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New Delhi (PTI): Exports posted the steepest fall in five months, declining by 7.44 per cent in March to USD 38.92 billion due to trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, with shipments to West Asia contracting by more than 50 per cent in the month, according to official data released on Wednesday. The trade deficit, however, narrowed to a nine-month low of USD 20.67 billion in March on account of lower imports. Imports dipped by 6.51 per cent to USD 59.59 billion in March, driven by a significant decline in inbound shipments of crude oil and gold, the data showed. For the full 2025-26 fiscal year, exports grew 0.93 per cent to an all-time high of USD 441.78 billion, while imports rose 7.45 per cent to USD 775 billion. The trade deficit ballooned to USD 333.2 billion due to a jump in gold and silver imports during the last fiscal. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal told reporters that the country's goods and services exports increased by an estimated 4.22 per cent to an all-time high of USD 860.09 billion in 2025-26 against USD 825.26 billion in 2024-25. He said that despite global challenges, Indian exporters are showing resilience and are registering positive growth. "We are hopeful that 2026-27 will be a much better year," he said. The secretary said that India's exports to the Middle East region fell by 57.95 per cent in March, while imports from the Gulf nations fell by 51.64 per cent. "Our exports to the Middle East in March dipped by 3.5 billion dollars (USD) and it has impacted (overall) exports," Agrawal told reporters. Agrawal said that April could also be a tough month for exports due to the conflict, which is hampering ship movements in international waters. Crude oil imports in March dipped 35.91 per cent to USD 12.18 billion, while in 2025-26, it declined 6.37 per cent to USD 174 billion. Gold imports in March dipped 31.63 per cent to USD 3.06 billion, while in 2025-26, these rose by 24 per cent to USD 71.97 billion. The war in the Middle East has disrupted the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up freight and insurance costs for exporters. "We hope the challenges that we face today will not sustain for long, and we may have smoother trades across the world in months to come," the secretary said. Services exports, the secretary said, have remained robust. Meanwhile, China has overtaken the US to emerge as India's largest trading partner in 2025-26, with bilateral trade reaching USD 151.1 billion, while the country's trade deficit with Beijing widened to USD 112.16 billion during the period, government data showed. The US was India's largest trading partner for the four consecutive year till 2024-25. The country's outbound shipments to the US grew marginally 0.92 per cent to USD 87.3 billion during the last fiscal, while imports increased 15.95 per cent to USD 52.9 billion. The trade surplus declined to USD 34.4 billion in 2025-26 from USD 40.89 billion in 2024-25. The secretary said that energy imports from the US, including LPG, have gone up. He added that despite global challenges, India's exports have remained in positive territory in 2025-26. Free trade agreements that India will implement this year will provide opportunities for domestic exporters. While the India-UK trade pact is expected to come into force from May, the trade deal with Oman may be implemented in June.

By The Slate Bureau Patna : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar passed on the batton after being at the helm for two decades to BJP leader Samrat Choudhary who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state on April 15. The smooth change of guard with the JD(U) supremo moving to central politics after being elected to the Rajya Sabha gave Bihar the first BJP Chief Minister. Crowning of Samrat Choudhary also marks a generational shift in the political landscape of Bihar. Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as the Chief Minister along with JD(U) leaders Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav who have been designated as deputy chief ministers.   The oath of office was administered by Governor Syed Ata Hasnain at Lok Bhavan. The ceremony was attended by form er Bihar chief Nitish Kumar, Union minister and former BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union minister Chirag Paswan, who heads LJP(RV) which is a constituent of the ruling NDA in Bihar. The swearing in of Samrat Choudhary put an end to speculations over his successor after Nitish Kumar expressed his desire to move to the central stage as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Samrat Choudhary. In a post on X, Modi wrote: " Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Shri Samrat Chaudhary on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar! His energy, dedication to public service, and grassroots experience will prove extremely beneficial for the state. I am fully confident that under his capable leadership, while fulfilling the aspirations of the people, Bihar will touch new heights of all-round development.” Talking to mediapersons, Choudhary said he would "get down to work starting today" and follow the model of governance developed by Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar.            According to the notification, the Chief Minister has retained the Home ministry along with about 30 other crucial departments, including health, agriculture, industry and vigilance. As Deputy Chief Minister under Nitish Kumar, he had the state home ministry was with him.

