Closure of 24 airports extended till May 15 amid rising tensions with Pak
IndiGo also cancelled operations to several affected cities and shared links for customers to check flight status, rebook or apply for a refund.The latest bulletin follows a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued after Pakistan's retaliatory measures after India launched a precision strike against reported terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan launched drone and missile strikes targeting areas in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan.Though Indian defence systems intercepted and foiled the attacks, security has since been ramped up across the aviation sector. Airlines have advised passengers to reach airports at least three hours before departure, and hundreds of flights have been cancelled.The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has ordered enhanced checks, including Secondary Ladder Point Checks (SLPC) for all passengers. Visitor entry into terminals has been suspended, and Air Marshals will be deployed as needed.Must Watch
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The Hindu
42 minutes ago
- The Hindu
On Boat Mail, Sinhala films and Sri Lankan connect in Chennai
Sri Lanka is among the closest foreign countries we have, and historically, we have been very involved with it. If the Cholas conquered it, the Lankan kings aligned with the Pandyas and later joined in wars on Indian soil. Of course, long before all of this was the Ramayana link, connecting locations such as Thirupullani, Rameswaram, and Dhanushkodi to the island. And then, there is Rama Setu or Adam's Bridge. A long association Boats must have plied between Sri Lanka and India since time immemorial. And so, there was always a cultural exchange. The Nayanmars sang of Shiva in Thirukoneswaram and Thirketheswaram. Arunagirinatha adored Murugan in Kathirkamam. Years later, Arumuga Navalar would come to Madras to have his works published and indulge in his war against Ramalinga Swamigal. But it was the coming of the railways that really connected Madras to Colombo. The Boat Mail took one from Madras to Mandapam camp at Dhanushkodi, and from there, one could take a boat to Thalamannar in Sri Lanka. There, a train awaited to take them to Colombo. Two accounts, both studies in contrast, give an idea of how the journey was. S. Muthiah, in his book on Spencer's, gives us a narration of an upper class family taking the journey, replete with Spencer catering on the train, the order being forwarded by telegraph. At the other end was Avvai Shanmugam's trip, along with his troupe. Days of waiting at Mandapam, subsisting on bad food, for a permit to arrive and then a bad steamer journey followed by a crowded train, where Sinhalese women elbowed you out of your seats. Both narratives have one commonality — everyone was sick on the boat. But if you wanted to be someone in the field of arts, you had to make a name in Sri Lanka. Nagaswaram artistes, singers, theatre actors, and Harikatha exponents, all made the journey. The audiences at Jaffna and Colombo were discerning and being a hit there mattered much. Nagaswaram artistes went to Jaffna and stayed on for months on end, such being the never-ending cycle of temple festivals there. In the 1970s, Maharajapuram Santhanam refined his style while teaching at Jaffna. He returned to Madras and became a top-notch singer. There was, however, one aspect of culture on which there was no meeting point. Each watched the other's Tamil with amazement. But Sri Lanka, particularly Jaffna, was known for its great library and wealth of Tamil. And there was another on which Madras thrived — when B.V. Keskar banned film songs from All India Radio, everyone here tuned into Sri Lankan radio and listened to what they were missing. A filmy collaboration Sinhala films were made in Madras for years, between the 1940s and 1950s. Madras technicians went over after that to mentor and monitor film making there until legislation brought it all to a halt. By the 1960s, with the nationalisation of tea estates, many Indians returned to Madras. More returned when citizenship issues began to crop up. One such precious returnee was S. Muthiah, who went on to blaze a trail as the chronicler of Madras. I always felt that his heart was in Colombo. The undercurrents gained strength, and in the 1980s, these would engulf Madras-Sri Lankan relations. The term Madras is significant, for it was in this metro that the political impact was felt the most. Ranging from changing attitudes with time, the assassination of a former Prime Minister and drama(tic) fasts by the beach, we saw everything. Sri Lankan happenings had a huge impact on Tamil Nadu, one of the most significant being the inflow of Tamil refugees. For years, protests outside the Sri Lankan consulate were de rigueur. The place resembled a battle zone with barbed wire and chicanes placed all over the road. Peace has since returned and a new chapter of tourism and trade now unfolds.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
How the Portuguese shaped Madras: From Luz church to loan words still in use in Chennai
