Manoj Kumar, a renowned actor and filmmaker, died on Friday at the age of 87 at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. He had been ill for some time and was admitted to the hospital on February 21 as his condition deteriorated.

Dr. Santosh Shetty, CEO and Executive Director of Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, said in an official release, “Veteran actor Shri Manoj Kumarji died peacefully at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital early this morning at around 3:30 AM, due to age-related health concerns. He had been hospitalized for several weeks.”

The renowned actor was awarded the Padma Shri in 1992 for his contributions to Bollywood. In 2015, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which established his legend even further. He was well-known as ‘Bharat Kumar‘ for his nationalistic flicks.

He created a name for himself with classics such as Shaheed, ‘Hariyali Aur Raasta’, ‘Woh Kaun Thi’, ‘Himalaya Ki God Mein’, ‘Do Badan’, ‘Patthar Ke Sanam’, ‘Neel Kamal’, and ‘Kranti’, ‘Upkar’, ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’, and countless other films that are recognized as outstanding works of cinema.

Manoj Kumar, born Harikrishan Giri Goswami on July 24, 1937, in Amritsar, Punjab, has carved out a position for himself in Bollywood.

Aside from the Padma Shri and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Manoj Kumar’s contributions to Indian film garnered him other significant awards, including a National Film Award and 7 Filmfare Awards in various categories.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media, saying he was extremely saddened by the departure of the great actor and filmmaker. PM Modi stated that his works inspired a sense of national pride. He stated in a post on X, “Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary actor and filmmaker Shri Manoj Kumar Ji.” He was an icon of Indian cinema, well known for his nationalistic passion, which was mirrored in his films.

“Manoj Ji’s works inspired a sense of national pride and will continue to inspire future generations. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with his family and admirers. “Om Shanti,” the Prime Minister added.

Akshay Kumar commented on how he grew up learning from Manoj Kumar that there is “no emotion like love and pride for our country,” a notion that the renowned actor eloquently embodied in his patriotic movies. The Khiladi star stressed the necessity of performers taking the lead while depicting such emotions.

He took to his X Handle to share a black and white photo of the iconic filmmaker and captioned it., “I grew up learning from him that there’s no emotion like love and pride for our country. And if we actors won’t take the lead in showing this emotion, who will? Such a fine person, and one of the biggest assets of our fraternity. RIP Manoj Sir. Om Shanti.”

Industry analysts stated on Thursday that it seems India’s export competitiveness to the US market is significantly less affected on a relative basis than its international counterparts, after US President Donald Trump‘s announcement of reciprocal tariffs on dozens of nations, including India.

Trump’s proposed tariffs would significantly alter global manufacturing value chains and commerce.

Sanjay Nayar, president of Assocham, stated, “India has been placed somewhere in the middle of the tariff rates at 26% in addition to 10% baseline duties, which needs to be assessed for real impact.”

Overall, it seems that, in comparison, India’s export competitiveness to the US market is far less affected. However, in order to lessen the effects of these duties, our industry should work together to improve value addition and export efficiency,” he added in a statement.

Since the majority of the United States’ trading partners have decided to impose reciprocal tariffs, no nation benefits and consumers may have to pay more, which might put pressure on inflation.

Nayar stated that India Inc. would collaborate closely with the government on this issue. “While we wait and watch for global reaction, the way forward for India could be a quick preferential trade deal keeping in mind that President Trump still respects leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” Nayar added.

The US imposing a uniform 26 percent tariff on Indian exports, according to economist Arsh Mogre of PL Capital Institutional Equities Research, represents a significant but strategic recalibration of trade dynamics towards bilateralism and the end of multilateralism. He said the move is more of a high-stakes gambit in trade negotiations than an act of protectionism.

The disruption is sectorally unequal and contextually reduced by India’s emerging relative tariff advantage over Asian counterparts, he said, even though the short-term impact on India’s $75–78 billion US-bound exports is not insignificant.

Ironically, the decision makes India more competitive in high-exposure categories like electronics, textiles, and footwear in a post-China+1 global sourcing environment where barriers for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand are now 10–20 percentage points higher.

Furthermore, India maintains cost resilience in industries like electronics, chemicals, and auto parts compared to China, which currently faces an exorbitant 54% effective tariff wall, according to Mogre.

