Author: Indmedia

The instant messaging app has seen an exponential growth in installs, usage and app store rankings The government’s push to go ‘Swadeshi’ in tech, endorsement by senior ministers, and the overall social media buzz have taken the downloads and daily active usage (DAU) of Zoho’s messaging app Arattai to record highs. Data sourced by businessline from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, show that Arattai’s downloads and DAUs have soared 185X and 40X week-over-week, respectively, in India. This jump was observed between September 21 and September 27 when the spotlight was thrown on the app by government representatives. The instant messaging…

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 23:59 ISTSenior officers familiar with past election cycles said such a configuration has not been seen in earlier assembly elections in West Bengal or other statesWhile the ECI routinely appoints senior bureaucrats as observers, the inclusion of the state’s home secretary and the police commissioners has drawn attention within administrative circles. (File pic: PTI)In a move that the senior officers of the state describe as “unprecedented”, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed the West Bengal home secretary and two police commissioners, two range IGs, as election observers for the forthcoming assembly elections, while simultaneously…

Mumbai: When 30-year-old Fatima (name changed) was diagnosed with drug-resistant (DR) TB in Jan last year, her doctors were clear: Missing a dose or skimping on nutrition wasn’t an option. The Govandi resident handed over her bank details to health workers, trusting the central govt’s promise of Rs 1,000 per month for nutrition. It was soon broken.Apart from two transfers of Rs 3,000 each in March and June, Fatima was left to fight the disease on an empty stomach for half the year. Like her, 39,164 patients in Mumbai were left high and dry all through 2025—India’s promised deadline for…

New Delhi: After years of complaints from traders and shoppers, Sarojini Nagar Market is set to get long-awaited relief from its chronic parking chaos, with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) taking over the newly built multi-level parking facility in the area. Constructed by National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), the facility will now be operated by NDMC’s parking cell and is expected to become operational later this month. NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal said the conventional multi-level parking structure, with a capacity of about 680 vehicles, has been formally transferred to NDMC’s civil department under a memorandum of understanding. “Coordination with the…

Bengaluru: Carrying placards and chanting slogans of “Beda Beda SIR Beda” (Don’t want SIR), a group of civil rights activists gathered at Freedom Park on Saturday evening to protest against the state government’s silence and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Protesters raised concerns over alleged deletion of voters’ names during the exercise and demanded transparency and clarity from the state.Members of several activist groups recited poems and raised slogans, saying the demonstration was aimed at highlighting threats to voting rights and pressing the government to clearly state its position on SIR. M Jayamma, vice-president of the…

Hyderabad: Easy access to Hyderabad and relatively affordable prices is turning Ooty’s suburbs such as Lovedale and other hill stations in the Nilgiris, including Coonoor, Kotagiri and Hullathy, into go-to destinations for Telugu families. They are no longer looking to spend their vacations there but buying their second homes.Although the numbers are hard to come by, many from the Telugu states, especially high net worth individuals (HNIs), are said to be building homes there, where they spend nearly two to three months every year. And since the Covid-19 pandemic their numbers have only increased.”The Nilgiris is full of Telugus,” said…

Chennai: City motorists may have to contend with narrowed roads, blocked stretches and slow-moving traffic for at least one more year, as Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) targets completion of nearly 40km of elevated corridors under Phase 2 by March 2027.Including the nearly 28km planned for commissioning this year, close to 90% of the 74km elevated alignment of the 116.1km Phase 2 network would be operational. If CMRL’s construction plan stays on schedule, several major arterial roads could be cleared of barricades by next year, marking completion of more than 50% of the overall Phase-2 project. Key elevated stretches scheduled…

Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s equity mutual fund assets under management (AUM) clocked their slowest annual growth in three years in 2025. Data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) shows that equity AUM in the state rose 16.1% year on year to Rs 3.67 lakh crore in Dec 2025, a sharp deceleration compared to 45.7% growth in 2024 and 39% in 2023. The last comparable slowdown was recorded in 2022, when equity AUM grew 16.6%.Market participants said the moderation reflects frequent market swings and global uncertainty, which made investors wary of deploying fresh lump sum capital. Concerns around geopolitical tensions,…

Prayagraj: Sangam city is set to receive a major boost in inclusive sports infrastructure as 2 of its largest sporting facilities — Madan Mohan Malaviya Stadium and the Amitabh Bachchan Sports Complex — are being upgraded to become fully accessible for differently-abled athletes.Under the Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign), launched by the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities to create a barrier-free environment for divyangjans, over Rs 4.1 crore was approved for the project. Of this, over Rs 1.98 crore was allocated for Madan Mohan Malaviya Stadium and Rs 2.14 crore for the Amitabh Bachchan Sports Complex, district…

Bhubaneswar: The Mahanadi water-sharing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh has triggered a fresh political row, with leader of opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik accusing the state govt of lacking sincerity and commitment to protect the “lifeline”. Odisha advocate general Pitambar Acharya strongly refuted the charges. Naveen criticised the state govt after Acharya did not attend a crucial hearing before the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal. Naveen said it was deeply disappointing that Odisha’s side was not presented at a time when people of the state pinned high hopes on the proceedings. “What could be more important than protecting the…