As Navaratri approaches, attention turns once again to Syama Sastri’s three surviving swarajatis, works widely regarded as among the most refined in Carnatic music. More than concert staples, they are intimate musical conversations with Goddess Kamakshi, combining technical invention with devotional intensity in a form that helped define Sastri’s legacy.
Ezra Sastry, widely known as a lyrical evangelist and worship voice in India’s Christian community, has died, prompting an outpouring of grief from followers, church leaders, and admirers. His passing closes a significant chapter in the country’s devotional music tradition, where his work blended faith, poetry, and public ministry.
India’s rural economy remains heavily exposed to the vagaries of the monsoon, with rainfed agriculture still accounting for nearly 60% of the country’s net sown area and about 40% of total food production, according to the Agriculture Ministry. A UN official has warned that this dependence on rainfall continues to pose a structural challenge for farm incomes, output stability and broader macroeconomic resilience.
The Reserve Bank of India has introduced a new threshold-based framework that will require banks with assets of Rs 25,000 crore or more to adopt updated credit risk measurement approaches. The rule is aimed at lenders with significant derivatives exposure or international operations, while smaller banks may continue using alternative methods.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday framed research and development spending as a long-term investment rather than a cost, arguing that India’s defence manufacturing base must deepen innovation if it is to compete globally. He also revisited his earlier call for raising the private sector’s share in total defence production from about 24 percent to 50 percent, underscoring the government’s push to widen industrial participation.
Flashman, Minari, Rivayat and Saint Sizzle emerged as the principal talking points in a closely watched evening of Indian racing action, each producing a performance that drew attention from form analysts and trackside observers alike. The results added fresh intrigue to the competitive landscape, where margins remain tight and momentum can shift quickly from one meeting to the next.
The Finance Ministry has asked private sector banks to step up participation in the government’s financial inclusion programmes, including Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Stand Up India. Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Lohiya called for stronger digital outreach, faster loan processing, better insurance awareness and more effective grievance redressal as the government prepares a saturation campaign.
Aamir Khan Productions has launched an open mic initiative under its Aamir Khan Talkies channel in collaboration with Kommune, the spoken-word and storytelling platform, aiming to create a wider stage for grassroots artists. The move signals a growing effort by established entertainment brands to identify and amplify emerging voices beyond conventional film and television pipelines.
Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has urged the Union government to extend price rationalisation beyond cancer medicines to other high-cost, life-saving drugs, arguing that regulatory relief must translate into direct savings for patients. His remarks add momentum to a broader policy debate over how India should balance access, affordability and pharmaceutical pricing in essential care.
Industrial and warehousing leasing across India’s top 24 cities reached a record 59.1 million square feet in the January-September period, underscoring resilient demand from light manufacturing, e-commerce and third-party logistics. Tier-I cities accounted for 47.2 million square feet of the total, while fresh supply rose to 68.9 million square feet, pointing to a market that is expanding even as occupiers optimise supply chains and inventory networks.
Avenue Supermarts, the operator of DMart, reported an 8.5% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 743 crore for the second quarter of FY27, supported by robust revenue growth of 17.8% to Rs 19,644 crore. The company expanded its store network by 15 outlets during the quarter, taking its total count to 518, even as EBITDA and profit margins came under pressure from entry-level wage inflation.
Government sources have clarified that the proposed 0.4% merchant fee on certain UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 will not be levied on consumers, easing concerns over a possible return of digital payment charges. The National Payments Corporation of India said only a small portion of UPI transactions may be affected, while the Indian Banks' Association is expected to address market confusion soon.
India’s Para Asian Games contingent received a formal send-off in New Delhi on the eve of departure, with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya unveiling the team’s new jersey and extending the government’s backing to the athletes. Para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat was named flag bearer, underscoring India’s medal ambitions and the growing prominence of para sport in the national sporting landscape.
India’s premier cricket league is entering a potentially transformative phase, with the next cycle expected to shape the sport’s commercial, competitive and broadcast future. The development underscores how the league has moved beyond being a domestic tournament to becoming one of the most influential properties in global sport.
The GST Council has recommended rationalising e-way bill requirements in a move aimed at reducing friction in the movement of goods across India’s supply chains. The proposal also includes a flat 5% GST rate for supplies made by e-commerce platforms to unregistered buyers through any delivery mechanism, signalling a broader effort to simplify compliance and align tax treatment with modern distribution models.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi chaired a two-day departmental summit focused on strengthening policy delivery, institutional coordination, and outcomes for women and children. The meeting comes at a time when the ministry is under pressure to sharpen implementation across nutrition, protection, and welfare systems.
A major fire at a poultry farm near Cheyyar in Tamil Nadu has killed more than 5,000 chickens, causing severe losses to the owner and raising fresh concerns over fire safety standards in rural livestock operations. Officials are assessing the damage and the cause of the blaze, which spread rapidly through the farm before it could be brought under control.
