At 71, the woman with severe aortic stenosis faced an additional challenge that made treating her heart condition particularly complex. Along with the narrowing of her aortic valve, she had a history of gastrointestinal bleeding due to esophagitis and had previously required multiple blood transfusions.

Complicated health history

Her medical history meant that the treatment strategy had to balance the need to correct the severely narrowed heart valve while carefully minimising the risk of further bleeding.

After detailed evaluation and multidisciplinary planning, the cardiac team at KIMS Hospitals, Thane, decided to perform a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), a minimally invasive procedure in which a replacement valve is delivered through a catheter and positioned inside the diseased aortic valve.

The procedure was performed by Dr. B. C. Kalmath, who is the director & head, Department of Cardiac Sciences, KIMS Hospitals in Thane.

In patients with severe aortic stenosis, the aortic valve becomes narrowed and restricts the flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body. As the condition progresses, patients may develop breathlessness, chest discomfort, fatigue, dizziness or reduced exercise tolerance. In elderly patients or those with additional medical conditions, choosing the safest approach to valve replacement becomes particularly important.

For this patient, her previous episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding added another layer of complexity to the procedure. Careful assessment and peri-procedural planning were therefore essential to minimise the possibility of bleeding complications while ensuring successful treatment of the valve disease.

Treatment of the elderly woman

Speaking about the case, Dr Kalmath said, “Treating severe aortic stenosis in a patient with a significant history of gastrointestinal bleeding requires careful planning. In such cases, the objective is not only to treat the diseased valve but also to anticipate and minimise potential complications. TAVI allowed us to treat the valve through a minimally invasive approach, while the patient was closely monitored for bleeding and other complications. She had a smooth recovery, with no haematoma or bleeding complications following the procedure, and was able to return home within 48 hours.”

Unlike conventional open-heart valve replacement, TAVI does not generally require opening the chest or placing the patient on a heart-lung bypass machine. The replacement valve is introduced through a catheter, most commonly through an artery in the groin, and guided to the heart, where it is deployed within the diseased native valve.

The minimally invasive nature of TAVI can allow appropriate patients to recover faster and spend less time in hospital, although the decision between TAVI and surgical valve replacement depends on several factors including age, overall health, anatomy, surgical risk and associated medical conditions.

In this case, the patient was shifted to the ICU after the procedure and remained stable, with no haematoma or bleeding complications reported during the immediate postoperative period. She continued to recover well and was *discharged just 48 hours after the procedure without any complaints*.

The case highlights the importance of individualised treatment planning in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis, particularly when other medical conditions can increase the complexity of intervention. A history of significant bleeding does not automatically rule out valve replacement, but it requires careful assessment of the patient's bleeding and thrombotic risks and close monitoring throughout the treatment pathway.

For patients with severe aortic stenosis, symptoms such as unexplained breathlessness, persistent fatigue, dizziness, chest discomfort or a decline in the ability to perform routine activities should not be dismissed as simply part of ageing. Early cardiac evaluation can help identify valve disease and determine the appropriate treatment before the condition progresses further.

For this 71-year-old woman, meticulous planning and a minimally invasive approach helped overcome a complex clinical challenge, allowing her to leave the hospital within two days and return home after a successful valve replacement.

Causes of heart attack in the bathroom

While heart attacks can happen anywhere, the bathroom is one place where they are occasionally triggered. Heart attacks are not only seen due to stress, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, diabetes and obesity, but even straining during bowel movements. “So, there are a large number of people who strain too hard during a bowel movement, particularly due to constipation. So, understand that this can increase pressure inside the chest and abdomen. This sudden strain temporarily affects blood pressure and heart rate, placing extra stress on the heart. In people with underlying heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, or weakened heart function, this added stress can lead to chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, or even a heart attack. The symptoms of a heart attack seen in such people can be severe chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the left arm, neck, jaw, shoulder, or back, shortness of breath, cold sweats, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or even sudden collapse. Hence, timely treatment is key to improve the quality of life,” said Dr Bipeenchandra Bhamre, cardiac surgeon in Mumbai

Dr Bhamre further added, “If chest pain or severe discomfort starts while passing the bowels, then don’t strain, stop immediately, and ask for help. Make sure to consult the doctor without delay. To reduce the risk, prevent constipation by drinking enough water, opt for a fibre-rich diet, exercise every day for 45 minutes, and avoid prolonged straining. Those detected with heart disease should take prescribed medicines regularly, control blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, and attend routine health check-ups. So, make sure to prevent constipation and, in turn, keep the heart healthy.”

"Many people are unaware that excessive straining while passing stools may temporarily reduce blood flow to the heart and increase the pressure on the heart. This change may not be a matter of concern for those individuals who are healthy. But when it comes to people with blocked arteries or existing heart disease, this can be dangerous and will need timely attention, as it can raise the chances of a heart attack. The risk is even higher in elderly individuals, people with chronic constipation, obesity, or those recovering from a previous heart attack. Maintaining good bowel health is therefore not just about digestive comfort; it is also important for heart health. Hence, see to it that you avoid straining while passing bowels, eat a nutritious diet, say no to processed and canned foods, stay physically active to ensure smooth passing of stools, and doing so will also keep the heart healthy," concluded Dr Swarup Swaraj Pal Sr. Consultant Cardiovascular and Thoracic surgeon, Gleneagles Hospitals in Parel.

Smoking, meanwhile, can damage the blood vessels and increase the risk of vascular complications. Indian doctors raising awareness about a healthy heart recommend staying physically active, taking regular movement breaks during long journeys, and avoiding tobacco to maintain healthy blood circulation.

During long-distance travel, sitting continuously for several hours can reduce movement of the leg muscles, which normally helps blood return towards the heart. Limited movement may cause swelling, heaviness or discomfort in the legs and, in certain people, increase the risk of blood clots. 

Effects of prolong sitting

Dr Santosh Patil, vascular surgeon at Apollo Spectra Hospital in Pune said, “Prolonged sitting during travel can affect blood circulation, particularly in the lower limbs. We are seeing a growing number of people with symptoms such as leg heaviness, swelling, calf discomfort or numbness after long journeys. People travelling for several hours should avoid sitting continuously, move their legs frequently, take regular breaks to walk around whenever possible, stay adequately hydrated and avoid smoking during travel. Individuals with diabetes, obesity, previous blood clots or known vascular disease should be particularly careful and seek medical advice if they develop sudden leg swelling, severe pain or breathlessness.” 

Dr. Patil further added, “There is a 40 per cent rise in vascular complaints during the travel season. In a month, 4 out of 10 people aged 25–60 years coming to us report symptoms such as leg heaviness, calf pain, swelling, numbness or cold feet, particularly after prolonged sitting or long-distance travel. Walking is one of the simplest ways to support healthy blood circulation. Regular walking activates the calf muscles, improves blood flow, and can help maintain the health of the blood vessels. People who spend long hours sitting at work or travelling should make movement a regular part of their day rather than relying only on occasional exercise. Even short walking breaks, ankle movements, and stretching during prolonged periods of sitting can be useful. Those who experience recurring calf or leg pain while walking should not simply dismiss it as tiredness, as it may sometimes indicate reduced blood flow to the legs and requires medical evaluation.”

Other habits that can affect vascular health

Smoking is another major factor that can affect vascular health. “Around 30 per cent of patients with vascular complaints have a history of regular smoking. Monthly, there are approximately 3 out of 10 people belonging to age group 25-60 who visit with vascular complaints are regular smokers and have symptoms such as recurring calf pain while walking, cold feet, numbness, or slow-healing wounds. Smoking can damage the inner lining of blood vessels, narrow the arteries, and reduce blood flow to the legs. The risk can be even higher when smoking is combined with diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Quitting tobacco is therefore one of the most important steps towards protecting vascular health. Along with quitting smoking, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol can help protect the blood vessels. Follow these tips and stay healthy,” concluded Dr Patil.

Dr Dharmik Bhuva, senior consultant Vascular and Neuro Interventional Radiologist, Zynova Shalby Hospital in Mumbai said, “Long journeys with prolonged sitting can slow blood circulation in the legs and increase the risk of blood clots, especially in people who smoke or have a sedentary lifestyle. Studies suggest that the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) increases with prolonged travel, particularly when sitting for more than four hours. To improve circulation, travellers should get up, walk and stretch their legs every 1–2 hours, along with doing simple ankle movements while seated. Regular exercise and quitting smoking are also important for maintaining healthy blood vessels. People with existing vascular problems should take medical advice before undertaking long journeys.”

In a Facebook post, Guruvayur Devaswom said it made arrangements for 443 weddings at the temple on the day.

The weddings began at 4 am and 150 marriages were solemnised within the first two-and-a-half hours, Devaswom officials said.

Tokens were issued to each wedding party, while the number of people accompanying the bride and groom is restricted to prevent overcrowding on the temple premises.

The temple had witnessed more than 400 marriages on August 23, the first Sunday of Chingam.

Guruvayur Devaswom Chairman A V Gopinath, governing committee member M U Shinija and Administrator S Harigopal are leading the arrangements, with Devaswom employees assisting devotees and overseeing the proceedings.

Six mandapams have been arranged for the 'thalikettu' ceremony, while additional staff have been deployed at the wedding venue to assist with the rituals, officials said.

