Innholdsfortegnelse for 28 April 2025 i India Today

I have long believed that one of the biggest obstacles to India’s economic progress is the suffocating bureaucracy Indian entrepreneurs and even foreign investors have to endure. Now, the trade war started by President Donald Trump brings new urgency to India’s push to become globally competitive. We are being compelled to open our markets to our largest trading partner, the United States. This shift will also disrupt existing patterns of global trade, with the world, especially China, looking for new markets. The real challenge for Indian business is not the lack of capital, infrastructure or skills. It is the legacy of regulatory cholesterol that chokes Indian entrepreneurship. A study by TeamLease Services found that from launch to liquidation, Indian entrepreneurs must navigate a maze of more than 69,000 compliances, governed…

The mobs were running amok, but ex-cricketer and Behrampore MP Yusuf Pathan figured it was time for an Instagram interlude. “Easy afternoons, good chai and calm surroundings,” he mused, seemingly worlds away from the mayhem. But no one was amused. The TMC MP’s constituency was spared the bloodshed, but as Murshidabad district’s administrative nerve centre, a show of leadership, or even empathy, was the bare minimum needed. Instead, what the public got was a three-photo spread of Pathan’s quest for inner peace. The BJP pounced, accusing him of sipping tea while “Hindus got slaughtered”. Even within the TMC, the murmurs grew louder—“outsider,” “tonedeaf,” “Insta disaster”… Looks like Pathan won’t be up for ‘Impact Player’ anytime soon. Believe in Uncle When ex-Union minister Ashwini Choubey remarked on April 10 that he…

Amit Kulkarni, 50 Architect, Mumbai Kulkarni has been designing redevelopment projects in Mumbai for the past 20 years. For each project, which involves dismantling old buildings and constructing new ones in their place, Kulkarni has to obtain clearances from four key government agencies—the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MISC) and the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). Then, there are the approvals from environmental clearance committees, as well as the fire, aviation and heritage departments. Coastal Regulation Zone norms have to be observed too. This complex web of approvals and compliances often leads to significant project delays and cost escalation. “A redevelopment project in Mumbai requires 25-30 approvals. The delay due to these raises…

Since making her Hindi acting debut with Dil Maange More in 2004, Soha Ali Khan has played a variety of roles: a black-and-white era actress, an international studies student mourning the sudden death of her fiancé, and so on. Whether it was due to the film industry’s limited imagination or the result of being typecast, the actor never ended up playing an antagonist. It took her almost two decades to tick that off her bucket list. In Vishal Furia’s Chhorii 2—a sequel to the 2021 horror film—that released on Prime Video this month, Khan goes a step beyond being an antagonist, playing the most menacing character of her career. When the script came her way, Khan had already watched Chhorii, which revolved around a pregnant woman (played by Nushrratt Bharuccha)…

From April 19 to July 20, the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru, presents Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal: Roots That Reach for the Sky—its first group exhibition dedicated to contemporary photography and lens-based practices. Curated by selftaught artist Jaisingh Nageswaran, this evocative show features 12 Tamilorigin artists whose works reimagine the possibilities of photographic storytelling. First shown as part of the Chennai Photo Biennale 2024–2025, Vaanyerum Vizhuthugal poetically translates from Tamil as ‘Roots That Reach for the Sky’. “Usually, roots grow downward into the soil,” says Nageswaran. “But in this case, metaphorically, the roots reach toward the sky. That inversion inspired me—it comes from the contemporary Tamil poet Muthu Kumara Raja.” Through this lens, the exhibition traces Tamil identity in its layered, diasporic and politically charged complexity. Rejecting simplified or singular…

Bring Spring In Can spring be stitched onto a fabric? Prasanaakshi’s spring collection, Basant (available at Life n Colors) answers the question on most aesthetes’ minds. They call it a wardrobe refresh, but for your home. So, the range plays with contrasts, age-old motifs and geometrics in linen and velvet fabrics. PRICE ₹1,499 onwards (per metre) AT www.lifencolors.in Earth Friendly Edgy design, check. Eco-friendly, check. Collectible, double check. SPIN’s Eco-Collectibles truly embody this. The designs, crafted from reclaimed materials are divided into three series, Eco-Fly, Eco-Walk and Eco-Casa. Eco-Fly, is a tribute to nature; Eco-Walk is inspired by endangered wildlife; and Eco-Casa is a fusion of reclaimed wood and metal. PRICE ₹500 to ₹2,500 AT www.madewithspin.com Two for One Deepika Goyal of Popcorn Atelier has been in the business of…