Videos 09:01 PM, New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court administration has asked the city police to take steps for removing from social media unauthorised recordings of the court proceedings related to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's plea in the liquor policy matter, even as a complaint sought action against the party leaders who shared the clips. Advocate Vaibhav Singh, while submitting his complaint to the registrar general against Kejriwal and others for unauthorised recording and circulation of the clips, was informed on Wednesday that the high court has already taken note of the videos and directed law enforcement agencies to take steps to take down the content. Kejriwal had appeared on Monday before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma and submitted his arguments on his plea for her recusal from hearing the CBI appeal against the trial court order discharging him and other accused in the excise policy case. Besides Kejriwal, Singh also sought action against AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Sanjay Singh, Sanjeev Jha, Mukesh Ahlawat and others, as well as Congress leader Digvijay Singh for sharing the clips of the court proceedings on social media. Another lawyer also mentioned his petition for an urgent hearing before a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal regarding the circulation of court videos. Chief Justice Upadhyaya, however, declined the urgent listing, saying, "You have filed, it will be listed. What is the urgency?" Vaibhav Singh, in his complaint, said sharing video/audio of judicial proceedings was prohibited under the high court rules and alleged that the politicians' conduct was an act to "create pressure on the judge". The conduct of the political leaders, the complaint alleged, "reflects some conspiracy to mislead the general public of the country and malign the image of the noble institution". "The post in regard to this audio/video recording of the Court Proceedings was circulated on X erstwhile Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and various new channels. "The circumstances in which the audio/video recording of the Court Proceedings was done and shared, Retweeted and posted by various political leaders and the way it went viral smells deep conspiracy by Arvind Kejriwal and various leaders of Aam Admi Party to malign the image of this noble institution and also to mislead the common people of this nation...," the complaint alleged.

Sakti, Chhattisgard (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday. The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh. The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident. The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries. According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident. Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday. He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died. "Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added. Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured. The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured. Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support. The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said. The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty. He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated. The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation. Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry. The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant. Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident. State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible. He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured. The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022. Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction. The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

By JULHAS ALAM Dhaka (AP): At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea recently on the way to Malaysia, according to the United Nations' refugee and migration agencies. While details remained sketchy, Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Com. Sabbir Alam Suzan told The Associated Press on Wednesday that nine people, including three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis, were rescued on April 9. Suzan said the Bangladesh flag carrier M.T. Meghna Pride rescued the nine people when the crew found them floating at sea after the capsize. When the boat sank and the status of any search Wednesday were unclear. The UN high commissioner for refugees and the International Organisation for Migration in a joint statement said Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox's Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia. Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said. Shari Nijman, a UNCHR communication officer in Cox's Bazar, said Wednesday that the agency had no other updates. Another coast guard media official told the AP by phone Wednesday that the rescued people, eight men and one woman, were all safe after being handed over to the coast guard, who brought them to the police in Teknaf. The official said the rescue was not part of any official search operation as it is outside Bangladesh territory, and that the crew of the M.T. Meghna Pride saved the people while it was on its way to Indonesia from Bangladesh's Chittagong. The official spoke by phone on condition of anonymity in line with official policy. UNHCR and IOM said the disappearance reflected the protracted displacement of Rohingya people and the absence of durable solutions. They said ongoing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has made the Rohingya's safe return to Myanmar uncertain, while limited humanitarian assistance, as well as restricted access to education and employment in refugee camps, continue to push vulnerable Rohingya refugees to choose risky sea journeys, often based on false promises of higher wages and better opportunities abroad. UNHCR and IOM urged the international community to strengthen funding and solidarity to ensure lifesaving assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, which has sheltered more than 1 million Rohingya from Myanmar.