Small and medium-sized textile companies are increasingly tapping public markets as they seek capital for working capital, capacity expansion and a shift toward higher-margin, value-added products. The trend reflects both the sector’s funding needs and a broader push among family-owned manufacturers to formalise balance sheets and accelerate growth.
As India’s textile supply chain faces rising competition, tighter credit conditions and changing demand patterns, IPOs are emerging as a strategic financing route rather than a purely exit-driven event. For many firms, the public market offers a chance to strengthen operations, reduce leverage and invest in modernisation.
India Under-19 produced a commanding all-round performance to bowl out Australia Under-19 for 151 and complete an 11-run chase in a match that underlined the hosts’ growing depth and control. Baloda’s record-breaking haul of 14 wickets across the contest overshadowed a lone resistance from Cattle, as Yashbardhan and his side clinched the series 2-0.
The Reserve Bank of India has moved to calm anxiety over the new foreign exchange reporting framework after Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the changes are aimed at improving compliance, not restricting legitimate business activity. The clarification is especially relevant for freelancers, digital creators and SaaS startups that routinely receive cross-border payments and had feared fresh friction in routine transactions.
At a recent baithak, musicians and scholars gathered to examine the many forms of kajri within Purab Anga Gayaki and the growing challenge of preserving its distinct identity. The discussion underscored a broader cultural tension: how to keep a living folk-classical tradition evolving without flattening its regional character.
The GST Council has approved a faster refund framework that will allow businesses to receive 90% of claimed refunds within 13 days, a significant reduction in turnaround time for working capital relief. The Finance Ministry also said the acknowledgement period for refund claims will be shortened to 10 days from 15, signalling a broader push to ease compliance friction and improve liquidity across the tax system.
Zoe Kazan’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 'East of Eden' arrives with visual elegance and strong performances, led by Florence Pugh and Hoon Lee. Yet the series also inherits the novel’s structural and thematic limitations, leaving a gorgeously mounted drama that is often more admired than fully felt.
Musician Muthu’s latest release, 'Theeraa Theeraa', underscores a career built on instinct, narrative craft and a willingness to mine lived experience for melody. From writing Sufi songs in Uttar Pradesh to composing for Malayalam cinema, he has developed a voice that bridges regional traditions and contemporary film music.
Investors often gravitate toward products that have recently delivered the best returns, but that instinct can lead to poor timing, concentration risk, and disappointment. In wealth creation, the more durable question is not which product is winning today, but whether it fits an investor’s goals, horizon, and risk tolerance.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday inaugurated a set of new facilities at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (ICAR-IIAB) in Ranchi through video conferencing, underscoring the Centre’s push to strengthen agricultural research infrastructure. The launch signals continued federal emphasis on biotechnology-led innovation, with an eye on improving crop resilience, productivity, and farmer outcomes.
Healthcare technology is moving beyond pilot projects and into commercial scale, with advances in sensors, wearable devices, 3D-printed skin, reconstructed organs and data-driven clinical trials reshaping the investment case for the sector. For markets and IPO watchers, the shift signals a broader re-rating of companies that can turn scientific breakthroughs into regulated, revenue-generating platforms.
IndusInd Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Anand said he has been informed that his name has been unmapped from the electoral roll, even though he holds valid voter identification and an Aadhaar card. His remarks come as the Election Commission carries out a Special Intensive Revision of voter lists and extends claim-filing deadlines in Delhi and Maharashtra.
India is set to extend tax refunds to exporters on taxes paid for plant and machinery, a move aimed at lowering the cost of investment and improving liquidity in export-linked industries. The measure is expected to support manufacturing competitiveness at a time when global demand remains uneven and firms are under pressure to modernise capacity.
Non-banking finance companies accounted for nearly half of new-to-credit loans below Rs 2 lakh as of June 2026, underscoring their central role in widening access to formal credit. Despite rapid expansion, retail delinquency rates at NBFCs remained below the broader industry average, while borrowers who monitored their credit showed stronger cure rates than those who did not.
A growing number of small and mid-sized textile companies are tapping public markets as they seek working capital, expand capacity and move up the value chain into higher-margin products. The trend reflects both the capital intensity of the sector and a broader shift among Indian SMEs toward equity financing as a faster route to scale.
Bank credit growth strengthened across major sectors in August, with personal loans rising 16.9% year-on-year to ₹72.9 lakh crore, according to Reserve Bank of India data. The pace marks a sharp pickup from 11.9% a year earlier, underscoring resilient household borrowing even as lenders navigate a mixed demand environment.
Indiabulls Limited has received a Certificate of Registration from the Reserve Bank of India as a Core Investment Company, formalising its status under the central bank’s framework for investment-holding entities. The company said the approval does not create any new banking or lending business and added it may surrender the certificate if the CIC structure is later found unsuitable.
