West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein has said his side can push India hard in the upcoming T20 series, stressing that the visitors have the skill and experience to compete despite the challenge of playing away from home. The 33-year-old Trinidadian is also poised to mark his 100th T20 International, a milestone he hopes will be the beginning of another five years at the top level.
Banks cut the weighted average rate on fresh rupee term deposits to 5.67% in August, while the average rate on new loans climbed to 8.61%, underscoring a widening divergence in pricing across the banking system. The trend points to softer competition for deposits and firmer lending yields, with personal loans showing the sharpest upward movement among loan categories.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, the filmmaker who repeatedly rewired Indian popular cinema across languages and formats, has died at 94, closing a career defined by formal daring and quiet influence. From a silent film experiment in the 1980s to the Telugu musical 'Sing Geetham' this year, Rao remained a singular presence whose work expanded what mainstream Indian cinema could attempt.
Three years after equalling a long-standing benchmark associated with P.T. Usha, Vithya is now aiming to move beyond it, turning a once-symbolic achievement into a platform for a deeper breakthrough. Her progression underscores both the durability of elite Indian athletics records and the pressure on emerging performers to convert parity into distinction.
The ‘Save Guruganga’ campaign has expanded to Bidar, bringing renewed attention to river conservation, public accountability, and local environmental governance. The move underscores how grassroots mobilisation is increasingly shaping the policy conversation around water security and ecological restoration in India.
The National Human Rights Commission of India will conduct an open hearing and camp sitting in Patna on October 7-8, 2026, to examine alleged human rights violations reported from Bihar. The exercise is expected to bring complainants, officials and investigators into a public forum, underscoring the commission’s effort to make redress more accessible outside New Delhi.
Fairshake, one of the most influential political groups in the cryptocurrency sector, is preparing to spend millions of dollars on a bipartisan slate of House races as Washington’s effort to advance key digital-asset legislation remains stalled. The move underscores how the industry is shifting from lobbying alone to direct electoral intervention, with 32 candidates already identified as aligned with its policy agenda.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the India-EU trade agreement is expected to strengthen exports and generate employment, especially in labour-intensive industries such as textiles, leather, and other manufacturing segments. She noted that India has opened 92.5 per cent of tariff lines and about 97 per cent of tariff value under the deal, underscoring the scale of market access on offer while signalling the government’s confidence in the pact’s growth potential.
PhysicsWallah’s wholly owned finance arm, FinZ Finance, has agreed to sell a ₹95.79 crore loan portfolio to Auxilo Finserve, marking a notable step in the edtech company’s retreat from direct lending. The transaction underscores a broader recalibration among startups that expanded into credit during the funding boom and are now narrowing capital-intensive bets amid a tougher operating environment.
The Commission for Air Quality Management has stepped up field-level enforcement in Punjab and Haryana by deploying flying squads to monitor and deter paddy stubble burning, a major seasonal driver of northern India’s air pollution crisis. The move signals a sharper compliance push as authorities seek to prevent farm fires before they intensify regional smog and strain inter-state pollution controls.
Divi’s Laboratories and TVS Motor Company are emerging as leading candidates to enter the Nifty index in the March 2027 review, potentially displacing Max Healthcare Institute and HDFC Life, according to Quiddity Leaderboard. The anticipated reshuffle could trigger estimated passive inflows of about $824 million, although the review remains at an early stage and the final composition may still change.
U.S. equities advanced on Monday, with the Nasdaq Composite closing at a record high as gains in megacap technology stocks outweighed the drag from elevated Treasury yields. The S&P 500 also moved higher, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged as investors balanced strong earnings expectations against persistent inflation and geopolitical risks.
The user fee at Kochi’s airport operator, Cochin International Airport Ltd., is facing renewed scrutiny amid questions over whether passengers are paying for routine operations rather than long-term capacity expansion. Critics argue the levy would be easier to justify if it were clearly tied to a second runway, a project that could strengthen the airport’s future growth case. The debate highlights a broader policy tension in Indian aviation: how airports balance user charges, infrastructure financing and public acceptance.
The Supreme Court has refused to stay proceedings in a challenge to the Nicobar project, allowing the case to continue in the Calcutta High Court. The petitions argue that the diversion of more than 130 square kilometres of pristine tropical forest violated the Forest Rights Act and endangered the cultural and ecological survival of the Shompen and Nicobarese communities.
Venture capital activity in India picked up in the first week of October, with startups raising $418 million across 22 deals, up from $382 million in the previous week. The rebound underscores continued investor selectivity, even as enterprise AI strategies such as Softdel’s draw attention in a market still rewarding scale, efficiency, and clear monetisation paths.
Ritu Arya and Tewfik Jallab say their characters in 'Apollo Has Fallen' are defined as much by emotional damage as by the film’s high-octane action. Speaking about Zara and Vincent, the actors described a story that pushes its leads into morally and psychologically dark territory while sustaining the franchise’s trademark adrenaline.
Their comments point to a broader shift in action storytelling, where spectacle is increasingly paired with vulnerability, trauma and internal conflict. In 'Apollo Has Fallen', the set pieces may drive the pace, but the emotional fallout appears to give the film its weight.
