Latest news with #Narinder
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
We have our roots here: Sector 53 wood masters stare at broken future
Chandigarh: The outward bustle at the Furniture Market in Sector 53 has a heavy undertone. Customers walked amid the stacks of furniture as usual on Friday but the shopkeepers displaying their wares seemed preoccupied, their practised smiles looking more like a grimace. The market has been around for decades now and most of the furniture traders are second and even third generation businessmen. Their fathers and grandfathers set up base here when Chandigarh was still being developed. The location turned out to be fortuitous and the small-time labourers who came here for a fresh start received customers from all over Punjab. Those who man these shops now are solely dependent on the businesses set up by their fathers. Most are well into their 40s and 50s, with no idea what they would do if not this. Some, like Narinder Singh, are old-timers. Originally from Hisar, the sprightly and soft-spoken 66-year-old came to Chandigarh from Hisar in search of a better life. He learned carpentry and in 1993-94, decided to set up shop in the furniture market, which, according to the administration, was opened on encroached land. It's a charge he is quick to refute. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo "We did not encroach on any land. This market was already here when the land was acquired," he asserted, his hand trembling slightly as he poured himself a cup of tea from a steaming kettle. According to Narinder, those who opened shops here paid rent to the original landowners of Badheri village and were "lessees". "A lifetime has passed. If they evict us now, I don't know what we will do," he said, solemnly sipping his tea. "Its not just the shopkeepers," said Bhupinder Singh, an elderly man sitting with Narinder. The resident of Sector 118, Mohali, supplies raw material for furniture making. His clientele is mostly from the Sector 53 market. "There are 116 shops here and on an average, 10 workers to each shop. Besides there are people like me, whose businesses are allied to theirs. What will become of us?" he wondered aloud. The question drew a troubled sigh from Lovedeep Singh, 34, who owns the neighbouring shop which was opened by his grandfather in 1985. "I joined the business at 19. This is my whole life," he said. "It's not that the administration did not propose an alternative but we were told that an open auction would be held for slots at the bulk market. We don't want an open auction as it would leave the field open to bidders with more money and more resources than us. Where would that leave us?" he asked. He also pointed out that the shopkeepers here had GST numbers and paid taxes. Market association president Saneev Bhandari said that the Chandigarh administration issued a notice about acquisition of the land for development of phase 3 of sectors 53, 54 and 55. The traders moved Punjab and Haryana high court and secured a stay on demolition in 1992. In 2024, the UT decided to offer them shops on leasehold basis in the bulk market. The shops were to be auctioned. "We are willing to leave but we want the administration to keep its promise of rehabilitation and we want the entire market to be moved. No one should be left behind. We want to survive together," he said, adding that they had been repeatedly meeting politicians and the UT administrator, seeking redress. "What will we do if we are thrown out on the road? We took loans when we were assured of being rehabilitated. How will we repay the loans? At this stage, how will we survive," he said. The forlorn expression was quickly replaced by one of quiet confidence. He gestured towards a picture of Goddess Durga on the shelf and said, "Mata rani dekh rahi hain, yehi karengi. Humne kuch galat nai kiya hai." The market's troubled past --In 1985, a few furniture shops began operating informally on the land --Over the next 30 years, the area evolved into a thriving furniture market but lacked legal authorisation --The land was officially acquired by the Chandigarh administration in 2002 and original landowners were compensated --Present shopkeepers at the market maintain that they had been paying rent to the original landowners and were already there when the administration acquired the land Legal action --In September 2023, the Punjab and Haryana high court dismissed all petitions by shopkeepers, affirming UT's right to reclaim the land What shopkeepers want --Shopkeepers at the market say that they are willing to leave but want to be relocated to the new bulk market --They say that they have been earning a livelihood here for a long time, with many shops being run by second and third generation descendants of the original settlers --They maintain that they pay substantial GST and other taxes
Daily Record
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
GMB star slams 'egotistical' Queen Camilla's actions at Wimbledon in furious rant
Queen Camilla's appearance at Wimbledon on Wednesday has stirred up some controversy online as a Good Morning Britain star hit out at the royal Narinder Kaur has taken a brutal swipe at Queen Camilla following her appearance at Wimbledon. On arrival at the tennis tournament, Camilla was introduced to key staff members and also came face to face with Novak Djokovic. Shortly after this, Her Majesty headed out to Centre Court to watch some of the action on day ten of Wimbledon. Camilla, 77, waved to crowds as she took her seat in the Royal Box after receiving a standing ovation and cheers upon entry. In footage taken as she arrived, those walking behind Camilla could be seen tapping other audience members in their seats to get them to stand up Good Morning Britain star, Narinder, 52, has voiced her fury on social media over this move which she has branded as 'egotistical', the Express reports. She raged: "Am I actually seeing this right? Those women are tapping people to get up for Camilla?! What a despicably egotistical vile thing to on earth behaves like this?" Several of the broadcaster's followers agreed with her as