NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday sharply criticised the Centre over the nationwide flight chaos triggered by IndiGo’s deepening operational crisis, calling the situation “a disaster” and accusing the BJP-led government of failing passengers as large-scale cancellations entered the seventh straight day.Indigo flight cancellations follow live updatesSpeaking in Kolkata, Banerjee said the crisis had left ordinary flyers abandoned without alternatives. “What is the alternative for the public? It is most unfortunate that the maximum number of flights have stopped. This is a disaster. Thousands of passengers are stranded in airports. They are feeling mentally tortured,” she said.She urged the Centre to intervene immediately, adding, “I ask the Government of India to make a plan to resolve this. The BJP government is not interested in matters related to the country and the people. But the BJP cares only about how to capture institutions.”Her remarks came as more than 250 IndiGo services were cancelled from Delhi and Bengaluru alone on Monday, as reported by PTI. The disruptions rippled across major airports including Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. Delhi saw 134 cancellations, while Bengaluru recorded 117, marking one of the worst single-day breakdowns of airline operations in recent years.The airline, which has struggled with massive pilot shortages and new crew duty-time regulations, is under increasing scrutiny from regulators and the judiciary. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Sunday extended by 24 hours the deadline for IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidro Porqueras to respond to a show-cause notice over what it said were “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management.”IndiGo has faced public anger after cancelling thousands of flights since December 2, culminating in an unprecedented 1,600 cancellations on Friday. Elbers later issued a video apology but passengers at airports nationwide continue to report long queues, confusion over rebooking, and inadequate assistance.The crisis has now reached the Delhi high court, where a Public Interest Litigation has sought urgent intervention. The petitioner described the airport situation as “inhumane,” alleging that many stranded passengers were left without support or timely refunds. The court has agreed to hear the matter in detail on Wednesday.

Shakib al Hasan (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Out-of-favour Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that physical fatigue led him to deliberately chuck during an English County match for Surrey — a decision that eventually resulted in his ban from bowling. The left-arm spinner was barred from bowling in all competitions under the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after his action was found illegal during independent testing at Loughborough University in December last year.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The issue surfaced when umpires questioned his action during a first-class fixture for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton, where he bowled nearly 65 overs across two innings.

“I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs (in one match),” Shakib said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast.“I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match. I was playing that four-day match for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton. I was so tired.”He added that he hoped for a warning before being reported.“I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn’t complain.”Shakib revealed that he initially failed the correction test before working on his action.“I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, ‘okay, so these things are happening’. Then I had to train for a couple of weeks so I went back to Surrey again and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘it’s so easy’.”Shakib, who will soon turn 39 and is a former Member of Parliament, left Bangladesh last year after Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled. Since then, he has retired from Test cricket and has not featured in white-ball squads.He also failed a second bowling assessment in Chennai, after which BCB selectors omitted him from the Champions Trophy. The board later clarified that he remains available to play purely as a batter in both domestic and international cricket.

