India has identified close to 300 products across engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and chemicals that offer significant opportunities for Indian exporters to expand their presence in the Russian market, a senior official told PTI. The exercise comes as New Delhi and Moscow work towards the bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030.India currently exports only $1.7 billion worth of these products to Russia, compared to Russia’s total imports of $37.4 billion in the same categories. “This stark disparity demonstrates the substantial complementary export space India can target,” the official said, adding that enhanced shipments could also help narrow India’s trade deficit with Russia, which stands at $59 billion.The commerce ministry shortlisted the high-potential product basket by mapping India’s supply strengths against Russia’s import demand across key sectors. Engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and agriculture emerge as strong candidates, reflecting India’s growing global competitiveness and Russia’s unmet requirements. India’s share in Russia’s overall import basket remains modest at around 2.3 per cent, according to PTI.Imports from Russia have surged more than tenfold—from $5.94 billion in 2020 to $64.24 billion in 2024—led almost entirely by crude oil, which jumped from $2 billion to $57 billion during the period. Oil now accounts for nearly 21 per cent of India’s total crude imports from Russia, underscoring Moscow’s importance as a key supplier. Fertilisers and vegetable oils are the other major imports.On the export front, agriculture and allied items continue to offer strong traction. India currently exports $452 million worth of products in this segment to Russia, against Russia’s global import demand of $3.9 billion. Engineering goods show an even wider gap, with India’s exports at $90 million versus Russia’s $2.7 billion import requirement—an opportunity that widens as Russia diversifies away from China. Chemicals and plastics tell a similar story: India supplies $135 million, while Russia imports $2.06 billion.Pharmaceuticals remain a particularly high-value corridor. India exports $546 million of pharma products to Russia, while Russia’s import bill stands at $9.7 billion, giving Indian generics and APIs meaningful headroom for growth.The official added that beyond these high-value sectors, labour-intensive industries such as textiles, apparel, leather products, handicrafts, processed foods and light engineering also have strong export potential due to India’s competitiveness and Russia’s large consumer base. Electronics and textiles currently have less than 1 per cent market share in Russia but face substantial demand, which could be tapped with stronger distribution channels.

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From left, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube celebrate (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)

DHARAMSHALA: It’s a rarity in T20 cricket to see bowlers swinging the ball more than batters swinging their bats. It’s almost against the core marketing ethos of the format to see the ball dominating the bat, even as bowlers are fast being reduced to mere punching bags. Under lights, in frosty conditions in the hills on Sunday evening, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana found perfect conditions to blow away South Africa’s top order after India captain Suryakumar Yadav elected to bowl, as the hosts went 2-1 up in the T20I series.

The historically high-scoring venue witnessed a lopsided contest for much of the first innings as South Africa could only muster 117, thanks largely to Aiden Markram’s 61 off 46 in a masterful display of batting.The score was too low to put the Indian batters under pressure, more so with South Africa’s new-ball bowlers spraying it around. Abhishek Sharma’s characteristic hard-hitting 18-ball 35 at the top of the chase eased things for Shubman Gill, who laboured to 28 off 28 balls after surviving multiple close calls. India eased past the target in 15.5 overs with seven wickets to spare, as Tilak Varma returned to the dressing room unbeaten on 26 off 34, alongside Shivam Dube, after an unconvincing Suryakumar was dismissed for 12 off 11 balls.India’s chase looked comfortable mainly due to Arshdeep and Rana literally bullying the South African batters with the hooping ball to reduce the visitors to 25/3 at the end of the powerplay.Coming into the game on the back of a horrific outing in the previous match in Chandigarh, Arshdeep wouldn’t have complained about seeing the ball jag around prodigiously both ways up front. Arshdeep and Rana dismissed openers Reeza Hendricks and Quinton de Kock lbw respectively in the first two overs before Rana knocked over Dewald Brevis in the fourth. Only Markram, displaying high-class technique, stood firmly in front of the moving ball.The conditions were so heavily in favour of seam that every seamer, including Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, picked up a wicket in their first over. Except for Brevis’s wild cover drive off Rana’s inswinger, all top-order batters fell to defensive shots.

