Mehul Choksi alleges India orchestrated 2021 kidnap plot in Antigua
The Indian government has since sought to extradite Choksi, who faces charges alongside his nephew Nirav Modi, who has been in custody in Britain since 2019. Both deny any wrongdoing in the fraud scandal.In court filings, India's lawyer Harish Salve dismissed the claims, stating there was "no evidence of India having anything to do with the alleged events."However, Choksi alleges he was beaten in a failed attempt to extort a false confession and implicate India's political opposition, which he says points to state involvement in the incident.Choksi's lawyer Edward Fitzgerald told the court: "The evidence points inevitably to India being behind this – they had the motivation, they had the resources." Monday's hearing, the first since Choksi filed his case last year, was held to decide when India's application to throw out Choksi's lawsuit on state immunity should be held, Reuters reported.With inputs from ReutersMust Watch
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ShareChat & Moj Announce Second Edition of 'Short Form Big Impact Leadership Summit 2025'
Industry leaders to decode how cultural insights and regional storytelling unlock India's next growth wave MUMBAI, India and GURUGRAM, India, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ShareChat & Moj, India's leading homegrown social media platforms, in partnership with ETBrandEquity, today announced the second edition of the 'Short Form Big Impact Leadership Summit 2025'. The flagship event will bring together industry leaders, marketers, and decision-makers to explore how brands can harness cultural intelligence and regional storytelling to unlock growth in India's rapidly expanding regional markets. The summit will be held in Mumbai at Taj Lands End, Bandra, on August 21, 2025, and in Gurugram at The Oberoi on August 28, 2025, under the theme "Culture Is the New Consumer Intelligence." With 86% of Indians preferring content in their native language and 88% finding local language advertisements more impactful, India's consumer landscape demands a fundamental shift from demographic-based to culture-first marketing approaches. The opportunity is significant, with 6 in 10 digital users now coming from non-metro regions, representing an unprecedented $1 trillion market opportunity. Short-form content has evolved beyond entertainment to become a lifestyle choice, influencing daily conversations, brand discovery, and purchase decisions across regional India. This transformation has paved the way for micro-dramas – structured, serialized storytelling tailored to Indian languages and cultural contexts. ShareChat's ecosystem, including the newly launched QuickTV, is leading this evolution with over 30 million viewers consuming 120 million micro-drama episodes daily, demonstrating the massive appetite for culturally relevant, snackable content. "At ETBrandEquity, we believe that the future of brand storytelling lies in cultural intelligence — not just consumer data," said Amit Kumar Gupta, Business Head of "The second edition of the Short Form Big Impact Leadership Summit is a rallying ground for brands to learn how to connect authentically and effectively with regional India through short-form content." Manohar Charan, Co-Founder & CFO, ShareChat & Moj, says, "India's digital audiences aren't just defined by demographics, they're shaped by culture. From language and rituals to regional creators and micro-storytelling, we're seeing a deep shift in how people connect, consume, and act. The Short Form Big Impact Leadership Summit is where this transformation takes centre stage. With the 'Culture is the New Consumer Intelligence' theme, we're inviting the industry to look beyond formats and into the emotional pulse of India. If you're building for relevance, trust, and scale in this market, this is where the real conversation begins." The summit will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and case study showcases covering critical topics including: • Rewriting the Playbook: Where Culture Becomes Intelligence • Culture, Content & Creators: The 3Cs of Building Brands • Building Brands in a Short-Form World • From Daily Soaps to Daily Scrolls: Micro-Dramas as India's New Prime Time • Regional Voice: The Power of Real, Relatable Content Attendees will receive actionable insights on developing cultural intelligence frameworks, implementing language-first storytelling strategies, creating festival marketing playbooks, and building authentic creator partnership models. The summit is designed for senior marketing professionals, brand managers, agency leaders, and decision-makers focused on regional market expansion. Limited to 200 participants per city, early bird registration is available