A traditional musical ensemble has also been stationed near the venue, the Devaswom said.

The eastern entrance of the temple has been made one-way to regulate devotee movement and ease congestion.

Police personnel, along with temple guards, are controlling the crowd and regulating devotees' movement, Devaswom said.

The temple authorities have also ensured that CCTV cameras installed inside and outside the shrine, as well as across the temple town, remain operational, officials added. 

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The 5,055-metre "Uniting Table" was sprawled along Unirii Boulevard to Constitution Square in front of Bucharest's massive communist-era Palace of Parliament. The Romania-based organisers Bloom The World Association were awarded a certificate by Guinness World Records for the "longest table made from recycled materials."

The event brought together a reported 20,000 people at the many tables, many of which were decorated with flowers and snacks.

Joanne Brent, a senior adjudicator and official onscreen judge for Guinness World Records, who joined the Bucharest event, said on stage that it proved that the record-breaking achievement had been put to good use.

"Everyone, 20,000 people I am told are here today, have come around one table and a common cause," she said. "I get to see this often, people coming together, record-breaking achievements with real-world impact."

Money raised from the event will go toward a 3,900-square-metre children's psychiatric facility within the Obregia Hospital complex in Bucharest. It is being funded by private donations and sponsorships and will cost an estimated 16.5 million euros, according to the Metropolis Foundation, which is behind the construction project.

"It is a project that started from a real need," the foundation states on its website. "The current section at Obregia Hospital operates in an old, overcrowded space, which no longer meets the medical and emotional needs of children. ... It means the chance to bring closer to reality a hospital that will benefit over 5,700 children facing severe mental illnesses annually."

The foundation says the number of children diagnosed with serious mental disorders, such as depression, behavioural disorders, substance use, autism and ADHD, has "increased alarmingly" in Romania, from 3,839 in 2018 to more than 5,600 in 2024.

The hospital's current pediatric psychiatry clinic has 62 beds, but wards with many beds that lack their own bathrooms, according to the foundation. It also states that the old facility's lack of space can make private discussions with patients and their families challenging.

The new five-level building will host medical offices, occupational therapy and virtual reality rooms, sensory and educational spaces, dedicated relaxation spaces, as well as a section dedicated to treating addiction among adolescents.

"We clearly want as many people as possible to donate (toward) the first psychiatric hospital for children," said Alexa Vilcan of Bloom the World.

The previous Guinness record for the longest table made from recycled materials was also held by Bloom the World, measuring 2,782 metres in Romania's central town of Alba Iulia, and was recorded on the same date last year.

In 2023, Romania had one of the lowest healthcare budgets in the European Union relative to GDP at 5.7 per cent, compared to a bloc average of about 10 per cent, according to the EU's statistics office, Eurostat.

Romania's Minister of Health Alexandru Rogobete has pledged to support the initiative by supplying the "equipment and furniture necessary" to equip the medical facility, construction for which is scheduled to be completed by 2027.

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The state-of-the-art complex was decked up for the occasion.

India is hosting the BRICS Summit at the sprawling venue in central Delhi on September 12-13.

The first day saw the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other heads of state, among other top dignitaries.

The menu included 'khandvi mille' and 'khumb galouti' as starters, people familiar with the matter said.

'Khandvi mille' is a feuille steamed gram-flour roll, tempered with mustard, coconut and curry leaves. It is served with kesar mango, micro-greens and yoghurt dressing.

'Khumb galouti' is tender pan-grilled mushroom kebabs with mint pearls, served on a bed of sheermal bread, they said.

The main course offered 'paneer lababdar' -- soft cottage cheese cubes simmered in a rich gravy of shallots and tomato; 'gucchi marmik' -- Himalayan morel mushrooms and tender asparagus, gently simmered with saffron, raisins, and mamra almonds; and 'carrot bean poriyal' -- blend of carrots and green beans toasted in aromatic South Indian spices in hand-pressed virgin coconut oil and finished with freshly grated coconut.

The other items that were offered include 'thakkali belle saaru' -- light lentil broth of toor dal enriched with fresh tomatoes and curry leaves; 'millet pulao' -- fragrant basmati rice and pearl millets cooked with spices and seasonal aromatics; 'beetroot raita' -- chilled yoghurt with beetroot and fresh herbs; and assorted Indian breads, also featured on the vegetarian menu.

For the desserts, 'Old Delhi fruit cream with jalebi' -- seasonal fruits and lightly whipped cream paired with a crispy sweet fritter; and 'shahtoot phirni', a slow-cooked pudding of milk and rice, topped with sweet mulberries and gold leaf, wrapped up the menu for the VVIP guests, they said.

The gala dinner was served to the accompaniment of a performance by an ensemble of over 100 artistes drawn largely from India, as well as other member countries of BRICS.

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Misquitta is one among thousands of Mumbaikars who have been visiting Bandra Fair every year. While some of them have made it their own tradition over the years, some have been following it for generations in the city. She explains, "I remember when I was little we would always take a taxi to the steps from Shah Rukh Khan's bungalow) side to reach the Basilica."

It didn't end with going to the Fair for the Misquitta family. "And then on the way back home with all the goodies, we would stop for a takeaway of Chinese food from B Hearsch & Co.," the 30-year-old adds, continuing, "It was a family outing I would look forward to each year."

It's no different for Josef Menezes from Andheri. He shares, "My fondest memories are quite funny actually. It is when I used to get up early for mass, then fall asleep during it and then get woken up to walk down the slope. This was more than 10 years ago. It was basically a fairy land for me where mom used to buy toys and by the time I got home, it was already damaged."

Kadio bodio is one of the most popular delicacies that people enjoy at Bandra Fair every year. Photos Courtesy: Nascimento Pinto

Memories of toys, sorpotel roll and kadio bodio

While Misquitta is one among many Millennials, the 19-year-old is among the newer generation and Gen-Z, who has been going over the years, showcasing how Bandra Fair transcends generations. "My annual ritual has been to just enjoy the day with your family, have the sorportel roll. It was a very fun experience to look back on - adding the crowd and the vendors just shouting prices to the mix, while negotiating with the Konkani aunties."

While others go to pray at Mount Mary's Basilica, Menezes had one more motivation - the food. Even as he loves the sorpotel roll, he adds, "People should definitely try every kadio bodio. The orange one and the white one. As a Goan, definitely those. I once only went to Bandra fair only for the kadio bodio (laughs)." In fact, only two years ago, Menezes who has found the kadio bodio to be cheaper during Bandra Fair did the unthinkable. "I finished the bag within two days. It was a 500 gm bag," he shares proudly.

Going to Bandra Fair is one of the most memorable times for many Mumbaikars including Menezes. In fact, the city-based student has grown up with stories of how his mum would go every year. "When she was a kid, she was very fond of getting her name written on rice."

Over time, visiting Bandra fair has become an annual tradition that he has spent with his family and friends. "I would love to go back in time," reminisces the Mumbaikar, who adds, "I don't go every year anymore. It was almost every year before lockdown but not much anymore. It is mostly because of time and nobody else to go with. I still go occasionally if my friends are going but not much with family anymore." You never know, sorpotel rolls, choris pao, and kadio bodios may just motivate him this year to visit the Fair, that will start on September 13 and end on September 20.

Sorpotel and Choris pao are local delicacies served at the stalls during Bandra Fair. Photo Courtesy: Nascimento Pinto

Celebrating with family and fugias

It's closer to home for Andriana Viegas, another Mumbaikar, who has some of the fondest memories visiting Bandra Fair. In fact, they have two celebrations. It starts on the first Sunday and ends on the concluding Sunday. She shares, "My fondest memories are the lunch at my uncle’s house in Bandra. We start with a small prayer, and the whole family sings hymns together before we eat. It’s a proper Goan/Mangalorean lunch, served on a banana leaf with Goan desserts."

It doesn't end there because after lunch, Viegas and her cousins and friends always hang around, and catch up on life — since it’s often the only time in the year everyone’s together, it always ends up being a lot of fun.

Such is their love for tradition that they do it even today. The 21-year-old adds, "The first Sunday is more prayer-centric and everyone’s invited, the second Sunday is more family-centric. I go for celebrations on the second Sunday because of work and other commitments."

Bandra Fair is quite a busy time of the year for the Mumbaikar that starts early in the morning. "Every year on the feast day, my family and I first go for mass at Mount Mary. After that, we shop at the small stalls at the fair — we always pick up kadio bodio, channa, toys, accessories, keychains, and other little things. We go to September Garden and go on rides like the ferris wheel and the boat ride. Eat candy floss, which is mandatory. We head to my uncle’s place for lunch."

Even though Viegas goes for the annual lunch, food at the fair is complete without the best delicacies. "Enjoying the food from the stalls, especially the sorpotel is nostalgic for me. In the sorpotel vs vindaloo debate, I’m firmly Team Sorpotel, especially with laadi paav. Even my cousins who live abroad still talk about that taste; it’s one of those things that stays with you."

While she may be a huge fan of sorpotel and laadi pav, it is incomplete without an East Indian delicacy that she recommends everybody should try. "Fugias are a must-have too. Back in school, when I was more regular with the novenas, I’d buy and eat fugias almost every single day, it was a whole experience in itself. These days, with work, I’m not able to go as often as the cousins and I used to, so my mom goes and picks some up for me, just so I can still have that taste and relive the memory."

