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Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Daily Briefing: The Army's freehand in Pahalgam response
Good morning, From India's storied Golconda mines—the birthplace of legends like the Koh-i-Noor and Darya-i-Nur—emerged The Golconda Blue, once destined to fetch a whopping $35–$50 million at Christie's. It was poised to become the largest Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ever auctioned. Its anonymous owners have instead opted for a private sale within the family, pulling the gem from public view. But its legacy is anything but quiet. Once owned by the Maharaja of Indore, passed to famed jeweller Harry Winston, and briefly held by the Maharaja of Baroda, the Golconda Blue has a rich history. Read about it in our explainer. On that note, let's get to today's edition. Big Story As the government readies its response to the April 21 Pahalgam attack, India's top defence leaders gathered at the Prime Minister's residence on Tuesday. Per sources, PM Modi told them the armed forces have ' complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response'. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS)—comprising the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister and External Affairs Minister—is expected later today. So, what should India's response be? Our columnists C Raja Mohan, M N Sabharwal, and Manish Sabharwal weigh in. Raja Mohan argues that India's retaliation must not just punish but compel a political reckoning inside Pakistan. (Read) Meanwhile, the Sabharwals examine the strategic arc of India's Kashmir policy and why this attack demands a forceful reaction. Adding fuel to the fire, Pakistani minister Attaullah Tarar has warned that Islamabad has 'credible intelligence' suggesting India could launch a military operation within the next 24–36 hours. Only in Express The diplomatic measures in the wake of the Pahalgam attack have spelt despair for several families. As India ordered Pakistani nationals to return to their countries, the Attari border post has become a site of teary farewells and heartbreak. For many, the suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals has meant separation from spouses and children. My colleague, Kamaldeep Singh Brar, documents their stories. Similar scenes are playing out miles away in Jammu and Kashmir, where many fear a midnight knock by the police, which will send them to Attari alongside other deportees. From the Front Page Bottom line: In the ongoing case over the alleged use of Pegasus, an Israeli-made spyware, to surveil journalists, activists and politicians, the Supreme Court has underlined that there is nothing wrong if a country has spyware and employs it for security. The only question would be against whom it is used. (S)heroes: Last year, Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister announced his government's plans to create an experimental women-led district administration. In the first such district, Lahaul and Spiti, all seven top governance and administrative posts are now held by women. Must Read Fair winds: India is all set to acquire 26 Rafale-M fighter jets after its Rs 63,000 crore deal with France. An expert, Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana (Retd), explains the significance of the aircraft for the armed forces and why the Rafale fighter jets would improve interoperability between the Navy and the Air Force. Island Voice: The Great Andamanese, which includes a mixture of tribal languages such as Jero, Sare, Bo, and Khora, has fewer than 10 speakers alive. In the face of this extinction, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have embraced a unique linguistic identity as speakers of Andamanese Hindi. Unlike Hindi, the language does not have any gender agreement or number agreement. Read Adrija Roychowdhury's fascinating piece on the origins and evolution of Andamanese Hindi. And Finally… A handy companion for many, ChatGPT has a new offering for its users. OpenAI is set to launch a new shopping option, especially for users who research and buy products with the help of the AI chatbot. For now, the feature is advertisement-free, which may have Google worried. 🎧 Before you go, don't forget to tune in to the latest '3 Things' podcast episode. Today's lineup: Crackdown on Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in Ahmedabad and the shutting down of tourist sites in J&K. Business As Usual by EP Unny
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Largest Ever Vivid Blue Diamond Sold At Auction Could Fetch $50m
