Latest news with #HOD
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Vicky Kaushal celebrates 10 years of 'Masaan': 'So much to learn, so much to grow'
New Delhi, Vicky Kaushal on Thursday celebrated 10 years of "Masaan", the critically-acclaimed film by director Neeraj Ghaywan that marked the actor's debut in Hindi cinema. Vicky Kaushal celebrates 10 years of 'Masaan': 'So much to learn, so much to grow' The Varanasi-set drama, written by Varun Grover, became a critical success after it was released on July 24, 2015, with Kaushal receiving praise for his role as Deepak Kumar, a lower caste student who falls in love with his upper caste classmate. "It's been a decade! So much to learn, so much to grow... thank you for everything," the 37-year-old actor posted on Instagram alongside stills from the film. "Masaan', a colloquial word in Varanasi for cremation ground, had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival where it won two awards FIPRESCI award and the Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard section. The film weaved together two parallel stories that explore themes of love, loss, caste, guilt, and redemption. Since "Masaan", Kaushal has emerged as one of the top stars in Hindi cinema, receiving praise for his performances in films such as "Raman Raghav 2.0", "Raazi", "Sanju", "Uri: The Surgical Strike", "Sardar Udham" and most recently "Chhaava". In an interview with PTI ahead of the release of "Chhaava" in February, Kaushal said his journey in the industry so far has been nothing short of "surreal". 'Couldn't have imagined… It feels very surreal. It feels there is God who's blessing me and people's love has been so special. The kind of directors I got to work with in these ten years has been nothing short of a blessing. So, I truly feel supremely grateful,' Kaushal said. The actor, son of veteran stuntman Sham Kaushal, also revealed that during the shooting of "Masaan", they weren't even sure if the film would get a theatrical release. "We didn't know what's going to happen to the film. It was a small film made with very limited resources. It was a parallel cinema at that time. Now, the lines have blurred quite beautifully, but there was a clear demarcation between the two then. 'At that time, I was just trying to get opportunities to prove myself as an actor within the industry,' Kaushal said. Ghaywan, who recently returned to Cannes with his sophomore feature directorial "Homebound", shared behind-the-screen stills from the film. "10 years of 'Masaan'," he simply wrote. Grover wrote the story of "Masaan" as well as two songs, including "Tu Kisi Rail Si" and he posted a note on X to mark the film's 10th anniversary. "10 years to 'Masaan' today. A film that didn't succeed commercially and still permeated through the hearts of so many who interacted with it. Always grateful for the journey we took, the leap of faith we were allowed to make, and the love that keeps pouring in even after a decade. "Thanks to everyone on the crew - from every producer to actor to HOD to every lightman to the spotboys and camera attendants to the junior artistes - who gave it their all," he posted. Avinash Arun, the cinematographer of "Masaan" wrote on his Instagram Stories, "10 years of 'Masaan'. Thank you Neeraj and Varun for making us all part of this memorable experience." Also starring Richa Chadha, Shweta Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi, the film was an Indo-French co-production, backed by Drishyam Films, Macassar Productions, Phantom Films, Sikhya Entertainment, Arte France Cinema and Pathe Productions. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Economic Times
21-07-2025
- Economic Times
Jyoti Jhangra Suicide: Timeline reveals how signature dispute and project file pressure could have led to tragic end at Sharda University
The tragic death by suicide of Jyoti Jhangra, a second-year BDS student at Sharda University, on July 18 has triggered an intensive investigation, with her project files central to understanding the circumstances. The 21-year-old's final week was marked by accusations of forging a professor's signature, a controversy that deeply affected her, according to Jyoti appeared to be recovering, even sporting a new haircut and attending all her classes. However, just hours before she was found dead in her hostel room, a visit to the staff room allegedly triggered a severe meltdown. Based on accounts from her close friends and batchmates, a clearer timeline of the events leading to her demise has 10The ordeal began on July 10 when Jyoti attempted to submit a denture sample for her dental material course, a submission requiring a professor's signature. An assistant professor, upon reviewing the file, accused Jyoti of forging a previous signature and refused to sign her current submission. "Jyoti was in tears after this," recounted a close friend. "The professor scolded Jyoti and asked her not to show her face in class again. Jyoti said she had not forged any sign. I told her to let it go but she was in distress."July 14The signature controversy prompted the university to summon Jyoti's father, Ramesh, to campus on July 14. While the university has not provided an official statement, Ramesh's account to the police, corroborated by Jyoti's friends, suggests an amicable discussion with the Head of the Department (HOD). They were reportedly "assured by the HOD that there will be no issues henceforth with her samples and obtaining signatures," a version echoed by Ramesh. This seemingly reassured both Jyoti and her father, who had also raised concerns about alleged harassment by teachers. However, Jyoti's friend revealed that despite the HOD's assurances, "Jyoti told me though the HOD spoke nicely to her father, the professors were still hostile to her. She was, however, coping and looked better after that day." This meeting led to the arrest of two faculty members, whom Jyoti specifically accused of mental harassment in her suicide note. Both are now in judicial 16The challenges continued on July 16. According to Ramesh's police