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New Indian Express
an hour ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
A Sari State of Affairs
Aradhana Anand always loved Indian textiles. While furnishing her apartment, she experimented with mixing and matching silk saris to upholster a wingback chair. A combination of cotton ikat saris made for perfect fabric blinds. The result—limón, the Delhi-based custom-design studio for furniture and furnishings. The store a sari sight: five standard chairs—the wingchair, accent, club chair and low slipper chair upholstered mainly with saris. limón purveys sari cushion covers, sari-centric art frames, and sari lamp shades too. Each piece takes 4-10 weeks to create by using combinations of saris, sourced from state operated handloom emporiums and co-ops that support weavers, and sometimes directly from the weavers. A recent limited-edition collection called Rasa was made in collaboration with artist Shweta Malhotra that focuses on motifs of Indian spices, screen printed by hand on cotton canvas. 'We educate our clients about what they can do with fabric and saris they no longer wear,' Anand says.
Mint
17 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
On US ‘vague' social media visa rule, Indian students anxious: ‘Even memes feel risky now'
A 24-year-old from Delhi, recently admitted to Harvard University, now starts his day by checking his Instagram account. 'Every few hours, I think of how an old post may be problematic, and then delete it,' he says. 'Even memes feel risky now.' He is among several Indian students who shared their growing concerns with The Indian Express over a new US rule that asks all F, M, and J visa applicants to make their social media profiles public. The advisory, issued in the name of 'national security and public safety,' asks applicants to adjust their privacy settings so that US consular officers can review their accounts. In previous years, only publicly visible content was checked. The US now treats every visa application as a 'national security decision.' Applicants must provide usernames or handles for all social media platforms used in the last five years. The US Embassy in India warned on Thursday that failure to share this information 'could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' 'I gave my interview earlier in June, and I'm still waiting for my visa,' a Delhi-based student was quoted as saying by Indian Express. 'The guideline is very vague. It says 'anything that violates American values.' We don't even know what that is supposed to mean.' The lack of clarity has left many students stressed, as they are unsure what kind of posts may raise red flags. A 23-year-old from Mumbai, also admitted to Harvard, said he made all his accounts public on 22 May — the day he submitted his DS-160 visa application form. 'Since then, I've archived everything even remotely political. I've stopped liking posts too, just in case even that is visible,' he says. Career counselling firms say they've had to adjust quickly to guide students in managing their digital presence. 'The recent US government directive is a significant development — but one that serious academically-oriented applicants can certainly navigate successfully,' Aman Singh, co-founder of GradRight, Gurgaon told Indian Express. 'Our core guidance now focuses on helping students understand and actively manage their digital footprint. It's about being mindful and authentic.' According to Singh, while the number of Indian students going to the US has dropped by 20–25% in the past 6–8 months, loan approvals for students admitted to top universities through GradRight have increased by 60%. 'The appeal of US universities remains strong. For strong, high-intent students, the process is still working,' he adds. Still, students say the uncertainty is stressful. Many are second-guessing posts that once seemed completely harmless.
News18
2 days ago
- Business
- News18
FM Nirmala Sitharaman Meets Heads of PSU Banks To Review Financial Performance, Other Issues
Last Updated: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reviewes PSBs' financial performance. It marks first formal interaction between FM and PSB executives after RBI recent monetary easing steps. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday chaired a crucial meeting with the heads of public sector banks (PSBs) in New Delhi to review their financial performance and assess the progress of various government-backed schemes. This meeting marks the first formal interaction between the Finance Minister and PSB executives following the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) recent monetary easing steps. Earlier this month, the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee, led by Governor Sanjay Malhotra, announced a surprise 50 basis points cut in the repo rate to 5.5%, along with a 100 basis points reduction in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 3%, aimed at infusing Rs 2.5 lakh crore of additional liquidity into the banking system. According to the Finance Ministry's post on X (formerly Twitter), the meeting was attended by Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad, Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary M. Nagaraju, and the MDs and CEOs of all 12 public sector banks, along with other senior officials. It is to be noted that Public Sector Banks' (PSBs) cumulative profit rose to a record level of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in the fiscal year ended March 2025, registering a growth of 26 per cent over the previous year. All 12 public sector banks had earned a total profit of Rs 1.41 lakh crore in FY'24. The year-on-year increase in profit in absolute terms was about Rs 37,100 crore in FY25. Out of the total profit of Rs 1,78,364 crore earned during FY'25, market leader State Bank of India (SBI) alone contributed over 40 per cent of the total earnings, as per the published numbers on stock exchanges. SBI logged a net profit of Rs 70,901 crore in FY25, 16 per cent higher than the previous fiscal (Rs 61,077 crore). In percentage terms, Delhi-based Punjab National Bank reported the highest net profit growth of 102 per cent to Rs 16,630 crore, followed by Punjab & Sind Bank with a 71 per cent rise to Rs 1,016 crore. During the year, all 12 public sector banks (PSBs) reported a rise in profit. On Thursday, Sitharaman also visited the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City in Gujarat's Gandhinagar and reviewed the progress of GIFT International Finance Services Centre. First Published: June 27, 2025, 13:33 IST
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Think of how an old post may be problematic, then delete it': New US Visa rule fuels student anxiety over social media
