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Time of India
2 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Towering temple of Gun Hill pays homage to gods of war
1 2 Chandigarh: A rugged temple cast in the style of a typical hill shrine and fashioned from Kargil's huge rock slabs stands sentinel atop Gun Hill (ex-Point 5140, 16,864 feet) on the Drass LoC. This is the daunting feature with a vertical cliff drop to the north and east which was assaulted by Bravo and Delta Companies of 13 JAK Rifles (Bravest of the Brave) during the night of June 19-20, 1999, thereby transforming then Lt. Vikram Batra's victory call sign over the radio set into an energising national slogan, 'Yeh Dil Maange More'. Twenty-six years later, Col Rajesh Adhau, Sena Medal, stood outside the temple, paying homage to Batra and satisfying his curiosity to view the daunting summit where Batra was commended for the first of his two-part citation for the posthumous award of the Param Vir Chakra. A panting and heaving Adhau uttered only one sentence as he cautiously peered upon Gun Hill's sheer drop: "Can you see this, Vikram (residing in the heavens above). ...this is what you off to Vikram, hats off to Sanju (Col. Sanjeev S. Jamwal, Vir Chakra) and my 13 JAK Rifles." At the time of the war, there was no temple. Gun Hill was an unoccupied feature, which was surreptitiously invaded by the 6 NLI (SIKKIS) and converted into bunkered Infantry defences and an Artillery Observation Post, code 'Iftikar'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You Won't Believe the Price of These Dubai Apartments Binghatti Developers FZE Get Offer Undo After the war when Indian troops commenced their LoC link patrols, the temple was constructed. Depending upon the faith of a regiment's troops, a small shrine is installed wherever they are posted, even at super-high altitudes such as those of the Kargil LOC, LAC and Siachen's Saltoro ridge. It is the prayers to his God or Goddess that lends the belief to the soldier that there is no enemy bullet or splinter in the coming hail of fire that will have his name written on it. As battalions change at those heights, the shrine is re-styled in accordance with the faiths, beliefs and cultural persuasions of freshly-inducted troops. Soldiers require a quiet place to pray and contemplate before they charge into a firestorm. They also pray for the peace of the souls of those comrades who might not return from battle. Whenever the Commanding Officer tours the alpine deployments, he first prays at the post's shrine and expresses gratitude to the Gods / Goddesses for protecting his soldiers and upholding the honour of the nation, regiment and battalion. Adhau was the RMO for the 13 JAK Rifles during the Kargil War . He was one of the very few doctors awarded a gallantry medal --- and not a service medal --- for his courage and battlefield initiative. He insisted on being just 50 m behind the assaulting troops and well within range of the enemy's small-arms fire. Batra, promoted after the fall of Gun Hill to a Captain, had literally died in Adhau's arms when he assaulted the Point 4875 Complex, Mashkoh, on July 7, 1999. Adhau, who is currently serving with a UN peace-keeping mission in Congo, flew down specially and virtually on a day's notice to make the pilgrimage to Gun Hill. Unlike the arduous climb from Drass to Gun Hill during the war, the Army has since constructed roads that facilitate speedy troop movements and logistics up the inclines to the LoC, slashing the human and animal load carrier effort. The road benefitted Adhau (who is now 53 and did not do the standard acclimatisation) with a vehicle drive till Rocky Knob and then the remaining part on foot to Gun Hill. "When I reached the top, I was left in disbelief. How did our soldiers climb such an altitude against an enemy perched on top, and who could kill them by just rolling down boulders? I saw the cliff face, which was so sharp that we were barred from going near it. This was the cliff upon which Pakistani soldiers had fixed ropes and retreated when they came under the assault of our Infantry and Artillery barrage that night. I reckon that our soldiers did not realise how daunting the terrain was because they climbed when the hour was the darkest, and only realised how precipitous their foothold was when dawn broke," Adhau told the TOI from Pune, after his extensive tour of the Drass and Batalik war sectors. The hardy doctor's annual pilgrimages to the wounded sites of the Kargil War never fails to trigger an outpouring of emotions and tears. "I feel that time has stood still over these 26 years and that I have no memories but I am re-living those moments again. I cannot control my tears, try as I might. I realise that the day my tears stop, I will be dead as a human being," added Adhau. Adhau's proximity to the fighting jawans along with his trusted nursing assistant, Sub. Shiv Raj Chouhan, during the war had ensured that he was five minutes away from a wounded soldier. Adhau would administer the vital first aid, stabilise the patient and administer morale-boosting pep talk so that the casualty would survive the arduous evacuation downhill by stretcher parties to an advanced medical facility. As many as 97 wounded officers and soldiers benefitted from Adhau and Chauhan's vigil over the proverbial "golden hour" of traumatic medical emergencies.
