Indholdsfortegnelse for July 29, 2024 i India Today

Sports lovers across the globe are agog as the Olympics return to France’s beautiful capital after precisely one century. This promises to be a unique Olympics, with the opening ceremony at the Gardens of Trocadero, the Eiffel Tower forming part of the backdrop, and the participants sailing down the river Seine. The lucky ones will witness charming events like dressage—think of it as the equestrian equivalent of ballet—against the backdrop of the Palace of Versailles. It will feature India’s first-ever participant, Anush Agarwalla. His horse, Sir Caramello Old, will be prancing to “Jai Ho”! Will that exuberant victory chant rub off on the whole contingent? We will know soon. This week, we celebrate India’s Quest for Gold with a curtain-raiser. After the Tokyo Olympics, India’s Olympic ambitions have begun to…

The Centre has widened the powers of the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) in Jammu and Kashmir, empowering the incumbent in matters that earlier needed concurrence from the state finance department. This came through changes in the ‘transaction of business’ rules that increases the L-G’s powers over key administrative and legal matters and will come into effect once an elected government is in place. These include decisions on public order as well as on transfers and postings of all-India service officers (IAS/IPS), the J&K Police and the appointment of judicial officers, including the advocate-general. A gubernatorial sanction—and veto—will also loom large over the anti-graft body, prisons and even the prosecution/filing of appeals. Central government sources too claimed that these were not ‘amendments’ to the controversial J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, and was issued to…

A ‘brain-eating’ amoeba, which thrives in warm freshwater bodies, has claimed the lives of three children while infecting at least one more over the past two months in Kerala. All of them, aged between five and 14 years, were diagnosed with primary amoebic meningoencepha-litis (PAM), a rare disease spread through the pathogenic Naegleria fowleri. The infection destroys brain tissue, causing death in most cases. Be it the outbreaks of Nipah and Zika viruses in recent years or the high incidence of other vector-borne and zoonotic diseases like dengue and rat fever, Kerala’s public healthcare system—despite its wide network of 1,278 government and 2,062 private hospitals—seems to get overstretched every monsoon. According to data released by the health department, communicable diseases have claimed 144 lives till mid-July this year; 121 of…

NIKHAT ZAREEN, 28 Sport: BOXING 50 kg Achievements: Two-time World champion, Istanbul 2022 and New Delhi 2023; Gold at Birmingham Commonwealth Games, 2022 How she qualified: Won an Olympic quota after reaching the semis and clinching a bronze at Asian Games, Hangzhou Soon after the Tokyo Games, Mohammad Jameel Ahmed presented his daughter Nikhat Zareen a silver ring with five Olympic rings, a reminder of her next goal—a medal in Paris. Ahmed’s WhatsApp profile photo features a smiling Nikhat pumping her fist wearing that special gift. It was Ahmed, a national-level football player himself, who had decided to direct the energy of his ‘shararti (naughty)’ third child into sport and took her to the Collector Ground in Nizamabad, Telangana. Left to herself, the young Nikhat skirted the basketball court and track…

SIFT KAUR SAMRA, 22 Sport: SHOOTING 50M RIFLE 3 POSITIONS Achievement: World-record holder—won a gold medal at the Asian Games last year How she qualified: Won the Olympic quota at the ISSF World Shooting Championships in 2023, topped the NRAI trials in April-May 2024 In his quest for Olympic gold, Abhinav Bindra drank imported yak milk to improve focus and went to South Africa to get his brain mapped to find ways to reduce stress. Ask Sift Kaur Samra what she does to “keep calm and carry on”, as Gen Z-ers would say, and she replies, “Kuchh bhi nahin karti ma’am (I don’t do anything).” This is no exercise in modesty, just a young woman, who cleared NEET and set her MBBS dream aside to pursue shooting, speaking her mind. “Main…