Even as people share fond memories about Bandra Fair, they often rue that "Bandra Fair isn't the same anymore". While there may be many that agree and disagree, Viegas also believes that it has changed. She shares, "There was something about that whole nine-day stretch — going for the novenas, the whole experience — that just felt different."

Like many Mumbaikars, she believes the change happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, the Bandra Fair itself didn't take place in 2020 and 2021. She shares, "I don’t want to blame it entirely on Covid and the lockdown, but I do feel like a lot of this shift happened post-lockdown, once public places started opening up again. It’s not that anything visibly changed — the stalls are still there, the rides are still there — it’s more that the feeling itself changed."

She adds, "Bandra Fair has so many memories and so much nostalgia attached to it for me, and I don’t think that emotion is quite the same anymore. Maybe I sound like I’m getting old, but when I was younger, I’d genuinely wait all year for it — waiting to go on the giant wheel, waiting to hit the rides and play games at the September Garden. Yes, I’d look forward to shopping with my mom and eating at the stalls too, but as a kid, what I was really counting down to was the rides. That excitement, that anticipation — it was so strong. And I just don’t see that same feeling anymore."

While the times have changed, Viegas admits that she is still going to go because she intends to continue her family tradition, and nothing is going to change that as she joins many Mumbaikars this Sunday to visit Bandra Fair yet again.

Investigators suspect an international wildlife trafficking network could be behind the presence of the animals in the state, officials said.

The forest department rescued the orangutans from Bichitrapur forest under Bhograi block in the morning of September 8.

Investigators are now focusing on a black SUV reportedly seen near Badapahi village in the area on the night of September 7.

The STF has so far examined footage from 55 CCTV cameras installed in Bhograi and nearby Digha in West Bengal.

"We have verified the vehicles' movement on Monday (September 7) night in both places, but so far, there has been no breakthrough," a senior police officer said, adding that the SUV could provide a major clue.

Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia said villagers had reported seeing a black SUV in the area where the orangutans were rescued.

"The CCTV footage also confirmed that such an SUV had passed the area around 11.25 pm on Monday. But the footage could only capture the upper portion of the vehicle and not its registration number. Therefore, it is important to locate the mysterious SUV," he told reporters.

The forest department has restricted public entry to Bichitrapur forest as investigators suspect that evidence could otherwise be disturbed or destroyed, sources said.

Police have also recovered face masks from a black polythene bag in the area and suspect they may have been used by those who released the orangutans in the forest.

Local residents have denied any connection with the masks, a police official said.

Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) Prakash Chandra Gogineni, who is also director of the Similipal Tiger Reserve, said circumstantial evidence indicated that the animals could have been brought into Balasore from West Bengal through the Digha-Chandaneswar and Bhograi route.

"The circumstantial evidence strongly indicates that the orangutans were brought to Balasore district from West Bengal using the Digha-Chandaneswar-Bhograi route, which passes through rural areas. The wildlife traffickers deliberately avoided national highways and instead used interior village roads to transport the animals," he said.

Based on the forest department's assessment, STF personnel examined CCTV footage from rural roads, including cameras installed at a toll plaza in West Bengal, an official said.

Gogineni said the presence of the animals pointed to a possible international trafficking link, as orangutans are not native to India and cannot be legally bred or kept locally.

He said the animals could have been trafficked from Myanmar through the Northeast into eastern India, taking advantage of the region's geography.

Two WCCB teams, from Bhopal and Kolkata, have joined the investigation, officials said.

"If the orangutans were brought from Indonesia, there will definitely be international operatives. The international traffickers must also have agents in local areas, either in West Bengal or Odisha. We have to find them," Gogineni said.

The STF has also visited a Marine police station to explore the possibility that the animals could have been transported through waterways.

"The involvement of international traffickers is suspected because orangutans are not native to India and they fetch around Rs 20-25 lakh each in the international market. There is also a possibility that the animals were transported through waterways, either in ships or fishing trawlers," an official said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed forest and police authorities to crack the alleged trafficking network and ensure Odisha is not used as a transit route for wildlife trafficking.

Singhkhuntia said the state government, in coordination with the Centre, would take stringent action against those involved.

Bhograi MLA and BJD leader Goutam Buddha Das demanded that the state government seek Interpol's assistance, saying the case could have international ramifications. 

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Majhi, who is on a five-day business tour of the UAE, expressed deep concern over the rescue of the five baby orangutans from a jungle in Balasore district on Tuesday, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

Despite his busy schedule in Dubai, the chief minister has been closely monitoring developments in Odisha and has directed officials to ascertain how the animals reached Balasore and uncover the background of the incident, it said.

Majhi has also ordered an investigation into the route used to bring the rare animals to Odisha, how they entered the state, the people involved in their transportation and the purpose for which they were brought, according to the statement.

"Odisha will never be allowed to serve as a transit route for the illegal trafficking of exotic wildlife. If any network is found to be involved in this illegal transport, it will be identified, and strict action will be taken in accordance with the law," Majhi said.

The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to investigate the matter in coordination with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and other agencies of the Centre.

He also directed officials to ensure that the rescued orangutans receive appropriate medical treatment, security and necessary care in accordance with established wildlife protection protocols while the investigation is underway.

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State Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia on Friday said the state government had two days ago written a letter to the CZA seeking permission to keep the five Orangutan cubs, rescued from Bichitrapur forest in Balasore district in the morning of September 8, at Nandankanan Zoo. CZA is yet to respond to the state government's request. 

Meanwhile, there were reports that Indonesia has moved the Indian government seeking repatriation of the rescued Orangutans. 
After their rescue, the five Orangutan cubs were shifted to the zoo, where they have been quarantined in a temperature-controlled room and are gradually getting acclimatised with the local environment, an official said. 

The minister said though Orangutans are mostly found in the rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia and some other countries, they can easily adopt to the climate of Odisha. 

"Climatic conditions replicating those in Indonesia have been created in the zoo for the stay of the rescued animals," the minister said. 
According to officials, Orangutans are not new to Odisha's climate and they have survived in the coastal state before. 

The Nandankanan Zoo already has a special enclosure for Orangutans, but it remained empty following the death of a 41-year-old female Orangutan in 2019. It was brought from a zoo in Pune in 2003. 

The minister added, "It will be very good news for animal lovers in Odisha if the CZA allows Nandankanan to retain the five Orangutans. The tourist footfall would certainly increase." 

Meanwhile, the authorities of the Nandankanan Zoo said the five cubs were receiving food and oral rehydration solutions. 

The cubs three male and two females are aged between six months and one year and stand at one to one-and-a-half-feet tall.

The state government has provided all facilities for the comfort of the Orangutans to de-stress them as they showed a range of emotions, from playful behaviour and brief mood swings to anxiously clinging to one another, they said. 

The animals have also been playing with soft toys, listening to music as per the advice of the animal health experts and are gradually becoming stress-free, Nandankanan Zoological Park deputy director Pradeep Mirase said. 

A joint probe by the Odisha Police's Special Task Force (STF) and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) is underway to ascertain how the Orangutans reached Balasore. Officials are also probing the possible involvement of an international wildlife trafficking network.

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"We even found living corals hidden in a ceiling," he told AFP.

Nawee heads a raid unit in the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) that tries to stop the sale of everything from African elephant ivory to monkeys wanted as pets or for laboratory testing.

Alongside weapons, drugs and human trafficking, the illegal wildlife trade is among the most widespread and profitable forms of organised crime globally, run by cross-border cartels.

Thailand occupies a rare position because of its abundant local wildlife, the availability of rare species in nearby countries, and its accessibility by sea, air and land.

The DNP set up a dedicated Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit (WCU) in 2023 with three permanent staff charged with tracking and intercepting illegal purchases.

They spend much of their time trawling social media, which is now "the key channel" for buying and selling illegal animals, said WCU director Polawee Buchakiet.

Wildlife traders often describe animals as needing to be "rehomed", rather than explicitly offering them for sale, and post tightly cropped images of their wares to avoid revealing their locations.

But the WCU has undercover officers who can track them down.

- Undercover officers -
One undercover officer -- known by the pseudonym "Tee" -- has shinned up electricity poles disguised as a repairman to peer into courtyards and take photos, and posed as a land surveyor to look into windows on neighbouring plots.

The WCU needs such evidence to obtain court warrants to go in and seize the animals.

He is still haunted by cases where sellers could not be located, or the team arrived too late, finding the creatures either dead or so sickly they died soon after rescue.

Trafficked animals are often weakened by the process of smuggling, stressed by the loss of their habitat and family group, and vulnerable to unfamiliar diseases.

"I wonder to myself if we could have done something to get there sooner," Tee, 43, told AFP.

"Whether they are big or small, all animals' lives are precious."

- Exotic pets -
At just six months old, the leaf monkey curled up inside DNP vet Thanawadee Phaichana's rubber-gloved hand is very small indeed.

He was intercepted in luggage at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, bound for India, where demand for exotic animals as pets has been growing.

A second monkey found in the same bag died after being rescued.

"Most of these smuggled animals will be in a weak condition... some are given sedatives or even mild anesthetic to keep them from moving or making noise," Thanawadee said.

Animals rescued in and around Bangkok often come to the DNP's small facility for initial treatment before being transferred to a sanctuary.

