Innholdsfortegnelse for 11 April 2022 i India Today

The first time I saw Alia Bhatt was at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai in 2017. All of 23, she stepped onto the stage with youthful confidence. So much so that you could not tell that just half an hour before her session, the teleprompter had given way. Unfazed, she began speaking, in what was an imaginary conversation with her father, the filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. For the next 20 minutes, Alia held her audience in thrall, with a performance worthy of a thespian. Striking a self-deprecatory tone, Alia recounted how before she set out on a promotional tour for a film, her father would call and let her know the name of the chief minister of the state she was visiting. Anyone else would have found it difficult to…

It’s been the toughest two years for any business. And aviation is a risky business at the best of times—a time when zero human mobility was mandated can only have been death-knell. But now the sector is looking up again. Domestic air traffic is showing signs of a quick revival: data shows an average daily traffic of 382,000 passengers in the week starting March 20. India was the fastest growing aviation market globally before Covid struck. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia foresees passenger traffic rising to 400 million by 2023-24. The sector has “an economic multiple of 3.1 (a yield of 3.1 dollars for every dollar invested) and an employment multiple of 6.1,” he says. A list of the ministry’s estimates and plans: ₹ 60,000 CRORE Investment in green and brownfield…

↘ Yogi Adityanath Key departments: home, revenue, personnel, vigilance, a total of 34 departments ↘ Dy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya Rural development, food processing, public enterprises and national integration ↘ Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak Health, family welfare and child welfare ↘ Suresh Khanna Nine-time MLA gets finance and parliamentary affairs ↘ Swatantra Dev Singh Water resources and irrigation dept (Jal Shakti) ↘ Baby Rani Maurya Women’s welfare and child nutrition ↘ Arvind Kumar Sharma Urban development and power ↘ Jitin Prasada Public works dept (PWD) ↘ Surya Pratap Shahi Agriculture ↘ Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary Sugarcane development and sugar mills ↘ Nand Gopal ‘Nandi’ Industrial development and exports THOSE WHO WERE DROPPED… ↘ Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma ↘ Former ministers Satish Mahana, Siddharth Nath Singh, Jai Pratap Singh, Neelkanth Tiwari, Jai…

Eyebrows were raised when Sumitra Gandhi-Kulkarni, grand-daughter of Mahatma Gandhi, inaugurated a portal, modistory.in, dedicated to ‘untold stories’ of PM Narendra Modi, on March 28. Launched by his admirers, the portal showcases narratives by all manner of figures, from politicians to sportspersons like Neeraj Chopra. The 81-year-old Gandhi-Kulkarni has known Modi since his younger days. Being graced by a Gandhi would perchance make the portal look a bit more universal in its appeal, and less of a party campaign artefact.…

Favourite food Poha and French fries Favourite leisure activity Sleeping Fitness mantra Work out a LOT Funniest day in life Every time I watch US sitcom FRIENDS Worst nightmare Being in a tsunami Current favourite reads Will by Will Smith, Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Her pet Edward, my five-year-old Persian cat Favourite colour White Inner circle All my school friends from Jamnabai Narsee—Meghna, Akanksha, Kripa, Devika, Rhea, Disha and Tanya Favourite actors Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Allu Arjun Investments: Phool, a start-up that converts floral waste into incense products; Nykaa; started children’s sustainable clothing line Ed-amamma…

Come May and every aspirant to an undergraduate course in the Delhi University student starts losing their sleep over the impossibly high cutoffs for admission into a college and course of their choice. Not this academic session. This summer, nearly 180,000 students will get admission to undergraduate courses in the Delhi University and 44 other central universities based not on marks in the 10+2 board exams, but on the basis of the score in the Common Universities Entrance Test (CUET). “It’s mandatory for all central universities,” says Professor M. Jagadesh Kumar, chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). “We believe once they see merit in this test, state universities and deemed universities too will soon adopt it for admissions.” ment agency established in 2017, the computer-based examination will comprise multiple-choice…

↘ The RBI announced a $400 million currency swap to bolster Sri Lankan foreign exchange reserves ↘ New Delhi extended a $500 million credit line to Colombo for fuel purchases from India ↘ New Delhi also announced a $1 billion credit line to Lanka to import essentials ↘ During his visit to Sri Lanka, Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar announced the setting up of fishing harbours, a grant for Lanka’s Digital Identity Project, and support for schools in Galle ↘ India will set up three hybrid power projects in Sri Lanka, and a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre will come up with a $6 million Indian grant…

