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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 2 (ANI): Indian wicketkeeper-batter <keyword id="19907058" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rishabh-Pant" source="keywords">Rishabh Pant</keyword> went on to score the fastest half-century for the hosts aganst New Zealand during the Day 2 of the third and final Test of the three-match series at the <keyword id="19921339" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wankhede-Stadium" source="keywords">Wankhede Stadium</keyword> on Saturday. Pant completed the 50-run mark in just 36 balls. He went back to the pavillion after playing a brilliant knock of 60 runs off 59 balls which was laced with eight boundaries and three maximums in his innings. The southpaw's runs came at a strike rate of 101.69. Before this, the record was with opener Yashasvi Jaiwal who achieved this landmark in the second Test of the ongoing three-match <keyword id="19903834" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Test-series" source="keywords">Test series</keyword> against the Kiwis. Other than these two layers, there are two more players who have done the same ting earlier. Harbhajan Singh did it in 2010 when he scored a fifty in 42 balls. Sarfaraz Khan is the other player who also completed a fifty in 42 balls while playing against the Blackcaps in the first Test of the ongoing series against the Blackcaps at Bengaluru. Recapping the Day 2 of Mumbai Test, India were bowled out for 263 after taking a lead of 28 runs. In the Indian innings the scores came from Shubman Gill (90 runs off 146 balls, 7 fours and a six), Pant (60 runs from 59 balls, 8 fours and 2 sixes), and Washington Sundar (38* runs in 36 balls, 4 fours and 2 sixes). For New Zealand, five wickets were grabbed by Ajaz Patel and one wicket each was taken by Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips, and Ish Sodhi in their respective spells. Earlier on Day 1, New Zealand skipper Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting first, the visitors were bundled out for 235 runs which came with the knocks from Daryl Mitchell (82 runs off129 balls with three fours and sixes each) and Will Young (71 runs from 138 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes). The pick of the bowlers for the Rohit Sharma-led side was Jadeja who snapped five wickets in his spell of 22 overs where he conceded 65 runs. This was his 14th five-wicket haul in the longest format of the game. Four wickets were bagged by Sundar in his 18.4 overs where he gave away 81 runs in his spell. One wicket was taken by right-arm seamer Akash Deep in the five overs he bowled in the innings. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-13-announced-with-snapdragon-8-elite-6000mah-battery-and-more/articleshow/114842638.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-13-announced-with-snapdragon-8-elite-6000mah-battery-and-more/articleshow/114842638.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus 13 announced with Snapdragon 8 Elite, 6,000mAh battery and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indian-smartphone-shipments-up-3-in-q3-vivo-leads-the-market/articleshow/114840345.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indian-smartphone-shipments-up-3-in-q3-vivo-leads-the-market/articleshow/114840345.cms" target="_blank">Indian smartphone shipments up 3% in Q3, Vivo leads the market</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-november-2024/slidelist/114836760.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-november-2024/slidelist/114836760.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in November 2024</a>

Rishabh Pant scores fastest fifty for India against New Zealand in Tests

After a series of delays over the years due to a number of setbacks in the <keyword id="19982902" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spacecraft" source="keywords">spacecraft</keyword>'s development, the <keyword id="19915275" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Boeing" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Boeing" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Boeing">Boeing</keyword>’s brand new <keyword id="20138728" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Starliner" source="keywords">Starliner</keyword> is finally ready to take its maiden flight. This history-making launch is scheduled for May 7th, 2024, at 8:04 am IST, blasting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US. But here’s what makes this mission particularly exciting: beloved Indian origin <keyword id="20248602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="astronaut" source="keywords">astronaut</keyword> <keyword id="21544825" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sunita-Williams" source="keywords">Sunita Williams</keyword>, 59, will be piloting the spacecraft on its first-ever crewed mission to the <keyword id="19985509" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Space-Station" source="keywords">International Space Station</keyword> (<keyword id="20307956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ISS" source="keywords">ISS</keyword>). While a veteran of two space missions with a total of 322 days spent orbiting Earth, there's a certain thrill to the unknown. Williams acknowledges some nerves, but her enthusiasm for exploration remains undimmed. "When I reach the ISS," she says, "it will be like going back home." However, Sunita Williams won't be alone on this adventure. Joining her is veteran astronaut Butch Wilmore, a 61-year-old Navy test pilot with two space missions under his belt as well. Together, they'll soar aboard a <keyword id="20107898" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="United-Launch-Alliance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="United Launch Alliance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="United Launch Alliance">United Launch Alliance</keyword> Atlas V rocket for a critical, 26-hour journey. Williams and Wilmore will be tasked with conducting a series of tests to ensure the Starliner meets <keyword id="19935155" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NASA" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NASA" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NASA">NASA</keyword>'s stringent safety standards for future regular missions. After docking, the astronauts will spend a productive eight days living and working on the ISS before returning to Earth on May 15. Unlike traditional US capsules that splashdown in the ocean, the Starliner will make a novel land-based touchdown in the western US. With this mission, Williams is poised to etch her name in the history books — becoming the first woman to pilot a maiden crewed mission on a brand-new spacecraft. No stranger to pushing boundaries, she previously held the record for longest cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut (a record since surpassed by Peggy Whitson). In fact, she even completed the Boston Marathon after running in one place for over four hours while aboard the ISS. Also a decorated Navy test pilot with a passion for science, Williams was selected for the astronaut program in 1998. After the Space Shuttle's retirement, she transitioned seamlessly into the next generation of space travel, chosen for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. This program, a collaboration with private companies like Boeing, aims to revitalise American spaceflight. The Starliner mission, alongside SpaceX's Crew Dragon, signifies a new era of public-private partnership in space exploration. Adding a touch of personal tradition, Williams will carry a statuette of Lord Ganesh, her "good luck charm," on this historic flight. Back on Earth, her achievements resonate across the globe, particularly in India where she holds immense national pride. Dr M Mohan, head of ISRO's Human Space Flight Center, expressed his admiration for Williams, stating, "We are all proud" of her upcoming mission. India itself has its sights set on the stars with their Gaganyaan program, aiming for a crewed mission by 2026.

