Latest news with #Kapadia
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Durand Cup: How the oldest football league outside British Isles has evolved over time
The 134th edition of the Durand Cup, the oldest extant football tournament outside the British Isles, began in Kolkata on Wednesday. Established in 1888, Durand Cup was the most prestigious tournament in Indian football until the late twentieth century. Here's a brief history. The tournament is named after Sir Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat best known for drawing the contentious international border between British India (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan. Durand instituted the tournament in 1888 as recreation for British troops: the first edition saw the participation of six British and two Scottish regimental teams. Till 1940, the Durand Cup was held each September in Shimla, the summer capital of the Raj. Matches were played with full military pomp and pageantry in the picturesque meadow of Annandale. 'Smartly attired military bands played tuneful marching tunes before the match and during the interval. Pennants of the participating British regimental teams fluttered in the sun. The Viceroy of India would personally hand over the prizes,' Novy Kapadia, the legendary Indian football writer, wrote in Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football (2017). In 1922, Calcutta-based Mohun Bagan became the first civilian side to take part in the tournament, paving the way for Indian participation. But in these initial years, the mostly barefoot Indian teams could not cope with superior British opposition. 'Realising this, Durand authorities came up with a unique idea in 1937, to have a separate tournament for all teams knocked out in the first round. This competition was known as the Little Durand, or 'Chhota' Durand, and was held concurrently with the main tournament,' Kapadia wrote. Another Calcutta-based club, Mohammedan Sporting, broke the British monopoly on the Durand Cup in 1940, the year the tournament moved to Delhi. In front of a 1,00,000-strong crowd at the Irwin Amphitheatre (now the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium), the team of 11 Muslims beat the Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2-1 in the final. After a break due to World War II, Independence, and Partition, the tournament resumed in 1950. Beginning with Dr Rajendra Prasad, a football enthusiast, the President of India took over the role of the erstwhile Viceroy in the final. 'Six Indian Presidents, from Rajendra Prasad to Neelam Sanjiva Reddy graced the Durand final and watched the complete match. During half-time they would have tea with the captains… [and] chat about football and sports…,' Kapadia wrote. While regimental teams of the Indian Army continued to take part — the Army still plays a central role in organising the Durand Cup — civilian clubs have been more dominant the post-Independence era. Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, with 17 and 16 wins respectively, have been the most successful teams in the tournament's history, followed by the Border Security Force team with seven wins. Punjab-based JCT has won five times. The Hyderabad City Police team was a formidable force in the 1950s and early-1960s, with four wins. 'For about four decades, till the end of the 1980s, the greatness of a player and even clubs was judged by how many Durand finals they had played in and how many Durand titles they had won,' Kapadia wrote. In the 1990s, attendance at the games, held in the Delhi Gate Stadium (later renamed Ambedkar Stadium), began dropping, which coincided with a general decline in interest in Indian football. The reasons, according to commentators, include the exposure on television to vastly superior foreign leagues, and the surge in the interest in cricket. As other leagues emerged — notably the I-League in the 1990s and the Indian Super League in the 2010s — big clubs such as Mohun Bagan and East Bengal gradually lost interest, often sending B-teams to Durand, or not sending sides at all. Since 2019, the tournament has been primarily hosted by Kolkata which remains the bastion of football in India. Although recent editions have managed to attract big sides, Durand nowadays is effectively a glorified pre-season tournament, providing managers an opportunity to fine-tune tactics and players before the domestic season begins.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
How Grey India's culture-first idea helped Axis Bank boost consumer trust
