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Thursday, May 30: Intense rains and a cloudburst event earlier this week, likely triggered by Cyclone Remal, had parts of <keyword id="19896018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala" source="keywords">Kerala</keyword> drowning in floodwater. But just as the state stuck its head out to catch a breath, another batch of dousing may very well drag them under once again. While Kerala has opened over 30 relief camps to accommodate around 2,000 people, the India Meteorological Department (<keyword id="19933636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IMD" source="keywords">IMD</keyword>) has announced that the southwest <keyword id="19968257" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon" source="keywords">monsoon</keyword> has made onset over the state today. This onset over Kerala marks the southwest monsoon’s arrival over the Indian mainland and serves as a vital indicator characterising the transition from hot and dry season to a rainy season. The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1, with a standard deviation of about seven days and it then progresses to other states before covering the entire country by July 8. After being a week late last year, the monsoon has arrived slightly early this year. At present, a shear zone runs over South Peninsular India while strong westerly winds prevail along the Kerala coast. Under their combined influence, heavy rains (64.5 mm-115.4 mm) are likely to pelt Kerala and Mahe during the next five days. In this duration, up to widespread, moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning are also expected in the region over the next seven days. Given these forecasts, an orange alert has been issued over Kerala today so as to urge locals to ‘be prepared’ for the intense <keyword id="19960460" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weather" source="keywords">weather</keyword> conditions. This will be followed by a yellow alert (meaning ‘be updated’) for the rest of the forecast period. Orange and yellow alerts have also been issued at the district-level over Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. Furthermore, fisherfolk have been strictly advised against venturing into sea during the next few days owing to the possibility of rough sea conditions. As Kerala continues to grapple with the after-effects of flooding and property damage, the next few days are going to be extremely crucial for the residents of the state. According to one of the state’s new outlets, the demand for raincoats has gone up significantly. On an estimate, Kerala witnessed a sale of ₹250 crore just this rainy season. But if the kind of intensity that’s predicted this time is anything to go by, the locals are going to need more than just a sturdy umbrella and raincoat to withstand the upcoming season.

Monsoon arrives early in Kerala today amid heavy rains and flooding in the state!

<keyword id="3703414" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="kannan-gopinathan">Kannan Gopinathan</keyword>, a dedicated IAS officer shot up to fame in 2018 for how he responded to the Kerala Floods. His rescue and relief operations during the 2018 Kerala floods secured a wide appreciation for him. Presently, he has quit his position as the Secretary of Power, Urban Development and Town and Country Planning Departments of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, claiming that he resigned his position on dissatisfaction over the Central Government’s stand on the J&amp;K issue saying, “I wanted my freedom of expression back”. Here are some interesting facts about Kannan Gopinathan you might not have known so far. Schooling and becoming an IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan entered IAS as part of the 2012 batch AGMUT cadre IAS. He pursued his schooling from Kottayam of Kerala and did his engineering from the BIT Mesra, Ranchi. He worked for Freescale Semiconductors (previously Motorola) at Noida, joining the firm in 2007. He later quit the company to appear for the IAS exams. His first posting was in September 2014 as the SDO (Civil) of the Hnahthial sub-division. Hobbies and interests His hobbies and other special interests are playing drums, football, badminton, cricket, and djembe. When he stayed in Noida, he worked hand in hand with an NGO to teach slum children in the community. Later he joined the civil services. How he prepared for IAS He opted for the subjects sociology and public administration while preparing for IAS. He was an avid reader and collected study materials from diverse range of books. He fondly read a number of dailies and magazines to update himself with the current events and news. Volunteering for Kerala flood relief When unforeseen floods ravaged the state of Kerala, Kannan Gopinathan was at the relief camp for about eight days. For over two days during this period, he carried large packages of relief materials over his head to be distributed to the affected masses. He did so without revealing his identity. Only when the Ernakulam Collector visited the KDPS press collection enter, she recognized him and said the others that he was in fact a collector. Commendable services at Mizoram When Kannan Gopinathan served in the IAS cadre in the region, he got the first accessible ATM machine installed in a very remote place called Hnahthial of Lunglei district in Mizoram. He also launched a disaster management app for the people of Mizoram. An expert in disaster management He was sharp and quick when it comes to combating natural disasters from his position. During earthquakes the entire Northeastern region was placed upon red alert for the high seismic activity. Disaster management became a major responsibility for him which he did in an expert and dedicated manner. Why he resigned Kannan Gopinathan said he was quitting from his job as he was highly disturbed over the restrictions put in place in Jammu and Kashmir. He said lakhs of people in Jammu and Kashmir are denied of their fundamental rights after the special status was scrapped for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said, “I joined civil service with the hope that I can be the voice of those who have been silenced. But here, I lost my own voice.”

