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Time of India
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Raj Babbar speaks about his last moments with Smita Patil: She looked at me with tears in her eyes, her look said it all
In the golden era of parallel cinema, Smita Patil stood tall—not just for her nuanced performances, but for the unapologetic choices she made in life. Among them was her deeply emotional and controversial relationship with actor Raj Babbar . It was a love that bloomed amid chaos, endured public backlash, and eventually left behind an aching legacy. When Sparks Flew Amidst Storms Their first meeting was on the sets of 'Bheegi Palkein'. Raj Babbar, already married to theatre actor Nadira Babbar, was taken in by Smita's remarkable intensity and free-spirited nature. Despite their initial differences, something inexplicable drew them together. Smita, known for her humility despite being a critically acclaimed actress, often sought Raj's advice. The professional camaraderie gradually turned into a deep emotional bond. BIRTHDAY SPECIAL! Smita Patil talks about objectification of women in films in an old interview; netizens shower praise on the late actress – 'Very intelligent' In an interview with Hindustan Times, Raj once said, 'My relationship with Smita was not the result of problems with Nadira—it just happened.' On December 10, 1981, Raj Babbar and Smita Patil were married in a quiet ceremony. At the time, Raj was still legally married to Nadira, making Smita his second wife under Hindu personal law. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cinnamon: The Hidden Blood Sugar Enemy? Try This Tonight! Cinnamon Help Learn More Undo With their marriage, a turbulent chapter began—one marked by emotional upheaval, judgment, and loneliness. Smita's Unconventional Path For a woman who had worked closely with feminist movements, Smita's decision to marry a married man shocked many. The backlash was intense—not just from the media and film fraternity, but also from the very circles she once championed. Yet, Smita remained steadfast, guided by what she believed to be love in its rawest form. Born to social reformer Vidyatai Patil and politician Shivajirao Girdhar Patil, Smita was raised with strong values. She was discovered by Shyam Benegal while working as a newsreader on Doordarshan and went on to redefine Indian cinema through films like 'Bhumika', 'Arth', 'Mandi', and 'Jait Re Jait'. Whether in offbeat or mainstream cinema, she brought truth to every character she played. A Love Wrapped in Pain Their relationship, though deeply emotional, was far from easy. In a rare and revealing interview, the late actress once confessed, 'In the kind of situation we are involved in, both of us are going through a private hell. It's very easy to say 'it's okay'. But it's not very easy in reality.' She acknowledged the pain Nadira must have felt, but also clung to her own reality—the fierce desire to love and to be loved. In a heartbreakingly human moment, Smita described her life with Raj as a 'painful trip,' marred by insecurity and loneliness. Motherhood and Tragedy Despite everything, Smita longed for motherhood. That wish came true when she gave birth to their son, Prateik, in November 1986. But joy was short-lived. Just a few days after childbirth, complications set in. Smita Patil, the woman who had portrayed strength and struggle on screen so effortlessly, succumbed to post-partum complications on December 13, 1986, leaving her newborn behind. She was only 31. Smita's death was not just the loss of an artist—it was a gut-wrenching blow to those who loved her. Raj Babbar, broken by grief, returned to Nadira, while Prateik was raised by Smita's parents. A Wife's Silent Strength Nadira Babbar's response to it all was perhaps one of the most poignant aspects of this story. Despite being hurt and publicly judged, she never wavered in her composure. She accepted Raj back not out of weakness, but out of a quiet strength and a desire to protect her children from emotional damage. She even attended Smita's funeral with her children, Juhi and Arya. Years later, she would recall the pain of that day, and the sorrow she felt not just for her own loss, but for Smita's unfulfilled dreams. 'The grief of her passing away became larger than any other sorrow. It broke us all—Raj, Prateik, her parents and somewhere, me too,' she admitted as reported on Bollywoodshaadis. A Love Remembered Raj Babbar, when asked about Smita, still speaks with emotion. He never denies the storm they lived through. But he also never downplays what she meant to him. 'Every little thing she said or did, and how she looked at me when she first met me... her whole life comes alive in front of my eyes,' he once said to "Thoughout the journey from home to hospital, she kept apologising and I told her that everything would be okay. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. Her look said it all. The doctor came out after an hour and said she had gone into a coma. I was part of her and she was part of me. It is natural that you miss a person who was your heart and soul throughout your life, no matter how brave you may say you are. She and her memories will continue to be part of me till my last day," he added. Smita Patil's story is not one of flawless love or picture-perfect endings. It is the story of a woman who dared to love despite knowing the consequences, who embraced contradictions, and who lived—and died—on her own terms. Her legacy lives on, not just in the films she left behind, but in the echoes of a love that never fit into society's neat little boxes.
