NEW DELHI 30 august 2026 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Soap Opera MAGAZINE Outside the Ways of Living Dr Vikram Sampath Ravi Shankar Prabhu Chawla Preeti Shenoy Santwana Bhattacharya Dr Alka Pande Shankkar Aiyar Love in the Time of Hindutva E x c l u s i v e Voi c e s Private Eye Gliding Past the Clouds on His Own Sweet Meats amma speaks ‘If I’m Playing a Hero, I Would Like to Be a Real One’ The Way to Make Life a Celebration HDFC Bank boss on way out, won’t seek reappointment B enn K o c hu v eedan @ Mumbai Residents carry their belongings salvaged from their flood-hit homes in Nepal’s Devighat area on Saturday | AP express read 37 dead in Russia strikes in Kyiv Russia struck an arms depot near Kyiv in Ukraine overnight, sparking fires and explosions that killed 37 people and wounded dozens of others. The attack was the second to hit a munitions depot near Kyiv in less than two months. P9 2.73L candidates for NEET-PG More than 2.73 lakh medical graduates will appear for NEET-PG today. The examination is scheduled across 1,300 centres in 340 cities. The authorities said they have put in place a robust security set-up. P7 Nutrition in focus in children’s death After 89 crib deaths were reported in a Malda hospital, the Bengal government-appointed panel found that malnutrition might have caused deaths. An official said the government has decided to review natal care in the state. P8 Court takes note of NIA chargesheet A Delhi court on Saturday took cognisance of the NIA’s 7,500-page chargesheet against 13 accused in the Red Fort blast case that killed 11 people and left several injured on November 10 last year. P3 Toll 675, India steps up rescue, forensic support 88 Indians rescued in Nepal so far; 128 PIOs reported missing E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi India on Saturday stepped up rescue and relief assistance to Nepal following the devastating flash floods, with 88 Indian nationals rescued so far while 287 remained uncontactable. Four Indian nationals were rescued from a hydropower project in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and are expected to reach Kathmandu shortly , the External Affairs Ministry said. Besides, 128 persons of Indian origin (PIOs) are missing. As many as 120 Indian nationals crossed into Nepal from China on Saturday the , MEA said. India is also deploying specialised expertise to support Nepal’s search and identification efforts. Six forensic expert teams from India are expected to reach Kathmandu to assist Nepalese authorities in analysing DNA samples and identifying mortal remains. “Forensic expert teams from India (six) are expected to reach Kathmandu today to assist in analysis of DNA samples for identification of mortal remains,” the MEA said. India has also moved to bolster tunnel-rescue operations in the floodhit areas. An Indian technical team for tunnel-rescue reconnaissance reached Kathmandu on Friday Based . on its assessment, a specialised tunnel-rescue team equipped with necessary equipment is in Nepal. The Indian assistance comes as Nepal m o u n t s a m a s s ive search and rescue operation across the worst-affected districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Relief supplies being Dhading and Chitwan. delivered by drone at Nepal Foreign Minis- Devighat in Nepal | PTI ter Shisir Khanal said the government had mobilised all available resources following the August 26 flash floods. “Our immediate priority remains clear: to save lives, locate missing persons, rescue them, provide urgent relief to survivors,” Khanal said. So far, 675 bodies — 246 from Chitawan, 165 from Nawalparasi East, 63 from Nawalparasi West, 57 from Gorkha, 45 from Dhading, 51 from Nuwakot, 35 from Tanahu and 13 from Rasuwa district — have been recovered and around 2,400 people remain uncontactable, while more than 4,450 people, including over 187 foreign nationals, have been rescued. Khanal said the figures could change as search and verification continue. P8 & P9 10 bodies from Nepal recovered in UP’s Gandak SASHIdhar Jagdishan, chief executive and managing director of HDFC Bank, who was handpicked by the bank’s founding CEO Aditya Puri to succeed him in 2020, has decided not to seek reappointment when his current term ends in October, bringing to an end his nearly three-decade career with the country’s largest private sector bank. “Despite persuasion, Jagdishan reiterated his decision to not seek reappointment when his term ends on October 26, 2026. The board deeply appreciates his commitment, leadership, contribution to the growth and stability of the bank and his role in the successful completion of one of the Difference of opinion Several people familiar with the matter of resignation of non-executive chairman Atanu Chakraborty’s decision attributed it to ‘differences’ with Jagdishan over the extent of the chairman’s role in the bank’s functioning. largest