Remember Sunita Williams, Indian-origin astronaut who made history by going to space twice? She is all set to fly to space for the third time!

<ul><li>The stress among <keyword id="6359766" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-schools" source="Orion">private schools</keyword> is emerging mainly due to poor fee collections, which is not just affecting their cash flows but also impeding their ability to pay loan dues. </li><li>Many of them fear that a third wave of COVID-19 infections, and a subsequent lockdown, if any, may even force them to shut down forever. </li><li>The worst-hit have been pre-primary to middle-level schools, especially those catering to low-income families in rural and semi-urban areas. </li></ul><keyword id="4363300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-schools-in-india" source="Orion">Private schools in India</keyword> have been struggling to pay their bills and loan dues to banks and other lenders due to poor student turnout amid the pandemic. Many of them fear that a third wave of COVID-19 infections, and a subsequent lockdown, if any, may even force them to shut down forever. The worst-hit have been those that focus on pre-primary to middle-level education, and cater to low-income families in rural and semi-urban areas. Aside from causing a disastrous loss in the form of lack of access to education for children, this could lead to a lot of unpaid loans for banks and other lenders, and loss of livelihood for teachers and support staff. Take Kerala High School, located in Karimnagar in Telangana, for instance. The budget private school that runs classes from Nursery to Xth standard has a strength of 550 students, with most hailing from the neighbouring villages. For the past 18 months, it has been surviving on near-zero cash flows as most of the fees it collected got exhausted in paying salaries to its staff, repaying loan installments, and running online classes. The fee collection, at close to 20% for the last academic year, has been poor mainly because parents either lost their livelihoods during the pandemic or were unwilling to pay school fees due to absence of offline classes. Further, even the attendance for online classes has remained low at just 20-30%, said Rajendra B, chairman and principal at Kerala High School for the past decade, as most students did not have smartphones and internet connections. But if a third Covid wave happens and lockdown curbs are announced again, the 27-year old school may not even survive. “We had to take loans from family and friends to pay our loan installments during the pandemic as debt kept piling up,” said Rajendra. “If a third wave strikes and there is a lockdown again, I may have to sell half of my 1,000 sq. ft school land to repay the dues,” he said. Further, many students studying in private schools have already switched to government schools over the past three years, as per the<a href="https://www.pratham.org/about/"> Annual Status of Education Report 2020</a> that surveyed 16,761 schools across India. The study, conducted by non-government body<a href="https://www.pratham.org/about/"> Pratham</a> in Sep. 2020, said that the reasons for the switch “may include financial distress in households and/or permanent school shutdowns among the private schools.” Pain Points Private schools that operate in pre-primary, primary and middle education categories (classes Nursery to Class VIIth), according to Vivek Iyer, partner and national leader-financial services risk advisory at Grant Thornton Bharat, have been the worst-affected as they have remained shut the longest for close to 17-18 months. The Covid impact, he said, has also been higher on schools catering to children from low-income families and rural areas “Lower the school fees and the category of the school, worse the Covid impact. That way, private schools catering to the most vulnerable segments have been the worst-hit, while their quality of education has also suffered due to poor transition to digital learning models,” he said. Steve Hardgrave, co-founder and chief executive of Varthana, a Bengaluru-based non-bank lender that focuses on loans to affordable private schools that charge fees of up to Rs 3,000 a month, is dreading the expected third wave of the pandemic. “Of the 4,000 schools that we have funded, close to 5% (or 200 schools) have cited issues with continuing their business, but that number is expected to go up to 25% if the third wave strikes. Also, owners that were running schools on leased land and property are finding it difficult to sustain,” he said. “In some cases, schools had to be sold to a third-party to facilitate clearing off their loan dues.” And Hardgrave is not alone. Even as schools have reopened in most parts of the country, classroom attendance remains thin at about 20-30% as parents are afraid to send their children to schools due to lack of vaccination for children below 18 years of age, said V L Ramakrishnan, managing director and chief executive at Shikha Finance, a Tamil Nadu-based lender that focuses primarily on school financing. “Even though schools have reopened, it is an abstract factor, because parents are still reluctant in sending their children, especially those studying between Nursery and class VIIIth, back to schools,” he said. “About 3-5% of school entrepreneurs, or roughly 20 schools, in our portfolio, have expressed that they will not be able to continue their business. If a third wave strikes, that number would go up,” he said. Mounting Debt It is clear that the stress among private schools is emerging mainly due to poor fee collections, which is not just affecting their cash flows but also impeding their ability to pay loan dues. Chirag Jagdish Chandra