Using a stunning Ghibli-style artwork, the Israel Embassy in India sent a touching message on the social networking site “X” on Tuesday, highlighting the friendship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the hashtag #GhibliStudio and the flags of both countries, the tweet encapsulates the relationship between the two leaders and represents the close diplomatic connections between Israel and India.

“A #Ghibli tale of friendship @narendramodi @netanyahu,” the social media post reads.

The Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli, Inc. is situated in Koganei, Tokyo. The company is well-known in the animation sector and has broadened its range of work to encompass short films, TV ads, and other media.

This creative depiction coincides with India and Israel’s ongoing strengthening of their ties in a number of areas, including trade, agriculture, technology, and defense. With common ideals like innovation, entrepreneurship, and support for free markets, the two leaders have played a key role in advancing a developing collaboration.

Reuven Azar, Israel’s ambassador to India, recently emphasized how India is becoming a more significant global force under PM Modi’s direction. He commended India for its accomplishments and said he was impressed by Modi and Netanyahu’s close connection.

“We are genuinely admiring India’s accomplishments under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. We treasure our friendship with him. We noticed that he was the first to contact us after the Hamas attack on October 7. Over the past year and a half, we witnessed his support for us. We are aware that we share numerous opinions. Our perspectives are similar. Our difficulties are comparable. As a result, I have no doubt that we will be able to accomplish a great deal more together in the years to come,” Reuven Azar said.

Since the introduction of OpenAI’s GPT-4o upgrade, Ghibli has become a popular trend on social networking sites like Instagram and X. Known as “Ghibli-style AI images,” the viral phenomena is rapidly spreading across a number of sites.

Originally a Libyan Arabic word meaning a scorching desert breeze, “Ghibli” is now commonly used to refer to the Japanese animation studio “Studio Ghibli,” which is well-known for its classic movies like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Princess Mononoke.”

The Sanskrit term “utkal” refers to the arts and crafts sector. Odisha is known as “Utkal” since it is a nation that values art and craft. Odisha’s abundance of crafts earned it the nickname Utkala. Odisha, a state in eastern India, has long been known for its rich cultural heritage.

Every year on April 1st, Utkala Dibasa, is observed throughout Odisha. This is a day to honor all Odia citizens who have contributed to the unity of the people. The state commemorated its 89th founding day this year. Odisha’s contributions to art, literature, and spirituality are acknowledged on this day, which pays homage to the state’s cultural, historical, and linguistic legacy.

Perhaps the Odra tribe, who were native to the area, is where the name “Odisha” originates. Numerous geographical divisions in ancient India were named after the local tribes or governing monarchs. Throughout history, Odisha has gone by several names, such as Kalinga, Utkal, Odra Desha, Hirakhanda, Oddiyana, and Mahakantara.

On Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu prayed for the peace and prosperity of the state while sending warmest greetings to the people of Odisha on the occasion of Odisha Day, also known as Utkal Dibasa. President Murmu was born in Uparbeda village, Odisha, into a Santali family. In 2007, she received the Nilkanth Award for Best MLA of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, marking the beginning of her political career in the state.

Taking to X, the President wrote, “Warm greetings to the people on Odisha Day! It is an occasion to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Odisha and remarkable contribution of its people in various fields. The warm and hospitable people of Odisha have worked hard for the progress of the state while preserving its glorious traditions.Odisha has played an important role in the freedom struggle and produced several makers of modern India. I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath for peace and prosperity of Odisha!”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his wishes, emphasising Odisha’s cultural pride and contributions and stated on X, “Warm wishes on Utkala Dibasa! This day is a fitting tribute to Odisha’s glorious culture. India takes pride in Odisha’s history, literature and music. Odisha’s people are hardworking and have excelled in diverse fields. Over the last year, the Centre and Odisha Governments are working extensively to further the state’s progress. On the occasion of Odisha Day, I extend my warm greetings to our brothers and sisters of this beautiful state. Known for its scenic beauty and vibrant communities, Odisha is scaling new heights of growth and development. May the divine blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath continue to guide and bless the people of the state with prosperity and peace.”

The Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi wrote on his X handle in Odia (translated), “”Happy Odisha Day, everyone. Your warmest wishes are appreciated. A modest homage to the great heroes who sacrificed so much to establish a distinct state of Odisha and to elevate our literature, culture, and language. Today, let us reaffirm our commitment to creating a robust and prosperous Odisha.”

According to State Culture Minister Suryavansi Suraj, “Odia Paksha” will be celebrated with tremendous fervor for the first time from April 1 to the Odia New Year on April 14.

The Islamic month of Shawwāl, which comes after Ramadan, starts as soon as the crescent moon, also known as the “Shawwāl moon,” is sighted. Eid al-Fitr, which signifies the conclusion of Ramadan, falls on the first day of Shawwāl.

On the evening of the first crescent moon sighting, Eid al-Fitr starts at sundown. In a few countries, the night when the moon is sighted is known as Chand Raat. The holiday is marked on the day after the moon sets if it is not seen straight away after the 29th day of the preceding lunar month (either because clouds obscure the moon’s view or because the western sky is still too bright at that time). Depending on the nation, Eid al-Fitr is observed for one to three days.

On the day of Eid, a particular prayer is designated, and fasting is prohibited. Before doing the “Eid prayer,” money is given to the destitute and impoverished (zakat al-Fitr), which is a required charitable gesture.

It is believed that, Muhammad is credited with establishing the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. One hadith claims that these celebrations were first held in Medina following Muhammad’s departure from Mecca. Muhammad’s companion Anas ibn Malik related that when Muhammad first arrived in Medina, he discovered that people were celebrating two particular days and amusing themselves with leisure activities. Muhammad went on to say that God had set apart Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as two required celebration days.

President Murmu expressed her aspirations on social media site X, writing, “Greetings to all countrymen, especially Muslim brothers and sisters on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. This festival strengthens the feeling of brotherhood and gives the message of adopting compassion and charity. I wish that this festival brings peace, prosperity, and happiness in everyone’s life and strengthens the spirit of moving forward on the path of goodness in everyone’s hearts.”

On the eve of Id-ul-Fitr, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation Monday and offered prayers for the growth of the spirit of kindness, harmony, and hope in society.

PM Modi wished everyone a happy Eid Mubarak on social media. He wrote, “Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this festival enhance the spirit of hope, harmony and kindness in our society. May there be joy and success in all your endeavours. Eid Mubarak!”

The nation was celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, the day that Muslims mark the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, with great zeal and zeal. This Eid, which marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan, is one of the largest holidays in the Islamic calendar. India and the rest of the world are celebrating it with great zeal. As people gather to share meals, trade gifts, and pray for peace and harmony, the holiday represents a time of joy, giving, and solidarity.

Best wishes were also sent on the occasion by a number of other notable dignitaries. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared his greetings, saying, “Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this festival bring happiness, peace, and prosperity to all. Hope this day further strengthens the bonds of harmony and brotherhood all across society. Eid Mubarak!”

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, sent his warmest congratulations and best wishes to the state’s citizens. According to the Chief Minister, the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr spreads a message of joy and peace. “This festival of happiness strengthens social unity and increases the feeling of mutual brotherhood. This festival gives the message of peace and harmony. On this festival, everyone should take a pledge to further strengthen harmony and social harmony,” posted CMO.

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport & Highways, also posted on X to convey his greetings, “Warmest wishes for Eid-ul-Fitr. May this joyous occasion fill every heart with peace, love, and endless blessings. Eid Mubarak!“

According to data presented in Parliament, 2.18 lakh gram panchayats – out of the 2.68 lakh in the nation have been prepared to offer high-speed internet services as part of the BharatNet initiative.

In a written response, SP Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, told the Rajya Sabha that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is implementing the BharatNet project in phases to bring broadband services to every gram panchayat in the nation.

According to the resources at their disposal, the minister told the Upper House that every state is working to implement the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP). However, the implementation process varies by state because Panchayats across the country have differing levels of readiness.

Additionally, the BharatNet project is expected to be finished by March 2027, according to DoT. According to the minister, broadband services like Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections, leased lines, dark fiber, and backhaul to mobile towers can be provided using the infrastructure built under BharatNet.