BHAJAN KAUR, 18 Sport: ARCHERY Individual, Women’s Team Achievements: Bronze at World Archery Youth Championships, 2023; team bronze at 2023 Asian Games; mixed team bronze at Archery World Cup in Antalya, 2024 How she qualified: Clinched her first senior international gold at the final Olympic qualifier in Antalya, Turkey Bhajan Kaur first picked up a bow at the age of 12—simply because there was no other girl to represent the school in the under-14 category at a district level championship in Haryana. Though she tried her hand at shot put as well, she found an instant connect with the focus that archery demanded. Six years later, Bhajan was taking aim at the final qualifier in Antalya, looking to make the cut for the Paris Olympics. The form was evident after she…

LOVLINA BORGOHAIN, 26 Boxing 75kg Agar sahenge to hi to champion ban payenge (Only if you suffer will you become a champion),” says Lovlina Borgohain in The Dreamers, a short documentary series on Jio Cinema, which will be streaming the Games. It’s a work ethic Lovlina perhaps inherited from her father, a tea estate worker. Initially trained in martial arts, Lovlina for long was the perennial bronze medallist—including the one won at the Tokyo Olympics—that is until she decided to switch her weight category to 75kg from 69kg post Tokyo. Better results soon foll owed, beginning with winning gold in the Asian Boxing Championship in 2022 and a world championship title and an Asian Games silver medal last year. Being the only Indian pugilist to be seeded at the Olympics means…

WHY DO THEY GO? Based on the interrogation of around 70 individuals who returned from Vatry, Sanjay Kharat, SP, CID, says: ↘ As families expand, farm land gets split into smaller parcels, making livelihoods unsustainable ↘ Families can’t afford to employ farm labourers, so they have to do the laborious work themselves ↘ Depending on education and skills, they get jobs here, but a job in the US is more remunerative ↘ In 200-300 villages/towns in north and central Gujarat, almost every house has at least one member settled there. It keeps the door always half open ↘ Patel girls prefer boys settled in the US for a comfortable life, also independent of in-laws WHO FUNDS IT? ↘ Aspirants—mostly from middle class or lower middle class backgrounds—do not bear the…

Spanning 16,000 sq ft, over two floors, Asian Paints’ new Beautiful Homes Studio in Guwahati is a welcome sight. The expansive showroom features over 2,700 curated products, including furniture, fabrics, rugs, bedding, wallpapers, blinds, wardrobes, artefacts, and lighting, in short, everything you will ever need to transform your home. “The Beautiful Homes Studio in Guwahati exemplifies Asian Paints’ dedication to innovation and quality in luxury home décor. We aim to cater to the evolving tastes of Northeast India’s residents and provide exceptional shopping experiences,” says Amit Syngle, CEO and MD, Asian Paints. This studio not only promises to elevate home decor standards but also underscores Asian Paints commitment to transforming houses into personalised, luxurious homes across the region. OUR QUICK TAKE Comprehensive Offering The studio presents a diverse range of…

NEERAJ CHOPRA, 26 Sport: JAVELIN THROW Achievements: Olympic champion, World Champion, Asian Games gold medalist How he qualified: With an 88.77 metre effort in the 2023 World Athletics men′s javelin throw final qualification round (85.5 metres is the qualification mark) Winning has become such second nature to Neeraj Chopra since Tokyo 2020 that when one talks of a sure-shot medal in Paris, the question asked is, “Neeraj nahin, toh kaun (If not Neeraj, then who)?” Indeed, it’s a testament to his dominance in the sport that the medal’s hue under discussion is always yellow. “The target is to defend my title,” Chopra had said during a media interaction in April. “Whatever I can do to make that happen, I am concentrating on it.” If you’ve followed Chopra’s exploits with the…

SRIHARI NATARAJ, 23 Sport: SWIMMING Men’s 100m Backstroke Achievement: Broke three national records, including the 200m freestyle mark, at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year How he qualified: Through the Universality quota that is handed out to National Olympic Committees when they don’t have any qualified athletes or relay teams Through most of June 23, Srihari Nataraj had one eye glued to a computer screen. Over in Canada, another Indian swimmer, Aryan Nehra, was participating at the Mel Zajac Jr International. By the end of it, Aryan had clinched two silver medals, but failed to collect adequate points to get past Srihari’s tally of the Olympic qualification cycle from March 2023 to June 2024. Two days later, Srihari had the confirmation that he was going to his second consecutive Olympic…