When people tell me about their stock market disasters, the story is almost always familiar. It’s rare, “I bought a solid company at a sensible price, held it for years, and it went to zero.” What I usually hear is closer to, “I bought stock based on this story… this penny stock… this F&O trade I didn’t really understand… and then it crashed.”In other words, most big losses don’t come from bad luck. They come from buying the wrong kind of stocks in the first place.That’s why, before we talk about what to buy, it’s more important to be very clear about what not to buy at all. At Value Research Stock Advisor (VRSA), this is actually where we begin. We have a clear sense of universes we simply don’t touch. You can—and should—do the same with your own money.Take penny stocks. The temptation is obvious. “It’s only Rs 2. How much can I lose?” The honest answer is: you can lose 100 per cent. A stock trading at Rs 2 is not more “affordable” than one trading at Rs 2,000. The absolute price means nothing by itself. A Rs 2 stock can be horribly overvalued; a Rs 2,000 stock can be genuinely cheap for the quality of the business.Penny stocks come with a standard set of problems. They are often thinly traded, which means you can happily buy, but you may find no one to sell to when you want to get out. Information is scarce and unreliable. A handful of players can push prices around. If your main reason for buying is “it’s so cheap, I can buy thousands of shares,” that’s not investing. That’s buying a lottery ticket. In VRSA, we simply avoid this low-quality, illiquid corner of the market. We want to study real businesses, not play with scraps just because the sticker price looks small.This is where a real-life example is useful. Think of a once-hyped penny stock like SecureKloud Technologies in the small cap IT space. At one point in 2016, it traded around Rs 900 after a wave of promotional stories and “multibagger” claims. A few years later, as the reality of weak profits and poor governance emerged, it fell to below Rs 50 by 2019 and currently trades at around Rs 25. Anyone who bought in near the top is now sitting on a loss of roughly 95 per cent—even though the stock always looked “cheap” in rupee terms. This is exactly the pattern we try to help investors avoid.Then there are the “story stocks” and permanent “turnaround” stories. These are companies that always have a narrative to sell. They’ll tell you they are entering a hot new sector, or that they will be a leader in some buzzword industry in three years, or that they’re on the cusp of a massive turnaround. The story keeps changing; the profits do not.Indian investors have seen this many times. Think of some of the real estate and infrastructure favourites during the 2007-08 boom that never recovered, even ten years later. Think of the supposed “next Infosys” names that went nowhere. Think of the “conglomerates” that kept announcing new ventures and funding them with more and more debt. At the peak, each of these had an attractive story. Today, many of those stocks trade at a fraction of their old prices, if they are even alive.Take the case of Suzlon Energy, which once promised to be “the next big thing” in renewable energy space has surged 4-5x multiple times on hope and headlines, and then slid back when the promised turnaround never showed up in earnings. The story was exciting, but the business never improved and to this date trades below its listing price which dates back to 2005.When we look at a potential idea in VRSA, we never start with the story. We begin with the track record and the numbers. If the economics are poor, a clever story doesn’t change anything. A good narrative sitting on top of a bad business does not get past our filters.And then there’s the new favourite: F&O punting dressed up as “investing”. Let me be blunt here. Buying random options or taking leveraged futures positions because someone said “this is a sure shot” is not investing in stocks. It is a leveraged bet on short-term price movement.F&O is dangerous because small price moves can magnify into big gains or losses. Positions expire, which means time is always working against you. You can lose fifty to a hundred per cent of your position very quickly, even when the underlying business is perfectly fine. If you like trading F&O and know exactly what you’re doing, that’s your personal choice. Just don’t confuse it with long-term equity investing.In our world at Value Research, F&O doesn’t feature at all when we talk about stocks. We mean owning slices of real businesses for years, not renting volatility for a few days.You might ask, if these things are so obviously dangerous, why do so many people still get sucked in? The answer is simple. These traps promise speed, excitement and simplicity. They promise that something will double in six months. They give you something to talk about every day. They tell you not to overthink—just act now.Real investing is the opposite. It’s often slow and sometimes boring. It doesn’t give you new bragging rights every evening. It asks you to think carefully about businesses, risks and your own behaviour. At VRSA, we deliberately choose boredom over drama. We are perfectly comfortable if nothing spectacular happens to a stock for three to five years, as long as the business quietly keeps compounding underneath.You don’t need advanced jargon to protect yourself. A few personal rules will do the job. If the main pitch is “it’s only Rs 10, buy a lot of shares,” walk away. If you can’t explain in a couple of sentences what the company does and how it earns money, walk away. If the story around the business keeps changing every year, walk away. And if the idea depends on leverage, exotic products, or you being forced to “act today”, again, walk away.The market will always have something thrilling to offer you. Your job is not to chase everything that sparkles. Your job is to protect your capital and let it grow steadily. That begins with cleaning up your investment universe. If you simply stop buying the wrong kind of stocks, you’ve already taken a huge step towards becoming a better investor. The rest—how many stocks to own, how to size them and how to diversify—is actually much easier once this first step is in place.(Ashish Menon is a Chartered Accountant and a senior equity analyst in Value Research’s Stock Advisor service.)