until August 1, 2025. Mumbai: Gurugram: About ShareChat & Moj ShareChat & Moj are India's leading homegrown social media platforms, serving over 400 million users across 15 Indian languages. The platforms enable users to share content, connect with communities, and engage with culturally relevant entertainment in their preferred languages. About ETBrandEquity is the online destination of Brand Equity, India's premier source of information, news and opinion on marketing and advertising. For over three decades as a weekly print feature section in The Economic Times and for more than a decade as a TV show on ET Now, Brand Equity has set the agenda for the Indian marketing and marketing communications industry. Over the decades, Brand Equity has been at the forefront of chronicling the latest trends and celebrating the people and processes in the fast evolving landscape. As marketing transforms rapidly, has positioned itself to cover the world of technology-led marketing and advertising in its truest sense. This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
The Wire
11 minutes ago
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IFA UK Names Syed Javeed Shah, Resident of Abu Dhabi, UAE and Indian National, Among Top 5 Finalists for 2025 Member of the Year Award
India, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates & London, United Kingdom – Business Wire India The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA UK), part of the IPA Group, has announced the Top 5 Finalists for its 2025 Member of the Year Award, honouring exemplary contributions to the finance profession, corporate governance, and community development. Among those recognised is Syed Javeed Shah, a finance professional based in Abu Dhabi and originally from Adilabad, India. The award ceremony took place recently at the Royal College of Physicians in London. This recognition puts a spotlight on individuals who have demonstrated leadership in financial management, ethical practice, and public service, aligned with the IFA's mission. Shah was acknowledged for his cross-border financial leadership, philanthropic initiatives, and support for international tax compliance. In his current role as Sub-Regional Financial Controller and Director at John Crane, a UK-listed multinational, he oversees financial operations across 27 countries in the Middle East, Caspian, Africa, and South Africa. He is a Fellow of both IFA (UK) and IPA (Australia). His work includes supporting U.S. tax compliance and ITIN services for over 60 nationalities, enabling streamlined regulatory adherence across jurisdictions such as India, the UAE, and the United States. This effort has contributed to enhanced financial transparency and cooperation across regions. Shah's philanthropic efforts through the Ujjvall Charitable Trust, which funds education for underprivileged students in India, were also detailed in the nomination. In recognition of his professional and social contributions, he was granted the UAE Golden Visa in 2021 under the Special Talents category. 'This honour reflects the competence and values of Indian professionals,' said Shah. 'I proudly dedicate this recognition to my hometown Adilabad, the state of Telangana, India, and to the UAE, where I currently reside and serve.' Media coverage of Shah's recognition has appeared in multiple publications, including: • 'Syed Javeed Shah recognized among Top 5 global finalists at prestigious IFA UK Member of the Year Awards 2025 in London', Gulf News. • 'Adilabad Resident Javeed Shah shines in global finance', Maagulf. • 'Indian chartered accountant gets UAE golden visa', Khaleej Times. About IFA UK The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) is an internationally recognised professional accountancy membership body providing dedicated support to SMEs and SMPs. It is part of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) Group, one of the world's largest SME-focused accountancy group, with more than 49,000 members and students in 100 countries, and a full member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) the global accounting standard-setter and regulator for the accountancy profession. The IFA UK Member of the Year Award honours outstanding members who exemplify professional excellence and commitment to community development. To View the Image, Click on the Link Below: Syed Javeed Shah, Abu Dhabi, UAE- based Global Finance Leader from Adilabad, Telangana, India honoured as one of the top 5 finalists at the IFA UK member of the Year Awards 2025, held at the Royal College of Physicians, London (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.).
Indian Express
11 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Nitish Kumar has a succession problem. Is his son the answer?