Unknown facts about IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan

Earth Day is celebrating its 50th anniversary today. Each year, on April 22, Earth Day is celebrated as the largest <a href="https://www.earthday.org/about/the-history-of-earth-day/">secular</a> observance in the world where <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change">climate change</keyword>, plastic pollution, endangered species are a part of an environmental movement worldwide. Since the 1970’s, when the movement emerged, it has transformed from an anti-war campaign to a voice focused on global warming and clean energy. <div type="twitter" handle="NASA" handlename="NASA" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1091070803184177153/TI2qItoi_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2554" retweetcount="888" status="The outlet glacier of Vavilov Ice Cap has gone from sliding 20 meters per year to 20 meters per day. What triggered… https://t.co/tla19m0hJf" createdat="1555876086000" id="1120051602444959745"></div>

 The concerns of global warming and its effects are more pertinent now than ever before. Pictures from space agencies around the world like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities (Roscosmos), and the China National Space Administration highlight just how fragile the Earth can be.

On Earth Day, these images from space portray the planet’s fragility and beauty

Climate change as seen from outer space

<ul><li>The economic distress from the recent <keyword id="48088" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="floods">floods</keyword> in <keyword id="28504" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala">Kerala</keyword> is mounting. Total losses have been pegged at ₹210 billion. </li><li>A recent report by India Ratings predicts that two-Kerala based banks, <keyword id="6356495" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="federal-bank">Federal Bank</keyword> and South India Bank, could see a 20-25% surge in their <keyword id="142154" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="bad-loans">bad loans</keyword> as a result of the floods. </li><li>Most of the banks in the region focus their lending on the two sectors that have been adversely impacted by the floods - SMEs and <keyword id="6355165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="agriculture">agriculture</keyword>. </li></ul>The economic distress from the recent floods in Kerala is mounting. Total losses have been pegged at ₹210 billion. The state’s GDP for the current financial year is expected to fall by 1 percentage point. Insurers are readying a payout of ₹13 billion for motor and property claims alone. The national production of rubber and coffee is also expected to take a huge hit. And now, the balance sheets and financial strength of banks in the region are predicted to deteriorate significantly. Around five banks, including Federal Bank and <keyword id="125585" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Indian-Bank">South Indian Bank</keyword>, are based in Kerala with a quarter of their loan book concentrated on the state. Infact, a recent report by India Ratings, predicts that Federal and South India could see a <a href="https://www.indiaratings.co.in/PressRelease?pressReleaseID=33662&amp;title=Market-Wire%3A-Lenders-with-Exposure-to-Kerala-Brace-for-a-Jolt-Amid-Floods">20-25% surge</a> in their bad loans as a result of the floods. Even microfinance institutions will see their operations affected owing to defaults. Last week, the CEO of Federal Bank, Shyam Srinivasan, said that the bank’s non-performing loans could rise by <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/federal-bank-expects-bad-loans-from-kerala-to-go-up-20-30-says-md-ceo-118082200060_1.html">as much as 30%</a> within the next few quarters owing to its high level of exposure to the rubber and tourism industries. Most of the banks in the region focus their lending on the two sectors that have been adversely impacted by the floods - small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and agriculture. While agricultural output in Kerala will most definitely take a hit in the near term, even small businesses will suffer due to the loss of inventory, property damage and irregularity in cash flows. This in turn, will inevitably affect the ability of farmers, agricultural collectives and small business owners to pay back their loans. To soften the blow to creditors in the agricultural sector, the government has allowed a one-year grace period for interest and five-year grace period for principal payments on these loans. So banks will not have to immediately recognise these accounts as stressed. In the short term, banks could see a windfall in deposits as a result of a spike in remittances to the state. The floods are expected to unleash a wave of payments from Indian diaspora to their families. The absolute value of remittances will also be given a boost due to the weak rupee.

Kerala floods could lead to a surge in bad loans at India’s regional banks

Warming of the <keyword id="19923982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arabian-Sea" source="keywords">Arabian Sea</keyword> is allowing the formation of deep <keyword id="22477282" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cloud-systems" source="keywords">cloud systems</keyword>, leading to extremely <keyword id="20301827" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-rainfall" source="keywords">heavy rainfall</keyword> in <keyword id="19896018" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala" source="keywords">Kerala</keyword> in a shorter period and increasing the possibility of landslides, a senior <keyword id="21943661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-scientist" source="keywords">climate scientist</keyword> said on Tuesday. Extremely heavy rain triggered a series of landslides in the hilly areas of Kerala's Wayanad district early on Tuesday, leaving at least 45 people dead. Many were feared trapped under the debris. S Abhilash, the director of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) said Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Calicut, and Malappuram districts have been receiving copious rainfall due to the active monsoon offshore trough affecting the entire <keyword id="22147737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Konkan-region" source="keywords">Konkan region</keyword> for the last two weeks. The soil was saturated after two weeks of rainfall. A deep mesoscale cloud system formed off the coast in the Arabian Sea on Monday and led to extremely heavy rain in Wayanad, Calicut, Malappuram, and Kannur, resulting in localised landslides, he told PTI. "The clouds were very deep, similar to those seen during the 2019 Kerala floods," Abhilash said. He said scientists have noticed a trend of very deep cloud systems developing over the southeast Arabian Sea, he said, adding that sometimes, these systems intrude into the land, like that in 2019. "Our research found that the southeast Arabian Sea is becoming warmer, causing the atmosphere above this region, including Kerala, to become thermodynamically unstable," Abhilash said. "This atmospheric instability, allowing the formation of deep clouds, is linked to <keyword id="19907392" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change" source="keywords">climate change</keyword>. Earlier, this kind of rainfall was more common in the northern Konkan belt, north of Mangalore." With climate change, that rain-bearing belt with deep clouds is extending southward and this is the main reason behind such extremely heavy rainfall, he said. Research by Abhilash and other scientists published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science journal in 2022 found that rainfall over the west coast of India is becoming more convective. Another study by Abhilash and scientists from IITM and IMD, published in Elsevier in 2021, found that one of the hotspots of heavy rainfall in the Konkan region (between 14 degrees north and 16 degrees north) seems to have shifted southward with likely fatal consequences. "An increase in rainfall intensity may suggest a rising probability of landslides in the high to mid-land slopes of the Western Ghats in eastern Kerala during the <keyword id="22604095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon-seasons" source="keywords">monsoon seasons</keyword>," the study said. According to the India Meteorological Department, several automatic weather stations in Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts recorded rainfall between 19 cm and 35 cm. "Most automatic weather stations of the IMD in the region recorded rainfall above 24 cm in 24 hours. Some stations installed by farmers recorded more than 30 cm of rain," Abhilash said. The Met Office said very heavy rainfall could occur in some places in the state over the next two days.

