Deven Bharti has been appointed as the new Mumbai Police Commissioner, taking over the role as Vivek Phansalkar is set to retire today after serving the force for 35 years. Bharti, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, previously held the position of Special Commissioner of Mumbai Police starting in January 2023. The post of Mumbai Police Commissioner, originally intended for the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) rank, has now been restored to its original level. While the post had been upgraded to the Director General (DG) rank in recent years, with officers such as Dattatray Padsalgikar, Subodh Jaiswal, and Param Bir Singh taking charge at this level, the state home department has issued an order downgrading the position back to the ADGP rank. An official confirmed that Bharti will assume the role at this level, marking a return to the previous structure. Rakesh Maria was the last officer to serve as Mumbai Police Commissioner at the ADGP rank in 2014 before the post was upgraded. Since then, several senior officers have taken the helm, including Sanjay Barve, Hemant Nagrale, and Sanjay Pandey, who held the DG rank during their tenures. Today marks the last day of Vivek Phansalkar as Mumbai Police Commissioner, and Bharti will take charge of Mumbai police commissioner at 4pm today. Phansalkar is retiring on Wednesday after serving the police force for 35 years. A 1994-batch IPS (Indian Police Service) officer, Bharti is currently the special commissioner of the Mumbai police. Before that, he had served the 50,000-strong police force in the metropolis in various capacities, including as joint commissioner of police (law and order), additional commissioner of police (crime), and deputy commissioner of police (crime). In his long career, he has also headed the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), besides serving as the inspector general of police (law and order ) in the state police headquarters. Before being assigned to the Mumbai police, Bharti had also served on central deputation. Known for his investigative skills, Bharti has been a part of many high-profile cases, including the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in which 166 people were killed.
30 April,2025 01:37 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanDeven Bharti, a 1994-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been appointed as the new Mumbai Police Commissioner, taking over from Vivek Phansalkar, who retires today. Bharti will assume charge at 4pm, with the post now restored to its original rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), as confirmed by the state home department. who is Bharti? Bharti’s career spans nearly three decades, with significant time served in Mumbai. He began his policing journey in the Naxal-affected region of Gadchiroli, where he was posted first as Additional Superintendent of Police, and later as Superintendent. He subsequently held the SP post in Amravati and Akola before moving on deputation to the Intelligence Bureau from 1998 to 2003. He got his first posting in Mumbai as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Special Branch-II in 2003. He was later promoted to DCP (Detection) in the Crime Branch, a key position in the city’s crime fighting arm. Over the years, successive governments have entrusted Bharti with top-level positions, recognising his deep familiarity with Mumbai’s law and order challenges. He has held posts including Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Inspector General, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), a tenure lasting four years from 2015 to 2019, one of the longest in the role. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he was briefly transferred to the Economic Offences Wing as Joint Commissioner. Following this, he served as the chief of Maharashtra's Anti-Terrorism Squad and later as the Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Throughout his career, Bharti has been involved in investigating several high-profile and sensitive cases. He played a key role in the probe into the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the murder of Mid-Day’s senior crime editor J Dey. He was also among the officers who oversaw the execution of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist from 26/11. His efforts in dismantling the Indian Mujahideen’s operations in Maharashtra have been widely noted. While the post had been upgraded to Director General (DG) rank in recent years, the latest appointment marks a return to the ADGP level, a position last held in 2014 by Rakesh Maria before being elevated. Since then, Mumbai’s police commissioners have included Ahmed Javed, Dattatray Padsalgikar, Subodh Jaiswal, Sanjay Barve, Param Bir Singh, Hemant Nagrale, Sanjay Pandey, and most recently, Vivek Phansalkar, all of DG rank. Before today’s appointment, Bharti was serving as Mumbai’s first Special Commissioner of Police since January 2023.
