Latest news with #Raje
Time of India
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM, Raje's back-to-back meetings with Modi fuel cabinet expansion buzz
Jaipur: After having a 20-minute closed-door meeting with former chief minister Vasundhara Raje Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Tuesday, setting off speculation over cabinet expansion, political appointments and internal power recalibration within the state BJP . The back-to-back meetings come days after a school building collapse in Raje's constituency which drew national attention, and also prompted PM Modi to express grief on X. But many in the state BJP circles view the meetings as a prelude to a broader reshuffle and possible efforts to mend internal rifts. Party insiders hinted that both Raje and Sharma were consulted on critical matters, including how to better accommodate Jat politicians within the state govt and party structures, and to strike a balance among other influential caste groups. "With no Jat face in any top constitutional post, growing resentment among Gujjars over unmet demands, tribal vote drifting towards Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) and minimal representation of Raje loyalists in the Sharma cabinet, the discussions revolved around these vital issues," said a senior BJP member. "The progress of the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal was also part of the discussion," he added. Political observers believe the meeting is particularly significant for CM Sharma, who is under consistent attack from the opposition Congress and has struggled to mobilise strong support from his own cabinet colleagues and party machinery. The meeting with the PM is seen as an opportunity for CM Sharma to strengthen his leadership with support from the state's senior leaders in the party. On the other hand, Raje has been seeking time with the PM for months to press for greater inclusion of her supporters in the govt and organisational roles. Her last meeting with PM Modi was in Dec 2024. Even though 18 months have passed since BJP came to power, the delay in cabinet expansion and filling a number of vacant political posts has been a sore point for her supporters. The state cabinet has 24 members, including the CM, leaving scope for six more additions. According to party sources, this week's meetings may finally pave the way for long-pending political appointments to boards, commissions and the much-anticipated cabinet expansion. Further complicating the political landscape is the recent resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, one of BJP's most prominent Jat faces at the national level. His exit has created a significant representational void for the influential community. With no major Jat politician currently holding any top constitutional posts, BJP strategists are grappling with the challenge of retaining a voter base that showed signs of drifting away from the party in the recent Lok Sabha elections, particularly in Jat-dominated constituencies where it underperformed.
Time of India
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Inspired by her Bengaluru days, Bollywood director made a horror film on black magic. What happened next will shock you
In 1980, celebrated filmmaker Aruna Raje , a six-time National Award winner, brought to life Gehrayee — a psychological horror-thriller steeped in the unsettling world of black magic . But what many don't know is that this chilling story was rooted in her very own backyard — literally. Long before the camera rolled, Raje's curiosity about the occult was piqued by strange happenings at her home in Bengaluru . Every morning, her mother would discover lemons doused in turmeric or vermilion in their garden — a chilling hallmark of black magic rituals. At first, it was unnerving. Later, it became the seed for a film that would haunt not just screens, but her life as well. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Data Science Data Analytics Healthcare Digital Marketing Product Management Leadership Cybersecurity MCA Others PGDM CXO Finance healthcare MBA Public Policy Design Thinking others Data Science Project Management Technology Management Degree Operations Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details 'My father was a freedom fighter who became a politician,' Raje said in a recent interview with Bollywood Crypt, 'so finding such things in our garden wasn't entirely unusual. Black magic and politics, strangely, often crossed paths.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Only 2% Traders Know this Powerful Intraday Strategy thefutureuniversity Learn More From Strange Findings to Script Readings Raje, along with her then-husband Vikas Desai and iconic playwright Vijay Tendulkar , transformed these personal encounters into cinematic narrative. Gehrayee was born out of deep research. The trio interviewed tantrics , psychologists, and families who had experienced unexplained phenomena. One particularly gripping tale made its way into the script: a young Catholic girl believed to be possessed by the spirit of a Muslim woman from Lucknow. 