Older, healthier animals might eventually return to the wild, but younger ones struggle to learn the skills needed to survive.

"I feel sorry for them," said Thanawadee.

Wildlife traffickers can face up to 10 years in prison for crimes involving protected species, or 15 years for endangered species.

There has been a string of recent high-profile arrests, including a July raid that rescued a leaf monkey, a gibbon and hundreds of turtles, as well as multiple interceptions at airports.

But there have also been setbacks.

In 2019, a Thai court dismissed the case against suspected wildlife trafficking kingpin Boonchai Bach. While the Supreme Court later sentenced him to prison, he remains at large.

The team also struggles with stonewalling from social media sites and chronic shortages of staff and funds.

Officers posing as undercover buyers sometimes have to use their own money, Nawee said.

What would make a real difference? An end to the exotic pet trade, he said.

"These are wild animals, they don't belong in a cage."

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According to a recent survey by Indian dating app, QuackQuack, three dating trends in particular have captured the shift and shaped 2026; these trends are also predicted to carry into 2027.

To understand these evolving dating behaviours and trends, the dating app surveyed over 11,000 active dating app users between the ages of 20 and 35 years, from metros, suburbs, and rural regions of India. Participants were chosen from different social and professional backgrounds for a comprehensive understanding of the trends. The app's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, "2026 has been the year of 'Intentional Dating'; young singles are far more emotionally mature than their predecessors. They want clarity, but never rush it; they want safety but do not want to overanalyse; they choose to check the compatibility before making any grand promise. These daters have taken dating to another level."

Loud looking

A few years ago, being upfront about wanting commitment or exclusivity from a match felt like putting too much pressure on a new connection. However, 2026 made people bolder; about 47 per cent of Indian dating singles between 25 and 30 years of age said that they prefer 'Loud Looking' to sending mixed signals. The survey said 7 out of 10 singles today do not hesitate to state their intentions early on; if that is uncomfortable to a match, it becomes evident from the beginning that the connection is not meant to be. "I want something serious" is neither rushing to settle nor coming off as desperate; it gives emotional clarity, and for many, it is an important filter. This trend, coming right after the situationship culture, shows a massive shift in people's emotional bandwidth.

Date to know

The idea of "a perfect date" is slowly disappearing, according to 5,847 singles from Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities. The 'Date to Know' trend has turned dates into a way of collecting information about whether the connection has lasting potential. Indian dating singles claim that a perfectly curated bio or even chatting can never provide that. Simran, 29, from Delhi, said, "How does your date behave when things don't go according to their plan? Are they rude to people when being nice does not benefit them? Do they care about what you want, or do they only consider their own needs? These answers you can only find out when you go out with them after the initial chatting phase. Also, one perfect date can't tell you all this; you need a series of dates to know someone well."

Emotional due diligence

A perfect profile, a great conversation and good times can undeniably create great chemistry, but that's not enough to understand if a connection can sustain itself in a long-term relationship. About 45 per cent of women and 39 per cent of men above 28 years of age said that this is where emotional due diligence comes in. It's the habit of understanding your match's emotional history before being deeply invested. Indian dating singles today focus on how someone talks about their ex, reacts to inconveniences, handles conflict, takes accountability and describes what they learnt from their previous relationship. 

The survey also shows that modern daters are putting more weight on the relationship resume of an ex: not just whom they dated but also how the relationships shaped them.

Navigating this recovery requires understanding how to strategically manage accumulated sleep debt, block sudden environmental noise, handle late-night metabolic disruptions, and leverage natural light and targeted supplements to bounce back effectively.

Navigating accumulated sleep debt after a late night

When celebrations force a late night out, the immediate temptation is often to sleep in for hours to make up for lost time. However, doing so can trigger a disruptive social jetlag loop that confuses your internal clock even further.

Dr Gangakhedkar advises that for a single night of sleep disturbance where no further late nights are anticipated, the best approach is to brave it for the next day. “Do everything you would normally do on a regular basis and try to sleep perhaps an hour earlier the following night. Distributing the accumulated sleep debt over a few days prevents a dramatic, jarring alteration of your internal clock,” he says.

For working professionals who are completely drained by consecutive nights of missed sleep, relying on natural sleep pressure is key. To maintain a functional schedule, restrict daytime naps, ensure adequate light exposure during waking hours, maintain regular morning hours, and enter a sleep-conducive room environment a few hours pre-sleep—keeping it dark, silent, and entirely free from screen exposure.

Blocking high-decibel night escapades and ambient noise

Festive nights in Mumbai are rarely quiet. High-decibel interruptions like ambient dhol beats and late-night firecrackers fragment sleep, piercing through REM and deep sleep stages even when a person remains technically asleep.

Finding an effective physical sound barrier can be tricky. As Dr Gangakhedkar notes, “There is no single universal method, and earplugs (whether made of silicone or foam) require individual personal testing for actual efficacy. When it comes to ambient sound masking using white or brown noise machines, silence remains generally optimal. However, if an individual relies on a specific ambient hum to drown out external chaos, it must be carefully tailored to their unique neurological requirements.”

Mitigating late-night indulgences and acid reflux

Late-night festival foods often trigger sudden acid reflux or sharp glucose spikes that jolt people wide awake around 3 am. While the temptation is high to seek quick pharmaceutical fixes, Dr Gangakhedkar does not recommend a pharmacological solution as a general advisory. Instead, the focus should return to healthy, foundational habits: eating meals strictly on time, consuming appropriate portions, and tailoring food choices to your individual health status, irrespective of what the festive calendar dictates.

Resetting the circadian clock through morning light

When the festivities finally wrap up, resetting your internal clock requires smart light management. Dr. Joy Desai, director of neurology at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, explains that morning light acts as the body's master timekeeper.

"Ideally, exposure to early morning light around sunrise, roughly between 6:30 am and 6:45 am, is beneficial. You can simply spend time looking toward the morning light—with your eyes open or closed—without staring directly at the sun. This morning light sets the body's rhythm and, approximately 15 hours later, directly influences nighttime melatonin secretion,” Dr Desai notes.

Even during Mumbai's overcast mornings or heavy post-festival smog, ambient daylight exposure from a balcony or near a window with open eyes still signals to the body that the day has begun. Conversely, recognising the transition into evening helps harmonise natural melatonin secretion, which typically surges around 9 pm.

Using over-the-counter supplements wisely

If a multi-day festive bender makes it entirely impossible to pull your bedtime back to 10 pm naturally, clinical interventions can offer short-term support.

According to Dr Desai, “Low-dose melatonin can help reset the sleep cycle after a period of late-night activity. A dose of 2 to 3 mg is generally sufficient, with 5 mg serving as the upper limit in this context, taken around 9 PM to guide the sleep cycle back to its normal rhythm (ideally targeting a sleep schedule of 10:30 pm to 6:30 am). For younger people, short-term use of magnesium glycinate or L-theanine for about three to four weeks can also be considered safe.”

Protecting children's rest during festive schedule shifts

Children are exceptionally sensitive to ambient noise and schedule shifts during festive weeks, often needing at least eight and a half hours of sleep every night. If a child needs to wake up around 6 am to 6:15 am for school, they should ideally be tucked into bed by 9 pm.

Parents can ease this transition by creating a gradual, calming wind-down routine rather than turning bedtime into a stressful battleground. Desai recommends keeping the environment quiet, low-stimulation, and cosy. Reading a physical bedtime book in low ambient light works wonders.

The physical sleep environment matters just as much:

1. Temperature: Keep the bedroom one or two degrees cooler than daytime temperatures.

2 Lighting: Use thick blinds to eliminate external glare. Opt for warm yellow lighting over bright white light at night, as yellow light is much friendlier to natural melatonin production.

Recognising when to seek professional guidance

Temporary festive sleep disruption is common, but it is crucial to recognise when it crosses the line into a chronic medical issue. Desai emphasises that the primary marker is consistency: if someone is consistently unable to initiate or maintain sleep at the appropriate circadian time (around 10:30 pm) on at least three days a week for three consecutive weeks, it is time to take action.

Persistent sleep difficulties eventually take a heavy toll on overall health, making it wise to consult a medical sleep specialist before temporary exhaustion hardens into a lasting sleep disorder.

Scientists from the German Aerospace Center's Institute of Space Research reported on Thursday that Mercury's shrinkage may be 30 per cent greater than previously believed a loss in diameter of as much as 14 miles (23 km). That's significant for a planet barely 3,000 miles (4,900 km) across.

Mercury's rough surface, continually reshaped by debris hurled from impact craters, may have hidden the true extent of the loss, according to the researchers whose findings appear in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

The news comes one week after a pair of European and Japanese spacecraft shed its cruising platform and advanced toward Mercury. Known as BepiColombo, the linked craft are expected to enter orbit around Mercury in November before splitting up for a fuller survey.

BepiColombo's laser instrument should confirm how much Mercury is withering as a result of internal cooling, Gaku Nishiyama, the study's lead author who is taking part in the space mission, said.

The shrinkage could be even more than his team is estimating based on measurements from NASA's Messenger spacecraft in the 2010s. Only one other spacecraft has ever visited Mercury, NASA's Mariner 10 in the 1970s.

