THE HEADLINES :-
- Government announces 1 billion dollar fund for creators’ economy, ahead of World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.
- Uttar Pradesh government to transform all municipal corporations into solar cities.
- Festival of colours Holi being celebrated across the country today with traditional enthusiasm.
- Seventeen Naxalites surrender in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.
- ED launches investigation into sensational gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao.
- In Cricket, Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Giants by 47 runs in eliminator of Women’s Premier League; To clash with Delhi Capitals in final tomorrow.
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Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced a 1 billion-dollar fund for the creator’s economy as part of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. He said, the event to be held in Mumbai from May 1st to 4th, will give creators community a platform to create high value content. Mr Vaishnaw was speaking at a high-level session on WAVES 2025 organised in New Delhi yesterday. The session, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, sought to engage the international community ahead of the WAVES 2025. Mr. Vaishnaw informed that the first Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) will be established near Film City in Goregaon, Mumbai.
Speaking on the occasion, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, WAVES will serve as a pivotal platform for fostering discussions, collaboration, and innovation for the Media and Entertainment industry. He noted that the event will unite industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to explore opportunities, address challenges, and shape the future of the sector.
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that all municipal corporations in the state will be transformed into solar cities. The announcement came during the concluding session of a three-day workshop and national conference on the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) held in Gorakhpur. Chief Minister Yogi outlined that Uttar Pradesh is targeting the generation of 22,000 MW of clean energy.
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Seventeen Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. A senior police official said, the cadres, including a couple, turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials in Bijapur yesterday. Bijapur Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said, the surrendered Naxalites cited disappointment with the hollow and inhuman Maoist ideology, exploitation of innocent tribals by senior cadres and increasing influence of security forces.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched an investigation into the sensational gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao, the stepdaughter of Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao. ED has conducted searches and raids at eight locations in Bengaluru and other places. The sleuths have conducted raids till late in the evening yesterday at the residence of Ranya Rao on the upscale Lavelle Road in Bengaluru. Simultaneous raids were also conducted on the residence of Tarun Raju, a close friend of Ranya Rao and grandson of a star hotel owner on the Kumara Park East Road in Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) also conducted raids at nine locations across Bengaluru, targeting the flats and properties of Ranya Rao’s husband, Jatin Vijaykumar Hukkeri.
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In Telangana, the five candidates nominated by various political parties as Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) under the MLAs’ quota were unanimously elected on the last day of withdrawal of nominations yesterday. Returning Officer, Upender has declared all five candidates as elected and handed over the authorisation certificates to them.
Former MP and film actress Vijayashanti, Addanki Dayakar and Shankar Nayak were elected from the ruling Congress party while N. Satyam of CPI was elected with the support of the Congress. Opposition BRS candidate Dasoju Sravan was also elected unopposed.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Assam this evening for a three-day visit, during which he is scheduled to attend multiple programs. Upon arrival, he will travel from Jorhat Airport to Golaghat and spend the night at the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon. Tomorrow morning, Mr. Shah will inaugurate the state-of-the-art police academy before departing for Mizoram. At 2 PM, he will attend a function in Aizawl for the relocation of Assam Rifles establishments to Zokhawsang. Later, he will return to Guwahati for an overnight stay.
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Festival of colours Holi is being celebrated across the country today with traditional enthusiasm. The festival signifies the victory of good over evil and the onset of Spring season. The festival begins with Holika Dahan, a day prior to Holi. Holi festival gives the message of equality and fraternity as all the sections of society irrespective of caste, creed, age, and sex celebrate it with great enthusiasm.
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In Gujarat, the festival of Holi-Dhuleti is being celebrated with great zeal and fervor. Fagani punam festival, Fuldol Utsav are being organised with great pomp at Jagat Mandir of Dwarka, Ranchhoddas Mandir at Dakor and other prominent Shri Krishna temples in the state. In the most revered Dakor temple, people come by walking to celebrate holi with the god.
