TV grab of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). The glitch prone capsule returned home in autonomous mode without the two astronauts whom it had carried to the ISS
The astronauts had to stay back at the International Space Station as carrying them home on the glitch prone Starliner was considered too much of a risk
They will now return in a SpaceX Crew Dragon, but for which they will have to wait till February next year
What was supposed to be an eight-day stay at the space station will now be extended to eight months
The glitch prone Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which carried Nasa’s astronauts – Indian origin Sunita (short name Suni) Williams and Butch Wilmore – to the multi-nation joint International Space Station (ISS) returned safely to earth on Saturday, but without its astronauts.
After undocking from ISS, the capsule made its journey back to earth in autonomous mode.
The astronauts had to stay back at the space station as carrying them home on the Starliner was considered too much of a risk.
They will now return in a SpaceX Crew Dragon, for which they will however have to wait till February next year. What was supposed to be an eight-day stay at the ISS will now be extended to eight months.
Pleased with the successful landing, a Nasa spokesman however wished the mission could have gone as originally planned.
Nasa has claimed that Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are in good spirits. Photo credit: Nasa
Earlier, Nasa had informed that that Butch and Suni were in good spirits and in regular contact with their families.
On its first test flight with astronauts on board, Boeing’s Starliner was plagued with problems from the time it blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, USA on June 5 this year.
The capsule experienced several technical glitches, including leaks of helium, which pushes fuel into the propulsion system, and several of its thrusters malfunctioned.
Experts at Boeing and Nasa made concerted efforts over the months to get to the root of these technical issues, but by end of August Nasa decided not to risk the astronauts’ life by bringing them home in the Starliner, even when the Boeing team differed, expressing confidence that it would be safe for the astronauts to return in the capsule.
The absence of two Boeing representatives from the post landing news briefing organised by Nasa, was jarring.
Instead, in a statement, Boeing said it will “review the data and determine the next steps” forward for the programme.
Nasa administrator Bill Nelson has also expressed 100% certainty that Boeing’s Starliner, despite its technical issues, would again fly with a crew onboard.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda: Gets lion's share in the first list of candidates released by Congress for the October 5 elections to the state assembly
From 32 nominees, 28 are sitting MLAs
Hooda, Udai Bhan, former Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat in first list
Sitting MLA Mewa Singh to take on CM Saini in Ladwa
The Congress party, eyeing a comeback in Haryana after 10 years, appears to be treading its path carefully while choosing its candidates for the October 5 assembly elections in the state.
In the first list of 32 candidates released by the party in two parts (31+1) late on Friday evening, the party has fielded all 28 sitting MLAs so as not to rock the boat at a time when the sailing appears to be smooth for it.
As expected, former chief minister for two consecutive terms (2005-2014) Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who is also the incumbent Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, has picked up a lion’s share with former Union minister and sitting MP from Sirsa-SC, Kumari Sejla also getting a few candidates from her camp included in the first list.
Even after following a cautious and laboured process of selecting candidates, involving three meeting of the central election committee (CEC) of the party, preceded by four rounds of meetings of the screening committee for the assembly elections in the state, the party leadership has had the confidence to name its nominees to just one-third of the seats in the 90-member House in the first go.
According to reports, to iron out the irritants, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi stepped in during the last CEC meeting before the first list was released.
Among others who attended the meeting were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Haryana Deepak Babaria and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Hooda again from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi
As per the list, Hooda, who is also the incumbent leader of the opposition in the House, will again be repeated from his traditional Garhi Sampla-Kiloi constituency in Rohtak district.
State party president Udai Bhan, a close associate of Hooda, despite losing the last elections held in 2019, gets another chance to redeem himself from Hodal constituency in Palwal district.
The party has decided to field Vinesh Phogat, who along with her co-Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia, had joined the Congress hours before the release of the first list, from Julana constituency in Jind district. Her husband Somvir Rathee’s family hails from here.
Mewa Singh to take on CM Saini
The Congress has reposed faith in its sitting MLA Mewa Singh to take on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from Lawda constituency in Kurukshetra district.
The party is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding the possibility of its two other prominent leaders from the state – former Union Minister and Current MP from Sirsa-SC Kumari Selja and Rajya Sabha member and former Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala – being fielded in the very crucial assembly elections for the party.
Both have been projecting themselves as chief ministerial candidates in the past, but Hooda, who commands a mass base across the state, has so far been able to keep them at bay.
Recent joiners too get tickets
Party tickets in two constituencies reserved for scheduled castes have been given to sitting MLAs who had joined the party at different times this year.
Independent MLA Dharampal Gonder, who joined the party in May, has got the party nod to recontest from Nilokheri constituency in Karnal district. Rebel Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLA Ramkaran Kala, who joined the Congress just weeks ago in August, also gets to recontest from Shahbad constituency in Kurukshetra district.
Support for MLAs under ED scanner
In an apparent reiteration of the party’s support for loyalists through thick and thin, it has repeated its three MLAs who are under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering. The MLAs are Surender Panwar (Sonipat), Dharam Singh Chhoker (Samalkha in Panipat district) and Rao Dan Singh (Mahendragarh).
As MLA, Rao Dan Singh had also unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, losing to incumbent BJP MP Dharambir Singh by over 41,500 votes.
Haryana goes to the polls on October 5 and counting of votes is slated for October 8.
