Latest news with #PankajGupta
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
'Monsoon is a season of joy for birdwatchers'
When birding in the monsoon, it is important to take care of binoculars and cameras, and ensure that they are dry Monsoon is here, and the winged friends are pretty active. They are singing songs, their plumage is gleaming and their nests are beginning to take shape. Every weekend, NCR-based birdwatchers flock together to the green pockets in and around the city to observe the buzzing bird life. So, put on your raincoat, grab your binoculars and camera, and head out for a morning of watching, photographing and listening to birds in their monsoon rhythm. A pair of greater flamingoes 'Avian world springs into celebration in monsoon' You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi 'For birders, this is the season of joy. During this time, the avian world springs into celebration. Birds mate, nest, and raise young ones on the feast of insects. Male birds declare their domain in vibrant plumage, and sing songs. For the females, it is a time of careful choice for a mate who can serenade, but also build a home and bring insects to the nest. Birding in monsoons means witnessing the symphony of wings, water and wonder,' shares Pankaj Gupta, who is leading the Delhi Bird Atlas project. Indian Roller (Pic: Dr Kiranmoy Sarangi) Apart from Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Sanjay Van in Delhi, one can plan birding walks in Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Asita East Park. Along with birds, you'll spot colourful insects and mushrooms during these monsoon walks amid nature Arnav Gupta, an avid birdwatcher Indian pitta (Pic: Chhaya Bali) Spotted Owlet 'It is a great time to hear birds sing' Monsoon is a great time to hear birds sing and to record them. 'In some habitats, dense foliage often makes it hard to see birds. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Recording bird calls is a great way to identify and observe them. All you need is a smartphone and some basic gear,' says birder Kavi Nanda, a member of Delhi Bird Foundation. These recordings can also be shared on citizen science platforms like eBird and Xeno-Canto, he adds. When birding in the monsoon, it is important to take care of binoculars and cameras, and ensure that they are dry Common bird sightings in the rainy season There are three types of habitats around NCR that are suitable for birding - wetlands, grasslands and forest areas like in the Aravallis Birds like Indian pitta, Indian paradise flycatcher, Indian golden oriole nest in the Aravallis In city gardens and Sanjay Van, munias and barbets serenade the monsoon mornings Pied cuckoos, also known as the harbinger of rains, are a big attraction for birders In the wetlands, like Okhla, Chandu Budhera and Najafgarh Jheel, birders can spot bitterns – cinnamon, yellow and black In forested retreats like Mangar Bani and Bhondsi, the forest echoes with the flute-like call of the Indian pitta and the notes of the black-headed cuckooshrike In the grasslands areas, one is likely to spot the rain quail, barred buttonquail and small buttonquail – Inputs from birder Pankaj Gupta and avian photographer Mohit Mehta Apart from Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Sanjay Van in Delhi, one can plan birding walks in Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Asita East Park (Pic: @asian_adventures_india) 'The familiar resident birds don vibrant colours and sing like never before. Alongside them are the summer and monsoon visitors,' says Pankaj Gupta, who recently conducted a birding walk in Chandu Budhera
Mint
09-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
How ICICI Pru's ‘100% refund' pension plan backfired as advisers exploited a loophole
A much hyped pension product that ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd launched last year has unravelled with customers surrendering most of the policies even as the company's advisers ended up making handsome gains on commissions and rewards. ICICI Prudential launched a product called 'ICICI Pru Guaranteed Pension Plan (GPP) Flexi with Benefit Enhancer' in January 2024, offering customers the option to surrender the policy any time and claim a 100% refund on the premiums paid until then. The insurer claimed it was the 'industry's first annuity product offering 0% surrender charges and 100% refund of premiums". The company is now looking to claw back the commissions and rewards it gave to advisers—intermediaries between an insurance company and its customers—who exploited a loophole in the pension product's marketing and sales pitch. Mint couldn't ascertain the amount ICICI Prudential is looking to recover. Surrendering or closing an insurance policy before its maturity