Category Archives: Amazing Feats

Tangible benefits of an intangible heritage

The UNESCO tag has given our Durga Puja an international stature and definitely boosted the economy, says former culture secretary Jawhar Sircar.

The UNESCO application

Tapati Guha-Thakurta, cultural historian

I was approached by the ministry of culture, Government of India, in 2018 to put together a dossier on Durga Puja. A joint secretary of the ministry had come across my book In the Name of the Goddess: The Durga Pujas of Contemporary Kolkata and that is how they thought of contacting me. They wanted to submit an application to UNESCO for the inclusion of Durga Puja in India in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The joint secretary told me that the government at the Centre had applied for the listing earlier, but without success.

I accepted the offer after some thought. We had four months to prepare. The application form runs into 30 pages with questions such as “Is there any part of the element that is not compatible with existing international human rights instruments or with the requirement of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, or with sustainable development?” Another question reads — “How would human creativity and respect for cultural diversity be promoted by the inscription of the element?” Each answer has a word limit!

My book was the product of many years of research, so in a sense I knew the answers but there was also a need to update some things.

To start with, I picked a bunch of researchers. We pored over the previous
applications and samples of successful ones. We needed to convey in our appli-
cation that this event is a public performance of religion and art and involves
the community.

The ministry’s representatives were keen on listing Durga Puja of India in the UNESCO list. But I argued that the festival has evolved into a unique community event rooted in Calcutta over the past two centuries and that it was Durga Puja in Calcutta that would tick all the requisite boxes.

We needed signatures from various community stakeholders. This was a requisite of the application. We met idol makers, artists, families hosting Durga Puja for generations, representatives of Puja committees, corporate sponsors, media, councillors and government officials. This bit of getting people to sign endorsements was a challenge.

In December 2021, “Durga Puja in Kolkata” was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO authorities have a provision for periodic status checks to safeguard the basic elements of Intangible Cultural Heritage — inclusivity, diversity, openness and aesthetics.

Internships, sponsorships

Jawhar Sircar, former culture secretary

From the beginning of the new millennium, UNESCO came up with quite a few conventions or regulations to guide nation states in the restoration of antiquities or cultural properties. There were several successful efforts in the area of tangible heritage. But not much had been done till then to preserve intangible heritage.

UNESCO selected and approved the first lot of intangible heritage inscriptions in 2003. At the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. India was awarded the intangible heritage tag for Ramlila, Vedic Chanting, Kutiyattam, Ramman and Nowrouz. In 2008, UNESCO revived the convention with a modified procedure. As the Union secretary of culture, I participated in this process at the UNESCO. I learnt a lot about presenting professional proposals to the UN body.

China had obtained approval for 36 inscriptions of its ancient cultural practices. We too decided to get our act together. In 2009, India submitted 10 to 12 such dossiers.

By then we realised that the central government has its limitations when it comes to identifying things in a country as diverse as India. And so we decentralised it and involved the states. In 2016-2017, the Government of India decided it would choose the subjects and then get the dossiers prepared by those best suited for the job.

The UNESCO tag has given our Durga Puja an international stature and definitely boosted the economy. Tourism is just one benefit, it has also opened up new avenues for artists. Students from art colleges find opportunities to intern, pandal design has become a more structured affair and with the increase in footfall, more sponsors have come forward.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Theme, preview, carnival

Bhabatosh Sutar, artist

In 2013, I went to Paris. It was my first trip abroad. Nobody knew me. No sooner than I touched down, my friend took me to an art gallery. An exhibition had been inaugurated that very day. A woman came up to me, introduced herself and addressed me by my name. I was taken aback. Eventually I learnt that she knew of me from Tapati Guha-Thakurta’s book. Though the UNESCO tag was yet to come, that day I had a preview of how international recognition of Durga Puja would translate for all involved in this effort.

My first Durga Puja was at Barisha, followed by Behala… That was at the turn of the millennium. Much has changed since. Words like theme, preview and carnival have been added to the Durga Puja lexicon. The art factor has acquired a different dimension altogether.

The UNESCO tag has meant even the smaller pujas have been catapulted into this collective fame.

If you ask me, Durga Puja right now is only just coming into its own as an art event in the global scene. It will blossom as time goes by.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Tourism booster 

Atri Bhattacharya, former state tourism secretary

I have long believed that Durga Puja is West Bengal’s biggest tourism property. And tourism is a very important economic driver for a state like Bengal. While heavy industry comes at a price in an agrarian region, tourism must be developed to supplement industrial investment.

