Gandhinagar, July 9 (IANS) The Gujarat government on Thursday constituted a Departmental Data Committee (DDC) in the Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Cooperation Department to strengthen the protection of farmers’ personal and agricultural data and bring its management in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and the Gujarat State Data Governance Framework.The new committee will oversee the scientific, secure and transparent management of data held by the Agriculture De…

Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday urged citizens to take preventive measures against leptospirosis, warning that walking through rainwater or mud with open wounds significantly increases the risk of infection during the monsoon season. In an advisory issued by its Public Health Department, the civic body appealed to people who have waded through stagnant rainwater or mud to seek medical advice and take preventive medication within 24 to 72 hours, as r…

Patna, July 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Bankipur Assembly by-election, Abhishek Kumar Sinha alias Bunty, filed his nomination papers on Thursday, with senior party leaders and a large number of supporters accompanying him in a display of organisational strength.Before submitting his nomination, Sinha sought the blessings of his parents and offered prayers at a Hanuman temple, describing their support as the foundation of his political journey.Sharing an emotional …

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Former India wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel believes young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will continue to face a barrage of short-pitched bowling in international cricket, saying England’s plan against the teenager was evident right from the IPL and will remain the preferred tactic for opposition bowlers.Vaibhav, who impressed with his performances in the IPL 2026, is yet to convert the success into international cricket. The youngster has managed scores of 14 off 10 …

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Former India captain Sourav Ganguly’s induction into the ICC Hall of Fame drew warm tributes from some of Indian cricket’s biggest names, with former teammates Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh joining the celebrations after the landmark recognition.Ganguly became the 12th Indian cricketer to be inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame, with the honour announced during the ICC’s annual conference in Edinburgh. The recognition also came on the occasion of his 54th birthd…

Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) Actress Richa Chadha, on Thursday, took to social media to share a heartfelt post celebrating her natural hair and embracing authenticity. Reflecting on self-love and confidence, the Fukrey actress revealed that she wants to keep things real and encouraged her followers to appreciate their natural beauty. Alongside her post, Richa also shared glimpses of herself as she returned to dancing, proudly flaunting her real hair texture. Sharing a series of her photos, the actress …

Chennai, July 9 (IANS) Director and actor Kasthuri Raja, who is also the father of ace Tamil actor, director and producer Dhanush, has now disclosed that Dhanush did not come to cinema willingly and that until his fifth or sixth film, he was pleading with him to let him get out of it. Participating in the pre release event of Love Oh Love, in which his grandson Pavish plays the lead, Kasthuri Raja said, “Among the three directors in my family, It was only Selvaraghavan (Dhanush’s elder brother) …

Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) Actor Adil Hussain, whose film ‘52 Blue’ is set to be screened at the ongoing edition of the London Indian Film Festival, has spoken about his preparations for his part in the film. The actor spoke with IANS recently, and shed light on the deeper aspects of his character in the film. He essays the role of a father who had fulfilled his own dream being a Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala. His character had also been a rebel but because of a tragedy, he decided to stifle t…

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda will lay the foundation stone of the ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong in Lahaul & Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh, on July 11, 2026, an official statement said on Thursday.The Centre will upgrade ICMR’s existing field station at Keylong into a full-fledged, multidisciplinary hub for research, innovation and capacity building focused on India’s high-altitude …

Melbourne, July 9 (IANS) Thursday’s decision to repatriate Indian artifacts from Australia will see three Indian antiquities returning home soon. Standing alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced that items of cultural significance to India, currently displayed in museums across the Oceania nation, will be returned, while hailing the progress made in repatriating an Australian First Nations ancestor from the Government Museum of Chennai.The decision, he sa…