A beaming Vinesh Phogat (right), along with Bajrang Punia (left) strike a celebratory pose with Congress general secretary in charge of organisation KC Venugopal after joining the party in New Delhi on 06.09.2024
Issues public appeal not to suspect the motivation behind their 20 months long agitation against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
As was being expected, Olympian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the core of a long-drawn agitation over women wrestlers’ sexual harassment charges against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on Friday joined the Congress party a month ahead of polling for the Haryana assembly elections.
Late evening, in the first list of candidates for the Haryana elections released by the party, Vinesh’s name appeared as the party nominee from Julana constituency in Jind district, from where her in-laws hail. In a separate letter issued by the party, Bajrang was given a national responsibility as Working Chairman of the All India Kisan Congress.
The move has apparently got co-Olympian Sakshi Malik, who was in the thick of the ongoing agitation with them, worried over its possible fallout on the agitation.
Moments before the two wrestlers formally joined the Congress, Sakshi, the first ever woman wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics (a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics), while describing their decision as a “personal choice”, said their protest should not be “misinterpreted” and given a “wrong colour” in the light of Vinesh and Bajrang joining the Congress.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Malik reaffirmed her commitment to the cause, stating, “From my end, the agitation continues…I have always thought about wrestling and had worked for it and will continue to do so. I too had received offers (from political parties), but I wanted to take the protest, which I have started for good reasons, till the end, until the Federation is cleansed, and the exploitation of women ends, my fight will continue…The fight is genuine, and it will continue …”
The former WFI president is facing a trial after the court found sufficient material on record to frame charges against him for offences under Section 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and 354A (sexual harassment) under the old Indian Penal Code.
Vishesh, Bajrang lash out at BJP
Earlier, joining the Congress in the presence of party General Secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal in New Delhi, Vinesh Phogat lashed out at the BJP over the treatment of wrestlers during their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was then a BJP MP as well. “When we were being dragged on the roads, every party except the BJP was with us. Other parties were able to understand our pain and our tears,” she said in anguish.
Bajrang Punia also attacked the BJP and said the wrestlers had invited women MPs from the party during the protest, but “they didn’t stand with the daughters”.
After her nightmarish disqualification ahead of her gold medal bout in the Paris Olympics on grounds of being just 100 grams over the weight ceiling in her weight category during the weigh-in on the morning of the bout, and being deprived of a medal in the process, Vinesh had indicated ending her wrestling career for good.
But did she have a political career in mind when posting an anguished message on social media addressed to her mother then, will remain a matter of speculation.
Congress wants to cash in
In this election, Congress is determined to wrest back power from the BJP after 10 years. By fielding Vinesh, the party is trying to cash in on the tremendous public support she received despite being disqualified after becoming the first ever Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. She received a hero’s welcome on her return to the state from Paris.
Being a wrestling hub of the country, Haryana is also angry at the BJP, which is the ruling party both in the state and the Centre, for its handling of the wrestlers’ agitation (started in January 2023), during which they staged a couple of prolonged sit-ins at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
The ruling party was already on the backfoot for giving a cold shoulder to the farmers in their ongoing agitation and paid a heavy price, losing five of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the recently concluded elections, after winning all 10 seats in the previous two elections in 2014 and 2019.
BJP denies ticket to Babita, Yogeshwar
Facing a backlash, and rural Haryana becoming literally out of bounds for its leaders, BJP has denied tickets to two former top wrestlers who are in the party’s fold – Vinesh’s cousin sister Babita Phogat, Commonwealth Games gold medallist and daughter of her paternal uncle and former coach Mahavir Phogat; and Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, both having already unsuccessfully contested one and two elections respectively.
CM Nayab Singh Saini will contest from Ladwa (Kurukshetra distt) | Former Home Minister Anil Vij from Ambala Cantt | Former Rohtak MP Dr Arvind Sharma from Gohana (Sonipat distt) | Former finance minister Capt Abhimanyu from Narnaund (Hisar distt) | Speaker Gian Chand Sharma from Panchkula
Among others former minister Vinod Sharma’s wife Shakti Rani Sharma from Kalka (Panchkula distt) | former MP from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Shruti Choudhry from Tosham (Bhiwani distt) | Sitting MLA Bhavya Bishnoi from Adampur (Hisar distt)
Mix of experience and youth | 25 new faces | 8 ministers repeated | 5 tickets given to candidates who had lost the 2019 assembly election | Seats of two MLAs changed | 2 ministers, 9 MLAs ignored | 17 seats to OBCs, 13 seats each to jats and SCs (out of 17 seats reserved for SCs) | 8 women candidates in first list | 10 who have crossed over from other parties
In announcing its first list of 67 candidates for the 2024 elections to the 90-seat Haryana Vidhan Sabha, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), eyeing a record third consecutive term in the state despite facing a strong anti-incumbency backlash and internal strife, has settled for a mix of experience and youth.
BJP Central Election Committee meeting for Haryana assembly elections 2024 in progress
The expectation that the party will replace sitting MLAs on a large scale in an effort to reduce the impact of the anti-incumbency factor has been belied. Given its difficult position, the party appears to have decided to play safe, and not antagonise too many senior leaders.
According to the list, approved by the party’s central election committee, and posted on the official party X handle on Wednesday evening, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will contest the election from Ladwa in Kurukshetra district.
Former home minister Anil Vij is being repeated from Ambala Cantt, as is Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta from Panchkula.
Former state BJP president Om Prakash Dhankar has been fielded from Badli (Jhajjar distt), former speaker Kanwar Pal Gurjar from Jagadhri (Yamunanagar distt), and former Sirsa MP Sunita Duggal from Ratia (Sirsa distt).
Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh’s daughter Arti Singh Rao will contest from Ateli (Mahendragarh distt).
The Haryana assembly elections are scheduled to be held on October 5, and the counting of votes will take place on October 8.
The candidates can file their nomination papers till September 12 and withdraw by September 16.
The BJP’s list comes the same day its former post-poll ally, Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), released the first list of 19 candidates in alliance with Azad Samaj Party (ASP). Former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala will contest from Uchana Kalan (Jind distt), from where he is a sitting MLA. While 15 candidates on the list are from the JJP, four are from the Chandra Shekhar Azad-led ASP.
A resurgent Congress is leaving no stone unturned to wrest power from the BJP after 10 years. Since every seat is important, it is also in last minute talks with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to contest the assembly elections together.
‘I feel so bad to get my salary during the summer vacation because I know we have not worked then,’ Justice BV Nagarathna has said. As per current projections of seniority, she is billed to become the first woman CJI in the future, for a brief period though.
A Supreme Court judge recently made a very candid admission of a sense of guilt she felt while drawing salary for the court vacations, when judges do not conduct hearings. The admission is startling especially in the light of the undying debate over the very rationale behind the vacations.
The candid remarks by Justice BV Nagarathna came in a moment of personal reflection while invoking ethical issues and refusing to grant back salaries to four civil judges, whose services were terminated by the Madhya Pradesh government on the recommendations of an administrative performance review by the state high court, but later reinstated on the intervention of the Apex court.
Declining to grant the relief of back salaries by invoking the principle of no work, no pay, Justice Nagarathna stated that since the judges did not work during their termination, granting back wages would not be appropriate. “The kind of work judges do… those being reinstated cannot expect back wages. When they did not work as judges, we cannot grant back wages. Our conscience does not permit it,” she remarked.
Her personal admission of guilt was made in the context of this firm stand. “I feel so bad to get my salary during the summer vacation because I know we have not worked then,” Justice Nagarathna shared in the court.
Prior to this, Senior Advocate Gaurav Agrawal, acting as amicus curiae (or friend of the court – an individual or organisation not a party to a legal case, but appointed by a court to assist it in the case), submitted before the bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had reinstated four of the six dismissed judges, while the termination of the other two was upheld by the full court of the High Court.
Following this, Senior Advocate R Basant had requested the Court to consider granting back wages for the period the judges were out of service, which was declined.
The matter
The matter pertained to 6 female civil judges appointed to the Judicial Services of the State of Madhya Pradesh whose services were terminated by the Madhya Pradesh government in June 2023. The State government’s decision was preceded by the meeting of the Administrative Committee of the High Court recommending the termination of these judicial officers on account of unsatisfactory performance during their probation period.
The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter in January this year and during a February hearing the bench had orally asked the High Court whether it was willing to reconsider its decision. In July, the bench again asked the Madhya Pradesh High Court to reexamine its decision and directed that the full court of the High Court take a call on the representations of the affected judges, afresh, within a month.
Pursuant to that, the High Court in its full court meeting held in July decided to reinstate four of the six judges.
In its September 3 order, the SC bench directed the Madhya Pradesh High Court to issue orders promptly to allow the four reinstated judges to rejoin their duties. “These officers will be given continuity in service. The suo motu writ with respect to officers whose termination is upheld will survive, while the suo motu concerning the four who have been inducted back is disposed of,” the Court ordered.
CJI’s recent take on the undying debate over court vacations
Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud earlier this year spoke about the continuing debate over the number of vacation days awarded to Indian judges.
In an event in Prayagraj, he was quoted as saying, “All of us are criticised for the vacations we have. They all say, ‘inko chutti bahut jyada milti hai‘ (they get a lot of holidays). People don’t understand that judges work all seven days of the week. Our district judges work every single day, even on Saturdays and Sundays they have to do legal aid camps or they have to do other administrative work.”
However, the debate keeps reemerging from time to time, and Justice BV Nagarathna’s recent admission of a sense of guilt over drawing salaries during the vacation period could be one such trigger.
TV grab of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee speaking on the new anti-rape bill in a special session of the state assembly on 03.09.2024
West Bengal’s highest selling English daily newspaper, ‘The Telegraph’ has highlighted a very significant aspect of the new anti-rape bill, passed unanimously by voice vote after much drama in the state assembly during a special session called on Tuesday, that seeks to limit reporting on judicial proceedings in rape cases.
This aspect assumes importance in the wake of the state government receiving flak from the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court judges over its handling of the recent horrific RG Kar rape and murder case of a junior doctor in the state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata.
The newspaper report, posted on its website, pointed out that both the Calcutta HC and the Supreme Court have live-streamed the proceedings, the clips of which have gone viral on social media, adding to the Bengal government’s discomfort.
The Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024 proposes legislation seeking capital punishment for persons convicted of rape if their actions result in the victim’s death or leave the victim in a vegetative state. Additionally, it stipulates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape and gang rape.
Explaining the rationale behind tabling the bill before it was passed in the assembly, Leader of the House, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the anti-rape bill aimed at quick investigation, fast justice delivery and enhanced punishment. It seeks to abolish certain portions of the new Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act 2023 that too deal with the rape of minors. Bengal was not consulted before passing BNS, though the state government wanted discussions on it after new govt formation, she added.
She urged the Opposition to impress upon the Governor to sign the Bill without delay while asserting that it would be the state government’s responsibility for its effective enactment following the assent of Raj Bhavan and the President.