Hindustan Times
04-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
KREIS schools for underprivileged prove merit need not be privilege, with 71 state ranks
Bengaluru, Sixteen-year-old Bhumika Suresh Vokkalinga is one among the 34,984 students from Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society schools who appeared for the SSLC exams this academic year, held between March 21 and April 4. Bhumika, who has scored 624 out of 625, is also one among the three second state rank holders from KREIS schools, which saw 71 students secure state ranks . KREIS is an association of residential educational institutions in Karnataka that provides free residential education to socially and economically disadvantaged children. The schools under KREIS which at present stands at 788 have consistently outperformed not only government schools but also unaided private schools, said S S Nagesh, Joint Director, KRIES. This academic year, for instance, KREIS schools boast a pass rate of 91 per cent, 28.66 per cent more than the state average of 62.34 per cent. The school targets children like Bhumika, said Nagesh. Bhumika, who is from a tiny village called Harekoppa in Siddapura taluk in Uttara Kanada district, is the first in her family to have passed SSLC. Both her parents are labourers who work for daily wages. Bhumika said it was her village elders who suggested she apply to KREIS school, seeing that she was good at her studies. "Because it was a residential school, I could devote all my time to studies. Had I been at home, I would have had to chip in with household chores and help my mother in looking after my younger siblings," Bhumika told PTI over the phone. Nagesh said KREIS schools specifically cater to the children of most marginalised communities. "These include nomadic tribes, sanitation workers, former Devadasis, rescued bonded labourers, differently-abled individuals, crematorium workers, single parents, rag pickers," added Nagesh. Speaking to PTI, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa, under whose jurisdiction the KREIS schools fall, said the students of KREIS schools may have come from marginalised communities, but have consistently excelled academically, outperforming their peers across the state. Of the 31,726 passed this year, 34.10 per cent secured distinction marks, while 55.90 per cent of students got first class, said an educational consultant to KREIS schools, tasked with preparing a report of comparative analysis of the performance of KREIS schools and colleges. "The average score stood at 78 per cent, reflecting the students' outstanding performance," he told PTI, on condition of anonymity. Mohan G M, from Gullahalli in Banglore Rural, who is studying in Morarji Desai Residential School in Bengaluru Rural said he learnt to study smartly, thanks to his teachers. "My life changed when I joined KREIS five years ago. Before that I was a day scholar at GHPS Gullahalli," said Mohan, who has obtained third rank in the state with a score of 623 out of 625. Mohan said Maths used to be his weakest subject. "But with the help of my teachers, who made me go through previous years' question papers and model question papers, I managed to fix my weakness and score 100 per cent," said Mohan, whose father is a daily labourer too and mother a housewife. Mohan said as far as he could remember he aspired to become an IAS officer. But it is only after he joined KREIS school, he could give a concrete shape to his dream. "Now, I have got it all planned. After I graduate, I will take the Civil Services Examination. I am already watching all the YouTube tutorials on UPSC exam preparation," added Mohan. Mohan credits the career counselling in his school for his confidence. Bhumika, on the other hand, nurses the dream of becoming a doctor someday. Bhumika, who joined Kittur Rani Chennamma Residential School in Kvanchur in Class Seven, said her family could hardly afford the treatment for her ailing grandfather. "I kind of made a vow to myself: That I will break the cycle of poverty and will also become a doctor. That has been my motivation to spend 10 to 11 hours almost every day preparing for my examinations," said Bhumika. Over the years, the residential schools have gained popularity due to their quality education, benefiting lakhs of children, added Nagesh. But although KREIS schools have consistently scored more than state average since 2019-2020, the pass percentage of the schools have also fallen from 99.10 per cent in 2021-2022 to 91 per cent in 2024-2025. Nagesh said this is because, during and just after the Covid pandemic, students were getting grace marks. "This year, the government has completely done away with grace marks because Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board has introduced a three-exam system for SSLC to provide students with multiple opportunities. This is one of the reasons for the fall in the pass percentage of KREIS schools," added Nagesh. According to him, this is the overall trend prevailing in the state. "Yes, there's room for improvement. But the fact that KREIS schools managed to outshine even private schools in the state by 15.41 per cent shows that we are on the right track," he added.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Sanskrit Board results: Students from small towns make it big