As architects, it is our duty to encourage the development of an intuitive approach to design, more subjective in nature prior to addressing the objective or external aspect of it. This is something we strictly follow at our practice, as well. Creation of Micro Climate through Afforestation Architecture is not about structures: it is about ‘life’. And to understand life you have to develop a deep relationship with ‘nature’ (which we are an intrinsic part of). Only then does nature open its doors to you: to the awareness and understanding of ‘consciousness’ that pervades all existence. The planet is poised precariously and unless there is a sea change, a radical transformation not merely in the collective but the change must manifest in each one of us, in our very subjectivity,…

The anatomy of one of the most sought after architecture firm reveals their deep desire to find contextual and sustainable design solutions. Based out of Mumbai and Rotterdam, Architecture BRIO has won multiple awards for creative regenerative design and material explorations, where while sustainibility plays a role, their approach remains holistic. This quest for green design started 20 years ago, since their time in Sri Lanka when Shefali Balwani and Robert Verrijit worked in the studio founded by Geoffrey Bawa. Here nature was the starting point of design. “Much like Geoffrey’s work, rather than architecture taking centre stage, drawing attention to itself by overly parading and showing how amazing it is, and in doing so using extraordinary amounts of natural resources, we developed an architecture of humility,” shares Verrijit. So,…

For sharp analysis on topical issues by the editors of INDIA TODAY, log on to www.indiatoday.in/india-today-magazine-insight THE STORY OF THE DAY How Tejashwi gave Rahul, Kharge a Bihar poll reality check By Amitabh Srivastava In 2020, the Congress contested a disproportionate number of seats, winning under a third of them and denying the RJD-led alliance a shot at power. Will 2025 be different? shorturl.at/ZlPaW SPOTLIGHT: DELHI AIRPORT How Delhi’s global aviation hub dreams can take wing By Avishek G. Dastidar In a world where airlines choose hub airports not just for their size but also their speed, seamlessness and security, the IGI airport still has some proving to do shorturl.at/v39qL SPECIAL REPORT: INVEST UP How Yogi govt is giving business investment more than a policy push By Avaneesh Mishra The…

Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, is regarded as an auspicious time for new beginnings. And that’s the day Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu chose to unveil an ambitious plan—part of his Swarna Andhra 2047 vision—which he claims could redefine poverty alleviation. The Zero PovertyP4 initiative, launched on March 30, is a bold experiment in inclusive growth, enlisting the wealthiest 10 per cent of the population to support the bottom 20 per cent. The goal is sweeping: a povertyfree Andhra Pradesh by 2029. At the heart of P4—short for Public PrivatePeople Partnership—is a structured mentorship programme. Affluent individuals, called ‘Margadarsis’ (mentors), will be encouraged to “adopt” underprivileged families, designated as ‘Bangaru Kutumbams’ (golden families). These partnerships, facilitated by the government, go beyond financial aid. Margadarsis—expected to be from among…

As Donald Trump was turning the world upside down with his tariffs, like a child playing Demolition Derby on a video game, the world was left scrambling to cope with the consequences of the American president’s trigger-happy trade policies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pre-emptive trip to the United States did little to shield India from the Trumpian blitzkrieg. Though India was spared the worst and Trump himself hit a 90-day pause button on April 9, New Delhi had already been mulling ways to strengthen Indian industry in anticipation of Trump’s trade war. High on the list was the urgent need to remove the regulatory cholesterol clogging the arteries of India’s economic growth. The unanimous consensus among experts: the Compliance Raj must go. The first hint perhaps came in the Economic Survey…

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Alcohol is a state subject. Even so, a new facility is required to obtain 100-plus licences from central, state and municipal authorities FMCG An FMCG business has to get separate licences for every unit wherein it manufactures, stores or sells food items NBFCs They have to stay abreast with over 35 one-time approvals within a single state besides ongoing compliances at central, state and local level AUTOMOTIVE Factory licence, shop and establishment registration, certification and standardisation…. Apart from high costs incurred, these lead to delays HOSPITALS Each hospital has to obtain close to 100 certificates, licences, permits under at least 58 Acts/rules at various stages of business PHARMA A pharma firm faces 70-odd one-time registrations and approvals besides ongoing compliances at each stage of production CHEMICALS Preventing a…

