In coming years, Indian astronauts will be in space for the Gaganyaan mission, while Indian marine researchers will dive into the depths of the ocean (6kms), as a part of the Samudrayaan mission. Samudrayaan is India's ambitious deep-sea exploration mission, that will place the country in an elite list of about six nations that have operated manned, deep-sea probes for exploration, studies and research. Scientists had recently tested a basic version of the human-carrying shell of the Samudrayaan mission, off the Chennai coast. However, this was a steel hull meant for demonstration and had only been sent to a depth of 500m, as opposed to the original titanium hull that would have to dive 6km deep in the sea &nbsp;

Helmed by India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology, this initiative has roped in partners such as IITs, ISRO among others to fulfill various aspects of the design, testing and development within the country. The primary goal of the Samudrayaan Mission is to develop Matsya 6000, a manned deep-sea exploration vehicle that will be propelled by battery power and would be able to remain at a depth of 6 km for a duration of four hours.&nbsp;

The vehicle is a platform to carry devices, sensors and other equipment and to conduct experiments that would further enable deep-sea mineral exploration, improve understanding of mineral resources, investigation of tectonic activities and other deep-sea phenomena. This vehicle would be capable of carrying three persons, in a titanium-alloy sphere.

Regarding the technical specifications of the Samudrayaan manned vehicle, Dr Ramadass, Director, NIOT said that it would contain a thick hull that can withstand a pressure of 600 bar, at the depths of 6km. As a part of the initial testing of human capsule, it was submerged to a depth of 500 m

“This is a five year project, where the end goal is to get a titanium-alloy sphere of 80mm thickness and 2.1 metre diameter, which can carry humans. The components that go into the vehicle are being tested one by one. Many are being developed within India and some are being bought from the International market,” he said.&nbsp;

When asked about the budget allocated for the project, Dr Ramadass told WION that the whole deep ocean mission was cleared for funds of Rs 4077 crore, for a period of five years. However, the Samudrayaan vehicle alone would cost around Rs 350 crore.&nbsp;

On the rationale behind having a manned mission to such depths, instead of using unmanned vehicles, the director explained that electromagnetic waves would not penetrate water to great depths and that there were limitations in sending a tethered vehicle to the depths of the ocean.&nbsp;

“In a manned mission, we will be having a standalone probe that will have its own propulsion, oxygen generation, carbon dioxide removal, lights and cameras and other sensors. We can also have basic acoustic communication with the manned probe”, he explained.&nbsp;

Speaking at the launch event, union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that missions like Gaganyaan human spaceflight and Samudrayaan manned deep-sea exploration gave Indians a sense of prestige and elevated India to a list of a few elite nations. He also touched upon the importance of industry and academia working together to attain such national missions.&nbsp;

In coming years, Indian astronauts will be in space for the Gaganyaan mission, while Indian marine researchers will dive into the depths of the ocean (6kms), as a part of the Samudrayaan mission.

In coming years, Indian astronauts will be in space for the Gaganyaan mission, while Indian marine researchers will dive into the depths of the ocean (6kms), as a part of the Samudrayaan mission. Samudrayaan is India's ambitious deep-sea exploration mission, that will place the country in an elite list of about six nations that have operated manned, deep-sea probes for exploration, studies and research. Scientists had recently tested a basic version of the human-carrying shell of the Samudrayaan mission, off the Chennai coast. However, this was a steel hull meant for demonstration and had only been sent to a depth of 500m, as opposed to the original titanium hull that would have to dive 6km deep in the sea Helmed by India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology, this initiative has roped in partners such as IITs, ISRO among others to fulfill various aspects of the design, testing and development within the country. The primary goal of the Samudrayaan Mission is to develop Matsya 6000, a manned deep-sea exploration vehicle that will be propelled by battery power and would be able to remain at a depth of 6 km for a duration of four hours. The vehicle is a platform to carry devices, sensors and other equipment and to conduct experiments that would further enable deep-sea mineral exploration, improve understanding of mineral resources, investigation of tectonic activities and other deep-sea phenomena. This vehicle would be capable of carrying three persons, in a titanium-alloy sphere. Regarding the technical specifications of the Samudrayaan manned vehicle, Dr Ramadass, Director, NIOT said that it would contain a thick hull that can withstand a pressure of 600 bar, at the depths of 6km. As a part of the initial testing of human capsule, it was submerged to a depth of 500 m “This is a five year project, where the end goal is to get a titanium-alloy sphere of 80mm thickness and 2.1 metre diameter, which can carry humans. The components that go into the vehicle are being tested one by one. Many are being developed within India and some are being bought from the International market,” he said. When asked about the budget allocated for the project, Dr Ramadass told WION that the whole deep ocean mission was cleared for funds of Rs 4077 crore, for a period of five years. However, the Samudrayaan vehicle alone would cost around Rs 350 crore. On the rationale behind having a manned mission to such depths, instead of using unmanned vehicles, the director explained that electromagnetic waves would not penetrate water to great depths and that there were limitations in sending a tethered vehicle to the depths of the ocean. “In a manned mission, we will be having a standalone probe that will have its own propulsion, oxygen generation, carbon dioxide removal, lights and cameras and other sensors. We can also have basic acoustic communication with the manned probe”, he explained. Speaking at the launch event, union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that missions like Gaganyaan human spaceflight and Samudrayaan manned deep-sea exploration gave Indians a sense of prestige and elevated India to a list of a few elite nations. He also touched upon the importance of industry and academia working together to attain such national missions.

Samudrayaan: India's first manned deep-sea probe to travel 6 km under water

A report by an Indo-Australian industry body said on Friday that the two nations and their respective industries can deeply collaborate in the fields of Agri tech, E-commerce and retail tech, Fin tech, Health Tech, Ed Tech, Cybersecurity, R&amp;D and others. Top officials from both countries reiterated the commonalities between the democracies and Commonwealth nations and touched upon how technology can create new opportunities.&nbsp;

Prepared by the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce (IACC), the report is titled 'Recommendations to build stronger ties between India &amp; Australia in technology and innovation'&nbsp;

Speaking at the event, Australian Consul-General for South India, Ms Sarah Kirlew touched upon Australia's Pioneering advances in Cybersecurity, AI, Quantum computing and 5G and related policy frameworks. She added that Indian and Australian governments could put in place pathways for closer collaboration.

