Innholdsfortegnelse for 27 October 2025 i India Today

Pahlaj Nihalani’s Har Ghar Modi music video in 2014 did not just make the headlines but later also propelled him to the post of Central Board of Film Certification chairperson. Now, composers Meet Bros have decided to do an encore with Modi Hai Toh Mumkin Hai, highlighting the prime minister’s many achievements. Uploaded on the T-Series’ YouTube channel on September 22, the song largely went unnoticed until social media mavens began to call out actors like Rajkummar Rao, Vikrant Massey, Varun Dhawan and Ars had Warsi in early October for their seemingly sycophantic turns in the video. The comments section has also not been kind with comparisons harking back to a time when actors appeared in public service music videos calling for unity such as ‘Mile Sur Mera Tumhara’ and…

IN INDIA’S DEMOCRACY, the electorate is primary capital. And the means of controlling this resource these days, it seems, is statistical. It was therefore inevitable, in the day and age of big data, that any exercise involving massive statistical sets would also turn technological. The only unlikely element, at first sight, would seem to be the protagonist: the street-savvy Mamata Banerjee. But the circumstances are compelling enough for her to turn her party, the Trinamool Congress, towards a spot of machine learning. The West Bengal CM had sounded the alarm around voter lists in her state in early 2025 itself, months before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. She warned of large-scale anomalies, alleging genuine voters were being deleted while “outsiders” were being quietly added. But…

HERON MK-II Israeli medium-altitude long-endurance UAV for ISR. India has 68 units ↘ COMBAT RADIUS: 3,000 km, endurance of 45 hours ↘ WEAPONS Payload of 470 kg, can carry smaller loitering munitions ↘ TACTICAL USE Carried out deep surveillance into Pakistani airspace pre Operation Sindoor ↘ HAROP Israeli kamikaze drone (loitering munition). India has 200 of these ↘ COMBAT RADIUS: Range of 200 km, endurance of 6 hours ↘ WEAPONS Carries a 16 kg warhead ↘ TACTICAL USE: Targeted Pakistani air defence radars and installations in Op. Sindoor SKYSTRIKER Kamikaze drone/loitering munition co-produced by India’s Alpha Design Technologies and Israel’s Elbit Systems. Over 100 units in use ↘ COMBAT RADIUS 100 km ↘ WEAPONS 5-10 kg warhead ↘ TACTICAL USE Used for rapid deployment and precision strikes HARPY Israeli kamikaze drone ↘ COMBAT RADIUS: Range of…

NEW DELHI LINE DRAMA Dhoomimal Gallery presents Liminal Lines, a retrospective commemorating 50 years of Ashok Bhowmick’s art practice. It features everything from early black-and-white drawings of the 1970s to his large-format canvases and recent forays into printmaking/sculpture, including a sculpture made specially for the exhibition. KOLKATA PAST IN PORTRAITS Bhunath Mukherjee: A Modernist Lineage of Bengali Portraiture puts the spotlight on one of Bengal’s great modernist painters, whose artistic journey began at the Government School of Art, Calcutta, in 1935. On view are 10 portraits of Bengal’s leading lights—from Rabindranath Tagore to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. GURUGRAM Visual Quartet A travelling edition of Navajivan Trust’s National Photography Festival is showing the work of four extraordinary photographers at Museo Camera: Nemai Ghosh, Tarun Bhartiya, Mukesh Parpiani and Sunil Adesara. The festival…

For music composer and producer Sandeep Chowta, the journey of the new instrumental album Treekam started with “a desire to say something that can’t be said within the boundaries of any one genre”. The five-track album released on Chowta’s Namma Music label features Carnatic guitarist Abhay Nayampally and Naga guitarist Arenlong Longkumer. Also on the album are American drummer Jerrod ‘J-rod’ Sullivan, British bassist Seb Read and the legendary keyboardist and member of the jazz band Spyro Gyra, Tom Schuman. Two tracks, composed by Longkumer, also showcase chants by Naga singer-song-writer Mengu Suokhrie and the Nagaland Folkloric Group. The album name Treekam comes from the Sanskrit word trikam, meaning the confluence of three. It’s a metaphor for Chowta’s vision for the album—“Building a new musical lexicon where a tanam [rhythmic improvisation…

Over three dynamic days at the HITEX Exhibition Centre, Design Democracy 2025 transformed Hyderabad into a living canvas of ideas, innovation, and imagination. The third edition of India’s newest design festival went beyond exhibitions, offering conversations, experiences, and provocations that marked the city’s definitive arrival on the global design map. From Stone Sanctuaries to Fluid Sculptures At the heart of the festival were four special curations that redefined the boundaries of contemporary Indian design. Stone and Shade (Museum of Telangana), curated by Supraja Rao, reimagined shelter as an ecological embrace, blurring the lines between home and landscape. Farah Ahmed Mathias’ Precious Objects turned rarity into resonance, proving that design can be both personal and poetic. The Gallery of Sustainability, co-curated by Abin Chaudhuri and Snehashri Nandi, advanced the dialogue on…