Leader of the Opposition in the House Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, who spoke before the chief minister, sought amendments in the bill such as strict punishments for officers if allegations of evidence tampering are found to be true, and if investigating officers change their statements. He also asked that the bill should stipulate a 30-day deadline for punishment. All amendments suggested by him were not accepted by the House.
Main provisions of the bill
Probes into rape cases to be completed within 21 days of the initial report (a reduction from the previous two-month deadline), fast-track courts for rape cases, and a special task force where women officers will lead investigations.
Amend provisions of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, “in their application to the state of West Bengal to enhance punishment and to constitute the framework for… expeditious investigation and trial of the heinous act of violence against women and children.”
Fast-track courts for rape cases to be equipped with the necessary resources and expertise to handle cases of rape of women and sexual offenses against children efficiently, effectively, and timely.
It was a 4.2-meter (14-feet) and 1,225-kilogram (2,700-pound) white beluga whale, which, like the friendly dolphins, had endeared itself to thousands of Norwegians with its friendly and playful demeanour towards humans over the last five years.
First sighted by fishmen off the coast of Norway’s far-northern Finnmark region close to the Russian waters in 2019, the beluga whale was nicknamed by locals as “Hvaldimir,” a pun on the Norwegian word for whale “hval” and the Russian President Putin’s first name Vladimir.
The reason for the nickname was a harness marine biologists discovered on the beluga, along with what appeared to be a mount suited for a small action camera and the words “Equipment St. Petersburg” printed on plastic clasps.
Also, the fact that he was not only comfortable in the company of humans but also enjoyed playfully interacting with them, unusual for the marine mammal in the wild, was a clear indication that it had been tamed and trained.
The West has always harboured suspicious about the Russian navy training whales for military purposes, though the US military is also known to train dolphins and seals for various undersea errands.
TV grab of the much loved ‘spy’ white beluga whale, with the harness on it clearly visible. The friendly beluga was found dead off the coast of Norway on August 31, 2024, at an unexpectedly young age.
Over the years, despite the speculation over the beluga being a Russian spy, he quickly endeared himself to the locals after wandering to several Norwegian coastal towns.
However, according to reports on various online news media, on August 31, grief engulfed the local coastal communities when the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that Hvaldimir was discovered floating motionless in the sea at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway.
With an estimated age of around 14 or 15, Hvaldimir was relatively young for a Beluga whale, which can live to between 40 and 60 years of age.
“Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away but it’s not immediately clear what the cause of death is,” marine biologist Sebastian Strand, who has monitored Hvaldimir’s adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based advocacy group Marine Mind, reportedly told NRK, adding that no major external injuries were visible on the animal.
“It’s absolutely horrible,” Strand has been reported as saying. “He was apparently in good condition as of (Friday). So, we just need to figure out what might have happened here.”
Photos Credit: Facebook/Marine Mind
In a social media post, accompanied with pictures of beluga whales (whether these are of Hvaldimir is doubtful as the mammals seen do not have a harness on them), NGO Marine Mind wrote a condolence message with the headline: **In Loving Memory of Hvaldimir **
The highly emotional message reads thus: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Hvaldimir’s passing. This morning, after receiving a sighting report from a local, our team arrived to find Hvaldimir floating peacefully in the water, no longer with us. A necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
“Hvaldimir was not just a beluga whale; he was a beacon of hope, a symbol of connection, and a reminder of the deep bond between humans and the natural world. Over the past five years, he touched the lives of tens of thousands, bringing people together in awe of the wonders of nature. His presence taught us about the importance of ocean conservation, and in doing so, he also taught us more about ourselves.
“Hvaldimir bridged the gap between humans and wild animals in a way that few can. He was special to so many, leaving an indelible mark on all who had the privilege to encounter him. His legacy will continue to inspire our work and our mission to protect the ocean and its inhabitants.
“Rest in peace, Hvaldimir. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.”
This is the 20th store of the brand, a co-founder of which is a member of a well-known industrialist family of the region
It started its journey in 2016 from Mumbai, weathered the pandemic storm, and yet continues to win hearts with its commitment to a planet-friendly, mindful and guilt-free way of doing business, as it quickly spreads across the country, leaving a lasting footprint.
A complete lifestyle chain of stores, named after our own virgin islands NICOBAR*, with modern collections of an entire range of women’s wear, men’s wear, jewellery, homeware and limitless options in gifting solutions for all purposes and occasions, has opened its 20th store at a prime location in Chandigarh.
*CAUTION: The brand name has been written in bold capital letters, lest the Punjabi- speaking leg-and-peg loving men get too excited about a new bar opening in town run by a female ‘Nikko-(da)-Bar’.
Having been exposed to the buzz around the brand, in which a member of a well-known industrialist family of the region is a co-founder, we went to check out the look and feel of the newly opened store at the first opportunity, curious to know what makes the brand stand out.
So, on an invitation, the first thing we noticed on arrival was how conveniently the large format store (2300 sq ft) was located. The No. 1 showroom in Sector 7 Madhya Marg with adequate parking on its one flank, and all the well-known names like Nik Baker’s, Naturals ice cream, Virgin Courtyard in its immediate vicinity.
That, we came to know later, while in conversation with the co-founder couple Simran Lal and Raul Rai, is a deliberate and considered strategy of the brand, to open in a city only when a great location of choice becomes available.