In an era where global powers are flexing their nuclear muscles and dormant arsenals hum with renewed urgency, India stands at a perilous crossroads: should it reignite the fire of nuclear testing to assert its strategic sovereignty, or maintain the delicate restraint that has balanced diplomacy and deterrence for decades? The shadow of India’s 1998 Pokhran-II tests still lingers, marked by geopolitical reverberations and economic sanctions. Yet today, with US President Donald Trump publicly accusing rival states like Pakistan and China of clandestine nuclear tests, India faces a high-stakes dilemma.

India’s nuclear journey began with its first nuclear test, code-named ‘Smiling Buddha’, in 1974, which stunned the world with a bold demonstration of atomic capability. However, there was then a long gap of 24 years before India conducted its next round of tests, the definitive Pokhran-II in 1998.

Now, 27 years after that landmark moment, the clock ticks again — prompting a crucial question: Is it time for India to conduct another series of nuclear tests to secure its place amid a shifting geopolitical order? The answer may shape not just India’s nuclear strategy, but the future stability of South Asia and its global standing.Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said that a resumption of US atomic tests would “open the door for states with less nuclear testing experience to conduct full-scale tests that could help them perfect smaller, lighter warhead designs”.Joseph Rodgers, fellow at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said that states such as China or India stand to profit from a resumption of nuclear tests.“It makes more sense for them to test” than it does for the US or Russia, the two states that have conducted most atomic tests to date, Rodgers said.

Tump triggers debate

Ahead of his meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping in South Korea on October 29–30, 2025, Trump posted on social media that, because other countries were conducting nuclear tests, he had instructed the US military to begin testing nuclear weapons again on “an equal basis” with those nations, and that this process would “commence immediately”.Trump’s comments were interpreted by many as a sign the US was preparing to restart full-scale nuclear blasts for the first time since 1992.

In an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS, Trump reiterated his position. “I am saying that we’re going to test nuclear weapons like other countries do, yes,” Trump said when asked by if he planned for the US to detonate a nuclear weapon for the first time in more than 30 years.“Russia’s testing, and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it,” he added. “I don’t want to be the only country that doesn’t test,” he said, adding North Korea and Pakistan to the list of nations allegedly testing their arsenals.

What he probably meant

Just days after Trump’s remark, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that America is not planning to conduct nuclear explosions.“These are not nuclear explosions,” Wright told Fox News on Sunday. “These are what we call sub-critical explosions.” But Wright, whose agency oversees testing, said people living in the Nevada desert should have “no worries” about seeing a mushroom cloud.“Americans near historic test sites such as the Nevada National Security Site have no cause for concern,” Wright said. “So we’re testing all the other parts of a nuclear weapon to make sure they deliver the appropriate geometry, and they set up the nuclear explosion.”

What are sub-critical nuclear tests

Sub-critical nuclear testing refers to experiments that involve nuclear materials like plutonium but use less than the amount necessary to start a chain reaction that would cause a nuclear explosion. No nuclear explosion occurs because the test does not achieve “criticality,” the point at which a self-sustaining nuclear reaction happens.These tests involve compressing or shocking small amounts of fissile material with high explosives to study how the material behaves under extreme conditions.Subcritical tests help scientists validate computer models and ensure the safety, security, and reliability of nuclear weapons without performing full nuclear detonations.They are usually done underground to contain any radioactive byproducts and prevent a nuclear blast.Countries like the US, Russia, and China use subcritical tests to maintain their nuclear stockpiles under international test bans like the CTBT.Thus, subcritical tests are a way to “test” the components of nuclear weapons at a small, safe scale without violating nuclear test bans or triggering nuclear explosions.

Sub-critical nuclear tests are generally very low-yield and do not produce a nuclear explosion, so they release minimal energy and radiation. Because of this, subcritical tests are often difficult or impossible to detect by international monitoring systems like the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) International Monitoring System (IMS).The IMS uses seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide stations to detect nuclear explosions worldwide. While it can detect all full-scale nuclear tests, the very low yield of subcritical tests—often below a threshold of about 1 kiloton equivalent—means they usually do not produce detectable seismic or atmospheric signatures. Radionuclide detectors also rely on gases released during an explosion, which do not occur in subcritical tests.Sub-critical tests are mostly not picked up by the IMS or satellite monitoring, making them effectively clandestine from the perspective of existing international nuclear test detection systems unless detected through other intelligence sources or on-site inspections after the CTBT enters into force.

