Category: Life & Style

On Wednesday, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first underwater metro section in Kolkata, the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade stretch, marking a significant milestone in the country’s transportation history.

This section features the deepest metro station in India, the Howrah metro station, situated 30 metres below ground. Covering 4.8 kilometres, it’s a crucial part of the East-West Metro corridor, linking areas like Salt Lake Sector V, an IT hub. The project cost approximately ₹4,965 crore, with 10.8 kilometres of the total 16.6-kilometre corridor underground, including the river tunnel.

The underwater journey spans 520 metres and takes just 45 seconds, promising rapid and efficient transportation. Ticket prices range from ₹5 to ₹50 depending on the distance, with fares escalating from ₹5 for the first two kilometres.

The inauguration also included the Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay section of the New Garia-Airport line and the Taratala-Majerhat section of the Joka-Esplanade line, expanding Kolkata’s metro network.

During the inauguration, PM Modi rode the underwater metro with school students amidst enthusiastic crowds chanting slogans. He also laid the foundation stone for connectivity projects worth ₹15,400 crores, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure. This development not only enhances Kolkata’s connectivity and urban mobility but also signifies a leap in India’s transportation technology and infrastructure.

On Sunday, Flipkart introduced its UPI service, Flipkart UPI, aiming to boost digital payment solutions for its vast user base of over 500 million customers and contribute to India’s digital advancement. Axis Bank powers Flipkart UPI, which is initially available to Android users. Registration involves obtaining a unique @fkaxis handle, enabling fund transfers and checkout payments within the Flipkart app.

Post-launch, Flipkart plans to integrate loyalty features such as Supercoins, cashback, and brand vouchers to enhance customer engagement. Dheeraj Aneja, Senior Vice President at Flipkart, emphasises their commitment to fostering a digitally empowered society through Flipkart UPI.

The UPI offering facilitates seamless online and offline transactions both within and beyond the Flipkart marketplace. It streamlines recharges, bill payments, and merchant transactions, enhancing overall payment efficiency.

In 2023, UPI recorded over 117 billion transactions totalling Rs 182.84 trillion, highlighting its rapid growth and widespread adoption. Flipkart acknowledges the dynamic landscape, emphasising collaboration among banks, payment service providers, and fintech firms.

Sanjeev Moghe, President & Head of Cards & Payments at Axis Bank, lauds the partnership’s evolution, from launching co-branded credit cards to introducing Flipkart UPI. The collaboration highlights Flipkart’s commitment to driving innovation and expanding its UPI ecosystem.

On March 1, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates visited the iconic Statue of Unity in Gujrat. During his visit to India, he labelled the Statue of Unity as an ‘engineering marvel’ and extended gratitude to PM Narendra Modi and CM Bhupendra Patel for their invitation and hospitality.

Gates shared a video capturing his presence in front of the towering 597-foot-tall statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The video swiftly amassed more than a million views, eliciting reactions across social media platforms. Gates admired the statue’s grandeur, highlighting its significance in his post. Social media users hailed Gates as a prominent advocate for Indian tourism, emphasising his role in promoting the country’s cultural landmarks.

Before he visited the Statue of Unity, Gates captivated the internet by collaborating with Dolly Chaiwalla, a vendor from Nagpur, in a video showcasing traditional chai-making techniques. Gates underscored the innovation ingrained in Indian culture, appreciating the intricacies of preparing a simple cup of tea.

From exploring monumental landmarks to engaging with traditional practices, Gates’ endeavours in India reflect his profound interest in Indian culture and society. His activities have sparked widespread attention online, showcasing his dedication to experiencing and celebrating the diverse facets of Indian life during his visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worth ₹35,700 crore in Jharkhand. He emphasised Jharkhand’s crucial role in India’s development, highlighting the inauguration of the ₹8,900-crore fertilizer plant in Sindri, Dhanbad district, as a significant step.

PM Modi expressed confidence in Jharkhand’s potential to contribute to India’s progress, referring to it as a source of power for the nation’s development. With a 12.7 LMT urea production capacity annually, the fertiliser factory hopes to support domestic production for the benefit of farmers throughout the nation.

The Sindri factory, which was resurrected after Gorakhpur and Ramagundam, is India’s third fertiliser facility. Additionally, he emphasised the need for urea production to be self-sufficient, pointing out that it has increased from 225 lakh metric tonnes in 2014 to 310 lakh metric tonnes at present.

PM Modi also announced coal, power, and rail projects in Jharkhand that totalled more than ₹26,000 crores, demonstrating the government’s dedication to the state’s advancement. He hailed the investment as the realisation of his pledge to bring the Sindri plant back to life and as a major step towards India becoming self-sufficient in urea manufacturing.

On Thursday, PM Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated an airstrip and jetty at Agaléga Islands. The initiative emphasises their strategic partnership in addressing Indian Ocean challenges. Funded by Indian grants, the upgraded infrastructure aims to increase Mauritius’ ability to monitor and combat piracy, terrorism, and illegal activities within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

PM Modi highlighted joint efforts in maritime security, focusing on mutual cooperation in monitoring the EEZ, joint patrolling, hydrography, and disaster relief. Jugnauth emphasised the importance of addressing infrastructural gaps while reaffirming Mauritius’ sovereignty over Agaléga, dismissing claims of it becoming a military base. Additionally, he condemned anti-India sentiments in Mauritius, stressing the project’s mutual benefits.

The expanded airstrip and jetty accommodate larger aircraft and vessels, facilitating regional stability. India’s commitment aligns with its “Neighbourhood First” policy and the vision of “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

PM Modi emphasized India’s contribution to Mauritius’ infrastructure and health sector during crises like the COVID-19 epidemic. Jugnauth announced Mauritius’ participation in India’s Jan Aushadhi initiative, aiming to improve access to quality generic medicines.