Pathak, who has been running Mother Care School that offers education for kindergarten to Class XIIth students in Kheda, Gujarat, had taken a ₹6 crore loan in March 2018 to construct a new school building. As the pandemic struck in March last year, the school’s cash flows fell to near-zero in the following five months. Pathak, however, took quick action and gave teachers at his school smartphones and internet connection to impart online education. But a 25% fee cut by the state government and unwillingness of parents to pay school fees as they did not consider online education at par with classroom learning, led Pathak to avail a loan moratorium during the first wave. Later, he also applied for loan restructuring as his school’s cash flow remained deficient by 30-50%. “Despite schools getting reopened again, our loan repayment ability has reduced by at least 30%. The biggest reason for that is uneven cash flow as fee collection has still not stabilized, while our leverage has gone up due to accumulation of interest,” he said. Like Mother Care, <keyword id="9434367" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="many-private-schools" source="Orion">many private schools</keyword> in the country are dealing with mounting debt as most either opted for a loan moratorium or restructuring, in anticipation that their cash flows would improve eventually. But fee collections still remain inadequate, while interest on their loans have either gone up or their loan repayment period extended. “Schools are over-leveraged by at least 2-3 times as their revenue took a beating of anywhere between 20% to even 80%, depending on the fee category of the school. Restructuring was granted to schools as their cash flows were expected to improve, but if a third wave strikes, it will be difficult for many to manage their debt as fee collection would drop again,” said Anuj Pandey, chief risk officer at non-banking financial company U GRO Capital. So far, U Gro Capital that has ₹136 crore in assets under management across 75 schools as of June 30, has restructured close to 12% of its loan portfolio in school financing. Varthana Finance, which has ₹1,000 crore in AUM towards school loans, has also restructured about 15% of its portfolio. Shiksha Finance restructured close to 10% of its ₹185 crore loan book dedicated to 2,200 schools. “Restructuring has not been much of a solace. Most schools continue demanding for extended repayment terms and moratorium, as their situation has barely improved,” said Ramakrishnan. Agreed, Hardgrave. “Of the 70% schools that had applied, only 15% could be offered restructuring. Even among the most vulnerable schools, we could only restructure loans for those that showed clear signs of business continuity,’ he said. The lack of restructuring options for schools, Hardgrave said, was mainly because there was no provision made by the government or the Reserve Bank of India for non-banking financial companies (NBFC) catering to schools. “There were no special liquidity provisions announced for NBFCs catering to schools and no benefits offered for higher restructuring of school loans, which also affected our ability to do so,” he said. To be sure, the RBI had announced a one-time restructuring scheme last year to aid borrowers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheme was to be invoked by December 31, 2020 and implemented within 180 days for corporate borrowers. This year, the scheme was further extended for retail and small business borrowers to September 30. “The government did not just reduce school fees but actively encouraged parents to not pay up, even when we were doing our best to provide online education. On top of that, there was no loan waiver and our debt kept piling up,” said Pathak. A Systemic Issue Not just schools, but specialized non-bank lenders catering to the school segment have also seen their asset quality deteriorate during the pandemic. While Shiksha Finance saw its gross non-performing assets rise from 8.3% of its gross advances, as of June 30, to nearly 17% by August-end, Varthana’s gross NPA rose from a little over 6% by June-end to its highest-ever at almost 8%, as of Aug. 31. But U GRO, which lends to small and medium sized schools, managed to keep its gross NPAs at less than 1%. This, Pandey said, may be because most schools that it lent to were located in urban centres and catered to the middle-class population strata. And a third wave is likely to make matters worse. “While restructuring has helped with immediate cash flow issues, many schools may get pushed to the brink of shutting down if a third wave leads to a fresh set of lockdowns in the country. Even those with better cash flow management may face issues with running their enterprises,” said Pandey. Iyer, however, sees the outcome a bit differently. More than permanent shutdowns, the pandemic would lead to further consolidation among private schools, he said. “Many large school chains backed by deep-pocketed investors are seeing distressed schools in rural and semi-urban areas as good acquisition opportunities for their own expansion.” Be it closure or distressed sale, it is clear that the fate of already stressed private schools hangs in balance. A third wave may also mean the end of the road for many. But Rajendra remains hopeful. In September, Kerala High School reopened following the state government’s directions. The attendance, however, has been low at about 30%, as school buses— the only mode of transportation for over half of its students, are yet to ply. “Once our buses get repaired, we may even touch 70% attendance in the coming weeks. And, if a third wave does not happen, we expect to return to normal fee collections over the next six months,” he said.

