Month: January 2025

Bollywood couple RajKummar Rao and Patralekhaa are now trying their hands at production.

On Friday, they launched their own production house, KAMPA Film. The name KAMPA holds personal significance, as it combines the initials of their mothers’ names, paying tribute to them.

“We’ve always believed in the power of storytelling,” said Patralekhaa. “With KAMPA, we’re looking forward to sharing these stories with the world.”

Rajkummar Rao added, “For Patralekhaa and I, KAMPA is a natural extension of our love for cinema. We’ve always believed in the magic of storytelling, and KAMPA gives us the chance to bring stories we care about to life. We’re excited to take this step together.”

As soon as the couple shared the update on social media, fans and members from the film industry chimed in the comment section and extended best wishes to them.

“Congratulationsss you guys,” writer-director Tahira Kashyap commented.

“Congratulations…This is exciting,” actor Manushi Chhillar wrote.

The production house has already begun work on an exciting slate of projects, with more details to be revealed soon.

RajKummar and Patralekhaa tied the knot on November 15, 2021, in an intimate ceremony in Chandigarh. Before finally tying the knot, the duo had been dating each other for a long time.

They worked together for the first time in Patralekhaa’s debut Bollywood film CityLights in 2014. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Ananya Panday’s latest Instagram story is dedicated to her grandmother.

Ananya shared a picture of her wearing her dadi’s payal.

“Found my dadi’s payal,” she captioned the post.

Ananya Panday will be next seen in the upcoming romantic drama ‘Chand Mera Dil’, in which she stars alongside Lakshya.

Directed by Vivek Soni, the film is scheduled for release in 2025.

Earlier, taking to social media, Karan Johar shared the posters of the film and announced that it will hit the theatres in 2025.”We have two chands ready to bring an intense & passionate love story like no other!!! Pyaar mein thoda paagal hona hi padta hai…Chand Mera Dil, starring Ananya Panday & Lakshya. Directed by Vivek Soni. Coming to cinemas in 2025,” his post read.

In her most recent Netflix project, ‘CTRL’, Ananya portrayed Nella Awasthi, an influencer who turns to Artificial Intelligence (AI) after a difficult breakup.

Speaking to ANI in a recent interview, Ananya’s mother, Bhavana Pandey, expressed her pride in her daughter’s journey.

Reflecting on Ananya’s hard work and the challenges she overcame in her career, Bhavana said, “I’m very grateful. I know she’s worked hard and everyone does. She’s worked hard. But the idea is to put your head down and work hard and take the important, necessary criticism in your stride and work even harder. And the rest is noise.” (ANI)

Seven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Aam Aadmi Party have resigned from the party, a week before the Delhi Assembly elections on Friday.

MLAs who resigned are: Rohit Maharoliya from Trilokpuri, Madan Lal from Kasturba Nagar, Rajesh Rishi from Janakpuri, Bhavna Gaud from Palam, Bhupender Singh June from Bijwasan, and Pawan Kumar Sharma from Adarsh Nagar.

Rohit Kumar Mehraulia, MLA from Trilokpuri constituency, resigned from all posts and the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party, citing “unfulfilled promises” to uplift the Dalit/Valmiki community.

He accused the party of “exploiting” his community for political gain while failing to address issues like ending contract employment and making temporary staff permanent. Mehraulia, who had supported AAP’s rise to power, expressed disappointment over the suppression of his concerns within the party.

Similarly, Madan Lal, MLA from the Kasturba constituency, and MLA Bhavna Gaud from the Palam seat also resigned from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), stating that they have “lost faith” in AAP and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal.

Rajesh Rishi from the Janakpuri constituency resigned from all posts and primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party, accusing the organization of abandoning its founding principles of corruption-free governance, transparency, and accountability.

Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar constituency) said, “The party has deviated from the honest ideology on which the Aam Aadmi Party was formed. I am very sad to see the plight of The Aam Aadmi Party. Please accept my resignation.”

Bhupender Singh June from the Bijwasan constituency also resigned from his posts and primary membership. He said the decision was taken after witnessing a “significant deviation” from the values and principles on which the party was founded.