30 April,2025 01:36 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan KhanA massive fire that broke out at Link Square Mall in Mumbai’s Bandra West locality was finally brought under control after more than 22 hours of continuous firefighting, civic authorities confirmed early on Wednesday. According to PTI, the blaze first erupted around 4:10 am on Tuesday in the basement of the three-storey commercial structure located on Linking Road. The fire, which began in an electronics showroom, rapidly spread to the upper floors of the mall, which houses more than 200 shops and establishments. The Mumbai Fire Brigade classified the incident as a Level IV (major) fire by 6:25 am on Tuesday, prompting a full-scale emergency response. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also joined the operation to help contain the flames and ensure safety in the area. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported, civic officials told PTI. However, the mall suffered extensive damage, with large portions completely gutted by the fire. It took around 13 hours to initially bring the fire under control with the help of 13 fire engines and several water tankers and firefighting vehicles. The final extinguishing of remaining hot spots and smouldering materials continued until 1:41 am on Wednesday. Ravindra Ambulgekar, Chief of the Mumbai Fire Brigade, stated that an inquiry has been launched into the cause of the fire. Speaking to news agency PTI, he said, “The mall was packed with combustible items, and there were no proper access routes. Partitioned layouts inside made navigation extremely difficult. Smoke and fire easily travelled between shops through mesh shutters.” Questions have been raised over the handling of the situation. Former legislator Zeeshan Siddique alleged that lapses in response contributed to the spread of the blaze. In response, Maharashtra cabinet minister and local BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said he has directed the civic commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter. This incident happened just two days after another big fire on Sunday at a building with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate. The fire, reported at approximately 2.31 am at the Kaiser-I-Hind building, involved a fire that was initially confined to wooden furniture and office materials located on the fourth floor of the building. The structure, a basement-plus-ground-plus-upper-four-floors building with an attic, faced significant challenges due to smoke logging on the fourth floor. Firefighters struggled to access certain areas because of obstructing furniture stock that was kept in common passages and balconies. (With inputs from PTI)
30 April,2025 01:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentWhile on Monday the residents of 19 dilapidated buildings near Elphinstone bridge were assured by the state government that they would be rehabilitated in the same area to facilitate the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge, just a few kilometres away, the residents of 15 buildings—who have been served eviction notices by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA)—remain clueless about their future. If the residents of Elphinstone are being heard and given justice, then why can’t the residents of Lalbaug be heard? If there is a disagreement between parties that is delaying redevelopment, they can certainly approach higher authorities. The authorities will be duty-bound to help them without bias. If this can be done for one group of residents, it should be done for others as well,” said local MLA Ajay Choudhary. MHADA’s evacuation notice displayed inside the premises of Narayan Ashram Building No 6. Pics/Shadab Khan When it comes to building redevelopment, residents’ opposition is often a major hurdle. But in the case of Narayan Ashram (Building No 6) in Lalbaug, it’s not the tenants blocking the process—it’s a dispute between the landowner and a potential developer. Last year, MHADA declared the building dilapidated and has since issued multiple notices to both the landowner and the tenants. A recent notice sent to Lalbaugcha Raja idol maker Santosh Kambli stated that he must vacate his flat immediately due to a dangerously tilted wall. “The rear side of the wall between shop no 4 and 5 is buckled and has settled. It is in a dilapidated condition and may collapse at any moment, resulting in loss of life and property. It is therefore necessary to vacate the premises immediately to avoid danger,” the notice read. However, Kambli is refusing to vacate. “We’re not against redevelopment,” he said. “But how do you expect us to give consent without knowing who the developer is? A few days ago, our landowner said he was in talks with a developer and showed us some paperwork. We insisted on meeting the developer, but that hasn't happened yet. Meanwhile, the landowner keeps delaying things on technical grounds, and now we’re being harassed by the authorities through such notices.” “We are not against our landowner either—we’re just stuck. We’ll give our consent once a developer is finalised and introduced to us,” he added. Meanwhile, residents of Narayan Ashram Building No 7 have already agreed to