In the sporting world, we know that Haryanvi girls can land a mean punch (Saweety Boora), can outmanoeuvre on the mat (Sakshi Malik) and shoot their way to Olympic glory (Manu Bhaker). But score from a penalty corner in hockey? That’s Deepika, the 21-year-old rising star of women’s hockey. The drag flicker is on cloud nine, having won Hockey India’s Asunta Lakra award for upcoming player of the year 2024 (Women Under-21) after being the top goalscorer and best player at two 2024 tournaments: Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy and Women’s Junior Asia Cup held in Oman. Belonging to a family of wrestlers, Deepika started off by following her older brother to the mat at Sports Authority of India’s facility in Hisar. But her heart lay in hockey, which she…

A large number of Indian cinema publications are anecdote-driven or based on salacious behind-the-scenes stories. Occasionally, though, a book is written with such care and attention to detail that it makes you want to drop everything and head straight to the films being discussed—so you can savour what the author saw in them, or disagree with her, or both at the same time. Tanuja Chaturvedi’s Hum Dono—a “guru-dakshina” for Vijay (also known as Goldie) and Dev Anand and the classics they made together—is in this category. Chaturvedi’s relationship with the Anand brothers’ Navketan Films began in childhood (she got to meet Dev Anand at age five, an overwhelming experience for a girl who had only watched the charismatic star on the big screen), but took a new shape at the…

The wait is over. For years North Indians had to fly across states if they wanted to purchase an IKEA furniture, decor or furnishings. The call has finally been answered. Starting March 1, IKEA launched online delivery across Delhi-NCR and nine satellite cities—Agra, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ludhiana, and Varanasi. It’s been a strategic move. “Delhi is our number one market. We took our time because we wanted to know how people shopped here and wanted to create the right infrastructure to support it,” says Adosh Sharma, Country Commercial Manager, IKEA India. It’s no secret—this region is India’s largest home furnishings market, and IKEA was eager to tap into that potential. By embracing an e-commerce-first strategy, IKEA aims to quickly connect with a wide range of customers…

Drawing meaning from a Sanskrit term for master craftsman, STAPATI is based on artistry, skill, and integrity. It was founded in 1989 by Tony Joseph and joined by George Seemon and other partners. The practice is firm on ensuring every project is committed to integrity, innovation, and sustainability. Taking the concept forward they also have VANAM, a landscape division, and SMARAM, a furniture line. With a legacy in design for the past 35 years, we caught up with Seemon and Joseph to talk about all things green. 1. What are the sustainable practices you follow? (Seemon) Sustainability is at the core of everything we design, guided by sincerity to both the client and the site. Our approach ensures each project harmonises with its surroundings while meeting the client’s vision. Thoughtful…

For Snehal and Bhadri Suthar of tHE gRID Architects, sustainability is the foundation of their architectural approach (the firm was formally started in 2002). “Our work draws from climatic sensibility, passive design strategies, and material authenticity,” shares Bhadri. That’s not all, their architecture responds to its context. “It is guided by light, orientation, wind, and terrain. The design is always rooted in the location, the climate, and the purpose it is meant to serve,” shares Snehal. So, they engage with regional resources, collaborate with local craftsmen and build spaces that align with natural rhythms. The duo shares seven projects with us that showcase sustainable design ideas. Tarang, Gandhinagar This is currently the largest terracotta brick tile arched vault structure in India, what’s more, the architects say it can easily be…

SOUL FOOD Chef Manisha Bhasin Corporate Chef, ITC Hotels Chef Bhasin has always been drawn to sustainability and her passion for food is legendary in the culinary circles. So, it was only a matter of time that she found a way to bring the two together. From sourcing ingredients locally to reducing the carbon footprint and using traditional methods to preserve heritage, she has been a trend setter in her domain. “Reinventing global cuisine with Indian ingredients thus using what grows in our backyard keeping with ITC philosophy of triple bottom line is something I adhere to,” says the chef. So, instead of only using global ingredients she urges all to look for local counterparts. “There’s so much more to sustainbility,” she adds highlighting ITC’s sustainability initiatives including producing in-house…

India’s largest-ever genomic study has identified genetic variants unique to the country, marking a crucial step in closing a longstanding gap in global genomics research. The preliminary findings, published last week in Nature Genetics, come from the GenomeIndia project—a nationwide effort to map the country’s vast genetic diversity. Launched in January 2020, GenomeIndia brought together over 100 researchers from 20 institutions to conduct whole genome sequencing—a technique by which the sequence of the building blocks of DNA, known as nucleotides, is decoded—across a broad swathe of India’s population. The study analysed DNA from 10,074 individuals, drawn from a total of 20,000 blood samples collected from 83 population groups—both tribal and non-tribal. Despite being home to more than 4,600 distinct ethnic groups, India’s representation in global genomics databases has long been…

