Latest news with #Bhide
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Throwback to when Taarak Mehta's Mandar Chandwadkar reacted to fun memes made on him: Whenever we perform some hilarious scenes, we start thinking…
TV show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has been one of the most loved TV shows of all time. Actor Mandar Chandwadkar, who is best known for his role as Bhide, once gave an exclusive interview where he opened up about his journey on the show, how the TV show changed his life, and much more. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mandar also reacted to the fun memes that are made on him. M andar mentioned how memes are something that connect people from both eras. Talking about the same, he said, 'It feels amazing that both people from our generation and the current generation connect with us. In our time, we only had letters and landline phones to communicate with people, while the current generation uses social media memes to reach out to us.' He further said, 'Audiences from both eras connect with us. Whenever we perform some hilarious scenes, we start thinking, arre iska toh zarur meme bannewala hai, and people actually make them. It feels fantastic that we are connected to the youth.' Mandar then narrated the funniest meme that he came across. He shared, 'There have been many moments that have inspired the audience to make memes. Recently, I came across a meme from one of the old episodes where a truck arrives in Gokuldham Society, packed with all sorts of things, and everyone is curious about who it belongs to. It turns out to be sent by Sundar, and when they finally uncover the truck, they see Bhide's name on it. Jethalal immediately turns to Bhide, creating a very funny situation. There have been many such hilarious moments like this.'
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bhide wants govt to celebrate Shivaji's coronation day as per Hindu calendar
Pune: Right-wing activist Sambhaji Bhide stoked fresh controversy on Friday when he demanded that the state discontinue celebrating the anniversary of the coronation ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as per the English calendar on June 6. Politicians have criticised his demand. Shivaji Maharaj was crowned in a grand ceremony at Raigad Fort on June 6, 1674. The state govt celebrated 350 years of the coronation last year. This year, when govt is gearing up for the anniversary celebration, Bhide has opposed it. Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur on Friday, Bhide said, "More than 75 years of independence, we are still following the British mentality. The coronation ceremony's anniversary date of June 6 is as per the English calendar, and we should disown it. We should be celebrating it as per the Hindu calendar. The state should discontinue celebrations on June 6." Historian Indrajeet Sawant said, "Bhide has been trying to mislead the Maratha community by presenting false history, and he should not be taken seriously. The anniversary of the coronation ceremony was celebrated on June 6 since the formation of Maharashtra state." "Lakhs of people visit Raigad Fort on this day every year, which shows that followers of Shivaji Maharaj do not take a person like Bhide seriously," Sawant added. State NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil too criticised Bhide's statement. "Some people are deliberately trying to distort historical facts. Why would anybody take objection to the celebration of landmarks related to Shivaji Maharaj?" Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
John Cockerill targets 2 GW green hydrogen electrolyser capacity in India by 2029; eyes modular CSP for next growth phase
Mumbai: Belgium-based global industrial group, John Cockerill , is expanding its green energy operations in India with plans to double its electrolyzer manufacturing capacity from 1 GW to 2 GW by 2029 and is focusing on modular concentrated solar power ( CSP ) systems, said Vivek Bhide , Regional President, India and Group Transformation Officer - John Cockerill. 'India will account for a significant share of our green hydrogen business globally. We are one of the few players with confirmed demand already secured,' Bhide told ETEnergyWorld in an exclusive interaction. The company is also expanding into defense manufacturing, nuclear servicing support, and pursuing steel decarbonization technologies in response to India's net-zero and economic ambitions. John Cockerill's electrolyzer capacity in India is being developed under a joint venture with AM Green (formerly Greenko ) in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh . The company has also secured a PLI allocation for 300 MW per year. Green Hydrogen Strategy The company plans to make its initial 1 GW line operational by 2026 and expand it to 2 GW by 2029, said Bhide. He added that pressurized alkaline electrolyzer technology, designed for industrial-scale applications, will be used and the anchor customer will be AM Green, for downstream green ammonia and methanol production. 'We have won the PLI scheme for almost 300 MW capacity year-over-year. We are confident that with the first order that we have won from Greenko and the second order that is in the works, our Kakinada facility will be sold out for a couple of years,' he added. India aims to install 12–14 GW of electrolyzer capacity by 2030 to meet its 5 MMT green hydrogen target. Bhide said that the company expects to supply at least 2 GW, or about 15 per cent of that total. 