Latest news with #BhagavadGita
New Indian Express
24 minutes ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
No age bar for learning: 71-year-old Jaipur man cracks CA final after retirement
RAJASTHAN : In a world that celebrates youthful achievement, 71-year-old Tarachand Agarwal from Jaipur has quietly rewritten the narrative of what's possible. The retired banker has passed one of India's toughest exams — the chartered accountancy (CA) final — at an age when most people slow down. With this, he hasn't just added a new feather to his cap but has become a beacon of inspiration for generations. A result that made headlines On July 6, when the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) declared the CA final results, a name stood out — Tarachand Agarwal, a retiree among a crowd of mostly twenty-something aspirants. While most would hesitate to pick up an academic pursuit after retirement, Agarwal not only attempted it — he aced it. The septuagenarian hails from Sangaria in Hanumangarh district. He completed his schooling there and began his banking career with the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (now SBI) in 1976. Over 38 years, he climbed the ranks to retire as assistant general manager in 2014. Life after retirement was content until tragedy struck. In November 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Agarwal lost his wife Darshana — his companion of over four decades. The grief was unbearable. 'We used to spend almost 21 hours a day together. When she left, I was completely shattered,' he recalls. Sinking into depression, Agarwal sought solace in spiritual reading — particularly the Bhagavad Gita. It became a turning point. 'The Gita made me realise that life is a battle, like the Mahabharata. You cannot escape it — you must face it with courage,' he says. With renewed clarity, he decided to reclaim purpose. Initially considering MCom or a PhD, it was his sons Lalit and Amit — a Delhi-based CA and a tax consultant, respectively — and granddaughter Ankika who nudged him toward something more challenging. 'Why not CA?' they asked. And just like that, his journey began.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Anti-sacrilege bill: Punjab Speaker forms 15-member select committee led by Inderbir Nijjar to consult stakeholders
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Saturday formed a 15-member select committee of the House for wider consultations with stakeholders on an anti-sacrilege bill . The move came days after the Punjab Assembly unanimously decided to refer the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, to a select committee of the House. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Data Science Finance Degree MBA Operations Management Leadership Management Data Analytics Artificial Intelligence Digital Marketing Technology MCA Data Science Public Policy Cybersecurity PGDM Healthcare Project Management Product Management healthcare Design Thinking CXO others Others Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details The panel will submit its report on the bill within six months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo The 15-member panel will be headed by AAP MLA from Amritsar South and former minister Inderbir Singh Nijjar , according to a notification issued by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha secretariat on Saturday. The members of the committee are -- AAP MLAs Ajay Gupta, Amandeep Kaur Arora, Inderjit Kaur Mann, Jagdeep Kamboj, Neena Mittal, Baljinder Kaur, Budh Ram, Bram Shanker Jimpa, Madan Lal Bagga, and Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman; BJP MLA Jangi Lal Mahajan, Congress legislators Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal; and Shiromani Akali Dal legislator Manpreet Singh Ayali. Live Events Punjab Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi will be the ex-officio member of the committee. The anti-sacrilege bill was introduced on July 14 in the House. The bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures , including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran. According to the bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh, which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh. Those attempting to commit the offence may be sentenced to three to five years and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend up to Rs 3 lakh. Individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed. Under the Bill, offence means any sacrilege, damage, destruction, defacing, disfiguring, de-colouring, de-filling, decomposing, burning, breaking or tearing of any holy scripture or part thereof. Sacrilege has been an emotive issue in Punjab. There has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for sacrilege after the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 in Faridkot. In the police firing at anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan, while some persons were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot.