First store opened in Mumbai
Nicobar brand co-founder couple Simran Lal and Raul Rai posing for a photograph at the newly opened Sector 7 Chandigarh store (PHOTOS by: Life In Chandigarh & Nicobar)
The couple, based out of NCR Delhi, opened their first store in Mumbai, not by choice, but compulsion (there’s an interesting story behind it, which we will reveal later in the write-up). It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the ‘Maximum City’ took to the brand like fish to water, falling heads over heels for Nicobar’s overall mindfulness of its business philosophy, and commitment to promoting the modern global Indian aesthetic.
Coming back to the store, as you enter, the expansive area gives a simple, yet classy and stylish look. Everything looks spick and span, with the displays laid out in well-defined sections. As in all modern stores, this one is also very roomy with adequate space being maintained for shoppers to comfortably navigate between displays.
The store overall ditto reflects Nicobar’s avowed design philosophy, which is to create a brand that embodies “simplicity and versatility” and champions “easy and effortless style”.
About the products, we’ll let the pictures (carried in the article) do the talking. For more, Nicobar has a slick and easy-to-navigate website (to browse, click onhttps://www.nicobar.com/).
Expressing his joy over the initial response to the store, which opened to shoppers on August 11, Raul said the opening 20-days sales target they had fixed for the store was achieved in two days flat. That’s how excited the people of Chandigarh tricity, who have previously been exposed to our brand, are about the store coming to town.
Brand philosophy
Elaborating on the uniqueness of their brand philosophy, Simran, who concentrates on the product and design aspect of the business, said “our clothing and jewellery can be worn for years, and our homeware remains with you for life.” For her, “Fabrics matter, as do fit and form. Whether in clothing or homeware: simplicity, versatility, and the ability to layer (and no big logos!) are the cornerstones of our collection.”
Explaining the mindfulness of the business, Simran added “We really do care a damn about our impact on the environment, which is why over the years our material library is much inspired by nature. We’ve introduced fabrics like certified 100% organic cotton, recycled polyester, TENCEL, modal, cupro, biodegradable Bemberg, and bamboo fabric to our collections.”
Nicobar’s woollies are claimed to in recycled wool, and the denim made using minimal water and energy (the brand calls it ‘green denim’). Similarly, their responsibly-made home products include wooden serveware made of discarded teak tree roots, banana fibre table runners, bamboo baskets, and recycled glass.
“Little Nico, the kidswear line, is made entirely from leftover fabric – the small bits that remain after a collection’s been produced – that is then cut, dyed, detailed and sewn with just as much love as our other stuff,” Simran informed.
Inspiration for collections
About inspiration for their various collections, Simran had this to say: “We are rooted in India, and yet inspired by journeys across the Indian Ocean. Every season, we set sail on a voyage to create a modern design stamp for India. Our design teams take a journey of inspiration across the Indian Ocean and the ancient trading routes, moving from coast to coast, season after season. We’ve taken design journeys to Sri Lanka, Japan, Bali, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Bali, Zanzibar, Madagascar and along our own coastal routes… because at the heart of Nicobar’s design story is a sense of wanderlust.”
Pricing: A value proposition
Talking about the pricing of Nicobar products, Raul said “It’s a value proposition, which comes with a heartfelt commitment to quality and style, work ethic and the mindful nature of the business, which involves costs.
“Making these sorts of decisions, both as a consumer and as a retailer can mean sacrifice. For consumers, it might mean that the products you choose are slightly more expensive than others who choose not to tick these boxes. For us, for retailers and brands that choose better fabrics or to pay their staff fair wages, it might mean that margins aren’t as big or that we’re releasing products less frequently than other brands,” he further said.
Last year did Rs 150 core business
Sharing revenue figures, Raul said last year the brand achieved a turnover of Rs 150 crore. It’s targeting a healthy two-digit growth in the coming years with 10-20 more stores planned to be opened.
He revealed that half the brand’s revenue was coming from women’s clothing, 15% from men’s clothing, 35% from homeware and gifting and 5% from jewellery and accessories.
Apart from physical stores, Nicobar has a very strong presence in the online space, and according to Raul 35-40% of their total sales were happening in this space.
The Why-Mumbai-First story
Relating the interesting story behind this, Raul said it was natural that since they had a base in the national capital, they would like to open in Delhi first. They were lucky too to get a prime location there, but the unlucky part was that despite sealing a deal, the consultant subsequently attempted to wriggle out of the contract, citing an irrefusable demand for this particular property and multiple other locations from another client. He offered them to match the new demand, which they were in no position to do.
As compensation for the cancelled deal, the consultant offered them a prime location in Mumbai, which they readily accepted. It was within the Kala Ghoda art district, in a colonial era building on Ropewalk Lane (this was in 2016), and till day Nicobar’s this first remains their flagship store.
Later they opened a store in Delhi as well finding a lucrative location in the luxury hub of Meher Chand Market, adjacent to the most expensive retail space in Delhi, the Khan Market.
Hat’s off to the brand’s planet-friendly mindfulness!
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a strong embrance during his recent visit to the war-torn country
Ukraine, US and Russia have responded positively to the visit, first by an Indian PM since Ukraine attained independence after the breakup of the USSR or Soviet Union in 1991
Conditions ripe for India to play a greater role in facilitating negotiations to bring peace to the war-torn nation, whether as a mediator or as a communication bridge
The task is akin to climbing a treacherous cliff, but if Modi succeeds, it could be Nobel Peace moment for him
There are no two opinions that the popularity of the prime minister of the most populous nation in the world, Narendra Modi, once hailed as a new phenomenon, and acknowledged as the most popular contemporary leader by the world, but berated as arrogance personified by the Opposition, is on the wane, at least within the country.
