In a landmark move to commemorate the centenary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the Maharashtra government has announced a statewide initiative to introduce girls martial arts training in all government schools. Education Minister Dada Bhuse unveiled the plan at a press conference in Mumbai, stating that the program will equip thousands of young women with self‑defence skills and confidence, marking a significant step toward gender empowerment in the state. Background and Context Maharashtra has long grappled with gender disparities in education and safety. According to the 2024 National Family Health Survey, only 58% of girls in the state attend…
Author: Lukman Isiaq
In a landmark move to commemorate the centenary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the Maharashtra government has announced a statewide self‑defence initiative that will train girls in government schools across the state in martial arts and personal safety techniques. Background and Context Balasaheb Thackeray’s 100th birth anniversary falls on 22 January 2026, a milestone that has prompted the state to launch a series of commemorative programmes. Among them, the education ministry’s new self‑defence curriculum for girls is designed to empower young women, enhance campus safety, and align with the government’s broader agenda of gender equality and empowerment. According to…
In a move that has sent shockwaves through Thane’s political landscape, the Mumbra police on Thursday issued a formal notice to newly elected AIMIM corporator Sahar Shaikh following a controversial victory speech that many allege carried communal undertones. The notice, grounded in Section 168 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, warns Shaikh against making statements that could disturb communal harmony and urges her to exercise caution in future public addresses. Background and Context Shaikh, a 29‑year‑old political newcomer, won Ward 30 in the recent Thane Municipal Corporation elections, securing a seat for the All India Majlis‑ul‑Wahhabis (AIMIM). Her victory rally, captured on video…
Bombay High Court has granted interim relief to veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu in the high‑profile Kumar Sanu defamation case, restraining his former wife, Rita Bhattacharya, from making further public statements that could damage his reputation. The order, issued by Justice Milind Jadhav on 22 January 2026, comes after a series of contentious interviews in which Bhattacharya allegedly aired a personal tirade against the singer, leading to significant reputational harm and financial losses for the artist. Background and Context Kumar Sanu, known as the “Golden Voice” of Bollywood, has enjoyed a career spanning over three decades, with more than 1,200 hit songs and numerous awards. His marriage to…
In a decisive move to curb power shortages, the Maharashtra government has granted Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) permission to construct ten new transmission lines, a development that promises to smooth electricity supply across the state and directly benefit Mumbai, where summer peak demand already exceeds 4,000 MW. Background and Context India’s power grid is under increasing strain as urban centers expand and industrial activity surges. Maharashtra, the country’s second‑largest economy, has long struggled to meet the soaring electricity demands of its megacity, Mumbai. With the city’s generation capacity hovering below 2,000 MW, the bulk of power must be ferried…
In a decisive move to curb the chronic power shortages that plague Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has granted the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (MSETCL) permission to construct ten new high‑capacity transmission lines. The approval, issued under Section 68 of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, is aimed at strengthening the state’s grid and ensuring a smoother electricity supply to the metropolis, where summer peak demand routinely exceeds 4,000 MW. Background / Context Mumbai’s energy crunch has long been a headline issue. With the city’s generation capacity hovering below 2,000 MW, the bulk of power must be imported from distant plants. The existing…
In a grim reminder of the mounting mental health crisis in India’s premier engineering schools, a student at IIT Kanpur has taken his own life this week, marking the ninth suicide on the campus in just two years. The incident has reignited calls for urgent reforms, as data shows that IIT Kanpur alone accounts for nearly 30 % of all IIT student suicides between January 2021 and December 2025. Background and Context Across the country’s 23 Indian Institutes of Technology, a total of 65 students have died by suicide in the last five years, according to the Global IIT Alumni Support Group. Of…
In a tragic turn of events that has once again cast a spotlight on the mental health crisis gripping India’s premier technical institutes, a student at IIT Kanpur took his own life this week. The incident marks the ninth suicide on the Kanpur campus in just two years, a figure that now accounts for nearly 30 % of all IIT student suicides recorded between January 2021 and December 2025. Background and Context India’s Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are renowned for their rigorous academic standards and high‑profile alumni. Yet, beneath the glittering façade lies a growing concern: the alarming number of student suicides…
In a grim reminder of the mounting mental‑health crisis in India’s elite engineering schools, a student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur took his own life this week, marking the ninth suicide on the campus in just two years. The incident has thrust the IIT Kanpur suicide toll into the national spotlight, raising urgent questions about campus safety, institutional accountability, and the broader culture of pressure that pervades India’s premier technical institutes. Background and Context Data compiled by the Global IIT Alumni Support Group shows that between January 2021 and December 2025, at least 65 students across India’s 23 IITs…
Bombay High Court issues notice in the case of UK‑based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil, who sought to quash an FIR registered against him for alleged defamatory posts about the BJP and its leaders. Background and Context In the last few weeks, the political climate in India has been punctuated by a flurry of legal battles involving social media content. The most recent flare-up involves Dr. Sangram Patil, a medical practitioner based in the United Kingdom who has built a sizeable following on YouTube. Patil’s videos, which often critique government policies, have drawn the ire of the Bharatiya Janata Party…