redevelopment. Their landowner has signed a joint venture with Bhagwati Developers. “We’ve completed all the necessary paperwork and submitted our proposal to MHADA,” said Kulin Vohra, proprietor of Bhagwati Developers. “We hope Building No 6 joins in too. Redeveloping a single building attached to others is difficult in a cramped area like Ganesh Gully. Joint redevelopment will benefit everyone.” Why some are upset? While all residents of Building No 6 appear willing to proceed with redevelopment, trust issues with the landowner have stalled the process. “There’s been a lot of back and forth from the landowner. We don’t understand the delay—when both residents and a developer are ready, what’s the holdup?” asked one resident. “The process can move ahead smoothly under Section 79(A) of the MHADA Act. But because of these delays, we’re now considering invoking 79(B) to bypass the owner. The only problem is, many tenants are scared they’ll be targeted if they take that step.” Exterior view of Narayan Ashram Buildings No 6 and 7, both declared dilapidated by MHADA. Pics/Shadab Khan Another resident added, “Talks have been going on for three to four years. Frustrated, we recently renovated our house. And now, if they’re asking us to vacate immediately, that money’s wasted.” When questioned, the owner of Building No 6, Prasad Gavankar, said, “Matters are under development. More details will be shared when there’s progress.” Understanding MHADA Act Section 79(A) mandates compulsory redevelopment for cessed buildings declared dangerous by MHADA or its repair board. Once a notice is issued, property owners have three months to act. If they don’t, occupants have six additional months to propose redevelopment. Section 79(B) allows tenants to submit a redevelopment proposal themselves if the owner fails to act within the given timeframe. Both Narayan Ashram buildings are among the 13,800 buildings MHADA has identified for redevelopment in the city. Meanwhile, 13 other buildings along the same lane are facing similar issues. “The BMC and MHADA are not on the same page,” said Pagadi Association chairperson Vinita Rane. “All 15 buildings stand on BMC-owned land leased to landowners, but were constructed by MHADA. MHADA hasn’t coordinated with BMC, so issues like collapsing walls are neglected in the blame game.” Rane added, “When we asked MHADA officials to inspect the tilted wall, they seemed clueless. They didn’t even know how to implement 79(A). The miscommunication and lack of knowledge among authorities are putting residents under tremendous stress.” Despite multiple calls from mid-day, MHADA officials declined to comment.
30 April,2025 01:00 PM IST | Mumbai | Ritika GondhalekarNCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday backed the Congress' demand for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and said this would send out the message that the country is united, reported news agency PTI. Addressing a press conference after attending the consecration ceremony at a temple, Pawar called the bloody massacre of tourists in the Kashmir Valley an attack on the country. "The entire country is united on this issue. All parties and Parliament are united. A special session (on Pahalgam) would be useful to send this message to the world," Sharad Pawar said, reported PTI. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and demonstrate a collective resolve. Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed and several were injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on April 22. Several opposition MPs have made a similar demand to the government in the wake of the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed last week, evoking anger and public outrage. In the letter to the prime minister, Kharge said, "At this moment, when unity and solidarity is essential, the opposition believes that it is important to convene a special session of both Houses of Parliament at the earliest. "This will be a powerful demonstration of our collective resolve and willpower to deal with the brutal Pahalgam terror attack on innocent citizens on April 22. It is our fond hope that the session will be accordingly convened," the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha added, reported PTI. Gandhi too wrote a letter to PM Modi with the same request and said the Pahalgam massacre has outraged every Indian. "At this critical time, India must show that we will always stand together against terrorism. The Opposition believes that a special session of both Houses of Parliament should be convened, where the representatives of the people can show their unity and determination." "We request that such a special session be convened at the earliest," he added. Sharing his letter to the prime minister on X, Gandhi said, "At this critical time, India must show that we always stand together against terrorism." (With inputs from PTI)