SREEJA AKULA, 25 Sport: TABLE TENNIS Individual and Women’s Team Achievement: Became the first Indian paddler to win a World Table Tennis Contender singles title in Lagos in June How she qualified: On the basis of individual and team world rankings “Everyone is telling me there will be a different kind of pressure that I have never experienced before. I feel I am well prepared for it. I want to give my best to make some big upsets”—SREEJA AKULA Among the many wonders of Hyderabad is the Charminar, a monument that gets its name from its four minarets. It is, thus, befitting that four wonder sportswomen in India’s Paris contingent are from this historical city: two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu, world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen, shooting prodigy Esha Singh and the…

JUL. 25 Archery: Bhajan Kaur, Dhiraj Bommadevara, Deepika Kumari and others compete in qualifying round JUL. 27 Hockey: India vs New Zealand Shooting: Sandeep Singh-Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta-Ramita Jindal in contention for 10-metre air rifle mixed team medals; Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, Rhythm Sangwan and Arjun Cheema look to finish in top 8 of 10-metre air pistol team qualification Badminton: P.V. Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, H.S. Prannoy, Chirag Shetty-Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (Sat-Chi) and Ashwini Ponnappa-Tanisha Crasto begin their campaign JUL. 28 Archery: Bhajan Kaur, Deepika Kumari and Ankita Bhakat compete in women’s team event Shooting: 10-metre air pistol men’s and women’s finals Boxing: Nikhat Zareen begins her Olympic campaign. 50 kg semis: Aug. 6, finals: Aug. 9 Table tennis: Sharath Kamal, Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra, Harmeet Desai hit the…

Modern workplaces have transformed substantially, led by digital technologies that are changing the way employees work, create and collaborate. The advent of Artificial Intelligence, on the other hand, has prompted employers to realign their talent strategies with technology at the centre of their organisations. This shift is causing substantial changes in job roles and the skills required to fulfil them. According to the ManpowerGroup’s Employment Outlook Survey 2024, India ranks seventh among nations facing a talent shortage, with 81 per cent of businesses surveyed reporting difficulty in finding skilled employees. It is critical for businesses to maximise their workforce’s potential, while maintaining employee wellbeing. The second chapter of the ‘INDIA TODAY HR Insights: The Future of Work’ summit in Chennai on July 5 brought together a diverse array of HR…

Raffles Jaipur Elevating the luxury quotient of Jaipur is Raffles’ new outpost near the magnificent Amer Fort. The brand’s second property in India, after Udaipur, is a modern recreation of a palace. Hand-carved from white marble, it is a testament to Rajasthan’s fine craftsmanship. The hotel features 50 opulent rooms and themed luxurious suites. Doubles from Rs 40,000++; raffles.com/jaipur Ronil Goa The first ‘JdV by Hyatt’ hotel in India and southwest Asia embodies the joie de vivre philosophy of the brand. The 135-room boutique resort is located on the Calangute-Baga Road, making it accessible from both the Dabolim and Mopa airports. With tastefully furnished rooms, the hotel invites visitors to experience the susegad way of life with two pools, an on-site DJ host, wellness services, and a variety of dining…

You made your debut at Cannes this year? Goosebumps? My experience at Cannes was truly remarkable; a dream come true. Even with all the incredible connections I made, it still feels like I only touched one per cent of it. I envision opening my own film at Cannes at some point. Favourite monsoon destination in India and why? Kerala springs to mind. The serene beauty of its countryside and its cascading waterfalls make Kerala a perfect destination for a tranquil and rejuvenating monsoon getaway amidst nature’s splendour. Favourite country to travel to? Japan has captured my imagination, and it’s a place I long to visit. But for now, I am drawn to the vibrant city vibes of London and the energetic pulse of New York. London has regal allure while…