Warming of Arabian Sea linked to Wayanad landslides, say climate scientist

Survival drama "<keyword id="18932982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2018-Everyone-is-a-Hero" source="Orion">2018-Everyone is a Hero</keyword>", based on the Kerala floods that year, is <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s official entry to the Academy Awards 2024, the Film Federation of India announced here on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference, Girish Kasaravalli, noted filmmaker and chairperson of the selection committee, said the 16-member jury unanimously selected the Malayalam film to represent the country. Kasaravalli, a renowned voice in Kannada cinema, said they had a lengthy discussion before choosing "<keyword id="6355580" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2018" source="Orion">2018</keyword>" to represent India at the 2024 Academy Awards. "It was a pan-Indian selection. And we were happy that we were 16 members and we watched 22 films in one week's time. It was a difficult decision because there were so many good films and we had to analyse to find out which film had better merit. Finally, we decided on '2018 - Everyone is a Hero'," the filmmaker said. According to Kasaravalli, the Jude Anthany Joseph-directed film highlights "Indian ethos, situation and people". "It's a film that talks about a calamity that Kerala faced in 2018. It not only represents India but also the calamity that's happening around the world. The film also excels cinematically and technically," he said. "Such messages are linked to climate change and the so called development," he added. Lead star <keyword id="1721478" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tovino-thomas" source="Orion">Tovino Thomas</keyword>, who is currently in Amsterdam for the Septimius Awards where he won the best Asian Actor trophy for "2018", said it was time for celebration for the team. "I was very happy last night and woke up even happier to this exciting news as our film '2018' has been selected as India's official entry (to <keyword id="6376611" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="oscars" source="Orion">Oscars</keyword>). We worked in extreme conditions but it's all paying off. This movie is now getting international acclaim. It's great," Thomas told PTI over phone from Amsterdam. "I'm not with the team to celebrate this moment. But this definitely calls for a celebration," he added. <keyword id="26993" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="joseph" source="Orion">Joseph</keyword> said the announcement came as a happy surprise. "It was such a happiness that our film is going for the Oscars as the country's official entry," he added. <keyword id="1546264" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ravi-kottarakara" source="Orion">Ravi Kottarakara</keyword>, FFI president, said as many as 22 titles including Hindi films "The Kerala Story", "Rocky Aur Rani Kii <keyword id="5323802" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="prem-kahaani" source="Orion">Prem Kahaani</keyword>", "Gadar 2", "Zwigato", "The Vaccine War", "Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway" as well as "Balagam" (Telugu), "Vaalvi" (Marathi), "Baaplyok" (Marathi) and "August 16, 1947" (Tamil) were also in the running. But the jury unanimously chose "2018". "2018" also stars Tanvi Ram, <keyword id="789766" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kunchako-boban" source="Orion">Kunchako Boban</keyword> and <keyword id="3252579" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="aparna-balamurali" source="Orion">Aparna Balamurali</keyword>. In June, the makers claimed that the film had crossed over Rs 200 crore at the box office to become the highest grossing film in Malayalam cinema. FFI, an autonomous body of producers, exhibitors, studio owners and distributors, decides India's official entry to the Oscars for the best international feature category. Last year, "RRR" and "The Elephant Whisperers", the two Indian films which won the best original song and best documentary short, were sent to the Oscars directly by the makers, but India's official entry in the international film category, Gujarati film "Chhello Show"(Last Film Show), failed to make the cut in the final five nominations. The last Indian film that made it to the final five was the Aamir Khan-led "Lagaan" in 2001. The 96th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place on March 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. 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Malayalam survival drama '2018:Everyone is a Hero' is India's official entry to Oscars