“AAP was envisioned as a transparent, people-centric organization committed to eradicating corruption and fostering ethical governance. However, over time, the party has increasingly exhibited traits of centralization, opacity, and a lack of internal democracy,” he stated in his letter.

The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to take place on February 5, while counting of votes will be held on February 8.(ANI)

Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, and India has accepted the invite.

While speaking at a press briefing, Jaiswal said that India is also developing its own AI program.

“French President has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Artificial Intelligence Action Summit and we have accepted their invite. We will update you about further details,” he said.

On February 10-11, France will host the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, gathering at the Grand Palais, Heads of State and Government, leaders of international organizations, CEOs of small and large companies, representatives of academia, non-governmental organizations, artists and members of civil society, a statement by the Elysee Palace said.

Jaiswal also said that after Chinese startup DeepSeek shocked the world, India has their own AI program and are further developing it.

“We have our own program and we want to further develop that and in that regard we are in touch with several of our partners with whom we engage on technology issues technology collaboration and we would like to further strengthen them,” he said.

The government is going to host Open Source model like Deepseek on Indian servers soon said Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday.

“We are going to do this very soon. Already, the team has worked the details the servers are required? how much capacity is required? All those details have been worked out. We will very soon be hosting those open source models on Indian servers,” says Vaishnaw.

This comes at a time when Chinese startup DeepSeek with their open source reasoning model R1 has challenged the narrative that entitles need access to large amounts of GPU for building frontier models.

The Indian government is working on the portal from which startups and researchers can access GPUs. Through this portal, startups and researchers can access the highly valued GPUs necessary for training AI models at much lower prices. (ANI)

Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of Kinnar Akhada, has expelled both Mamta Kulkarni and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi from the Akhada.

The decision comes in the wake of the controversial appointment of Mamta Kulkarni, a former Bollywood actress with a checkered past, as Mahamandaleshwar.

Tripathi had allegedly appointed Kulkarni without the founder’s consent, an act that has sparked considerable outrage.

According to a press release issued on January 30, 2025, Rishi Ajay Das noted, “As the founder of Kinnar Akhada, I am hereby relieving Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi from his position as Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Kinnar Akhada, effective immediately. His appointment was made with the goal of promoting religious activities and uplifting the transgender community, but he has deviated from these responsibilities.”

The controversy revolves around an agreement Tripathi entered into with Juna Akhada in 2019, which Ajay Das claims was allegedly done without his approval. He further alleged that the contract between the two Akhadas was legally invalid due to the lack of his consent and signature.

Moreover, Ajay Das accused Tripathi of undermining the tenets of the Kinnar Akhada by allowing Mamta Kulkarni to join and take on the prestigious role of Mahamandaleshwar despite her past involvement in criminal activities.

Ajay Das explained that Mamta Kulkarni’s appointment was particularly concerning because she had a criminal history.

“By giving such a person the title of Mahamandaleshwar, what kind of guru are you offering to Sanatan Dharma? This is a question of ethics,” he wrote.

The founder emphasized that this appointment was not only unethical but also a betrayal of the Akhada’s religious values.

The expulsion of both individuals has ignited debates within the spiritual community, with the President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, Mahant Ravindra Puri, speaking out in support of Tripathi and Kulkarni.

Puri challenged the legitimacy of Ajay Das’s decision, saying, “I want to ask, who is he (Rishi Ajay Das) to expel Laxmi Narayan Tripathi?”

He also reiterated that both Tripathi and Kulkarni would continue their roles within the Akhada and participate in the upcoming Amrit Snan.

The controversy over Mamta Kulkarni’s appointment as Mahamandaleshwar began when Acharya Lakshmi Narayan Tripathi publicly announced the decision during the Maha Kumbh.

Mamta Kulkarni, who was known for her roles in popular 1990s Bollywood films, had stepped away from the limelight in the early 2000s.

However, she made a return to India and was granted the position of Mahamandaleshwar by Tripathi, an act which has now come under heavy scrutiny.

