Blog - The Purbottar

17 Nov

World Health Assembly Expected to Pass New Preparedness Agreement

Mohini BarmanInternational

The World Health Organization (WHO) is approaching the final stages of negotiation for its landmark Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Accord. The draft treaty, which has been under intense negotiation by member states, aims to establish a unified, legally binding framework for addressing future pandemics, ensuring equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and essential medical supplies worldwide. The agreement focuses on key areas: shared pathogen access, guaranteeing that countries share samples of new viruses quickly; supply chain transparency, requiring manufacturers to disclose production data; and a commitment to 20% global equitable access to pandemic-related products, primarily through donation or tiered pricing…

17 Nov

Strong calls to preserve Sikkimese identity and togetherness are echoed at the Kongchen Dorjee Award Ceremony

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

The inaugural Kongchen Dorjee Award turned into a powerful platform for reflection and community solidarity as SIBLAC Convenor and BJP Advisor Tseten Tashi Bhutia received the honour from the Sikkim Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (SILTA). While the event celebrated his long-standing service, Bhutia used the moment to issue a heartfelt call for unity, fairness and stronger constitutional safeguards for Sikkim’s indigenous communities. Bhutia, who has worked closely with the Sikkim Indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha Advisory Council, told the gathering that he accepted the recognition “with a heartfelt feeling” and prayers for the well-being of the people. He said the award belonged not…

17 Nov

A rare Golden Langur is spotted by UK tourists in Assam’s Kakoijana Reserve Forest

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A group of nine tourists from the United Kingdom experienced a rare and memorable wildlife encounter during their visit to the Kakoijana Reserve Forest in Assam’s Bongaigaon district, where they witnessed the endangered Golden Langur in its natural habitat. The sighting added a special highlight to their trip, as the species is among the most threatened primates in the world and found only in limited pockets of Assam and Bhutan. Kakoijana Reserve Forest, known globally as an important habitat of the Golden Langur, has been gaining increasing international attention for its conservation success and flourishing biodiversity. The visiting team spent…

17 Nov

In Siliguri, Rozgar Mela 2.0 sees massive turnout as 60+ top companies offer 10,000+ jobs

Business BureauBusiness

The opening day of RozgarMela 2.0 in Siliguri saw a massive turnout on Saturday as thousands of jobseekers queued up for more than 10,000 employment opportunities offered by over 60 leading companies from across India. Organised by the Darjeeling Welfare Society, the fair is drawing aspirants from North Bengal, the hill districts and neighbouring regions. Top recruiters participating in the fair include HDFC, Axis Bank, Bandhan Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Electronics, Taj Group, ITC, Indigo Airlines and Apollo Hospitals, among several other employers offering PAN-India and regional placements. This year’s drive features a 100% in-person process, beginning…

17 Nov

SportEdge Meerut: India’s sports economy gets a boost with model sports hub initiative

Business BureauBusiness

In a landmark move to integrate sports, skills, and entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), along with the SPEFL Skill Council and the British Asian Trust, launched the “SportEdge Meerut” initiative, positioning the city as India’s model Sports Hub. The program aims to strengthen livelihoods, empower women entrepreneurs, and nurture young sporting talent while leveraging Meerut’s ₹1,500 crore sports goods industry, which contributes over 40% of India’s sports exports. The workshop brought together stakeholders from government, industry, finance, and development sectors, including representatives from ADB, World Bank, Microsoft, SBI Foundation, and ONGC Foundation. Discussions focused on enhancing…

15 Nov

Luv Ranjan Breaks Old Patterns as Madhavan Steals the Spotlight in DDPD 2

editorEntertainment

De De Pyaar De, released in 2019, is a notable Bollywood film that explores the romantic relationship between a much-older man, Ashish Mehra (Ajay Devgn), and a younger woman, Ayesha (Rakul Preet Singh). The film stands out for its willingness to portray a May-December romance, featuring a 50-plus protagonist with a 26-year-old love interest, as they meet in London and embark on a life together. The sequel, set six years after the original, introduces Ayesha's parents, Rajji Khurana (R Madhavan) and Mrs K (Gautami Kapoor), who navigate a journey from denial to acceptance in two-and-a-half hours. In a blend of…

15 Nov

Tata Motors can look at multiple synergies with Iveco

Purbalee DuttaCover Stories

Tata Motors released its first quarterly results after Tata Capital’s listing, with profits hit by a ₹2,026-crore mark-to-market loss, resulting in a ₹552-crore operating loss and a net loss of ₹868 crore. Without this impact, profit before tax would have been ₹1,474 crore. Managing director and CEO Girish Wagh discussed the benefits of separating the commercial and passenger vehicle businesses, while also sharing progress on acquiring Italy’s Iveco. He said the recent GST cut has boosted road freight movement, which should drive higher single-digit demand growth in the second half of the year. On Iveco, Tata Motors sees opportunities to…

15 Nov

For INR 70 crore investment, Godrej Agrovet signs MoU with the State Government of Andhra Pradesh

Business BureauBusiness

Godrej Agrovet Limited on Thursday signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, announcing an investment of ₹70 crore to expand its dairy processing capacity and establish new Samadhan Centres for oil palm farmers. The MoU was signed in Visakhapatnam in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Godrej Agrovet MD & CEO Sunil Kataria, and Rakesh Swami, Group President–Corporate Affairs, Godrej Industries Group. Chief Minister Naidu welcomed the partnership, calling it a crucial step toward strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s agri-food processing ecosystem and creating sustainable livelihoods. Sunil Kataria said the agreement reflects…

15 Nov

Sikkim’s Lamin Theengh dominates 35th National Strength Lifting Championship, wins four golds

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

The 35th National Strength Lifting and Incline Bench Press Championship concluded in spectacular fashion at Palzor Stadium, Gangtok, on November 13, 2025, with over 750 elite athletes from 22 states participating in the four-day event. The championship, held from November 10 to 13, showcased India’s top strength athletes and highlighted Sikkim’s growing stature as a host for major sporting events. Organized under the leadership of the Sikkim Strength Lifting Association, led by Mr. Pema Dorjee Bhutia, Mr. Allen Targain, and Ms. Chandrakala Pradhan, the event was widely praised for its seamless execution and competitive spirit. Among the standout performers, Ms.…

15 Nov

Fake GST racket busted in Guwahati, two held for Rs 8.59 crore fraud

Mohini BarmanAssam

Two individuals have been arrested by the Central Goods and Service Tax (CGST) Guwahati Commissionerate for their alleged involvement in a large-scale fake invoice racket, an official statement said on November 14. The statement said the anti-evasion unit of CGST Guwahati Commissionerate had received intelligence about a group supplying fake invoices to various recipients without any actual supply of goods or services. The racket reportedly involved over 50 suspicious GST registrations, which were allegedly used to pass on fraudulent GST credit. Acting on specific information, authorities traced the location of two key members of the group. A search operation was…