<ul><li>Following the <keyword id="28504" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala">Kerala</keyword> <keyword id="48088" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="floods">floods</keyword> in late August, it was found that the National <keyword id="41418" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Disaster">Disaster</keyword> Relief Fund (NDRF) was insufficiently capitalised to finance relief efforts. </li><li>In light of this, the Indian government has instituted a panel, comprising several state finance ministers, to assess the feasibility of introducing a “natural disaster tax” under the <keyword id="6354679" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="gst">GST</keyword> regime. </li><li>It remains to be seen whether the <keyword id="6386887" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cess">cess</keyword> would be a state-level or national-level <keyword id="45031" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tax">tax</keyword> and whether it would imposed on a specific set of items or all items. A questionnaire will be sent to all states to get their views on the same. </li></ul>In the aftermath of the Kerala floods in late August, in which close to 500 people died and the damages were estimated to be around ₹200 billion, a major criticism was levied at the central government’s slow release of aid funds. It was found that the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) were insufficiently capitalised. In addition, the process of applying for and receiving aid from the corpus fund is extremely <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/flood-ravaged-kerala-s-wait-for-full-central-aid-package-could-be-long-118082700019_1.html">time-consuming</a>. The NDRF is funded by a “National Calamity Contingent Duty” on tobacco products and similar items. However, after the imposition of GST last year, the contributions to the fund have been declining. In light of this, the Indian government has instituted a panel, comprising several state finance ministers, to assess the feasibility of introducing a “natural disaster tax” under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. The panel, which is led by Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, is set to consult India’s attorney general, K. K. Venugopal, on the legal implications of levying a disaster tax to fund the recovery efforts of states that have been struck by natural disasters. Under the GST Act, states are allowed to charge a cess in the event that they suffer losses of revenue due to the implementation of the GST regime. A disaster cess would require the approval of an apex court. The GST Council decided to form the panel <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/gst-council-meets-to-consider-new-tax-for-kerala-flood-future-calamities-1923718">at the end of September </a>following a proposal from the government of Kerala to impose an additional 10% cess on specific goods sold in the state so as to fund reconstruction and rehabilitation. At the time, the central government said that the Kerala’s proposal would be difficult to implement given the absence of any tax credits on cesses. It remains to be seen whether the cess would be a state-level or national-level tax and whether it would imposed on a specific set of items or all items. A national-level tax under the GST regime seems more likely after the panel recognised the possibility that residents of Kerala would opt for large purchases outside the state so as to avoid paying the additional cess. A questionnaire will be sent to all states so as to establish a majority consensus on the above issues. The panel’s next meeting will be in November.

India is mulling the introduction of a “natural disaster tax” to fund relief efforts