The diplomat also referred to the comprehensive Indo-Australia free trade agreement that is expected by next year, which could maximize economic prosperity for both nations. She added that Australia would be having a strong country presence at the upcoming Bengaluru tech summit, which would be taking place at the same time as the Sydney dialogue.

Dr Neeraj Mittal, Principal Secretary to Government, IT Dept, Government of Tamil Nadu, said that India was a strong player in the software domain, but also referred to the need to collaborate with pioneers in the field of education tech.

On the prospects of Tamil Nadu, he said that the southern Indian state is the first to have an Artificial Intelligence policy, has strong relationships with manufacturing firms and that The state was looking towards growing to a $1Tn economy. He added that the state would soon operationalize the BharatNet connectivity program that would ensure high speed internet connectivity to Gram Panchayats and smalll villages, within 1.5 years. The senior official said that this initiative would be able to significantly boost education and telemedicine.&nbsp;

IACC CEO Petula Thomas said, “This report considered views of 82 industry leaders, senior government representatives and tech experts. It will serve as a roadmap for implementing the recommendations set out for stakeholders primarily in six key sectors. The Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Science &amp; Innovation’ industry-sector leadership forum will engage stakeholders to develop a short term (6-12 months) and long term (2-3 years) strategy to deliver on the 41 recommendations made, and create lasting high impact”.

A report by an Indo-Australian industry body said on Friday that the two nations and their respective industries can deeply collaborate in the fields of Agri tech, E-commerce and retail tech, Fin tech, Health Tech, Ed Tech, Cybersecurity, R&D and others.

A report by an Indo-Australian industry body said on Friday that the two nations and their respective industries can deeply collaborate in the fields of Agri tech, E-commerce and retail tech, Fin tech, Health Tech, Ed Tech, Cybersecurity, R&D and others. Top officials from both countries reiterated the commonalities between the democracies and Commonwealth nations and touched upon how technology can create new opportunities. Prepared by the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce (IACC), the report is titled 'Recommendations to build stronger ties between India & Australia in technology and innovation' Speaking at the event, Australian Consul-General for South India, Ms Sarah Kirlew touched upon Australia's Pioneering advances in Cybersecurity, AI, Quantum computing and 5G and related policy frameworks. She added that Indian and Australian governments could put in place pathways for closer collaboration. The diplomat also referred to the comprehensive Indo-Australia free trade agreement that is expected by next year, which could maximize economic prosperity for both nations. She added that Australia would be having a strong country presence at the upcoming Bengaluru tech summit, which would be taking place at the same time as the Sydney dialogue. Dr Neeraj Mittal, Principal Secretary to Government, IT Dept, Government of Tamil Nadu, said that India was a strong player in the software domain, but also referred to the need to collaborate with pioneers in the field of education tech. On the prospects of Tamil Nadu, he said that the southern Indian state is the first to have an Artificial Intelligence policy, has strong relationships with manufacturing firms and that The state was looking towards growing to a $1Tn economy. He added that the state would soon operationalize the BharatNet connectivity program that would ensure high speed internet connectivity to Gram Panchayats and smalll villages, within 1.5 years. The senior official said that this initiative would be able to significantly boost education and telemedicine. IACC CEO Petula Thomas said, “This report considered views of 82 industry leaders, senior government representatives and tech experts. It will serve as a roadmap for implementing the recommendations set out for stakeholders primarily in six key sectors. The Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Science & Innovation’ industry-sector leadership forum will engage stakeholders to develop a short term (6-12 months) and long term (2-3 years) strategy to deliver on the 41 recommendations made, and create lasting high impact”.

Report recommends six sectors for greater Indo-Australian cooperation 

Superstar Rajinikanth has been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. WION spoke to the veteran actor's publicist who said he has visited for a regular medical check-up and might have to stay overnight for observation.&nbsp;

Rajinikanth had been to New Delhi this week to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for his stellar contribution to Indian cinema over the last 45years.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/rajinikanths-first-look-from-annaatthe-is-out-412195" hreflang="en">Rajinikanth's first look from 'Annaatthe' is out</a>

On Wednesday, the actor had tweeted pictures of his meetings with the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/rajinikanth-meets-pm-narendra-modi-president-ram-nath-kovind-424474"> President of India and the Prime Minister.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/rajinikanth-shares-first-hoote-on-daughters-newly-launched-voice-based-social-network-424377" hreflang="en">Rajinikanth shares first 'Hoote' on daughter's newly launched voice-based social network</a>

The superstar is awaiting the release of his 168th flick titled 'Annaatthe', which is to hit the screens on Diwali.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/tamil-superstar-rajinikanth-gets-covid-jab-daughter-shares-photo-on-twitter-384795" hreflang="en">Tamil superstar Rajinikanth gets Covid jab, daughter shares photo on Twitter</a>

Superstar Rajinikanth has been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. WION spoke to the veteran actor's publicist who said he has visited for a regular medical check-up and might have to stay overnight for observation.

Superstar Rajinikanth has been admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. WION spoke to the veteran actor's publicist who said he has visited for a regular medical check-up and might have to stay overnight for observation. Rajinikanth had been to New Delhi this week to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for his stellar contribution to Indian cinema over the last 45years.Rajinikanth's first look from 'Annaatthe' is out On Wednesday, the actor had tweeted pictures of his meetings with the President of India and the Prime Minister. Rajinikanth shares first 'Hoote' on daughter's newly launched voice-based social network The superstar is awaiting the release of his 168th flick titled 'Annaatthe', which is to hit the screens on Diwali. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth gets Covid jab, daughter shares photo on Twitter

Rajinikanth admitted to a private hospital in Chennai

South Indian superstar Rajinikanth underwent a surgical procedure on Friday, after he was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai, after complaining of giddiness on Thursday evening.&nbsp;