By The Slate Bureau Washington: The United States and Iran have shifted focus to contol over the Strait of Hormuz even as both sides agreed to go for a second round of talks which could restore peace in the West Asian region. "Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they , “fast attcallack ships” because we did not consider them much of a threat.," US President Donald J Trump posted on the social media.  Iran, on the other hand, threatened to strike targets across the region after Trump wrote on social media that any Iranian warships nearing the blockade would be destroyed in a “quick and brutal” strike. Trump stressed small ships which had been spared could be eliminated with ease. "If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal," Trump said.  While the standoff continues, both sides have indicated possibility of a second round of peace talks this week. With perception playing a key role in the conflict, Trump attacked a mediahouse for its report indicating Iran was holding forte as fake news. "For those people that still read The Failing New York Times and, despite the fact that Iran has been totally OBLITERATED, Militarily, and otherwise, you would think that Iran is actually winning or, at the very least, doing quite well — But that’s not true, and The New York Times knows that it’s FAKE NEWS!," he said. Soon after US-Iran peace talks failed with Tehran refusing to call off its nuclear programme, President Donald Trump had threatened to “finish up the little that is left of Iran” and block entry and exit of any ship in the Strait of Hormuz. “We are fully “LOCKED AND LOADED,” and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!,” Trump said, while stating that the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will immediately begin the process of “BLOCKADING” any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. In what should worry nations banking on Iran for crude oil requirements, Trump said he had instructed US Navy to “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran”. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas, he added. Though the first round of talks had failed, both sides exuded confidence over possibility of another attempt at making peace. While US said the offer was open, the Iranians had reciprocated saying diplomacy never ends. Trump reacted sharply after the talks failed. He played down resistence by Iran. “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!,” Trump said. “Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country. Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar are useless, Khomeini, and most of their “Leaders,” are dead, all because of their Nuclear ambition,” he said.

By The Slate Bureau New Delhi: The Supreme Court has reserved the post of Secretary, Joint Treasurer and two executive members of the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) for women. A bench presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant on April 13 exercised overarching powers of the court under Article 142 of the Constitution to carve out quota for women lawyers while allowing a petition by a woman advocate seeking reservation for women in the executive committee of SCAORA which is presently an all-male body. The order came after a brief hearing during which SCAORA did not oppose the petition. SCAORA has already announced fresh elections for 12-member executive body for the 2026-2028 term to be held on 29.4.2026. The election will be as per the schedule already announced. Advocate Vivya Nagpal, an AOR, had rushed to court after SCAORA issued election notice on 08.04.2026 without paying heed to her demand for amending relevant rules and provisions to provide for reservation to women before proceeding with the election of office bearers for the two-year term. The petitioner had pointed out that all state bar councils, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and several other association of lawyers had reserved seats for fair representation of women. Many of these decisions were on the directions of the Supreme Court. “Permitting this notified election process to proceed under the unamended rules will irreversibly violate the fundamental rights of women Advocates-on-Record as a class under Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Constitution, sealing their exclusion from institutional leadership for another full term,” the petitioner submitted in her petition. It had been pointed out that the last elections for the Executive Committee of SCAORA returned the current all- male Office Bearer committee, reflecting the continuing exclusion of women from top leadership positions. SCAORA is an association comprising approximately 3,000 AORs who hold the exclusive statutory authority to file matters and act on behalf of litigants before this Hon'ble Court under Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013. The Petitioner had pointed out that the Supreme Court had intervened in similar cases in the past. The Court in Supreme Court Bar Association v. B.D. Kaushik (2024) mandated a minimum 33% reservation for women in the SCBA Executive Committee. Subsequently, in Yogamaya M.G. v. Union of India (2025), a mandatory 30% reservation was ensured in statutory State Bar Councils across the country. And in Deeksha N. Amrutesh v. State of Karnataka, the Court invoked Article 142 to enforce a 30% reservation in the Advocates' Association, Bengaluru.