Our solar system's smallest and innermost planet has been shrinking ever since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. Its hot iron core oversized for such a small world cools and contracts along with the mantle and crust, tightening the surface like a girdle to fit its new slimmer self.

Nishiyama and his team compared maps showing faults and other geologic signs of contraction at Mercury with newer maps highlighting surface roughness. 

They discovered that the roughest patches exhibited fewer shrinkage wrinkles. The missing wrinkles could be buried under impact debris, they said.

After accounting for these obscured regions, the researchers provided a fresh take on Mercury's shrinkage that could shed light on other contracting worlds, Nishiyama, who is affiliated with Hokkaido University in Japan, said.

"We are quite excited," Nishiyama said in an email, adding that it feels like "we are approaching the reality of Mercury's evolution".

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India is hosting the BRICS Summit at the sprawling venue in central Delhi on September 12-13, which will be attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and several other heads of state, among other top dignitaries.

"A large group of artistes -- classical dancers and musicians, largely from India, as well as musicians from various other member countries of BRICS, will showcase 'BRICS Symphony' during the gala dinner that the prime minister will host for the invited leaders on September 12, the day the Summit opens, at the Bharat Mandapam," a person familiar with the matter told PTI.

The size of the ensemble would be about 160, with Indian dancers and musicians forming the core of the performance troupe, they said.

Indian dancers will perform classical dances such as Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathak representing different regions of India, while musicians will play traditional instruments of the country, complemented by musicians from some of the other member countries of the grouping, according to the plan, one of the persons cited above said.

The show's duration would be about 20-25 minutes and there will be intermittent vocal renditions, the person added.

The Indian team members of the ensemble have been rehearsing for the performance in the past two days, ahead of the big day. 

The planned show is being helmed by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the cultural arm of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), they added.

India is a founding member of the BRICS and has previously held its chairship three times -- in 2012, 2016 and 2021.

The country assumed its fourth BRICS chairship on January 1, and has since then hosted a large number of meetings under various thematic tracks such as finance, environment, diplomacy, law, culture and tourism.

India hosted the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting on May 14-15, chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Under the theme 'Samanvay', the ICCR had welcomed guests at the BRICS cultural performance and gala dinner hosted by Jaishankar on May 14 at the Bharat Mandapam.

The evening resonated with the melodies of India's devotional traditions, the grace of Bharatanatyam, and the vibrant energy of folk dances from across India.

BRICS, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with Indonesia joining in 2025.

Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam became BRICS partner countries last year.

It emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade.

The year 2026 also marks a milestone as BRICS completes 20 years since its establishment.

Besides, a special mural is also being created at the Bharat Mandapam. The art as well as the musical projects represent the cultural exchange and bonds that exist among BRICS members, with India being the host for the 18th BRICS Summit, the person familiar with the matter added.

"The BRICS Summit 2026, hosted by India, provides an important platform for strengthening cooperation and people-to-people ties among the BRICS nations, including through cultural and artistic exchange. As part of the BRICS Friendship Mural project, artists from across the member countries have come together in India to create a collaborative artwork inspired by the concept of 'Sangam' - the confluence of rivers, symbolising the coming together of diverse cultures and traditions," the ICCR said in a social media post earlier this week.

As part of their cultural experience, the artists visited Agra, where they explored the iconic Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, and went to an embroidery and traditional handicraft centre, witnessing a live demonstration of Zardozi embroidery and traditional craftsmanship, along with an experience of Indian classical music, offering them an enriching glimpse into India's heritage and living artistic traditions, it said.

In a media statement, the MEA said India's BRICS chairship is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting Prime Minister Modi's vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of 'Humanity First'.

Over the years, BRICS has steadily evolved into a comprehensive framework for cooperation across the three foundational pillars of political and security, economy and finance, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Prime Minister Modi on Thursday shared a video clip featuring a montage of visuals of the decorated Bharat Mandapam and the preparations for the mega conclave.

The nearly 30-second video, pepped up with a catchy background music, was shared by him on Instagram, X and other social media platforms.

"All set for BRICS 2026! @brics2026," Modi posted.

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The song, composed and sung by Vishal Mishra with lyrics by Kaushal Kishore, features actor Tamannaah Bhatia, who features in the movie along with Sidharth Malhotra.

"Chhathi Maiya" brings the festival's spiritual essence into the folklore fantasy world of the upcoming film.

Tamannaah said she was excited to bring the festival and the cultural pride of Bihar to the big screen through the song.

"It feels surreal to be a part of 'The Vvaan' and bring to life the pride of Bihar and Patna by celebrating Chhath for the first time on the big screen of Indian film industry through 'Chhathi Maiya'," she said in a statement.

"It's our humble attempt to bring the Bihari pride of India on the big screen, and all we hope is that the audience feels equally spiritual and devotional the way we felt throughout the journey," she added.

Mishra said the song was an opportunity to bring the Chhath tradition, deeply rooted in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, to Hindi cinema.

"It is truly an honour and a blessing for me to bring the faith and sacred tradition of Chhath, deeply rooted in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, to Hindi cinema for the first time," he said.

According to the makers, "Chhathi Maiya" also offers a glimpse into the spiritual side of "The Vvaan" and highlights the significance of Van Devi, which is central to the film's folklore-inspired world.

"The Vvaan" is written by Arunabh Kumar and directed by Deepak Mishra. The film combines folklore, fantasy, adventure, mystery and humour.

Produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, Arunabh Kumar and Niraj Kothari, the film is presented by Balaji Motion Pictures in association with TVF and 11.11 Production.

"The Vvaan" is scheduled to release in theatres on September 25.

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The animals were taken out of their quarantine enclosure on Thursday for a sunbath, a senior zoo official said.
The apes were rescued by forest department personnel on Tuesday.

The orangutans, aged between six months and one year, have been displaying behaviour similar to human children, the official said. Three of the five orangutans are males, and two are females.

"Sometimes they appear to be relaxed, and in the next moment, they cling to each other, likely due to feelings of anxiety from being separated from their mothers," he said.

The animals have also been playing with soft toys in the quarantine unit, he said.

Regional Chief Conservator of Forests Prakash Chandra Gogineni said humans and orangutans share a high degree of genetic similarity.

"There seems to be no difference between a human child and a baby orangutan. Humans and orangutans share about 96.4 per cent of their genetic instructions, according to certain journals," he said.

A recent study by the Sumatran Orangutan Society also noted similarities in their psychological and emotional behaviour, he said.

Nandankanan Zoological Park Deputy Director Pradeep Mirase said the animals' behavioural similarities with humans would help in their care and acclimatisation.

"Orangutans have many behavioural similarities with humans and hand-rearing them is not so difficult. They are friendly and staying together as a group, which should help them acclimatise to human care," he said.

The zoo has installed a swing inside the quarantine enclosure and provided soft toys for the animals as part of stress-management measures, he said.

"As advised by the experts, steps are also being taken to play classical music to help reduce their stress," Mirase said.

Nandankanan Zoological Park Director Sanath Kumar N said the animals were being provided veterinary care while their physical and mental condition was being closely monitored.

"We are providing them with the best veterinary treatment available, and at the same time monitoring their mental condition, as the baby orangutans were found in a scared state when rescued. Treatment is underway as per the advice of the Centre for Wildlife Health (CWH)," he told PTI.

Though the quarantine enclosure has adequate space, the animals have been observed sitting and sleeping close to one another, he said.

The orangutans are also being exposed to morning sunlight, and three animal keepers have been assigned to care for them, Kumar said.

They are being fed infant milk formula, boiled and mashed apple, banana and oral rehydration solution, he said.

A veterinary doctor has been assigned round-the-clock duty to monitor their health, he added.

"Every care is being provided so that the animals feel at home at the zoo," Kumar said.

The zoo has also constituted a health committee comprising veterinary experts from Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), who have conducted an initial examination.

The quarantine enclosure is being regularly disinfected to prevent possible infection, Kumar said.

"As per advice, the animals need to be acclimatised to the new environment. After that, bio-samples, including blood and oral swabs, will be collected for screening at CWH," he said.

After they were rescued and brought to the zoo on Tuesday night, one of the animals was down with fever, two showed symptoms of common cold, and another was found to be infected with worms.

"Now, the health condition of all the baby orangutans is stable after medication. They enjoy eating apples, bananas, dry fruits and bottled milk," a zoo doctor said.

The animals also give signals when they are hungry or thirsty, he said.

The staff working in the quarantine enclosure have been barred from working in any other section of the zoo due to the risk of infection, the doctor said.

Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, who visited the zoo, said the government was prioritising the health of the animals.

"The health of the orangutan babies is priority for the government. The Nandankanan Zoo authorities are also in constant touch with officials of the Mysuru Zoo, where orangutans are housed," he said.

The five orangutans were rescued from a forest in Balasore district on September 8. Their presence in the state has raised questions as orangutans are not native to India.

Meanwhile, the state police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) are conducting a joint probe amid suspicion that an international smuggling racket could be behind the animals' sudden appearance in the state, officials said.

Orangutans are not found in India and are native to the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia, including the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia, they added.

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The elephant was spotted earlier in the day with the tyre around its neck in the Bokial forest block in the Morongi area, which has witnessed recurrent incidents of human-elephant conflict.

Khumtai MLA Mrinal Saikia said he informed senior forest department officials, following which a team reached the spot.