YAMAHA FZS25 Yamaha’s FZS 25 line is powered by a 249 cc air-cooled four stroke single-cylinder engine that puts out a maxium of 20.8 bhp of power and a maximum torque of 20.1 Nm. The company recent spruced up the FZS 25 line with new colours, including matte copper and matte black. Prices start at Rs 1.38 lakh HONDA AFRICA TWIN The 2022 Africa Twin adventure sports model is available in two variants, one with a dual clutch and one with a manual transmission. It is powered by a 1082.96cc four-stroke eight-valve parallel twin engine, which offers 97 bhp and 103 Nm of torque HERO XPULSE 200 4V The new XPulse 200 4V’s main highlight is its four-valve engine which puts out six per cent more power and five per…

POWER-PACKED POWERTRAINS The XUV700 offers a choice of either petrol or diesel engine options, both of which pack ample go to match the show. The 2.0-litre turbocharged-petrol engine boasts of 200 thoroughbred stallions with 380Nm of torque to make the XUV700 move like no other in its class. The mHawk diesel engine is available in two power trims with upto 185 horsepower and upto a wholesome 450Nm of torque to conquer any terrain while a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox offers even more versatility for various driving requirements. EXHILARATING ADRENOX At the heart of the XUV700’s intelligent connectivity suite, is the AdrenoX Connect system that offers various convenience features right at your finger tips. Remote locking and unlocking, turning on the air-conditioner on a hot day to pre-condition…

BMW has long been known for its unique ‘art cars’. Its latest offering in this vein—the ‘Future is Born of Art’ initiative—saw its first allelectric vehicle, the iX, serving as a canvas for artists, with the theme being ‘sustainable circularity’. Four artists submitted proposals for this project, and while the judges saw value in all of them, Faiza Hasan’s work stood out. Her proposal was to depict a coming-together of all kinds of people against a common backdrop. Hasan, who likes to explore the relationship between self and society, says she sees sustainability as being linked to connectedness. Alongside drawings of everyday folk, she uses Urdu words—like ‘suno (listen)’, ‘tasawur (to imagine)’, ‘umeed (hope)’ and ‘nigehbaan (guardian)’—in a bid to remind people of the importance of paying attention to the…

VIKRAM PAWAH President, BMW Group India Q. Do you see the SUV trend continuing in India? What’s next for BMW India in that respect? BMW’s sports activity vehicles (SAVs) are immensely successful because of their commanding road presence, robust proportions, elevated driving position and dynamic performance. We have SAVs in each segment, with petrol, diesel and electric powertrains. The demand is quite high with long waiting periods. The preference for luxury SAVs will increase in the future and these vehicles will remain an important pillar of our product strategy. Q. What are BMW’s plans for EVs in India? In December, we promised to launch three EVs within 180 days. The first was the iX. It was sold out on the day of the launch. Next, we launched the Mini three-door…

The top-three finalists of each category in the World Car of the Year Awards 2022 (WCOTY) have been announced. The six categories—World Car of the Year, World Urban Car, World Electric Vehicle of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car and World Car Design of the Year—are voted on by a jury of 102 automotive journalists from around the world. Yogendra Pratap, editor, Auto Today, is a juror for WCOTY. The winners will be announced on April 13, 2022. The top three contenders for World Car of the Year 2022 are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6. The top three contenders for the World Urban Car of the Year include the Opel Mokka, the Toyota Yaris Cross, and the Indiamade VW Taigun. As…

After more than two years of looking at art mostly on computer screens, the opening of the refurbished Kiran Nadar Museum of Modern Art (KNMA) is a welcome event. The museum opens with a twin exhibition: the works of K. Ramanujam (1941-1973), being shown in depth for the first time outside Tamil Nadu as well as a display of recent work by one of our most important contemporary painters, Atul Dodiya. Screen fatigue notwithstanding, as you walk into the renovated foyer, you have on one wall a digital mosaic of works from KNMA’s vast collection of modern and contemporary Indian art. As you tap or swipe on a particular image, it enlarges out of the cluster, allowing you to look at the painting or sculpture in greater detail, complete with…