India’s Arshdeep Singh, center, celebrates with teammates the wicket of South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

Not only did the opening burst with the new ball make up for Jasprit Bumrah’s sudden withdrawal, but it also offered respite to Indian batters who have been found wanting against the new ball too often. It also set the stage for the ever-menacing Varun Chakravarthy, who rushed through his four overs to return figures of 2/11, marginally better than wrecker-in-chief Arshdeep’s 2/13. It mattered little that India were ordinary in the field, dropping three regulation catches.The broad blade of Markram’s vertical bat against top-notch swing bowling made for absorbing viewing. Markram was the only batter to find the middle regularly. He capitalised on Rana’s inexperience in the final over of the powerplay, when the pacer inexplicably tried variations instead of sticking to seam and swing. Markram punished Rana again later, picking up 19 runs in the 18th over. Rana finished with figures of 2/34.Unlike Test cricket, the team batting first doesn’t have the luxury of time to see off the new ball and wait for conditions to ease. While Markram relied on his straight bat to hit six fours and two sixes, Donovan Ferreira got carried away with a couple of lusty blows before losing his stumps attempting a wild slog off Varun Chakravarthy. Ferreira’s 20 off 15 helped add 35 runs in 20 balls with Markram and briefly threatened to post a challenging total.

Shamanuru Shivashankarappa (File photo)

Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa passed away at a private hospital in Davanagere on Sunday due to age-related ailments, family members and officials said. He was 95.A six-time MLA who represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency, Shivashankarappa had been undergoing treatment for some time. He was the senior-most legislator in Karnataka and among the most senior lawmakers in the country, according to sources.“He was admitted to hospital on October 23. Age-related issues were there. He was fine and comfortable and the situation continued till the end. Unfortunately, at 6.20 PM, Shamanuru Shivashankarappa passed away,” Dr Sharan Patil of Sparsh Hospital, who is also a family member, told reporters.Shivashankarappa is survived by three sons, including Karnataka Minister for Mines and Geology and Horticulture S S Mallikarjun, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.A former minister, Shivashankarappa served as treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for several decades and was also president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. Known for his forthright views, he worked to unify the community amid internal differences and did not hesitate to speak against his own party government on issues related to it.Apart from his political career, Shivashankarappa was a noted educationist who founded several educational institutions and was also an industrialist. He had earlier served as a minister and was once elected as a Member of Parliament.Chief minister Siddaramaiah expressed grief over his death, saying, “The society has been left poorer by the loss of a politician who, during his long public life, stayed away from accusations and allegations and devoted his power to the welfare of the people.” He added that Shivashankarappa’s role in making Davanagere district a model district would keep his memory alive among the people.Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said Shivashankarappa, who dedicated his life to social service, made a significant contribution to the field of education. “His departure has caused an irreparable loss to the country and the Congress Party,” he said in a post on X.AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge recalled his long association with Shivashankarappa and his family since 1972. “I pray to the Almighty to give strength to Shivashankarappa’s family to bear the loss,” he said in a video message, adding that he would visit Karnataka to take part in the last rites.Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda also expressed grief, recalling his long association with the veteran leader. “His simplicity and his long service to the people in public life will always be remembered. His departure is an irreparable loss to the state,” he said.Veteran BJP leader and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa described Shivashankarappa as a close associate. “Personally, I have lost a dear elder brother,” he said, adding, “His departure is an irreparable loss to state politics, especially to Davanagere district and the Veerashaiva-Lingayat Mahasabha.”Union ministers HD Kumaraswamy and V Somanna, several members of the Siddaramaiah cabinet, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, and many other leaders and legislators also expressed condolences.

Hours after the Lionel Messi show at Salt Lake Stadium spiralled into chaos, Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested event organiser Satadru Dutta.

KOLKATA: The Bidhannagar court on Sunday sent the promoter and organiser of football icon Lionel Messi’s G.O.A.T India Tour 2025, Satadru Dutta, to 14 days of police custody.Kolkata police arrested event organiser Dutta on Saturday, hours after a planned appearance by footballer Lionel Messi at the city’s Salt Lake Stadium descended into chaos.