If, like me, you take a vicarious interest in other people’s houses, then this book will provide the perfect eye candy for you, and satisfy your peeping tom instincts in the politest possible way. A gamut of fine homes is showcased here, from hillside holiday residences to contemporary city apartments and sprawling villas with a view, all splendidly photographed. As for the text, this is not a collection of your average breezy magazine pieces, but rather a deep dive into each architect’s practice, with accompanying sketches, work-in-progress photographs and blueprints. Usefully, detailed introductions to the architects and their studios precede each of the showcased homes. Goethe famously said that “architecture is frozen music”. Looming somewhere in the backdrop of these exclusive private residences are sensitive clients who allowed the featured…

When we were approached to design Sonakshi Sinha’s home, we initially had the pre-conceived notion of creating a lavish celebrity abode with all its extravagant features. However, shortly after our initial interaction, we realised the need to recalibrate our approach, as her requirements and personality were refreshingly straightforward and minimalistic. Our focus shifted towards designing a layout that could adapt to her needs throughout the day. At reD, we believe that planning a space creatively and innovatively is the most crucial first step in the design process. We strongly believe that a space designed to evolve with the time of day and the inhabitant’s lifestyle offers an exceptional user experience. The living area is the core space of transformation that also serves as an artist’s studio, a refined bar, a…

Biophilia was first introduced by psychoanalyst Eric Fromm who defined it as the passionate love of life and of all that is alive. In today’s context, it transcends aesthetics, integrating natural elements into built environments to enhance overall well-being. This approach incorporates large open spaces, natural light, ventilation, greenery and organic materials to create harmonious spaces that blend with nature, enhance the quality of living and boost productivity. Our Goan home combines contemporary biophilic design with traditional elements, giving us the perfect happy, tranquil retreat. Let there be Light Flooded with natural light, we fell in love with the space at first sight. Large windows in the living room opening into a balcony and the material palette largely comprises natural materials such as wood, cane, wicker, bamboo and jute. Art…

MEN’S TEAM Sport: HOCKEY Achievement: Bronze at Tokyo 2020 Games How they qualified: Won the gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games On August 5, 2021, a nation rejoiced and heaved a sigh of relief. The 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey was finally over. Generations had grown up hearing of the heroics and dominance of India—the historic eight Olympic gold medals won, a record still unbroken. “Until Tokyo, we heard about the victories but, in the present, we were nowhere on top… we never saw a medal in hand,” says goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, 36. That morning in Tokyo changed it all. “We saw the love and respect hockey got,” notes Harmanpreet Singh, 28, the current captain and part of the bronze-winning team. Eleven members of that squad…

CHIRAG SHETTY, 27 & SATWIKSAIRAJ RANKIREDDY, 23 Sport: BADMINTON MEN’S DOUBLES Achievements: Gold at Asian Games, bronze at 2022 World Championships, part of the Thomas Cup-winning squad of 2022 How they qualified: On Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings Satwik bares it all,” teases Chirag Shetty as his younger partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy reluctantly removes his T-shirt at the request of the photographer. For Chirag, the act is a trademark move now, it’s how he celebrates most tournament wins. Satwik prefers a spontaneous jig, often with racket in tow. In a discipline not known for its exuberance—2016 Olympic champion Carolina Marin being a noisy exception—SatChi, as they have been christened by fans, are proudly so. Chirag’s the chatty city slicker, Mumbai cha mulga; Satwik’s the shy guy from Amalapuram in Andhra Pradesh who…