ELEGANCE, SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED Elevate both your spirits and your decor with the nude shade whisky decanter set available at The Bar Collective. Crowned with a sculptural skull-shaped stopper, the crystal whisky bottle is paired with two whisky glasses, etched with the matching skull motif. PRICE ₹14,715 AT www.thebarcollective.com MATERIALS MATTER Inspired by the Sun Temple of Konark, the Konark Portable Lamp from Anantaya, radiates a mesmerising sunlike glow. It’s touch-operated, dimmable rechargeable and has an alabaster design, topped with a brass Shikhara. PRICE ₹18,600 AT www.anantayadecor.in SAY CHEESE Some pieces have that quality that instantly make your home stand out. A case in point are these cheese knives part of the Golden Hive collection from Elevate by Preetika Ghura. It’s a four-piece knife set where each handle has a…

The world knows Angelle Siyang-Le as the director of Art Basel Hong Kong. She lives and breathes art, champions emerging talent and builds bridges between first-time viewers and seasoned collectors. On her recent visit to India to deepen her understanding of the local scene, we caught up with her over coffee to talk about art, artists, culture and everything that falls in between. “Art is such a universal language that everyone is curious about, no matter what kind of background they come from,” Siyang-Le says as we settle in. For her, art is the perfect conversation starter. “I studied art history and immediately began working with galleries, artists, and collectors. I even managed private collections,” she explains. Her proudest skill set is curating exhibitions, connecting people, and bringing together different…

ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 14, visitors to 1, Anne Marg—CM Nitish Kumar’s official residence in Patna—would have met with an unusual sight. Gopal Mandal, Gopalpur MLA of the Janata Dal (United), was sitting outside on a dharna. The word was that his name had been dropped from the candidates’ list. Bihar politics is used to poll-time dramas, but this was emblematic of something larger: the disquiet within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), where the ambitions of its five partners are going increasingly at cross-purposes. “The only difference between Mandal and the JD(U) is that the MLA can stage a protest; the party cannot,” quips a party leader. For the record, the very same day, BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan was insisting that “99 per cent” of…

AS AN ENTIRE ONE-THIRD OF ITS imprisonment clauses go off the statute, ease of doing business just got easier in Gujarat. Actually, for a lot of the state’s business class, life wasn’t as easy as legend might have had it. A 2022 study had found that Gujarat’s 1,469 imprisonment clauses were the highest in the country. Now, that has been hacked down to 953. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, passed by the state assembly in September, has decriminalised 516 offences. To be more precise, the punitive burden they carry has been lightened to more rational levels. Decriminalisation doesn’t mean blanket amnesty. Instead, criminal sanctions or conviction-based fines have been dropped for administrative penalties—with these getting tightened to ensure deterrence. A LIGHTER SENTENCE Of the 516 tweaks, jail has…

If THERE WAS A MAJOR LESSON FOR INDIA FROM OPERATION SINDOOR, it was the need to upgrade its drone power—both in terms of a strike force and in defending itself against enemy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In fact, battlefields have been transformed by drones, which are now indispensable for ISR (Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance) through medium/high altitude drones, or for precise strike missions through battlefield support UAVs armed with bombs and missiles. During the short and sharp conflict between India and Pakistan from May 7-10, another form of attack drones gained prominence. Known as loitering munitions or fire-and-forget ‘kamikaze’ UAVs, these are armed with warheads that ‘loiter’ over an area before identifying and swooping down on targets—often used in ‘swarms’ to overwhelm air defences and pulverise enemy assets. The high level of integration of…

ZUBAIR AHMAD LONE, 27 A silver in the slalom and giant slalom at the F.I.S. Alpine Snowboard event in Kopaonik, Serbia, in January marked a promising start for Zubair Ahmad Lone. He’s been on the podium on multiple occasions since then in North Macedonia and Greece. In March, he created history by clinching India’s first snowboarding gold at an F.I.S. event in Lebanon. MEHRAJ UD DIN KHAN, 28 At the F.I.S. Via Stars Cup in Kopaonik, Serbia, in March 2024, Mehraj Ud Din Khan announced his arrival by picking up bronze in the slalom and giant slalom, the first snowboarding medals for India at an international event. Earlier this year, he took gold at the Khelo India Winter Games in the slalom, before his first appearance at the World Championships…