Dutta was arrested at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport as he prepared to leave Kolkata with Messi and members of Inter Miami, who were travelling onwards as part of the GOAT India Tour 2025. Police said they had received instructions not to allow the organiser to leave the city.According to officials, Dutta reached the airport shortly after midday, cleared security checks and boarded the aircraft. He was later asked to disembark after the director general of police, Rajeev Kumar, intervened.Witnesses said Dutta was kept inside a police vehicle on the airport tarmac while officers decided on further action. During this time, he denied responsibility for the disruption at the stadium and offered assurances that spectators would be refunded, police said.The aircraft later departed for Hyderabad with seven passengers instead of eight, after the pilot declined to delay the flight further, air traffic control officials said.At a briefing later in the day, the additional director general of police (law and order), Jawed Shamim, said an investigation was under way.The Salt Lake Stadium event, promoted as “A Satadru Dutta Initiative”, was cut short shortly after Messi entered the venue. Officials, organisers and spectators gathered around the footballer on the ground, obstructing the view of those seated in the stands.Thousands of fans, many of whom had paid between 5,000 and 16,000 rupees for tickets, were left disappointed after Messi left the stadium early. Objects were later thrown inside the venue as tensions rose.Messi and his teammates later left Kolkata, while the event organiser remained in police custody as inquiries continued.

In a sport increasingly dominated by specialists, the all-rounder remains a coveted jewel. And in the thrilling arena of T20 International cricket, Hardik Pandya has just elevated himself to an even more exclusive echelon. During the 3rd T20I against South Africa, the dynamic Indian star didn’t just contribute; he rewrote history, becoming the first male pace all-rounder to achieve a unique record in world cricket.

Hardik Pandya accomplishes unique record in T20Is

Hardik achieved the remarkable double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. The stage was set during the crucial third match of the series when Hardik, with his characteristic blend of aggression and skill, claimed the wicket of South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs. That dismissal wasn’t just another entry in the scorecard; it was his 100th T20I wicket, marking the completion of an extraordinary statistical double. Already having surpassed the 1,000-run mark in T20Is earlier in his career, this wicket cemented his place as India’s premier all-format all-rounder.

First pace bowling all-rounder to reach the feat

While being the first Indian to reach this milestone is significant, Hardik’s achievement carries even greater weight on the international stage. In the history of men’s T20Is, only a handful of cricketers have managed the 1,000 runs and 100 wickets double. What makes Hardik’s record particularly unique is his primary role as a pace-bowling all-rounder.

The other luminaries who feature on this elite list – Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), and Virandeep Singh (Malaysia) – are all spin-bowling all-rounders. This makes Hardik the first-ever pace-bowling all-rounder in men’s T20I history to achieve this rare statistical feat. It’s a testament to his ability to consistently contribute with both bat and ball at high speeds and under immense pressure.

Also WATCH: Arshdeep Singh removes Reeza Hendricks with a beauty in 3rd T20I – IND vs SA

India’s hundred-wicket club in T20Is

In addition to his all-rounder’s double, Pandya also joined an exclusive Indian club by reaching 100 T20I wickets. He is now the third Indian bowler in men’s T20Is to achieve this landmark, following left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and the consistent Jasprit Bumrah. This further highlights his significant contribution with the ball across numerous matches.

Also READ: GOAT India tour 2025: When Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni picked between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Mumbai: Despite a marginal rise in minimum temperatures, the winter chill persisted across the city on Sunday. The IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded a minimum temperature of 17.2°C, which was 1.3°C below normal, while Colaba logged 20.9°C, 0.2°C below normal. A day earlier, minimum temperatures were 16.6°C at Santacruz and 20.7°C at Colaba. Day temperatures remained high, with Colaba recording a maximum of 33.8°C and Santacruz 33.1°C. According to the IMD’s forecast, minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 19°C on December 15, before rising above 20°C from December 16 onwards, likely touching 21°C. However, another dip is likely from December 19, with minimums expected to fall to around 18°C.Last week on December 12, Mumbai witnessed an unusually cold morning, with Santacruz recording 14.9°C—the lowest temperature so far this season and the coldest reading of 2025.Independent forecaster Athreya Shetty said the brief warming trend is linked to a weak western disturbance affecting the Himalayas, which is temporarily weakening cold northerly winds. “This will allow winds to shift to an east-southeasterly direction between Monday and Wednesday, raising minimum temperatures by 2–3°C, especially over Konkan and parts of Madhya Maharashtra,” he said. Madhya Maharashtra (Central Maharashtra) generally refers to the interior districts of western Maharashtra, excluding the Konkan coastal belt and Vidarbha.“However, the morning chill will persist, with minimums of 16–18°C expected over the Konkan belt, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and 10–12°C across central Maharashtra and Vidarbha. From Thursday onwards, a fresh surge of cold northerly winds is likely to bring another sharp drop in temperatures, with minimums falling to 11–14°C in Konkan and 5–10°C in interior regions,” he added.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, right, and former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