<ul><li><keyword id="413856" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kalyan-Jewellers">Kalyan Jewellers</keyword> ₹1,175 crore initial public offering (IPO) has opened for subscription and investors can apply till March 18.</li><li>It has a fixed price band of ₹86 to ₹87 per share.</li><li>The IPO comprises fresh issuance of equity up to ₹800 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) worth ₹375.</li><li>The company has already said ₹351.89 from 15 anchor investors at the upper price band of ₹87 per share.</li></ul> One of India’s largest jewellery companies, Kalyan Jewellers, is making its debut on the market today with the launch of its ₹1,175 crore initial public offering (IPO). The Warburg Pincus-backed company is now open for public subscription as the IPO bonanza, on the Indian bourses, continues. The company has already raised ₹351.89 crore from 15 anchor investors at the upper price band of ₹87 per share. The Government of Singapore and Monetary Authority of Singapore are some of the key investors in the anchor book. However, analysts don’t look at Kalyan as a short-term bet. In order to see returns, you’ll have to lock in your money for the long haul. While the brand has strong recall and a pan-India presence, it will take some time for its balance sheets to improve. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Broking House </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Recommendation </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Angel Broking </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Subscribe </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Reliance Securities </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Subscribe </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Geojit Financial Services </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Subscribe </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">ICICI Securities </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unrated </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Axis Capital </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Unrated </td></tr></tbody></table> Kalyan will use the fresh inflow of funds to fulfil its working capital requirements and for general corporate purposes. Kalyan Jewellers and its hyperlocal strategy Kalyan’s biggest strength is its ability to act as a hyperlocal company — catering to a customer’s specific preferences according to the region they live in — with pan-India ambitions. The trusted jewellery brand does this end-to-end. It uses local market expertise to design their pieces and then region-specific marketing strategies to ensure the local residents know about it. The ‘My Kalyan’ neighbourhood centres are also a part of that. According to Axis Capital, it ‘significantly’ enhances the distribution footprint of the company. “[It] is difficult for their peers to easily replicate and enables Kalyan Jewellers to access India’s large pool of jewellery customers across urban, semi-urban and rural markets,” said the report. However, this also means that the company faces competition from both the big players — like Titan, which has been listed as a key competitor in the company’s red herring prospectus (RHP) — and the unorganised segment of jewellers in the local space. The good news is that the number of unorganised players is reducing and is expected to continue to fall. “Organised players will get healthy traction in the coming years due to increased preference for branded jewellery,” said Reliance Securities. “This, along with continued addition of new showrooms is expected to ensure a sustainable growth in the long run.” Expensive items will always be bought offline Being in the gold jewellery making business means that you need customers to come to your showrooms. In fact, Ramesh Kalyanaraman — the company’s executive director — doesn’t see the scope of online shopping ever replacing the offline experience. “People do not want to make high-ticket purchases online,” he told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/kalyan-jewellers-will-be-going-up-against-titan-but-remains-sceptical-jewellery-business-can-ever-fully-go-online/articleshow/81478749.cms">Business Insider</a> in an interview last week. Being dependent on the offline world, however, also means being resilient against threats like natural calamities and pandemics. Kalyan, on the other hand, has borne the brunt of COVID-19 in 2020 and the Kerala floods, a year prior to the lockdown. <div type="image" title="kalyan rev" msid="81525070" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Kalyan Jewellers&amp;#39; profit after tax over the last three years&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> In the nine-months from March to December 2020, the company saw negative cash flows due to people being wary of leaving their homes to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Industry reports show that buying of jewellery is now showing recovery as people go from large weddings to smaller venues and redirect that liquidity towards players like Kalyan. “We believe Kalyan Jewellers would perform better on the back of a strong brand and number of stores in India and internationally,” noted Angel Broking. Gold is a risky business Come rain or shine, the demand for gold in India will never be too far behind. After all, India is the biggest market for gold in the world. “Given the forecast improvement in profitability and balance sheet, India’s appetite for gold, strong presence, brand recall and diversified product offering, we assign a “subscribe” rating on a long-term basis,” said Geojit Financial Services. According to Reliance Securities, the firm’s focus on increasing revenue contribution from high-margin studded jewellery is expected to improve its overall margin as well. Kalyan Jewellers already dominates in South India with more than half its revenue coming from that region. But, it has over 100 showrooms located across 21 other states in the country. Internationally, it has another 30 showrooms in the Middle East. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/the-us-dollar-is-expected-to-get-stronger-thats-good-news-for-indian-it-services-but-not-for-many-others/articleshow/81511223.cms">The US dollar is expected to get stronger⁠ — that's good news for Indian IT services but not for many others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/bank-employees-in-india-on-strike-today-and-tomorrow-but-mobile-and-net-banking-services-are-working/articleshow/81505273.cms">Bank employees on strike today and tomorrow — ATMs, net and mobile banking likely to be the only relief</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indias-personal-data-protection-law-versus-europes-gdpr/articleshow/81504058.cms">Being GDPR compliant doesn't necessarily make companies ready for India's upcoming data protection laws</a>

Kalyan Jewellers kicks off its ₹1,175 crore IPO but buyers may want to strap in for the long haul

New Delhi, Apr 19 () Kerala-based ESAF Small Finance Bank has expressed its commitment for going public by listing its stock in line with the RBI's requirement and the money raised will help support the country's economy hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, promoters and promoter group together hold 77.94 per cent stake in the bank, which commenced its operation in March 2017. Besides, SIDBI Trustee Company Ltd-A/C Samridhi Fund holds 12.24 per cent stake in the bank. Speaking to , ESAF Small Finance Bank Managing Director K Paul Thomas said, "We have got the approval from Sebi for the initial public offering only in March. We have time till March 2021 and we hope that things will be normal by that time." Thomas, who holds 7.29 per cent stake in the bank in his individual capacity, said that making any prediction about the timeline at this point of time is difficult but going forward, things should improve. In terms of the licensing guidelines, a small finance bank is required to list its equity on the stock exchanges within a period of three years from reaching a net worth of Rs 500 crore. Talking about various efforts undertaken by the bank to help poor and hapless during the ongoing nation-wide lockdown, Thomas said, "We are not only providing banking service but engaging to support underprivileged especially stranded migrant workers in meeting daily needs under the corporate social responsibility initiative. The bank has launched mobile clinics called 'Bandhu Clinics' to cater to medical needs of migrant workers especially from eastern India in Kerala and also set up a dedicated helpline number for them, he said. On the banking side, the bank has launched COVID-19 care loan, he said adding that it is a pre-approved loan for getting started once the lockdown is over. As about 96 per cent of customers are small borrowers, the bank has provided a three-month moratorium in default mode as per the RBI guidelines of March 27 to help them in these difficult times. Citing the experience of the bank during the devastating Kerala flood in 2018, he said small businesses if given timely financial support are back on their feet quickly. "Keeping that in mind, the bank is ready with products for our different sets of borrowers and disbursement will start quickly after the lockdown is over," he added. Bank branches and ATMs across the 17 states and union territories are functioning and providing help to customers and the public at large, he added. ESAF Small Finance Bank, which got go-ahead from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to float a Rs 976-crore initial public offering last month, plans to raise Rs 800 crore through fresh issue and Rs 176.2 crore via offer-for-sale (OFS). The bank may consider a pre-IPO placement of up to Rs 300 crore. The proceeds from the fresh issue will be used to augment the bank's tier-1 capital (primarily loans or advances and investment portfolio) to meet future capital requirements. DP HRS