His party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also suddenly does not look as intimidating and invincible in Indian politics as till a few years back, because of the crushing reverses it received at the hands of the electorate in the recently concluded national general elections.
Though the results, announced in July, have ensured that the party’s retains its status as the single largest party by a mile, but these have also deprived it of the comfort of a majority on its own in the lower House of Parliament, which had given it brute power in the last two terms the party has been at the helm.
Even with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners, the BJP-led government is left with an uncomfortably thin majority, curtailing its earlier freedom to act decisively and at will.
But despite the reverses in the 2024 elections, which for the first time witnessed no X factor working for Modi unlike in the 2014 and 2019 elections, and losing absolute power, the man is putting up a brave front and appears to remain focused on achieving the ambitious national and international goals he has set for the country till 2047, which will mark 100 years of India’s independence.
On top of the list of these goals are the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) push both in cutting edge defence and other technologies; and achieving the status of the world’s third largest economy in the next few years and an Advanced country by 2047.
He realises that for the country to achieve these seemingly impossible targets, India needs to reposition itself as one of the geopolitically most strategic and trusted global partners in terms of world peace and security, manufacturing and trade. At this juncture, India also needs an enabling world environment for unhindered flow of investment and technology and maintaining robust supply chains.
Unfortunately, the current volatility in the global security environment, especially wars involving India’s closest defence suppliers – Russia and Israel – are severely impacting the global supply chains of critical commodities like food, fertilisers and crude oil, etc. and with it, economies the world over.
Chaotic world bad news for India’s growth story
While the chaotic situation is bad news for India itself, but as a nation, which aspires to become the voice of the global south, it also needs to be seen to be using its global influence to take initiatives which safeguard the larger national interests of its partners in this informal block.
Presently, the biggest concern before the government is that due to disruption or slowdown in supplies of contracted critical defence equipment and spares from Russia and elsewhere, the defence preparedness of the country is being severely compromised, especially when its powerful northern neighbour is unrelenting in its aggressive posture on the tense border.
Dependence on Ukraine
Modi’s similar photo-op with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow earlier in July.
After the collapse of the erstwhile Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also called Soviet Union, and Ukraine reasserting itself as an independent republic in 1991, India has been dependent on the now war-torn country for supply of critical gas turbine engines and spares for its large fleet of Soviet/Russian naval warships and AN-32 transport aircraft.
It is therefore imperative that India maintain close defence and economic ties with Ukraine despite the soured ties over India seemingly siding with Russia by steadfastly declining to name its close ally as the aggressor in the war with Ukraine.
The two countries in fact are also known to be in talks to set up joint aircraft and gas turbine engine manufacturing facilities in India, considering that many of these facilities in Ukraine have been either badly damaged or destroyed by Russia in the ongoing war.
So, Modi’s 10-hour travel by a special train to Kiev for a brief single day visit from Poland, where he undertook a two-day visit, served a dual purpose.
Twin agendas
The Indian prime minister being warmly welcomed by the Ukrainian leadership on his arrival in Kiev after a 10-hour journey from Poland by a special train
In extending an invitation to Modi to visit his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was keen on the Indian leader, and through him the global south, to get a first-hand experience of the war-torn country and better appreciate its perspective on the war. Taking forward the bilateral ties, including defence cooperation, was the other important agenda.
Modi’s visit to Ukraine, coming immediately after his discussions with the President and Prime Minister of Poland, Ukraine’s closest ally in the war, and through which most of the NATO and non-NATO allies’ military and redevelopment assistance has been routed to Ukraine, and weeks after his visit to Russia and Austria, was being followed with much anticipation by the world keen on seeing an early end to the war.
All the talk of Modi’s visit to Ukraine being an exercise at firefighting after facing flak from US and its allies over his Putin-hugging act apart, Modi apparently undertook the visit after a broad understanding with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Biden Administration.
Timing of visit
Modi and Zelenskyy paying homage at the memorial to hundreds of children killed in the Ukraine war
The timing of the visit assumed utmost importance from the fact that the bitterly fought presidential elections in the US are just nine weeks away.
After pumping in billions of dollars in military and other assistance, and still faltering, in the two-and-a-half years running Ukraine war, which is seen as US led NATO and its other allies’ proxy war against Russia, the superpower has got deeply embroiled in another no-gains battle in support of its close ally Israel in the Middle East.
Both war fronts are threatening to spin out of control showing the present US administration in poor light, which could prove decisive in the upcoming elections.
In an apparent display of frustration over the failures, US is accelerating military and other assistance to its allies on both fronts, pushing them to the limits in a desperate attempt to turn the tide.
Ukraine has opened a near suicidal new front in the war by making a daring incursion into the Kursk Oblast (or region) of the Russian Federation and suffering monumental losses, while at the same time allowing attacking Russia forces to push faster and deeper into Eastern Ukraine, according to international military experts.
As Zelenskyy’s position within the country becomes increasingly untenable for not being able to defend the country against its mighty neighbour despite massive assistance pouring in from its Western allies, there is also a distinct possibility of US considering a regime change in Kiev.
But it’s not that only the Western allies are feeling the pinch of the unending war. Russian Federation’s war effort is also under tremendous strain, and it is being forced to increasingly seek military assistance from its allies Iran, China and South Korea. Adding to this, there is a growing international pressure to end the war because of its far-reaching implications for global economy, peace and security.