What India’s next nuclear test could look like

If India were to conduct a nuclear test today, it would reflect significantly evolved scientific, strategic, and geopolitical conditions compared to the 1998 Pokhran-II tests. The characteristics of a modern Indian nuclear test would likely include:

What is the 123 Agreement

The 123 Agreement, formally called the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement, is a bilateral pact signed in 2008 that allows civil nuclear trade and cooperation between India and the United States. It was a landmark deal that ended decades of nuclear isolation for India, enabling it to engage in global nuclear commerce despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The agreement requires India to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities, with civilian reactors subject to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards while retaining control of its nuclear weapons program. The 123 Agreement facilitates technology transfer, fuel supply, and nuclear commerce, strengthening India’s civilian nuclear energy capabilities and strategic partnership with the US.

What happens if India tests nukes

Per Article 14 of the 123 Agreement, should India conduct a nuclear test explosion, the United States holds the right to immediately terminate all nuclear cooperation. This has significant ramifications for India’s civilian nuclear energy expansion plans and international standing. Past statements by US policymakers, including former US president Barack Obama, emphasized pushing for India’s eventual ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as part of broader nonproliferation goals.

Are sub-critical tests covered under 123 Agreement?

The 123 Agreement between India and the United States does not explicitly mention subcritical nuclear testing. The agreement is primarily focused on prohibiting “nuclear explosive devices” testing and maintaining a moratorium on nuclear testing as a condition for continued civil nuclear cooperation.Subcritical tests, which do not involve a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction or an actual nuclear explosion, typically fall outside the scope of what is conventionally defined as nuclear explosive testing. This nuance means subcritical tests are not explicitly banned under the 123 Agreement’s terms related to nuclear testing moratoriums.However, any full nuclear explosive test would constitute a breach, prompting the US to have the right to terminate cooperation and possibly impose sanctions.

World’s nuclear arsenal

At present there are 9 countries (Russia, US, China, France, UK, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea) that possess nuclear weapons. These countries have roughly 12,331 nuclear warheads, with over 9,600 in active military stockpiles, according to the Federation of Atomic Scientists’ 2025 Status of the Worlds Nuclear Forces. While this is a significant decline from the approximately 70,000 warheads owned by the nuclear-armed states during the Cold War, nuclear arsenals are expected to grow over the coming decade.Russia has the most confirmed nuclear weapons, with nearly 5,500 nuclear warheads. The US follows behind with 5,177 nuclear weapons. Total nuclear warheads owned by these 2 countries alone counts for nearly 90% of nuclear weapons in the world.Over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests have been carried out since 1945. The first nuclear device was detonated as a test by the United States at the Trinity site in New Mexico on July 16, 1945, with a yield approximately equivalent to 20 kilotons of TNT.The largest nuclear weapon ever tested was the Tsar Bomba of the Soviet Union at Novaya Zemlya on October 30, 1961, with the largest yield ever seen, an estimated 50–58 megatons.

NEW DELHI: Navjot Singh Sidhu‘s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, triggered a controversy after claiming that someone who wishes to become Congress‘ chief ministerial face in Punjab has to offer a suitcase of Rs 500 crore in the party.While talking to reporters on Saturday, Navjot said that she and her husband do not have such a large sum of money which they can give to sit in the chief minister’s chair.“We always speak for Punjab and Punjabiyat… but do not have Rs 500 crore which we can give to sit in the chief minister’s chair,” she said.When asked if anybody demanded money from them, she said nobody has demanded but “the one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore, he becomes the CM.”She also hinted that the ex-cricketer may change party in future, saying, “If any party gives him that power so that he can improve Punjab. We do not have money to give it to any party but we will give results and we will turn Punjab into a golden state.”She further pointed towards “infighting” within Congress and claimed that there are five leaders aspiring for the chief minister’s position.“But with so much infighting, I do not feel that they will let Navjot Sidhu be promoted as there are already five CM faces and they are hell bent on defeating the Congress. If they (high command) understand this then it is a different matter,” she said.Former Punjab Congress chief Sidhu has not been participating in the party’s events and activities for the past many months. He did not campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls also.Sidhu had made a comeback to cricket commentary in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.In April, Sidhu launched his new YouTube channel ‘Navjot Sidhu Official’ for sharing his life experiences, talking about cricket, commentary, motivational talks, and lifestyle.At that time, when Sidhu was asked about returning to active politics, he had said time will tell, stating that he did politics for people’s welfare and it was never a business for him.Assembly polls are due in Punjab in 2027.