30 April,2025 12:57 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentOn Wednesday, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut criticised the government for its intelligence failure that resulted in the tragic terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah as a consequence. "Security of J-K was already in the hands of the Army, but the attack happened. Action should first be taken on the Home Department, as the government is repeatedly making mistakes. The Prime Minister should accept Amit Shah's resignation," Raut stated during a press conference in Mumbai, reported news agency ANI. Criticising the recent meeting led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which it was mentioned that the Armed Forces possess full operational freedom to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack, Raut pointed out that the Army already had autonomy, yet an attack still occurred. "Look, giving free hand to the army is not a big deal, our Indian army is very big. Just yesterday, we saw that Rafale has been purchased. 27 Rafale aircraft worth Rs 60,000 crore have been purchased. The PM has given a free hand to the army, and Kashmir is a part of India because of the army. The army had a free hand in Kashmir too, still there was an attack," Raut noted, reported ANI. Raut emphasised that responsibility cannot be entirely passed on to the soldiers; the political leadership must also bear some accountability. He stated, "You claim we have empowered our soldiers completely, but what about the role of the political leadership in this? You can't just delegate the issue to the army and overlook it. You hold responsibility, as does the country's home ministry. Why did the intelligence fail? What action were you taking," reported ANI. Raut further supported action against Pakistan, but said that the government is instead banning YouTube channels. "You closed a YouTube channel, that is not revenge, it is a drama, it is a channel of India, 4 PM, you closed it without notice, what kind of democracy is this?" Raut questioned. Sanjay Raut criticised the government's response to the Pulwama attack, stating that besides shedding tears, a film emerged seven years later. "It has been 7 years for the Pulwama incident, what action was taken, 40 lives were lost, how to do Josh, a film came out, you tell me what is Josh, where did your Kashmir files come out, everyone from the Prime Minister to everyone else went out wiping their tears, what has happened now," the UBT leader questioned, reported ANI. "Now your file should be taken out, Home Ministry files, what will you do, at the most you will put me in jail," Raut added, reported ANI. The Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives in Jammu and Kashmir, was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans. (With ANI inputs)
30 April,2025 12:29 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Samajwadi Party on Tuesday appealed to the Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar to ban all organisations irrespective of their religious link, spreading hatred, inciting violence, threatening the public, issuing economic boycott and dividing people on the basis of faith, religion, region and language, reported news agency IANS. It also demanded that the fundamental rights and freedom of every citizen to do business, trade and occupation be protected by the state as per its constitutional duty. It further demanded that the atmosphere of peace and justice must prevail in the state as per the Constitution. The Samajwadi Party sought the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s help, especially in the wake of the attack on Muslims at Dadar, Vakola, Vikhroli, Nalasopara, and an atmosphere is being created against them after the Pahalgam terror attack, reported IANS. In a letter addressed to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, the Samajwadi Party Mumbai chief Abu Azmi said that false propaganda, hate speech and incidents of false police complaints against masjid, dargah and Muslim hawkers have increased to an alarming proportion, which is creating enmity between different religious groups and communal tensions in the state. The Samajwadi Party further said the minorities, especially Muslims, are feeling insecure due to the rising hostility of fanatic forces all over Maharashtra. “The fanatic persons and organisations in the state, including the minister Nitesh Rane and others, have created such a virulent atmosphere in the state which has endangered and threatened lives, liberties, properties, fundamental rights and human rights of Maharashtra Muslims,” added the party, reported IANS. It has demanded action against the miscreants and organisations as per the verdict of the Supreme Court in the hate speech case. “We demand the rule of law and justice prevail in the most transparent manner by bringing the enemies of peace, law and constitution to book, and such violators of law be given the harshest and severest punishment. Such acts will be helpful to restore the confidence of minorities, weaker sections and secular people in law, administration and government,” said Azmi in a letter, reported IANS. Earlier, the Samajwadi Party activists staged a protest at Azad Maidan. (With inputs from IANS)