Written by Mrityunjay Sharma A puzzle has engaged everyone in Bihar over the last few months: Whether Nishant, Nitish Kumar's son, will join politics. Ever since his first public appearance in January, appealing to the people to vote for his father, political circles have been abuzz. Media speculation has only intensified, with significant political figures from both within and outside the JD(U) pitching for Nishant to take up the reins of the party. The latest to join this chorus is Upendra Kushwaha, Nitish's old ally and currently the leader of an NDA constituent, Rashtriya Lok Samta Party. In a recent comment, Kushwaha urged Nitish to hand over the party's leadership to Nishant, warning that any delay may cause irreparable damage. While Kushwaha's statement may carry political undertones, what he said appears to reflect the JD(U)'s only viable option. In the ever-evolving landscape of Indian politics, dynastic succession is no longer a surprise; it is a pattern. Nishant, an engineering graduate from BIT Mesra, has consistently maintained his disinterest in politics and expressed a personal inclination toward spirituality. What also makes Nishant's case particularly intriguing is that for years, Nitish has positioned himself as a leader different from Bihar's family-driven political model. Unlike his contemporaries — Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav — who openly groomed their sons as successors, Nitish Kumar never gave any such indication. Yet, as age catches up, the absence of a clear successor has begun to haunt the JD (U), making a once-unthinkable family transition appear increasingly inevitable. In Indian politics, where legacy often triumphs over merit, dynastic succession is more of a norm than an anomaly. From the Nehru-Gandhi family in the Congress to the Yadavs of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Thackerays of Maharashtra, the Badals of Punjab, and the DMK's dominance in Tamil Nadu, leadership succession through family ties is more of a survival strategy than a coincidence. The case of Nishant Kumar is merely another instance of this larger trend where smaller political parties, rather than fostering new leadership, pass on the reins within the family to ensure continuity. While some may argue that dynastic politics is more common in larger parties like the Congress, it is far more pronounced — and often necessary —for regional and smaller parties. Unlike national parties, which have the backing of a larger ideological structure and grassroots cadre, regional parties are often built around one strong leader. When such a leader ages or retires, the most obvious successor is someone from the family, seen as a natural inheritor of the party's legacy and vote base. While Nitish Kumar tried to groom several potential successors, all eventually fell out of favour. R C P Singh, once his closest aide, was sidelined due to his proximity to the BJP. Upendra Kushwaha, seen as an OBC leader from his kindred Koeri caste, clashed with Nitish and was ousted. Prashant Kishor, despite Nitish's fondness, was never fully embraced due to his independent streak. Some speculate Manish Verma, a new entrant from the bureaucracy, as a future leader, but the JD(U)'s history suggests that no one outside the Kumar surname will be able to match themselves up to Nitish. What the JD(U) is moving towards is a lesson learned from Indian politics: Parties without a clear family succession have struggled to survive. While Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP and Lalu Prasad's RJD continue to thrive after handing over power to their sons, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has struggled to pass on the baton to her nephew, Akash Anand in a bid to salvage her legacy. The late Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP offers another example. The original party split, and most of the party leaders went with Late Ram Vilas's brother, Pashupati Nath Paras, following a feud. However, the electorate still associates the LJP with Chirag Paswan, who has now reclaimed the party's legacy under a new political entity. Similarly, the BJD in Odisha faces uncertainty post-Naveen Patnaik era, with no clear family succession line. The trend is visible beyond the Hindi heartland as well. While DMK has been holding power in Tamil Nadu following a clear dynastic succession, the AIADMK has suffered in the absence of clear leadership post-Jayalalithaa. Unlike the BJP and Left parties, which have largely distanced themselves from dynastic politics and promoted second-rung leadership, regional and smaller parties often do not have the luxury of a strong ideological foundation. Their entire political existence is tied to the charisma of one leader. When that leader fades, keeping power within the family is often seen as the easiest way to ensure continuity. But this also raises critical concerns. Does dynastic succession hinder democratic party structures? Does it prevent the rise of talented grassroots leaders who are not part of the family? In many cases, the answer is yes. Regional parties rarely develop a robust second line of leadership, making it almost inevitable that leadership is passed within the family. Unlike the RJD or the SP, which have strong caste-based vote banks, the JD(U)'s voter base is fragmented, spread across voting blocs such as those of the EBCs and women voters. Nitish Kumar himself has relied on his good governance image and coalition politics rather than caste-based mobilisation. If Nishant Kumar does step into politics, he will have his task cut out. His success will hinge on whether he can craft an independent political identity or merely serve as a symbolic extension of his father's legacy. Complicating matters further, Nishant will face stiff competition from other political scions like Tejashwi Yadav and Chirag Paswan — both of whom have not only inherited political capital but also years of head-start in navigating Bihar's complex political terrain. While no confirmation has come yet, the speculation around Nishant Kumar suggests that even a party like the JD(U), which prided itself on governance and ideology, is finding it difficult to break free from dynastic patterns. This reflects a broader crisis in Indian politics, where family remains the strongest political capital, and where survival, more than ideology or governance, dictates leadership transitions. As long as political parties continue to be personal enterprises rather than institutional entities, the cycle of family-driven leadership will continue, no matter how much the electorate criticises it. The writer is a BJP Leader and author of Broken Promises: Caste, Crime and Politics in Bihar