Dr Arun Kumar, 38 Owner and MD, Arogya Multi-Specialty Hospital Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh Dr Kumar had always dreamt of building a 30-bed hospital in Semri Bazar in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district, where it would be the only facility of its kind within a 10-km radius. Construction began in 2019, and with it a series of never-ending nightmares—of getting approvals, including registration under the Clinical Establishments Act, licensing and registration from the state health department, approval from the chief medical officer, a pharmacy licence, fire safety clearance, labour cess, and water and electricity approvals, among others. The most frustrating was complying with biomedical waste management regulations. By law, hospitals must partner with a government-approved agency, which charges Rs 7 per bed per day—a fee Dr Kumar felt was excessive. There was…

The distinct shiny pate and the handlebar moustache; the resolute stand against Zimbabwe alongside Kapil Dev that kept India in the hunt at the 1983 World Cup. The long wait for his India debut, the baffling omissions during his prime, a forgettable Boll y wood stint. And an unceremonious exit from the national team. The good and the bad featured in equal measure in Syed Kirmani’s life. It’s what makes his account in Stumped, coauthored by Debashish Sengupta and Dakshesh Pathak, an engrossing read. An allround athlete, Kirmani could have excelled at any sport. But cricket is what had his attention since the age of six, the youngest of the Jayamahal locality boys in Bangalore and so the default choice to stand behind the wickets. Those early lessons served him…

Q. What is the guiding principle of your dance practice? For me, dance must breathe the air of ‘the now’. Dance with abandon, passion and humility; be immersed in it and let it be immersed in you…. Let your senses be open to the world; to every form of inspiration. But as you step onto the stage, be ready to completely empty out and let the moment be your only companion. Q. What is the concept behind your production ‘WITHIN’? We were exploring various forms of ‘relationships’ for a new work, when the horrendous Nirbhaya incident happened. ‘WITHIN’ became an exploration of the half embrace between brutality and humanity, masculinity and femininity, the good and bad within us. It implores the audience to look within, discover this half embrace of…

Sustainable architecture isn’t a new-age concept—it’s a return to wisdom we’ve long known but often forgotten. One of the finest examples of this is the red mission tile. Made from locally sourced clay, these tiles have been used for centuries across coastal and tropical regions, offering a natural, low-impact way to keep homes cool, dry, and resilient against the elements. The beauty of these tiles lies in their simplicity. Crafted from rich, iron-laden clay, they are fired at high temperatures, resulting in their signature reddish hue and remarkable durability. Unlike modern roofing materials, which rely on chemical treatments and synthetic coatings, these tiles breathe. Their porous nature allows air circulation, preventing heat buildup under the roof. This means homes stay cooler naturally, reducing dependence on air conditioning and, in turn,…

The Tote collection brilliantly blurs the line between functionality, form, and playful illusion, gracefully challenging gravity and transparency. Then again, nothing less is expected from Rhea Mehta who began designing lights while completing her thesis at MIT. Inspired by the timeless chic of the classic tote bag, this luminous creation is brought to life through an intricate metal weave, enticing the eye to journey through its delicate latticework and explore the softly glowing treasures within. In a whimsical nod to physics, the metal weave—fluid, pliable, yet elegantly shapeless—conforms effortlessly, dictated purely by the weight and silhouette of its radiant occupants. Purposefully oversized blown-glass spheres nestle within, lending gentle structure to the metal weave, transforming it into a sculptural marvel of simplicity and sophistication. Versatile to its core, The Tote seamlessly…

Prateek Jain and Gautam Seth co-founders of Klove Studio have been setting the mood with their luminous creations for over 20 years—and like a well-aged Pinot Noir, they only get more refined with time. Their latest collection, The Enchanted Forest, proves just that. “This one’s our pièce de résistance. We’ve pushed the envelope with how we stretch the limits of metal and hand-blown glass,” says Jain. In fact, each piece has been individually blown and flattened, painstaking. “Our process isn’t academic—it’s emotional. Inspiration doesn’t knock, it sneaks in,” adds Seth. The results are nothing shy of gorgeous. PRICE on request; AT www.klovestudio.com…