'She would suddenly speak flawless Urdu and even recite poetry,' Raje recalled, still in awe of the stories that surfaced. The incident went on to shape the character later played by Padmini Kolhapure in the film. You Might Also Like: Bhavani Ward 1997 is now on OTT: When and where to watch Telugu horror drama A Film That Haunted Its Makers But delving into the occult came at a cost. As warnings poured in from tantrics and well-wishers alike — urging them not to tamper with such energies — Raje and Desai remained firm. 'We thought we were just telling stories. How bad could it be?' she reflected. As it turned out, worse than they imagined. Soon after Gehrayee released, life took a harrowing turn. The couple divorced. Raje lost her nine-year-old daughter to cancer. Rumours spread like wildfire that the film's subject had brought misfortune — a whisper campaign fed by viewers' own unsettling experiences. 'People would call us saying their food spoiled after watching the film or strange things started happening in their homes,' she said. 'They wanted tantrics' numbers. But how could we tell who was real or fake?' Gehrayee, starring Anant Nag, Sriram Lagoo, and Amrish Puri in a cameo, was not just a film — it became a cultural enigma. It reminded audiences of the thin, trembling line between fiction and the forces we cannot explain. For Raje, it became a haunting chapter in her storytelling journey — one born from a city garden, shaped by forgotten rituals, and sealed by real-life tragedy. You Might Also Like: She earned more than top Bollywood stars, even refused 'Mughal-e-Azam' but today few remember India's first 'Lady Boss'
Mint
21-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Diplomacy in the workplace is a delicate balance: Zoom's Sameer Raje
During the pandemic, Zoom calls became as familiar a term as vaccines and lockdowns. From office meetings and webinars to birthday celebrations, it was a medium to stay connected during those unprecedented times. 'The company displayed immense agility to step up with both financial and technology resources—not just for customers, but for communities and employees across the country," says Mumbai-based Sameer Raje, 49, general manager and head, India & SAARC, Zoom Communications, Inc. 'We demonstrated that Zoom was simple to use, flexible and scalable to adapt for a diverse user base." A lifelong passion for wheels handed Raje the opportunity to take on an assignment with a leading automobile design house early on in his career and in turn, transition from civil engineering to the world of IT. Raje talks to Mint about mentorship and why he enjoys cycling. Edited excerpts: Who do you consider your mentor? I've been fortunate to have a few mentors who have played a significant role in shaping my personal and professional journey. Their guidance has been instrumental, whether it was helping me excel in my passions or supporting me in making tough decisions as a leader. One major insight you worked on with your mentor's guidance? Learning how to win with diplomacy—it's a delicate balance of staying professional, maintaining harmony and still driving outcomes. Another valuable lesson has been about navigating workplace relationships with clarity and focus. The best approach is to stay committed to work, keep the focus firmly on what truly matters and avoid getting distracted by the noise around. What's the one positive work routine you have developed during the lockdown? I no longer spend 3-plus hours stuck in traffic—and a big part of that was thanks to Zoom. I now dedicate those hours to an activity of my choice. I've also blocked that time in my calendar to ensure it's used purposefully and not consumed by random calls or meetings. Why do you enjoy cycling? Cycling has taught me that the best views come after the steepest climbs. The sense of achievement at the end of a gruelling ride is indescribable. It brings immense psychological and physical rewards, reinforcing the idea that perseverance, resilience and inner strength can take you farther than you ever imagined. Monday Motivation is a series in which business leaders discuss their mentors and their work ethics.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Zoom adopts collaborative AI approach for intelligent user experiences, says India head
NEW DELHI: Zoom Communications has adopted a collaborative AI approach to deliver flexible and intelligent experiences to its customers, according to a senior company executive. 'We have adopted a unique federated AI approach. Zoom AI Companion leverages our proprietary LLMs alongside trusted industry models like those from OpenAI and Anthropic. What sets us apart is the openness — customers can even bring their own AI models, within certain technical boundaries. With our new custom AI feature, we now enable orchestration across multiple AI agents, addressing diverse needs with agility and scale,' Sameer Raje , general manager & head (India & SAARC Region), Zoom Communications, told ETTelecom in an interview. 