With digital scams on the rise, Axis Bank wanted to fundamentally rethink how India creates and remembers its PINs. Most people rely on predictable patterns while generating their banking PINs - birthdays, anniversaries, or repeated digits. Axis Bank and its agency partner Grey India cracked a code to combat scams stemming from poor-strength PINs. That's how the Devanagari PIN campaign was conceptualised. It's an innovation born out of India's most widely used script. The agency and brand built a proprietary tool that uses familiar words to generate unfamiliar, hard-to-crack PINs by revealing digits embedded in the ancient script's design. It became a culturally rooted campaign that turned typography into technology and secured millions in the process. According to Harsh Kapadia, Chief Creative Officer, Grey India, "Brands need to anchor themselves in an obsession, one that not only drives business growth but also delivers meaningful value to consumers." When that obsession serves both the brand and its audience, it creates a powerful feedback loop: focus for the brand, and utility or reassurance for the consumer, he believes. That's one of the many lessons brands can pick up from Axis Bank's Devanagari PIN campaign. In an interview with ET Brand Equity, Kapadia walks us through the insight, the innovation, and the impact behind one of India's most talked-about fintech campaigns of recent times. What was the brief given to Grey India? The brief was to build on this positioning of trust and safety, while creating something that meaningfully celebrates the spirit of India's Republic Day. What is the origin of the idea? What was the inspiration? Across banking and UPI (Unified Payment Interface) platforms, the average Indian user manages 8 to 9 unique PINs. To simplify this cognitive load, many fall back on familiar numeric patterns such as birthdays, anniversaries, or repetitive sequences making their accounts more vulnerable to breaches. Our objective was to disrupt this risky behavior by encouraging a shift from predictable, personally linked PINs to secure, non-obvious combinations that are significantly harder to decode. At Grey India, the breakthrough came from a simple insight: people remember words more intuitively than random numbers. While exploring this, the team made a fascinating discovery—India's ancient Devanagari script visually has digits from 0 to 9 embedded in them when viewed through the right lens. But for the idea to be truly effective, every numeral had to be authentically found within the script, without modifying any existing typeface. The solution had to feel native, anchored in culture, legible in design, and seamlessly woven into the typography we see around us every day. Could you share the key strategies and insights that went behind the making of Devanagari PIN campaign? The tool was designed with simplicity and accessibility at its core. It needed to seamlessly convert any user input word into a secure, four to six-digit PIN. To maximize impact and drive broader behavior change, we made it available to all banking users, not just Axis Bank customers, reinforcing the brand's leadership in safe and secure banking for everyone. Given the sensitivity of the subject, data privacy was paramount. The platform was built to be fully secure, with no storage of user inputs or generated PINs. To amplify reach and engagement, the tool was supported by a fully integrated digital campaign leveraging social, search, and influencer touchpoints to spark national conversation and encourage millions of Indians to rethink and regenerate safer PINs. What were the KPIs you were tracking to measure the success of these campaigns? Could you share some key highlights in terms of results? KPIs tracked: Shift in consumer sentiment toward a more positive perception of Axis Bank Increase in organic talkability and brand association with "secure and safe banking" Results: Most shared and engaged campaign in Axis Bank's history, driving unprecedented digital traction Achieved 98% positive sentiment, reinforcing trust and brand affinity Axis Bank ranked #1 in safety perception among 128 competing banks, with 35% attribution directly linked to the security-focused messaging. Reached 137 million Indians, with 1 in 4 users actively discovering and generating stronger, more secure PINs. What can other brands pick up from this piece of work? Brands need to anchor themselves in an obsession, one that not only drives business growth but also delivers meaningful value to consumers. When that obsession serves both the brand and its audience, it creates a powerful feedback loop: focus for the brand, and utility or reassurance for the consumer. In a category where most offerings feel interchangeable, Axis Bank's commitment to safe and secure banking became a clear and ownable differentiator, one that set it apart in a sea of sameness. What's your hot tip to brands that are looking to solve simple business problems through creative solutions? In today's attention economy, sameness is suicide. Yet brands keep chasing celebrity glitter, hoping it will distract from average ideas. The truth? Familiar faces can't rescue forgettable thinking. When every other brand is using the same endorsers, real impact comes from bold, original creativity. The kind that stops people mid-scroll, sparks conversation, and actually builds brand memory. Don't rent fame, create it. Axis Bank and its agency partner Grey India won 'Disruptive Brand of the Year' at the ET Shark Awards 2025 for their 'Devanagari PIN' campaign.