The final and most explosive leg of the South Africa Tour of India 2025 is set to begin. Following a hard-fought Test series and a gripping ODI contest, the two cricketing powerhouses now lock horns in a five-match T20 International series.

India vs South Africa T20I Series 2025

Beginning on Tuesday, December 9, in Cuttack, this series carries immense significance beyond the bilateral trophy. With the T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, this is a crucial opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their strategies, solidify their playing XIs, and test their bench strength under genuine pressure.

Led by the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, Suryakumar Yadav, the reigning T20 World Champions, India, look to leverage their dominant track record in the format at home. They receive a massive boost with the return of star players like vice-captain Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, adding serious firepower to an already explosive line-up.

However, the Aiden Markram-led Proteas are a formidable T20 unit, often considered better suited to the shortest format than the others. With lethal pace from Anrich Nortje and devastating finishers like David Miller and Tristan Stubbs (as we discussed), South Africa possesses the ammunition to challenge India’s supremacy on their home turf. The series promises a high-octane battle of contrasting styles: India’s high-intent batting and spin wizardry versus South Africa’s express pace and unbridled middle-order hitting. As the teams traverse the country, the fight for T20 supremacy will be fierce and spectacular.

IND vs SA: 3 South African players who can trouble India in the T20I series

1. Dewald Brevis (Middle-Order Batter)

Dewald Brevis, or ‘Baby AB,’ is an explosive six-hitter whose T20I career has started with an astonishing T20I Strike Rate of 180.18, underpinned by a record-breaking century against Australia. His transfer to the Chennai Super Kings for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 provided him with invaluable experience in the heart of Indian conditions. He was highly successful in his six matches for CSK, scoring 225 runs at an average of 37.50 and a devastating Strike Rate of 180.00.

This success, featuring two half-centuries, proves he can handle the pressure and quality of the IPL, facing India’s top bowlers consistently. Brevis’s ability to play the reverse-sweep and switch-hit against spin, coupled with his power hitting against pace, makes him a highly unpredictable and dangerous prospect for the Indian bowling unit in this bilateral series.

Also READ: IND vs SA: Tony de Zorzi and Kwena Maphaka ruled of T20I series vs India; South Africa announce updated squad

2. Anrich Nortje (Fast Bowler)

Anrich Nortje is South Africa’s pace spearhead, and his sheer express pace remains his biggest weapon against any opposition. On Indian pitches, which are typically slow, his ability to rush the batters and hit awkward short-of-a-length areas is a significant advantage. Indian batters, who are accustomed to playing against pace on faster wickets, can sometimes struggle against raw, unforgiving speed on slightly slower surfaces.

Furthermore, Nortje has extensive experience playing in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, giving him intimate knowledge of the venues and specific Indian batter tendencies. His skill in bowling rapid, pinpoint yorkers in the death overs, a phase where the Indian team is looking to maximize runs, makes him a tough proposition to score against, often leading to dot balls and subsequent wicket-taking opportunities.

3. Tristan Stubbs (Finisher/Middle-Order Batter)

Tristan Stubbs is one of the most exciting young finishers in world cricket, possessing immense power and a 360-degree range of shots. Like Klaasen, his biggest asset is his high strike rate, which he maintains even under pressure. Stubbs has played an instrumental role in many of his domestic and franchise T20 teams (including Delhi in the IPL 2025) due to his ability to launch from ball one, especially against spin.

His performance in the IPL 2025, where he made key contributions in high-pressure chases, highlights his growing maturity as a finisher. In the middle and late overs, where India will deploy their fast bowlers and all-rounders, Stubbs’s innovative strokeplay, like reverse sweeps and scoops, can completely demoralize the opposition. He represents the modern, fearless T20 batter capable of turning a decent total into a match-winning one in the final four overs.

