a few things that he had told the coaches that I had to work on. And we were going towards it. And, yeah, I spent some time with Toni Nadal on court. I think summer last year. Yeah, summer last year. And, yeah, it was nice," she said.

"It was good. And, you know, just that, you know, people go on about their things. And all he says about is about his experiences. And because when we enter the slams, it's just that he's the man with the most amount of — not the man, but I think one person with the most amount of experiences. And I think, yeah, he lets us know on what to look out for and what to try out."

Maaya acknowledged that her junior Grand Slam performances this year had not been up to her expectations but said she was focused on learning from those experiences rather than dwelling on the results.

"On the charts, definitely the performances weren't as good as I wanted it to be. But just like I said, I think it's all lessons you learn and it's all things that you see on the road," she said.

"All I can do is I can try to improve, try to do better and try to get probably better results in the next slams. But, you know, it's not, I'm not really starting to expect right now. So I wish I could have done better for sure, but that's behind me now."

Looking ahead, the teenager said she wanted to compete more regularly in professional tournaments and improve her ranking to gain entry into bigger events. She also plans to spend time strengthening her physical conditioning and making technical improvements during the coming months.

"For the first part, I think I haven't changed much because I think as a player, there's always something to work on. There's always something to improve technically, mentally, physically. So I've just been trying to improve all parts of me as a person, as a player, everything possible that would help me on court," she said.

"I think over a certain period, things would come together. You know, sometimes it's not there, but over a certain point when you keep putting in the work, things will start coming together. And I think that's when it makes the difference. You wouldn't know when, but, you know, I think that's the beauty of the sport."

For now, Maaya is focused on building the confidence gained from her Lagos triumph and translating it into consistent performances against stronger opposition.

"I think one important thing is that I really have to trust myself more to be more confident in myself because, you know, you're never there. There's always something to work on. There's always something to... But when you deliver a certain level and just that when you step on court next time, I just want to feel like, you know, I can do it. I can actually do better and I can actually be there," she said.

"And that sort of confidence is developed in this week for sure, which wasn't there before."

While the teenager has another year of junior eligibility remaining, she expects to play more professional tournaments alongside the junior Grand Slams. She is also open to competing at the Chennai Open if she receives a wild card.

Her immediate priority, however, remains steady improvement rather than setting rigid targets.

"I think that's how most of the tournaments that I'm going to play is going to be. I'm just going to go and try to give my best, see what happens. I don't think you can actually decide earlier on you want to win this tournament or whatever," she said.

"So just that I want to go play and enjoy, have fun on court and see how it goes."

--IANS

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Kolkata, Oct 12 (IANS) A major disaster was averted by alert staff of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Ladakh, officials said.

A BRO team on Sunday was engaged in formation cutting work somewhere in Kargil when a landslide occurred.

Several lives could have been lost had a personnel named Furman Ali not shouted out a warning.

A video shared by the BRO shows work underway to cut a road out of sheer rock on a mountain face.

Several workers rushed to safety after hearing Ali's warning.

Another personnel, named Charanjit Sarkar, also succeeds in bringing back the tracked equipment being used to drill into the rock.

Barely moments after that, a portion of the rock face comes hurtling down, exactly at the spot where the BRO personnel were working. They were part of the 762 Border Roads Task Force of Project Vijayak.

The BRO has made special mention of Ali and Sarkar and pointed to how alertness pays off in challenging terrain.

"The two displayed exemplary alertness during formation cutting work. On detecting signs of an impending landslide, Ali promptly raised the alarm, while Sarkar swiftly moved the drilling equipment to safety," the BRO has said.

"Their presence of mind averted a potential mishap. The Director General of Border Roads (Lieutenant General Harpal Singh) commended both karmayogis for their courage and timely action. BRO is proud of its karmayogis, whose alertness and dedication safeguard lives even in the most challenging terrain," it said.

Project Vijayak is named after Operation Vijay of 1999, during which Indian armed forces recaptured the Kargil heights from the Pakistan Army.

Apart from building and maintaining connectivity for the armed forces deployed along the Line of Control, Project Vijayak was entrusted with two strategically important lines of communication in the Western Indus Corridor.

These are the Zojila-Kargil-Leh and the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha axises. These were previously under Project Himank.

Subsequent to realignment of project boundaries, roads and airfields in the Western Shyok Corridor and Nubra Corridor (Siachen Glacier) also came under Project Vijayak.

At present, Project Vijayak is in charge of building and maintenance of nearly 1,400 km of high-altitude roads and 80 major bridges.

