Author: Sharad Natani
In a historic move celebrating Maharashtra’s deep-rooted cultural identity, the state government has officially declared Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav as the State Festival (Rajya Utsav) of Maharashtra. The announcement, made during the ongoing Monsoon Session of the Legislative Assembly, marks a formal recognition of the festival’s profound impact on the state’s social, spiritual, and nationalist legacy. Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, while addressing the assembly, emphasized the historical and emotional significance of Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra. He traced its origins back to 1893, when freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed the traditional Ganesh Chaturthi into a public festival (sarvajanik utsav) to foster…
In a world chasing instant results and quick fixes, retired IAS officer T Vijay Kumar chose a slower, deeper path—he chose to heal the soil. In the sun-soaked fields of Andhra Pradesh, once poisoned by decades of chemical farming, a silent transformation is underway. And at the heart of it stands a man who traded his office desk for open skies and conversations with farmers. The Rise of Natural Farming in Andhra Pradesh In villages where pesticide residues once crept into mothers’ milk, today neem, jaggery, and cow dung are the tools of a quiet revolution. Spearheading this change is…
India’s entertainment landscape is undergoing a massive transformation. In just one year, traditional TV viewership declined by a staggering 7.6 million, while Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema, and Disney+ Hotstar added a record 60 million new users. This shift signals a generational change in how Indians consume content—on-demand, on-the-go, and on personal screens. Why Is Television Losing Ground? Repetitive content and long commercial breaks Lack of youth-oriented programming Rapid digitalisation of rural and urban households Affordable smartphones and data plans Younger audiences preferring binge-worthy web series and original content Why Is OTT Booming? Global and local…
In a world chasing shortcuts, Aritra Roy, a 30-year-old software engineer at TCS, chose the hard path—both literally and metaphorically. With a laptop in one hand and a dream in his heart, this young man from Tripura didn’t just summit Mount Everest in May 2024. He cycled over 1,200 kilometers, ran a full marathon at 17,500 feet, and conquered the world’s highest peak, all while juggling his 9-to-5 corporate job. This wasn’t just a mountaineering mission. It was a self-designed ultra-triathlon—a one-of-a-kind challenge that combined endurance, environmental consciousness, and deep personal resolve. 1,200+ Kilometers on Cycle: From Agartala to the…
In a massive cleanup move to make train travel more transparent and efficient, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has deactivated over 2.5 crore user IDs. The announcement was made in the Rajya Sabha by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, citing the need to curb misuse and fraud in online ticket booking. Why Were These User IDs Deactivated? During an extensive data point analysis, IRCTC identified millions of suspicious user credentials. These were mostly found to be linked to malpractices such as bulk booking, bot-based automation, or identity manipulation—hindering genuine passengers from securing confirmed tickets. “To curb malpractices in…
आजकल कई लोग ChatGPT को अपना वर्चुअल काउंसलर मानकर उससे मन की बातें करने लगे हैं, लेकिन OpenAI के सीईओ सैम ऑल्टमैन ने साफ कर दिया है कि ChatGPT पर की गई बातचीत कानूनी रूप से गोपनीय नहीं मानी जाती, जैसे डॉक्टर, वकील या थेरेपिस्ट के साथ होती है। “अगर केस हुआ, तो आपके चैट पेश किए जा सकते हैं” ऑल्टमैन ने एक पॉडकास्ट में कहा, “अगर आपने ChatGPT से अपनी सबसे निजी बातें शेयर कीं और उस पर कोई मुकदमा हो गया, तो हमें वो चैट कोर्ट में पेश करनी पड़ सकती है। यह एक गंभीर मसला है।” उन्होंने…