For a newborn sector, finding a stable turf on which to grow can be a complicated affair when the world itself is in motion. Cryptocurrencies and the traditional economic system present exactly such a duality—paired in a difficult tango. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech threw some mottled light on an area of darkness. Both the nascent industry and the enthusiastic flock of investors it has attracted were only partly dismayed by the news that crypto trading would be taxed at 30 per cent. Yes, such a high rate was a dampener. But it also meant that, for the first time, the government seemed to recognise cryptocurrency as an asset class. A legitimisation of sorts, which went contrary to expectations that the Centre was planning to ban all cryptocurrencies, with…

Ramesh Tawadkar, a senior figure among the BJP’s Goa new flock of MLAs, was initially unwilling to accept the post of assembly speaker. He considered it a bad omen as former speakers Rajesh Patnekar and Rajendra Arlekar had lost the election when they were presiding over the assembly (in 2022 and 2017, respectively). But CM Pramod Sawant, an ex-speaker himself, managed to convince Tawadkar. Also, Arlekar is the governor of Himachal Pradesh now. Tawadkar is finally all set to become Goa’s first ST speaker.…

When he became chief minister in mid-2019, Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy ensured all district bigwigs and influential caste cohorts found a place in his cabinet. He had then promised to recast the team halfway through the term. It did not happen in December. Nor, as speculated, on New Year day2022. Meanwhile, post reorganisation, the number of districts are up from 13 to 26. With a lengthening list of claimants, Jagan has a task on his hands. Sources say a reconstructed team could be announced on April 11, deemed auspicious as it’s Chaitra Suddha Dasami.…

↘ Common University Entrance Test (CUET) is a common test for admission into undergraduate courses offered by 45 central universities. Admissions will be based on CUET scores and not 10+2 board results ↘ Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the test will comprise multiple-choice questions ↘ The syllabus will be NCERT curriculum for Class XII ↘ There will be negative marking for wrong answers ↘ It will have three broad segments—a language test in one of 13 languages, a subject test in a maximum of six out of a list of 27, and a general test to examine aptitude, logic and reasoning ↘ For students willing to pursue a language course, there will be another test on a language from a list of 19 ↘ The first CUET will…

REST Ease yourself back into routine life. It is important to give your body time to recover fully from the illness EAT RIGHT Light and fresh food gives the body the essential nutrients it needs to heal itself REDUCE MENTAL STRESS Cognitive or psychological issues can hamper recovery; they can also be a sign of other underlying post-Covid problems GO FOR REGULAR CHECK-UPS In case of any symptom, consult a doctor immediately; get routine check-ups post recovery GET VACCINATED Fully vaccinated people stand less chances of getting severe Covid; it also reduces risks of post-Covid complications THE RIGHT MEDICATION Do not self-medicate; pills (including supplements) should be taken after consulting a doctor…

In my 25 years as an automotive journalist, there have been a couple of products that have been described as revolutionary. The first was one that set out to offer two-wheeler buyers and owners a safer and more comfortable mode of transport—sparking fears that the existing infrastructure would not be able to cope with the coming deluge of this proletarian four wheeler. It didn’t happen. Despite starting with a production capacity of 250,000 cars per year, production delays and perception problems meant sales did not touch even half that number—monthly sales peaked at about 10,000 cars. Then multiple reports of this car catching fire were the final nail in the coffin of this first mobility revolution as prospective buyers became reluctant to abandon their bikes and scooters for this…

Skoda realises its strength is that it is well regarded as a manufacturer who has consistently offered desirable sedans in India. Going on the offensive to increase its product portfolio, the new Slavia is the successor to the Rapid—and what they’ve created is a very likable offering. The Slavia instantly reminds you of the original Octavia in dimensions; visibly larger than the Rapid it replaces and well at par with the competition. The clean and bold lines of typical Skoda designs gives the Slavia a stretched look as the sloping roofline and sharp design cues follow from the front to the rear of the sedan. Riding on 16-inch wheels, the Slavia doesn’t look under-tyred; rather, it looks proportionate, even sporty despite a good 179 mm of ground clearance. Stepping inside…