EXCLUSIVE: Many private schools in India are on the brink of bankruptcy and fear that a third wave of COVID-19 could be their end

Travelling around the wonderland that is India is a thrilling experience, especially when fast-moving super <keyword id="168020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="expressways">expressways</keyword> are right here to ensure some wonderful on-the-road vacations. Of course there are business travellers who are in a hurry to reach their destinations and <keyword id="2053038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Super-fast-expressways">super fast expressways</keyword> minus traffic snarls suit them down to the ground. But then, you can be one of those away on a leisure trip and looking forward to a fast and panoramic drive on your way to a new city. Either way, the expressways of India won’t disappoint you. As we mentioned before, expressways are controlled-access highways like the freeways or motorways or autobahnen in the US and Europe, essentially designed for high-speed traffic. As of now, most of the expressways in India are 6-8 lane toll <keyword id="6358996" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="roads">roads</keyword> and cover a total distance of nearly 1,208.19 km. 
 
Last month, we brought you <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/8-Super-ExpresswaysIn-North-India-That-Fulfil-Your-Need-For-Speed/articleshow/29486214.cms">8 super expressways</a> in North India that fulfil your need for speed. And this time, we move to the West and the North-west of the country where some more picturesque drives await us. However, the <keyword id="52840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sea-links">sea links</keyword> and the <keyword id="2053055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coastal-expressways">coastal expressways</keyword> will come up in our next article. So grab a coffee, get a map and read on. By the time you are through, you could be checking the map and picking out the spots where you want to go first. As the Turkish playwright <keyword id="1981629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mehmet-Murat">Mehmet Murat</keyword> ildan has said: Some roads are so beautiful that you know not whether you travel on the road or the road travels in you! 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Open Roads Return: 6 Super
Expressways In West & North-west India