New Delhi (PTI): In a setback to Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to quash a CBI FIR in the land-for-jobs case involving the RJD chief and his family members. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, however, granted exemption to the 77-year-old former Bihar chief minister from appearance before the trial court during the proceedings. "We do not say anything about the issue pertaining to the application of Section 17A (of the Prevention of Corruption Act) on whether it is prospective or retrospective. Taking into consideration the facts and the circumstances, liberty is granted to the petitioner to raise the legal issue at the time of the trial," the bench said. The top court allowed Yadav to raise the issue of the applicability of Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act in the case during trial of the case. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act provides that no enquiry, inquiry or investigation shall be conducted by a police officer into any offence alleged to have been committed by a public servant under the law without prior approval from the appropriate authority. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), argued that Section 17A of the Act would be invoked only if the accused was a decision-making authority. Raju argued that prior approval against Yadav under Section 17A was not required as he was neither the person who took the decision nor the recommending authority. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Yadav, opposed the submission and said that there cannot be any investigation until the authorities get the sanction. Sibal said the CBI has woken up after nine years to file another chargesheet on the same ground on which the case had been closed. "At least a final order may not be passed. Other matters are pending on the same issue and we don't get any relief. This is not fair," he said when the bench declined the relief. The Delhi High Court had on March 24 refused to quash a CBI FIR in the case involving Yadav and his family members, rejecting the RJD chief's contention that the agency's action was legally unsustainable in the absence of prior sanction under Section 17A. The land-for-jobs case is related to Group D appointments made in the West Central Zone of the Indian Railways in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during Yadav's tenure as the railways minister between 2004 and 2009, allegedly in return for land parcels gifted or transferred by the recruits in the name of his family members or associates, officials said. Yadav had contended that the inquiry, FIR, as well as the investigation and subsequent chargesheets in the matter, were legally unsustainable in the absence of prior sanction under Section 17A. In his order, Justice Ravinder Dudeja of the Delhi High Court had said the section was introduced in 2018 with prospective effect, whereas the allegations date back to 2004-2009, and the court was "persuaded" by the agency's stand that permitting a belated challenge on a technical plea relating to prior approval would defeat the "orderly administration of criminal justice". Justice Dudeja dismissed Yadav's petition, which also sought quashing of the three chargesheets filed in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and the subsequent orders of cognisance in the matter. The high court had said that Section 17A, which was introduced in 2018, was prospective in operation and, therefore, has no application to the present offences, which were alleged to have been committed between 2004 and 2009. It thus held that the absence of prior approval did not vitiate the preliminary inquiry, registration of the FIR, investigation, or the cognisance orders. The court had also said that the provision did not apply to this case as the alleged act was not related to any recommendations or decisions Yadav made while discharging his official functions or duties as the railway minister. The scope of Section 17A is confined to acts involving recommendations made or decisions taken by a public servant in discharge of official functions. In this case, however, the petitioner was not in a position to make decisions about appointment, but could only influence, the court had said. It had observed that the subsequent grant of sanction in the case undermined Yadav's plea of prejudice, and the matter has progressed to an advanced stage. The CBI had opposed the petition, saying it was filed belatedly, at the stage of framing of charges. It was also contended that Section 17A did not apply to the petitioner. The case was registered on May 18, 2022, against Yadav and others, including his wife, two daughters, unidentified public officials and private persons. Yadav and the other accused are currently out on bail. Yadav's petition challenging the framing of corruption charges in the case is pending in the high court. On January 9, the trial court had ordered framing of charges against Yadav, his family members and others. On February 16, it formally framed charges against them under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Yadav has pleaded not guilty.

By The Slate Bureau Washington: Soon after US-Iran peace talks failed with Tehran refusing to call off its nuclear programme, President Donald Trump threatened to “finish up the little that is left of Iran” and block entry and exit of any ship in the Strait of Hormuz. “We are fully “LOCKED AND LOADED,” and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!,” Trump said, while stating that the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will immediately begin the process of “BLOCKADING” any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. In what should worry nations banking on Iran for crude oil requirements, Trump said he had instructed US Navy to “seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran”. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas, he added. “THIS IS WORLD EXTORTION, and Leaders of Countries, especially the United States of America, will never be extorted,” he said. Trump played down resistence by Iran. “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!,” Trump said. “Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country. Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft and Radar are useless, Khomeini, and most of their “Leaders,” are dead, all because of their Nuclear ambition,” he said. Trump decided to create a blockade to ensure that Iran did not take advantage of its control over Hormuz. “Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION. They want money and, more importantly, they want Nuclear,” he said. Though peace talks have failed, it may not be the end of the world for US and Iran. In fact, both sides exuded confidence after the peace talks. Trump, while dealing with the present conflict, also dwelt upon India's Operation Sindoor which had brought India and Pakistan on the brink of a war. He said Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan always thanked him for “for saving 30 to 50 million lives in what would have been a horrendous War with India”.