When I worked in the state tourism department, we did our best to promote Durga Puja as the world’s greatest public festival. The UNESCO proposal made a case for the economic importance of Durga Puja.

The state government and the British Council had commissioned a study to evaluate its economic importance. According to the 2021 report, annual estimated Durga Pujarelated profits are ₹32,000 plus crore. Today, it is estimated at close to ₹50,000 crore.

The tourism department did its best to publicise Durga Puja worldwide. We managed to get coverage in international publications and also flooded the Internet with attractive audio-visual modules. We conveyed the sheer scale of the festival.

A lot has happened after the UNESCO tag but I think only 50 per cent of Durga Puja’s economic potential has been tapped to date. The tourism potential should be fully realised. This will then have a ripple effect on other sectors of the economy. I hope the new government accepts that while Durga Puja is a rich aspect of religion, it is also a social, cultural and economic phenomenon.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

Rural employment guarantee scheme

Purnendu Dey, artist

Iwas born into a family of carpenters in Channa near Burdwan. For generations,
our family made Durga Puja decorations for the royal family of Burdwan. The royal family’s puja centres around the worship of Pateshwari Devi, a patachitra represen-
tation of Durga.

I learnt to paint in childhood but my formal training was at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, and Calcutta’s Government College of Art and Craft. I arrived in Calcutta in 2003 and started taking up Durga Puja-related assignments. I started to build a team of artisans, farmers, farm labourers and students from art colleges. To date, I hire traditional wood carvers from Notun Gram in Burdwan to execute intricate installations. In addition, I train rural workers in fibre casting, sand casting and ceramics.

These indigenous artists bring to their work an innocence and sincerity, a worship-like quality. Although some of them belong to marginalised communities, everyone works as a cohesive unit. The team lives, cooks, eats and works together for three months in the pandal like a family.

Durga Puja is a traditional employment guarantee scheme. For centuries, it used to be sponsored by traders and zamindars across Bengal’s villages. Every year after the cultivation of the aman crop in July-August, most farm labourers would have no work. Between then and harvest time, the puja generated work and kept the wheels of economy turning.

In 2019, I was one of the many artists whose inputs were sought by the team of researchers who filled the UNESCO form. I pointed out that Durga Puja has been providing our rural population with more than 100 days of work.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

Art avatar

Arijit Maitra, general secretary, Samaj Sebi Sangha

In 1969, the directorate of tourism introduced the concept of awards during Durga Puja. Bagbazar topped the list, second was Samaj Sebi and Gouriberia came third. In 1976, the government introduced another award wherein people’s choice and involvement were given weightage.

The Asian Paints award of the 1980s was a game-changer. Awards began to be given for idol, pandal and lighting. I remember Adi Ballygunge, Broad Street and Bondel Road would bag the prizes for their idols, while Mudiali and Jodhpur Park would be winners in the lighting category.

Artists such as Bhabatosh Sutar, Susanta Paul and Amar Sarkar brought in the concept of theme puja in the late 1990s.

When research for the UNESCO tag began in 2019, installation art was making a debut. The festival had already become more structured. Durga Puja is now an artists’ affair, with light and music directors, theme composers, mechanism technicians, projection operators and curators all roped in.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

Before the beginning

Ruby Palchoudhuri, president emeritus, Crafts Council of West Bengal

My journey of presenting the Durga Puja of West Bengal to the global audience began many years ago. I call it my Durga yatra.

In the 1990s, I took artisans from across Bengal to the UK, Europe, the US and Australia. They made Durga idols there. It was my attempt to show the world how much we invest in Durgotsav.

Wherever we showcased our work, I would choose a theme. In 1995 at the Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts, US, master craftsman Nemai Chandra Pal from Krishnanagar and his assistant Biswajit Chakraborty built a 10 by 8.5 feet idol of Durga. Nemai Pal is not only an ace sculptor, he knows our culture well. He followed the description in our shastras while creating the image of the goddess. The programme was inaugurated by Siddhartha Shankar Ray, the then ambassador to the US. The Smithsonian Institution funded the whole programme.