Also READ: Virat Kohli picks his favourite innings from the South Africa ODI series

They called him the He-Man. Most of his major solo hits – ‘Phool Aur Patthar’ (to a lesser extent), ‘Ankhen’, ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’, ‘Jugnu’, ‘Pratigya’ – were breathless action yarns. These movies made Dharmendra a star of the masses. Audiences would stand in queues for hours to watch him snarl and scream, “Ek ek ko chun chun kar maroonga.” Dialogues like these became a template repeated over countless movies in a career that spanned nearly six and a half decades.It is, therefore, quite interesting that Bollywood’s action hero also played a range of genteel and refined characters, especially in the first two decades of his career. And one is not referring only to botany professor Parimal Tripathi in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s ‘Chupke Chupke’ (1975), or, for that matter, the Sanskrit teacher who teaches Kalidas’ Abhigyan Shakuntalam in Basu Chatterjee’s ‘Dillagi’ (1978) — a rare film in which Dharmendra gets beaten up by the bad guys. Director Basu da once told this reporter that distributors were nervous at the film’s release because in the posters, Dharmendra held a rose, not a gun.

There are many other films where Dharmendra didn’t play a cop or an outlaw. Instead, he played a poet, a writer, a trade unionist or a journalist. A majority of these films were directed by Bengali filmmakers.In 1966, Dharmendra played a struggling poet in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anupama. At the time, the image of a celluloid poet was largely defined by Guru Dutt’s Vijay in ‘Pyaasa’ — hungry, unshaven and pessimistic. Dharmendra too described himself as one of “khoon, pasina aur aansoo” (blood, sweat and tears). But he looked the exact opposite. At one point, the script in ‘Anupama’ even provided an explanation for his well-nourished body. If you compare the picturization of “Jaane woh kaise log thhe jinko” (Pyaasa) with “Ya dil ki suno duniya walon” (‘Anupama’), there are distinct stylistic similarities. Both are filmed in an indoor mehfil. Guru Dutt is dressed in dhoti-kurta with a shawl, while Dharmendra wears kurta-pyjama with a shawl. Both songs are rendered by Hemant Kumar, and both create a similar mood.In Shahid Lateef’s ‘Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi’ (1966), the Punjab da puttar played a conscientious journalist. This was originally a Guru Dutt project. After the maker of Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool passed away, many thought Dev Anand would step in — but it was Dharmendra who did. The film is largely forgotten now, though songs such as “Aap Ke Haseen Rukh Par” (singer: Mohd Rafi; music: O.P. Nayyar; lyrics: Anjaan) are appreciated to this day.Dharmendra’s tryst with literary characters continued in the Seventies. In Pramod Chakraborty’s ‘Naya Zamana’ (1971), he was a morally upright writer who believes that books can change the world. The poet in Devendra Goel’s ‘Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka’ (1975) is unable to sell his work. When he finally does, it is at the cost of his identity — much like Vijay in ‘Pyaasa’.The audience was first introduced to a celluloid version of the bhadralok Dharmendra in Bimal Roy’s ‘Bandini’ (1964). His portrayal of the kind-hearted doctor earned Dharmendra notice as an actor of promise. Another Bengali director, Phani Majumdar, cast him as a trade union leader in ‘Akashdeep’ (1965). And he was a college professor in Asit Sen’s romantic drama, ‘Sharafat’ (1970).Interestingly, Bengali directors also cast him in mainstream masala films. For example, ‘Jugnu’ (1973) was directed by Pramod Chakraborty and ‘Pratigya’ (1975) by Dulal Guha.Few know that Dharmendra also wrote poetry. During an interview with TOI, he once recited a few lines from his poem “Main Kaun Hoon”: “Pyar, mohabbat, duayein aapki sejte hain jazbaat mere / Isi liye aaj bhi jawan hoon main / Khata agar ho jaye, baksh dena yaaron /Galtiyon ka putla aakhir ek insaan hoon main.” (“Your love, affection and prayers nurture my emotions / That’s why I’m still young / Please forgive me if I’ve ever erred / After all, I am only human.”)Dharmendra also played the male lead in ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Ki’ (1970), a romantic tragedy based on Victorian writer Thomas Hardy’s evocative novel, ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’.