The forest personnel tranquilised the elephant in the evening and carefully removed the tyre without causing any injury to the animal, officials said.

Environment and Forests Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said in a post on X that the department acted swiftly after receiving information about the elephant in distress.

"Upon receiving information about a wild elephant roaming in the Morongi area of Golaghat district with a large tyre stuck around its neck, our forest department teams swung into action," he said.

He said frontline teams undertook the rescue operation with utmost care and caution, and every effort made to safely free the elephant while ensuring the safety of both the animal and forest personnel.

"I appreciate the prompt response, courage and dedicated efforts of our frontline forest teams. Their commitment to protect our wildlife, even in challenging circumstances, is truly commendable,'' he added.

Saikia had appealed to locals to remain calm and not approach or disturb the elephant, which was already uncomfortable.

The forest department team monitored the situation throughout the day before deciding on the safest way to remove the tyre after assessing the animal's condition, officials said.

The tyre, suspected to be from a tractor, was likely left in the forest and picked up by the curious elephant with its trunk, subsequently getting lodged around its neck, an official said.

Wildlife experts had expressed concern that the tyre could cause wounds, restrict the elephant's movement or lead to other health complications.

They also warned residents against chasing or attempting to rescue the animal as it could further increase the risk to the elephant's life.

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The Bayeux Tapestry is on display in London for the first time after it was loaned to the UK by France. It is the first time the tapestry has left French soil in nearly 1,000 years.

Bayeux Tapestry exhibition

London's Bayeux Tapestry exhibition opened on Thursday to a British public gripped by "mania" over the medieval artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England, on display outside France for the first time.

Excited visitors who had tickets for the first day of the sold-out exhibition queued outside the British Museum ahead of the opening, where some staff had donned period costumes.

"It is back here for the first time in 950 years!" 46-year-old Catherine Pitt told AFP in the queue outside the museum entrance.

"It is like a big bang moment in our history," she added.

The unprecedented loan from France, the result of years of diplomacy and set to last until next July, has been hailed as a symbol of renewed cross-Channel ties following the rancour of Brexit.

The Times newspaper called the exhibition a "spine-shivering experience" that has sparked "Tapestry-mania" in Britain, while The Economist dubbed it the "hottest ticket" around.

Depicting the 1066 Battle of Hastings and the invasion by William the Conqueror's Norman army, the 70-metre-long (230-foot-long) tapestry has shadowy origins.

It is widely thought to have been made in England almost 1,000 years ago before being transferred to Bayeux in France.

"I am amazed it is in such a good condition. It has survived all these years," retiree John Heys, 74, told AFP after seeing the exhibition.

Fifty-two-year-old Jenny said it was "moving", perusing the museum shop stocked with tapestry-themed mugs, dish towels and puzzles.

"It is quite brutal. It is real people in a battle, with death on both sides," she added, not wanting to share her last name.

The British Museum has so far sold a record 100,000 tickets, which cost GBP 25 - GBP 33 (USD 34 - USD 45) for adults.

'Emotional'

King Charles III said the temporary transfer was "a precious symbol of trust at a time when trust seems sadly to be in short supply between nations".

"The colours are beautiful. Illustrations look very modern. For the younger generation it is going to spark interest, more than some history lessons!" said Mela Prasens, 58, after viewing the exhibition.

"It was beautiful, an emotional experience," added Prasens, who lives in New York.

Around the country, students who learn about the artwork in history classes are gearing up for school trips, while businesses are bidding to capitalise on some of the fervour.

Luxury store Liberty has released cushions inspired by the artwork, priced at £165 each ($223), while budget bakery chain Greggs has unveiled its own embroidered "Ta-Pastry".

A museum in Reading, west of London, is enjoying a flurry of attention for its little-known Victorian replica of the tapestry, and in the southeast, the Battle of Hastings site anticipated greater footfall from those who missed out on exhibition tickets.

In the heart of the capital, near the British Museum, a pub has hung up an eight-metre embroidered "Beer Tapestry" recounting the history of brewing in a playful tribute to the more violent original.

"I think it's quite hard to explain to French people the excitement in the UK. I think the French don't realise what a big treasure they've got," exhibition curator Michael Lewis told AFP during a preview.

"The British are kind of completely crazy about this object because it's such a fundamentally important object for our history."

'Processional experience'

Plans to loan the tapestry to London had been considered twice before, but both were aborted -- in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and in 1966 for the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.

In what is believed to be its first time travelling outside France, the tapestry depicting 627 figures and more than 700 animals has been laid flat in a raised glass cabinet.

In its home in Bayeux, it is displayed hanging vertically.

Animations projected on the wall accompany the tapestry, zooming in on details and key events in the artwork, which is replete with gore and drama.

"It's quite a processional experience because people have to go bit by bit through the tapestry," Lewis said. Ticket-holders have 40 minutes to spend inside the exhibition once they enter.

Conservators watched nervously as the delicate, 11th-century artwork was transported by truck in a risky operation from its home in northern France to the British capital in July.

Fitted with a 3D-printed helmet and harness packed with sensors, Chloe is part of experimental efforts to use dogs' extraordinary sense of smell to develop a non-invasive test for the disease.

A growing body of global research suggests dogs can be trained to detect cancer and other human illnesses, from Parkinson's to Covid-19.

The Bengaluru-based startup Dognosis is using AI to analyse dogs' brain activity, respiration and body language -- turning their reaction to scent into data.

"In an hour, they can do thousands of sniffs," co-founder Akash Kulgod, 26, told AFP. "Each sniff can evaluate a sample."

Dognosis hopes to launch commercially next year, which it says would make it the third company of its kind, after firms from Germany and Israel.

Early detection can make a crucial difference to cancer survival rates, but in India many patients are diagnosed only after the disease has advanced.

Dog sniffs could provide an easy and affordable first layer of screening to be deployed at scale, finding potential cases for further testing.

As it chases commercial approval, Dognosis -- backed by venture-capital firms including Accel India -- is collaborating with government medical institutions for its research.

Chloe, a Labrador mix, is one of 15 dogs being coached by the startup, clad in customised data-gathering helmets.

"It's like a doggy 'Iron Man' suit," said Kulgod, who comes from a family of doctors and studied cognitive science at the University of California, Berkeley.

'Promising' study

Research suggests diseases can alter the chemicals released by the body, creating distinctive odours.

Dogs have around 300 million scent receptors, compared to about five million in humans.

The testing method is simple: a patient breathes into a cotton mask for about 10 minutes, and the mask is then sealed in a bag and taken to the lab. Patients do not meet the dogs.

A recent Dognosis study of more than 1,500 participants, involving six hospitals in Karnataka state, was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The company said it achieved an accuracy rate of more than 90 percent across seven major types of cancer, and now plans to test in real-world programmes.

Cancer specialists in Bengaluru independent of the project voiced cautious optimism.

"The study is promising, as an early signal," said Santhosh Kumar Devadas, head of oncology at Ramaiah Memorial Hospital.

"But they need to do the study with a much larger group before we make any definitive conclusions."

Neelesh Reddy, a senior consultant oncologist at Manipal Hospitals, told AFP that "only time will tell how this technology will be useful to the actual patients".

Dog 'work-life balance'

India has described cancer as a major public health concern, saying one in nine of its 1.4 billion people are likely to develop the disease.

Dognosis says it aims to improve "proactive and preventative medicine" while boosting "human-canine communication".

Most of the dogs are beagles, along with some Malinois and Shepherd mixes, brought on board through adoption or legal breeders.

But only the best are selected, said Kulgod. The dog team individually lists each animal on the company website as an official "sniffer", alongside their photographs.

All have a great "work-life balance", with work time limited to around 30-45 minutes a day, he added.

At a centre called "Sniffspace", dogs test human samples on platforms equipped with automatic feeders dispensing dog treats.

Kulgod's co-founder Itamar Bitan, 28, who spent four years in an Israeli special-forces canine unit, said the dogs were trained using "positive reinforcement" to detect a "specific funky smell" for a reward.

"Some of the dogs run directly to the feeder expecting rewards, some dogs freeze, some dogs will scratch the sample with excitement," Bitan said.

"But, as long as the machine that learns how the dogs react to the sample is very consistent... we don't really mind."

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Titled 'Lightfall', the highly anticipated event promises to be a landmark evening of transformative sound, collective celebration and unified emotion.

Produced and promoted by Blu Blood and Fire Water Earth Productions, with the official support of Dubai Calendar, the concert marks a monumental milestone for the region's cultural and live entertainment landscape.

Based in London, Radhika Das has spent the past fifteen years introducing ancient musical traditions to global audiences across more than 30 countries. It all started with intimate gatherings but has evolved into massively successful, sold-out concerts in major theatres and concert halls worldwide, uniting people of all backgrounds through the universal power of music.

At the core of 'Lightfall' is an immersive, participatory experience rooted in the ancient call-and-response vocal tradition. Rather than acting as passive spectators, the audience is invited to sing, listen, reflect, and actively shape the unique energy of the arena.

Radhika Das states, "This tour is inspired by the growing hunger for something deeper. A collective yearning for real connection, peace in the world, and purpose with devotion. Dubai is a city that brings people together from every corner of the world and that is exactly what this music does. There is something profoundly moving about standing in a room with thousands of people and watching them arrive at the same place through the power of music."