For over 300 years, i.e, between the Chola era of prosperity and the glory years of Vijayanagar, the Madras region seems not to have had many visitors from overseas. But by the 16th Century, the Portuguese were here and were the first among the significant colonial presences. While there is no doubt that it was trade that brought them to India, my contention is that it was the strong link with the legend of St. Thomas that drew them to Mylapore. Under them, the area proved a blueprint for colonial forts — a white town by the sea and a black one to the west. They called it San Thome, after the saint who brought them here. The Portuguese were as inspired by evangelisation as they were by conquest, and so both flourished. There were as many as seven churches within the fort, and four outside of it. Today, among the former, we have the San Thome basilica (much reconstructed and bearing no trace of Portuguese architecture) and the Rosary Church as two survivors, with a third, St. Rita's now part of the San Thome Matriculation School. Its façade remains unchanged. Surprisingly, all four churches outside the fort survived — St. Lazarus, Madre de Deus, Descanso, and Luz. Among these, the Luz Church, also known as Kattu Koil, takes its Indian name from the fact that it was once in a dense forest. It still retains its baroque architecture. The flourishing of Christianity in San Thome meant Mylapore's historic Kapaleeshwarar Temple waned and was eventually shifted. Certainly, relics of a temple emerged for long from where the basilica stands today. That temples in San Thome went through a rough patch is evident from an appeal made by the locals to Aliya Rama Raya, the powerful son-in-law of Krishna Deva Raya. But he took no action — the Vijayanagar rulers needed the Portuguese for their supply of firearms and horses. The Portuguese were never great administrators and San Thome soon descended into chaos, thereby making the neighbouring Fort St. George more attractive to locals. The Dutch and the Golconda Sultanate combined to reduce San Thome in the late 17th Century and then the French too came in. Finally, it was the English, who had done nothing but watch till then, who gained the upper hand. By the 1750s, San Thome was with them, and they made quick work of demolishing its walls. What is mysterious is the way in which its harbour, historic Shah Bandar, vanished without a trace. Architecture and street names There were till recently plenty of Portuguese-style houses in the San Thome area. Street names still remain — Nimmo, Lynna Pereira (he was a purveyor of spirits), and DeMonte — all commemorate the Portuguese. And there are still many educational institutions here that owe their existence to the Catholic Church and its many denominations. A legend of a mysterious light that guided storm-tossed sailors to safety inspired the Portuguese to build a church here, it was given the Portuguese word for light — Luz — as its name, and those in the Mylapore area at least must be using it on a daily basis without once pausing to think of how it became local coin. And Descanso, meaning 'rest', is Ilaipparral in Tamil. The church became Ilaippatriya Mada Kovil (St. Mary's Road), which became Ellapatha Mada Kovil. We still have some words that we owe to the Portuguese. Among these, istri for the act of pressing clothes and peepa for barrel are but two. The former is from the Portuguese estirar, meaning to stretch, while the latter is from pipes (pronounced peeps) — barrels that transported wine. However, there was also a dark side to the Portuguese presence in Madras — they kidnapped locals and sold them off as slaves to the plantations across the world.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Stocks to trade today: Trade Brains Portal recommends two stocks for 22 August
Today we recommend two stocks, one from the railways sector and another from the power sector. India's railway sector plays a vital role in the country's economic and social progress, serving as the backbone of both passenger and freight transportation. The power sector is experiencing strong growth, fueled by increasing electricity demand, rapid expansion of renewable energy, and infrastructure upgrades. We also analyse the market's performance on Thursday to understand what may lie ahead for the stock indices in the coming days. Two stocks to trade today, recommended by Trade Brains Portal for 22 August Current price: ₹725.7 Target price: ₹895 in 12 months Stop-loss: ₹641.05 Why it's recommended:Established in 1999, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) is a Navratna public sector enterprise operating under the Ministry of Railways, Government of India. It serves as the professional arm of Indian Railways, focusing on travel and hospitality services. IRCTC is responsible for managing, modernizing, and enhancing food and hospitality offerings at railway stations, onboard trains, and across other locations. The organization also plays a vital role in promoting both domestic and international tourism by developing budget hotels, curating travel packages, engaging in commercial marketing, facilitating information exchange, and integrating with global reservation systems. IRCTC has consistently demonstrated strong financial performance. In FY25, its operating revenue rose by 9.7% to ₹4,675 crore, up from ₹4,260 crore in FY24. Absolute EBITDA grew by 5.71% year over year to ₹1,549 crore, maintaining a healthy margin of 33.15%. Profit After Tax (PAT) increased significantly by 18.30%, reaching ₹1,315 crore in FY25 compared to ₹1,111 crore in FY24. Over the last three years, the company's revenue and PAT have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35% and 26%, respectively. Looking ahead, IRCTC projects its revenue to reach ₹7,825 crore by FY28. The company holds a monopoly in online railway ticketing, supported by its official website and the Rail Connect mobile app. It also benefits from limited competition in train catering services and is the exclusive provider of packaged drinking water for train passengers. Indian Railways is well-positioned for growth, with passenger traffic expected to increase by 29%, from 9,457 million in 2021 to 12,213 million by 2031. The Indian railway industry is projected to become the third largest globally within the next five years, accounting for 10% of the global market share. In Q1 FY26, IRCTC reported revenue from operations of ₹1,159.68 crore, up 3.8% year-on-year. EBITDA rose by 7.5% to ₹458.45 