NEW DELHI 12 OCTOBER 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES LIFE IN THE TIME OF SOLITUDE MAGAZINE The Sign of the Times EXCLUSIVE VOICES Caught in a Pickleball The Last Artisanal Winery of Valladolid Devdutt Pattanaik Prabhu Chawla Ravi Shankar Shankkar Aiyar Sunaina Anand Anuradha Goyal Ajai Sahni History’s Forgotten Contradiction Murder in the Mist AMMA SPEAKS ‘I am Honest to a Fault’ Live in the Present to Live K35,440 crore push to boost farm US envoy-designate meets PM, production, achieve self-reliance EAM amid efforts to reset ties PM Modi launches two key agriculture schemes, urges farmers to tap global markets M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched two major agricultural schemes with a cumulative outlay of `35,440 crore, including a mission for self-reliance in pulses. Launching the schemes at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute campus here, Modi urged farmers to increase production to meet domestic and global demand. “On one hand, we have to be self-reliant. On the other, we also have to produce for the global market. Friends, we must knock on the doors of the world,” Modi said, asking farmers to focus on crops that have global demand. The two schemes—`24,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) and a `11,440 crore Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses—are aimed at “changing the fate of millions of farmers”, he said. EXPRESS READ RJD, Cong fight over 5 seats; Tejashwi in Delhi Tejashwi Prasad Yadav left for Delhi from Patna on Saturday, with RJD and Congress jostling over five seats—Bahadurganj, Kahalgaon, Baisi, Raniganj and Saharsa. The friction has allegedly delayed the announcement of a seat deal. P8 India, Canada to firm up framework for ties India and Canada will look at establishing a framework for “strategic” cooperation in areas of trade, energy, and security during Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s visit to New Delhi beginning Sunday. P7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interaction with farmers at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, in New Delhi on Sunday | PTI PM-DDKY aims to transform 100 low-performing agricultural districts based on the Aspirational Districts Programme model. The scheme will focus on enhancing crop productivity and diversification, improving irrigation and storage facilities, and ensuring credit access in the selected districts. Modi urged farmers to increase cultivation acreage by 35 lakh hectares by 2030 to boost production and achieve self-reliance, as it targets raising production from the current 252.38 lakh tonnes to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31, thereby reducing import dependency . The PM also inaugurated GILL-TON HEIGHTS India captain Shubman Gill continued his rich vein of form as he notched up a fifth 100 in seven Tests since being named captain. His ton strengthened India’s hold in the second Test of the series against West Indies in New Delhi. A look... SHUB’S THE MAN The No. 4 displayed his full range of stroke-making on a largely batting friendly surface as he brought up his 10th century of his Test career. He entertained the 15,000+ weekend crowd to an exhibition of classy batting against both pace and spin as India raced passed the 500 mark before declaring after lunch. Hosts finally declared at 518 for five projects valued at over `5,450 crore in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing sectors, while laying the foundation stone for additional projects worth around `815 crore. These included Artificial Insemination Training Center at Bengaluru and in Jammu & Kashmir; Centre of Excellence at Amreli and Banas; Establishment of IVF Lab in Assam under Rashtriya Gokul Mission; Milk Powder Plants at Mehsana, Indore and Bhilwara; Fish Feed Plant under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana at Tezpur, Assam; Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Inte g rated Cold Chain, and Value Addition Infrastructure, among others. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary were present during the event. JADEJA AMONG WICKETS AGAIN On a low, slow strip devoid of spin, Ravindra Jadeja adjust focuses on repeatability and doing the simple things well. He did that and the West Indies batters perished in different ways to give the left-arm spinner three wickets to close out the day THE family members of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar has accused the Chandigarh Police of not consulting them before shifting his body to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) for autospy . Amit Rattan, AAP MLA from Bathinda (Rural) and brotherin-law of the deceased officer, said, “The Chandigarh Police have shifted the body without asking us. Injustice is being done with the family .” Four days after Kumar’s death, the Haryana govern- ment on Saturday took first action in the case by transferring Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya and appointed Surinder Singh Bhoria in his place. Bijarniya, a 2015-batch IPS officer, was among the police officers named in the “final note” recovered from Kumar’s pocket. The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has taken suo motu congnisance and sought a report from Chandigarh DGP Sagar Preet Hooda. Hooda on Saturday visited the residence of Amneet P Kumar, the IAS officer wife of the which a board, comprising a magistrate, forensic experts, and doctors, has been set up.” After the registration of the FIR, Amneet on Friday had sought its amendment to “accurately reflect the names of all the accused.’’ In a letter to Chandigarh SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, Amneet also sought an amendment of the “diluted sections of the SC/ST Act”, which have been added to the FIR. In his eight-page “final note”, Kumar named eight senior IPS officers, including Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Bijarniya, for allegedly harassing and maligning him. US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Saturday | PTI are great”. “I had an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi. We discussed bilateral issues, including defence, trade and technology,” Gor said, adding that the discussion also touched upon critical minerals—an increasingly strategic domain for both economies amid global supply chain realignments. The US Senate confirmed Gor as the country’s next ambassa- ‘Toxic chemical’: Govt bans Coldrif cough syrup in city @ New Delhi BETTER DISPLAY FROM VISITORS In front of Brian Lara, Vivek Richards and the board CEO, Chris Dehring, they put up and improved showing. As many as three batters got starts with the impressive Alick Althanaze taking the attack tot he spinners. But he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav. They still trail by 378 runs with six wickets in hand | P11 deseased, and said that the police requested the family to get the post-mortem done as early as possible. “The postmortem will be conducted only after the family gives its consent,” Hooda said. Asked why the family is yet to give its consent for the autopsy, Hooda said they have some grievances. When questioned why the police have not added the names of the alleged suspects in the FIR, he said, “An SIT headed by an IG-rank officer has been formed. The autopsy will be conducted at the PGIMER, for AMID tariff tensions rocking India-US ties, US Ambassadordesignate Sergio Gor on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. “Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I’m confident his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” PM Modi wrote on X. Gor said the US values its ties with India and “under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I’m optimistic about the days ahead for our nations”. He presented Modi with a signed and framed photograph from a joint press conference at the White House earlier this year, featuring Trump’s handwritten message: “Mr Prime Minister, you EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Rohtak SP transferred, family refuses autopsy H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi TWO days after this newspaper reported that the Delhi government was likely to ban the cough and cold syrup ‘Coldrif ’, the Drugs Control Department has issued an order prohibiting its sale and distribution across the national capital. The move follows laboratory findings that the syrup, manufactured under Batch No. SR-13, was adulterated with 46.28% Diethylene Glycol, a highly toxic substance harmful to human health. The October 10 office order declared the product “Not of Standard Quality,” citing a report from the Drugs Testing Laboratory Madhya Pradesh. , The department directed all pharmacies, distributors, and retailers to immediately stop dealing with the product, while urging the public to avoid its use. The directive, issued by the Deputy Drug Controller, Government of NCT of Delhi, emphasised that the ban was being enforced in the interest of public health. The health department has asked all hospitals to ensure that cough syrups are not prescribed to children below 2 years of age and not recommended to those aged below 5 years. Besides, regular audit of prescriptions should also be done by the healthcare facilities. More than 20 teams, comprising drug inspectors, local administration and police, have been deployed across the city to inspect stores and seize suspicious consignments. The teams have been told to submit a detailed report to the health minister and chief secretary within the next few days. All stakeholders have been asked to stop selling, purchasing, or distributing the said batch of the syrup. The people have been been advised not to use the product, the order said. About 11 pharma firms in Delhi manufacture ‘Coldrif ’, officials said. Rough estimates suggest that between 6,000 and 7,000 bottles of 100 ml cough syrup were being sold daily in the city, typically priced between `50 and `60. These syrups are in steady demand among people suffering from common cough and cold symptoms. Authorities believe more than one lakh bottles of these syrups are currently in circulation or storage in the national capital. P12 HIGHEST GROSSER Kantara: Chapter 1 in `500 cr club, sets pan-India benchmark A S H A R A D H A A @ Bengaluru GIRL CHILD PROTECTION A PRIORITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA, SAYS CJI CJI BR Gavai called for special training for law enforcers and policymakers to combat cyberbullying, online harassment, stalking, and deepfake abuse, saying the protection of the girl child must be a priority of digital governance. | P7 RISHAB Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 has