The countdown for India's one of the longest rocketing by <keyword id="622933" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Polar-Satellite-Launch-Vehicle">Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle</keyword> (PSLV) rocket carrying 19 satellites began at 8.54 a.m. on Saturday, said a top official of <keyword id="116095" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Space-Research-Organisation">Indian Space Research Organisation</keyword> (ISRO). The Indian rocket numbered PSLV-C51 carrying the 637-kg Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and 18 <keyword id="10837063" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="other-satellites">other satellites</keyword> (including 13 from USA) is scheduled to lift-off from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 10.24 a.m. on Sunday. "The countdown for the rocket's flight started at 8.54 a.m for the launch at 10.24 a.m tomorrow (Sunday)," K.Sivan, ISRO Chairman told IANS. India's first space mission for 2021 is one of the longest for a PSLV rocket is expected to conclude 1 hour, 55 minutes and 7 seconds into its flight. If all goes well with the Sunday morning rocketing of PSLV-C51 then India would have slung a total of 342 foreign satellites, all for a fee. The rocketing is a fully commercial one of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) with the primary passenger being the Amazonia-1 satellite. Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for <keyword id="6495330" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-research">Space Research</keyword> (INPE). This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory, ISRO said. The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from consortium of three Indian academic institutes (Jeppiaar Institute of Technology, Sriperumbudur, G.H.Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur and Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore) Aand One Satish Dhawan Sat from <keyword id="4136256" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-kidz-india">Space Kidz India</keyword>) and 14 from NSIL. The other 14 satellites ferried on commercial basis are SindhuNetra, an Indian technology demonstration satellite and 13 satellites from the USA viz., SAI-1 NanoConnect-2, a technology demonstration satellite and 12 SpaceBees satellites for two way satellite communications and data relay. For the third time ISRO will be using the PSLV rocket's DL variant that will have two strap-on booster motors. This rocket variant was used the first time to put into orbit the Microsat R satellite on January 24, 2019. The PSLV is a four stage/engine rocket powered by solid and liquid fuels alternatively with six booster motors strapped on to the first stage to give higher thrust during the initial flight moments. The PSLV-C51 mission is one of longest ones. The 19 satellites will be put into Sun Synchronous Orbit over a duration of 1 hour, 55 minutes and 7 seconds. During its flight, the rocket's fourth stage engine will be cut off and restarted a couple of times, the first one will be at 16 minutes into its flight. Seventeen minutes into its flight the rocket will sling the Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1. Just over one hour into its flight the rocket's engine will be restarted for about nine seconds before it is shut down again. After 1 hour, 49 minutes and 52 seconds the rocket's engine will be reignited for eight seconds after which the 18 piggy back satellites will be put into orbit. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-export-passwords-from-lastpass/articleshow/81221242.cms">How to export passwords from LastPass</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-signal-and-telegram-face-a-catch-22-situation-as-indias-new-social-media-rules-threaten-encryption/articleshow/81221070.cms">Whatsapp, Signal and Telegram face a catch-22 situation as India’s new social media rules threaten encryption</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-saw-the-birth-of-two-new-unicorns-this-week-both-their-valuations-have-swelled-multiple-times-in-just-a-few-months/articleshow/81221476.cms">India saw the birth of two new unicorns this week – both their valuations have swelled multiple times in just a few months</a>

Countdown begins for PSLV rocket's one of longest missions

The air pollution level in <keyword id="6355192" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lucknow">Lucknow</keyword> has crossed the 300-mark on the Air Quality Index, making it the third most polluted city in the country. For the first time in October, Lucknow had an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 328, figuring in the 'very polluted' category on Wednesday. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) listed seven cities with AQI above 300 for the category. Three of these are in Uttar Pradesh. Besides Lucknow, the other two are Meerut, which is ranked second in the state followed by Baghpat. According to environmental experts, "In Uttar Pradesh, around 96 flyovers are under construction and vehicular movement is at its peak due to the festival season. Weather conditions are favourable for a spike in the air pollutant levels. "Since temperatures are going down, particulate matter is suspended in the air and low wind speed is not allowing the dust to disperse." They further said that as winter sets in, the situation could worsen and people would be more susceptible to respiratory disorders, especially during the pandemic. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/women-now-represent-28-6-of-microsofts-global-workforce/articleshow/78804854.cms">Women now represent 28.6% of Microsoft's global workforce</a>

Lucknow is the third most polluted city in India

<ul><li>Last year, Manipur’s forest department <a href="https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1320960265689526272">fitted </a>satellite radio transmitters in five migratory birds to study the route and flight patterns of these migratory birds. </li><li>While two of the five birds continued to send their flight signals, three of them reportedly <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/once-target-of-mass-hunting-in-northeast-birds-of-god-are-now-rare-symbol-of-hope-6890375/">died</a>. </li><li>Irang returned to Tamenglong district in Manipur after flying over 29,000 kilometres for more than a year. While Chiulon travelled about 33,000 kms. </li></ul>Manipur’s precious visitors are back. Two satellite radio-<a href="https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1320960265689526272">tagged </a>Amur falcons, named Irang and Chiulon, have returned to Manipur after completing its migratory route. Irang flew over 29,000 km while Chiulon travelled about 33,000 km for over a year. <div type="twitter" handle="moefcc" handlename="MoEF&amp;CC" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1292801012009275392/773B4nv__normal.jpg" favoritecount="370" retweetcount="71" status="A milestone has been achieved in the conservation efforts of birds, as an #Amur named Irang, tagged in #Manipur has… https://t.co/PZeeEc1djk" createdat="1603776444000" id="1320960265689526272"></div> <keyword id="1444603" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amur-falcon">Amur falcon</keyword> is a small migratory raptor, famous for making the longest voyage from its breeding grounds in Russia and China to spend the winter in South Africa. Amur falcons are the world’s longest migratory birds who can travel over 22,000 kilometers without taking many breaks in between. Often, Amur falcons make a stop in eastern India. <div type="image" title="Amur Falcon" msid="78888578" hostid="261"></div> Last year, Manipur’s forest department <a href="https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1320960265689526272">fitted </a>satellite radio transmitters in five migratory birds — Chiulon, Punching, Phalong, Irang, and Barak — to study the route and flight patterns of these migratory birds. While two of these five birds continued to send their flight signals, three of them reportedly <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/once-target-of-mass-hunting-in-northeast-birds-of-god-are-now-rare-symbol-of-hope-6890375/">died</a>. “The people of Manipur, particularly in Tamenglong district where the 2 Amurs were tagged in Nov 2019, had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the tagged Amurs and this has now come true,” said the Ministry. Protecting the migratory Amur Falcons Each year, Amur Falcons arrive in Manipur and parts of Nagaland from China and Russia before they migrate to South Africa — going on a voyage of 20,000 km. However, until a few years ago, around 100,000 birds were <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/nagaland/the-pangti-story-throws-light-on-naga-villages-transition-from-predators-to-protectors-of-amur-falcon-5139781/">hunted </a>in Nagaland’s Wokha district every day. The mass hunting of the bird prompted the government to take urgent action. The state government banned the hunting and killing of these birds and warned that they would freeze developmental funds of villages if found guilty. As of today, the hunting has stopped. Manipur’s forest department and locals of Puching village are now <a href="https://twitter.com/moefcc/status/1320960265689526272">patrolling </a>the roosting sites to welcome the birds. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-and-us-hold-third-edition-of-22-talks-amid-tensions-with-china/articleshow/78887083.cms">India and US hold third edition of 2+2 talks amid tensions with China</a>