In 2002 in Scotland, at the National Museums Scotland, Nemai Pal built a Durga using clay from River Tay. The Scottish Arts Council, now called Creative Scotland, sponsored the event. In 2006 at the British Museum, we created an 18-foot Durga protima. Gurupada Chitrakar painted the chalchitra and held workshops with school children. Our artists had great fun with the staff of the health and hazard department. They had to use scaffolds and ladders to work on the top part of the idol. They were ordered by the officials to wear boots whilst working on the ladder. Our artists were uncomfortable. When the health and hazard staff were not looking, they would take off their boots. Such are the cultural differences!

The last Durga yatra I organised was in 2007 in Australia. It was titled Goddess: Divine Energy and hosted at the Art Gallery of New South Wales museum, Sydney.

The UNESCO tag has made Durga Puja relevant and empowered artists and all those involved in this cultural festival.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

City turned art gallery

Sunanda Sanyal, professor emeritus of art history

I left India in 1988 for higher studies and eventually settled down in the US. For two decades, I did not have the opportunity to visit Calcutta during Durga Puja. In 2007, when I did, I saw how the festival had undergone a metamorphosis. I made a documentary film called A Homecoming Spectacle.

Part of it focused on a select group of theme artists and their creations. These creators — modern visual artists — had bridged the gap between highbrow gallery art and popular, large-scale public spectacles. They transformed the city into an open-air art gallery every Durga Puja.

Four years later, in 2010, I saw another big shift. I captured this in a sequel A Homecoming Spectacle: Issues. That year, the trend was to showcase folk arts and artists in the Durga Puja pavilion. Some pandals were criticised for going “overboard”, taking unlimited creative license. An image of the asura as Osama bin Laden and a pandal showing a train wreck were criticised.

In 2019, when Tapati Guha-Thakurta was asked to fill out the UNESCO application form, I was among the many people who supported the effort. Two years later, when UNESCO granted the heritage tag, we were excited. We expected the inscription would enhance the already growing international face of Durga Puja and add a new dimension of artistic creativity.

By Prasun Chaudhuri

A package deal

Shailaja Mundra, Kolkata unforgettable

About 15 years ago, when no one was thinking about a UNESCO tag, my husband Sudarshan and I would go around pandal hopping come Durga Puja.

We met the organisers, spoke to the artists and labourers and gathered stories from the people of the city. We discussed themes and took photographs of the Durga idols. I created albums on my social media page. Our event management company started getting the occasional enquiry from people outside of Bengal about Durga Puja.

Post the UNESCO tag, things changed dramatically. Three years ago, a group of eight people from New Delhi contacted me. They wanted to come to Calcutta to experience Durga Puja. They wanted a luxury travel experience, avoid crowds
and queues while still soaking in the spirit of the festival.

We went around looking for luxury buses but nothing was available. So we decided to book cars. Then we roped in Khelat Bhavan of Pathuriaghata, where we organised a 45-minute dance drama wherein we showcased all the rituals of Durga Puja from agomoni to pushpanjali to sindur khela to bisarjan. It was an interactive programme.

In 2024, this number went up to 240 and in 2025, 600. People come from Mumbai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Delhi, Chennai, Indore…We customised our tour plan. Included dance dramas and cruises on the Hooghly, heritage walks, visits to the Kalighat Temple, a taste of Bengali food.

My daughter Vasudha Pachisia is planning to take our effort forward. She says artists from Bengal are now being called to Bengaluru to set up studios.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

From Tallah to Times Square

Abhishek Bhattacharya, Forum for Durgotsav

Durga Puja is a huge industry, running into thousands of crores; one crore households benefit from it. But it is a completely unorganised sector. There are no official documents to show the spending. There are no GST bills. Payments are made at various levels. There are labourers, decorators, lightmen, idol makers, dhakis, purohits, electricians, the stalls outside the pandals… The list is long. People shop more during Durga Puja. Even the car manufacturing industry gets a boost.

The UNESCO tag means a lot for the artists. The competition among them has increased so much that they now plan, coordinate and work year-round for Durga Puja. The moment one puja ends, the organisers start planning for the next year. The artists are booked a year ahead.

Earlier, the puja carnival had foreigner footfalls. Recently, we learnt that a pre-Puja event will be organised at the Eden Gardens this year. This too is likely to draw tourists.

It is important that Calcutta gears up to entertain this crowd in terms of infrastructure and traffic management.

The UNESCO tag has done its bit. Last year, Durga Puja was celebrated for two days at New York’s Times Square. This year, it will be live screened on premium digital boards in Times Square, in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa and in London’s Piccadilly Lights to give a realtime feel. The 2026 theme of the tourism department is Bishwajure Bangalir Abeg — Durga Puja Global Connect 2026. With the new government in the state, the expectations are higher.