So, the appetite for war is on the wane all around.
Uphill task
Modi paying his respects at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Kiev
It is in this context that Modi’s initiative could find favour globally. But with both warring sides sticking to their respective avowed stands – Ukraine and its allies seeking unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from territories captured by them during the war, and Russia insisting on recognition of the territorial status quo – convincing them for give and take to resolve the deadlock at this juncture looks improbable.
Russia considers this an existential war, maintaining that it has been thrust on it by the 75-year-old US led military alliance NATO’s (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) continuing aggressive expansion on its European borders.
Russia’s stand has been that it cannot allow Ukraine, with which it shares a very long border, to be ensnared into the NATO fold and thus jeopardise its security, though, after the war began in February 2022, two other countries in the region Finland and Sweden, which had so far maintained military neutrality, have joined the alliance in April 2023 and March 2024 respectively, further infuriating Russia.
With Sweden joining the military alliance as its 32nd member nation, the combined land borders of NATO member countries with Russia have more than doubled from 1200+ kms to 2500+ kms.
The other NATO countries which share a land border with Russia are Norway, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania.
Can Modi play honest role
The Indian prime minister and Zelenskyy shake hands after India handed over another big shipment of humanitarian assistance to Kiev during the visit
Only display of strong political will from both sides to end the war can make things move in a positive direction. For that, the warring parties will have to be first goaded to sit across the table. Modi, with the expectations of the global south behind him, can play a role in this if he can convince them that he can be trusted to maintain neutrality in facilitating sincere and practical engagement between all stakeholders leading to balanced talks.
During his visit, Modi played his cards well, starting with trying to apply a healing balm on the wounds inflicted on Ukraine by the war, especially by paying homage during his visit to the Ukraine National Museum to the hundreds of children who lost their lives.
The signals coming out of Kiev are of hope. Modi has suggested that Zelenskyy talk directly to Putin to help resolve the issues of conflict. The Ukrainian President, though the key to his decision-making lies with the US, has at least agreed to include Russia in the next global peace summit.
Zelenskyy has also said he would support India hosting a second peace summit, albeit conditional to India signing the communique adopted at the end of the first summit held in Switzerland and attended by 101 countries and international institutions, which is unlikely to happen.
Modi had not attended the summit and sent a diplomatic delegation instead, but India had not signed on the communique that endorsed the “principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine.”
Kyiv appears keen to find a host from among the leading countries in the global south to garner larger international support for his 10-point peace plan (only three of which were incorporated in the joint communique in Switzerland), and his preference appears to be India with its close ties with both Moscow and Washington.
Conversations with Biden, Putin
Within days of concluding his visit to Ukraine (on Aug 23), Modi spoke separately to both US President Joe Biden (on Aug 26) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (the next day) apparently to share his perspective on the Russia-Ukraine war, especially in the light of his visit, and his views on bringing the warring sides to the negotiating table.
With both world leaders, Modi reiterated India’s firm commitment to support an early, abiding and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Positive reaction to propel process forward
PM Modi poses for a photo in Kiev after meeting Ukrainian children learning the Hindi language
Given that both USA and Russia have reacted positively to Modi’s visit is indication enough of this process being taken forward at global summit meetings and possible future peace negotiations.
In a statement the White House said that US President Joe Biden, during his telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, commended the latter’s “historic visits” to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, as well as his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector.” The two leaders discussed PM Modi’s trip to two European nations and the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in September.
However, the assertion in the statement that PM Modi and President Biden affirmed their continued support for a “peaceful resolution” of the conflict “in accordance with international law, on the basis of the UN Charter,” was quite stark.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with President Andrzej Duda during his two-day visit to Poland prior to his Kiev visit
On the other hand, in a first reaction to Modi’s visit, a spokesperson of the Russian foreign ministry said that “the visit was an attempt to make a feasible contribution to the political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, along with the efforts of other countries (apparently alluding to China) that are putting forward an unbiased balanced line.
“We would like to remind you that the Russian side has never ruled out achieving the goals of a special military operation by political and diplomatic methods. We are ready to continue the dialogue with our Indian friends on the Ukrainian issue. In this matter, we proceed from the fact that they are well acquainted with the Russian position, which has been repeatedly and in detail communicated to New Delhi during bilateral contacts at the highest and high levels,” the spokesperson added.
In a latest article on the key takeaways from Modi’s Ukraine visit published on its website https://www.usip.org/, the United States Institute Of Peace (USIP) has commented that “Although it is far too early to suggest that India is willing or able to mediate a Russia-Ukraine dialogue, Modi’s calls to Putin and President Joe Biden immediately after his Ukraine trip were a constructive signal that the door is open for more, including in September at the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York and in October at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
Modi has confirmed his participation in both summit meetings.
In his outreach, the Indian prime minister may be seeking to achieve the impossible, but if he were to succeed in pulling it off, he could be eyeing a Nobel Peace moment and a resurgence in his popularity.
Map showing Russia and its European neighbours (Courtesy: nationsonline.org)
Dr Arvind Sahni, Director Gastroenterology, (with mike) and Dr Milind Mandwar, Associate Consultant Liver Transplant Surgery, (to his left) along with other members of Fortis Hospital Mohali's multi-disciplinary organ transplant team and patients at the press meet in Chandigarh on Thursday (August 29, 2024) to announce a couple of firsts in liver transplant surgery in Upper North India
Wife donates portion of liver for survival of her spouse suffering from complete liver failure; blood groups of the two did not match
Hospital also claims to have performed the region’s first ever deceased donor liver transplant
We have often heard a living spouse or close relative donating one of his or her two kidneys to give a new lease of life to a dear one who has suffered complete kidney failure.