complaint, an assistant professor in a preclinical prosthodontics (PCP) class allegedly reprimanded Jyoti, telling her she would be punished for "complaining too much." The nature of these complaints and their connection to Ramesh's meeting with the HOD remain 18On July 18, the day of her death, Jyoti seemed "alright" just 15 minutes before her 11 AM class, according to her close friend. With exams approaching, she used suspended class time to complete her lab samples. This led her to the staff room to seek a signature from a senior faculty was here that the accusations of July 10 allegedly resurfaced. "Jyoti was in anguish when she returned from the staff room. She told me the professor had told her, 'tum toh apna sign khud hi kar leti ho' (you sign your own projects) and made fun of her," shared her friend. She was told to rework her dental sample. Despite this, Jyoti attempted to get her PCP samples signed by another professor, only to face similar accusations of forging signatures. "She went back crying to the lab to redo her samples. Around 4pm, she said that she was going to her room," her friend was last seen by a fellow hosteller at Mandela between 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM, where she "cried a lot." She advised her friend "to take both theory and practical seriously" before returning to her room. Around 9 PM, Jyoti was found dead. Unanswered questions and ongoing investigations The FIR, based on Ramesh's complaint, names the Dean of the School of Dental Studies, the HOD, and two additional faculty members, alongside the two arrested professors. Sharda University has initiated its own committee-led probe. Key questions remain unanswered. Why were Jyoti's project signatures repeatedly questioned? Was she indeed being targeted, or was there a previous instance of a "dodgy sign" as implied by the faculty? Her classmates deny any knowledge of such an instance, and the university has yet to comment.A faculty member, speaking generally, stated that "She was doing BDS, and to get a license, an audit takes place by a govt official. If her practicals were not up to the mark and the professors asked her to redo it, she should have taken things positively as it was for her betterment. If an audit finds practicals not up to the mark, even a college's license can be suspended and the affiliation can go for a toss." However, a classmate countered this, stating Jyoti's scores were not poor, having scored "368 out of 600 in the first year." The classmate added, "It is necessary to submit the project file before appearing in the written exam. Jyoti was under stress because she did not have a sign."The investigations by both the police and the university are expected to shed light on these critical uncertainties surrounding Jyoti Jhangra's tragic death.[With TOI inputs] Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm, please seek help immediately. You can find resources in India
The Hindu
19-07-2025
- The Hindu
Female dental student of Greater Noida university found dead in hostel room
A 20-year-old dental student of Sharda University, Greater Noida, was found dead in her hostel room on Friday night, said an Uttar Pradesh police officer. 'A girl student of Sharda University died by suicide in the university hostel. A police team reached the spot and got the post-mortem conducted,' said Sudhir Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida). The police officer said a note has been recovered from her hostel room, in which she alleged 'mental duress' she had been put through by two of her teachers. 'If I die, the teachers of the Pre-Clinical Prosthodontics and Dental Materials departments are to blame... They mentally harassed me. They humiliated me. I have been under stress because of them for a long time,' read the note allegedly left by her. She was in her second year of Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). Following the family's complaint, the police lodged an FIR under relevant sections of the law against five accused. 'Five persons have been named in the FIR, out of which two persons have been taken into custody for questioning,' Mr. Kumar said. Directions to university 'We have asked the university to implement the necessary standard operating procedures to ensure that such incidents don't recur,' he added. The deceased's brother told the media that his sister consistently complained about being 'targeted by the two professors'. He said his father had approached the Head of the Department (HOD) of the BDS programme to raise the concerns, but in vain. 'My father visited the campus on July 14 and met the HOD. We last spoke to my sister on Thursday. After that, we didn't hear anything from her. My sister's batchmates had told us she was humiliated in the class and her teachers had threatened to fail her,' the deceased's brother said. Soon after hearing about her death on Friday night, the deceased's mother sat in protest on campus demanding justice for her daughter and stringent punishment for the accused. 'I've been sitting here since Friday night. I will not leave until my daughter gets justice. I won't move,' she said. The deceased's mother said despite raising concerns, the HOD 'failed to take any action' against the accused teachers. In one of the purported videos of the protest, the mother can be seen slapping the HOD when he came to console her. Several batchmates of the deceased and other students joined her mother and staged a protest. The deceased student's brother claimed that they were holding a peaceful protest, yet the police 'lathi-charged several students'. There was no response from the police to the accusation. A police officer said the family left the campus on Saturday evening to return to their home in Gurugram, Haryana. In a statement, Sharda University announced that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident and to recommend institutional measures. 'The university is fully cooperating with statutory authorities,' a spokesperson said. 