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India To Become $30 Trillion Economy By 2047: FM Sitharaman

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India To Become $30 Trillion Economy By 2047 FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday expressed confidence that India will become a $30 trillion economy by 2047 when the country celebrates 100 years of independence.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks at a session during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024, in Gandhinagar, on Wednesday. ( Image Source: PTI )

Addressing the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2024, Sitharaman said India is expected to become the third largest economy globally by 2027-28 with GDP crossing $5 trillion.

“By 2047, it is a conservative estimate that we will reach at least $30 trillion in terms of economy,” she stated.

At present, India is the fifth largest economy with a GDP size of $3.4 trillion. The US, China, Japan, and Germany are the top four economies.

The Finance Minister credited the liberalized FDI policy of the Modi government for attracting record foreign funds worth $595 billion in the last nine years.

She pointed out that Gujarat, which accounts for 5 percent of India’s population, contributes 8.5 percent to the national GDP due to rapid industrialization.

Sitharaman listed sectors like semiconductors and EVs where India was reducing import dependence and boosting domestic manufacturing.

On financial inclusion, she said the number of Jan Dhan account holders has jumped from 15 crore in 2014 to 50 crore presently.

The Finance Minister’s growth projections highlight the vast potential of the Indian economy over the next 25 years due to factors like demography, technology, and reforms.

A $30 trillion GDP by 2047 would make India among the largest economies globally, reflecting the country’s economic turnaround.

Ankita Lokhande’s Mother Defends Her Amid Row Over Sushant Singh Rajput Remarks

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Ankita Lokhande's Mother Defends Her Amid Row Over Sushant Singh Rajput Remarks

Actress Ankita Lokhande’s mother Vandana Lokhande has come out in support of her daughter amidst controversy over the late Sushant Singh Rajput being referenced on the reality show Bigg Boss 17.

In an interview, Mrs Lokhande dismissed claims made by son-in-law Vicky Jain’s mother that Ankita uses former boyfriend Sushant’s name to gain public sympathy.

“It is not a strategy to gain sympathy. They were together for eight years and she lived that journey with him. Even after their breakup, she always thought well of him,” Ankita’s mother told India Today.

The remarks came after Vicky’s mother told ABP News that Ankita keeps mentioning Sushant, who died in 2020, to derive benefit from the audience’s sentiments.

Responding strongly, Mrs Lokhande said, “When Sushant passed away, she was completely broken as they had that kind of bond.”

In a recent Bigg Boss 17 episode, Ankita was seen getting emotional about her marriage problems and questioning her mother on why she gets constantly targeted by her in-laws.

Vicky’s mother was also shown visiting Ankita on the show, where the two had an uncomfortable interaction regarding the problems in her marriage with Vicky.

The public spat has caused a major rift between the families after Ankita’s intimate revelations about her marital life on national television.

Sushant and Ankita co-starred in the hit TV series Pavitra Rishta and dated for several years before eventually breaking up in 2016, though they remained cordial.

The shocking news of Sushant’s untimely death in 2020 had left Ankita distressed and broken.

64-Year-Old On 7,200 Km Walk To Ayodhya With Gold Sandals For Ram Lalla

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64-Year-Old On 7,200 Km Walk To Ayodhya With Gold Sandals For Ram Lalla

A 64-year-old man from Hyderabad has embarked on a 7,200 km walk to Ayodhya to present a gold-plated pair of sandals as an offering to the Ram Lalla idol ahead of its unveiling on January 22.

The khadau for Lord Ram is made using 8 kg silver and gold. ( Image Source: ANI )

Challa Srinivas Sastry commenced his padayatra (march on foot) in July 2022, retracing the route taken by Lord Rama from Ayodhya to Rameswaram during his exile. He is expected to reach Ayodhya by January 15 to gift the sandals to the Ram Lalla deity.

“My target is to reach Ayodhya on January 15. I will hand over this ‘charan paduka’ to UP CM Yogi Adityanath on January 16,” Sastry told ANI during the journey.

The devotee has crafted the special sandals using 8 kg of silver and coated them with gold. As per his estimate, they are valued at around Rs 65 lakh, partly funded by donations from other devotees.

Sastry claims he is adhering to the detailed route map charted by Dr Ramavatar, who dedicated 15 years to tracing Lord Rama’s footsteps during the 14-year exile period.

The 64-year-old took a brief break from the padayatra to travel to the UK in December 2022 before resuming his walk from where he had paused in Tamil Nadu. Covering 30-50 km daily, Sastry wishes to settle in Ayodhya permanently.

Earlier, he had contributed five silver bricks toward the construction of the Ram Mandir, which will be inaugurated by PM Modi ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The offering of gold sandals denotes respect for Lord Rama, harking back to the Ramayana era when Bharata ruled Ayodhya by symbolically placing Rama’s sandals on the throne during his absence.

India Records 605 New COVID-19 Cases, 4 Deaths In Last 24 Hours

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India Records 605 New COVID-19 Cases, 4 Deaths In Last 24 Hours

India logged 605 fresh COVID-19 cases and four fatalities due to the infection in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

With this, the total caseload in the country rose to 4.46 crore, while active cases declined further to 3,643, according to the latest data.