By The Slate Bureau Islamabad: The marathon 21-hour-long peace talks between United States and Iran came to a naught with delegations from both the countries leaving Pakistan without arriving at any agreement which could have ended the West Asia conflict. With this, the ongoing two-week ceasefire could only be the lull before the storm as US Vice President JD Vance emphasized that failure to ensure a permanent truce was a “bad news” for Iran. “We’ve been at it now for 21 hours. We’ve had a number of discussions with the Iranians, that’s the good news. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it is bad news for the United States of America,” Vance said, addressing media persons. The talks failed over US seeking a commitment from Iran over abandoning its nuclear programme. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said. Vance said that the US delegation in Pakistan was in touch with President Donald Trump and was clear about the red line. “We go back to the United States having not come to an agreement. We’ve made it very clear what our red lines are, what we are willing to accommodate them on and what things we are not willing to accommodate them on. We’ve made that as clear as we possibly could, and they’ve chosen not to accept our terms,” Vance said. Vance made a brief appearance along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner to address the media before leaving for the US. On the Iranian nuclear programme, Vance claimed that the enrichment facilities that Iran had before, had been destroyed. And the US wanted a commitment on not developing a nuclear weapon. The stalemate between US and Iran may have an impact on the ceasefire with markets already reacting to the news. However, it may be too early to consider the failure to arrive at an agreement as the end of efforts to restore peace. While the negotiations have failed, both sides are still hopeful. News Agency PTI quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei as saying “diplomacy never ends”. Vance also left with a positive note. “We were constantly in communication with the team because we were negotiating in good faith. We leave here with a very simple proposal: A method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We will see if the Iranians accept it,” he said, while talking to mediapersons.

Mumbai (PTI): Asha Bhosle, who not only survived in the shadow of her sister's greatness but stepped out of it with a genre-defying voice to create her own universe in Hindi playback singing, died on Sunday. She was 92. Asha, one half of the Mangeshkar sisters whose versatility was unmatched even by her sister, was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital on Saturday evening due to chest infection and exhaustion, her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle said. Asha, who got married to Ganpatrao Bhosle in 1949 when she was 16 and later in life married collaborator and composer R D Burman, is survived by her son Anand and her grandchildren. "She passed way due to multi organ failure a few minutes ago," Dr Pratit Samdani told PTI. Asha, who got listeners jiving to “Aaja, Aaja” just as skilfully as she got them mourn lost love in “Chain Se Ham Ko Kabhi”, and her sister Lata ruled the Hindi playback singing world for seven decades with virtually every movie song recorded in Bollywood for female leads using their voices. Asha herself sang for more than eight decades, recording an incredible 12,000 songs. Her first song was in 1943 at the age of 10 for the Marathi film “Majha Bal”. She continued to sing until the late 2010s and beyond, making her the longest performing singers in global music history. Unlike Lata, her voice remained steady and its timbre fresh, even when she was singing at the age of 80. Lata died in February 2022 also at the age of 92. While Lata was the go-to choice for music director Madan Mohan, the master of melody and ghazals, Asha was equally accomplished in that genre, and is still remembered for her ghazals in “Umrao Jaan”. She won a National Film award for the movie. But she also established her own identity, partnering first with O P Nayyar for his rhythmic, peppy songs and later with R D Burman for songs inspired by cabarets, romance, lament and every other emotive tonality. Still, there was never any hint of rivalry between the two sisters who occupied almost an equally high seat in the pantheon of India's singing gods. Among Asha's most popular songs are “Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar”, “In Ankhon Ki Masti”, “Dil Cheez Kya Hai”, “Piya Tu Ab to Aaja', Duniya Mein Logon Ko', and Zaara Se Jhoom Loon Main', among others. She was the voice for many leading ladies, from Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Zeenat Aman to Kajol, Urmila Matondkar and also South actors like Padmini and Vyjayanthimala. In 2023, she performed at a special concert, ASHA@90: Live in concert', in Dubai to celebrate her 90th birthday. Born on September 8, 1935 in Sangli (Maharashtra), she was initiated into music by her father Dinanath Mangeshkar just like her sister was. Music was perhaps in her destiny. Of the four sisters, Lata, Usha and Asha were playback singers while Meena is a music composer. As is their brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar. The much awarded Asha, who was also was also a successful entrepreneur and ran the popular restaurant Asha in Dubai and the UK, won multiple awards, including the Dadasaheb Phalke, Padma Vibhushan, National Awards and other music honours.

New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader. The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said. Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta. "From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post. Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest. The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement. The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said. Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail. The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora. Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.