date typically results in a payout lower than the total premiums paid until then. ICICI Prudential structured its GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer product to offer an exit route to customers facing financial constraints. However, a few ICICI Prudential employees and advisers found a loophole in the product's 100% refund guarantee, two ICICI Prudential executives told Mint on condition of anonymity. Advisers selling insurance policies are typically paid a percentage of a policy's annual premium as commission. But if a customer surrenders the policy within a so-called free-look period, usually 30 days, the adviser has to return the commission. ICICI Prudential's 100% refund guarantee for its GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer product allowed its advisers to pocket the commissions upfront while customers could surrender the policies beyond the initial period without losing their investments, according to the two executives. Only the tax on the premium paid (4.5% in first year premium) would have been lost. 'Zonal and regional heads nudged advisers to push this product as a one-time payment product. Most of them (advisers) invested their own money (in the name of their relatives) or got high-net-worth individual clients to invest in it with a view to surrender the policies after the free-look period gets over or after a year," one of them said. Pankaj Gupta, founder of BeeMaaa Spectrum Insurance, said all insurance companies and brokers need to come together under the guidance of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India to blacklist advisers, employees and clients involved in such malpractices. 'Such incidents are common but only by a handful of advisers/employees who aim at pocketing upfront commissions/incentives in different ways," Gupta said, not referring to any particular insurance company. 'They may sell a client a policy and manipulate them to get it cancelled so that the client gets back the premium. A part of commission they might share with the client. They then move on to another insurance company to do the same." ICICI Prudential did not reply to queries emailed on 1 and 2 July. 90% surrendered The first of the two ICICI Prudential executives mentioned above shared an internal screenshot illustrating potential gains advisers could earn from the GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer product. Say an adviser had a relative purchase the pension policy at an annual premium of ₹10 lakh. The adviser would receive an upfront commission of 8%, or ₹80,000, and an additional ₹80,000 as a reward that ICICI Prudential was offering to promote the product. The adviser's relative could later surrender the policy and get their ₹10 lakh investment back. 'After the GPP launch, many locations including Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Delhi clocked 2-3x average monthly business in the March quarter of FY24 alone. Over half of it was from GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer alone," said the first executive quoted earlier. About 90% of the GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer product sold so far had been surrendered as of June this year, the executive added. While some customers surrendered their policy after the 30-day free-look period, others did after a year, when the renewal premium was due, according to the second executive mentioned above. ICICI Prudential's 'savings including annuity' registered a drop of 4.8% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2024-25 (January-March 2025) due to a 57.8% on-year decline in annuity payouts. In the fourth quarter of FY24, ICICI Prudential had registered a 11.8% increase in 'savings including annuity'. ICICI Prudential shares have gained about 3% this year. On Wednesday (9 July) afternoon, the shares were up more than 2% at ₹680.75 each while the benchmark Nifty 50 and Sensex indices were nearly unchanged. Earlier this year, when ICICI Prudential realised that its 100% refund offer was being exploited, it notified advisers that any surrender of the GPP policy before the third premium payment would result in a clawback of commissions and rewards. In January, the insurer also increased the free-look period for its GPP Flexi Benefit Enhancer policy to 15 months. 'It appears that some regional or zonal managers engaged in channel stuffing to artificially inflate sales figures and make financial performance appear better than it actually is," said Abhishek Kumar, the founder of Sahaj Money, a financial advisory firm. 'When someone is insulated from the consequences of their actions—typically because another person or company bears the burden—there's a clear incentive to take undue advantage. This risk is particularly high in insurance products."