30 April,2025 12:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA large number of Shiv Sena (UBT) workers on Tuesday joined the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his presence. Speaking at the function held at Anand Ashram in Thane city, Shinde said Thane remains the stronghold of his party. He accused Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena of misusing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for personal and political gains. "They ignored critical civic work and the needs of citizens. People suffered while the previous regime was focused on self-serving agendas. That is why a growing number of their leaders are walking away to join us," he said. Eknath Shinde expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance will extend its dominance from the state Assembly to municipal corporations across Maharashtra. He credited public support to the developmental work carried out by the coalition government over the past two and a half years, saying that people are standing with those who fulfil their promises. “The saffron flag of Mahayuti has already been raised over the Assembly. It will now soon fly proudly over municipal corporations as well,” Shinde declared confidently. The Shiv Sena (UBT) suffered a major setback in Thane as key office bearers from Naupada joined Shiv Sena in a significant show of support. Those who joined included Pritam Rajput (Upvibhag Pramukh), Rajesh Pawar (Upvibhag Pramukh), Sudhir Thakur (Gat Pramukh), Dinesh Chikne (Shakha Pramukh), and 20 other local leaders. The induction ceremony took place at Anand Ashram, attended by Member of Parliament Naresh Mhaske and former Mayor Meenakshi Shinde. Deputy CM Shinde emphasised Thane’s identity as a Shiv Sena stronghold shaped by the legacy of Dharmaveer Anand Dighe. “All 72 corporators of the Thane Municipal Corporation are with Shiv Sena. Every day, hundreds of workers from various talukas in Thane district are joining us,” he stated. Referring to the party’s legal and political battle over its identity, Shinde said, “We raised our voices to reclaim the true Shiv Sena and its symbol—the bow and arrow—which had been dragged along by the Congress. So far, 70 corporators from Mumbai have joined us. This clearly shows who the real Shiv Sena is.” He added, “We don’t work only during elections. Shiv Sena works 365 days a year—that’s what sets us apart from the UBT group.”
30 April,2025 12:14 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a new crop insurance scheme under which farmers will have to pay a premium ranging from 1.5 to 2 per cent of the insured amount, as against the earlier scheme where they had to pay only Rs 1, reported news agency PTI. Farmers will pay 2 per cent of the insured sum for Kharif crops, 1.5 per cent for Rabi and 5 per cent for cash crops, officials said, reported PTI. In 2023, the government came out with a 'one rupee crop insurance scheme' under which a farmer was required to pay only Rs 1 as his or her share of the premium while the rest was paid by the Maharashtra government. But there were complaints regarding this scheme, an official statement said, without specifying what went wrong. Notably, several cases where insurance was claimed even without planting a crop had come to light. The BJP-led government is already facing a heavy financial burden on account of schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana under which eligible women are paid Rs 1,500 per month. Maharashtra government enhances wages for individuals in beggars home to Rs 40 per day The Maharashtra government on Tuesday increased the wages given to the inmates of beggar homes in the state to Rs 40 per day for the first time since 1964 from Rs 5 monthly, reported news agency PTI. The decision is expected to encourage the individuals to become self-reliant, a statement issued by the Maharashtra government said. The individuals in the beggars home were earlier entitled to Rs 5 monthly. The state already has in place the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging Act 1964, it said, reported PTI. Under this law, 14 dedicated homes were set up for the rehabilitation of beggars housing 4,217 inmates, reported PTI. The individuals are trained with different skills in agriculture and small-scale industries in these beggars' homes so that they can earn their livelihood. Such individuals would earlier get Rs 5 on a monthly basis, but the amount has been raised to Rs 40 daily now, the statement said, reported PTI. The decision on enhancing the amount was taken in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. (With inputs from PTI)
30 April,2025 11:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Maharashtra government on Tuesday increased the wages given to the inmates of beggar homes in the state to Rs 40 per day for the first time since 1964 from Rs 5 monthly, reported news agency PTI. The decision is expected to encourage the individuals to become self-reliant, a statement issued by the Maharashtra government said. The individuals in the beggars home were earlier entitled to Rs 5 monthly. The state already has in place the Maharashtra Prevention of Begging Act 1964, it said, reported PTI. Under this law, 14 dedicated homes were set up for the rehabilitation of beggars housing 4,217 inmates, reported PTI. The individuals are trained with different skills in agriculture and small-scale industries in these beggars' homes so that they can earn their livelihood. Such individuals would earlier get Rs 5 on a monthly basis, but the