MIRABAI CHANU, 29 Sport: WEIGHTLIFTING 49 KG Achievement: Silver at the 2020 Olympics How she qualified: Lifted 184 kg at the IWF World Cup in Phuket in April IN 2021, battling menstrual cramps, she had lifted the burden of an entire nation’s expectations at the Tokyo Olympics and given the medal-parched country a silver. A year later, though, she had trouble lifting her own body weight of 49 kg. As Mirabai stared at a wheelchair-bound future, the country moved on to pin its hopes on other medal prospects for the 2024 Paris Games. But Mirabai is having none of it, as she prepares to change the script by the dint of sheer will and determination. Pain has been a constant companion in Mirabai’s decade-long career, be it injury in the lower back,…

NETHRA KUMANAN, 26 Sport: SAILING Achievement: Gold at the Asian Championships in 2022 How she qualified: Got a quota under the Emerging Nations Programme at Last Chance Regatta, an Olympic qualifier event “Sailing is a mental sport. A lot of components are not under our control. It is not about doing the best but making the least mistakes as you go around the course”—NETHRA KUMANAN “Can you stop, please?” Nethra pleads with her father as he teases her about how she spends as much time on her phone as on sailing. It’s May 2024 and Kuma nan is home in Chennai—a rare occasion, since she has spent most of the past five years training in Spain. As we conduct the interview over Zoom, her father listens in on his daughter…

Destination India: Foreign Artists in India 1857-1947 DAG ₹4,500; 175 pages Published as a collector’s edition catalogue for a new exhibition at DAG in Delhi, Destination India showcases the works of foreign artists who visited India from the Uprising of 1857 to Independence in 1947, highlighting a late phase of Orientalist art. Unlike earlier artists like William Hodges and the Daniells, who focused on picturesque landscapes and architecture, these later artists—Charles W. Bartlett, Edwin Lord Weeks, John Griffiths and Mary Anne Blyth among others—were more diverse and interested in depicting everyday life and society. They came from various countries, including Germany, France, Japan and Britain. With a Foreword by Shashi Tharoor and an Introduction by Pheroza Godrej, the book offers a personal and intimate view of India through the eyes…

DINE A DOZEN The Bauhaus movement is the central theme of SPIN’s new tableware collection by the same name. Eat off dinner plates with their geometric motifs or sip on a slow roasted brew in a coffee mug with bold pops of colour, each ceramic piece adds dollops of fun indoors. The range also has glassware with sleek lines and delicate curves, as well as serveware that blends wood and metal. PRICE ₹400 to ₹1,500 AT www.madewithspin.com HAUTE SEAT Bangalore-based furniture design and craft studio Tusker Katha has launched a new collection of handcrafted wooden chairs. Featured here is a reading chair, called Temple Tree from the collection. Its USP is the perfect seating angle and optimal cushion firmness. PRICE ₹27,000 to ₹40,000 AT www.tuskerkatha.in SCIENCE OF SLEEP Sweet dreams…

In the wild, visually stunning world of Instagram, home decor isn’t just about pretty rooms—it’s an art form. Telling us what’s haute on and off the gram are architect Navneet Sandhu Singh, interior designer Rohina Anand Khira, and blogger-turned-designer Rukmini Ray Kadam. These trendsetters have turned their feeds into jaw-dropping showcases of style, innovation, and pure decor magic. Buckle up for some serious Insta-drama as we dive into the secrets and stories behind those double-tap-worthy posts. Rohina Anand Khira @rohina “What works for me is maintaining a macro umbrella of immediate content, core content, home improvement content, and DIY content, while touching upon smaller subjects within that umbrella,” explains Khira. As for her strategy for keeping her Instagram feed fresh and engaging? It’s emphasising the role of authentic, relatable content…

The first meeting we held with the client on site was two years prior to the commencement of the project. The client being old acquaintances wanted our opinion whether they should invest in the property or not. The space was one empty shell with nothing but bare concrete walls and exposed plumbing lines. The light was very poor being on the ground floor. Yet something told us that this can work. Simple but Sophisticated The design process was very interactive with lot of feedback and back and forth of design ideas. The idea was simple. To keep a neutral and white palette for the walls and ceilings to enhance the light quality which was lacking in the apartment. The main door was shifted from its original position and a foyer…