Tickets are available on district.ae.

A recombinant antivenom is lab-produced. It uses biotechnology and is designed to replace traditional animal-derived antivenoms.

The team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Germany's Technical University of Denmark said that, unlike conventional antivenoms, recombinant antibodies can be manufactured using microbial and humanised expression systems without repeatedly immunising animals, such as horses.

Conventionally, snake venom is injected into a horse or sheep, which produces antibodies in response. The antibodies are used in making an antivenom -- considered the only solution to treat a snake bite.

"Antivenom treatment has virtually not changed for over 100 years. This is the only next-generation antivenom we have now, which could tackle India's snakebite problem," author Kartik Sunagar, associate professor at the centre for ecological sciences, IISc, said.

Each snake species produces a distinct cocktail of toxins that attack nerves, blood, or tissues, making it difficult to develop a unified treatment, the researchers said.

Current animal-derived antivenoms also have drawbacks such as batch-to-batch variability, side effects, and limited species coverage, they said, adding that their production is costly and outdated, relying on venom milking and animal immunisation, with low yields of active antibodies.

In the study, the team used camelid antibodies, which they developed in a previous study where camelids including alpacas and llamas were immunised with venom from African snake species. Antibodies generated in response were extracted.

The researchers exposed the camelid antibodies to venom from different cobra species in India and found that toxins produced by Indian snakes too could be neutralised.

"This work provides a blueprint for how recombinant antivenoms can be tailored to different regions of the world by targeting the toxin families that drive disease in local snake species," author Andreas Laustsen, professor at the Technical University of Denmark, said.

The researchers explained that antibodies are usually Y-shaped with both heavy and light-chain proteins. They used a portion at the tip of the Y shape, made up of light-chain proteins that can specifically bind to the venom toxins.

The team isolated a cocktail of five such antibody fragments called nanobodies that could bind to toxins in the various cobra species they tested.

They found that the cocktail could neutralise venom activity and prevented the venom from binding to its target receptor.

Testing the antibody cocktail in mice injected with venom, the researchers found that the animals were protected against toxins from spectacled cobras, monocled cobras, and both Indian king cobra species.

Mice were saved from death even 30 minutes after venom injection.

"Even mice that were paralysed or had typical neurotoxic symptoms would revert to a completely asymptomatic state," Sunagar said.

"These findings demonstrate the feasibility of developing broad-spectrum nanobody-based recombinant antivenoms with continent-wide coverage as a safe and regionally adaptable biologic for snakebite envenoming therapy," the authors wrote.

Zoo officials said Nandu was under treatment and the care of veterinary experts at the zoo, but his condition continued to worsen.

The disease became so severe that the tiger could no longer eat, leaving little hope of recovery, they said.

Taking into account his severe pain and the assessment of veterinary experts that his condition was unlikely to improve, Nandu was euthanised on the orders of the Chief Wildlife Warden.

The decision was taken considering the severity of his illness and his deteriorating condition, they said.

A post-mortem examination was conducted at the Mannuthy Veterinary University after his death.

His body was later buried within the Thrissur Zoological Park premises following the prescribed procedures.

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District, producing and exclusively ticketing 'The Mountain Tour', announced that the band will perform at the Sarusajai Sports Complex (Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium) on January 31 in 2027, in collaboration with Assam Tourism. This follows previously announced shows in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
 
The tour’s expansion to Guwahati brings the story of 'The Mountain' album to a full circle. The band’s ninth studio album went looking for India in its collaborators and its influences, and now finds a new chapter here, culminating in a performance in the Northeast itself. Among the artists carrying the thread forward are Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, sons of the legendary sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, whose contributions to The Mountain album place one of India’s most celebrated musical legacies at the centre of Gorillaz’ recent return to the global stage.  

Adding Guwahati to 'The Mountain India Tour'

For audiences in Guwahati, the show also marks something distinct in how the pioneering musical phenomenon,  and the world of animated band members 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs, is experienced live. This world of Gorillaz is now brought to life for Indian audiences for the first time, by Gorillaz co-creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, with Albarn joined onstage by the Gorillaz live band and some very special guest performers for a very special, live, in person experience. 
 
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett said, “We’re really looking forward to our first Indian shows. The album came to life in India and is shaped by the many incredible musicians we met and worked with around the country. It was always our ambition to bring The Mountain back. We can’t wait to perform and experience the energy in Mumbai, Bengaluru and now, Guwahati.” 
 
Shri Kumar Padmapani Bora, Managing Director (MD) of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), said, "Assam is proud to welcome Gorillaz to Guwahati for their debut India tour. Hosting globally renowned artists not only enriches the cultural landscape of the region but also creates new opportunities for tourism, local businesses and the wider economy. We look forward to welcoming fans from across the country to experience the warmth and hospitality of Assam, while they witness this iconic band bring The Mountain Tour to life."
 
Rahul Ganjoo, CEO, District, said, "Adding Guwahati to The Mountain Tour is something we’re incredibly proud of. It reflects our commitment to bringing world class live entertainment acts like Gorillaz to India. The Northeast has an incredibly passionate music community, and we can’t wait for the audiences to witness this historic debut live."
 
The addition brings Gorillaz to the Northeast, a region where the appetite for large-scale live entertainment is growing rapidly and Guwahati is increasingly becoming a part of the conversation.
 
The Mountain Tour India Schedule 2027:
January 23 – District Arena @ Terraform, Bengaluru
January 27 - Jio World Garden, BKC, Mumbai 
January 31 – Sarusajai Sports Complex (Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium), Guwahati
 
Exclusive pre-sale tickets for Mastercard cardholders will be live on the District app in two phases. The Mastercard 10 per cent discount pre-sale will be live from 12 noon on Tuesday, September 15, until 12 noon on Thursday, September. This will be followed by the Mastercard access-only pre-sale, live from 12 noon on Thursday, September 17 until 12 noon on Sunday, September 20. Following this, general tickets for The Mountain Tour will be available exclusively on the District app from 1 pm on Sunday, September 20.

On Thursday, they were taken out of their quarantine cell for a sunbath to keep them "stress free", a senior official of the Nandankanan Zoological Park in Bhubaneswar said.

The animals were rescued by forest department personnel on Tuesday.

The orangutans, aged about one year, have been expressing emotions like human children, the official said.

"Sometimes they appear to be relaxed, and in the next moment, they cling to each other, likely due to feelings of anxiety for being separated from their mothers," he said.

They have also been playing with teddy bear soft toys in the quarantine unit of the zoo, the official said.

"We are providing them with the best veterinary treatment available, and at the same time monitoring their mental condition, as the baby orangutans were found in a scared state when rescued. Treatment is underway as per the advice of the Centre for Wildlife Health (CWH)," Nandankanan Zoological Park Director Sanath Kumar N told PTI.

Though there is enough space in the quarantine room, it has been seen that they sit and sleep very close to each other, he said.

"The orangutans are also exposed to the morning sunlight to keep them stress-free. Three animal keepers have been engaged to look after them," the official said.

They are being fed infant milk formula, boiled mashed apple, banana, and oral dehydration, the zoo director said.

A veterinary doctor has been assigned the duty to oversee the health condition of the baby orangutans round-the-clock, he said.

"Every care is being provided so that the animals feel at home at the zoo," he said.

The zoo authorities have also constituted a health committee comprising veterinary experts from the OUAT (Odisha University of Agriculture Technology), who have conducted an initial round of examination, he said.

"As per advice, the animals need to be acclimatised to the new environment. After that, bio-samples, including blood and oral swabs, will be collected for screening at CWH," the official said.

Three of the five animals are males and two females, aged between six months and one year, and standing roughly one to one-and-a-half feet tall, he said,

After being rescued and brought to the zoo on Tuesday night, one of the babies was found to have fever, two others showed symptoms of common cold, while another was infected with worms.

"Now, the health condition of all the baby orangutans is stable after medication. They enjoy eating apple, banana, dry fruit and bottled milk," a zoo doctor said.

The animals also give signals when feeling hungry or thirsty, he said.

"The staff engaged with the quarantine cell have been barred from working in any other section of the zoo keeping in view the infection risk," the doctor said.

Odisha Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, who visited the zoo, said: "The health of the orangutan babies is priority for the government. The Nandankanan Zoo authorities are also in constant touch with officials of the Mysore zoo, where orangutans are housed."

Meanwhile, a joint probe is underway by the state police and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) over suspicion that an international smuggling racket might be behind the animals' sudden appearance in the state, officials said.

Orangutans are not found in India and are native to rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia, including the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia, they added. 

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Anuradha and Vikas Sinha have gifted USD 20 million to the University of North Texas (UNT) with a focus on artificial intelligence and advanced analytics while creating new opportunities for students and faculty, a press statement said.

In recognition of the gift, UNT will set up the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, which will serve as an academic and research hub focused on artificial intelligence, intelligent systems and data analytics, bringing together expertise in areas including AI, cybersecurity, data science, advanced analytics, health informatics, information science, library science and learning technologies.

The Sinhas' investment in UNT has grown alongside their involvement with the university. In 2024, they gave a gift establishing the Anuradha and Vikas Sinha Department of Data Science, along with endowments supporting scholarships, faculty, research and special initiatives. A year later, they made another major gift, creating the Sinha Innovation Lab for Data Science.