Transgender Kathavachak Jagatguru Himangi Sakhi Maa had earlier raised concerns over Kulkarni’s appointment, questioning her credibility and linking her past to criminal activities.

“Mamta Kulkarni has been made Mahamandaleshwar for publicity. Society knows her past very well. She was even jailed in the past in connection with drug cases. This needs investigation,” Himangi Sakhi said in a conversation with ANI. (ANI)

India’s demographic advantage and diverse economic landscape position it uniquely to benefit from AI, the Economic Survey for 2024-25 tabled in the Parliament on Friday afternoon asserted.

However, achieving these benefits requires significant investments in education and workforce skilling, supported by enabling, insuring, and stewarding institutions, the state of the economy report tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

“These mechanisms can help workers adapt to changing demands while providing essential safety nets,” the Economic Survey report read.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges for labor markets worldwide. While impressive in its own right, AI still remains in its developmental stage and has a long way to go before it achieves the scope of adoption that have made technologies such as the personal computer and the internet ubiquitous.

In this context, as policymakers, it is important to pay attention to the evolving technological landscape and the potential impact it can have on the labour market, the Economic Survey prepared under the leadership of Chief Economic Adviser Anantha Nageswaran said.

“Historical parallels with earlier technological revolutions reveal the critical role of inclusive institutions in managing disruption and ensuring equitable outcomes.”

Barriers to large-scale AI adoption persist in the present, which include concerns over reliability, resource inefficiencies, and infrastructure deficits. Against that backdrop, the Economic Survey called policymakers to create a window for policymakers to act.

Concerns and fears about Artificial Intelligence (AI) disrupting labour markets have intensified as developments in the field have continually demonstrated rapid progress over the last four years.

The increasing complexity of the models being developed today represent a paradigm shift in the field of AI, showing the world that in a few years, ‘intelligent machines’ will be capable of performing tasks that are predominantly handled by humans today.

The Economic Survey, quoting founder of the AI research and deployment company OpenAI, said how it had recently indicated they were expecting to have office ready ‘AI workers’ by the end of 2025.

Expectations point toward a trend where AI begins outperforming humans in critical decision-making processes in areas like healthcare, criminal justice, education, business and financial services among others. Adding to the uncertainties of tomorrow is the fact that the speed of research and development is outpacing the regulatory and ethical frameworks needed to manage its risks.

Further, the state of the economy report called for a more responsible approach to AI adoption, especially in a country like India where employment numbers make the magnitude of impact something worth paying attention to.

The chapter on AI also delved into how the perceptions about the emerging technology has changed.

The perceptions about AI has now drastically shifted, spurring debates about the need to align AI developments with broader societal goals, the Economic Survey said.

Google (Gemini), Microsoft (Co-Pilot), Meta (MetaAI with Llama), X/Twitter (Grok), Anthropic (Claude AI), Midjourney, Perplexity AI (Perplexity) and Stability AI (Stable Diffusion), among others, are some of AI majors of the world as of now.

The number of AI patents granted globally increased 62.7 per cent to just over 62,000 between 2021 and 2022.

Similarly, the annual global private investments in Generative AI surged from approximately USD 3 billion in 2022 to USD 25.2 billion by the end of 2023.

“Between 2021 and 2023, global corporate investments in all types of AI totalled USD 761 billion. Additionally, an increasing share of companies have been referencing AI in their earning calls lately8, with CEOs expecting AI adoption to lower labour requirements,” the report read. (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party has slammed Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her remarks calling President Droupadi Murmu “poor thing”. The ruling party at the Centre said that the remarks showed the “elitist, anti-poor and anti-tribal nature of the Congress.”

“I and every BJP Karyakarta strongly condemns the usage of the phrase “poor thing” by Smt. Sonia Gandhi for Honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu Ji. The deliberate usage of such words shows the elitist, anti-poor and anti-tribal nature of the Congress Party,” JP Nadda, BJP President said in a post on X.

“I demand that the Congress Party unconditionally apologise to the Honourable President and the tribal communities of India,” he added.