Two tagged Amur falcons, world’s longest travelling bird, return to Manipur after flying 29,000 km for over a year

<ul><li>After 18 months of dry spell, <keyword id="2823" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akshay-Kumar">Akshay Kumar</keyword>’s <keyword id="1803793" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bell-Bottom">Bell Bottom</keyword> is all set to hit the theatres tomorrow.</li><li>Elara Capital shares what this return of movies could mean for the cinema industry.</li></ul>Due to the pandemic, India’s cinema industry has suffered through a severe drought for more than 18 months now. Bollywood movies like Bhuj: The Pride of India, Sheershah, Toofan and Mimi, which could have been big successes on the big screen, had to be released on Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. However, the cinema industry has a lot to rejoice for Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom is all set to hit the theatres tomorrow across 1,500-1800 screens. Before COVID, a big-ticket Bollywood movie was released at least across 4,000 screens in India. According to Elara Capital, Bell Bottom’s collection assumptions are on the lower side -- almost 65%-70% lower than earlier films of Akshay Kumar which reported a lifetime Box Office of Rs 180-200 crore. This is primarily due to night curfew in most states, Maharashtra not being open for movies yet, low consumer sentiment and 50% occupancy cap. As per the trends in other markets, Elara Capital further revealed that the audience is now comfortable going to cinemas for good content. Regional films (Punjabi and Telugu) have opened up to full house with a 50% occupancy cap in the first weekend and has seen healthy occupancy numbers on weekdays too. This trend indicates signs of Box Office coming back to 50% of pre-COVID collection on an overall basis in near term. “We believe this is a very promising sign as these numbers are only post 2-3 weeks of cinema opening in India post second wave and despite multiple restrictions. Hollywood content has not fared well primarily due to Maharashtra’s curfew on cinema, as the latter contributes almost 35%-40% of Box Office for English content,” said Karan Taurani, Senior VP - Research Analyst, Elara Capital. <div type="image" title="elara capital revenue" msid="85425507" hostid="261"></div> “We maintain our view that over the next six to nine months, larger films across genres will release and collections for these too will breach towards 60% of pre-COVID primarily helped by 1) larger portion of population (middle and upper middle class) being vaccinated with two doses and 2) relaxation on restrictions (night curfew), 3) uptick in festive season towards Diwali/Christmas and 4) more screens being allowed to open; this is in line with our view that India will surpass global Box Office trends as globally Box Office has breached towards mere 40%-45% of pre COVID collections, despite 90% of the screens being open since last six months,” added Taurani. Elara Capital’s report on Media and Entertainment industry further predicts that the overall revenue may to revert to 80% of pre-COVID (FY20) in FY23, with a recovery in FY24, which may see revenue moving toward 110-120% vs pre-COVID (FY20). “We expect ad revenue to take the longest to recover due to high exposure to local advertising whereas other revenue metrics (F&amp;B &amp; convenience fee) will follow footfall recovery trends. Less impact from the Third Wave and faster recovery in ad spend by FY23 will be key monitorable driving upgrades in the near to medium term, in our view,” reads the report. <div type="image" title="elara - ad revenue" msid="85425516" hostid="261"></div> So far, Disney + Hotstar has bagged the highest number of big-ticket releases. <div type="image" title="movies on ott" msid="85425535" hostid="261"></div> Elara Capital is optimistic that Akshay Kumar's Bell Bottom will set the ball rolling and encourage more producers to return to theatrical release.

As Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom hits cinema, Elara Capital predicts 50% recovery in a few months but ad revenue to take the longest to recover

With so many highway movies doing the rounds, sojourning from city to city and state to state feels like a romantic prelude to a long <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> of self-discovery – till reality strikes. And just like a movie, the reality can be multilayered – varying from bad roads to gasping traffic and minimal road safety. But we promised you relief from those travelling conditions the next time we return with our <keyword id="2053047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Open-roads">Open Roads</keyword> series. And here we are, with more information about a whole new bunch of <keyword id="2074695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Intracity-and-inter-city-expressways">intracity and inter-city expressways</keyword> that not only reduce <keyword id="4251245" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Commute-time">commute time</keyword> but also reshape a country’s landscape, <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> and way of life. In the last slideshow of this series, the journey begins from the <keyword id="44875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="West-coast">west coast</keyword> and goes down south. 
 As we have mentioned before, expressways are limited-access roads designed for high-speed traffic. The economic impact of an <keyword id="2074705" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Expressway-network">expressway network</keyword> criss-crossing the country is all too obvious and the <keyword id="6404450" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Road-Transport-and-Highways">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</keyword> (MoRTH) has already recommended a total <keyword id="2074707" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-network">e-way network</keyword> of about 18,637 km in the country. Development work is being done in three phases and is scheduled to be completed by 2022. During the Interim Budget, <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="43940" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram">P Chidambaram</keyword> also told the Parliament the road network in the country witnessed over sevenfold increase at 3.89 lakh km over the past decade. 
 Does that mean we may soon see an <keyword id="2074709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="E-way-ecosystem">e-way ecosystem</keyword> similar to the interstate system in the US? Given the obstacles in terms of <keyword id="6364579" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Land-acquisition">land acquisition</keyword>, <keyword id="414903" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="fund-crunch">fund crunch</keyword> and <keyword id="2074714" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Slow-implementation">slow implementation</keyword>, it’s definitely going to take some time. Meanwhile, hop into the driver’s seat and go off exploring some super-fast roads you have not travelled yet. After all, it’s a journey with no end… and wheels will always need roads. 
 
Image: Thinkstock Photos/Getty Images

Be It Intracity Or
Inter-city, These 5 Expressways Make Travelling A Breeze

As the work-life balance get blurred globally in the pandemic times, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> came out top with over 41 per cent of workers citing the lack of separation between work and personal life negatively impacting their wellbeing, resulting in increased stress levels, a Microsoft study revealed on Wednesday. Close to one third of workers in India cited increased rates of <keyword id="84644" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="burnout">burnout</keyword> over the past six months, according to Microsoft's latest 'Work Trend Index' report. "As businesses adapt to a new way of working, it is important to examine the multifaceted impact that the new working conditions are having on employees. This is helping us provide relevant and timely solutions to all our customers and users," said Samik Roy, Country Head, Modern Work, Microsoft India. Surveying over 6,000 information and first-line workers across eight countries globally including Australia, Japan, India and Singapore, the study found that India had the second highest percentage of workers facing increased burnout in Asia, at 29 per cent. The findings showed that no commute may be hurting, not helping, remote worker productivity. A massive 92 per cent those surveyed said meditation can decrease work-related stress. Microsoft recently announced a series of updates within Teams to support employee wellbeing, including virtual commute experience and a curated set of mindfulness and meditation experiences. The study found that 29 per cent of workers in India are experiencing increased burnout at work, owing to its increase in workday span by one hour. "While workers in Australia saw the highest increase in workday span in Microsoft Teams at 45 percent, with a medium increase in burnout, India had the longest workday span of surveyed markets". The top stressors shared by workers in India was the worry about contracting Covid-19 at work and feeling isolated or disconnected from co-workers, at 42 and 35 per cent respectively. The study also found that 19 percent of workers have not been provided the tech or protective equipment they need to effectively socially distance by their company, contributing to increased stress levels. "In the last six months, we have seen how Covid-19 has created an era of remote everywhere. It has led to the evolution of a new workplace -- from a physical space to one residing in a virtual world," Roy said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/public-places-cannot-be-occupied-indefinitely-says-sc-on-shaheen-bagh-stir/articleshow/78528884.cms">Public places cannot be occupied indefinitely, says SC on Shaheen Bagh stir</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/reliance-share-price-soars-as-mukesh-ambani-continues-with-his-funding-blitzkrieg-for-retail-venture/articleshow/78528841.cms">Reliance share price soars as Mukesh Ambani continues with his funding blitzkrieg for retail venture</a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/reliance-share-price-soars-as-mukesh-ambani-continues-with-his-funding-blitzkrieg-for-retail-venture/articleshow/78528841.cms"></a>