mergers in corporate India,” the bank informed the stock exchanges on Saturday . The board has now fasttracked the process of finding his successor, it added. Jagdishan’s biggest achievement at the bank was arguably the merger of parent Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) with HDFC Bank in July 2023. Valued at around $44 billion, the trans- explanation sought BJP prez pulls up 3 MPs over Sajjan memorial N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow H a r p r eet B a j w a @ Chandigarh At least 10 bodies have been recovered from river Gandak in eastern UP in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts over the past two days, with authorities yet to identify the deceased or trace their families. Originating from Nepal, Gandak flows into India. Official sources said all 10 were natives of Nepal and were adults. The bodies were bloated and in an advanced state of decomposition. They were taken to mortuaries in Maharajganj and Kushinagar, where they would be kept for 72 hours, said the district administration River brings in authorities. vehicles, drums The details of jewelGandak is also lery and other belongbringing other items, ings found on the bodincluding vehicles, ies were recorded along household goods, with distinctive physigas cylinders, cal features such as tatdrums, toos and other identifyfurniture, logs ing marks. Photographs and other of the deceased have debris also been circulated in apparently nearby areas. from Nepal. According ADM MaVillagers were seen harajganj, four of the gathering along the bodies — three women river to retrieve the and a young man — articles being washed had been found in the ashore district. “If no one comes forward during the next 72-hour period, further action will be taken in accordance with government guidelines,” Kumar said. In Kushinagar, six bodies — three men and three women— were recovered from Gandak. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and the flood battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary are working alongside the district administration and police in the affected areas of Maharajganj and Kushinagar. However, as per official sources, immediate flood threat has eased as water levels has receded. However, residents were advised to stay away from rivers and low-lying areas for now. BJP national president Nitin Nabin reprimanded three party MPs from Delhi for visiting the house of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar after his death. Nabin’s action came ahead of the Punjab assembly election, where it is trying to woo the Sikh community, and a day after party leader H S Phulka criticised the visit. Kumar was a convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases and represented the erstwhile Outer Delhi parliamentary constituency for the Congress for multiple terms. BJP leaders Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, an MP from the South Delhi constituency, Yogender Chandoliya from North West Delhi and Kamaljeet Sehrawat from West Delhi had visited Kumar’s home in Peeragarhi for a post-death ceremony Many parts of the Lok Sab. ha constituencies of the three MPs were part of the erstwhile Outer Delhi seat. The three MPs also have community ties with Kumar. Sources in the BJP said that Nabin told the three MPs that they should not have visited action was one of the largest M&A deals in corporate India. However, the merger also brought a host of challenges, particularly on the asset-liability and margin fronts. The bank also faced several other issues during Jagdishan’s tenure, the most significant of which was in March 2026 when non-executive chairman Atanu Chakraborty resigned citing concerns over the bank’s functioning. The bank also faced allegations of mis-selling low-investment-grade bonds to NRIs through its Dubai branch, with customers allegedly promised higher returns that were not received. In a separate case involving the alleged mis-selling of Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bonds issued by failed Swiss lender Credit Suisse, American investors reportedly threatened to initiate a class-action lawsuit against the bank. FCC event with Awami member called off, cops deny any role E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi BJP said that the three MPs went to Sajjan Kumar’s house in their personal capacity, not as party representatives Kumar’s residence. They have been told to explain their conduct, the sources added. BJP national spokesperson R P Singh said that the three MPs went to Kumar’s house in their personal capacity, and not as representatives of the party . Phoolka, who has long been the legal representative of the families of the riot survivors, on Friday condemned the MPs’ visit to Kumar’s house. He said, “I strongly condemn the visit of three MPs, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Yogender Chandolia, to mass murderer Sajjan Kumar’s residence.” Phoolka had joined the BJP in April this year. Congress’ Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, another leader with community ties with Kumar, had praised Kumar after his death on August 20. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to address diaspora at Madison Square The event titled ‘Universal Oneness Celebrations’, is an invite-based gathering which will have more than 5,000 attendees A seminar on Europe-Asia relations scheduled here on Saturday evening was cancelled after organisers said the Delhi Police denied permission for the programme at short notice. The event, ‘Europe and Asia: From Dialogue to a Partnership’, was organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia) in collaboration with the Belgiumbased Hand in Hand Foundation and its partners. The panel included diplomats, academics, rights activists and political figures from Asia and Europe. Among those scheduled to speak was Bangladeshi-American scientist Nuran Nabi, whose work has focused on documenting Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation war. Nabi, author of Bullets of ‘71-A Freedom Fighter’s Story’, has also addressed audiences at several US universities on the history and legacy of the 1971 conflict. An FCC member said that the organisers approached Tilak Marg police station on Friday evening as part of their routine procedure to seek permission and security arrangements. “We were then informed that the police categorically denied giving permission for the event,” the member said. The FCC described the intervention as “unexplained”. The Delhi Police did not comment on the matter, but denied any role in the cancellation of the event. Auto & taxi unions call indefinite strike Congress expels leader for blocking CM’s convoy from Sept 9 over CNG price, fitness fee E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e Not ideal, says minister @ Thiruvananthapuram A D I T I R AY C H O W D H U R Y @ New Delhi THE auto-rickshaw and taxi unions in the national capital have announced an indefinite strike from September 9 at midnight against the sharp rise in CNG prices. They are demanding either a revision in fares or a fuel subsidy from the Delhi government. The unions have also sought the scrapping of the `800 vehicle fitness fee and the formation of a welfare board for drivers. In a letter dated August 29 to CM Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh and the Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union said CNG prices had risen by `3.89 in a recent increase and had gone up by around `12-13 over the past two months. They added the increase had raised the operating costs of drivers, who were bearing higher expenses on spare parts, maintenance, insurance and repairs. The unions also said they had repeatedly sought a meet- ing with the government but received no response. Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, told this newspaper that the unions had written several letters to the CM. He said around one lakh auto drivers and 22,000 black-and-yellow taxi drivers would join the strike if their demands are not met. “If the government cannot provide a CNG subsidy, fares should be increased,” Soni said. The Congress on Saturday expelled Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee leader Anil Kumar alias Chenthi Ani from the party’s primary membership, hours after he was booked for blocking Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s motorcade. On Saturday mor ning, Sreekaryam Police arrested Ani for blocking the CM’s convoy and misbehaving with him for refusing to attend the Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi celebrations at Chenthi the previ- Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan said making derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister is not ideal. KPCC president Sunny Joseph said the party’s stance on the issue is clear through the disciplinary action. Noticeably, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala refused to respond to the issue. ous night. Satheesan was on his way to Chempazhanthy to attend the event. On the way a , group of people organising another Sree Narayana Guru event at Chenthi signalled the CM’s vehicle to stop, police said. Satheesan stepped out of the vehicle following their request and was seen in televi- sion visuals arguing with Ani. After a few minutes at the spot, Satheesan returned to his vehicle and left, police said. Police said no event at Chenthi was listed in the CM’s schedule, and filed an FIR against Ani. “The accused confronted the CM in an aggressive manner. When asked to refrain from being aggressive, the accused allegedly threatened, ‘What will you do if I get angry?’, insulting the CM and obstructing the official duties of police personnel accompanying the convoy the FIR said. ,” A court sent Ani to 14 days in custody .