In order to upgrade the current BharatNet Phase I and Phase II network and establish a network in approximately 42,000 gram panchayats that are not yet service-ready, he said the Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Program under the “design, built, operate and maintain” model. The network would be operational and maintained for ten years.

The goal set for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is to connect 1.5 crore households to FTTH over the course of the next five years.

He also told the Upper House that the e-Panchayat MMP is being implemented in all of the nation’s states and Union Territories (UTs) by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as part of the Digital India Programme. The goal of this project is to restructure Panchayat operations to become more open, responsible, and efficient.

In order to streamline Panchayat operations like budgeting, accounting, and planning, the Ministry has introduced eGramSwaraj, an online planning and accounting tool.

In order to enable Gram Panchayats to pay suppliers and service providers in real time, the Ministry has also integrated eGramSwaraj with the Public Financial Management System (PFMS). He noted that panchayats create and submit their Annual Panchayat Development Plans using the eGramSwaraj platform.

The producers of filmmaker Buchi Babu Sana‘s next action entertainer, which stars Ram Charan, revealed the film’s title, “Peddi,” and the actor’s first appearance in the movie on Thursday in an attempt to start the actor’s birthday celebrations in a big way.

On Thursday, two Ram Charan posters were made public. One features a close-up of Ram Charan’s face, while the other shows him poised for battle, brandishing what looks to be a plank of wood. In all photos, the actor sports a rough, country appearance. His beard, hair, and solemn face give his persona further depth.

The movie’s producer, Vriddhi Cinemas, posted on its X timeline, “A man of the land, A force of the nature. #RC16 is #PEDDI Happy Birthday Global Star @AlwaysRamCharan.”

The film, which was produced by Venkata Satish Kilaru and is being marketed as a pan-India extravaganza by its creators, is being shown by Sukumar Writings and Mythri Movie Makers, a formidable production company.

According to people close to the film’s development, #RC16 is being made on an unprecedented scale, with a huge budget, stunning visuals, top-notch production values, and state-of-the-art technical expertise.

An amazing fusion of talent and star power is created by the film’s ensemble of well-known performers from a variety of film industries. Shiva Rajkumar, the Kannada superstar, has a significant and impactful role in the movie. The ensemble cast of the much awaited movie will include Divyendu Sharma, Janhvi Kapoor, Shiva Rajkumar, Jagapathi Babu, and Ram Charan.

Academy Award-winning composer AR Rahman is composing the film’s music, and master filmmaker R. Rathnavelu is capturing the images. The production designer for this movie is Avinash Kolla.

Actress Janhvi Kapoor wrote a sweet birthday message for her “Peddi” co-star Ram Charan on X, “Happy Birthday Sir @alwaysramcharan #Peddi @buchibabu_sana rathnaveludop @arrahman @mythriofficial @sukumarwritings.” Using fire emojis, she also posted the captivating posters on her Instagram stories.

“Peddi” is Ram and Janhvi Kapoor’s debut on-screen partnership.

In honor of Ram Charan’s 40th birthday, the producers of the upcoming action entertainer directed by Buchi Babu Sana today revealed the film’s title, “Peddi,” along with the actor’s first appearance.

Despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges and growing uncertainty in the major US and European markets, the Indian IT services sector is expected to maintain its 6–8% (in rupee terms) growth in fiscal 2026, a report released Thursday said.

According to the Crisil Ratings study, currency depreciation benefits of 2% will also help to enhance the revenue growth. The Indian IT services sector is expected to increase by mid-single digits for the third consecutive fiscal year. Operating profitability is still strong, nevertheless, thanks to a small increase in staff and low turnover.

Banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI; revenue share of 30%), retail (15%), manufacturing (10%), and healthcare (10%) account for nearly two-thirds of total revenues, with the majority of the remaining revenue coming from technology and services, communications, and media.

While manufacturing and healthcare growth remained slow at 3–4% in fiscal 2025 due to macro concerns, revenue from the BFSI and retail categories experienced a modest comeback, increasing 2% (on constant currency terms). According to Anuj Sethi, Senior Director at Crisil Ratings, “in the near term, IT expenditures will continue to be concentrated on cost optimization, consolidation, and efficiency gains.”