"The teams are constantly working to create new roads for easier access to strategic locations. In several places, they are cutting through rocks to create roads. This is where absolute vigil is necessary," an official said.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) Actress Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, who can be currently seen in the reality streaming show ‘Rise and Fall’, recently got a chance to meet politician Lalu Prasad Yadav during the show.

A clip from the show has surfaced on social media, and it shows the actress recollecting a parliamentary speech of the politician where he told Mamata Banerjee that her demands won’t be met unless she raises them.

She told him on the show, “I watch all your videos. Sometimes I search your name on Instagram and scroll all your reels. I like you a lot. You look very funny. And your talks make me laugh a lot”.

Lalu Prasad Yadav was in the show for his son Tej Pratap Yadav.

She then recollected the incident from the Parliament, as she said, “They say that it is not right that the rail was asked for. They say that it was not asked for. They say that if it was not asked for, it will not be found. You are very funny”.

Meanwhile, ‘Rise and Fall’ features 15 contestants competing over 42 days in a game built around power, strategy, alliances and shifting fortunes. The contestants are divided between the Rulers, who control the game from the Tower, and Workers, who live in the Basement and fight for opportunities to move up.

Season 2 introduces an additional layer of audience participation, with viewers getting the power to influence who becomes a Ruler or Worker.

Swara Bhasker, Karan Patel, Priyanka Chahar Choudhary, Shehzad Poonawalla, Gautam Gulati, Tej Pratap Yadav, Sara Gurpal and Kajal Raghwani are a part of the show. The series marks Virender Sehwag’s streaming debut as a reality-show host

Produced by Banijay Asia, the show is available to stream on Amazon MX Player.

--IANS

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Muscat, Oct 11 (IANS) Two Indian seafarers are missing after the tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian crew members, came under a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage in Oman on Sunday, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said, adding that nine of the Indians have been rescued.

"On October 11, tanker MT Petro Dolphin, carrying 11 Indian seafarers, was subjected to a drone attack at Sohar Anchorage. While nine of our Indian crew members have been successfully rescued and are safe, two Indian nationals currently remain missing," Sonowal said on social media platform X.

"Search-and-rescue operations are actively underway by the local Coast Guard. We are continuously coordinating with all relevant authorities to fully support the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure every possible action is taken to safely locate our missing personnel," he added.

The Embassy of India in Muscat said it was closely monitoring the situation concerning the Nicaragua-flagged tanker.

"The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation concerning MT Petro Dolphin, a Nicaragua-flagged tanker. Two of the 11 Indian seafarers onboard are reported missing. The Embassy is in close and continuous contact with the concerned authorities," the Embassy said on X.

The attack comes days after another vessel with Indian crew members was targeted off the coast of Oman.

On October 6, India condemned the attack on MT On Peace off the coast of Oman, which was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. It reiterated its call for an immediate cessation of such incidents in the interests of peace and stability in the region.

The total crew onboard the vessel includes 17 Indian nationals, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.

As many as 12 crew members, including 11 Indian nationals, were injured in the attack.

"We condemn the attack earlier today on a Panama-flagged commercial vessel MT On Peace (IMO 9893204) off the coast of Oman, where it was struck by a projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Of the total crew of 19, 17 are Indian nationals. It is learnt that 12 crew members have been injured, including 11 Indian nationals," the MEA said in a statement.

The MEA added that the continuing incidents of attacks on shipping in the region remain a "cause of deep concern for India" and reiterated its call for an immediate cessation of such attacks in the interests of peace and stability in the region.

"The targeting of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilian infrastructure in the region must end, and navigation and commerce through international waterways must be restored at the earliest," the MEA statement said.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) Actor Ranvir Shorey has reacted to the ongoing protests, and the political upheaval over the demands for resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar.

On Sunday, the actor took to his X, formerly Twitter, and quote tweeted a video in which the Chief Spokesperson of the Cockroach Janta Party Sourav Das can be seen saying that the party, its workers and the protestors won’t go back on their demands, and appealed to the citizens to hit the streets.

Responding to the same, the actor wrote, “Show your numbers in Parliament and the ballot, not the streets! And if the way to those seems unjust, show the courts”.

“That is the democratic way! Hijacking the streets and holding the public infrastructure and law and order machinery to ransom is the actual ‘murder of democracy’”, he added.

The pressure group, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has intensified its agitation demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with protests in Delhi entering their second day on October 11, 2026. The youth-led movement is opposing the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise has disenfranchised millions of voters.