By Moumita Chaudhuri

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Sun Pharma to acquire US-based Organon & Co at $11.75 billion, among largest overseas buys by Indian firm

Organon is a global healthcare company formed through a spinoff from Merck, known as MSD outside of the US and Canada, in 2021.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd will acquire US-based Organon & Co in an all-cash deal at an enterprise valuation of USD 11.75 billion in one of the largest acquisitions by Indian firms overseas.

The company has signed a definitive agreement under which Sun Pharma will acquire all outstanding shares of Organon for USD 14 per share in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise valuation of USD 11.75 billion, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries said in a statement on Monday.

Organon is a global healthcare company formed through a spinoff from Merck, known as MSD outside of the US and Canada, in 2021. It has six manufacturing facilities across the European Union and emerging markets.

Upon successful consummation of the transaction, Sun Pharma is poised to be among the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies with a combined revenue of USD 12.4 billion, a leading player in established brands and branded generics, the company said.

Sun Pharma’s acquisition of Organon will be among the top overseas acquisitions by Indian firms, which include Tata Steel’s USD 12 billion takeover of Corus for USD 12 billion in 2007 and Bharti Airtel’s USD 10.7 billion deal to buy Kuwait-based Zain Telecom’s African business in 2010.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sun Pharma Executive Chairman Dilip Shanghvi said, “This transaction represents a significant opportunity for Sun Pharma to build on its vision of ‘reaching people and touching lives. Organon’s portfolio, capabilities and global reach are highly complementary to our own, and we believe that bringing the two organisations together can create a stronger and more diversified platform.” Organon Executive Chair Carrie Cox said, “Following a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives, our Board determined that this all-cash transaction offers compelling and immediate value to Organon stockholders. We believe Sun Pharma is well-positioned to support Organon’s businesses, employees and patients globally, and to further advance our commitment to delivering impactful medicines and solutions.” Post the transaction, Sun Pharma said it will also become a top-three company in global women’s health, creating a commercial platform for future growth and the 7th largest global biosimilar player.

It will have a presence in 150 countries, with 18 large markets, each generating over USD 100 million in revenues after the deal is completed.

In an investor presentation, Sun Pharma said the combined business will unlock several vectors of value creation with potential synergies of over USD 350 million in 2-4 years.

The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors of both Sun Pharma and Organon and is expected to close in early 2027 subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and approval by Organon stockholders.

For Sun Pharma, the Organon acquisition is the latest in a series of successful acquisitions which include the USD 4 billion takeover of erstwhile Ranbaxy in 2014 and the acquisition of Israel’s Taro Pharmaceutical Industries in a deal valued at USD 454 million in 2007.

Organon is a global leader in women’s health. It has a portfolio comprising over 70 products across women’s health and general medicines, which includes biosimilars, commercialised across 140 countries, with the US, Europe, China, Canada, and Brazil among its largest markets, the statement by Sun Pharma said.

For the year ended December 31, 2025, Organon reported USD 6.2 billion in revenue and adjusted EBITDA of USD 1.9 billion. It had debt of USD 8.6 billion and cash balance of USD 574 million, the statement said.

Organon had recently closed on a divestiture of a product for which it received an upfront payment of USD 440 million, the net proceeds of which will further contribute to its March 31, 2026 cash balance, it added.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Army chief Upendra Dwivedi inducted into International Hall of Fame at U.S. Army War College

General Dwivedi, a distinguished fellow of the U.S. Army War College, is the third Indian Chief of Armed Forces to be inducted into the International Hall of Fame after General V.K. Singh and General Bikram Singh.

cted into the International Hall of Fame of the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. Photo: X/@adgpi.

India’s Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi , was inducted into the International Hall of Fame of the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania, becoming the third Indian head of the Army to receive such an honour.

General Dwivedi, a distinguished fellow of the U.S. Army War College, is the third Indian Chief of Armed Forces to be inducted into the International Hall of Fame after General V.K. Singh and General Bikram Singh.

“General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS, visited the Army War College (AWC), Carlisle Barracks, USA, where he was inducted into the International Hall of Fame – the third Indian Army Chief to receive this honour, after General V.K. Singh and General Bikram Singh,” the Indian Army said in a post on X.