ESAF Small Finance Bank expresses commitment for listing

<ul><li>India suffered an economic loss of $37 billion due to <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change">climate change</keyword> in 2018 alone. </li><li>India is among the top 5 countries most affected by climate change in 2018. Japan lead the pact, followed by the Philippines and Germany. </li><li>Moreover, heat stress will force India to lose 5.8% of its working hours by 2030 with agriculture and construction sector suffering the most. </li></ul>India suffered an economic loss of $37 billion due to climate change in 2018, according to <a href="https://germanwatch.org/sites/germanwatch.org/files/20-2-01e%20Global%20Climate%20Risk%20Index%202020_10.pdf">a Global Climate Risk Index 2020. </a>The economic loss is nearly twice than what India <a href="https://www.unisdr.org/files/61119_credeconomiclosses.pdf">lost ($79.5 billion) between 1998-2017. </a> India ranked 5th in the top 10 countries most affected by climate change in 2018. Japan lead the pact, followed by the Philippines, Germany, and Madagascar, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/global-carbon-emissions-will-increase-by-0-6-in-2019/articleshow/72379812.cms">said the report.</a> Over the past five years, India has always suffered one of the five highest economic losses because of climate change, <a href="https://www.indiaspend.com/india-5th-most-vulnerable-to-climate-change-fallouts-its-poor-the-worst-hit/">reported India spend. </a> Top 5 most-affected countries by climate change <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt; table-layout: fixed;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ranking </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Country </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Death toll </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Absolute losses (in million US $ PPP) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Japan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1282 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">35839.34 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Philippines </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">455 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">4547.27 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Germany </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1246 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5038.62 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">4 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Madagascar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">72 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">568.10 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">India </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2081 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">37807.82 </td></tr></tbody></table>Credits: Global Climate Risk Index 2020. Apart from economic losses, India also witnessed the most number of deaths due to extreme weather conditions. India registered 2081 deaths because of climate change In 2018, India saw 2,081 deaths — the highest in the world — because of extreme weather events like cyclones, floods, landslides, etc. India is vulnerable to climate change particularly because of low per capita income, rising social inequality, and great dependency on agriculture for livelihoods. According to the report, the worst hit regions were also the poorest ones. “The yearly monsoon season, lasting from June to September, severely affected India in 2018,” <a href="https://germanwatch.org/sites/germanwatch.org/files/20-2-01e%20Global%20Climate%20Risk%20Index%202020_10.pdf">said the report</a>. For instance, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/after-massive-floods-kerala-now-faces-the-possibility-of-a-partial-drought/articleshow/65779424.cms">Kerala floods</a> — the worst in 100 years — in 2018 took 324 lives, damaged 20,000 houses and 80 dams. As many as 220,000 people were forced to migrate. The losses due to floods amounted to US $2.8 billion.Separately in October and November 2018, Title and Gaja killed 8 people and affected 450,000 people. Furthermore, India is also among the most affected countries by heatwaves. In 2019, several cities registered temperatures above 50°C. Chennai, a city with over a million people, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chennai-gets-monsoon-showers-but-its-too-little-to-solve-the-water-crisis/articleshow/70342615.cms">ran out of water and had to take external help. </a> <div type="image" title="Chennai: A train of 50 wagons filled with water from Jolarpet arrives at Chennai..." msid="72437171" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A train of 50 wagons filled with water from Jolarpet arrives at Chennai. Chennai has been grappling with an acute water crisis over the past four months. The southern metropolis is facing a daily water deficit of at least 200 million litres, and the four reservoirs supplying to the city have run dry.Photo/R Senthil Kumar)(&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 Heat stress will force India to lose 5.8% of its working hours by 2030. It is equivalent to slashing 34 million out of the 80 million full-time jobs world wide. Agriculture and construction sector in India will suffer the most because of this, the report said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/global-carbon-emissions-will-increase-by-0-6-in-2019/articleshow/72379812.cms">The relatively small upside of India's economic slowdown</a>