Nevertheless, with a growing emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (Gen AI) across all categories, IT services providers will continue to achieve good transaction wins. Although the application of AI is still developing, companies are now combining AI-based products with their conventional services to increase end customers’ efficiency.

“We expect domestic IT services providers to remain cautious on fresh hiring in fiscal 2026 and maintain focus on employee utilisation, estimated at 85%,” stated Aditya Jhaver, Director, Crisil Ratings.

Players will nevertheless keep an eye out for acquisitions, particularly small and mid-sized ones that could expand their product lines and digital capabilities. The top 24 Indian IT service providers, which accounted for 55% of the industry’s projected revenue of Rs 15 lakh crore this fiscal year, were examined in the Crisil Ratings report.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the revised Income Tax Bill would be discussed during the Monsoon session of Parliament.

The six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961 will be replaced by the Income-tax Bill, 2025, which will simplify direct tax regulations, eliminate ambiguities, and decrease tax disputes.

According to the Finance Ministry, three fundamental principles served as the basis for the simplification process: maintaining continuity and certainty, avoiding significant changes to tax policy, and avoiding changes to tax rates in order to maintain predictability for taxpayers. Textual and structural simplification was also implemented to improve clarity and coherence.

The Bill, which is based on international best practices, intends to make doing business easier by offering a straightforward and understandable tax structure. As a result, the Act’s volume has significantly decreased, making it easier to read and understand. From the enormous 512,535 words in the previous Income Tax Act, the new Income Tax Bill now only has 259,676 words. According to an official statement, this nearly 50% cut has led to a reduction of 252,859 words.

As a result, the new Income Tax Bill now comprises 23 chapters instead of the 47 in the previous Income Tax Act. According to the statement, the number of sections has also been reduced from 819 to 536, which has led to the removal of up to 283 sections.

This significant decrease has been brought about by the simplicity of the language, which has made the legislation easier to understand, and the consolidation of modifications, which has lessened fragmentation.

According to the statement, a three-pronged strategy was used, with an emphasis on rearranging sections logically to make them easier to refer to, removing superfluous and repeating provisions for improved navigation, and removing complex language to improve readability.

Additionally, tables and formulas have been used to rationalize the structure for better reading. According to the statement, maintaining current taxation principles has improved usability while guaranteeing continuity.

In order to identify best practices, industry and tax specialists were consulted, and simplification approaches from Australia and the UK were examined.

By consulting taxpayers, companies, trade associations, and professional associations, the government also made sure that all stakeholders were widely involved. Relevant suggestions were reviewed and, when possible, included out of the 20,976 online suggestions that were submitted.

S&P Global Ratings predicted on Tuesday that India’s GDP will increase at a rate of 6.5% in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, demonstrating a robust economy in the Asia-Pacific region despite global uncertainty.

In its most recent quarterly economic report for Asia-Pacific economies, the global banking institution stated, “This assumes that the upcoming monsoon season will be normal and that commodity — especially crude — prices will be soft.”

“Discretionary consumption will be supported by lowering borrowing costs, reducing food inflation, and the tax benefits announced in the nation’s budget for the fiscal year ending March 2026,” it continued.

Trade will be more resilient in nations where a significant portion of exports are services, as tariffs are often imposed on products. This is particularly true for India and the Philippines. Regarding rate cuts, S&P Global Ratings predicted that during the current cycle, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will lower interest rates by an additional 75–100 basis points.

According to the report, “food inflation will ease and crude prices will drop, bringing headline inflation closer to the central bank’s target of 4% in the fiscal year ending March 2026 and fiscal policy is contained.”

It said that “the robustness of our forecasts underscores the resilience of the regional economies” in light of the number of governmental initiatives and outside forces affecting Asia-Pacific. China’s economy will be impacted by the US tax increases on its exports, nevertheless.

“Our November baseline included 10% U.S. tariffs, which implies a roughly 25% effective U.S. tariff on Chinese exports. The effective rate will rise to roughly 35% with the additional 10% charges. Through decreased investment, exports, and other knock-on impacts, that will slow China’s growth,” the research stated.

It further stated that South Korea (mostly due to vehicles), Singapore (primarily due to pharmaceutical items), and Malaysia (primarily due to semiconductors) could be the countries most affected in terms of GDP growth.