General Dwivedi, who was on a visit to the U.S., also addressed the faculty and international student officers’ leadership, professional military education and evolving security dynamics.

An alumnus of the prestigious college, General Dwivedi toured key facilities and participated in academic engagements, including panel discussions, reviewing advanced study projects of the scholars program and interacting with distinguished members of the institution.

Earlier this week, the Army chief began his U.S. visit in Hawaii, where he was accorded a Guard of Honour at Fort Shafter, the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Hyderabad-based physician honoured at 2.0 Health Conference Las Vegas

Speaking to TNIE, Dr Chellagali said that he outlined strategies aimed at “reaching the unreachable”, advocating for scalable, technology-led healthcare delivery models to serve marginalised and underserved communities.

Dr Prabhu Kumar Chellagali, a senior physician and President of the Indian Medical Association (Hyderabad), received international recognition in the United States for his contributions to global healthcare and medical advocacy.

Dr Chellagali, who also serves as Convenor for the Commonwealth Medical Association in London and as a Global Ambassador for Climate Mitigation, was invited as a keynote speaker at the 2.0 Health Conference held in Las Vegas.

The event brought together delegates from 163 countries, providing a significant platform for global dialogue on healthcare innovation.

In his keynote address, Dr Chellagali highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence(AI) in healthcare systems. He spoke extensively on both the opportunities and challenges posed by AI-driven solutions, stressing the urgent need to harness digital health technologies to reduce disparities in access to care, particularly in rural India and across Commonwealth nations.

Speaking to TNIE, he said that he outlined strategies aimed at “reaching the unreachable”, advocating for scalable, technology-led healthcare delivery models to serve marginalised and underserved communities.

As he said further, he also called for stronger collaboration between governments, institutions and international stakeholders to ensure equitable healthcare access in an increasingly digital world. His address gained considerable global attention and was widely shared across multiple countries.

Beyond his international engagements, Dr Chellagali is known for his work as a medical activist and journalist, focusing on promoting evidence-based medicine and countering misinformation. Over the past two decades, he has organised more than 5,000 medical camps, contributing significantly to community health outcomes.

In recognition of his service, Dr Chellagali was felicitated in Chicago by prominent dignitaries, including US Congressman Danny Davis, and was presented with the Reverend Jesse Jackson Award. The honour acknowledges his contributions to healthcare, humanitarian service and global medical advocacy.

Dr Chellagali has also been actively involved in crisis response efforts. During the ethnic conflict in Manipur, he was among the first medical professionals to provide on-ground assistance, delivering essential healthcare services as well as food and nutritional support to affected populations.

His visit to the United States included meetings with political leaders, diplomats and global stakeholders, aimed at strengthening international cooperation in healthcare and humanitarian initiatives.

The recognition is seen as a moment of pride not only for Telangana but for India as a whole, reflecting a career dedicated to service, innovation and the pursuit of global health equity.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Indian-origin writer Padma Viswanathan shortlisted for 2026 International Booker Prize

The list, announced on Tuesday, is dominated by women, with five of the six authors and four of the six translators being female; The authors and translators represent eight countries — Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Taiwan, the UK and the United States.

Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian-American writer of Indian-origin, has made it to the 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist as the English translator of a Portuguese language novella.

“On Earth As It Is Beneath” by Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia, described by judges as a “brutal, haunting and hypnotic novella set in a remote Brazilian penal colony, where the boundaries between justice and cruelty collapse”, is among the six worldwide contenders for the coveted literary honour.

The annual prize worth GBP 50,000, divided equally between the author and translator, was won last year by Kannada writer-activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi for the short story collection “Heart Lamp”. Each shortlisted title guarantees a prize of GBP 5,000 — also split 50-50 between the book’s author and English translator.

“What struck us most is how spare, unflinching, uncompromising and relentless it is. Maia builds an entire moral universe out of very little: a remote prison, a handful of men, and the rituals of punishment that govern their lives.

Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian-American writer of Indian-origin, has made it to the 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist as the English translator of a Portuguese language novella.

“On Earth As It Is Beneath” by Brazilian author Ana Paula Maia, described by judges as a “brutal, haunting and hypnotic novella set in a remote Brazilian penal colony, where the boundaries between justice and cruelty collapse”, is among the six worldwide contenders for the coveted literary honour.

The annual prize worth GBP 50,000, divided equally between the author and translator, was won last year by Kannada writer-activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi for the short story collection “Heart Lamp”. Each shortlisted title guarantees a prize of GBP 5,000 — also split 50-50 between the book’s author and English translator.