According to the hospital, a panel of doctors examined Rajinikanth and have successfully performed a Carotid Artery Revascularization surgery on the South-Indian superstar. The actor is recovering well after the procedure and is expected to be discharged from the hospital in a few days.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-dybbuk-review-emraan-hashmi%E2%80%99s-charm-doesn%E2%80%99t-suffice-this-insipid-horror-flick-424992" hreflang="en">Dybbuk review: Emraan Hashmi’s charm doesn’t suffice this insipid horror flick</a>

Explained in simple terms, the carotid artery supplies oxygenated blood to the head and neck. A buildup of fatty substances that collect and stick to the linings of the arteries, can narrow the carotid and cause health issues. The medical procedure that the 70-year-old actor underwent, was meant to remove the block in this artery and thus prevent further issues.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-hum-do-humare-do-review-kriti-sanon-looks-stunning-in-this-one-time-watch-entertainer-424972">Hum Do Humare Do review: Kriti Sanon is charming in this one-time watch film</a>

On Thursday, Rajini's publicist had said that the actor was in the hospital for a regular health check-up and that he might have to remain in hospital for a day, under observation. 
Rajinikanth had been to New Delhi earlier this week to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for his stellar contribution to Indian cinema over the last 45 years. On Wednesday, the actor had tweeted pictures of his meetings with the President of India and the Prime Minister. On Thursday he had even shared social media posts of having watched a special screening of his upcoming film with his family.&nbsp;

The superstar is awaiting the release of his 168th flick titled 'Annaatthe', which is set to hit the screens on Diwali.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/snoop-dogg-apologises-to-eminem-for-making-offensive-remarks-we-are-brothers-424904" hreflang="en">Snoop Dogg apologises to Eminem for making offensive remarks: We are brothers</a>

South Indian superstar Rajinikanth underwent a surgical procedure on Friday, after he was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai, after complaining of giddiness on Thursday evening.

South Indian superstar Rajinikanth underwent a surgical procedure on Friday, after he was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai, after complaining of giddiness on Thursday evening. According to the hospital, a panel of doctors examined Rajinikanth and have successfully performed a Carotid Artery Revascularization surgery on the South-Indian superstar. The actor is recovering well after the procedure and is expected to be discharged from the hospital in a few days. Also read: Dybbuk review: Emraan Hashmi’s charm doesn’t suffice this insipid horror flick Explained in simple terms, the carotid artery supplies oxygenated blood to the head and neck. A buildup of fatty substances that collect and stick to the linings of the arteries, can narrow the carotid and cause health issues. The medical procedure that the 70-year-old actor underwent, was meant to remove the block in this artery and thus prevent further issues. Also read: Hum Do Humare Do review: Kriti Sanon is charming in this one-time watch film On Thursday, Rajini's publicist had said that the actor was in the hospital for a regular health check-up and that he might have to remain in hospital for a day, under observation. Rajinikanth had been to New Delhi earlier this week to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award for his stellar contribution to Indian cinema over the last 45 years. On Wednesday, the actor had tweeted pictures of his meetings with the President of India and the Prime Minister. On Thursday he had even shared social media posts of having watched a special screening of his upcoming film with his family. The superstar is awaiting the release of his 168th flick titled 'Annaatthe', which is set to hit the screens on Diwali. Also read: Snoop Dogg apologises to Eminem for making offensive remarks: We are brothers

Rajinikanth undergoes surgery, to remain in hospital for a few days

Zoo officials in India’s southern Chennai city are monitoring the captive birds after five ostriches suddenly died on Wednesday, with a couple of more not keeping well.

Zoo officials the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) near Chennai maintained that “five ostriches died all of a sudden on October 27.

The zoo is home to 32 ostriches, of which five have succumbed to an illness, which is currently unknown, according to officials.

In-house vets and teams from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University&nbsp;arrived at the zoo to provide treatment to the sick ostriches, even as examination of bacteriology, virology and toxicology samples are also being carried out.&nbsp;

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Officials have ruled out the possibility of a fowl cholera infection, based on the blood smear and organ impression procedures carried out on Wednesday. Other birds are also under surveillance and are being continuously monitored, officials added.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chennai-zoo-lions-infected-with-delta-variant-of-covid-19-reveals-genome-sequencing-392441">Chennai Zoo Lions infected with Delta variant of COVID-19, reveals genome sequencing</a>

A lioness, aged 19, had died in the Zoo owing to old-age issues on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The zoo&nbsp;houses 2,400 animals with 180 different species, thus making it among the largest zoos in India.

Earlier this year, the zoo made headlines during the COVID-19 outbreak after 10 Asiatic lions, out of 15, tested for the virus’ delta variant, at a time when India was reeling under the severe second wave of the pandemic.

However, the zoo lost two lions, a male and a female, to the virus.

Zoo officials in India’s southern Chennai city are monitoring the captive birds after five ostriches suddenly died on Wednesday, with a couple of more not keeping well.

Zoo officials in India’s southern Chennai city are monitoring the captive birds after five ostriches suddenly died on Wednesday, with a couple of more not keeping well. Zoo officials the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) near Chennai maintained that “five ostriches died all of a sudden on October 27. The zoo is home to 32 ostriches, of which five have succumbed to an illness, which is currently unknown, according to officials. In-house vets and teams from the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University arrived at the zoo to provide treatment to the sick ostriches, even as examination of bacteriology, virology and toxicology samples are also being carried out. Also read | After lioness, a lion succumbs to COVID-19 at Chennai zoo Officials have ruled out the possibility of a fowl cholera infection, based on the blood smear and organ impression procedures carried out on Wednesday. Other birds are also under surveillance and are being continuously monitored, officials added. Also read | Chennai Zoo Lions infected with Delta variant of COVID-19, reveals genome sequencing A lioness, aged 19, had died in the Zoo owing to old-age issues on Tuesday. The zoo houses 2,400 animals with 180 different species, thus making it among the largest zoos in India. Earlier this year, the zoo made headlines during the COVID-19 outbreak after 10 Asiatic lions, out of 15, tested for the virus’ delta variant, at a time when India was reeling under the severe second wave of the pandemic. However, the zoo lost two lions, a male and a female, to the virus.