Australian sound producer Victor Van Vugt, known internationally for his work with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, has entered Malayalam cinema with the film 'Tharkkam'. In a notable cross-cultural move, Van Vugt has spoken about his first visit to India, his immersion in Kerala’s soundscape, and the creative possibilities of working in one of India’s most distinctive regional film industries.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the deletion of names from Maharashtra’s voters’ list, even as it heard a petition seeking safeguards to prevent eligible electors from being excluded. The plea also pressed for greater transparency in the methodology used for the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls. The court’s refusal to intervene at this stage keeps the revision process moving while leaving the core legal challenge unresolved.
India is preparing to take the revised bilateral investment treaty framework to the Cabinet soon, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, signalling a renewed push to deepen investment ties with key partners. The move comes as New Delhi seeks a more balanced approach to foreign capital, while also addressing persistent concerns around tariffs, trade frictions and widening trade imbalances.
A formal complaint has been lodged by the Electoral Registration Officer against an applicant linked to a large number of Form-7 submissions in Musheerabad, raising concerns over the integrity of voter roll revision processes. The move signals closer scrutiny of mass deletion requests at a time when election officials are under pressure to protect both electoral accuracy and voter rights.
TVS Automobile Solutions has raised Rs 425 crore from a UAE-based investor to support the expansion of its myTVS auto aftermarket brand. The capital will be deployed to deepen the company’s footprint in the Middle East and North Africa, underscoring growing investor interest in digitally enabled automotive services.
Mumbai have elevated a younger leadership option by appointing Mhatre as vice-captain, a move that signals continuity planning as well as a clear preference for domestic structure over star power. The decision also leaves Suryakumar without a leadership role in the side, underlining how state selectors are prioritising availability, form, and team balance.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of altering Form 6 illegally during the Special Intensive Revision process, escalating the Opposition’s attack on the Election Commission. The Congress also alleged that the CEC had betrayed the Constitution in letter and spirit at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sharpening the political confrontation over the integrity of India’s electoral machinery.
Asian equities opened firmer in early trade after a late-session surge in U.S. technology shares lifted Wall Street and left the S&P 500 close to a record. The move was led by gains in Nvidia and Microsoft, while crude oil eased, reinforcing a cautious risk-on tone across regional markets.
Medical college students in Kozhikode continue to grapple with inadequate hostel facilities, with women students bearing the brunt of the shortage, according to student union functionaries. Although construction of two new hostel buildings is nearly complete, the facilities have not yet been opened for occupancy, prolonging pressure on existing accommodation.
The National Housing Bank has initiated a forensic audit of SRG Housing Finance amid allegations of dubious lending practices, including possible fictitious loans and mismatches in repayment records. The probe is expected to examine consumer data, loan origination files and account-level documentation to determine whether fraud occurred.
India is preparing to set up three major chemical parks under the Bhavya Rasayan scheme, a policy push aimed at building a more integrated industrial ecosystem for the sector. The initiative is designed to help chemical manufacturers innovate, expand capacity and strengthen domestic value chains at a time when the industry is central to manufacturing, exports and import substitution.
India’s small-trader groups have called off their planned ‘No UPI Day’ protest after a meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Wednesday. The withdrawal by the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation and the All India Mobile Retailers Association eases a potential flashpoint over digital payments, merchant costs and the pace of UPI adoption.
TechSparks 2026 is shaping up as a broader policy-and-business forum than a conventional startup conference, bringing together founders, investors, technology executives and policymakers across consumer internet, fintech, healthcare, deeptech and semiconductors. The expanded lineup reflects a maturing Indian innovation economy that is moving beyond app-led growth toward capital-intensive, strategically significant sectors tied to manufacturing, infrastructure and national capability.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for an hour-long discussion focused on the state’s drought stress and the pressures facing farmers. Shinde said the Centre had assured support on water availability, agricultural conditions and fodder supplies for livestock, issues that have become urgent as rural distress deepens across affected districts.
The Centre’s pilot programme for fertiliser sales through a mobile application in 22 districts has generated estimated savings of about ₹1,500 crore, even as more farmers bought fertilisers in Kharif 2026 than a year earlier in the same districts. The outcome suggests that digitised distribution can reduce leakage, improve targeting and lower subsidy costs without suppressing demand. Officials are now likely to study whether the model can be expanded beyond the pilot geography.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao and Kamal Haasan built one of Indian cinema’s most adventurous creative partnerships, repeatedly pushing mainstream filmmaking into uncharted territory. From a dialogue-free film to a dwarf protagonist and a single actor portraying four distinct characters, their collaborations turned audacity into lasting cinematic influence.
The English-Telugu film ‘Impure’ uses the grammar of a coming-of-age story to mount a sharper critique of caste, class, gender, and social performance. Centered on two female cousins and their shared male friend, the film channels a Jane Austen-like observational wit while steadily exposing the fault lines beneath everyday respectability.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has moved to calm concerns over the merchant discount rate, or MDR, on certain UPI transactions above Rs 2,000, saying the charge will not be passed on to consumers. She stressed that the fee is borne by merchants, not the government, and is neither a tax nor a cess. The clarification comes amid heightened sensitivity around digital payments costs and their possible spillover into retail pricing.