Climate change cost India over 2000 lives and $37 billion in just a year

<ul><li>The CEO of <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword>, <keyword id="1989443" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chris-Daniels">Chris Daniels</keyword>, flew down to <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> to have a one-on-one dialogue with the Indian information and technology minister, <keyword id="6354886" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ravi-Shankar-Prasad">Ravi Shankar Prasad</keyword> on Tuesday.</li><li>The Indian government has laid out three measures that it needs WhatsApp to fulfill if they are to continue operating in the country. </li><li>While some objectives are easier to implement, WhatsApp will still face an issue when trying device a way to trace fake messages to their source.</li></ul>It’s no secret that WhatsApp has been facing regulatory battles in India on two fronts. One, where lynchings were propagated by spreading <keyword id="2479020" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fake-news">fake news</keyword> via the platform and two, in trying to set up its payment system. Amid all the chaos the CEO of Whatsapp, Chris Daniels, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/HpmAjYPgcwpL28VlXGG2lO/India-asks-WhatsApp-to-set-up-local-entity.html">flew down to India yesterday</a> have a one-on-one with India’s information technology minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad. The request was simple - do these three things and you can stay. The government has asked Whatsapp to figure out a system where fake messages can be traced back to their origin, set up a local corporate entity and appoint a dedicated grievance officer in India to address claims against the messaging platform. The missing link On previous requests by the government to set up an office in India and have an Indian team in place to address the local grievances, Whatsapp was quick to the buck by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/beta-no-more-whatsapp-isnt-slowing-down-even-without-an-office/articleshow/65226054.cms">initiating</a> the required processes. According to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/whatsapp-building-india-team-to-curb-fake-news-but-government-is-not-satisfied/articleshow/65292048.cms">previous reports</a>, WhatsApp had informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that were in the process of hiring an Indian team to be present on the ground, including a Head of India and a Head of Policy. The directive to havean office in India comes, primarily, due to the app wanting to launch its new payments feature in the country. The crux of the issue lies in the attribution of fake messages. When the lynching incidents were first brought into the limelight, the government had asked WhatsApp to device a process where messages could be traced back to their origin. WhatsApp responded by saying that any such measure would encroach upon the privacy of its users. Instead, it limited the forwarding of messages to a maximum of 5 people at a time along with a ‘forwarded’ tag to indicate whether or not a message is an original. The issue for WhatsApp lies primarily in the fact that the app uses <keyword id="569230" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="End-to-end-encryption">end-to-end encryption</keyword> for all conversations. Not only does that protect your messages from hackers, but also prevents WhatsApp from reading them. While the circulation of fake messages and inaccurate news has led to over a dozen lynching incidents across the country as well as ‘fake warnings’ during the Kerala flood torment, the government isn’t depending on WhatsApp alone to solve the problem. They’ve asked internet and telecom <keyword id="16056" type="DOMAIN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Services">services</keyword> providers to chime in with any solution that could temporarily disable the services of a particular app during an emergency to serve the public interest as well.

What India needs from WhatsApp might not be so easily attainable

<ul><li><keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>’s <keyword id="6890736" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="cooling-action-plan">Cooling Action Plan</keyword> (<keyword id="155506" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICAP">ICAP</keyword>) estimates that India’s cooling demand is set to grow eight-fold by 2037-38 as compared to current consumption. </li><li>According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="climate-change">Climate Change</keyword>, India is the first country to have such a plan in place to address the cooling demands of the country. </li><li>ICAP also proposes setting up an R&amp;D ecosystem for startups as well as looking at alternative technology solutions to address this problem.</li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/kerala-floods-could-lead-to-a-surge-in-bad-loans-at-indias-regional-banks/articleshow/65622495.cms">Kerala floods</a> were only the most recent reminder of how climate change can cause unprecedented damage and recent revelations of ‘<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/scientists-calculated-a-point-of-no-return-for-dealing-with-climate-change-and-time-is-running-out/articleshow/65609551.cms">Hothouse Earth</a>’ predicts that things will only get worse. In its aftermath, India, as a part of the <keyword id="772908" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="montreal-protocol">Montreal Protocol</keyword>, is the first country to device a ‘Cooling Action Plan’ in an attempt to phase out ‘Ozone Depleting Substances’. On World Ozone Day, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the draft <a href="http://envfor.nic.in/content/draft-india-cooling-action-plan-icap-inviting-commentssuggestions?theme=moef_blue">Cooling Action Plan (ICAP)</a> along with a booklet on the ‘Montreal Protocol - India’s Success Story’, ahead of the 2019 general elections. Currently, India is staring at an eight-fold increase of cooling demand in the coming 20 years. Air conditioners, in particular, make more than half of that demand. That being said, India’s per capita energy consumption is still much lower than the developed nations like Japan and the UN, and even the developing countries like Brazil and Mexico. ICAP not only addresses how cooling requirements differ from sector to sector, it also lists of actions that can potentially reduce the overall cooling demands of the country. The overall mission of the ICAP is to provide cooling, as well as heating, in a sustainable and pareto-optimal way without any environmental and socio-economic externalities. Focus sectors According to ICAP’s current estimates, the building sector will show the most significant amount of growth. It’s expected to grow 11 fold in the next 20 years. In comparison, transport air-conditioning and cold chain sectors are only expected to increase four times and five times as much, respectively. And, according to the International Energy Agency, even globally the building sector is the <a href="https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/Building2013_free.pdf">largest</a> energy-consuming sector accounting for one-third of total energy consumption worldwide. The building sector includes residential housing as well as the sub-sectors of the services segment. Sustainable cooling The main aim of ICAP is to start from assessing what the cooling requirements are across the sectors and address the refrigerant and energy demands accordingly. To meet its objectives of reduction, the draft proposes mapping the technology available to cater to cooling and thermal requirements. It also puts forward the idea of developing an R&amp;D innovation ecosystem where alternative technologies can be developed. The former includes passive technology that focuses on controlling how heat is absorbed and dissipated through design solutions that improve cooling and thermal comfort with minimal energy consumption. <div type="image" title="cooling action plan" msid="65869101" hostid="261"></div>

 The Montreal Protocol isn’t only an Indian success story but an international one. It’s the only environmental treaty to have garnered ratification from 197 UN member countries. The Montreal Protocol specifically focuses on substances that deplete the ozone layer and has been successful in reducing the global production, consumption and emissions of these substances.