The Election Commission and the BJP have denied allegations of manipulation. On October 10, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and fellow leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained after arriving in Delhi for a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Many protesters were also detained as authorities imposed extensive security restrictions. The three leaders were released on October 11, reportedly subject to a condition to maintain public peace for one year. Dipke subsequently vowed to continue the agitation. The CJP has also called for electoral reforms and an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in voter-list revisions.

The Apex Court during its special hearing on Sunday noted that there will be no detention of the protestors, and the public transport will return to normalcy.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) The Delhi Traffic Police on Sunday issued a traffic advisory in view of the protests and the proposed INDIA bloc march towards the Supreme Court on Monday, warning that traffic movement could be affected across several parts of the national capital.

According to the advisory, traffic diversions will be enforced from 6 a.m. on Monday, depending on the prevailing law and order situation.

Commuters have been informed that movement on several key roads, intersections and surrounding stretches in New Delhi and Central Delhi may remain affected.

The traffic restrictions and possible diversions are expected at 30 identified locations, including Round About Shankar Road-Vande Matram 'T' Point towards New Delhi, Dhaula Kuan Flyover, Round About Jhandewalan, Round About Panchkuian, Round About Mandi House, Dr Dinesh Nandini Dalmia Chowk (W-Point), Ram Charan Aggarwal Chowk (A-Point), Minto Road-Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, Guru Nanak Chowk and Chelmsford Road-Outer Circle Connaught Place T-Point.

Other affected locations may include Bharion Road-MGM (Ring Road) T-Point, Lodhi Road Flyover, Round About Neela Gumbad, Madarsa T-Point, Round About Samrat Hotel, Sardar Patel Marg-Panchsheel Marg crossing, under Bhikaji Cama Place, under Moti Bagh Flyover and Ring Road-San Martin Marg T-Point.

The advisory has also identified Round About Ashoka Road-Jantar Mantar Road, Round About Windsor Palace, Tolstoy-Janpath crossing, Round About Rail Bhawan, Jai Singh Road-Sansad Marg crossing, Outer Circle Connaught Place-Barakhamba Road T-Point, Round About Gol Dak Khana, Round About Patel Chowk, Jai Singh Road-Ashoka Road T-Point, Round About RML Hospital and Outer Circle Connaught Place-Sansad Marg T-Point as locations where traffic movement could be disrupted.

The Traffic Police has advised commuters to plan their journeys in advance and keep additional travel time in hand, particularly those travelling to railway stations, Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) and the airport through New Delhi and Central Delhi.

People have also been requested to avoid non-essential travel in view of the anticipated traffic restrictions and possible congestion.

The advisory clarified that traffic management arrangements would remain dynamic, with restrictions and diversions being imposed, regulated, or relaxed depending on real-time assessments of the situation on the ground.

Commuters have been urged to take the advisory into account while planning their journeys on Monday to avoid inconvenience.

--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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Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) Veteran actor Anupam Kher has shared his best wishes for Bollywood legend, Amitabh Bachchan on his 84th birthday. The actor penned a heartfelt note for the acting lauding him for inspiring a legions of artistes with his conduct both on and off the camera.

On Sunday, the senior actor took to his Instagram, and shared a monochromatic picture with the Bollywood legend. In the picture, the 2 can be seen dressed in heavy layers of woollens.

He also penned a long note in the caption, “Happy birthday to the tallest of them all in stature, talent, dignity and strength! The one and only MR. AMITABH BACHCHAN!! Amit Ji! You are an inspiration to the world, and to me personally. Your grace, your dedication and the respect you bring to your craft continue to inspire generations”.

He further mentioned, “I have cherished every moment spent with you. You have always brought out the best in me, both on and off screen. Every opportunity to work with you has been a privilege, and every conversation a treasured memory. May God bless you with all the happiness in the world and a long, healthy life. May you continue to fill our hearts with wonder for many, many years to come. With love, admiration and deepest respect. Happy Birthday, Amit ji. @amitabhbachchan”.

Amitabh Bachchan is one of Indian cinema’s most iconic actors, with a career spanning more than five decades. He also turned a household name with his stint in the quiz based reality show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’.

Beyond cinema, Big B briefly entered politics in the 1980s. A close friend of Rajiv Gandhi, he contested the 1984 Lok Sabha election from Allahabad on a Congress ticket and defeated veteran politician H. N. Bahuguna by a substantial margin. However, he resigned from Parliament in 1987 amid controversy surrounding the Bofors scandal, while denying allegations of wrongdoing. He subsequently distanced himself from active politics and returned to his primary profession, continuing to enjoy immense popularity across generations.