Artistic expression forges its path no matter what. Kolkata-based artist Nikita Agarwal is living proof of this. She started in the fashion industry, got married and while she loved art, it took a back seat. However, she soon realised that her inner artist was waiting to break out. So, five years ago, she gave up a flourishing career to pursue art. “I am a self taught artist learning from many gurus and I keep doing courses. This year I went to University of Art, London.” Initially she dabbled with every medium. “Now my style is more contemporary and I use oil and acrylic mix,” she says, adding, “I slowly evolved, changed my style, travelled more and found inspiration everywhere.” Take for instance one of her most popular pieces, a merry-go-round.…

Stylish Service This festive season serve treats on Les Ottomans, a beautiful tray available at Plate & Peonie, a luxury tableware brand founded by Anandita Kothari. Decorated with colourful blooms the piece crafted from wood has a lacquered finish. PRICE ₹7,218 AT www.plateandpeonie.com Divine Delight Thomas Goode (luxury tableware brand) and House of Herend (Hungarian porcelain brand) have come together to launch a limited-edition Ganesha. The porcelain figurine is individually handsculpted and adorned with three layers of pure 24-carat liquid gold. PRICE on request AT www.thomasgoode.in Genius of Geometry Based in Barcelona, Coordonné is celebrated globally for its exceptional wall coverings and fabric collections. Their latest range, an ikat collection, available at Dialogues by Nirmals, features intricate vegetal motifs rendered in striking, saturated hues. PRICE on request AT www.nirmals.com Old…

When you meet Atil Yadav, creative director, Astoria Living, the first impression is a study in restraint. He speaks softly, thinks precisely and obsesses over craft. The Experience Centre on MG Road, Sultanpur spans 18,000 sq ft and reads like his signature—luxe without the noise, artisanal details without loud logos, timeless over trendy and transient. A Notch Above From upholstery that invites the hand to lighting that edits the mood, every zone asks you to slow down and look closer. “We believe luxury should be felt, not just seen,” says Yadav. “Our Experience Centre redefines how interiors are designed by immersing you in thoughtfully curated spaces that celebrate global craftsmanship and enduring quality, allowing you to see, touch, and feel premium luxury pieces before making them your own,” he adds.…

AI is already reshaping jobs—coding, testing, customer support and data operations are among the first to feel the shift. Every technological revolution, from the printing press to computerisation, began with fear and ended with greater opportunity. AI will be no different. The real question is not if change will come, but how fast we can prepare for it. Across India’s $245 billion tech and customer experience (CX) sectors, automation is driving 15-20 per cent of productivity gains today, likely to rise to 50 per cent by 2030. Roles such as Level-1 support staff and junior developers will shrink. If we remain on a business-as-usual path, up to 2 million jobs may be displaced by 2031. But this is only half the story. A new world of work is emerging—the once-standard…

POWER DOES NOT VANISH in politics. It only waits for the right moment to reclaim itself. That moment might have arrived for Azam Khan. In his case, that first axiom applies uniquely: it was not on account of any plunge in his popular stock that he went into oblivion. He was put there by the law, maximally interpreted. Now, after spending nearly two years in jail on multiple charges, Azam Khan is free, so is his instinct to play for centrality as the main Muslim face of the Samajwadi Party (SP). At least that’s the script till now. Multiple futures and options seem open for him. With no shortage of suitors, he has the chips to extract his bargains—in the SP or outside. A founding member of the SP and…

PAKISTAN’S DRONE ARMOURY CH-4 Chinese Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) armed UAV used in Operation Sindoor ↘ COMBAT RADIUS 3,500-5,000 km, endurance (time it can remain airborne without recharging) of 12-40 hours ↘ WEAPONS: AR-1 & AR-2 missiles, anti-tank missiles, bombs ↘ TACTICAL USE Can undertake both ISR (Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance) and strike missions BAYRAKTAR TB2 Turkish armed UAV used in Op. Sindoor, supported by Turkish advisors ↘ COMBAT RADIUS: 300 km, endurance of 27 hours ↘ WEAPONS: Payload of 150 kg; laserguided munition, Kemankes micro cruise missile ↘ TACTICAL USE Deployed for both ISR and strikes WING LOONG II Chinese MALE, armed UAV ↘ COMBAT RADIUS: 1,500 km; endurance of 20 hrs ↘ WEAPONS: Payload of 480 kg; includes FT and GB series guided bombs, air-to-ground missiles like AKD-10 ↘ TACTICAL USE ISR and strikes, used in swarm…