A historic blue diamond once worn by Indian royalty is expected to fetch between $35m and $50m when it goes under the hammer in May. The 23.24-carat gem, known as the Golconda Blue, is set to lead Christie's Magnificent Jewels sale in Geneva and is widely regarded as one of the most significant blue diamonds ever presented at auction. Its provenance spans continents and centuries. Mined from the fabled Golconda region in present-day Telangana, India - a source of legendary stones such as the Koh-i-Noor and the Hope Diamond-the pear-shaped Golconda Blue is not only exceptionally large and vibrantly coloured, but also steeped in royal history. The diamond first appeared in 1923, set in a Chaumet bracelet, before being refashioned into a necklace in the 1930s. It was worn by Maharani Sanyogitabai Devi of Indore, a noted figure in Indian modernist circles, and was captured in a now-iconic portrait by French painter Bernard Boutet de Monvel. Her husband, Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar II-renowned for his eclectic taste and cosmopolitan lifestyle-was instrumental in shaping the jewel's design evolution. In the decades that followed, the stone passed through several major jewellers, including Harry Winston, who acquired it in 1947 and paired it with a white diamond of equal size in a bespoke brooch. That brooch was later dismantled and the Golconda Blue eventually re-set in its current form - a minimalist, sculptural ring by celebrated Paris-based designer JAR. It is a Type IIb diamond, a category so rare it comprises less than 0.1% of all diamonds. Characterised by the absence of nitrogen and the presence of boron, which gives the stone its signature blue hue, the Golconda Blue has been graded "fancy vivid" by the Gemological Institute of America-its highest colour classification. "Exceptional noble gems of this calibre come to market once in a lifetime," said Rahul Kadakia, Christie's International Head of Jewelry. "With its royal heritage, extraordinary colour and exceptional size, The Golconda Blue is truly one of the rarest blue diamonds in the world." Christie's auction will take place on 14 May 2025 at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva.
India.com
25-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet India's first billionaire, Osman Ali, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, he was from..., had net worth of Rs...
When we talk about India's richest person, the names that often pop up in mind are Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, and more. However, do you know that their wealth is nothing compared to the man who was the first billionaire of India? Yes, you read that right. Today, we will tell you about India's first richest billionaire who once ruled a princely state in India. If you are wondering who this man was, let us tell you—he was the last Nizam of Hyderabad, whose impressive riches made headlines across the globe. Apart from wealth, this man also had an impressive collection of gems, including the iconic Koh-i-Noor, a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars, royal ties with Queen Elizabeth, and more. The man in discussion is none other than the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Who was Mir Osman Ali Khan? Born on April 6, 1886, Mir Osman Ali Khan was the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad and ruled from 1911 until 1948. His reign marked a golden era for Hyderabad, as during this time, the state witnessed massive growth in terms of infrastructure, education, and culture. In the 1940s, Mir Osman Ali Khan's net worth was approximately 236 billion US Dollars (Rs 17.47 lakh crore), if adjusted for inflation. Mir Osman Ali Khan's Sources of Income Mir Osman Ali Khan's massive source of income came from his Golconda diamond mines, one of the world's richest sources of diamonds. His fortune was so immense that it made up 2% of the United States' GDP at the time. Mir Osman Ali Khan also featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 1937 with the title 'The Richest Man in the World.' Not just that, Mir Osman Ali Khan was also the owner of some of the most famous gems that ever existed in the world. His Golconda diamond mines were the ones that introduced the world to the Koh-i-Noor, the Darya-i-Nur, and the massive Jacob Diamond. The Jacob Diamond had a net worth of 120 million US Dollars, equivalent to Rs 1,000 crore. One will not believe that Mir Osman Ali Khan owned as many as 50 Rolls-Royce cars, including the prestigious Silver Ghost Throne Car. This is not it—Mir Osman Ali also introduced Deccan Airways, which was one of the earliest private airlines in British India. The wealth of the Nizam made headlines when the Indian government purchased the Nizam's collection of 173 jewels in 1995 for Rs 218 crore. Among these pieces, it consisted of 2,000 carats of emeralds, 40,000 chows of pearls, bangles, necklaces, cufflinks, and even pendants. Mir Osman Ali Khan was an important figure in history. He made major contributions to the welfare of the people.