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Secondary Sanskrit Education Board , Lucknow, declared 2025 results for Classes 10, 11 and 12 on Wednesday, with pass percentages of 92.58% in Class 10 (Purva Madhyama), 92.08% in Class 11 (Uttar Madhyama I), and 87.82% in Class 12 (Uttar Madhyama II). Vidhanashu Sharma of Gyanodaya Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Mau, topped Purva Madhyama with 93.42% while Bhumika from Ambaji Ashram Secondary Sanskrit School, Jaunpur, scored highest in Class 12 with 85.21%. Director of secondary education directorate Mahendra Dev said this time 8,708 more students took the exam compared to the previous year, indicating a growing interest in Sanskrit education. Out of 1,265 Sanskrit secondary schools, students from 1,075 schools appeared in the examination. A total of 247 exam centres were set up for the exams. Secretary, secondary education board Shiv Lal said exams were conducted under CCTV surveillance with real-time monitoring from a state-level control room. Online control rooms were also set up at district and divisional levels. "This ensured the exams were conducted with fairness and transparency," he said. In Purva Madhyama, 18,107 students appeared, of which 13,574 passed with first division and 1,330 students secured second division. The overall pass percentage stood at 92.58%. Boys recorded a pass percentage of 92.62%, while girls achieved 92.45%. In Uttar Madhyama II, 11,488 students appeared, of which 9,561 were declared successful. While 5,160 students secured first division, 4,101 second division and 287 passed with third division. The pass percentage was 87.82%. Girls outperformed boys with 89.50%, compared to boys' 87.18%. In Uttar Madhyama I, out of 15,645 candidates, 13,365 passed. The overall pass percentage was 92.08%. Boys secured a pass percentage of 92.51%, and girls recorded 90.87%.
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
UPMSSP: Mau boy tops UP Sanskrit Class 10; Jaunpur girl leads Class 12
As the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Sanskrit Shiksha Parishad (UPMSSP) declared its results on Wednesday, Vidhanashu Sharma of Gyanodaya Sanskrit Higher Secondary School, Mau, topped Class 10 (Purva Madhyama-II) with 93.42% marks, while Bhumika from Ambaji Ashram Secondary Sanskrit School, Jaunpur, secured the top spot in Class 12 (Uttar Madhyama-II) with 85.21% marks. The examinations were conducted at 247 centres, and compared to last year, 8,708 more students appeared this time. The overall pass percentages stood at 92.58% in Purva Madhyama (Class 10), 92.08% in Uttar Madhyama Part I (Class 11) and 87.82% in Uttar Madhyama Part II (Class 12). The results were announced by director of Secondary Education Mahendra Dev and secretary of the Secondary Sanskrit Education Board Shiv Lal at the Education Office on Park Road. Results are available at They shared that students from 1,075 out of 1,265 Sanskrit secondary schools appeared in the exams. 'All exams were conducted under CCTV surveillance with real-time monitoring from a state-level control room. Online control rooms were also set up at district and divisional levels. This ensured fairness, transparency, and no malpractice,' said Dev. In Purva Madhyama II (Class 10), 18,107 students appeared and 14,916 passed. Among them, 13,574 secured first division and 1,330 second division. The pass percentage was 92.58%, with boys recording 92.62% and girls 92.45%. In Uttar Madhyama I (Class 11), 15,645 candidates appeared, and 13,365 passed, with boys securing a pass percentage of 92.51% and girls 90.87%. In Uttar Madhyama II (Class 12), 11,488 students appeared and 9,561 passed. The pass percentage was 87.82%, with girls outperforming boys at 89.50% compared to 87.18%.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bhumika group to invest Rs 1,000 crore in mix-use project in Faridabad
Realty developer Bhumika group will invest Rs 1,000 crore in developing a mix-use project in Faridabad, a senior executive said. The company has taken approval under the transit oriented development (TOD) policy to develop 800,000 sq ft, which will include retail, a hotel and residential. In addition, the company is in talks to acquire land in Faridabad and Gurgaon for residential and retail projects. 'This will be our first residential project, but we want to focus on horizontal development rather than the vertical one. For this, we are in active discussion to acquire large land parcel. We are also looking at Sonepat and Panipat for future projects,' said Uddhav Poddar, CMD, Bhumika Group. With this project and another commercial project in Gurgaon, the group is targeting a gross revenue of Rs 2,000 crore for the current fiscal year. The company's revenue for the year will be supported by the launch of a large-scale mixed-use development in Faridabad, a newly signed 1 lakh sq. ft. commercial project on MG Road, Gurugram, and two residential projects in Gurugram and Faridabad that are at advanced stages of closure. These projects are located in premium, high-demand micro-markets and are expected to significantly contribute to the company's topline performance in FY25. The group portfolio includes Urban Square Mall — the largest in Rajasthan. It will develop another hotel near the mall. The group has also entered the metro mall segment with a project at NHPC Metro Station.