News18
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Puja Pujara's memoir on life with husband Cheteshwar gets UK launch
Last Updated: London, Jul 19 (PTI) 'The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife' penned by Puja Pujara, capturing the journey of her husband Cheteshwar, found a hallowed introduction place at the Lord's Cricket Ground library and the author termed the book as 'something for everyone." In the book, Puja narrated the achievements and struggles of the India batter's international career that spanned between 2010 and 2023 from a wife's off-field perspective. 'It was a real honour to be invited to ring the bell at the Home of Cricket (during Day 3 of the third Test between India and England) and also present a copy of this memoir at Lord's," said Pujara after the formal presentation of the book at the library. The book also had a formal launch at the Nehru Centre in London on Friday. 'She has put together my entire journey, which even if I was writing an autobiography myself, I wouldn't have done that. She has captured all the moments, good and bad, very candidly," he said. In the book, Puja has tried to capture the cricketer's 'unique" journey from the streets of Rajkot to international cricket while also giving a glimpse into his character as 'stubborn, yet accommodating, secretive but with nothing to hide". 'The story is something for everyone. It's not just for cricket followers but anybody who picks up the book will find it interesting and will relate to some portion of the book in some way and get inspired," said Puja. During an in-conversation session at the Nehru Centre, she shared the strong influence of the 'Bhagavad Gita' on the couple's life – both on and off the field. 'Try and be in the present as present is everything and you can only control what is in your control – we try and relate to these teachings and practice it because the 'Gita' helps us stay more positive, be more present because you don't want to get into the negativity," said Puja. Asked about his future plans, Pujara said he is enjoying actively playing cricket and expects to be involved in the game in some form, whether it is commentary or coaching, in the longer term. Pujara's last international match was the WTC Final between India and Australia at the Lord's in 2023. 'Besides that, we both enjoy travelling and while I am actively playing cricket we don't get time for a long break, it's always more of a staycation than a holiday. So, we want to travel around the world whenever it is possible," shared the Saurashtra cricketer. Robert Lawson, Chief Executive and Secretary at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), welcomed the addition of the new memoir to the Lord's extensive books' collection. 'It's a very courageous move by Cheteshwar Pujara himself and it's terrific that Puja feels so empowered to be able to write this and be an inspiration for everyone involved in the game, especially for women," said Lawson, as he received a copy of the book at the Lord's. 'When most of us look at cricketers, we only look at them as players on the field. But they have an important aspect of their lives outside of the playing arena and any focus on that deserves all the credit," said Sujit Ghosh, India's Deputy High Commissioner to the UK. The book, published by HarperCollins, is now available through Amazon in the UK. 'This is the first time a sportsman's better half has presented his story in her words," said Sachin Sharma of HarperCollins. PTI AK UNG view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 15:15 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.
Hans India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Youth urged to stay away from drugs
Vizianagaram: PopularTelugu film actor Suman urged the youth to stay away from drugs and avoid falling prey to addiction. He was speaking at the launch of the 'Sankalpam' anti-drug awareness campaign initiated by Vizianagaram District Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal. Sharing his own experiences, the actor said, 'At the peak of my career, due to unfortunate circumstances, I hit a low point in life. I got addicted to alcohol and was even driven to contemplate suicide. But I decided to fight back, reminding myself of the values instilled by my parents, who gave me a good education, taught me karate and the Bhagavad Gita. Slowly, I overcame my bad habits and re-established myself as an actor with the blessings of my fans.' He added that substance addiction turns individuals into a burden on their families and society. Urging youth not to succumb to peer pressure, he called upon everyone to support the police's 'Sankalpam' programme and help in creating a drug-free so
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
AAP failed Dalits, showing bias in sacrilege law: BJP leader
Ludhiana: Former MP and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Rinku has accused AAP govt of cheating the Dalits of the state. In a press conference at the BJP office here Friday, Rinku said AAP made several commitments to woo the state's 31% dalit population before elections. Among them were the appointment of a deputy CM from the Dalit community if AAP were to form its govt in Punjab. But three-and-a-half years have passed since it came to power, and a deputy CM has not been appointed, he alleged. Rinku said AAP's prominent leaders had also promised the formation of a special SIT to address atrocities and false cases against Dalits, recommending strict punishments. He described the sacrilege law as politically motivated, stating that he has suffered its consequences for three-and-a-half years. The former (Jalandhar MP said, "All this while they did not remember to bring a sacrilege law. Now that the elections are near, the govt has suddenly remembered this law." Criticising the bill for its "selective and biased approach towards protecting religious texts", he said while it includes Guru Granth Sahib, Gutka Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible, it disregards the holy texts of Buddhism, Jainism and Parsis. tnn Rinku argued that this bias reflects religious discrimination and violates the spirit of equality under the law. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Additionally, he pointed out that the bill ignores the rich folk traditions and culturally significant religious practices of Punjab, which are integral to the people's identity. By focusing solely on mainstream religious texts and overlooking diverse spiritual expressions, Rinku claimed the bill demonstrates a narrow vision and flawed intent. BJP district president Rajnesh Dhiman was also present at the presser. Senior BJP leaders Dr D Khosla, District General Secretary Yashpal Janotra, Vice President Dr Nirmal Nayyar, SC Morcha President Ajay Pal Disawar, District Press Secretary Dr Satish Kumar and SC Morcha District General Secretary Vijay Khatak attended the press conference.