India’s Chennai zoo officials on toes after 5 ostriches die due to ‘unknown’ illness

A <a href="https://www.change.org/p/hr-ce-minister-tamilnadu-tamil-nadu-cm-don-t-melt-temple-gold-temple-jewels-not-government-property">Change.org petition</a> against the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to melt temple gold has gone past 40,000 signatures and is gaining further traction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the petition, which is addressed to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and officials under him, the secular government does not have any role to decide, which jewels are to be melted.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45a30141-48ca-4d7a-a207-ee965971de98" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pet.jpg" />

It also claims that the government’s hasty actions are violating the orders of the Madras High Court.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The DMK-led state government had recently announced their plan to melt temple gold (received as donation from devotees) and deposit it in nationalised banks and use the funds so obtained for the maintenance of temples. The government maintains that its Hindu religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&amp;CE) department has appointed a panel headed by three former judges to oversee this process.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Quoting a Madras High Court suo motu judgement from June this year, the petition cites that gold audit for temples had not been done for the last 60 years and that there has been no inventory and centralised registry of the jewels.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It adds that the court had directed the relevant State Government Department (HR&amp;CE) to conduct an external audit by India’s Comptroller Auditor General (CAG), under the expertise of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), besides creating a central registry and updating the details of the jewels, on a website that can be accessed by the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The petition alleges that the government has been rushing through in their decision and actions to melt temple gold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

In this regard, it is pointed out in the petition that temple trustees are the sole decision-makers on issues pertaining to melting of temple gold, etc and that the HR&amp;CE department does have the right to decide.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delayed-again-who-seeks-more-clarifications-on-made-in-india-covid-shot-covaxin-424319" hreflang="en">Delayed again: WHO seeks more 'clarifications' on made-in-India Covid shot Covaxin</a>

It adds that trustees have not been appointed in several temples for many years. The illegality in allowing temples to function without trustees is also being highlighted.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Petitions against this move of the MK Stalin government continue to be heard by the Madras High Court. During an earlier hearing, the government had pointed out that about 500 kg of temple gold had been melted since 1977.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

However, the petitioners opposed to this move and maintain that the government’s function was only to administer the temples and that it did not have the authority to touch the temple gold that was donated by devotees. They also raise questions over whether the antique gold ornaments also were being melted and whether there were clear records for the same.&nbsp;

A Change.org petition against the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to melt temple gold has gone past 40,000 signatures and is gaining further traction. According to the petition, which is addressed to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and officials under him, the secular government does not have any role to decide, which jewels are to be melted.

A Change.org petition against the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to melt temple gold has gone past 40,000 signatures and is gaining further traction. According to the petition, which is addressed to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and officials under him, the secular government does not have any role to decide, which jewels are to be melted. It also claims that the government’s hasty actions are violating the orders of the Madras High Court. The DMK-led state government had recently announced their plan to melt temple gold (received as donation from devotees) and deposit it in nationalised banks and use the funds so obtained for the maintenance of temples. The government maintains that its Hindu religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has appointed a panel headed by three former judges to oversee this process. Also Read: Indian finance minister participates in AIIB board meet Quoting a Madras High Court suo motu judgement from June this year, the petition cites that gold audit for temples had not been done for the last 60 years and that there has been no inventory and centralised registry of the jewels. It adds that the court had directed the relevant State Government Department (HR&CE) to conduct an external audit by India’s Comptroller Auditor General (CAG), under the expertise of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), besides creating a central registry and updating the details of the jewels, on a website that can be accessed by the public. The petition alleges that the government has been rushing through in their decision and actions to melt temple gold. In this regard, it is pointed out in the petition that temple trustees are the sole decision-makers on issues pertaining to melting of temple gold, etc and that the HR&CE department does have the right to decide. Also Read | Delayed again: WHO seeks more 'clarifications' on made-in-India Covid shot Covaxin It adds that trustees have not been appointed in several temples for many years. The illegality in allowing temples to function without trustees is also being highlighted. Petitions against this move of the MK Stalin government continue to be heard by the Madras High Court. During an earlier hearing, the government had pointed out that about 500 kg of temple gold had been melted since 1977. However, the petitioners opposed to this move and maintain that the government’s function was only to administer the temples and that it did not have the authority to touch the temple gold that was donated by devotees. They also raise questions over whether the antique gold ornaments also were being melted and whether there were clear records for the same.

Online petition against India's TN govt move to melt temple gold gains traction

In a clear expression of his political ambitions, Tamil actor C Joseph Vijay met 129 of his fan club members who won in the recently-concluded rural local body elections in Tamil Nadu. While the actor himself did not campaign in the elections, his fan club members were permitted contest as independent candidates, while using the flag and the actor's picture when canvassing for votes.&nbsp;

Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam(TVMI) is regarded as a fan club cum precursor to Vijay’s (possible) political party. 129 of the 169 candidates who contested as a part of TVMI had won in the polls, despite the actor not having. This is significant given how other actor-turned-politicians who also fielded their party candidates in the polls had a very dismal show.

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In a state where actor-turned-politicians and those with a background in the cinema industry have been elected to the position of Chief Minister, Vijay seems to be testing the waters for an impending foray. In contrast to many personalities who take the top-down approach and foray into politics using their personal brand and charisma, Vijay appears to be trying the reverse - building the party infrastructure from a grassroots level.&nbsp;

A statement issued by the TVMI, mentions that all candidates who emerged victorious met Vijay and sought his wishes. It was also added that these functionaries would highlight the basic problems faced by the people and help find solutions for the same, with the support of the State and Central governments.&nbsp;

When queried about the meeting that Vijay held with the functionaries, N. Anand, General Secretary, TVMI told Zee Media that the actor checked all the certificates of the winning candidates and urged them to work for the people. He also met everyone individually and spoke to each of us for a couple of minutes, he added. Asked specifically about whether Vijay harbors intentions to foray into politics, Anand replied that he wasn’t aware and that he’d have to check with the Actor.&nbsp;

In a clear expression of his political ambitions, Tamil actor C Joseph Vijay met 129 of his fan club members who won in the recently-concluded rural local body elections in Tamil Nadu.

