Author: Deshwale National Desk

A short video clip, barely a minute long, set off a storm across Indian social media on 25 February 2026. In it, a fruit vendor at a Malad market in Mumbai’s western suburbs is seen smearing a cream-like substance onto bananas and pomegranates. A bystander confronts him. “Children eat these fruits. Why are you putting this on them?” he asks. The vendor appears unconcerned. That indifference, caught on camera, would cost him his freedom – and expose an urban food safety crisis that goes far deeper than one stall in one suburb. Malad Police arrested two vendors, identified as Manoj…

Mumbai has a ritual. Civic officials arrive with cameras, JCB machines, and a notice. Stalls are cleared. Photographs are taken. Press releases go out. And then, almost always within a day or two, the hawkers are back. The latest edition of this ritual unfolded on 23 February 2026, when Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani conducted a surprise inspection across the F South, F North and G North wards, covering stretches in Dadar, Parel, Matunga, Mahim and Sion. Walking the streets alongside senior officials including Deputy Commissioners Prashant Sapkale and Vinayak Vispute, Gagrani assessed the progress of the civic…

Nagpur police have intensified their probe into the circulation of the Maharashtra HSC Class 12 Chemistry question paper during the 2026 board exams. What began as a routine invigilation check has uncovered a network involving private coaching centres, WhatsApp groups and quick sharing of exam content. The incident has sparked debate over exam security in a high-pressure system. How the Breach Came to Light On 18 February at St Ursula Girls High School in Nagpur, invigilators spotted a female student lingering in the washroom for an extended period during the Chemistry exam. A search of her phone revealed images of…

A Boy from Kanchrapara Mukul Roy was born on 17 April 1954 in Kanchrapara, a modest industrial town in North 24 Parganas district, roughly 57 kilometres north of Kolkata. His parents were both activists in the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the household Roy grew up in was defined by political conversation, ideological conviction and the rhythms of working-class Bengali life. It was, in retrospect, an unlikely incubator for a man who would one day become the principal organisational strategist of a party built in direct opposition to the Left. Roy was a quiet, studious child. He participated in…

Forty Years in the Making Vijaydurg has not forgotten the sea. It never could. For centuries, this small port town at the tip of Devgad Taluka in Sindhudurg was one of the most strategically important harbours on the western coast of India. The Marathas built and fortified it. Kanhoji Angre made it the capital of his coastal territory. British and Dutch fleets tried, and largely failed, to take it. The fort still stands on a narrow peninsula, surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides, its laterite walls watching the same waters that once carried Maratha warships in and out…

Ecofluence 3.0, an international conference on economics and public policy, commenced at the Indus Business Academy (IBA) on 20th February 2026. The event, jointly organised by IBA in association with the Indian Economic Association (IEA) and the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS), and supported by AMDISA, brings together global scholars, policymakers, and industry experts for discussions on economic development, policy design, and sustainability. The inaugural session began with a welcome address by Dr. Easwar Krishna Iyer, Director of IBA, who emphasised the importance of collaborative research in shaping economic policies. Dr. Subhash Sharma, Chief Mentor and Chairman of IBA’s…

By: Hiren Gandhi ભારત આજે ઇતિહાસના એક મહત્વપૂર્ણ વળાંક પર ઊભું છે. વર્ષ 2047 સુધીમાં વિકસિત રાષ્ટ્ર વિકસિત ભારત બનવાનું સ્વપ્ન હવે માત્ર આકાંક્ષા નથી, પરંતુ એક સ્પષ્ટ, સુચિંતિત અને ક્રિયાશીલ રાષ્ટ્રીય વ્યૂહરચના છે. આ પરિવર્તન કોઈ એક સુધારા પર આધારિત નથી તે આર્થિક વૃદ્ધિ, વિશ્વસ્તરીય ઇન્ફ્રાસ્ટ્રક્ચર, ટેકનોલોજી નેતૃત્વ, રક્ષણ આત્મનિર્ભરતા, નિકાસ વૃદ્ધિ અને ઊર્જા સુરક્ષાના સંકલિત પ્રયાસો પર ટકેલું છે. આ સમગ્ર ઝુંબેશ ભારતને આવનારા દાયકાઓમાં વિશ્વના સૌથી પ્રભાવશાળી આર્થિક અને ભૂ-રાજકીય શક્તિઓની હરોળમાં સ્થાન અપાવી રહી છે. આર્થિક વૃદ્ધિ: $7 ટ્રિલિયન અર્થતંત્ર તરફ આગળ વધતું ભારત છેલ્લા દાયકામાં ભારતની આર્થિક વૃદ્ધિ અદ્ભુત રહી છે. આજે ભારત આશરે $3.7…

By: Hiren Gandhi India is moving forward with a clear and determined vision to become a developed nation Vikshit Bharat by the year 2047. This transformation is not based on a single reform, but on a comprehensive national strategy that integrates economic expansion, world-class infrastructure, technological leadership, defence self-reliance, export growth, and long-term energy security. These coordinated efforts are positioning India as one of the most influential economic and geopolitical powers of the coming decades. Economic Growth: Moving Toward a $7 Trillion Economy India’s economic rise over the past decade has been remarkable. Today, India stands as the world’s fifth-largest…

Borivali MLA Sanjay Upadhyay recently met the Mumbai Police Commissioner to raise concerns over law and order in parts of suburban Mumbai. Among the issues discussed was the recurring problem of illegal encroachments that continue to resurface despite repeated civic action. The development has once again drawn attention to a long-standing urban challenge that affects both public safety and the character of the city. Mumbai’s municipal authorities conduct anti-encroachment drives throughout the year. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation regularly deploys teams to remove illegal hawkers, temporary structures and unauthorised stalls from roads, pavements and public spaces. According to civic data released…

The recent fall in the number of beneficiaries under Maharashtra’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Laadki Bahin Yojana reveals both implementation challenges and deeper questions about India’s welfare priorities. The state’s tally fell by about 86 lakh after a mandatory e-KYC verification drive aimed at removing ineligible claimants. While more than 2.4 crore women were originally enrolled, only around 1.6 crore received the December 2025 stipend because many either submitted incorrect details or missed the verification deadline. A confusing question about government employment in the online form contributed to erroneous self-disqualification, prompting an extension of the cut-off date for corrections. The scheme was…