Virat Kohli and Kuldeep Yadav (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s 2-1 ODI series win over South Africa on Saturday ended with fireworks on the field — and laughter inside the dressing room — thanks to Virat Kohli’s cheeky dig at Kuldeep Yadav. While the hosts dominated the series decider in Visakhapatnam, it was a moment of light-hearted banter after the match that stole social media’s attention.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kuldeep, who bagged nine wickets and finished as the highest wicket-taker of the series, was named Impact Player of the Series. When India bowling coach Ryan ten Doeschate invited him to speak after presenting the medal, the left-arm spinner struggled to find words. Teammates erupted into playful teasing — and Kohli led the fun with a hilarious taunt: “Ro de, ro de!” (Cry, cry!)

The entire room burst into laughter as Kuldeep shyly managed a short speech: “Nothing much to say from my side… Congrats to Virat bhai and Jaisu. He played an unbelievable innings… Yeah, let’s enjoy this.”Click to watch the dressing room videoKohli, who was named Player of the Series with 302 runs including back-to-back centuries and an unbeaten 65 in the final ODI, grinned as the shy spinner expressed his appreciation. Earlier, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden ODI hundred, partnering with Rohit Sharma (75) and Kohli’s composed 65 to script a nine-wicket victory.India had first restricted South Africa to 270, with both Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep picking four wickets each. Prasidh bounced back after a shaky start to dismantle South Africa’s middle order, while Kuldeep delivered yet another magical spell. For the Proteas, only Quinton de Kock resisted with a superb 106.Doeschate summed up Kuldeep’s impact perfectly: “In a series where batters dominated, the impact player is Kuldeep Yadav.”Team India now shifts focus to the five-match T20I series starting December 9 at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.

Stock markets across Asia traded mixed on Monday as investors await an interest rate cut decision from the US Federal Reserve, scheduled for later this week.In Hong Kong, HSI dropped over 255 points, nearing 1% loss to trade at 25,829.Nikkei, meanwhile, added 44 points to 50,535. Shanghai and Shenzhen also gained 0.8% or 1.74%, respectively. South Korea’s Kospi also traded in green, adding 0.71% to 4,129.Geopolitics remained a drag on sentiment. Rising tensions between two Asian giants, Japan and China also dragged the markets in red. According to officials, Chinese military aircraft locked radar on Japanese fighter jets, an escalation that followed weeks of heightened friction after a remark about Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.Japan’s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the government had lodged a formal protest and denounced the incident as “an extremely regrettable” act and “a dangerous” one that “exceeded the scope necessary for safe aircraft operations.”The episode did little to help Japanese shares. Domestic data added to investors’ caution: revised figures released on Monday showed Japan’s economy shrinking at an annual pace of 2.3% during July–September, worse than the previously reported 1.8% contraction. Chinese markets also painted a split picture. Chinese leaders are due to convene a major annual conference to map out economic policy in the coming days.A handful of corporate movers stood out. Ulta Beauty climbed 12.7% after beating expectations on quarterly profit and revenue, while Victoria’s Secret & Co. jumped 18% following a quarterly loss that was milder than analysts predicted. Warner Bros. Discovery rallied 6.3% after Netflix announced plans to buy Warner Bros. for $72 billion in cash and stock once the company completes its separation from Discovery Global. Netflix shares slipped 2.9% and Paramount Skydance — previously viewed as a leading contender to snap up Warner Bros. — dropped 9.8%.Attention now turns squarely to Washington. Traders mostly believe the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates on Wednesday to support the slowing US job market, which would mark the third cut this year. Lower rates tend to lift financial markets and economic activity, but they also risk aggravating inflation, which remains above the Fed’s 2% target.Oil prices were slightly firmer in early Monday trading, with US benchmark crude adding 11 cents to $60.19 per barrel and Brent gaining the same amount to $63.86. In currency dealings, the dollar eased to 155.09 Japanese yen from 155.30 yen late Friday, while the euro strengthened to $1.1651 from $1.1639.