The four new deaths — two each from Karnataka and Kerala – took the overall death toll to 5,30,745.

Of the total active cases, around 92 percent of patients are recovering under home isolation, indicating a milder form of the disease, officials said.

While daily cases had dropped below 100 till early December 2022, increased mobility and a new variant have caused a slight uptick over the past month.

However, authorities assured that hospitalizations and deaths remain low, suggesting a manageable situation.

As per statistics, India’s first wave peaked in September 2020, the second wave peak was witnessed in May 2021, and the third wave peak was recorded in January 2023 in terms of daily cases.

In the last 24 hours, a total of 2,05,974 COVID-19 tests were conducted across the country. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 4.5 crore people have been infected, out of which 4.4 crore have recovered.

The country has administered over 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the nationwide vaccination drive so far.

Amazon Great Republic Day Sale Teased; Discounts On iPhone 13, OnePlus Phones

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Amazon Great Republic Day Sale Teased; Discounts On iPhone 13, OnePlus Phones

E-commerce major Amazon has put up a promotional microsite confirming its annual Great Republic Day Sale for 2023. While specific deals and offers are yet to be revealed, the portal indicates lucrative discounts across popular smartphone brands.

As per tradition, Amazon’s R-Day shopping bonanza will likely kick off 10 days ahead of January 26. Following last year’s timeline, the sale could begin on January 15.

The microsite has confirmed mouth-watering deals on Apple’s iPhone 13, OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G, Samsung Galaxy S23 5G, iQOO Z7 Pro 5G, and several other premium devices. Budget phones like Redmi 12 5G, Realme Narzo 60x 5G, and Samsung Galaxy M14 5G have also been teased in the promotions.

More smartphone launches from OnePlus, iQOO, Redmi, and Samsung have been planned around the sale period, adding to the list of options for buyers.

While the banner doesn’t disclose discount amounts, the official Republic Day Sale 2023 page promises Amazon’s “lowest prices of the year” on smartphones along with bundled exchange and payment offers.

Specific phone deals and launch timelines are expected to be revealed by Amazon over the next few days in the build-up to the sale.

Along with mobile phones, deep discounts are confirmed on electronics, TVs, appliances, fashion, daily essentials, and more. As always, Prime members will get early access to some deals.

With new launches and never-before offers in store, the 2023 Republic Day Sale on Amazon India is being pegged as among the biggest annual sales.

Prabhas ‘Salaar’ Enters Rs 700 Crore Club In 19 Days

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Prabhas 'Salaar' Enters Rs 700 Crore Club In 19 Days

Actor Prabhas has scored his third Rs 700 crore grosser with the action film “Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire” achieving the milestone in 19 days globally.

Film trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan confirmed the news on social media, stating that as of Tuesday, the Prashanth Neel directorial had amassed Rs 700 crore gross at the worldwide box office.

“‘Salaar’ zooms past the Rs 700 crore gross mark worldwide. Prabhas becomes the only star from the South to have three films in the Rs 700 crore club,” Vijayabalan tweeted.

The analyst shared a day-wise breakdown of the film’s box office figures since its release on December 2 last year. As per his report, the film had a bumper opening of Rs 176.52 crore worldwide on day one.

The magnum opus is now Prabhas’ third outing to enter the elite Rs 700 crore group after “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (2017) and “Saaho” (2019).

Also starring Shruti Haasan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Jagapati Babu, “Salaar” follows the story of Deva, an underworld machinist who joins hands with the people of Khansaar to fight the empire and its ruler.

Prabhas will return in the sequel titled “Salaar: Part 2 – Shouryaanga Parvam”, the filming for which is already underway.

With its latest feat, the high-octane entertainer has proven Prabhas’ undisputed box office glory not just pan-India but also globally across markets.

Hrithik Roshan Turns 50, Mother Pens Heartfelt Message

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Hrithik Roshan Turns 50, Mother Pens Heartfelt Message

Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan turned 50 today, January 10th, and his mother Pinkie Roshan penned an emotional note to wish the actor. She shared the note on Instagram along with two rare pictures from Hrithik’s childhood.

In the heartwarming post, Pinkie went down memory lane recalling Hrithik being just 5 months old. She wrote about how his soul has remained the same over the years – pure and golden-hearted. “From 5 months to 50, your journey may be shared across celluloid and social media to millions but those who know and love you, we know that you’ve always been larger than life,” she wrote.

The doting mother reminisced about sensing Hrithik’s heartbeat within her own while he was in the womb. “When you arrived, you belonged to the world and you chose to spread joy, make people laugh and dance and feel alive,” she added.

Pinkie expressed how proud she feels of Hrithik’s compassion, his respect for women, and his dedication to helping others reach their potential. “You make me proud and inspire me at the same time. It’s because of you that I smile with such energy every day,” she wrote.

In conclusion, Pinkie blessed her son saying, “Keep soaring, pierce the sky, and go farther than you dare to dream because at 50, the universe is yours for the taking.”