emerged as a boxoffice phenomenon, redefining the reach of Kannada cinema across India. Released on October 2, Kantara: Chapter 1 has already amassed over `500 crore globally in its opening weekend. Hombale Productions, which has backed the film, announced that the first week numbers (global box office) stand at `509.25 crore. In India, the Hindi and Kannada versions have amassed over `100 crore, with the Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions contributing `64 crore, `31.5 crore, and `26.5 crore, re- spectively. Interestingly, the original Kantara (2022) concluded its lifetime run at `450 crore. “What truly matters is that audiences of all ages and backgrounds are coming to watch the film; we made this cinema for them, and if they enjoy it, that is the ultimate satisfaction for me as a technician and for the entire team,” says Rishab Shetty who not only starred in , the film but also directed the cultural phenomenon. Commenting on the success of Kantara: Chapter 1, noted Tamil Nadu distributor and theatre owner Tiruppur Subramaniam points out that the film will have an unrestricted run PIC: KEVIN NASHON in Tamil Nadu till Diwali. “Non-Tamil films usually run only in multiplexes, and have limited reach beyond cities. But Kantara: Chapter 1 is an all-centre film and even single screens in villages are running housefull,” says Subramaniam. Echoing his sentiment, Narayan Gowda, owner of the Veeresh Theatre in Bengaluru, says, “Family audiences are turning up in large numbers, and in four days, we earned `60 lakh. We expect to hit the `1-crore mark in eight days.” This has been the story, not just in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, but all across India. While Akkshay Rathie, Director, Ashirwad Theatres, Nagpur, believes that the Hindi version could reach `200 crore next week, Aamer Bijli from PVR Inox Ltd, reveals, “Within five days, it crossed 30 lakh admits in PVR INOX cinemas.” Mirroring this sentiment, Ganesh of Kamala Cinemas, Chennai, says, “Budget and language don’t matter if the content connects.” That’s probably why many Tamil Nadu theatres are planning to shift Kantara: Chapter 1 to their main screens. Ruban Mathivanan, owner of Chennai’s GK Cinemas, says, “At this rate, the footfall will only increase in the coming days and there will be no drop.” Summing it up, Kishore Kumar of Vaishnavi and Vaibhavi Cinemas, Bengaluru, says, “With no major releases until December 5, Kantara: Chapter 1 is on track for a 50-day blockbuster run, a milestone we haven’t seen in Kannada cinema for a long time.” dor to India on Wednesday. He arrived in Delhi on Friday . Earlier in the day, the ambassador-designate also held meetings with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. “Discussed the India–US relationship and its global significance. Wish him the best for his new responsibility,” Jaishankar wrote on X. Gor’s visit marks a significant diplomatic step ahead of his formal assumption of office early next year. It comes at a sensitive time, as steep US tariffs have driven bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades. Gor, a close aide of Trump and a key figure in Republican circles, is on a six-day visit along with US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas. A possible bilateral meeting between Modi and Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia later this month remains on the cards. HUNT ON FOR 3 Odisha MBBS student raped in Bengal near college campus EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar A 23-year-old MBBS student from Odisha was allegedly raped by unidentified men near her college in West Bengal’s Durgapur in Paschim Bardhaman district, police said on Saturday . The woman’s mother said the crime occurred around 10 PM outside a private medical college campus on Friday night when the second-year student had stepped out of the college campus with a male friend for dinner. The woman’s parents reached Durgapur on Saturday morning after getting a call from their daughter’s friends. “We came here this morning and lodged a complaint with the police. The college performed well NCW in academically, Durgapur and that’s why A team from we s e n t o u r the National d a u g h t e r t o Commission study medicine for Women here,” the wom- reached an’s father said. Durgapur to A p r e l i m i - meet the nary probe by family. “Crime police revealed against that the student women is on was left strand- the rise in ed by her male Bengal. Police f r i e n d w h e n are not taking three unidenti- proactive fied men accost- steps,” NCW ed them. “They member snatched her Archana phone and took Majumdar her to a jungle said outside the campus, where they raped her. She was threatened with dire consequences if she informed anyone about it,” an officer said. The accused also demanded money from the student to return her mobile phone, he said. Meanwhile, the state health department on Saturday sought a report from the private medical college in Durgapur, a senior official said. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari spoke to the woman’s father and assured them of assistance. “Since last year’s RG Kar case, where an on-duty doctor was gang-raped, there have been several incidents where women were tortured... It’s time for the people of West Bengal to have a new government,” Adhikari said.