“What struck us most is how spare, unflinching, uncompromising and relentless it is. Maia builds an entire moral universe out of very little: a remote prison, a handful of men, and the rituals of punishment that govern their lives.

“The novel reads almost like a dark fable about power, where brutality is ordinary and civilisation feels frighteningly thin,” the judging panel, which also include award-winning Indian novelist and columnist Nilanjana S. Roy, said of the work translated by US-based Viswanathan.

The 58-year-old professor of creative writing at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville is an accomplished playwright and author, whose novels have been published in eight countries.

The list, announced on Tuesday, is dominated by women, with five of the six authors and four of the six translators being female. The authors and translators represent eight countries — Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Taiwan, the UK and the United States.

“With narratives that capture moments from across the past century, these books reverberate with history. While there’s heartbreak, brutality and isolation among these stories, their lasting effect is energising,” said author Natasha Brown, chair of this year’s judging panel.

The other books include “The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran” by Shida Bazyar and translated from German by Ruth Martin; “She Who Remains” by Rene Karabash and translated from Bulgarian by Izidora Angel; “The Director” by Daniel Kehlmann and translated from German by Ross Benjamin; “Taiwan Travelogue” by Yáng Shuāng-zi and translated from Taiwanese by Lin King; and “The Witch” by Marie Ndiaye and translated from French by Jordan Stump.

The announcement of the winning book will take place on May 19 at a ceremony at Tate Modern in London.

The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single work of fiction — either a novel or a collection of short stories — written in another language, translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland.

According to the organisers, the 2025 winner “Heart Lamp” –- the first collection of short stories to win the prize and the first translated from Kannada –- rapidly sold out in the UK in the subsequent days, with the UK publisher, And Other Stories, immediately reprinting 40,000 copies.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Eric Gonsalves (1928-2026): one of India’s first diplomats who drafted foreign service rule book

Gonsalves negotiated with the CIA for reviving India-U.S. relations after the 1971 war.

At the peak of India’s preparation for the war of 1971, Indira Gandhi visited Washington DC for meeting U.S. President Richard Nixon. However, the meeting did not help in changing the Nixon administration’s orientation towards the Pakistan government that was carrying out atrocities against civilians in East Pakistan. Next month, Bangladesh was liberated but India-U.S. relation nosedived as the Nixon administration’s policy on Pakistan did not deliver expected results.

Indira Gandhi had a difficult task at hand as the U.S. was one of the major partners of India and ties had to be repaired. It was at this point that Eric Gonsalves, a mid-career Indian Foreign Service Officer of 1950 cadre was sent to the Indian Embassy in Washington DC as the Minister (Political) of the Embassy.

Gonsalves started a back channel talk with important emissaries of the U.S. in a coffee shop in Washington. One of the officials he met was Vernon A. Walters, the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. These back channel informal talks in those critical months of 1972-‘74 kept India-U.S. relation alive though the political warmth was not missing.

Born in May 1928, Gonsalves, 97, passed away on Sunday (March 22, 2026) in a hospital in Bengaluru.

Gonsalves joined the newly launched Indian Foreign Service through a competitive examination on May 24, 1950. He received probationary training till March 1953 and was sent as an attache to the Neutral National Repatriation Commission that was chaired by India and was tasked with overseeing repatriation of the PoWs of the Korean war.

Gonsalves next was posted as Vice Consul in New York from March 1954 to August 1955 at the height of the Cold War witch hunt marked by McCarthyism. As the Deputy Secretary of Establishment division of the MEA, Gonsalves during 1958-’61 drafted the Indian Foreign Service PLCA (Pay, Leave, and Compensatory Allowances) Rules of 1961 that remains in use even in the twenty-first century. The first edition of that PLCA book carried his signature, Gonsalves told his oral history interviewer Kishan S. Rana at the Indian Council of World Affairs.

Gonsalves had his brush with history during 1962-’64 when he was posted as a First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in Myanmar. This was the tense phase in Myanmar’s history when under the rule of General Ne Win, Myanmar (then Burma) undertook radical measures to fix economic problems and as part of that Burma began expelling Indians.

In an oral history documentation with the Indian Council of World Affairs, Gonsalves said that around 3,00,000 Indians were repatriated from Myanmar between 1962-’64 and he and his colleagues, junior officials at that time had to manage the crowd who came to deposit gold and precious items with the Embassy for safe keeping as they were worried of being robbed by the Myanmar authorities.