--IANS

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Los Angeles, Oct 11 (IANS) Actress Summer H. Howell, who is receiving a lot of positive response for her recently released streaming miniseries ‘Carrie’, has shared that she likes to journal to cleanse her system off the characters that are intense, and can weigh heavy on the mind.

Summer spoke with IANS along with her co-actress Samantha Sloyan during the promotional run of the show.

She told IANS, “Well, I have limited time when you're working 12-hour days and a lot of those are covered in blood head to toe or mud or whatever else they want to throw at me. But my only other job really was to make sure I stayed healthy to go home and eat food and go to bed on time even when I wanted to stay up and do my own thing. But yeah, I also journal a lot”.

The series is based on the eponymous novel of Stephen King, and follows the socially isolated teenager as she navigates high school, bullying and the oppressive influence of her mother, Margaret, while discovering her telekinetic abilities. Director Mike Flanagan updates the story for the social-media era, bringing cyberbullying, online humiliation and modern teenage pressures into the narrative.

“So, keeping track of things mentally, being grateful through it all because there's no reason not to be”, she added.

The series expands several characters and explores the psychological roots of cruelty, victimhood and revenge more deeply than earlier adaptations. While Brian De Palma’s 1976 film remains the iconic version, the series format gives the story considerably more room to explore its characters and themes. The series is available to stream on Prime Video.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji once explained why two actresses, according to her, can't 'really' be friends.

As she appeared on the 'Koffee With Karan' show with Kareena Kapoor, host and filmmaker Karan Johar asked Rani, "Do you believe two actresses can really be good friends?"

Rani said, "With an actress, I can't. Not really, really close."

Explaining the reason behind her reply, the 'Maardani' actress went on to add, "Why I say that actresses can't be friends is that every actress has her own career graph. Like, you know, I started in a way, and I'll be ending up in a way. Kareena's career graph is different. So, both of us can't have the same career graph. I might do a certain kind of films, she'll do different films. But then, if she gives a hit, it doesn't mean that something's going wrong with me. If I give a hit, it doesn't mean something's going wrong with her. So, we can be friends, and we can survive in the same industry because there's so much work for everybody."

Over the years, Rani and Kareena have appeared together in several Hindi films.

Their professional association began back in 2001, with Karan Johar's 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'. While Kareena played Pooja (Poo) in the blockbuster, Rani Mukerji was seen in an extended guest role as Naina. Next year, in 2002, they came together for the romantic entertainer, 'Mujhse Dosti Karoge!', which also had Hrithik Roshan as the lead.

The two actresses were also a part of the ensemble cast of J. P. Dutta's war drama, 'LOC Kargil', which came out in 2003.

Veteran filmmaker Mani Ratnam directed Rani and Kareena in 'Yuva' in 2004.

They last shared screen space in the psychological mystery thriller, 'Talaash: The Answer Lies Within,' in which Aamir Khan was also the lead.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Oct 11 (IANS) Before joining Bollywood, actor Vicky Kaushal was an Engineering student. However, he soon realized that it was not his calling.

During his appearance on 'Into The Wild With Bear Grylls', Vicky recalled the exact moment he realized that engineering was not for him.

He shared with Bear Grylls that during his second year of college, they went on an industrial visit. The 'Uri' actor recalled that when he saw people working on their computers, it was the first time he felt that he did not belong there.

During the episode, Bear Grylls asked Vicky if his father, veteran action director Sham Kaushal, wanted him to become an actor.

The 'Chhaava' actor told him, “Actually, I have been an engineering student, and my father was very happy that his son had become an engineer, because nobody in my family before me had ever done a 9-to-5 job where they got a monthly paycheck and weekends off so they could enjoy family time."

“In the second year of my graduation, the faculty took all of us to an industrial visit to show us what the future is like and how companies work. I went there, and till that time I was actually a rat in the race. But the day I went there, I saw people working over there in front of computers; I just couldn't feel that, and for the first time in my life I was very sure of something: that I don’t belong here. I was very active on stage and knew that it was something that made me happy,” Vicky further recalled.

Talking about Vicky's career trajectory, he made his acting debut in the 2015 release 'Masaan'. After that, he went on to strengthen his position with some memorable performances in 'Raazi', 'Sanju', 'Manmarziyaan' and 'Uri: The Surgical Strike', among others.

He also garnered a lot of praise for his last release 'Chhaava', co-starring Rashmika Mandanna.

--IANS

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