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
9 of the most iconic celebrity on-screen looks, from Dimple Kapadia's polka dot set to Deepika Padukone's blue sari
Bollywood has long been a trendsetter, not just for its music and storytelling, but for its unforgettable style moments that left an indelible mark on fashion. Some on-screen looks became instant hits, sparking trends that spilled over into everyday wardrobes, weddings, and pop culture conversations. Here's a tribute to nine of the most iconic fashion moments from Bollywood films, outfits, and styles that continue to inspire, years after they first appeared on the screen. In the 1970s, Kapadia burst onto the scene with a youthful charm that made her an instant style icon. Her polka dot knotted blouse and matching black skirt from Bobby shocked and enamoured a generation. That simple, breezy outfit became a favourite among teenagers and remains a nostalgic reference for retro fashion enthusiasts. Bold, rebellious, and ahead of her time, Zeenat Aman brought the hippie aesthetic into mainstream Bollywood with her look in Hare Krishna Hare Ram. Beaded accessories, flowing silhouettes, and oversized sunglasses captured the essence of the '70s counterculture and made Zeenat a poster girl for bohemian chic. In a film packed with youthful energy and heartfelt moments, Deepika Padukone's transformation scene in a stunning electric blue sari became a defining fashion moment of the 2010s. It inspired countless wedding looks and cocktail party styles across India. Kareena Kapoor's role as the fashionable and unapologetic 'Poo' wasn't just about witty one-liners. Her pastel sharara, featured in the iconic Bole Chudiyan song, set new standards for festive wear. With its delicate hues and modern silhouette, the look became a wedding staple, cementing Kareena's place as a Bollywood fashion trailblazer. Sometimes, it's the simplest accessories that create the most significant impact. Shah Rukh Khan's 'COOL' chain necklace, seen in several of his hit films from the '90s and early 2000s, became synonymous with cool, boy-next-door charm. Sizzling yet sophisticated, Priyanka Chopra's golden sari in Dostana took Bollywood glamour to a new level. The shimmering fabric, paired with contemporary styling, became a benchmark for modern ethnic wear. It quickly became the go-to look for red carpets and festive occasions. Not all iconic looks are about glitz. Sometimes, simplicity steals the spotlight. Deepika's understated cotton suits, with soft bindis and breezy scarves in Piku, resonated deeply with young women seeking style rooted in comfort and authenticity. Her relatable wardrobe sparked a revival of classic Indian wear for everyday fashion. Whether loved or criticised, Salman Khan's edgy haircut from Tere Naam left an undeniable imprint on pop culture. The distinct hairstyle sparked a nationwide trend, becoming both a style statement and a subject of countless conversations, proving how powerful on-screen looks can be, even when polarising. Few Bollywood costumes have the iconic status of Raveena Tandon's bright yellow sari in Tip Tip Barsa Pani. Set against the backdrop of pouring rain, the look became the ultimate symbol of Bollywood sensuality. It remains a timeless reference point for rain-drenched romantic sequences and a favourite in music video recreations.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Surgeon shares 6 ways painkillers for period pain, headaches and paracetamol are ‘silently damaging your liver'