At first look, the Carens does not look as muscular or as aggressive as an SUV. The front end design is very different from the Seltos and the Sonet and comes with a sleek set of lights. Overall, the front end design looks smooth rather than sporty. The Carens also rides on smaller 16-inch wheels, a trait more common to an MPV. The Carens comes with a smart dash and a multicolour interior design. There’s a rich blue shade which is coupled to beige inside the cabin and we love the treatment. The dash houses a 10.25 inch infotainment system which offers 66 connected car features apart from being paired to a good set of Bose speakers. The instrument panel is an LCD cluster which offers a plethora of information.…

When it comes to climate, we get the most varied kinds in our country. The smouldering summer is now on its way, with the pouring monsoons thrown into the mix later on. Such immense changes in temperature and weather conditions every few months have an adverse effect on everything that is exposed to the elements. Naturally, cars too are extremely vulner-able to the ravages of climatic variations, since they are often parked in the open. To minimise the effects of weather on your car, we have a few pointers that will not only keep your vehicle in good health this summer, but also save you some money that you might otherwise spend in order to keep it running. COOLING SYSTEM Cars these days are made to be virtually maintenance-free and…

Q. Sales of sedans have been falling, and yet Škoda decided to launch the Slavia. Why? Škoda has a rich legacy with sedans. In India, the sales of sedans have been falling because no new product has been introduced in this segment. With the Slavia, we are getting a tremendous response from customers. Our belief that a good product will take precedence over body shape is what drove us to bring in the Slavia. Q. Is Škoda betting big on sedans? We acknowledge that SUVs have a significant market share, but also that Indian consumers have a variety of requirements, tastes and aspirations. We have a rich legacy of sedans in our over 20 years in India—the Superb and the Octavia dominate their respective segments. We believe the Slavia will…

The little Tata Nano created big news back when it was launched. Apart from the usual ‘comparos’ and test drive, Auto Today acquired one and put it through a grueling long term test. However, what happened next was unthinkable! We decided to drive our very own Tata Nano CX to Khardung La, the highest stretch of motorable road perched at 18,380 ft. The little Nano was driven all the way from Delhi to Leh crossing treacherous passes like the Baralacha, Tanglang La and so on. The run-up from Leh at 10,500 ft to Khar-dung La at 18,380 ft saw the Nano achieve an-other feat! Due to an army convoy coming downhill, we had to park our backup SUV at the base. So the 39-km uphill drive saw the team of…

Q. What was it like to return as the badtempered but brilliant investigating officer, Abhay Pratap Singh, for a third season? I always wanted to do something in the web space and the fact that Abhay is now in its third season is a testament to its success. That it’s a detective show which has the protagonist’s name as the title—like Karamchand or Byomkesh Bakshi—is so cool. Abhay has become my second skin. I slip into character as soon as I wear his shoes and kada (bracelet). “Abhay [the character] has become my second skin. I slip into character as soon as I wear his shoes and kada” Q. Last year, you spoke about a Ram Jethmalani biopic that you and your wife, Soha Ali Khan, wanted to produce. What’s happening…

The Kargil War helped show that India had no dearth of real-life heroes. Anuj Nayyar was one such hero. He was just 23 when he died saving the lives of 15 fellow soldiers. This book tells his story. While steering clear of controversies over Subhas Chandra Bose’s death, this new account confronts other questions—was Netaji a Nazi sympathiser? How did he raise two armies? According to Nair, India never did quite get all the plaudits it deserved for coming to Bangladesh’s aid in 1971. By recounting tales of our valour, he seeks to bolster a nation’s sense of self.…

It was fairly conspicuous. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath had invited all NDA chief ministers to his swearing-in and almost all of them graced the occasion except for three notable absentees—Meghalaya’s Conrad K. Sangma, Zoramthanga of Mizoram and Nagaland’s Neiphiu Rio. Zoramthanga’s Mizo National Front is part of the NDA at the Centre but has no truck with the BJP in the state. Both Sangma and Rio run BJP-dependent regimes. Sangma’s National People’s Party and the BJP have had it rough since the two parted ways in Manipur. In fact, Sangma and Zoramthanga didn’t even wish Yogi on the day—as even Rio did.…