Mint
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Commerce ministry weighs GST rationalization for motion-lit toys
New Delhi: Beep beep. India's ambition to become a global toy hub has run into a problem – children's scooters. The matter concerns a category called non-motorized 'mobility scooters' – the kind children zip round on, whether sitting or standing. Those fitted with lights are taxed at 18%, whereas those without lights attract only a 12% Goods and Services Tax (GST). Indian toy manufacturers say the higher rate is arbitrary and runs counter to the government's aim of promoting domestic toy production for global markets, two people aware of the matter told Mint. The matter is being dealt with by the commerce ministry, they said. The complaint comes even as the government aims to boost toy exports, which are set for a boost after the finalization of trade agreements with the UK, US, and EU. 'There is a flat 18% GST on products that fall under the electronics category. However, in the case of mobility toys, there is no change in the features or characteristics of the toy. Its function remains the same, and the lights are produced through magnets by friction, without the use of any battery or electronic component,' said Rajeev Batra, treasurer of the Toys Association of India (TAI) and director of Kiddies Centre, a toy trading company. 'The essential functions of the toys remain the same, and only some add-on features are included. A four-wheeled car continues to attract 18% GST, even though it includes components like batteries or audio systems that fall under higher GST categories. However, in the case of toys, if a simple feature like a horn is added, the GST rate jumps from 12% to 18%. This inconsistency needs to be addressed,' said Batra. Queries sent to the spokespersons of the commerce ministry and the GST Secretariat remained unanswered at press time. The lights on mobility scooters are not battery-operated but powered by motion through magnets—an added feature that costs barely about ₹ 20 per unit, said an industry representative who wished to remain unnamed. While these lights enhance the toy's appeal, the increased tax burden is discouraging manufacturers from making such versions. The government is trying to find a workable solution after consultations with stakeholders, which will then be recommended to the GST Council, said one of the two people cited above. 'The proposal is currently under consideration by the ministry,' said the second person. 'This (anomaly) not only discourages manufacturers from adding value but also limits affordable access to engaging, educational, and interactive toys for Indian children. At a time when India aims to become a global toy hub, such policies risk stifling creativity and competitiveness,' said Vivek Singhal, CEO, Bidso --a B2B manufacturer of outdoor toys. Indian toys are gaining global popularity, with exports rising from ₹ 1,260.88 crore ($151.9 million) in 2023–24 to ₹ 1,430.82 crore ($172.4 million) in 2024–25, as per commerce ministry data. Imports during the same period saw a modest increase—from ₹ 537.52 crore ($64.7 million) to ₹ 626.21 crore ($75.4 million). To convert the figures into USD, an exchange rate of ₹ 83 per dollar has been used. While toy exports grew 13.5% year-on-year over the period FY2023–24 to FY2024–25, industry figures say that policy support—such as GST rationalization, export incentives, and global trade deals—could help unlock a new phase of expansion. The global toy market is projected to reach $179.4 billion by 2032, according to a report by Punjab National Bank (PNB) published in February 2025. Commerce & industry minister Piyush Goyal had on 4 July announced that the government is close to finalizing a dedicated scheme to boost toy production. 'The scheme would focus on strengthening design capabilities, improving quality manufacturing, enhancing packaging standards, and facilitating brand-building efforts,' Goyal had said. India's toy industry, once heavily import-dependent, is now manufacturing exporting to 153 countries. According to an India Exim Bank report, the sector remains highly fragmented, with about 90% of the market dominated by the unorganized segment. While global players like Mattel and Lego operate in India, the industry is largely driven by over 4,000 MSME units concentrated in clusters across NCR, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and other regions, as per the report.