As the Secretary East of MEA from 1979 to 1982, Gonsalves brought his contacts into good effect when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wanted to revive relations with the U.S. to send a message to the Soviet Union that India did not appreciate the invasion of Afghanistan that had created a spill over security impact for India in Punjab and Kashmir.

Gonsalves retired in 1986 after serving as India’s Ambassador to Belgium, EEC and Luxembourg. He remained a regular visitor to the India International Centre in Delhi after retirement but had shifted to Bengaluru some years ago.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Rajasthan Royals become first IPL team to be sold for more than USD 1 billion, Kal Somani-led consortium buys franchise

According to several reports, the Rajasthan Royals have been acquired by a consortium led by Kal Somani.

The sale is over. A consortium led by Kal Somani has acquired the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals for USD 1.63 billion. According to the Times of India, Somani has received backing from American businessman Rob Walton, of the Walmart family, and the Hamp family, which also has majority stakes in the NFL’s Detroit Lions. As a result of this sale, the Royals have become the first IPL team to be sold for more than USD 1 billion.

Earlier, Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG group had acquired the Lucknow Super Giants for USD 940 million, while the Torrent group purchased a 67 per cent stake in the Gujarat Titans for USD 575 million.

The current owners of the Rajasthan Royals have been in talks to sell 100 per cent of the team for the past six months. The deal has been officially signed, and formalities are expected to be completed before the conclusion of the IPL 2026 season. A formal takeover will be completed once the upcoming 19th edition of the T20 tournament concludes.

It is worth noting that Somani, a US-based entrepreneur, has held a minority stake in the Rajasthan Royals until now. It is worth noting that Somani has led enterprises in education technology, data privacy, AI governance and sports technology. He is also the founder of global giants such as IntraEdge, Truyo, Truyo.AI and Academian. He is also the co-owner of Motor City Golf Club and is an early investor in TMRW Sports and TGL Golf League.

“We see huge potential with this investment and are excited for the future of the IPL,” Somani had said in 2021 when he invested in the Royals.

Previously, the Royals were owned by Emerging Media Ventures, led by British Indian businessman Manoj Badale. Before the inaugural season of the IPL, the Royals were among the eight starting franchises to play in the first-ever season of the IPL. Before the 2008 IPL, the Rajasthan-based franchise was bought by Emerging Media Ventures for USD 67 million. They were the cheapest franchise sold by BCCI ahead of the inaugural edition.

RCB sale to be completed soon

The Royals are not the only franchise to go for USD 1 billion. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are expected to go for a much higher sum when the franchises’ sale ends later this year.

The final bid value for RCB is expected to exceed USD 2 billion.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

India and EU launch first security and defence partnership amid global strategic shift

Pact opens annual dialogue, joint naval exercises, space security talks and defence industry collaboration as both sides seek resilient supply chains.

India and the European Union on Tuesday signed a landmark security and defence partnership, covering maritime security, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism, similar to the tie-ups the EU has with two other Asian countries — Japan and South Korea.

The partnership comes at a time India is trying to reduce its dependence on Russia for military hardware by diversifying imports and pushing its domestic manufacturing. Europe is also trying to reduce its dependence on the US and deepen its diplomatic and economic ties with other regions.

Speaking about the defence and security partnership, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “We are not only making our economy stronger, we are also delivering security for our people in an increasingly insecure world. And today, the world’s two largest economies and democracies launched their first-ever security and defence partnership. This is a landmark departure and a trust-based platform for cooperation on the strategic issues that matter most.”

“In doing so, we will help to build each other’s resilience. Europe and India have a long history of cooperation in the defence industry. Now we will enhance this teamwork even further. We will deepen our cooperation on maritime security, for example, joint naval exercises, to tackle piracy,”
she said.

“And we will step up our work on countering cyber and hybrid threats, which are getting more sophisticated by the day. Our partnership includes a dedicated dialogue on space security, from situational awareness to secure connectivity and stronger cooperation on counterterrorism. Finally, we are launching negotiations on a Security of Information Agreement. Europe and India have chosen to be reliable partners to one another, and this is how we demonstrate the trust we share,” she added.

Earlier in the day, defence minister Rajnath Singh said he discussed a range of bilateral security and defence issues with European Commission vice-president Kaja Kallas, including opportunities to integrate supply chains to build trusted defence ecosystems and develop future-ready capabilities.