In a clear expression of his political ambitions, Tamil actor C Joseph Vijay met 129 of his fan club members who won in the recently-concluded rural local body elections in Tamil Nadu. While the actor himself did not campaign in the elections, his fan club members were permitted contest as independent candidates, while using the flag and the actor's picture when canvassing for votes. Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam(TVMI) is regarded as a fan club cum precursor to Vijay’s (possible) political party. 129 of the 169 candidates who contested as a part of TVMI had won in the polls, despite the actor not having. This is significant given how other actor-turned-politicians who also fielded their party candidates in the polls had a very dismal show. Also Read | Tamil drama 'Koozhangal' is India's official entry for Oscars 2022 In a state where actor-turned-politicians and those with a background in the cinema industry have been elected to the position of Chief Minister, Vijay seems to be testing the waters for an impending foray. In contrast to many personalities who take the top-down approach and foray into politics using their personal brand and charisma, Vijay appears to be trying the reverse - building the party infrastructure from a grassroots level. A statement issued by the TVMI, mentions that all candidates who emerged victorious met Vijay and sought his wishes. It was also added that these functionaries would highlight the basic problems faced by the people and help find solutions for the same, with the support of the State and Central governments. When queried about the meeting that Vijay held with the functionaries, N. Anand, General Secretary, TVMI told Zee Media that the actor checked all the certificates of the winning candidates and urged them to work for the people. He also met everyone individually and spoke to each of us for a couple of minutes, he added. Asked specifically about whether Vijay harbors intentions to foray into politics, Anand replied that he wasn’t aware and that he’d have to check with the Actor.

Vijay’s teaser for political foray? Actor meets fans who won rural local body polls

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform. Launching the Hoote mobile application in 15 native Indian languages, Co-Founders Soundarya Rajinikanth and entrepreneur Sunny Pokala said that Hoote was meant to enable users to share and broadcast their content, thoughts via a recorded 60-second voice clip. They see voice-based social media as a means to capture real emotion, nuance and context, as opposed to text-based social media.&nbsp;

This made-in-India tech offering, available on both Android and iOS, is aimed at the English-speaking urban users and the rural audience, that might not be comfortable in using English-first social media apps. It is also being touted as a means for politicians, celebrities, eminent professionals and industrialists to connect with a larger audience, via voice. The app’s name is inspired by the Owl’s call, which goes by the same name. White owls are said to be a symbol of wisdom, Soundarya added.&nbsp;

It was in December 2020, as Rajini was planning his political foray and acting in a film that he sent his daughter a voice message in Tamil, owing to his inability to write/message in the same language. Realizing the power of voice-based communication, Soundarya reached out to Sunny and started building Hoote in early 2021. “That(Rajini’s political foray) didn’t happen owing to circumstances, but this (Hoote) happened”, she says proudly.&nbsp;

Sharing his first 60-second voice clip on the App, Rajini said that Hoote provided an opportunity for even illiterate persons to easily share their thoughts to the world, via their own voice. As advisors to the founders, Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks fame and Silicon Valley investor Arvind Parthasarathy&nbsp;shared their wishes and commended the idea of harnessing the power of voice.

According to the founders, Hoote users would be able to create and be a part of private and public groups, can share image and background music, along with their voice clips. Some of the upcoming features include availability in 10 International languages, pinned Hootes, accessing multiple profiles from a single device, adding background music to voice clips, privacy controls on who gets to hear a Hoote, subtitles for different languages, text and voice comments, the option to listen to audio teasers and trailers. They envision Hoote as an aggregator for voice content across genres and across languages.&nbsp;

When asked about the kind of user data that the app would collect and the revenue model (advertisement-driven or freemium), the founders told Zee Media that it would only collect basic information such as name, profession, contact information, at the time of signing up. “There is no charge and it is not monetized using advertisement revenue. We want to popularize the app”, they added.&nbsp;

On queries regarding how they planned to take on existing social media giants, the founders said that Hoote was not meant to be a director competitor. Hoote would also feature security measures to keep a tab on abusive content and allow users to report it and is compliant with all Indian laws, besides having stringent verification, the founders added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform.

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform. Launching the Hoote mobile application in 15 native Indian languages, Co-Founders Soundarya Rajinikanth and entrepreneur Sunny Pokala said that Hoote was meant to enable users to share and broadcast their content, thoughts via a recorded 60-second voice clip. They see voice-based social media as a means to capture real emotion, nuance and context, as opposed to text-based social media. This made-in-India tech offering, available on both Android and iOS, is aimed at the English-speaking urban users and the rural audience, that might not be comfortable in using English-first social media apps. It is also being touted as a means for politicians, celebrities, eminent professionals and industrialists to connect with a larger audience, via voice. The app’s name is inspired by the Owl’s call, which goes by the same name. White owls are said to be a symbol of wisdom, Soundarya added. It was in December 2020, as Rajini was planning his political foray and acting in a film that he sent his daughter a voice message in Tamil, owing to his inability to write/message in the same language. Realizing the power of voice-based communication, Soundarya reached out to Sunny and started building Hoote in early 2021. “That(Rajini’s political foray) didn’t happen owing to circumstances, but this (Hoote) happened”, she says proudly. Sharing his first 60-second voice clip on the App, Rajini said that Hoote provided an opportunity for even illiterate persons to easily share their thoughts to the world, via their own voice. As advisors to the founders, Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks fame and Silicon Valley investor Arvind Parthasarathy shared their wishes and commended the idea of harnessing the power of voice. According to the founders, Hoote users would be able to create and be a part of private and public groups, can share image and background music, along with their voice clips. Some of the upcoming features include availability in 10 International languages, pinned Hootes, accessing multiple profiles from a single device, adding background music to voice clips, privacy controls on who gets to hear a Hoote, subtitles for different languages, text and voice comments, the option to listen to audio teasers and trailers. They envision Hoote as an aggregator for voice content across genres and across languages. When asked about the kind of user data that the app would collect and the revenue model (advertisement-driven or freemium), the founders told Zee Media that it would only collect basic information such as name, profession, contact information, at the time of signing up. “There is no charge and it is not monetized using advertisement revenue. We want to popularize the app”, they added. On queries regarding how they planned to take on existing social media giants, the founders said that Hoote was not meant to be a director competitor. Hoote would also feature security measures to keep a tab on abusive content and allow users to report it and is compliant with all Indian laws, besides having stringent verification, the founders added.