While reacting to President Murmu’s address to the joint session of the Parliament, Sonia Gandhi told reporters, “The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Sonia Gandhi told reporters.”

BJP MP Sambit Patra said that President Murmu is neither tired nor bowed down and called Sonia Gandhi’s remarks inappropriate.

“Sonia Gandhi’s comments were totally inappropriate. She said that during her speech the president was very tired. She called her a poor thing. We want to tell it clearly that the honourable President is not a poor thing. India is a republic and the world’s largest Democracy. The first citizen of this Democracy is a woman who comes from a tribal community. That woman from the tribal community cannot be a poor thing. She is empowered and strong. She has been at the helm of many important positions,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also called for an aplogy from the Congress.

“I condemn the comments made by Sonia Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Our President, a tribal woman, is not weak… Droupadi Murmu has worked extensively for the country and society and they cannot even imagine the kind of work she has done… They should apologise to her,” Rijiju said.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “Such an insult of the President was unprecedented. The kind of words Congress MP Sonia Gandhi and his son and LoP Rahul Gandhi used against the President, I cannot even imagine. What else can be expected from them?…”

President Murmu’s address kickstarted the Budget Session. Emphasising that the government is working on all-round development, President Murmu said that the country has only one aim which is to become a Vikshit Bharat (developed India) and the government is working with a “saturation approach” so nobody is left in the journey.

Murmu said, “My government is working with the Saturation Approach, so nobody is left in the journey of Vikshit Bharat… We have only one aim to become Viksit Bharat.”

As the Made in India defence product goes global, the President lauded the government for taking steps towards self-reliance in the defence sector.

“The country has taken several historic steps to protect the country’s borders and ensure internal security…. The govt has also taken steps towards self-reliance in the defence sector. From Make in India, we have moved to make for the world…” she said.

After the completion of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla link railway project, President Murmu said that now India will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

“The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project has been completed and now the country will be connected by railway line from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. India’s metro rail network has now crossed the 1000-kilometre milestone. India has the world’s third-largest metro network,” the President stated. (ANI)

Chief Economic Adviser Anantha Nageswaran painted a stark picture of how Indian corporates are compensating their workers and employees, and called for a more equitable distribution of incomes.

“If you look at the growth in profitability and the growth in employment expense – a combination of hiring and compensation – there is a huge disparity between the two, which has been highlighted by several private players themselves in the last few months,” said Nageswaran at a press conference.

Achieving the status of a developed economy by 2047 will require a socially responsible private sector, he said.

Sharing an anecdote going back to 1960s while quoting founder of Ford Motor Company Henry Ford, the

CEA said the auto business head had then raised the minimum wage of the labors.

Henry Ford knew that the cars he was manufacturing won’t sell if the wage growth remained steady. Henry Ford understood that “there will not be enough people to buy the cars that the Ford Motor produces”, he said.

Against that backdrop, CEA Nageswaran said that raising wage and salary for workers is also a source to raise demand in the medium run.

“It is enlightened self-interest rather than being seen from the moral prism,” the CEA noted.

Corporate profitability in India soared to a 15-year peak in 2023-24, fuelled by robust growth in financials, energy, and automobiles. Among Nifty 500 companies, the profit-to-GDP ratio surged from 2.1 per cent in 2002-03 to 4.8 per cent in 2023-24, the highest since 2007-08.

However, while profits surged, wages lagged. Quoting a State Bank of India (SBI) analysis, the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament today, asserted that 4,000 listed companies recorded a modest 6 per cent revenue growth. At the same time, employee expenses rose only 13 per cent – down from 17 per cent in 2022-23 – highlighting a sharp focus on cost-cutting over workforce expansion.

This uneven growth trajectory raises critical concerns. Wage stagnation is pronounced, particularly at entry-level IT positions.

“While the labour share of GVA shows a slight uptick, the disproportionate rise in corporate profits–predominantly among large firms–raises concerns about income inequality,” the Economic Survey read.