He said India’s defence industry “can play a meaningful role in the EU’s ‘ReArm initiative’, especially when the EU was seeking to rapidly diversify suppliers and derisk dependencies”.

Kallas, after signing the defence partnership, said the pact “launches an annual security and defence dialogue and deepens cooperation on maritime security, cyber issues, and counterterrorism”.

Rajnath emphasised that Indian and EU defence industries must synergise their efforts for the larger global good as it “complements India’s vision of self-reliance while aligning with the EU’s pursuit of strategic autonomy”.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

The India winner of the James Dyson award 2025 on how he created JivaScope

Tunir Sahoo talks about how an experience in rural Bihar led to his innovation.

Innovation has never been a sudden inspiration for me. It’s a mindset rooted in the values my parents instilled in me: discipline, curiosity, and persistence. At 15, I was selected under the Catch Them Young programme for developing a crop-protection solution to help farmers safeguard their crops from wild animals. That experience taught me that innovation can directly improve lives. Since then, solving real-world problems through design and technology has been my guiding force.

During my undergraduate years, I discovered the James Dyson Award and I began following it closely, reading the stories of past winners, and finding inspiration in James Dyson himself. His journey of failing hundreds of times before finally succeeding became a personal benchmark for perseverance. From then on, it was my dream not just to build innovations, but to also stand on that stage one day.

At a field visit

That dream became my compass during my MBA at IIM-Kashipur. When I went on a field visit to rural Bihar, I encountered a moment that crystallised my purpose. I saw a father holding his son, who was struggling to breathe. The doctor suspected pneumonia but with no diagnostic tools, he was powerless to confirm it. The nearest facility was hours away, and the family couldn’t afford the journey. That moment of helplessness stayed with me. Over the next weeks, I spoke to more than 60 rural doctors, all of whom voiced the same frustration: critical diseases were being diagnosed too late because there were no reliable, affordable screening tools.

That’s when JivaScope was born: an AI-powered, affordable, and durable device designed for early screening of respiratory and cardiac conditions, simple enough for anyone to use, anywhere. From the beginning, I knew JivaScope was not just an innovation; it was the kind of problem-solving solution the James Dyson Award stood for. That thought kept me going when the challenges became overwhelming.

Preparing for the award was as rigorous as building the device itself. I worked closely with my mentors at IIM-Kashipur to refine the problem framing, structure impact metrics, and iterate prototypes. I ran pilots, stress-tested the device, and gathered feedback directly from rural doctors. My peers helped me sharpen my pitch to meet international standards. Every step of preparation felt like a rehearsal for the Dyson philosophy: persistence, simplicity, and user-centric design.

Post the win

Winning the James Dyson Award is far more than a recognition. It is the fulfilment of a personal dream I have nurtured for years. Personally, it feels surreal to join the ranks of innovators I once admired from afar. Professionally, it has uplifted my journey, giving JivaScope global visibility, credibility, and access to mentors, investors, and potential partners. It has transformed JivaScope from a backpack prototype into a serious contender for scale.

As I now prepare to represent India in the international round, my focus is on making the prototype more robust, compiling field data, and telling the human stories behind JivaScope. More importantly, I carry forward James Dyson’s own philosophy that failure is a stepping stone, that persistence pays off, and that design can truly change lives.

My ultimate goal is to ensure that JivaScope, born from a moment of helplessness in rural Bihar and shaped by the dream of the Dyson Award, fulfils its promise to bring hope and health to millions who need it most.

The writer is pursuing Master’s in Business Management at IIM-Kashipur

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Rajnath, Yogi flag off first BrahMos missiles made in Lucknow, boost for ‘Make in India’

This state-of-the-art unit, which was inaugurated on May 11, 2025, houses all modern facilities for missile integration, testing and final quality checks.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the BrahMos Aerospace unit here on Saturday, officials said.

According to an official statement, this is not only a milestone for the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) but will also provide a new energy to India’s resolve to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

BrahMos Aerospace, the manufacturer of the BrahMos supersonic missile system, has successfully produced the first batch of the missile system from its new integration and test facility in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, the statement said.

This state-of-the-art unit, which was inaugurated on May 11, 2025, houses all modern facilities for missile integration, testing and final quality checks. After successful testing, the missiles are prepared for deployment by the Indian armed forces.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi and various officials were present on the occasion.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)