'Most players are waiting for demand signals. We already have them. That's a major differentiator,' he added. He said that with green hydrogen markets in the US and Europe slowing due to subsidy uncertainties and off-take delays, India is emerging as a more stable growth engine. Bhide added that in addition to manufacturing, the company is also building a large engineering and O&M services team in India so that a lot of the development in the green hydrogen technology for it happens here itself. Steel and Defense On other segments of operations, Bhide said that they are focusing on the steel and defense sectors with an aim to localise with a low-carbon technology push. 'John Cockerill sees major opportunities in steel decarbonization, aligning with India's plan to scale capacity to 300 MTPA by 2030 and 500 MTPA by 2047. The company provides energy-efficient and low-emission processing technologies, including direct reduction systems compatible with green hydrogen,' he said. It also manufactures components locally at two sites in India and is investing in new engineering and project management teams to handle the transition. In the defense sector, the company is working with L&T to supply 25-tonne light tanks equipped with a 105mm turret, currently undergoing testing for deployment in high-altitude regions. A full rollout is expected post-summer trials. 'We cannot really take the large tanks in the Ladakh region. So, the Indian government wants us to bring in the technology to produce light tanks, which are about 25 tonnes compared to the traditional 150 tonne or 160 tonne tanks. Currently our prototype, which is in combination with L&T, is under testing,' he said. Bhide added that the second prototype will go into summer trials this year and then after a year of testing the company will be producing the light tanks in India. 'In everything that we have done, we have also focused on localisation, developing the local supply chain, and then being relevant in the Indian market,' he said. Modular CSP and Nuclear Services Bhide said that there are only 5-6 large CSP installations globally today and added that shifting India's focus to dispatchable power, and modular CSP is critical. CSP is designed with thermal energy storage to provide round-the-clock renewable power. The company is awaiting NTPC's upcoming CSP tender expected in Q3 2025, added Bhide. 'These large projects are highly capital intensive. We are focusing on a modular version of the CSP in India. It allows us to look at a smaller, less capital intensive option to be brought into the Indian market,' he said. He added that the cost can be reduced not just by its smaller modular offering, but also by localising the critical components and the supply chain. The firm has signed a JV with L&T to develop cost-effective, CSP plants. 'How do we really partner with L&T to develop an effective supply chain in the Indian market will be the focus of this MoU,' added Bhide. The company is also preparing to offer nuclear servicing expertise in support of India's goal of deploying 100 GW of nuclear capacity. He said that the company is preparing to enter the market by offering maintenance and service solutions. 'We service most nuclear plants in Europe—we're now looking to do the same in India as the market opens up. For India to reach the 100 GW nuclear energy target, it will require almost 10 SMRs and the first ones of these should get operational in the next 3 years,' Bhide added. The company expects to focus on O&M, diagnostics, and reliability engineering, especially as India builds domestic and international capacity to deploy SMRs in line with its decarbonization and grid-balancing needs. 'We are committed to India as a core growth market—not just for manufacturing, but for technology and services across hydrogen, CSP, and nuclear. But to move at the pace India is targeting, we need clearer demand signals from policymakers, he added. On Policy Front Despite a strong policy narrative, Bhide highlighted that India's hydrogen, CSP, and nuclear sectors still face investor hesitation due to unclear demand pathways. 'Everyone wants to be the first to be second. But India's scale and urgency require first-movers to be supported—not stalled by outdated bankability metrics, he added. He also stressed on the importance of shifting the conversation from unit cost per kWh to portfolio-level integration and long-term decarbonization—especially for hard-to-abate sectors like steel and refining. On CSP and nuclear, Bhide said India's goals are promising but must be supported with tenders, clear financing mechanisms, and capacity-building efforts across the supply chain. 'It takes time to move a system this large, but India has already laid the groundwork… Now we need execution—and conviction,' he added. While green hydrogen investment has slowed globally, Bhide said India's mix of policy ambition, industrial demand, and cost focus makes it a prime market—provided finance mechanisms and regulatory frameworks evolve.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Taarak Mehta's Mandar Chandwadkar visits Mumbai's new Nature Skywalk; fans ask, 'Sakharam lekar ja sakte hai?'