'Second such case' The incident drew sharp criticism from the Opposition parties. Congress Lok Sabha member Priyanka Vadra Gandhi took to X, saying, 'First, a female student in Odisha was forced to take her own life, and now a similar tragic incident has come to light at Sharda University in Greater Noida. A female student took her own life, alleging harassment by teachers. Are our educational institutions not safe for our children? How will they dream of a better life in a place where life itself is not secure?' Ms. Vadra urged the Centre to take cognisance of these cases, ensure strict action, and take concrete steps to prevent such incidents from recurring on any campus. The Trinamool Congress, in a post of X, said, 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in Bengal to preach about women's safety, while in Yogi Adityanath's U.P., a BDS student died by suicide after being subjected to mental harassment and humiliation at the hands of two faculty members.' (Those in distress may contact Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health suicide prevention helpline 011-40769002)
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt probe team finds lapses in Balasore college's handling of harassment case
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The govt-appointed probe team has found lapses in handling the sexual harassment case by authorities of the Balasore college. Starting with forming of the internal complaints committee (ICC) to following the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, the team found the govt college did not follow rules. According to Section 14 of the Act, a mere inability to substantiate a complaint or provide adequate proof need not attract action against the complainant under this section. "But the principal made a mockery of this section. According to the girl's father, the principal threatened the girl with rustication from the college for not showing solid evidence of sexual harassment. He cannot take any action against the complainant for mere inability to produce solid evidence against the respondent," said an official involved in investigating the case. The girl's father also alleged that the principal was intimidating her. "As the college principal did not follow the Act religiously, the dangerous situation came to the fore, and the girl felt offended in front of her tormentor," said a member of the investigating team. The officer said the new ICC members were not trained to handle such cases. "The ICC members should have been given training through a workshop before they started investigation into the matter. The girl should have been provided counselling in the meantime," the official added. One of the ICC members told the media they had recommended removal of the accused from the HOD's chair. "As the principal did not take action as per the recommendation, the accused showed signatures of several students in his favour. The HOD was trying to influence the decision, and the college authorities might have fallen for that. The college was creating a hostile environment for her, and it was a crime," said Namrata Chadha, former member of the State Commission for Women. While the govt in Sept last year asked colleges in the state to submit compliance after forming ICCs, the Balasore college formed an ICC only on paper, without following UGC rules. It was only after the girl lodged a complaint with the principal on June 30 that the college formed an ICC on July 1, said the activist.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Indian Express
Yoga institute's ex-VC told to pay Rs 35 lakh to woman who accused him of sexual harassment; MP high court also pulls up police
The Madhya Pradesh High Court Tuesday imposed Rs 5 lakh fine on the state for 'inhumane and unsympathetic behaviour shown by the police officials' by delaying registration of workplace sexual harassment complaint by a woman who had accused the former vice-chancellor of a yoga institute in Gwalior. Ruling in favour of the woman, the court further directed the former VC to compensate the woman with Rs 35 lakh for loss of salary and reputation, agony and emotional distress. The petitioner, appointed as a yoga instructor at a physical education institute, alleged that she was sexually harassed by the former VC. She claimed that in March 2019, she was inappropriately touched by the then VC while she was heading for a class. She claimed that due to his high position she did not file a complaint. In August 2019, the then VC allegedly summoned her over a leave-related complaint by the HOD and misused the situation to seek sexual favours. In October 2019, she submitted a complaint to the Department of Sports, detailing instances of mental and physical harassment and a hostile work environment by the VC. In response, the VC denied all allegations. Justice Milind Ramesh Phadke observed in his order that when a report of cognizable offence was made by the petitioner what was expected of police officials was to register the crime. However, it failed to do so. 'Thus, this Court finds that the inhumane and unsympathetic behaviour shown by the police officials makes them also liable for penalty. Accordingly, the State is directed to pay a compensation of Rs.5 Lac to the petitioner within a period of four weeks from the date of order of pronouncement, which shall be recovered from erring officials from their own pocket,' the court said. The court reasoned that the police authorities are 'responsible for not taking action in time on the complaint made by the petitioner and had waited for three long years to register a crime, that too upon directions of the apex court, which had added to the agony of the petitioner, thus, had also made liable to be penalised.' The court found that the petitioner was subjected to sexual harassment at her workplace and no steps were taken by the respondent institute in 'timely extending justice to the petitioner, which had deprived her valuable time, energy & reputation'. The Institute had 'let its administration be controlled by a person, who was not even fit to be kept in service of any nature', the court said.