It’s a Sunday afternoon on Floor #1 of Mehboob Studios, and Alia Bhatt is biting into multiple bars of Perk. Dressed in white vest, sunshine yellow bomber jacket and denims, you could mistake the 29-year-old for a teen. Except that we are in the presence of ‘India’s new acting superstar’, a term INDIA TODAY had first coined for her now boyfriend of five years, Ranbir Kapoor, in 2013. That label sits well on Alia too today, but then, she, as always, likes to play it cool. “I have to observe, without it seeming like acting,” she says, of her Perk shoot, but it may well be her life’s credo. The chocolate is one of 23 brands the actor currently endorses. There cannot be a better fit for their brand, believes…

BMW X3 The new facelifted X3 is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit delivering 190 bhp and 400 Nm of torque, with an eightspeed automatic gearbox pushing power to all four wheels. It does the 0-100 kmph sprint in 7.9 seconds, with a rated top speed of 213 kmph. At Rs 65.50 lakh, the diesel variant is just a shade cheaper than the petrol variant (Rs 65.90 lakh) MG ZS MG’s ZS electric vehicle, available in two models—the Exclusive, already on the market and the Excite, launching in July—begins at Rs 22 lakh. The electric motor produces 176 bhp and 280 Nm of torque, giving it a 0-100 kmph time of 8.5 seconds, while the 50.3 kWh battery pack provides a claimed range of 461 km on a full charge…

The 2022 Maruti Suzuki Baleno comes in with a new design philosophy. The front end gets a new grille and the headlights are projector types. The LED DRLs feature a new design that going forward will be common for all Nexa products. The bumper too is new and houses the fog lights. The bonnet line has changed as well. The taillights are redesigned and feature LEDs. A section of the console now sits on the tailgate too. The new Maruti Suzuki Baleno is based on the company’s Heartect platform which has been heavily reworked. Hence, the suspension is all new and special work has gone into the NVH packaging as well. Compared to the older car, the new version is 5mm shorter and sits 10mm lower. Inside, the dash has…

It’s a headline grabber—India’s most powerful scooter, India’s most comfortable scooter and, by a long shot, India’s most expensive scooter. In fact, if price is no object, then the C400 GT, an uber premium scooter from the BMW stable launched in India recently, may be everything you need to tackle those those odd urban commutes and even some light touring. Visually, the C400 GT is everything that you would expect from a BMW ‘business class’ urban mobility scooter. The sharp panels in the front with the massive windscreen house quad LED headlights with angel eye DRLs seem to be inspired by the present generation of the 3 and 5 Series’. At 775 mm, the seat is quite low, comparable to what you’d find on a hard-tail cruiser. Sitting almost on…

“I don’t want to shy away anymore from saying, ‘Hey, you know what? I worked really hard and I am happy with the film’.” Late last month, when Abhishek Bachchan returned from a screening of his latest film Dasvi (streaming on Netflix from April 7), he felt pleased with the final product. At 4am, high on adrenaline and unable to sleep, he decided to pour his feelings into a note. By morning, it was up on Instagram. “I’ve always been very reticent to speak about my films, borderline apologetic about my work,” read one of the lines. It’s not often that actors are honest about their frailties, but for Bachchan, that’s a pivotal part of being in the profession. “We have chosen to bare our deepest secrets for millions to…

It is only in recent years that Indian professional historians have started to pay serious heed to Indian military history. This is an interesting anomaly as the country has a rich military heritage. Most importantly, India, as a British colony, made significant contributions in both blood and treasure to the two World Wars. In recent years, journalist Shrabani Basu has written evocatively about Indian soldiers on the Western Front in World War I; and the historian Srinath Raghavan, in turn, has written authoritatively on India’s role both at home and abroad in World War II. Despite this growing interest in military history, apart from the memoirs of participants, few, if any, historians of note have written about the Indian naval mutiny of 1946. Written by an amateur historian, the present…

Q. While many of your peers have forayed into streaming, Sharmaji Namkeen is your first direct-to-digital release. What do you seek from a project? The script has to be compelling and it has to be a story I would like to be a part of and watch. Once you hear it, your decision should be spontaneous. OTT or theatrical release is not the criteria. Q. This is Rishi Kapoor’s last film. What was it like collaborating with him after almost two decades? Chintuji [Rishi Kapoor] was Chintuji. I had observed him for 25 years and he hadn’t changed. He would scold someone, wind someone up or make fun of somebody on set. He would say to me, ‘Kya lipstick phir se laga rahi hai [Why are you putting on lipstick…