Rajinikanth shares first 'Hoote' on daughter's newly launched voice-based social network

A human heart was flown nearly 700 km, the distance between two southern Indian cities, Kochi in Kerala and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, to save the life of a 51-year-old patient. The speedy transportation enabled a successful transplant, which was performed on late Sunday evening. &nbsp;

Harvested from a brain-dead person, the heart was transplanted to a 51-year-old male, who had been suffering from a condition known as Dilated Cardio Myopathy (DCM), which decreases the heart's ability to pump blood. The recipient had been on an organ registry waiting list, since February this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-both-kashmir-jammu-will-get-developed-together-says-indian-home-minister-amit-shah-at-rally-423530" hreflang="en">Now, both Kashmir, Jammu will get developed together, says Indian Home Minister Amit Shah at rally</a>

The donor, a 30-year-old male from Kochi, had failed to respond to treatment, after suffering a traumatic brain injury due to a road accident. He was hospitalised on October 19. He was declared brain dead on Saturday, following which his family was counselled and then consented for organ donation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

An alert for the heart organ was sent to Tamil Nadu Organ registry, which was later allocated to Rela Hospital in Chennai, as per the standard registry protocol. While the heart was allocated to Tamil Nadu, the remaining organs were allocated to hospitals in Kerala. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-travel-blogger-killed-in-mexico-gang-shootout-423400" hreflang="en">Indian travel blogger killed in Mexico gang shootout</a>

A team of four doctors from Rela Hospital, led by Dr Arumugam, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon flew to Kochi on Sunday morning and retrieved the organ from the donor. This smooth transit was facilitated by a special Green corridor, a traffic-free route for road quick transport, that was made ready by Kochi Police and Chennai Police in the respective cities. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The team of doctors reached Chennai from Kochi by 4:10 pm, completing a journey of an hour and five minutes. The doctors then transported the heart from the airport to the Rela hospital, where the Transplant team headed by Dr Sandeep Attawar, Program Director, Heart and Lung transplant at Rela hospital and their teams had got the recipient ready. The recipient is stable and in good health, following the successful transplant on late Sunday evening.&nbsp;

A human heart was flown nearly 700 km, the distance between two southern Indian cities, Kochi in Kerala and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, to save the life of a 51-year-old patient.

A human heart was flown nearly 700 km, the distance between two southern Indian cities, Kochi in Kerala and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, to save the life of a 51-year-old patient. The speedy transportation enabled a successful transplant, which was performed on late Sunday evening. Harvested from a brain-dead person, the heart was transplanted to a 51-year-old male, who had been suffering from a condition known as Dilated Cardio Myopathy (DCM), which decreases the heart's ability to pump blood. The recipient had been on an organ registry waiting list, since February this year. Also Read: Now, both Kashmir, Jammu will get developed together, says Indian Home Minister Amit Shah at rally The donor, a 30-year-old male from Kochi, had failed to respond to treatment, after suffering a traumatic brain injury due to a road accident. He was hospitalised on October 19. He was declared brain dead on Saturday, following which his family was counselled and then consented for organ donation. An alert for the heart organ was sent to Tamil Nadu Organ registry, which was later allocated to Rela Hospital in Chennai, as per the standard registry protocol. While the heart was allocated to Tamil Nadu, the remaining organs were allocated to hospitals in Kerala. Also Read: Indian travel blogger killed in Mexico gang shootout A team of four doctors from Rela Hospital, led by Dr Arumugam, Heart and Lung Transplant Surgeon flew to Kochi on Sunday morning and retrieved the organ from the donor. This smooth transit was facilitated by a special Green corridor, a traffic-free route for road quick transport, that was made ready by Kochi Police and Chennai Police in the respective cities. The team of doctors reached Chennai from Kochi by 4:10 pm, completing a journey of an hour and five minutes. The doctors then transported the heart from the airport to the Rela hospital, where the Transplant team headed by Dr Sandeep Attawar, Program Director, Heart and Lung transplant at Rela hospital and their teams had got the recipient ready. The recipient is stable and in good health, following the successful transplant on late Sunday evening.

India: Docs, cops facilitate 700-km rapid transport of human heart for transplant

In the early hours of Saturday, Indian Coast Guard conducted a mid-sea rescue following the collision of MV Navious Venus and fishing boat Sijumon – 01 near India’s southernmost region.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-fishermans-mortal-remains-returned-by-lankan-navy-2-still-in-custody-423294" hreflang="en">Indian fisherman’s mortal remains returned by Lankan Navy; 2 still in custody &nbsp;</a>

Two crew members of the fishing boat were thrown overboard due to the impact of collision, following which, Indian Coast Guard vessel Shaurya rescued them, based on information provided by ICG Station, Vizhinjam. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttarakhand-11-of-17-missing-trekkers-found-dead-as-iafs-rescue-op-continues-423219" hreflang="en">Uttarakhand: 11 of 17 missing trekkers found dead as IAF’s rescue op continues</a>&nbsp;

After initial medical assistance and first aid, the two fishermen were transferred from ICGS Shaurya to another Coast Guard platform C-427. The duo were then taken to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College by a medical team from Indian Coast Guard Station, Vizhinjam.

<img alt="Brief 3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1149ac56-3554-4d53-a7ba-23c8a725b787" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Fisher%202.jpg" />

Fishing boat Shujumon-01 entered the Colachal fishing harbour with its remaining 15 crew, while being safely escorted by other local fishing boats.

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In a wee hours operation <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaCoastGuard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndiaCoastGuard</a> rescue two indian fishermen off kerala-TN coast, after a merchant vessel and the fishing boat collided. 
 
Two fishers were taken to Thiruvananthapuram hospital, the boat involved in crash returned to its harbour in Colachel, TN<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a> <a href="https://t.co/iHWedpP2Ov">pic.twitter.com/iHWedpP2Ov</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1451853309585727489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The pictures and videos of the wee-hours incident show Indian Coast Guard personnel helping the two middle-aged fishermen&nbsp;climb onto the coast guard ship, following which they were given first aid. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the early hours of Saturday, Indian Coast Guard conducted a mid-sea rescue following the collision of MV Navious Venus and fishing boat Sijumon – 01 near India’s southernmost region.