crore from ₹426.34 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. PAT also increased by 7.5%, reaching ₹330.7 crore compared to ₹307.72 crore in Q1 FY25. Risk factors: During peak booking periods, the reservation and ticketing system may experience performance issues such as slow response times or system crashes. These disruptions can lead to lower revenues and harm the company's reputation. Additionally, secure online transactions are critical to IRCTC's operations, and any security breach could have a severely negative impact on the business. Current price: ₹284 Target price: ₹345 in 12 months Stop-loss: ₹253.5 Why it's recommended:Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, a Schedule 'A' and 'Maharatna' public sector enterprise under the Government of India, was established in 1989 and is the country's largest electric power transmission company. Its operations are structured into three core segments: transmission, telecom, and consultancy. The transmission segment remains the primary contributor, accounting for over 97% of the total revenue. Powergrid is responsible for providing transmission systems for Central Generating Stations (CGS), Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs), and the integration of renewable energy. In Q1 FY26, the company reported total revenue of ₹11,444 crore. EBITDA stood at ₹9,394.94 crore, while Profit After Tax (PAT) was ₹3,631 crore. Transmission revenue was recorded at ₹10,694.66 crore, reflecting a marginal decline of 0.31% year-on-year. The consultancy segment posted strong growth, increasing by 120.35% year-on-year to ₹405.92 crore. The telecom segment also performed well, with revenue rising by 17.75% year-on-year to ₹289.49 crore. Within telecom, the company secured orders worth ₹58 crore and added 16 new customers during the quarter. In consultancy, Powergrid secured 11 new domestic orders and 2 international contracts in Q1 FY26. The company is actively pursuing transmission opportunities across regions such as South Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia as part of its global expansion strategy. As of Q1 FY26, Powergrid has established 180,849 km of transmission lines and operates 286 substations with a total inter-regional (IR) capacity of 101,180 MW. Its system availability stands at an impressive 99.84%. The consultancy arm of the company has a presence in more than 25 countries, with over 150 domestic clients and 25 international clients. In FY25, Powergrid exceeded its capex target of ₹20,000 crore by achieving ₹26,255 crore. For FY26, the company has projected a total capex of ₹28,000 crore. Key project completions include the Fibre Optic Communication System in the western region and the Transmission Network Expansion in Gujarat. Additionally, Powergrid acquired MEL Power Transmission Limited for a total value of approximately ₹8.53 crore. Risk factors:The company is exposed to risks arising from the weak financial health of several counterparties, particularly state distribution utilities. It also faces execution-related risks for its ongoing and under-construction projects. Furthermore, any unfavorable changes in the regulatory landscape could adversely affect its operations and strategic significance. How the market performed on Thursday The broader indices were volatile on Thursday before closing Nifty 50 had a positive opening at 25,142, up 91.45 points from its previous close of 25, closed the day at 25,083.75, finishing above all four 20/50/100/200-day EMAs. By the end of the session, the Nifty 50 had gained 33.2 points, or 0.13%. The BSE Sensex followed a similar trajectory, rising 142.87 points, or 0.17% from the previous day's closing. It opened at 82,220.46 and settled at 82,000.7. In terms of momentum, the Nifty 50's Relative Strength Index (RSI) stood at 57.88, while the Sensex RSI was at 56.48, both remaining below the overbought threshold of 70. In contrast, the Bank Nifty Index ended at 55,755.4, gaining 56.95 points, or 0.10%, to close at 55,755.45. The Nifty Pharma Index was the top gainer, closing at 22,177, up by 208.20 points, or 0.95%. Pharma stocks, including Mankind Pharma Ltd, Cipla Ltd, and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, rose up to 3%. The Nifty Realty Index followed the gains, closing at 917.35, up by 3.5 points, or 0.38%. Anant Raj Ltd was the biggest gainer, increasing by 2.66%, followed by Brigade Enterprises Ltd, which gained 1.18%, and Sobha Ltd, up 0.89%. Among the major losers, the Nifty FMCG index plunged the most on Thursday's trading session. The index decreased by -361 points, or -0.64%, closing at 56,303. Dabur India Ltd was the major loser, dropping 3.6%; Britannia Industries declined 1.8%, and United Breweries fell 1.7%.Another major laggard was the Nifty CPSE Index, which closed at 6,308.5, losing -39.85 points, or -0.63%. Major losers include Coal India Ltd, Lupin Ltd, Power Grid Corporation, and NHPC Ltd, whose shares declined by up to 2%. Asian markets showed a mixed trend on Thursday, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index ending at 25,104, losing 61.33 points, or 0.24%. The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,771.1, gaining 4.89 points or 0.13%. South Korea's KOSPI Index closed in the green at 3,141.74, up 11.65 points, or 0.37%. However, Japan's Nikkei 225 Index also closed in the red at 42,626, down -262.55 points, or -0.62%. US Dow Jones Futures were trading at 44,807.07, down -131.24 points, or -0.29%, as of 5:10 p.m. IST. Trade Brains Portal is a stock analysis platform. Its trade name is Dailyraven Technologies Pvt. Ltd, and its Sebi-registered research analyst registration number is INH000015729. Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing. Registration granted by Sebi and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