The Print
3 days ago
- Business
- The Print
ICICI Bank Q1 net profit jumps 15.9 pc; sees margin contraction ahead
Its core net interest income increased 10.6 per cent to Rs 21,635 crore on the back of a 12 per cent domestic loan growth, but was restricted by a narrowing of the net interest margin to 4.34 per cent from 4.41 per cent in the quarter-ago period. On a standalone basis, the country's second-largest private sector lender reported a net profit of Rs 12,768 crore for the quarter, up 15.5 per cent from Rs 11,059 crore a year ago. Mumbai, Jul 19 (PTI) ICICI Bank on Saturday posted a 15.9 per cent jump in its consolidated net profit for the June quarter to Rs 13,558 crore compared to Rs 11,696 crore in the year-ago period. The bank's executive director Sandeep Batra pointed to some more pain in the offing on the NIMs front, especially with the RBI's rate cut cycle still on. 'We do expect the NIMs to sort of compress a little more in the next quarter,' he told reporters, adding that the future trajectory will be decided by the RBI's actions and the overall liquidity in the system. The other income, excluding treasury operations, recorded a 13.7 per cent jump to Rs 7,264 crore. From an asset growth perspective, the bank slowed down growth in the riskier credit card and personal loans segment to over 1 per cent each after multiple quarters of maintaining it at over 20 per cent. Batra said there is no specific reason for the slowdown, but pointed out that the number is influenced by the demand factor as well. When asked about the slower growth in retail assets, he said the bank does recalibrations to its credit norms and added that there is an overall slowdown in the market as well. The corporate loans grew more slowly than expected because of competitive pricing options available to borrowers. From an asset quality perspective, the fresh slippages came at a slightly higher level of Rs 6,245 crore, but the bank management made it clear that it is comfortable with the quality of the portfolio. The overall provisions, excluding the ones for taxes, stood at Rs 1,815 crore compared to Rs 1,332 crore in the year-ago period, the bank said. The gross non-performing assets ratio improved to 1.67 per cent as of June 30 from 2.15 per cent in the year-ago period. Batra said the bank expects the economy to fare better in the second half of the fiscal year, and the banking system will be a beneficiary of this as credit demand increases. The overall deposit growth came at 12.8 per cent for the reporting quarter, the bank said, adding that it added 83 branches to take its overall network to 7,066 branches as of June 30. ICICI Bank's overall capital adequacy stood at 16.97 per cent, with the core buffer level at over 16 per cent. Batra said the bank does not foresee any immediate need for a capital raising exercise. Among its subsidiaries, the life insurance arm delivered a PAT increase to Rs 302 crore in Q1 against Rs 225 crore in the year-ago period, the general insurance arm's PAT jumped by nearly 29 per cent to Rs 747 crore, while ICICI Securities' net profit declined to Rs 391 crore from Rs 527 crore. PTI AA BAL BAL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
ICICI Bank Q1 net profit jumps 15.9 pc; sees margin contraction ahead
Mumbai, Jul 19 (PTI) ICICI Bank on Saturday posted a 15.9 per cent jump in its consolidated net profit for the June quarter to Rs 13,558 crore compared to Rs 11,696 crore in the year-ago period. On a standalone basis, the country's second-largest private sector lender reported a net profit of Rs 12,768 crore for the quarter, up 15.5 per cent from Rs 11,059 crore a year ago. Its core net interest income increased 10.6 per cent to Rs 21,635 crore on the back of a 12 per cent domestic loan growth, but was restricted by a narrowing of the net interest margin to 4.34 per cent from 4.41 per cent in the quarter-ago period. The bank's executive director Sandeep Batra pointed to some more pain in the offing on the NIMs front, especially with the RBI's rate cut cycle still on. 'We do expect the NIMs to sort of compress a little more in the next quarter," he told reporters, adding that the future trajectory will be decided by the RBI's actions and the overall liquidity in the system. The other income, excluding treasury operations, recorded a 13.7 per cent jump to Rs 7,264 crore. From an asset growth perspective, the bank slowed down growth in the riskier credit card and personal loans segment to over 1 per cent each after multiple quarters of maintaining it at over 20 per cent. Batra said there is no specific reason for the slowdown, but pointed out that the number is influenced by the demand factor as well. When asked about the slower growth in retail assets, he said the bank does recalibrations to its credit norms and added that there is an overall slowdown in the market as well. The corporate loans grew more slowly than expected because of competitive pricing options available to borrowers. From an asset quality perspective, the fresh slippages came at a slightly higher level of Rs 6,245 crore, but the bank management made it clear that it is comfortable with the quality of the portfolio. The overall provisions, excluding the ones for taxes, stood at Rs 1,815 crore compared to Rs 1,332 crore in the year-ago period, the bank said. The gross non-performing assets ratio improved to 1.67 per cent as of