In the early hours of Saturday, Indian Coast Guard conducted a mid-sea rescue following the collision of MV Navious Venus and fishing boat Sijumon – 01 near India’s southernmost region. Also Read: Indian fisherman’s mortal remains returned by Lankan Navy; 2 still in custody Two crew members of the fishing boat were thrown overboard due to the impact of collision, following which, Indian Coast Guard vessel Shaurya rescued them, based on information provided by ICG Station, Vizhinjam. Also Read: Uttarakhand: 11 of 17 missing trekkers found dead as IAF’s rescue op continues After initial medical assistance and first aid, the two fishermen were transferred from ICGS Shaurya to another Coast Guard platform C-427. The duo were then taken to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College by a medical team from Indian Coast Guard Station, Vizhinjam. Fishing boat Shujumon-01 entered the Colachal fishing harbour with its remaining 15 crew, while being safely escorted by other local fishing boats. In a wee hours operation @IndiaCoastGuard rescue two indian fishermen off kerala-TN coast, after a merchant vessel and the fishing boat collided. Two fishers were taken to Thiruvananthapuram hospital, the boat involved in crash returned to its harbour in Colachel, TN#India pic.twitter.com/iHWedpP2Ov — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 23, 2021 × The pictures and videos of the wee-hours incident show Indian Coast Guard personnel helping the two middle-aged fishermen climb onto the coast guard ship, following which they were given first aid.

Indian Coast Guard rescues 2 fishermen after fishing boat-merchant vessel mid-sea collision

Mortal remains of Indian fisherman Rajkiran were repatriated on Saturday noon by the Sri Lankan Navy, by handing it over to an Indian fishing boat, near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) that separates both nations. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The mortal remains were taken to the Kottaipattinam fishing hamlet in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai district. However, two other fishermen, who accompanied Rajkiran, on the same boat, continue to remain in Lankan custody. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fishing communities in Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts of Tamil Nadu held a protest condemning the Indian and Tamil Nadu governments for allegedly not protecting fishermen. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-jammu-and-kashmir-turns-into-fortress-ahead-of-home-minister-amit-shahs-3-day-visit-423216" hreflang="en">India’s Jammu and Kashmir turns into fortress ahead of home minister Amit Shah’s 3-day visit</a>

They also angrily raised doubts over actions of Chief Minister MK Stalin, who had only offered Rs 10 lakh in compensation for the bereaved family, a meagre sum in comparison to the Rs 1 crore that Stalin used to demand, when he was an opposition leader. They also urged the Tamil Nadu and Indian Government to promulgate a law to protect fishermen. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Rajkiran, Xavier and Suganthiran left from their respective homes in the Kottaipattinam fishing hamlet in Southern Tamil Nadu, on Monday. On the same day, the fishing boat they were sailing in, ended up getting sunk near the Delft island (between India and Sri Lanka) owing to what the Sri Lankan Navy calls “a collision”, with their navy craft. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The fishing community from Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts in Tamil Nadu have been calling it a “deliberate action of colliding and sinking the Indian fishing boat”. They allege that the latest incident bears total resemblance to an incident from January this year - where a Lankan Navy Boat had allegedly crashed into an Indian fishing vessel, thus leading to the capture and torture and death of its four crew members. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a87a415-5840-4bd1-b480-bdebfbbefc99" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Fisherman%202.jpg" />

“The boat capsized because of them (Lankan forces), this was not an unexpected incident like they have been projecting. Their navy has radars and a collision like this can’t happen - they have chased the boat and it ended up like this. Sri Lanka is responsible,” complained Prabhakaran, a fisherman, who is said to have been traveling on another boat, that was near to the ill-fated one. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Regarding this incident, the Sri Lankan Navy has maintained that “the Indian vessel was poaching in Sri Lankan waters, across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), on Monday”. They added that the collision occurred when the Lankan Navy craft was chasing away Indian fishing boats. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“One of the Indian fishing trawlers, with aggressive manoeuvres, in resistance to the chasing away action, was on an attempt to evade from the scene, making it collide with SLN craft in operation. In the process, it ultimately descended having lost its stability as well as due to the rough sea condition,” read the Lankan Navy statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttarakhand-11-of-17-missing-trekkers-found-dead-as-iafs-rescue-op-continues-423219" hreflang="en">Uttarakhand: 11 of 17 missing trekkers found dead as IAF’s rescue op continues</a>&nbsp;

The issue between fishermen in Tamil Nadu and the Lankan Navy has been a long-standing and thorny one. It is often alleged that Indian fishermen deliberately head to Lankan waters and indulge in bottom trawling, an unsustainable fishing practice that affects the ecology and marine life in the long-term. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sri Lanka maintains that arrests of foreign fishermen are being done to protect the livelihood of their own fishing community. Recently, Lankan fishermen from the northern part of the island country had protested, demanding their government to act against Indian fishermen, who were trespassing into their waters. They made attempts to pressure the Indian and Sri Lankan authorities to act against those involved in illegal fishing. &nbsp;

According to India’s National Traditional Fishermen Federation, the latest incident involving the Sri Lankan Navy is seen as deliberate retribution for another recent untoward incident, which involved an Indian boat. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A few weeks back, a large Indian fishing trawler from Tamil Nadu had collided with and sunk&nbsp;a smaller Lankan fishing boat. While the Lankan boat was fully damaged and lost, the fishermen survived and returned to the shore. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It is believed that, had the Indian Government or Tamil Nadu government taken some action against the errant Indian boat and offered compensation to the Lankan fishermen, things would have been amicably resolved. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Indian fishermen believe that holding talks between them and their Sri Lankan counterparts would help resolve some of the misunderstandings that are based on the recent collision and alleged trespass.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mortal remains of Indian fisherman Rajkiran were repatriated on Saturday noon by the Sri Lankan Navy, by handing it over to an Indian fishing boat, near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) that separates both nations.