Kuku Technologies Limited, the parent of audio streaming platform Kuku FM and microdrama app Kuku TV, has swung to profitability in FY26, marking a sharp turnaround ahead of its planned public-market debut. The company also reported a sixfold jump in revenue to ₹1,484 crore, underscoring rapid scale-up in India’s competitive digital content market.
India’s startup ecosystem moved deeper into a public-market phase in FY26, with 22 new-age tech companies making their stock market debut and investor attention shifting from growth at any cost to durable financial performance. The latest tracker underscores a maturing sector in which profitability, cash generation and execution quality are becoming as important as scale.
As Gandhi Jayanti 2026 prompts another round of reflection on the Mahatma, a growing wave of documentaries and podcasts is moving the conversation beyond familiar iconography and screen portrayals. These formats are presenting a more layered Gandhi: political strategist, media tactician, moral philosopher and deeply contested public figure.
The shift matters because it reflects how India now encounters history—through on-demand audio, streaming archives and long-form narrative journalism rather than only through textbooks or prestige cinema. In the process, Gandhi is being rediscovered not as a fixed monument, but as an argument still unfolding in public life.
Outstanding bank deposits and advances declined in the fortnight ended September 15, with deposits falling by Rs 2.49 lakh crore as high-cost bulk deposits matured, according to Reserve Bank of India data. Deposit growth slowed to 17.3%, while credit growth eased to 18.1%, underscoring a period of balance-sheet adjustment after recent overseas inflows altered banks’ funding mix.
HDFC Bank has named V.N. Srivatsan, a long-serving ICICI Bank executive, as its Chief Compliance Officer for a three-year term beginning January 4, 2027. The appointment underscores the lender’s focus on regulatory discipline, governance depth and risk oversight at a time when Indian banks are operating under heightened supervisory scrutiny.
ideaForge Technology promoter and chief executive Ankit Mehta has pledged 2.8 lakh shares, equal to 0.56% of the company’s total equity, citing personal requirements. The disclosure comes at a time when investors are closely watching promoter-level share encumbrances as a signal of confidence, liquidity needs, and governance discipline in India’s listed startup ecosystem.
Mysuru golfer Pranavi delivered a composed final-round par 70 to secure gold with a four-day total of 15-under 265, underlining the discipline and control that shaped her campaign. The result capped a steady, strategically managed performance in which she stayed on script and converted her plan into a commanding finish.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India is preparing to propose changes to the Chartered Accountants Act aimed at enabling larger, more competitive domestic accounting firms. The move follows discussions involving the Prime Minister’s Office on regulatory adjustments and is expected to be paired with revised networking and practice rules to encourage broader collaboration among professionals.
India’s President hosted the President of the Swiss Confederation in New Delhi in a high-level meeting that underscored the steady importance of India-Switzerland ties. The engagement comes at a time when both countries are seeking to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, innovation, and multilateral diplomacy. While largely ceremonial in form, the meeting carries clear policy weight as India continues to broaden its outreach to advanced European economies.
Public sector banks and older private lenders have advised customers to complete essential transactions ahead of a three-day nationwide strike called from September 28 by the United Forum of Bank Unions. The government has already directed public sector banks to remain open on Sunday to help reduce disruption and ensure continuity of basic banking services.
Smaran struck a composed, authoritative hundred to anchor a crucial Rest of India recovery on day three of the Irani Cup, turning a precarious position into a competitive contest. At close, the visiting side had stretched its lead to 265 runs with two wickets still in hand, leaving the match delicately poised heading into the final day.
India’s performance outlook for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 2026 is being read as a broader test of whether the country is ready to think seriously about hosting the Olympics. The central argument is blunt: without a sustained rise in sporting standards, infrastructure, and elite competitiveness, a future Olympic bid would risk becoming symbolism without substance.
The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, met India’s top military leadership at a dinner hosted by the U.S. ambassador in New Delhi, underscoring Washington’s push to deepen defence ties with a key strategic partner. The engagement comes as both sides seek to expand military-to-military cooperation amid a more contested Indo-Pacific security environment.
India’s new-age technology stocks remained under sustained selling pressure this week, with 47 counters declining as benchmark indices logged their eighth straight weekly loss. Turtlemint was among the hardest hit, extending its slide with another 20% weekly decline as investors continued to reassess valuations, profitability timelines and liquidity conditions across the sector. The weakness underscores a broader reset in sentiment toward venture-backed and recently listed internet businesses.
Finance teams in startups are moving beyond bookkeeping and month-end reporting to become architects of connected business processes. As companies scale, the pressure to reduce manual work, improve visibility and build repeatable systems is pushing finance leaders into a more strategic role.
Singeetham Srinivasa Rao, the acclaimed writer-director whose career helped redefine Telugu and Indian popular cinema, has died, according to reports. He first drew wide attention at the age of 41 with Neeti Nijayati in 1972, a film noted for its moral core and his assured command of storytelling.