But is this possible in the case of the liver which humans have only one!
In a press meet here on Thursday, Fortis Hospital Mohali claimed to have performed a first ever incompatible living donor liver transplant in Upper North India in which portion of a woman’s liver was removed and transplanted into her husband. Both donor and recipient have incompatible or mismatched blood groups (A+ and B+).
A team of doctors and support staff from the hospital which performed the 10-12 hours extremely complex surgery, also claimed to have performed the first ever deceased donor liver transplant in the region on another patient.
All three patients – the living donor-recipient couple and the recipient of the deceased donor’s liver – interacted with the media to report that they were feeling absolutely normal after the period of stabilization following their respective surgeries.
Speaking on behalf of the multi-disciplinary organ transplant team of the hospital, Dr Arvind Sahni, Director Gastroenterology, and Dr Milind Mandwar, Associate Consultant Liver Transplant Surgery, told media persons that Harjeet Singh (49) was suffering from liver failure. His wife volunteered as a liver donor, but there was a blood group mismatch between the two (A+ and B+). As there was no blood group compatible donor in the family, an ABO incompatible Liver Transplant was done.
This kind of transplant is a technically more challenging procedure and involves additional treatment modalities to ensure a successful transplant. To overcome the blood group barrier, antibodies from the recipient’s blood are removed (plasmapheresis) and additional drugs are given that block rejection-causing antibodies and cells. Both Harjeet Singh and his wife recovered well and were discharged on the 10th and the 4th postoperative days, respectively.
In the other case, the deceased donor, 70-year-old Inderjit Singh from Chandigarh was admitted to Fortis Hospital Mohali with brain haemorrhage. Best efforts by doctors could not save him and he was declared brain dead. The medical team counselled the family about the possibility of organ donation to save other lives.
In the hour of personal grief, the family displayed remarkable courage and chose to give the “Gift of Life” to four terminally ill patients. The two corneas were sent to PGIMER, Chandigarh, the lung was transplanted in a 64-year-old male patient from Shimla, Ramesh Chand, and a dual kidney transplant was performed on the same day on a 64-year-old patient from Mullana, who had suffered complete kidney failure.
According to Dr Milind Mandwar, a complete package at the hospital for a deceased donor liver transplant can cost between Rs 16-20 lakhs, and for a living donor liver transplant in the region of Rs 22-25 lakhs.
Emphasising the need for society to be more receptive to post death organ donations, Dr Sahni said it will help save precious lives. Sharing national statistics, he said more the two lakh patients of liver failure alone die in the country for want of living or deceased donors.
The survival rate of liver transplanted patients is as high as 95% in the first few years, though it gradually reduces with advancing years. Moreover, it’s not about survival alone but the quality of life of such patients which improves vastly, he added.
He also informed that among all liver transplants happening in the country, 85% are from living donors and the remaining 15% are from deceased donors, which needs to improve drastically. Even among the living donors, a vast majority (80%) are females.
Having been exposed to the buzz around the brand, in which a member of a well-known industrialist family of the region is a co-founder, we went to check out the look and feel of the newly opened store at the first opportunity, curious to know what makes the brand stand out.
The store overall ditto reflects Nicobar’s avowed design philosophy, which is to create a brand that embodies “simplicity and versatility” and champions “easy and effortless style”.
Elaborating on the uniqueness of their brand philosophy, Simran, who concentrates on the product and design aspect of the business, said “our clothing and jewellery can be worn for years, and our homeware remains with you for life.” For her, “Fabrics matter, as do fit and form. Whether in clothing or homeware: simplicity, versatility, and the ability to layer (and no big logos!) are the cornerstones of our collection.”
Nicobar’s woollies are claimed to in recycled wool, and the denim made using minimal water and energy (the brand calls it ‘green denim’). Similarly, their responsibly-made home products include wooden serveware made of discarded teak tree roots, banana fibre table runners, bamboo baskets, and recycled glass.
About inspiration for their various collections, Simran had this to say: “We are rooted in India, and yet inspired by journeys across the Indian Ocean. Every season, we set sail on a voyage to create a modern design stamp for India. Our design teams take a journey of inspiration across the Indian Ocean and the ancient trading routes, moving from coast to coast, season after season. We’ve taken design journeys to Sri Lanka, Japan, Bali, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Bali, Zanzibar, Madagascar and along our own coastal routes… because at the heart of Nicobar’s design story is a sense of wanderlust.”
Talking about the pricing of Nicobar products, Raul said “It’s a value proposition, which comes with a heartfelt commitment to quality and style, work ethic and the mindful nature of the business, which involves costs.
Sharing revenue figures, Raul said last year the brand achieved a turnover of Rs 150 crore. It’s targeting a healthy two-digit growth in the coming years with 10-20 more stores planned to be opened.
Relating the interesting story behind this, Raul said it was natural that since they had a base in the national capital, they would like to open in Delhi first. They were lucky too to get a prime location there, but the unlucky part was that despite sealing a deal, the consultant subsequently attempted to wriggle out of the contract, citing an irrefusable demand for this particular property and multiple other locations from another client. He offered them to match the new demand, which they were in no position to do.
