Latest news with #DheerajSharma
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- NZ Herald
The king of Indian street food made an official advisory of snacks to be eaten in moderation
Usually served with tangy and sweet condiments, they cost as little as 15 cents at food carts or stalls throughout the country. So, when a recent government advisory put samosas — along with other deep-fried Indian snacks and Western foods such as burgers and fries — on a list of things that should be eaten in moderation because of their high oil and sugar content, there was an unsurprising outcry. Social media erupted with memes, and Indian media chimed in to say the country's most iconic bites were under attack. A love of the samosa is 'ingrained in us', said Rana Safvi, a cultural historian, who said it served as both street food and comfort food. If the Government had targeted only burgers or pizza, people wouldn't have cared, she said. 'Samosa is something that is too close to them.' Some news outlets fuelled the backlash by likening the directive to health warnings on cigarettes. The actual advisory was considerably milder than that. India's Health Ministry on June 21 sent out a notice to all government ministries requesting that they put up posters in public spaces, such as office cafeterias and meeting rooms, showing the oil and sugar levels in certain foods. In the sample posters, the much-loved samosa was first on the high-fat list. (Jalebis were lower down on the high-sugar poster.) The daily recommended intake of fats is 27 to 30 grams, and one samosa can contain between 17 and 28 grams, according to the posters (types of fat are not specified). Last month, the Government moved to clarify its intentions, saying it had not directed vendors to put warning labels on their products, and that it wasn't selectively targeting Indian snacks. It called the advisory a 'behavioural nudge to make people aware of hidden fats and excess sugar' in many types of food. Samosas are Dheeraj Sharma's snack of choice in New Delhi, India. Photo / Anindito Mukherjee, The New York Times The move was in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign to encourage active lifestyles, called Fit India. Earlier this year, Modi used his radio programme to call on people to reduce the amount of oil they consume. Nearly one in five adults in India's urban areas are overweight or obese, the 2021 National Family Health Survey found. The percentage of children aged under-5who are overweight is also increasing, it found. India, a country of about 1.4 billion people, is expected to have 450 million overweight or obese people by 2050, second only to China, according to a study by the Lancet medical journal. The Government has identified obesity, which can push up rates of cardiovascular problems, Type 2 diabetes, and other diseases, as a major public health challenge. Street foods such as jalebis, samosas and chole bhature — chickpea curry with deep-fried bread — are deep-fried in saturated or partially hydrogenated oils, and often refried in the same oil, which significantly increases trans fatty acid content, said Dr Anoop Misra, an endocrinologist. If government health programmes are executed and regulated well, it could 'lead to a significant reduction in obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease', he said. Street food lovers are not ignorant of the perils. On a recent afternoon, Sanjay Kumar, 29, stood by Old Famous Jalebi Wala, a shop that has been in business since 1884, in Delhi's bustling Chandni Chowk bazaar. He was eating a jalebi topped with rabri, a condensed milk dish. Kumar said he was overweight but allowed himself the occasional treat. Although jalebis are available everywhere, the freshly made ones at the stall — which is about the length of a bus — are of 'top quality', he said. 'I know that jalebis increase the weight, but what do I do?' Kumar said. 'Jalebis are so tasty.' Such snacks are necessary because lower-income workers cannot afford to buy food in expensive restaurants, said Rishabh Nath, who runs a food stall founded by his father adjacent to Delhi's high-end Khan Market. It opens at 5am daily and quickly becomes crowded with workers filling up for the day ahead. Dheeraj Sharma, who works for a driving school, said he had been eating samosas from a stall four times a week for the past decade. He is aware of the dangers of too much fried food, but he said samosas were his snack of choice because they're 'tasty, easy to eat and cheap to buy'. Sharma, 30, said it was a good idea for governments to urge shops to display more information about the foods they sell. But, he added, 'this is the fun of life, so why not enjoy?' This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Anupreeta Das and Hari Kumar Photographs by: Anindito Mukherjee ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
Business Standard
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
VGU and IBM Partner to Launch Industry 4.0-Focused B.Tech CSE Program
VMPL Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], May 24: Vivekananda Global University (VGU), Jaipur has announced a strategic collaboration with IBM to introduce an IBM-Certified program in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), reinforcing the university's mission to deliver industry-ready education aligned with the evolving demands of the global workforce. The program, rooted in the principles of Industry 4.0, will provide students with in-depth exposure to cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, and Blockchain. It aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications by integrating IBM's advanced tools, cloud labs, live case studies, and hands-on project work into the curriculum. Onkar Bagaria, CEO of VGU, emphasized the university's commitment to future-driven education, stating, "We are working with leading industry partners like IBM to deliver Industry 4.0-focused education. Our goal is to build a skilled and job-ready workforce that can drive innovation and contribute meaningfully to nation-building." Mr. Dheeraj Sharma, Head of Admissions and Alliances at VGU, added, "This program is a step toward transforming traditional engineering education into an industry-aligned, practical learning experience. We are committed to creating future-ready professionals who are equipped with both the knowledge and the skills the industry demands." Key Highlights of the Program: * Joint delivery by VGU faculty and IBM industry experts * Hands-on access to IBM's cloud labs, tools, and real-world case studies * Project-based learning and skill development in high-growth tech domains * Enhanced career pathways through IBM's global professional network This landmark collaboration positions VGU as a leader in delivering technology-driven, industry-integrated education, preparing students to thrive in a rapidly transforming digital economy. To know more visit