The partnership extends beyond infrastructure to encompass digital connectivity and shared priorities as members of the Global South.

The first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, will open its doors to the public on March 1. The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan Sanstha spent approximately Rs 700 crore building the temple on a 27-acre site close to Al Rahba.

Overseas devotees and VIPs had exclusive access from February 15 to 29, while the temple will now be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Mondays.

Built with 18 lakh bricks and 1.8 lakh cubic metres of sandstone from Rajasthan, the temple follows the Nagara style of architecture, similar to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“Lord Ram, Lord Shiv, Lord Jagannath, Lord Krishna, Lord Swaminarayan, Tirupati Balaji, and Lord Ayappa are among the gods represented by the idols on the seven towers. The seven Shikhars stand in for the seven UAEs.

The temple boasts 402 pillars, two ghumats (domes), and 12 samrans (dome-like structures). Holy water from the Ganga and Yamuna flows on the temple’s sides, symbolising purity.

The temple, constructed by craftsmen from Gujarat and Rajasthan, features marble sculptures set against a background of sandstone made up of more than 25,000 stone fragments that were brought in from northern Rajasthan.

On Tuesday, PM Narendra Modi recently introduced India’s four astronaut designates, elite fighter pilots from the Indian Air Force, selected for the Gaganyaan mission.

The four astronauts, IAF’s group captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, group captain Ajit Krishnan, group captain Angad Pratap, and wing commander Shubhanshu Shukla, have undergone extensive training for five years in Russian and Indian facilities. During the ceremony at the ISRO Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, they were awarded “Antrisksh Yatri Pank” (astronaut wings) by PM.

He emphasised that astronauts carry the aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians into space, marking a four-decade gap since India last ventured into space. The mission is set for 2025 and will demonstrate its human spaceflight capability by sending a three-person crew into low-Earth orbit for three days.

ISRO’s progress for the Gaganyaan mission includes modifying its Launch Vehicle Mark-3 and extensive testing of systems to ensure astronaut safety. The agency has successfully tested engines and completed milestones like the human rating of the CE20 cryogenic engine. It also inaugurated key space infrastructure projects worth about ₹1,800 crore, enhancing India’s space capabilities.

PM expressed optimism about India’s space economy, projecting a fivefold growth to $44 billion in ten years, and also hinted at future lunar missions aimed at retrieving samples from the Moon.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) will mentor India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalion to attain international classification, renewing collaboration in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR).

Switzerland established INSARAG, which establishes a global standard and enables nations affected by disasters to prioritise assistance from qualified teams. Swiss experts will guide the NDRF battalion in Ghaziabad to achieve IEC certification over two years, building on prior support from 2008 to 2017.

NDRF, with 16 battalions, responds globally, including to the Japan Triple Disaster 2011, the Nepal Earthquake 2015, and the Türkiye Earthquake 2023. A 2003 intergovernmental agreement on disaster cooperation marked 75 years of friendship and 60 years of cooperation between Switzerland and India, which coincides with this collaboration.

Switzerland, through SDC, has supported capacity building for disaster response and risk management in India, including Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk Management, since 2019. Collaboration extends to climate change mitigation (low-carbon cement, energy efficiency, renewable energy), adaptation (cities’ climate action plans, solar irrigation, disaster risk management in Himalayan states), and the environment (air pollution, natural resource management).

Reflecting the long-standing relationship between Switzerland and India, this cooperation emphasises cooperative efforts to solve urgent concerns and promote resilience in the case of calamities.

India and Thailand celebrated a significant cultural exchange as holy relics (20 bone fragments) of Lord Buddha and his disciples arrived in Thailand from India, fostering stronger ties between the two nations.

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the governor of Bihar, and Union Minister Virendra Kumar led a delegation of 22 people as they transported the relics, which included those of Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana, to Thailand on an Indian Air Force plane.

The Archaeological Survey of India excavated the artefacts in Piprahwa, which date back to the fourth and fifth centuries BC. This marks the first display of Lord Buddha’s relics and those of his disciples together. Four of the relics from India’s National Museum were showcased in Thailand, signifying the deep historical ties between the two countries.

An Exposition Agreement was signed between the Department of Religious Affairs, Thailand, and the National Museum, marking another milestone in the 75-year diplomatic relations between India and Thailand. The relics will be enshrined in a grand pavilion in Bangkok, allowing people to pay their respects, symbolising the enduring connection between the two countries through the teachings of Lord Buddha.

The Thai Culture Minister expressed gratitude for India’s gesture in sending the relics for exposition, further solidifying the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

According to a Morning Consult survey, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has once again cemented his position as the most popular leader in the world, with an impressive 77% approval rating.

According to the survey, PM Modi has a sizable advantage over other world leaders, with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador coming in second with 64%, Swiss President Alain Berset coming in third with 57%, and Poland’s Donald Tusk coming in fourth with 50%.

According to Morning Consult’s approach, opinions from the youth demographic are tracked across polled countries using a seven-day moving average. Based on a trailing seven-day simple moving average of daily surveys, the data points are arranged by total approval shares for leaders.

Other notable leaders on the list include Italy’s Giorgia Meloni (7th), US President Joe Biden (9th), Canadian PM Justin Trudeau (10th), and UK PM Rishi Sunak (12th). Ulf Kristersson of Sweden, Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were also included.

Earlier in December, PM Modi held a 76% approval rating, and in November 2023, it surged to 78%, underscoring his popularity both domestically and internationally.

Morning Consult, a global decision intelligence company, utilises high-frequency data and applied artificial intelligence to provide insights into public opinion and behaviour.