“A higher profit share and stagnant wage growth risk slowing the economy by curbing demand. Sustained economic growth hinges on bolstering employment incomes, which directly fuel consumer spending, spurring investment in production capacity.”

To secure long-term stability, a fair and reasonable distribution of income between capital and labour is imperative, it suggested. It is essential for sustaining demand and supporting corporate revenue and profitability growth in the medium to long run. (ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched AAP ‘Budget’ Patra campaign, asserting that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s initiatives provide a monthly benefit of Rs25,000 to every Delhi family, with new schemes adding another Rs10,000 in savings.

“Budgets usually bring inflation, affecting household finances. People must analyze how AAP’s policies impact their budget. With our existing benefits, families save Rs25,000 per month, and upcoming schemes will add another Rs10,000. Pressing the ‘Jhadu’ button will ensure Rs35,000 in savings while choosing the ‘BJP’ will lead to an equal monthly burden,” he said during a press conference.

He also highlighted the welfare schemes and measures implemented to benefit the people of Delhi by the AAP.

“Our free electricity scheme saves Rs4,000-Rs5,000 monthly, free water Rs2,500, free bus travel Rs2,500, free education Rs10,000, and mohalla clinics and hospitals contribute another Rs5,000 in savings,” he stated.

Hitting out at the BJP, he claimed that if they came to power all the schemes initiated by AAP would be discontinued.

“The BJP has declared that free education, mohalla clinics, and free bus travel will be discontinued if they come to power,” he added.

Kejriwal also unveiled AAP’s scheme, expected to benefit all households, including – Rs2,100 for women, Free bus travel for students, and free medical treatment for senior citizens.

“These schemes will further add Rs8,000-Rs10,000 in monthly savings,” he claimed.

Launching a city-wide campaign, Kejriwal announced that AAP workers would visit households to fill out the AAP ‘Bachat Patra’, informing residents about the financial benefits they receive from AAP’s governance.

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the people of Delhi for the success of their ‘struggle’ to stop the flow of contaminated water.

Taking to X, he said that ammonia levels in the water dropped from 7 ppm to 2 ppm, saving Delhi from a potential water crisis.

“Many congratulations to the people of Delhi. Our struggle bore fruit. The poisonous water that was being sent to Delhi has now stopped. The amount of ammonia in the water coming to Delhi has decreased from 7 ppm to 2 ppm. If we had not raised our voice and struggled, half the population of Delhi would not have been getting water today. We saved Delhi from a huge water crisis. The Election Commission has issued a notice and threatened me. My reply to the Election Commission,” he wrote in his X post.

Earlier today, the AAP Convenor in a letter to the Election Commission raised serious allegations against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. He sent a written response to the Election Commission, demanding that a criminal case be filed against Nayab Singh Saini regarding the ‘poisonous’ Yamuna issue. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any direction in a plea challenging VIP entries for preferential or expedited darshan (worship) into temples across India.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice Sanjay Kumar clarified that although the Court agrees that no special treatment be given for entries into temples, the issue is not fit for it to adjudicate or pass any directions.

However, the top court noted that the state authorities may take appropriate action on the issue if they deem fit.

“While we may be of the opinion that no special treatment be given with regard to the entry to temples, we do not think it is a fit case to exercise jurisdiction under Article 32. We clarify that that dismissal of the petition will not in any way bar the appropriate authorities from taking action as they require,” the Court said.

The plea was filed by one Vijay Kishore Goswami, who had contended that preferential entries by paying VIP entry charges in Indian temples is arbitrary and discriminating against the rights of devotees who are economically disadvantaged.

Such special treatment for entries into temples is violative of the principles laid down in Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, the plea stated.

During an earlier hearing, the Court had adjourned the matter to a later date, noting the need to first examine whether this issue has been addressed in previous court rulings and if there is an existing judgment on it.

On Friday, the Court clarified that it cannot invoke its powers under Article 32 (Remedies for Enforcement of Rights) of the Constitution of India to adjudicate the matter, as the decision to take appropriate action on the issue lies with the state authorities. Thus, it dismissed the plea. (ANI)