Mandar Chandwadkar has been entertaining the fans for the last 17 years with his character Atmaram Bhide in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah . The actor recently posted a reel of visiting the new Nature Skywalk in Mumbai. The actor shared his experience while exploring the nature trail of the city. Mandar also explained the process of registering for the visit, and captioned, "New place in Mumbai.. nature trail Skywalk is in the Malabar Hill area.. do visit.. ticket advance me book Karni Padti hai..." As soon as Mandar dropped the video, fans were quick to drop some hilarious comments on the feed, a user wrote, "Sakharam lekar ja sakte hai?" While one of them praised him for entertaining the fans for more than a decade, "Only actor whose acting always feels natural even after a decade." One of them also spoke about Bhide's tuition classes , "Yaha bhi tuition de raha hai yaar." A user added, "Lagta hai saare baccho ki tuition fees ek sath mil gai hai." While one replied, "Tapu sena ke picnic ke liye aaye bhide sir." Fans even asked whether there were skywalks in Bhide's era, "Bhide Bhai Aapke Zamane Me Aisa Kuch Tha Kya?" One of them also wrote, " Ab jaake ye gokuldham society ke notice board p likh dega as achievements." When it comes to Bhide, his love for being Ekameva Secretary is unmissable, a fan wrote, "Sir sabka maintenance ka cheque aagaya kya." Another one wrote, "Society ke budget se bahar hai." While a few fans asked, "Ye banane k paile Society ki meeting bulayi thi?", a user wrote, "Sir wo Aachar papad ki delivery ka kya?" Earlier, Mandar had shared that his iconic dialogue 'Ekameva secretary' was actually impromptu, he said, "When I was called for the audition for Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, I was briefed that this man is the society's secretary who is very disciplined and he was proud of the work he does. Not a lot of people know but 'Main Aatmaram Tukaram Bhide, Gokuldhaam ka ekameva secretary' was an impromptu dialogue that I did in the audition and the makers loved it so much that it became my takia kalam. "
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City leaders address details of controversial South Howard flood relief plan
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa city leaders will discuss ways to mitigate the effects of the South Howard Flood Project, Thursday. Neighbors and business owners are split over the traffic and economic impacts along the narrow road. 'You got to be kidding me, this plan is terrible,' One owner said during a recent meeting. Water inundates South Howard Avenue and the surrounding areas when there's a hurricane or heavy rainfall. 'We've known that this watershed and several others within the city have had insufficient drainage systems for decades,' Vik Bhide with the City of Tampa said. 'I think this is an absolute wonderful plan,' an owner said. The South Howard Flood Relief Project is a $65 million effort to improve drainage along the road, upgrade infrastructure, and create wider sidewalks. It is expected to have no lanes open on Howard Avenue for at least two years due to the construction, according to Bhide. Thursday, city staff will talk with council members about avoiding local roads and the New Suburb Beautiful neighborhood during the project. A study is underway to determine which alternate routes are the most reasonable. The research explores factors like accessibility and environmental impacts. Some business employees worry about the financial effects of the project. 'It's really a death by 1,000 cuts, is how you're going to do it, you're going to start at the south end and you're going to destroy all of those businesses as you head north,' an owner said. City staff have been in contact with the SoHo Business Alliance as they create plans for the works. Staff members will reveal results from the study in early June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