NEW DELHI: The Wankhede Stadium witnessed a historic moment on Sunday as sports legends Lionel Messi and Sachin Tendulkar shared the spotlight during a grand event.Messi, as part of his four-city GOAT India tour, spent an hour at Wankhede engaging with young football players, cricket icon Tendulkar, Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri, and entertainment celebrities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched ‘Project Maha-Deva’ at the event to identify and develop young football talent across the state.The stadium, which hosted India’s 2011 cricket World Cup victory, resonated with chants of “Messi… Messi” throughout the program. Messi arrived with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul shortly after Tendulkar’s entrance at 5:45 PM (IST).For the first time at Wankhede, the usual “Sachin… Sachin” chants were overshadowed by the crowd’s enthusiastic “Messi… Messi” cheers.The “Sachin… Sachin” chants returned to their peak when the cricket legend joined Messi on stage later in the evening.“I have spent some incredible moments here. A number of dreams have seen the finish line on this very venue. And without your support, we would never have seen those golden moments on this ground in 2011 (cricket World Cup).”“And today, having all three of them here is indeed a golden moment for Mumbai, Mumbaikars and India.”“When it comes to Leo, what does one talk about him? He has achieved everything. We really admire his dedication, determination, commitment.”The crowd alternated between chants of “Barca… Barca” and “Suarez… Suarez,” creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Barcelona’s Camp Nou.Messi presented his Argentina jersey to both Chhetri and Fadnavis during their interaction.The fans also celebrated Chhetri, who recently retired from international football after scoring 94 goals for India, with “Chhetri… Chhetri” chants.CM Fadnavis welcomed the visiting footballers with bouquets and presented Messi with a memento.Messi, wearing a white t-shirt and black track pants, walked on a red carpet amid loud cheers from fans who had arrived hours before the event.Notable attendees included Tendulkar, CM Fadnavis, former AIFF president Praful Patel, and Bollywood actors Ajay Devgan and Tiger Shroff.The exhibition match featured current Indian football team members Rahul Bheke, Konsham Chinglensana, women’s football star Bala Devi, and Chhetri in a 7-vs-7 format.Messi, Suarez, and de Paul kicked balls into the stands, took a lap around the ground, and interacted with young Project Maha-Deva players.The three footballers engaged with players from both Mitra Stars and India Stars teams during the exhibition match.Tendulkar presented Messi with his autographed India limited-overs jersey bearing number 10, while Messi gave him a football in return.Before the Wankhede event, Messi visited the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) for an undisclosed Padel event after arriving in Mumbai in the afternoon.The event took place across various stands and pavilions named after Indian cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Vijay Merchant.

Nearly half of India’s family-owned enterprises now report annual revenues between USD 1 billion and USD 30 billion, with 36% alone in the USD 1–5 billion band, according to Deloitte Private’s latest Family Business Insights Series: Defining the family business landscape, 2025, ANI reported.The report—based on a survey of 1,587 family businesses across 36 countries, including 50 in India, along with 30 senior executive interviews—shows Indian family businesses entering a phase of strong expansion, backed by rising access to capital, generational leadership shifts and deeper public markets.“The growth of India’s family businesses is no accident. It is driven by multiple interlinked factors, including greater access to capital, generational shifts, the formation of family offices and the robustness of India’s public markets, along with leading transformation through technology and inclusion,” said K R Sekar, Partner and Leader – Deloitte Private, Deloitte India.Robust growth outlook for 2025–26Globally, the number of family businesses generating USD 100 million or more in annual revenue is projected to rise 22% by 2030. India stands out within this trend:

The study highlights that more than half of Indian family businesses (53%) have already adopted artificial intelligence, far surpassing global adoption levels. AI-led efficiencies, venture into new markets, and product diversification are helping these companies stay competitive amid tightening margins and cost pressures.ESG, governance and inclusion gain groundDeloitte notes an increasing emphasis on sustainability and governance, with 76% of Indian family-owned enterprises expressing strong commitment to ESG goals.At the board level, 73% report more than 10% female representation, signalling gradual improvements in leadership diversity. However, only 4% of family businesses have 41–50% women in senior leadership or C-suite positions, showing gender parity remains a challenge.Aggressive expansion plans across Asia and beyondThe study shows high regional confidence:

With rising revenues, growing global ambitions and strengthening institutional frameworks, Deloitte concludes that Indian family businesses are set for a period of accelerated, tech-driven scale-up—placing them among the most dynamic family enterprise ecosystems globally.

Raipur: Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday unveiled “Anjor Vision 2047” in the Assembly — an ambitious, people-centric blueprint aimed at transforming the state into a fully developed region by the time India celebrates 100 years of Independence.Calling the moment historic, the CM said the vision document lays out a clear, mission-driven roadmap with phased goals, governance reforms, and a strong push for infrastructure, investment, jobs and social development.Recalling that Chhattisgarh’s first Assembly session was held on Dec 14, 2000, at Rajkumar College soon after the state was formed, Sai said the new Assembly building marks the start of a fresh development journey. Reflecting the state’s culture and democratic values, the building, he said, would stand as a symbol of both heritage and progress.Using an analogy from Jashpur’s archery tradition and the Mahabharata, Sai said Chhattisgarh now has a single-minded focus. “Like Arjuna’s eye on the bird, our target is a developed Chhattisgarh,” he said, adding that the state has a clear and achievable plan to reach that goal. Work on the vision document began soon after the government took office, Sai said. It was prepared through wide public participation, involving farmers, youth, women, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders. Describing it as carrying the “fragrance of the soil,” he said the plan reflects the spirit of Antyodaya — development for the last person in the queue.The document identifies 13 priority sectors and 10 key missions, with good governance at the core. According to the CM, over 400 governance reforms implemented in the past two years have already made administration more transparent and citizen-friendly.Taking a political swipe at the previous Congress regime, the Chief Minister alleged that while his government has a vision for development till 2047, the Congress’s five-year rule was marked by “systematic loot” through an organised syndicate. He claimed central agencies have placed concrete evidence of financial irregularities before courts and said the public has understood the “true character” of the opposition.Sai highlighted major gains in road, rail and air connectivity, expansion of premier institutions like IIT, IIM and NIT, and growth in medical education, with medical colleges increasing from 10 to 15, in addition to AIIMS.A new industrial policy and a single-window clearance system have helped attract investment proposals worth over Rs 7.5 lakh crore, he said.On energy, Sai said Chhattisgarh ranks second nationally in power generation and aims to top the list by 2030, with a strong push towards renewable energy, including large-scale solar projects and rooftop solar with double subsidies. He also underlined opportunities in agriculture, forest-based economy, mineral resources and tourism. Concluding, Sai expressed confidence that the goals outlined in the Anjor Vision 2047 would be realised from the new Assembly building and called upon all members to work together to translate the vision of a developed Chhattisgarh into reality.Congress boycotts AssemblyCongress boycotted the Assembly on the first day of the winter session, held on Dec 14, in protest against the government’s decision to dedicate the entire sitting exclusively to a discussion on “Vision 2047.” Congress claimed that this approach sidelined routine legislative business, including Question Hour, Calling Attention notices, and adjournment motions. Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant described the presentation as misleading, arguing that it focused heavily on long-term plans and promises while ignoring pressing day-to-day issues faced by the people, such as unemployment, delays in paddy procurement, crimes against women, potholes, lack of tap water, and electricity billing problems. He accused the government of using the session to project a futuristic agenda without addressing current grievances, and termed the vision document “heavy on claims but weak on substance.” Mahant said the Congress’s boycott was a way to protest the sidelining of ordinary legislative business and highlight the government’s neglect of immediate public concerns.