A 24-year-old from Delhi, who recently secured admission to Harvard University in the United States, describes how his days now begin with combing through his Instagram account. 'Every few hours, I think of how an old post may be problematic, and then delete it,' he says. 'Even memes feel risky now.' He is one of the several Indian students who spoke to The Indian Express about the rising anxiety over a recent US directive requiring all F, M, and J visa applicants to make their social media accounts public. The advisory, citing 'national security and public safety,' instructs visa applicants to change their privacy settings to allow for vetting by consular officers — a marked shift from previous years, when only publicly visible content could be viewed and considered. The F, M, and J visas are non-immigrant visas for foreign nationals seeking to study or participate in exchange programmes. Outlining each visa adjudication as a 'national security decision,' the United States has mandated that applicants reveal their social media usernames or handles for every platform used in the past five years. On Thursday, the US Embassy in India issued a statement, warning that failure to disclose social media information 'could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' 'I gave my interview earlier in June, and I'm still waiting for my visa,' says the Delhi-based student. 'The guideline is very vague. It says 'anything that violates American values.' We don't even know what that is supposed to mean.' For most students, the process of making years of personal content accessible to immigration authorities has been stressful, especially because there is little clarity on what might raise red flags. A 23-year-old from Mumbai, who also got into Harvard, says he made all his accounts public on May 22 — the day he submitted his online non-immigrant visa application (DS-160 form). 'Since then, I've archived everything even remotely political. I've stopped liking posts too, just in case even that is visible,' he shares. Career counselling firms said they had to swiftly adapt in light of the change. 'The recent US government directive is a significant development — but one that serious academically-oriented applicants can certainly navigate successfully,' underlines Aman Singh, co-founder, GradRight, Gurgaon. 'Our core guidance now focuses on helping students understand and actively manage their digital footprint. It's about being mindful and authentic.' While there has been a 20-25% drop in the number of students going to the US over the past 6-8 months, according to Singh, loan approvals through GradRight for students accepted to top-tier colleges have gone up by 60%. 'The appeal of US universities remains strong. For strong, high-intent students, the process is still working,' he adds. Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO of Leverage Edu, based in Noida, says the shift merely formalises what many universities were already doing. 'This update adds a new layer to visa assessments but also reinforces the value of a student's digital presence,' he says. 'No need to delete or disguise — just ensure coherence and avoid ambiguity.' 'With the right awareness, students can use this as an opportunity to project clarity and intent, traits that matter across every global education system,' Chaturvedi adds. About 15-20% of the monthly student applications at Leverage Edu represent students aiming to pursue higher education in the United States. The ambiguity is what's bothering the applicants. With little clarity on what is considered 'acceptable,' many said they are second-guessing posts that seemed harmless. On Tuesday, Harvard acted swiftly after the US government unveiled sweeping restrictions. Harvard Kennedy School's Dean, Jeremy Weinstein, emphasised in an email to students, 'We hope to see you on campus in the fall, but if that is not possible, we will bring HKS to you.' At Harvard Kennedy School, leaders emphasised their unwavering commitment: 'We are committed to supporting all of our students, even if some are unable to make it to campus due to visa or entry restrictions.' Consequently, they have launched two tailored pathways: 'HKS Global (for new and returning students)… a blended academic experience that features world‑class online coursework and in‑person convenings around the world', and 'HKS at Munk School (for returning students only)… through an arrangement with the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto', ensuring that 'students will engage in online coursework led by HKS faculty' and 'participants will complete their HKS degree by taking a mix of online and in‑person courses taught by both HKS and University of Toronto faculty'.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
UP govt expedites process to recover Rs 650cr dues from toll collection firms
1 2 Lucknow: The UP govt has to recover more than Rs 650 crore dues from the highway toll management companies. Following the Bhadohi case — where a Delhi-based firm secured lease for toll collection in UP by paying just Rs 100 stamp duty instead of Rs 63 cores — the stamp and registration department carried out an audit to find the status of all pending recovery cases. The stamp and registration department has started reaching out to the district administration in 31 districts to expedite the recovery process. A total of 95 cases pertaining to evasion of stamp duty by toll companies have been detected. While the majority of cases are pending with operators who entered into an agreement with the National Highways Authority of India, operators engaged by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority for toll collection over expressways are also yet to make payments. Among the 95 cases, 23 cases are sub-judice while 72 cases are pending before collectors in various districts. Among the 72, recovery proceedings have been initiated against the promoters of 17 private agencies engaged for toll collection. UP stamp department minister Ravindra Jaiswal said, "The dues collected from the toll operators will be used to upgrade the public infrastructure and fund the social sector schemes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Fastest Selling Plots of Mysore from 40L | 40+ Amenities PurpleBrick Learn More Undo Senior officials concerned have been asked to follow up on the old cases pending before courts and magistrates." While the company engaged by NHAI to manage the Meerut expressway has the highest stamp duty dues of around Rs 26 crore, the one managing the Lucknow–Rae Bareli national highway has to pay Rs 10 crore. Interestingly, 15 out of 95 toll operators had entered into an agreement with NHAI on stamp paper worth Rs 100, whereas, as per the estimates prepared by the department, such companies need to cough up Rs 130.40 crore. Though in some cases the procedure to recover the amount was initiated more than five years ago, the matter picked pace only from Oct last year after the state govt urged the district collectors to expedite the process. In July last year, the Supreme Court while disposing of a similar case from Madhya Pradesh had dubbed the concession agreement between toll operators and NHAI as a lease, putting the liability of paying the stamp duty on the agreement value over the value mentioned in the contract.