The Kerala High Court has directed police to register an FIR in the CMRL pay-off matter, accepting a plea that allegations emerging from an Enforcement Directorate report warranted a criminal case rather than a preliminary inquiry. The order intensifies scrutiny around Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and members of his family, placing the politically sensitive dispute squarely in the criminal justice process.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone shares are drawing close attention in early trade as investors assess the stock’s valuation, broader market sentiment and the policy backdrop shaping India’s logistics and trade economy. The counter remains a key proxy for port traffic, infrastructure spending and the health of domestic and external commerce.
Non-banking finance companies accounted for nearly half of all new-to-credit loans below Rs 2 lakh as of June 2026, underscoring their central role in expanding access to formal credit. Despite that rapid expansion, retail delinquency levels at NBFCs remained below the broader industry average, suggesting that underwriting discipline and portfolio quality have held up even as the customer base widened sharply over the past decade.
HSBC Holdings Plc is preparing a significant expansion in India, planning to lift its branch network by 35% over the next two years as it sharpens its focus on affluent customers, wealth management and transaction banking. The strategy is aimed at positioning the lender among India’s top private banks by 2030, while leveraging its global footprint to serve clients with cross-border financial needs.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has said it successfully concluded its Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign, underscoring the government’s continued emphasis on cleanliness, civic participation, and institutional accountability. The initiative reflects how central ministries are being used to reinforce public-service messaging beyond their core administrative mandates.
State Bank of India remained a closely watched stock in early trade as investors assessed the implications of broader market sentiment, fiscal policy expectations and the banking sector’s earnings resilience. The counter’s movement is being read not just as a stock-specific event, but as a proxy for confidence in India’s credit cycle, deposit growth and the health of the financial system.
The World Meteorological Organization has warned that the unfolding El Niño event could intensify into one of the strongest since the 1950s, after record Pacific warmth signaled a rapid strengthening of the climate pattern. If the trend persists, central and eastern tropical Pacific temperatures could approach record levels by late 2026, with wide implications for food prices, inflation, and weather-linked fiscal pressures across emerging markets. An Indian Ocean Dipole shift could complicate the outlook for India and the wider region.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve arrives as a loud, lavish reminder that the long-running combat-flight series still knows how to stage a blockbuster aerial war. With explosive dogfights, theatrical military drama and a sharply tuned sense of momentum, the game leans into excess without losing its grip on action design.
A potential Reserve Bank of India rate hike is unlikely to cause broad-based asset quality stress for non-banking financial companies, according to Nuvama Institutional Equities. The brokerage said past tightening cycles show that rate increases alone have not typically led to widespread deterioration, while healthy capital buffers and ample systemic liquidity should help absorb pressure.
The residence of CPI(M) leader and senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya was attacked in a fresh episode of political violence that has sharpened concerns over law and order in West Bengal. In a notable gesture, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached out to Bhattacharya despite years of bitter political hostility, underscoring the seriousness of the incident and the fraught climate surrounding it.
India’s Food Ministry has identified discrepancies in GST filings by sugar mills and has begun action against erring units, according to officials familiar with the matter. The mills have been asked to furnish additional details for the period August 20-31, signalling tighter scrutiny of tax compliance in a sector central to farm incomes, industrial output and food policy.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has positioned international cooperation, youth participation and women’s leadership as central pillars of India’s maritime ambitions. His remarks signal a policy narrative that links port-led growth, human capital and global connectivity to the country’s long-term economic strategy.
Eva Marie Saint, the Academy Award-winning actress whose work in classics such as On the Waterfront and North by Northwest helped define Hollywood’s golden age, has died at 102. Her representative, Jeff Sanderson, said she died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and loved ones.
D2C lifestyle brand DailyObjects has raised ₹332 crore in a Series C round co-led by Xponentia Capital, marking a significant push beyond its digital-first roots. The capital will be used to expand the company’s offline footprint and strengthen its omnichannel strategy as India’s premium consumer brands increasingly compete for shelf space and physical visibility.
The Reserve Bank of India’s upcoming policy review comes at a moment when inflation risks remain stubborn and uneven, limiting how far monetary policy alone can go. Analysts say the central bank will need clear support from the government on supply-side measures, food management, and fiscal restraint if price pressures are to be contained effectively.
Wipro’s stock moved above a closely watched moving average in early trade, drawing attention from technical traders and long-only investors tracking momentum in India’s information technology sector. The move comes as markets continue to weigh earnings visibility, margin discipline and broader risk appetite for large-cap IT names. While the price action is technically constructive, analysts will be watching whether the stock can sustain gains amid a still-cautious macro backdrop.
India will present its 2036 Olympic bid vision to the International Olympic Committee next month, with the campaign framed around the theme “Rising Together.” Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha said the message is intended to unite the country’s scale, diversity and ambition behind a single sporting goal, as India seeks to position itself as a credible future host.