June 30 from 2.15 per cent in the year-ago period. Batra said the bank expects the economy to fare better in the second half of the fiscal year, and the banking system will be a beneficiary of this as credit demand increases. The overall deposit growth came at 12.8 per cent for the reporting quarter, the bank said, adding that it added 83 branches to take its overall network to 7,066 branches as of June 30. ICICI Bank's overall capital adequacy stood at 16.97 per cent, with the core buffer level at over 16 per cent. Batra said the bank does not foresee any immediate need for a capital raising exercise. Among its subsidiaries, the life insurance arm delivered a PAT increase to Rs 302 crore in Q1 against Rs 225 crore in the year-ago period, the general insurance arm's PAT jumped by nearly 29 per cent to Rs 747 crore, while ICICI Securities' net profit declined to Rs 391 crore from Rs 527 crore. PTI AA BAL BAL view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 19:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ACB busts land scam, 4 nayab tehsildars & patwari among officials charged with corruption
Gurgaon: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has uncovered a scam involving fraudulent sale of prime govt land, implicating four nayab tehsildars and HSVP officials among others. The 1.5-acre prime land, situated near Hero Honda Chowk and earmarked for developing Industrial Sector 37 and widening Badshapur drain, was allegedly sold by a DLF-1 resident identified as Rakesh Batra in collusion with four nayab tehsildars of Kadipur tehsil, a patwari and HSVP officials. The revenue officials involved have also been accused of causing financial losses to the exchequer by collecting lower stamp duties. The scam came to light when Praveen Rao, a resident of Rewari, filed a complaint with ACB in May 2024, supported by documents. He alleged that in 2022, Batra in collusion with officials and employees of MCG, Kadipur tehsil and HSVP illegally subdivided and sold land that had been acquired by HSVP for development projects. Batra, who owned the adjacent land, sold more plots than he legally possessed, effectively selling property belonging to HSVP, formerly known as HUDA. The land was acquired by the govt agency in Khandsa, Kadipur and Naharpur in 1988 for developing the sector. Approximately 3 acres of Batra's nearly 4-acre landholding were included in this acquisition. Batra challenged the acquisition in Punjab and Haryana high court in 1990, but the court dismissed the petition in 2001, and the land was subsequently handed over to HSVP. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon In 2001, Batra applied to the department of town and country planning (DTCP) for a change of land use (CLU) for the remaining land. By 2004, he had secured the CLU in the name of Shanti Ispat Ltd for 26,771 square yards of land. However, according to revenue records, after the 2001 land acquisition, he only had 22,365 square yards remaining. Batra managed to obtain a CLU for an additional 4,406.25 square yards by misleading HSVP and DTCP. In 2009, HSVP acquired another half acres of Batra's remaining land in Khandsa for widening of the Badshapur drain. In collusion with naib tehsildars from Kadipur tehsil, Batra subdivided approximately 5 acres of land into 22 plots and sold them to various people through eight registries, according an ACB officer. Also, seven different parts, totaling 11,759 square yards, were transferred to his brother Pawan Batra and son Aman Batra. According to regulations, a plot with change of land use can't be subdivided and sold. Batra sold most of the plots allegedly to the family of Gulshan Kumar, a HSVP senior. Kumar purchased plots in his wife Vandana's name and registered two deeds. In total, Batra transferred and registered 25,102 square yards of land, effectively selling 7,712 square yards of HSVP's land. HSVP's estate officer-1 became aware of Batra's activities and wrote to the Kadipur tehsildar in April 2022, highlighting that attempts were being made to sell HSVP-acquired land. The letter emphasised that the land was part of a govt-approved development plan and requested that registration of sale deeds for this land should not occur without a No- Objection Certificate (NOC) from the district town planner and HSVP. The letter also stated that HSVP should be informed if any sale deed was executed. Despite these warnings, approximately 7,712 square yards of HSVP land were divided into eight plots and sold without obtaining the NOC. The property ID of the adjacent land owned by Batra was used to execute the sale deeds. "The naib tehsildar of Kadipur didn't adhere to the circle rate while registering the deeds and collected the stamp duty at a rate of Rs 10,000 per square yard. As a result, the revenue department suffered a loss of Rs 1.6 crore in stamp duty for registering these eight deeds. According to the town planner's report, no NOC was taken before registering the plots," said the ACB official, adding that following an investigation, all allegations were found to be true, and a case was registered under sections 120B, 218, 409, and 420 of IPC and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the bureau's Gurgaon office against Batra, nayab tehsildars Satish Kumar, Parush Pahal, Neha and Akhtar Hussain, patwari Suratmal and Gulshan Kumar from the revenue office among others.