“Amid the slogans, Jay Dwarakadhish, Jay Shri Krishn and Jay Ranchhod, large number of devotees have thronged to Dwaraka, Dakor, Shamalaji and prominent Iskcon and Hare Krishna Temples in the state to take part in Ful Dol utsav and Fagani Punam Utsav on the occasion of Holi. At the famous Raja Ranchhodrai temple in Dakor, the day began with a Mangala Aarti early in the morning, setting the stage for a day of celebration. Over in Dwaraka, the festivities are in full swing at the Dwarakashish temple with priests filling the silver Pichkaris with Kusuda water and Abil Gulal to celebrate Holi with the god. Devotees will also join in the festival of colors, in the noon throwing Abil Gulal in joyous celebration With Karan Joshi from Dwaraka, Aparna Khunt, Akashvani news, Ahmedabad.”
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Talking to Akashvani News, Head of the Department of Dermatology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, Dr. Kaushal Verma advised people to use natural colors and avoid synthetic ones during the celebrations.
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President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have greeted the people on the occasion of Holi.
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On the occasion of Holi, metro services will not be available till 2:30 PM today on all lines of the Delhi Metro, including the Airport Express Line. Delhi Metro, in a social media post, shared that metro services will resume at 2:30 PM today from terminal stations on all lines and will continue normally thereafter.
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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has said that the Class 12 examinations scheduled to be held tomorrow, will be conducted as planned despite extended Holi celebrations across various parts of the country. The board, in a statement, said that the Class 12 examination for Hindi Core and Hindi Elective subjects will be held on the scheduled date. It added that students who are unable to attend the examination tomorrow will be given an opportunity to appear in the special examination conducted for students participating in national or international-level sports events.
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In the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Cricket, Mumbai Indians stormed into the final with a 47-run victory over Gujarat Giants in the Eliminator at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai last night. With this win, Mumbai set up a thrilling title clash against Delhi Capitals tomorrow.
Batting first on a fresh pitch, Mumbai posted a massive total of 213 for 4 in the stipulated 20 overs. In response, Gujarat Giants faltered despite some resistance from Danielle Gibson and Phoebe Litchfield. They were eventually bowled out for 166 in 19.2 overs.
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In the International Masters League (IML) T20 cricket, India Masters stormed into the final with a dominant 94 runs victory over Australia Masters in Raipur yesterday. Yuvraj Singh starred with a blistering half-century, while left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem shone with a four-wicket haul for India.
In the second semifinal today, Sri Lanka Masters will face West Indies Masters at the same venue. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.
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In badminton, India’s Treesa Jolly and and her partner Gayatri Gopichand have advanced to the Women’s Doubles Quarterfinals of the All England Open Championships in Birmingham, England last evening. The Indian duo secured their spot with a hard-fought victory over South Korea’s Kong Hee-yong and Kim Hye-jeong. Treesa and Gayatri will next face the Chinese pair of Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu in the quarterfinals this evening.
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India wrapped up a remarkable campaign at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025 in Delhi, finishing atop the medals table with an impressive total of 134 medals, including 45 gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze. With outstanding performances across track and field events, the host nation showcased its growing strength, depth, and determination in para-athletics on the global stage.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES :-
- Hindustan Times reports that 59 foreign terrorists from three different terror outfits, and 17 local terrorists are active in Jammu & Kashmir.
- Calling it a shot in the arm for ISRO’s future missions, The Indian Express reports that nearly two months after ISRO successfully demonstrated its docking capability, it disengaged and undocked two satellites in its first attempt.
- Uttar Pradesh hires over 60,000 cops in the country’s biggest job drive, reports The Times of India.
- The Hindu reports that Madras High Court has fixed a cap on tourist vehicles to the Nilgiris and Kodiakanal, between April and June this year, on account of the ability of these places to accommodate tourists.
- And finally, under the headline, “Abandoned, blinded, maimed; each rescued camel breathes a story”, The Pioneer carries a heartwarming account of the Camel Rescue Centre in Bassi near Jaipur, that is doing sterling work for the past 14 years, in rescuing, treating and rehabilitating camels no longer wanted.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Government announces 1 billion dollar fund for creators’ economy, ahead of World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.
- Uttar Pradesh government to transform all municipal corporations into solar cities.
- Festival of colours Holi being celebrated across the country today with traditional enthusiasm.
- Seventeen Naxalites surrender in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.
- ED launches investigation into sensational gold smuggling case involving Kannada actress Ranya Rao.
- In Cricket, Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Giants by 47 runs in eliminator of Women’s Premier League; To clash with Delhi Capitals in final tomorrow.
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