A third of workers in India have witnessed increased burnout in the past six months, says Microsoft study

Even in this age of jet travel and space tourism, highways hold an irresistible charm for travellers out to have an up, close and personal experience of the wide roads stretching ahead for miles, uninterrupted views of a breathtaking landscape, the occasional flyways and the not-so-familiar villages and towns rushing by. It’s even better than chugging along the countryside in a train. You can stop any time you want – to sample some chatpati chaat and a steaming cuppa of chai at a roadside dhaba; to talk to people; to take a dekko at local interests or simply laze an hour or two in shine or rain with the greens around you and the fresh smell of soil floating in the air. 
 
Now that our <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Chugging-Up-7-Mesmerising-Mountain-Train-RidesIn-India/articleshow/24288850.cms">train series</a> is over (but we promise to bring you more as soon as new and exotic routes come up), we are back with a more exciting roadmap of <keyword id="168020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="expressways">expressways</keyword> that criss-cross the entire country, connecting the four metros and many of the Tier I cities, and going much beyond the urban landscape. Infrastructure development in India has undergone a sea change over the past few years and the country currently boasts the <keyword id="2034191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Second-largest-road-network">second largest road network</keyword> in the world, with a road length of over 4,689,842 km, as per 2013 data from the <keyword id="6404450" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ministry-of-Road-Transport-and-Highways">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways</keyword>. 
 Starting from FY2012-13, the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> will be also putting $17 billion over the next five years, being sourced through public-private partnership (<keyword id="6361580" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="PPP">PPP</keyword>) road projects. This will be used by the <keyword id="87432" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Highways-Authority-of-India">National Highways Authority of India</keyword> (<keyword id="49448" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="nhai">NHAI</keyword>) for the planned series of <keyword id="174913" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="BOT">BOT</keyword> (build, operate and transfer) highways. In spite of several bottlenecks, the NHAI has set up impressive targets and aims to develop 20 km/day, in a bid to fast-track the country’s <keyword id="2034194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Road-network-expansion">road network expansion</keyword>. 
 As of July 2013, <keyword id="6373156" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="National-Highways">national highways</keyword> account for 79,116 km, connecting all major cities and state capitals. Expressways, however, differ a bit in the sense they are controlled-access highways like the <keyword id="610047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="freeways">freeways</keyword> or <keyword id="1333990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="motorways">motorways</keyword> or autobahnen in the US and Europe, essentially designed for high-speed traffic. As of now, most of the expressways in India are 6-8 lane <keyword id="120837" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="toll-roads">toll roads</keyword> and cover a total distance of nearly 1,208.19 km. India expects to add another 3,530 km of expressways by 2014 as projects under construction get completed. Another massive programme is also under way to expand the network and the Indian government plans to add an additional 18,637 km of expressways by 2022. 
 So are you ready to emerge on another breath-taking <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> with us, literally a journey of thousand miles and more? We will bring you the super expressways zone-wise – so that you know which route to choose when travelling North or South, East or West. And it will be a beautiful journey as art and cultural critic <keyword id="2034192" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dave-Hickey">Dave Hickey</keyword> so rightly said – Beauty is and always will be blue skies and open highway. 
 
Image: Wikimedia Commons

8 Super Expressways
In North India That Fulfil Your Need For Speed

Now that the winter is right upon us and the proverbial Delhi fog is fast approaching the point of zero visibility, how about a leisurely ride to the <keyword id="24879" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sun">sun</keyword>, <keyword id="42711" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Seas">seas</keyword> and sands that will warm your heart? Especially when you are chugging on to some breathtakingly beautiful coastal stretches overlooking the sea? Last month, we have taken our readers on a picturesque <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> through India’s heartland. On this third and last leg of our trip today, we will take you on a <keyword id="1981639" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coastal-ride">coastal ride</keyword> as the train meanders its way through sloping hills, beautiful valleys and misty blue coastlines. And finally, there’s the <keyword id="824801" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="unforgettable">unforgettable</keyword> <keyword id="1981642" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sea-bridge-ride">sea bridge ride</keyword> to <keyword id="6354932" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rameswaram">Rameswaram</keyword>. Just take a train of your choice to live and relive the journey. “Be like a train; go in the rain, go in the sun, go in the storm, go in the dark <keyword id="142777" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="tunnels">tunnels</keyword>! Be like a train; concentrate on your road and go with no hesitation,” says Turkish writer <keyword id="1981629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mehmet-Murat">Mehmet Murat</keyword> ildan and we cannot agree more. Happy journey, folks, and happy holidays! 
 
Image: Wikipedia

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