"Education has opened doors for us throughout our lives, and we want to hold those doors open for others," Vikas Sinha said.

"It is a large part of why Anu and I believe so strongly in what UNT can make possible for students, including those who may come here from another country carrying the same ambition and belief in education that we once did.

"For us, this gift is about paying that opportunity forward and recognising that immigrants don't simply participate in the American dream, they help build it," he said.

Artificial intelligence will be one of the defining technologies of our generation, and universities have an essential role to play in preparing the people who will shape its future, he said.

"What excites us about UNT's vision is that it will go beyond teaching students how to use AI. It will prepare them to build it, understand it, question it, govern it and apply it responsibly, developing both the builders and the stewards of intelligent systems," he said.

The USD 20 million gift will establish six permanent endowments supporting college leadership, student scholarships, endowed professorships, entrepreneurship and incubation, advanced research and emerging technologies.

The college will be organised around two academic divisions: Division of Applied Intelligence and Informatics, focused on building and deploying intelligent systems; and Division of Information and Learning Applications, focused on how information and intelligent systems operate within human and institutional contexts.

The college also will house the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Institute, which will connect AI and analytics research and education across UNT and create opportunities for interdisciplinary research, shared infrastructure, external research funding and industry partnerships, the statement said.

After studying at Sri Venkateswara University and civil engineering at the G Pulla Reddy Engineering College in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Vikas and Anuradha came to the United States for advanced education, earning graduate degrees from the Florida Atlantic University.

Vikas later continued his education at Northwestern University before earning his PhD from the University of North Texas in 2023.

Vikas now serves as vice president of the Mainframe Software Division at Broadcom and has served on the UNT College of Information Leadership Board since 2023.

UNT President Harrison Keller said artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how "we work, conduct research and solve problems, and universities have an important responsibility to help shape what comes next".

"The Anuradha and Vikas Sinha College of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics positions UNT to lead in that work.

"Vikas and Anuradha's commitment will create new opportunities for our students and faculty to build, study and apply these technologies while advancing central priorities of our Look North: UNT 2030 strategic plan, reshaping how we prepare students for a changing labour market, accelerating interdisciplinary research and innovation and creating enduring value for North Texas and the state," Keller said.

The gift will advance UNT's goals around student success, research and innovation while helping prepare graduates for a workforce increasingly shaped by AI and data. UNT will celebrate the naming of the college with a university event later this year, the statement said.

The University of North Texas is a public research university and the largest university in Dallas-Fort Worth. Through its campuses in Denton and Frisco, Texas, UNT serves nearly 44,000 students with 230 degree programmes, It awarded more than 13,000 degrees last year.

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Know more about the 'Damrooh India Tour' guest ensemble lineup 

The tour across five cities, produced and promoted by Wizcraft, will be led by the international contingent with Keith Middleton, a lead performer with STOMP for more than eighteen years and a star of the IMAX film Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey. 

The vocal core will feature Bollywood playback stars Sudhir Yaduvanshi, Siddharth Basrur, Anjana Padmanabhan, and Abi K Safa, anchored by classical vocalist Siddhartha Belmannu. Driving the rhythm section will be percussionists Karthik Mani and Arun Kumar, while the instrumental textures will be rounded out by sitarists Mayank Raina and Arjun Anand, sarangi player Manonmani, and electric guitarist Shashank Akella. 

The first artist of Indian origin to top the US Billboard New Age Chart, composer and environmentalist Ricky Kej, who is also a UN Goodwill Ambassador, will trade his usual festival format for an entirely new, fully seated, immersive orchestral experience which will run in support of UNICEF, honouring his long-standing environmental and humanitarian mission.

Anchored around the rhythm of the 'damrooh' instrument that represents the cosmic life force and the living planet, audiences will experience a cinematic symphonic orchestra elevated by immersive, tech-driven staging and rare global instruments like the Kora, Hang Drum, Sarod and Didgeridoo.

The all-India tour kicks off on October 31 at the Terraform Arena in Bengaluru, followed by a performance on November 28 at Leisure Valley Park in New Delhi NCR (Gurugram) and wraps up its primary announced dates on December 5, at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai. Additional major stops in Hyderabad and Chennai are scheduled to be announced soon. Tickets for this multi-city arena tour are available now exclusively on District by Zomato.

According to Page Executive India, part of Michael Page India, Executive Compensation and Talent Trends Report, India's senior leadership landscape is becoming increasingly dynamic. 

Executives are seeking faster career progression, broader responsibilities and greater opportunities for impact, even as organisations face growing pressure to keep pace, said the report based on a survey of over 1,200 C-level executives and senior leaders in the country. 

The study by Page Executive India, an executive search and senior leadership recruitment company, showed that 94 per cent of senior leaders are open to new opportunities, while 63 per cent are actively looking for a new role and 41 per cent do not expect to remain in their current position for more than a year. 

"India's executive market is not constrained by a lack of talent, but by the pace at which organisations can develop and retain it. Senior leaders today are looking for faster progression, greater impact, and clearer alignment between performance and reward," Page Executive India Managing Partner Jon Goldstein said. 

The report further revealed organisations are moving beyond adoption to focus on how senior leadership embeds artificial intelligence (AI) into operating models, decision-making, and team performance. 

AI is increasingly becoming integral to senior leadership roles in India, with 75 per cent of executives actively using the technology in their work, while an equal proportion reported higher productivity and 72 per cent saw an improvement in the quality of work, the report said. 

"From an executive perspective, the conversation around AI is moving from adoption to accountability. As roles evolve and new skills become important, the ability to identify, develop and retain the talent that can work effectively alongside AI will become an increasingly important leadership priority," Nilay Khandelwal, Senior Managing Director, Michael Page India and Singapore added. 

Regarding compensation, 65 per cent of executives said they are satisfied with their remuneration while 87 per cent cited pay as a key driver of job satisfaction. 

However, the survey found that mobility remains extremely high, and compensation alone is no longer enough to retain senior leadership, who are increasingly prioritising career progression and promotion opportunities. 

Skills-based hiring is gaining ground in India, with organisations increasingly recognising its potential to widen access to talent and reduce bias, although its implementation remains uneven, it said

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According to skilling and workforce development company upGrad's Transnational Education (TNE) Report 2026, around 49 per cent of Indian aspirants revealed better job opportunities as the primary reason for studying abroad, compared to other factors like quality of education, permanent residency or lifestyle aspirations. 

Students in India are significantly becoming more result-oriented and are evaluating destinations based on ROI (Return on Investment), employment opportunities and long-term career outcomes over institutional prominence, the report said. 

The upGrad report is based on insights from 53,800 counselled aspirants between January 2025 and June 2026. 

The respondent base was mainly made up of aspirants early in their professional journeys and fresh graduates, with 65.8 per cent being freshers, while nearly 60 per cent of aspirants hail from tier II and III cities. 

While traditional destinations like the US, the UK, Canada and Australia remain significant, the report further revealed a growing interest in Europe due to rigid immigration policies and rising costs. 

Students are now opting for Germany, Finland, Spain and France due to their affordability, industry alignment and stronger employment-linked pathways, it added. 

Meanwhile, the report found a clear shift towards more cost-effective and value-driven global education pathways. 

Affordability is emerging as a key driver of international education choices, with seven among 10 aspirants planning to pursue overseas education on a total budget of under Rs 30 lakh. 

"The study abroad landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with Indian students increasingly prioritising future employability, career outcomes and affordability. Europe's growing appeal reflects this evolving mindset, as learners seek destinations that combine quality education with strong workforce opportunities," Praneet Singh, Vice President, University Partnerships, upGrad Study Abroad, added. 

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Produced in partnership with and exclusively ticketed on District, Rolling Loud India has confirmed its return for December 12 and 13. 

The return follows a debut edition that brought 65,000 fans through the gates of Loud Park in Navi Mumbai that saw the likes of Karan Aujla becoming the first Indian artist ever to headline the festival.

For a decade, Rolling Loud has pulled hip-hop's biggest names onto the stage, turning festival weekends into the moments the genre is remembered by. India's second edition carries that same thread forward: a lineup, to be announced, pairing marquee international artists with the country's leading homegrown talent. Beyond the music, the festival will bring its full run of on-site experiences, built to give fans a weekend that stretches well past the setlist.

India debut that made history

“The first year showed us exactly why we wanted to bring Rolling Loud to India,” said Matt Zingler, CEO and Founder of Rolling Loud. “The energy from the fans was incredible and seeing international artists share the stage with some of the best talent coming out of India made it really special. We’ve always believed hip-hop is global, and India is becoming an important part of that story. Year two is about building on what we started and taking it even bigger.”
 
Rahul Ganjoo, CEO, District, said, “When we brought Rolling Loud to India, we were confident it would resonate. What we saw in year one went further than that: the kind of love for a festival at this scale that we haven't seen before in the Indian market. That response is what's shaping how we're building the 2026 edition. We're excited to have India experience the World's Largest Hip-Hop Festival once again.” 

Held on and November 22 and 23, Rolling Loud India's first edition's lineup delivered exceptional performances from headliners Central Cee, Wiz Khalifa, Don Toliver and Karan Aujla, alongside Indian and South Asian talent including DIVINE, NAV, Gurinder Gill, Wild Wild Women, AR Paisley, Sambata and Yung Raja.