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
HC dismisses plea challenging 2017 appointment of IIM Rohtak director
The Punjab and Haryana high court has dismissed a petition challenging 2017 appointment of Dheeraj Sharma, director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak. The high court bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari also set aside a show-cause notice issued to him over alleged concealment of academic qualifications, served upon him by the Centre in 2022. Dheeraj Sharma was appointed in 2017. His first term as the IIM-Rohtak director came to an end on February 9, 2022, and in the same year, he got a second term on February 28. The petition challenging his appointment was filed by one Amitava Chaudhary and others, in 2019 seeking quashing of his appointment. The court said that petitioners who filed plea against Sharma appeared 'front faces' of the two employees, whose services were terminated by Sharma. The court said that Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) constituted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), was empowered to recommend the names of candidates shortlisted on account of their eligibility criteria and also from the category of 'eminent persons'. '...the SCSC recommended the name of Dr Dheeraj Sharma for appointment to the post of director under the category 'nomination from eminent person', and that, the SCSC was well empowered to do so,' the court said. There is no wrangle amongst the contesting litigants that Dheeraj Sharma did not possess a first class Bachelor's degree, the requirement for the post of director. Yet the recommendation of his name was made by the search committee based on consideration of his resume, it added. '… (it) clearly speaks in volume that, it was recommended absolutely under the category 'nomination from eminent person'. This can be clearly inferred from the intra-departmental communications,' the court said. The court further said Memorandum of Association of IIM, Rohtak and other relevant rules leave no room for any doubt that, the appointing and disciplinary authority to the post of director was the Board of Governors (BoG) and not the MHRD. 'Consequently, this court has no hesitation to hold that, the MHRD did not have any jurisdiction to serve the impugned show cause notice, and that, the impugned show cause notice suffers from the vice of lack of able jurisdiction,' it said, referring to 2022 notices served upon the director by the Centre on allegations about his educational qualification. Notably, in March, the Centre ordered a probe into allegations of financial bungling at IIM Rohtak during the tenure of Sharma. The probe would also look into the issue of alleged concealment of vital information about the academic qualification of the director, an issue dealt with by the court in this petition as well. The probe was ordered by the President of India, who is also 'visitor of the institute' and holds the highest decision-making authority over majority of centrally run institutions. The development was the first such action by the Centre after amendments were made to the IIM Act in 2023 to make the President the Visitor of IIMs.
Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Major relief to Dr Dheeraj Sharma as HC dismisses plea challenging his appointment as IIM-Rohtak director
The Punjab and Haryana High Court Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging Dr Dheeraj Sharma's appointment as director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak, and also set aside a show-cause notice issued to him over alleged concealment of academic qualifications. The order was passed by a bench of Justice Kuldeep Tiwari. The detailed judgment is awaited. The controversy dates back to 2019, when one Amitava Chaudhary moved court alleging that Sharma, at the time of his initial appointment, did not meet the eligibility criteria as he had a second division in his bachelor's degree, while the criteria for the post is a first division. It was further alleged that Sharma concealed this fact, leading to the issuance of a show-cause notice in 2022 by the Government, asking why action should not be taken against him for withholding crucial information. Sharma first served as IIM-Rohtak director from 2017 to 2022. In 2022, he was reappointed for a second term, which is to end in 2027 The Education Ministry had informed the high court that it had written thrice to Sharma — first on February 18, 2021 and two reminders on June 28 and December 15, 2021— asking him for verified copies of his educational certificates to which he didn't reply. On February 17, 2022, the ministry finally received his degrees from IIM-Rohtak only to discover that he had a second division in his undergraduate degree from Delhi University. A first-class Bachelor's degree was the prerequisite for the job. Sharma had disputed the government's stand submitting that the government knew all along about him obtaining a second division in his undergraduate studies. He has also submitted that the Education Ministry's stand that he did not respond to repeated requests for his degrees 'is without any basis, unwarranted and incorrect.' Sharma had claimed that he e-mailed his educational degrees to the government on March 31, 2016. Sharma had moved the high court challenging the show-cause notice issued by the government for allegedly 'misrepresenting' his educational qualifications which led to his appointment in 2017. he had also challenged the show-cause notice in court on the grounds that the Centre lacked jurisdiction in the matter since the IIM's Board of Governors is the appointing authority. The court has now allowed his plea against the show cause notice. In 2023, the Centre amended the IIM Act, 2017, to make the President the Visitor of the IIMs. With the amendment, the President was given the authority to make key appointments, audit institutions and conduct inquiries — powers that were previously held by the Board of Governors.