India is the first country to have a ‘Cooling Action Plan’ under the Montreal Protocol

2018 was a big year for politics on social media. From trading barbs to political mudslinging — it is safe to say 2018 was a year of agenda, propaganda and umpteen controversies. Opinions, debates, social campaigns kept our timelines kicking. It was also a year where we lost some of our top politicians, including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, DMK chief Karunanidhi and Somnath Chatterjee. Their contributions and controversies also made their way to <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>. While <keyword id="117594" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-politicians">Indian politicians</keyword> make their way to the top of the list in terms of social engagement; conversations around celebs are not too far behind. Films, actors, trailers, trends and big money were the talk of the town throughout the year. Here are the 10 most talked-about Indian accounts on Twitter. More power to hashtags! <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> (<a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@narendramodi</a>) Followers: 44.7 million Following: 2,069 With elections being an intrinsic part of public and political discourse Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s Twitter account was the most popular account in 2018. His social commentary, foreign trips, photo-ops with heads of different countries made it to top Twitter conversations as well. This is the top retweeted tweet of the year from the account: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> (<a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi">@RahulGandhi</a>) Followers: 8.09 million Following: 198 While Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket team, accepted fitness challenge from sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, he also nominated PM Narendra Modi for the challenge. As sarcastic as it may seem, Rahul Gandhi, President, Indian National Congress (INC), challenged Modi to reduce fuel prices. Here is his most retweeted tweet: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Amit Shah (<a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah">@AmitShah</a>) Followers: 12.1 million Following: 281 With three state elections debacle and a mammoth general election in the offing, BJP Amit Shah was a huge search with tweeples. Amid the political debates on last year’s Karnataka election, President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amit Shah, tweeted on the outcome of elections making it the most retweeted tweet from the account. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 <keyword id="43254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yogi-Adityanath">Yogi Adityanath</keyword> (<a href="https://twitter.com/myogiadityanath">@myyogiadityanath</a>) Followers: 3.15 million Following: 44 The Uttar Pradesh chief minister,Yogi Adityanath has been in controversy ever-since he was elected to the top seat in India’s most populous state. Mr Adityanath faced flak for changing the names of prominent Indian cities. The rationale was bizzare for some, while some seemed to nod in agreement. This led to a mini war-of-words across social platforms. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> (<a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal">@ArvindKejriwal</a>) Followers: 14.2 million Following: 210 To help those affected by the Kerala floods that resulted in the death of over 483 people, Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal had said that he would donate a month’s salary, including that of his lawmakers to the relief fund for the victims. This comment went viral on Twitter and was his most retweeted tweet through the year. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Pawan Kalyan (<a href="https://twitter.com/PawanKalyan">@PawanKalyan</a>) Followers: 3.4 million Following: 1 Potentially criticising for abuse and making business out of profanity, Pawan Kalyan, an Indian film actor tweeted to boycott certain news channels. The statement was his most retweeted tweet. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Shah Rukh Khan (<a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@iamsrk</a>) Followers: 37 million Following: 79 “Hug from the Thug....!! Beat that!”, said Bollywood’s popular actor Shah Rukh Khan in a tweet that shared a picture of the two B-town celebs ( Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan) hugging. The tweet was his most retweeted tweet. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Vijay (<a href="https://twitter.com/actorvijay">@actorvijay</a>) Followers: 1.9 million Following: 0 Tamil actor and playback singer, Vijay, got loads of attraction from Indian viewers towards the end of the year 2018 for his Tamil film ‘Sarkar’. The movie has been making massive gains worldwide, winning appreciation. The tweet sharing his movie’s ‘second look’ was the most retweeted so far. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Mahesh Babu (<a href="https://twitter.com/urstrulyMahesh">@urstrulyMahesh</a>) Followers: 7.22 million Following: 21 Mahesh Babu is one of the biggest actors of the Telugu film industry. In 2018, he delivered his career-best performance in the Telugu blockbuster ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’. He was a rage on Twitter and #BharatAneNenu was one of the top hashtags of 2018. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Shivraj Singh Chouhan (<a href="https://twitter.com/ChouhanShivraj">@ChouhanShivraj</a>) Followers: 5 million Following: 262 Talking of controversies, one cannot ignore the Vyapam Scam that has its roots in India’s central Madhya Pradesh, with its former chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the epicentre of it. The Vyapam scam was an entrance examination, admission and recruitment scam that was unearthed in Madhya Pradesh in 2013. Recently, in an election shocker, Chouhan was upseated from the state in the assembly election results — after serving three consecutive terms. He was gracious in defeat and even joined his opponents onstage as they took the baton from him to serve Madhya Pradesh. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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