On the work front, Hrithik will be next seen in Siddharth Anand’s action film Fighter alongside Deepika Padukone. The high-octane aerial action drama was released on January 25th, 2023.

As Hrithik Roshan steps into his 50th year, this heartwarming note from his mother Pinkie captures their beautiful bond. It also gives fans a glimpse into the actor’s early days and his upcoming film. The note outlines Hrithik’s incredible cinematic journey so far and wishes him greater success ahead.

Indian Markets Trade Flat Amid Volatility

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Indian Markets Trade Flat Amid Volatility

The Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty, were trading flat on Wednesday amid volatility in the markets. The BSE Sensex was down 20 points, or 0.03%, at 71,366 at 10:30 AM. Similarly, the NSE Nifty50 index was trading at 21,528, down 17 points, or 0.08%.

On the Sensex pack, stocks like NTPC, M&M, Bajaj twins, ITC, and Infosys were witnessing selling pressure. NTPC fell nearly 2%, emerging as the top loser on Sensex. Meanwhile, HCL Tech, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, TCS, Titan, and Tech Mahindra were among the notable gainers.

The broader markets represented by the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices also traded weak, falling over 0.5% and 0.1% respectively. This highlights the risk-off sentiment prevailing in the market.

In Tuesday’s session, Sensex had closed 31 points higher at 71,386. Nifty50 too had settled with gains of 32 points at 21,545.

Asian markets presented a mixed picture as Japan’s Nikkei surged 1.8% while key indices in South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were trading lower. Overnight, the US markets had ended mostly in the red.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers on Tuesday, offloading equities worth ₹990.90 crore according to exchange data. This consistent selling by FIIs has been weighing on market sentiment.

In commodities, global oil benchmark Brent crude was trading 0.22% higher at $77.76 per barrel.

The flat but volatile trade in Indian indices reflects investors’ cautious stance amid weak global cues and continued foreign funds outflow. Key domestic factors like corporate earnings and Union Budget 2023 are likely to dictate near-term trend.

Markets End Choppy Session Flat As Banks Drag Indices Lower

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Sensex Soars Over 1,200 Points; Nifty Tops 21,700 As Reliance Fuels Rally

Indian equity benchmarks ended a volatile session largely unchanged on Tuesday as gains in auto, metal, and healthcare shares were offset by selling pressure in banking stocks.

The BSE Sensex finished just 31 points higher at 71,386 after rallying nearly 700 points intraday. Similarly, the NSE Nifty 50 index settled 32 points up at 21,545 after hitting a high of 21,724 earlier in the day.

Barring banking and FMCG stocks, most sectoral indices ended with gains. The Nifty Auto index surged nearly 2% while metal, healthcare, capital goods, and realty shares also witnessed strong buying interest.

In the Sensex pack, Tata Motors, Sun Pharma, Larsen & Toubro, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, and Mahindra & Mahindra were the prominent gainers. ITC, Nestle, Bajaj Finserv, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and Titan Company closed with losses.

Broader markets were mixed as the midcap index ended flat while the smallcap index rose 0.3%.

Analysts said the tug of war between bulls and bears kept markets rangebound but the positive trend remains intact, especially in quality large-caps which saw sustained buying on dips.

After the recent rally, Nifty Bank and Financials coming under profit booking at higher levels is also on expected lines, they added. Traders should utilize the volatility to accumulate quality stocks for the long term.

In the previous session on Monday, the Sensex had plunged 671 points or 0.9% to end at 71,355 while the Nifty 50 shed 198 points or 0.9% to settle below the 21,500 mark. Investors would keep an eye on global cues and December quarter earnings for further direction.

6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, Honshu Island Days After Deadly Temblor

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6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan, Honshu Island Days After Deadly Temblor

Japan was rattled by a strong 6.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Honshu island on Tuesday, just over a week after the country witnessed devastating tremors that left over 160 dead.

According to Japan’s meteorological agency, the latest earthquake occurred around 2:29 pm local time in the Pacific Ocean near Honshu, the largest and most populous island comprising much of the nation’s main island.

While no warning has been issued, the National Centre for Seismology said the quake resulted in strong shaking along parts of the country’s west coast.

So far there have been no immediate reports of major damage or casualties from the 6.0 magnitude temblor.

But it serves as yet another reminder of Japan’s vulnerability to frequent seismic activity. Last Wednesday, the mountain town of Kurayoshi in Ishikawa prefecture was battered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.

Over 160 people lost their lives in the powerful New Year’s Day quake, while several thousand homes suffered water and power supply disruptions due to damages. Rescue work continues to retrieve missing people buried under rubble.

Heavy snow since then has hampered rescue and rehabilitation efforts, with damaged roads cutting off essential supplies to thousands in isolated towns across the affected Noto peninsula.

The inclement weather also heightens risks of additional landslides and building structures collapsing under thick snow deposits in the coming days.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has made rescue and medical assistance for survivors the utmost priority while directing special efforts to restore lifeline infrastructure and amenities in the region ravaged by last week’s tragedy. Tuesday’s tremors are likely to further test the resilience of local communities.