YASH SAMPAT, 33 Advocate, New Delhi ‘Spiritual grounding brings me clarity’ Yash is a regular at Swaminarayan temples—Akshardham in Delhi when home (in pic), in other cities when work takes him there. Since 2006, he has attended weekly Bal Sabhas, marked by satsang, seva and a quiet walk past carved pillars. For this young advocate, court diaries can be chaotic, briefs multiplying hourly. The temple, he says, gives him clarity. “My spiritual grounding helps me see issues more broadly and respond with balance.” He values how sabhas weave peers and mentors together through shared service and bonhomie after aarti. The result: sharper focus and a habit of giving back. THEY ARE THE KIND OF COUPLE WHO BRUNCH AT KHAN MARKET AND SKI IN GULMARG. Ira Kapoor, 26, is a brand…

The Museum of A. Ramachandran in Kollam, inaugurated on October 5, realises a dream the artist, who passed away in 2024, cherished for decades—to create a home for his art in Kerala. “Although Ramachandran spent all his working life in Delhi, he remained a Malayali at heart,” says R. Siva Kumar, the museum’s curator. “His sensibilities were formed during his early days in Kerala [Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram], and they shone through his personality and his art.” Ramachandran’s fascination with art began early: childhood scribbles on walls, oil portraits of ancestors, temple murals and reproductions of Bengal School paintings nurtured his curiosity. A visit to Sri Chithralayam in Thiruvananthapuram and, years later, the Maruki Gallery in Japan inspired his lifelong wish to build a museum of his own. That wish was…

Most couldn’t wrap their heads around Tushar Lalwani’s decision to switch from cricket to baseball in the seventh grade. In baseball, he found a lot of transferable skills and the possibility of someday representing the country. That dream came true when he donned the Indian jersey at the Arab Classic in November last year. College players have been scouted from across India and worked with mentors over the years Next month, Lalwani will be one of three Indian players to turn out for Mumbai Cobras in the inaugural edition of Baseball United, besides three other players of Indian origin. The four-team professional league is the brainchild of Kash Shaikh, John Miedreich and Major League Baseball legends like Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera and Adrian Beltre, and was launched to bring the…

Mumbai’s skyline shimmered a little brighter, this September, when the city’s most celebrated architects, interior designers, and tastemakers gathered for the grand unveiling of Loire Luxe Lab the new Experience Centre by Loire, India’s emerging name in premium bath fittings. The event wasn’t just a launch; it was a celebration of vision, craftsmanship and conviction that India is ready for a design revolution. FUTURE FORWARD At its heart, Loire is a philosophy inspired by the serene beauty of the Loire River in France, celebrated for its calm flow and poetic grace. The brand takes its name from this river to signify fluidity, reflection, and timelessness qualities that flow through its every creation. DESIGNED TO MATTER Loire’s vision is to make world-class design and technology accessible to Indian homes, hotels, and…

During Durga Puja in Kolkata the city’s heartbeat is made visible. The air thickens with incense and anticipation; dhaak rhythms echo down old lanes; the skyline glows with fairy lights and festivity. And through it all, one symbol remains constant—the yellow taxi. That familiar flash of canary yellow winding through pandal-lined streets, ferrying families, artisans, and laughter across a city transformed. This year, India Today HOME visited Kolkata and witnessed how Asian Paints made that taxi something more—a vessel of memory and art. It all began in 1985, when Asian Paints decided to look at Durga Puja through a different lens. With a simple newspaper advertisement, the brand redefined how Kolkata saw its most beloved festival. That was the birth of Asian Paints Sharad Shamman. “Forty years later, it has…

This festive season get ready for grazing tables that feel like theatre. We are talking about layered, dramatic and ready-to-serve spreads that double as gifts and sit proudly as the centrepiece of a home. Abundance is the mood: colour, texture, and generosity, echoing the spirit of Diwali. What makes them interesting is how Indian flavours and traditions have found their place on these boards. Mithai-inspired grazing tables with bite-sized laddoos and kaju katlis styled like petit fours. Classics are being transformed too—an inverted vada pav bun or a spiced strudel with Indian flavours set next to croissants; crackers dusted with podi or curry leaf sitting just as easily beside a sourdough lavash when paired with a cream cheese. The styling too leans into the festive Indian mood, tables layered with…

Couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla take their coffee very seriously. So, when they got an opportunity to collaborate with Starbucks, they knew indulgent was the way to go. The result? The AJSK x Starbucks hamper is what the duo call a sensory delight of couture-inspired aesthetics. Inside you will find an ivory mug with gilded detailing where the design flows across architectural motifs, flora, fauna, and the peacock (a recurring symbol in the AJSK universe), a luxury scented candle, delicious coffee, a classic French press, among other things. Celebrating with the perfect cuppa just got a whole lot chicer. PRICE on request AT Starbucks stores…