'AI is going to simplify our lives and probably not going to take away our jobs or take away the creativity of the human element. But it's going to — at least in the near future or in the interim — make our lives much better and simpler,' he said. The company on Wednesday announced the launch of Zoom Contact Center in India, an AI-first, omnichannel contact center-as-a-service solution (CCaaS) optimised for video. The contact center will support various channels, including voice, video, virtual agents, social media, email and messaging apps. AI is transforming the future of customer engagement and Zoom Contact Center is at the forefront of that shift. 'With intelligent self-service, predictive analytics and auto-summarisation, AI is driving greater efficiency, enhancing agent productivity and elevating customer satisfaction. Customers move effortlessly across channels without needing to repeat themselves, thanks to complete interaction visibility for agents,' Raje said. According to him, this results in a unified, intelligent workflow that delivers a holistic experience, seamlessly connecting people, processes, and data beyond the traditional contact center to empower agents and drive collaboration across the organisation. Zoom's bring your own carrier (BYOC) capabilities will allow businesses to retain their existing public switched telephone network (PSTN) service provider while routing voice traffic through the Zoom contact center cloud. The company also announced expansion of Zoom Phone service to four major metro telecom circles in India — Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Karnataka (Bengaluru) and Andhra Pradesh & Telangana (Hyderabad), after securing necessary license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). This service is already available in the Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (Chennai) circles. The US-listed cloud communication solutions provide plans to bring Zoom Phone to additional telecom circles across India, accelerating its commitment to make AI-first modern telephony available to more organisations.
India Gazette
05-06-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
Rohan Raje's all-round brilliance leads MSC Maratha Royals to thrilling debut win in T20 Mumbai League
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 5 (ANI): Making a comeback after eight years, Rohan Raje delivered a majestic all-round performance to power MSC Maratha Royals to a thrilling 8-run win on their T20 Mumbai League debut against the Tigers. The seasoned campaigner smashed a blistering 48 off just 21 balls to help post a competitive 96/4 in a rain-curtailed 9-over contest, then held his nerve in the final over--defending 18 runs, conceding just 9, and picking up a wicket--to seal the Royals' memorable first victory and earn the Man of the Match award, according to a release from T20 Mumbai League. Adding to the Royals' bowling firepower, Maxwell Swaminathan chipped in with a tidy two-over spell, conceding just 15 runs and grabbing two crucial wickets to keep the pressure on. The fielders backed up the bowlers brilliantly, with Chinmay Sutar pulling off a spectacular boundary-line juggling catch that proved to be a turning point in the match, underlining a complete team effort in a high-stakes debut clash. Rohan Raje's latest match-winning effort was more than just a standout performance--it was a reflection of his enduring commitment to the game and to nurturing the next generation. A seasoned domestic cricketer who has played in some of the premier cricket leagues in the country, Raje has remained actively involved in cricket both on and off the field. In recent years, he has focused on training underprivileged youngsters with professional aspirations, using his own journey through the ranks as inspiration. His composed display under pressure was a timely reminder of the value of experience and mentorship in shaping the future of the sport. 'It feels amazing to contribute like this,' Raje said after the match, as quoted from a release by T20 Mumbai League. 'I came in as a replacement, but I was always preparing--Abhishek Nayar kept reminding me to stay ready. I've treated this like any other game, just on a bigger stage. It's been almost eight years since I played at this level, so I wanted to showcase my talent again. MSC Maratha Royals have shown great faith in me, and I'm glad I could deliver. Our team has strong bonding and solid experience, and the goal is simple: to win. Moments like sharing a dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar during my Premier League days still drive me every time I step on the field,' he added. Abhishek Nayar, the team's mentor and one of the key architects behind the team's planning and execution, was all praise for the collective effort. 'Seeing the boys execute the plan exactly as discussed is immensely satisfying. From Rohan's composure under pressure to Maxwell's tight spell and the fielding brilliance shown by Chinmay, it was a complete team performance. The bowlers stuck to their lines, the energy in the field was top-notch, and everyone played their part. We've been building towards this, and to see it all come together in the opening game is exactly the kind of start we were aiming for,' he said. MSC Maratha Royals will face off against Surya Kumar Yadav's Triumph Knights at the Wankhede Stadium. (ANI)