Are you one of those people who just pop a pill or painkiller without consultation from your doctor, or when there is some mild discomfort? According to Dr Sumit Kapadia, a vascular surgeon and varicose vein specialist, your painkillers may be silently damaging your liver without you even knowing about it. Even slightly exceeding the safe daily limit of taking painkillers can overwhelm your liver. (Freepik) Also Read | 56-year-old US man loses 11 kg in 46 days using AI; shares diet, routine, workout plan he used for transformation 6 ways painkillers silently damage your liver In an Instagram post shared on July 12, Dr Kapadia talked about the 6 ways painkillers are silently damaging your liver. He wrote, ''It's just one pill.' But when that one pill becomes a habit after every headache, period pain, or muscle ache, your liver starts paying the price.' Let's find out how painkillers may be harming your liver: 1. Overdose risk (especially with paracetamol) Even slightly exceeding the safe daily limit can overwhelm your liver. 2. Liver enzyme spikes Regular painkiller use can quietly raise your liver enzymes, damaging it without symptoms. 3. Fatty liver progression NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) may contribute to liver inflammation and worsen fatty liver in some cases. 4. Dangerous with alcohol Taking painkillers after drinking? A deadly combo for liver toxicity. 5. Masking symptoms You treat the pain, not the cause, letting the underlying issue (and inflammation) silently grow. 6. Liver failure in extreme cases Chronic overuse, especially without supervision, can lead to irreversible damage. The surgeon warned, 'Your liver doesn't scream until it's already hurt. It works quietly, until it can't anymore.' He suggested 3 ways you can stop painkillers from becoming the silent liver killers: What to do instead: Use painkillers only when truly needed Never exceed recommended doses Always consult your doctor if you're taking them often Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Rajesh Khanna slapped Raza Murad for spending time with Dimple Kapadia': Senior actor says he wanted to ‘beat up' person who spread this rumour
Late legendary superstar Rajesh Khanna married veteran actor Dimple Kapadia in 1973 shortly before the release of her debut film, Raj Kapoor's romantic drama Bobby. While he was with Kapadia, there was a rumour doing the rounds that she was seen spending a lot of time with fellow actor Raza Murad. Now, Murad has opened up on that rumour, dismissing it completely. 'There used to be a film newspaper called Urvashi. It was written there that Raza Murad and Dimple Kapadia came to Film City in the same car. Rajesh Khanna was shooting there. When he began talking to Dimple, Raza asked her to leave with him, leading to Rajesh Khanna slapping Raza Murad,' recalled Murad. On the podcast The Filmy Charcha, Murad continued, 'Neither I ever went to Film City with Dimple, nor such a situation ever happened, and never have Dimple Kapadia, Rajesh Khanna, and Raza Murad ever been in the same spot together. We used to shoot separately with Kakaji (Khanna) and Dimple. This baseless rumour didn't have even 1% truth in it. It was a 100% lie.' Murad then recollected meeting the journalist, who wrote the article, at a film party. 'I didn't even make a mention of that to them. I just met them like the way I always did. Because when you're at someone's party, you don't have the right to ruin that. It was possible I'd have entered into an argument, or even a brawl, with them, since they made such a damaging allegation towards me. But since it was someone else's party, there shouldn't be any bitterness or misbehaviour there. So I remained completely normal,' said Murad. Murad has worked with Kapadia in films like Feroz Khan's Janbaaz (1986), David Dhawan's Aag Ka Gola (1989), Babbar Subhash's Pyaar Ke Naam Qurbaan (1990), Mahesh Bhatt's Gunaah (1993), and Ajay Kashyap's Pathreela Rasta (1994). Meanwhile, Murad and Khanna have collaborated on Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Namak Haraam (1973), Tyaag (1977), Tinku (1977), Oonche Log (1985), Adhikar (1986), Begunaah (1991), and Riyasat (2014). Khanna and Kapadia separated in 1984, but got legally divorced only in 2012. Kapadia, who had quit films after her wedding to Khanna, returned to become a formidable lead actor in the 1980s. She continues to act in films and shows till today. Khanna passed away in 2012. They have two daughters who are former actors as well — author and columnist Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. Also Read: When Rajesh Khanna attacked Vinod Khanna for 'not honouring his words' as Gurdaspur MP, called Navjot Singh Sidhu a 'comedian' Rajesh Khanna's misbehaviour towards anyone who came close to Kapadia is rather well-documented. In his 2016 memoir Khullam Khulla, Kapadia's first co-star from Bobby and late actor Rishi Kapoor confessed he never liked Rajesh Khanna. Kapoor admitted he was possessive about Kapadia since she was his first heroine. She'd stolen a ring of Kapoor, but when Rajesh Khanna saw that ring on Kapadia's finger while proposing to her, he threw it away. That really angered Kapoor and further deepened his dislike towards Rajesh Khanna.