amount has been raised to Rs 40 daily now, the statement said, reported PTI. The decision on enhancing the amount was taken in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Maharashtra brings new crop insurance scheme, farmers to pay 1.5-2 pc amount as premium The Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a new crop insurance scheme under which farmers will have to pay a premium ranging from 1.5 to 2 per cent of the insured amount, as against the earlier scheme where they had to pay only Rs 1. Farmers will pay 2 per cent of the insured sum for Kharif crops, 1.5 per cent for Rabi and 5 per cent for cash crops, officials said. In 2023, the government came out with a 'one rupee crop insurance scheme' under which a farmer was required to pay only Rs 1 as his or her share of the premium while the rest was paid by the Maharashtra government. But there were complaints regarding this scheme, an official statement said, without specifying what went wrong. Notably, several cases where insurance was claimed even without planting a crop had come to light. The BJP-led government is already facing a heavy financial burden on account of schemes such as the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana under which eligible women are paid Rs 1,500 per month. (With inputs from PTI)
30 April,2025 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday, a four-day event that will bring together the entire spectrum of the media and entertainment industry, reported news agency PTI. Envisioned as a platform to bridge the gap between traditional and emerging media, the Prime Minister has set aside nearly 10 hours for the WAVES summit where he will chair a meeting with CEOs and industry leaders from the media and entertainment sector. The prime minister will also interact with young creators from across the world who have participated in 31 different Create in India challenges at the Creatosphere and also give away awards to the winners. The Creatosphere will feature curated zones from VR, animation, films, games, VFX, comics, music yo immersive exhibits and masterclasses. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will also address the inaugural session of the WAVES summit, which is expected to witness participation from top actors such as Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Hema Malini, and Chiranjeevi, among others, reported PTI. The WAVES summit will open with a stirring invocation by M M Keeravaani and a 30-member orchestra and 'Sutradhar Reinvented' which is billed as a sensory-rich journey into India's cinematic and storytelling DNA narrated by Sharad Kelkar. The Prime Minister will also unveil the Bharat Pavilion, a vibrant tribute to India's profound legacy of storytelling, based on the theme "Kala to Code". The Pavilion will have four immersive zones that will take visitors through the continuum of India's storytelling traditions and a deep dive into the media and entertainment growth story. The WAVES summit will feature theme-based plenaries and discussions aimed at shaping the future of the audio-visual industry in India and beyond. The cultural evening on the opening day will feature a classical ensemble led by legends like Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Yella Venkateswara Rao, and Ronu Majumdar, performances by the Tetseo Sisters, JHAALA, Shreya Ghoshal, KING x Alan Walker, and a cinematic act by Anupam Kher. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is expected to chair the Global Media Dialogue which will see participation from ministers, leaders of the media industry and policymakers from across the world, reported PTI. The first WAVES Awards to winners of 32 challenges announced in the run-up to the summit will also be given away at the event organised at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. Mumbai is expected to be the permanent venue of the WAVES summit, billed as the biggest gathering of the media and entertainment industry, similar to what the World Economic Forum meeting at Davos is for the business and economy sectors, officials said. Day one will open with a high-profile panel discussion titled 'Legends and Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India's Soul', featuring Hema Malini, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi. The session will be moderated by actor Akshay Kumar. Another highlight will be 'The New Mainstream: Breaking Borders, Building Legends', a panel with filmmaker S S Rajamouli, actors Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal, and music maestro AR Rahman, moderated by producer-director Karan Johar. A much-anticipated chat between Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and Karan Johar, titled 'The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler', will delve into the inspiring careers of the two actors. Key issues on the agenda include regulating broadcasting in the digital age, copyright for audio-visual performers and content creators, the role of artificial intelligence in media, the future of theatrical releases, and the evolution of the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) sector. (With inputs from PTI)
30 April,2025 11:33 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