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Summer survey for Delhi Bird Atlas adds 21 species
The summer survey of the Delhi Bird Atlas concluded on Sunday with more than 160 species recorded across seven clusters and 145 one-sqkm subcells, officials from Delhi's forest and wildlife department said. At least 21 of these species were new ones not recorded in the winter survey, held between January 1 and the first week of February in which 200 species were recorded. Grey night herons spotted at Yamuna Biodiversity Park in 2019. (HT Archive) A preliminary report on the findings of both surveys will be released in October during Wildlife Week, the forest department said on Sunday. The Delhi Bird Atlas will be a detailed book on the Capital's bird diversity in terms of species and distribution and is planned to be released towards the end of next year after two more surveys. 'If we combine the data from both surveys, 221 species have been recorded, which is a healthy number for Delhi, considering we also covered grids that had urban spaces,' said Pankaj Gupta, regional coordinator for Bird Count India, adding that the data will help policymakers make relevant decision for developments while considering urban habitats. The summer survey was flagged off by the forest department on April 27, and more than 200 volunteers and 50 teams combed through Delhi's diverse landscapes from parks and wetlands to scrublands, residential neighbourhoods and even concretised urban and commercial spaces. At least 600 checklists were shared by birders and volunteers during this period. Overall, 21 additional species were recorded this time which were not spotted in the winter survey, officials said. These included Bonelli's eagle, Indian bush lark, Indian Golden-oriole and the greater flamingo. 'We also spotted an oriental turtle dove, which is generally seen in the winter months. We did not spot it in the winter survey, but instead saw it in the summer survey, which was a little unusual,' Gupta added. The Atlas is being prepared by Delhi's forest and wildlife department, in collaboration with birders from Bird Count India, Delhi Bird Foundation and organisations including WWF-India, Wildlife SOS, Asian Adventures and the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL). Forest officials said they will require at least two more surveys — another winter and summer count, to prepare the Atlas. 'We will also map out the sightings and spread of birds in Delhi. This will also show birding hot spots,' an official said. Shyam Sunder Kandpal, Delhi's chief wildlife warden, said the preliminary report will highlight key findings of this year's winter and summer surveys. 'It will not stop here, and we plan to organise more bird walks to train more volunteers for the next season,' he said, adding that the data will also contribute towards the annual 'State of the Birds' report. Birders said that the data collection marks a crucial step in building a robust, long-term understanding of Delhi's avian biodiversity. 'While we missed a few expected species such as the woolly-necked stork and river tern, we gathered valuable data from some of the city's most overlooked spaces such as slums, drains, and garbage dumps, reminding us that even common birds tell important stories,' said Akash Gulalia, senior birder and professor at Delhi University. Birders said these surveys also showed that several lesser-known or previously overlooked green spaces outside the city's protected areas also support vibrant birdlife. 'This was far from regular birding—conducted in peak summer across drains, informal settlements, and lesser-known urban pockets. It was physically demanding in Delhi's heat but offered a meaningful opportunity to contribute to structured citizen science and support long-term urban biodiversity monitoring,' said Kaushani Banerjee, a Delhi Bird Atlas volunteer.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Shot at sight! Bird survey records 160 species in capital this summer
New Delhi: The Delhi Bird Atlas Summer Survey, which gives a detailed picture of the vibrancy of avian life across the national capital, has concluded after recording 160 species of birds this summer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This includes 21 new sightings for the season, including the Greater Flamingo, Black Bittern, Bonelli's Eagle and the vivid Indian Pitta — a delight for both experienced birders and first-time participants. The data has revealed several patterns, including new seasonal sightings and shifts in distribution — insights that will feed into long-term biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning. The species and microhabitats recognised spread across seven clusters and 145 sub-cells. The survey saw over 200 volunteers and 50 teams combing through Delhi's diverse landscapes, from parks and wetlands to scrublands, residential neighbourhoods, airport zones and even crowded city spaces. In total, the survey yielded almost 600 checklists on the eBird application. Earlier, during the winter, experts visited over 145 city areas, forming 580 checklists and marking 200 species. Cumulatively, 221 species have been recorded in summer and winter. The summer survey started on May 1. The atlas, a citizen science programme, aims to recognise microhabitats within the city. It is being developed in collaboration with experts and several local birders and organisations, including the Delhi Forest Department, Bird Count India, Delhi Bird Foundation, WWF-India, DIAL, Wildlife SOS, and Asian Adventures. Forest officials said that once the surveys are done across four seasons spanning two years, tech companies working on mapping will be asked to create the map using the overall data. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Such surveys need to be done more often, and the department of wildlife will publish a preliminary report soon from all the data collected by the survey teams. It will not stop here. We plan to organise more bird walks to train more volunteers for the next season. Through such exercises, we also aim to bust myths and help conserve our urban wild," said Shyam Sunder Kandpal, Delhi's chief wildlife warden. "We need more citizen science projects like this one. The data generated will help policymakers make relevant decisions in such a way that it's balanced and considers urban habitats," said Pankaj Gupta, the regional coordinator of NCR for Bird Count India. Birders pointed out that the data collection is a crucial step in building a robust, long-term understanding of Delhi's avian biodiversity. Among the fascinating insights, birders observed the presence of some winter migrant species during the summer, and several resident species that went unrecorded in winter reappeared in this round of surveys. "While we missed a few expected species like the woolly-necked stork and river tern, we gathered valuable data from some of the most overlooked spaces such as slums, drains, and garbage dumps, reminding us that even common birds tell important stories," said Akash Gulalia, birder and professor at Delhi University. Birders said that lesser-known or previously overlooked green spaces outside the city's protected areas were also found to support vibrant birdlife. "This was far from regular birding — conducted in peak summer.... It was physically demanding but offered a meaningful opportunity to contribute to structured citizen science and support long-term urban biodiversity monitoring," said Kaushani Banerjee, a Delhi Bird Atlas volunteer.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Delhi bird atlas summer survey records 160 species
New Delhi: The Delhi Bird Atlas Summer Survey, which gives a detailed picture of the vibrancy of avian life across the national capital, has concluded after recording 160 species of birds this summer. This includes 21 new sightings for the season, including the Greater Flamingo, Black Bittern, Bonelli's Eagle and the vivid Indian Pitta — a delight for both experienced birders and first-time participants. The data has revealed several patterns, including new seasonal sightings and shifts in distribution — insights that will feed into long-term biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi The species and microhabitats recognised spread across seven clusters and 145 sub-cells. The survey saw over 200 volunteers and 50 teams combing through Delhi's diverse landscapes, from parks and wetlands to scrublands, residential neighbourhoods, airport zones and even crowded city spaces. In total, the survey yielded almost 600 checklists on the eBird application. Earlier, during the winter, experts visited over 145 city areas, forming 580 checklists and marking 200 species. Cumulatively, 221 species have been recorded in summer and winter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The summer survey started on May 1. The atlas, a citizen science programme, aims to recognise microhabitats within the city. It is being developed in collaboration with experts and several local birders and organisations, including the Delhi Forest Department, Bird Count India, Delhi Bird Foundation, WWF-India, DIAL, Wildlife SOS, and Asian Adventures. Forest officials said that once the surveys are done across four seasons spanning two years, tech companies working on mapping will be asked to create the map using the overall data. "Such surveys need to be done more often, and the department of wildlife will publish a preliminary report soon from all the data collected by the survey teams. It will not stop here. We plan to organise more bird walks to train more volunteers for the next season. Through such exercises, we also aim to bust myths and help conserve our urban wild," said Shyam Sunder Kandpal, Delhi's chief wildlife warden. "We need more citizen science projects like this one. The data generated will help policymakers make relevant decisions in such a way that it's balanced and considers urban habitats," said Pankaj Gupta, the regional coordinator of NCR for Bird Count India. Birders pointed out that the data collection is a crucial step in building a robust, long-term understanding of Delhi's avian biodiversity. Among the fascinating insights, birders observed the presence of some winter migrant species during the summer, and several resident species that went unrecorded in winter reappeared in this round of surveys. "While we missed a few expected species like the woolly-necked stork and river tern, we gathered valuable data from some of the most overlooked spaces such as slums, drains, and garbage dumps, reminding us that even common birds tell important stories," said Akash Gulalia, senior birder and professor at Delhi University. Birders stated that several lesser-known or previously overlooked green spaces outside the city's protected areas were also found to support vibrant birdlife. "This was far from regular birding — conducted in peak summer across drains, informal settlements, and lesser-known urban pockets. It was physically demanding in Delhi's heat but offered a meaningful opportunity to contribute to structured citizen science and support long-term urban biodiversity monitoring," said Kaushani Banerjee, a Delhi Bird Atlas volunteer.