Mortal remains of Indian fisherman Rajkiran were repatriated on Saturday noon by the Sri Lankan Navy, by handing it over to an Indian fishing boat, near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) that separates both nations. The mortal remains were taken to the Kottaipattinam fishing hamlet in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukottai district. However, two other fishermen, who accompanied Rajkiran, on the same boat, continue to remain in Lankan custody. Fishing communities in Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts of Tamil Nadu held a protest condemning the Indian and Tamil Nadu governments for allegedly not protecting fishermen. Also Read: India’s Jammu and Kashmir turns into fortress ahead of home minister Amit Shah’s 3-day visit They also angrily raised doubts over actions of Chief Minister MK Stalin, who had only offered Rs 10 lakh in compensation for the bereaved family, a meagre sum in comparison to the Rs 1 crore that Stalin used to demand, when he was an opposition leader. They also urged the Tamil Nadu and Indian Government to promulgate a law to protect fishermen. Rajkiran, Xavier and Suganthiran left from their respective homes in the Kottaipattinam fishing hamlet in Southern Tamil Nadu, on Monday. On the same day, the fishing boat they were sailing in, ended up getting sunk near the Delft island (between India and Sri Lanka) owing to what the Sri Lankan Navy calls “a collision”, with their navy craft. The fishing community from Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts in Tamil Nadu have been calling it a “deliberate action of colliding and sinking the Indian fishing boat”. They allege that the latest incident bears total resemblance to an incident from January this year - where a Lankan Navy Boat had allegedly crashed into an Indian fishing vessel, thus leading to the capture and torture and death of its four crew members. “The boat capsized because of them (Lankan forces), this was not an unexpected incident like they have been projecting. Their navy has radars and a collision like this can’t happen - they have chased the boat and it ended up like this. Sri Lanka is responsible,” complained Prabhakaran, a fisherman, who is said to have been traveling on another boat, that was near to the ill-fated one. Regarding this incident, the Sri Lankan Navy has maintained that “the Indian vessel was poaching in Sri Lankan waters, across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), on Monday”. They added that the collision occurred when the Lankan Navy craft was chasing away Indian fishing boats. “One of the Indian fishing trawlers, with aggressive manoeuvres, in resistance to the chasing away action, was on an attempt to evade from the scene, making it collide with SLN craft in operation. In the process, it ultimately descended having lost its stability as well as due to the rough sea condition,” read the Lankan Navy statement. Also Read | Uttarakhand: 11 of 17 missing trekkers found dead as IAF’s rescue op continues The issue between fishermen in Tamil Nadu and the Lankan Navy has been a long-standing and thorny one. It is often alleged that Indian fishermen deliberately head to Lankan waters and indulge in bottom trawling, an unsustainable fishing practice that affects the ecology and marine life in the long-term. Sri Lanka maintains that arrests of foreign fishermen are being done to protect the livelihood of their own fishing community. Recently, Lankan fishermen from the northern part of the island country had protested, demanding their government to act against Indian fishermen, who were trespassing into their waters. They made attempts to pressure the Indian and Sri Lankan authorities to act against those involved in illegal fishing. According to India’s National Traditional Fishermen Federation, the latest incident involving the Sri Lankan Navy is seen as deliberate retribution for another recent untoward incident, which involved an Indian boat. A few weeks back, a large Indian fishing trawler from Tamil Nadu had collided with and sunk a smaller Lankan fishing boat. While the Lankan boat was fully damaged and lost, the fishermen survived and returned to the shore. It is believed that, had the Indian Government or Tamil Nadu government taken some action against the errant Indian boat and offered compensation to the Lankan fishermen, things would have been amicably resolved. Indian fishermen believe that holding talks between them and their Sri Lankan counterparts would help resolve some of the misunderstandings that are based on the recent collision and alleged trespass.

Indian fisherman’s mortal remains returned by Lankan Navy; 2 still in custody  

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material.&nbsp;

 
“The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.”

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-vaccination-in-india-crosses-1-billion-what-about-its-neighbours-422545">COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours?</a>

SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the &nbsp;Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.”

 
According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.&nbsp;

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute.

As India celebrates the occasion of having surpassed 100crore or 1 billion vaccinations against COVID-19, the country’s private airlines shared the joy of having been able to contribute. While Indigo mentioned their efforts in helping transport 67.9cr vaccines across the country, SpiceJet referred to their role in repatriating Indian citizens from abroad, transporting cargo and COVID-19 relief material. “The airline carried 1727 tonnes of COVID vaccine via 4505 flights between January 12th and October 12th 2021, by adhering to all requisite precautionary measures” read the statement from Indigo. Congratulating the Indian Government on the milestone, William Boulter, Chief Commercial Officer, IndiGo said, “We feel privileged to be able to contribute to the national vaccination program through safe and hassle-free transportation of 67.9cr vaccine doses over the last nine months. It is an honour to be the largest transporter of covid vaccines in the country, carrying almost 190 tonnes of vaccine Cargo across the country every month. We remain committed to supporting the nation and will continue transporting the vaccines seamlessly, till the country is fully vaccinated.” Also Read | COVID-19 vaccination in India crosses 1 billion. What about its neighbours? SpiceJet unveiled a special livery to honor the contribution of the frontline workers who worked worked tirelessly to achieve the vaccination milestone. The special livery was unveiled at a grand event graced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet at Delhi’s IGI Airport. The livery which includes an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers will adorn three Boeing 737 aircraft of SpiceJet. Congratulating the Prime Minister and the Government, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “The fact that a record 1 billion doses were administered in just 279 days is a testament to the efforts of our health workers and the cooperation of our citizens.” According to SpiceJet, they had played an integral role in the war against COVID-19 by carrying record supplies of relief material, medicines and medical equipment, over the last 18 months. “ The airline has operated around 26,300 cargo flights since March 2020 and transported around 200,000 tonnes of cargo. Besides, the airline also airlifted close to 90,000 oxygen concentrators and relief material” read their statement. It adds that they had brought back 3.63 lakh Indian and foreign nationals stranded in different countries on more than 2100 special flights.

India’s Private airlines recall journey to 1billion vaccinations, battle against COVID-19

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