on responded: "I wouldn't have got up. It's an absolute nonsense." Another replied: "I rarely agree with Narinder, but I must say this is weird. The minders are tapping people to stand up. "If this happened to me, I would make a fuss for touching me." A third echoed: "For once I actually agree with you." Someone else said: "I'm with you on this Narinder. I disagree 99.9% with you but this is pathetic." However, others disagreed with Narinder's strong opinion and claimed standing up was showing a sign of respect. One wrote: "People who respect our monarchy. People who are being told a monarch is walking in from a position which they cannot see. "People who want to be here for the right reasons. People who are proud of our country." Someone else argued: "This is called showing respect for the office, regardless of what one thinks of the person in that office. You demonstrate both your ignorance and your own vile values." A third hit back: "Sorry how is it vile? there's something called etiquette that we need to show whilst in the presence of Royalty." Another commented: "It's just a British tradition to respect the royal family. You seem to be looking for things to be extremely angry about." Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here an The Queen Consort attended the tournament with her sister, Annabel Elliot, after travelling from an engagement at Buckingham Palace. When she arrived, she was introduced to collections manager, Malin Lundin, who has been instrumental in bringing Wimbledon's heritage to life through displays that welcome players and guests. Camilla also met Will Brierley, the lead groundsperson who has spent two decades at the Club and oversees the Championship Courts.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Back from Italy, into the trap: ASI, sarpanch mourn son's death by drugs
Kapurthala: A Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector and his sarpanch wife took the veil off their 29-year-old newly wedded son's death in Dainwind village near here on Tuesday, revealing how their son's return home from Italy led to his death due to drug use. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ASI Narinder Singh and his wife, Sarabjit Kaur, who is sarpanch of Dainwind, lost their son, Amandeep Singh, to drugs on Saturday night. Two days after his death, they, along with their daughter-in-law, who was still wearing a 'chura' (red-coloured bangles that define a newlywed bride), returned to the deserted, dingy piece land outside the village where Amandeep was found dead. There, they found syringes, lighters, and other items. Amandeep returned from Italy in Jan for his marriage in Feb. Once he was back, he relapsed into drug use. Narinder filmed his wife touching the earth where their son lay dead and then entering a deserted plot where she found syringes and lighters. "My wife is saying that if he had not returned home, he would be alive. We could at least speak to him even if we could not meet him. Residents of the village have been coming to her, complaining that the drug problem is gripping the village and even teenagers are falling into the trap," said ASI Narinder. A video of him performing a short 'ardas' (Sikh prayer) just after spotting his son's body has already gone viral. "Somewhere in my mind, I had a hunch I would lose my son, even as we were getting him treated, as I have seen young people dying once they get into drugs. My son got into the drug trap when he was a student in Class XII, and he himself told me about it and asked for treatment. We got him treated at a de-addiction centre and then sent him to Germany, where he lived for five years before moving to Italy, where he became a permanent resident. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, once he landed back home, he fell into the trap again and told me about it. We got him admitted to a de-addiction centre at Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences from June 3 to 20. Within 15 days of walking out from there, he fell into the trap again and died. He had been saying that he would return to Italy after celebrating his birthday with us on July 13," he said. On Saturday night, Amandeep ventured out, telling his that he was going for beer with friends. "I am a teetotaller, but I thought beer was better than drugs. However, he did not return. When we called him after some time, he did not answer our phone calls. We searched for him until 2.30am and returned home. On Sunday morning, an ASI called me to inform me about finding a young man lying dead. It was my son," he said. Police found some capsules near Amandeep's body. Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said the family did not express doubt about anybody and they had registered a report under Section 174 (unnatural death) of CrPC. He said the SHO of Kotwali police station, sub-inspector Kirpal Singh, under whose jurisdiction the area fell, had been sent to police lines.
Business Wire
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sinclair Names Narinder Sahai as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sinclair today announced the appointment of Narinder Sahai as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Sahai brings more than two decades of strategic financial leadership across publicly traded and private-equity-backed companies, with deep expertise across the full breadth of finance functions, including capital markets, treasury, controllership, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, and planning and analysis. He also has strong technology expertise, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, from his Amazon Web Services (AWS) experience and undergraduate degree in electronics and electrical communication engineering. Prior to joining Sinclair, Sahai served as CFO at Arcis, a leading leisure and hospitality operator, where he led financial planning, accounting, tax, treasury and debt investor relations. Prior to Arcis, he was CFO of RumbleOn, Inc. , a publicly-traded technology-driven omnichannel powersports platform, where he built the FP&A function, launched the internal audit and SOX compliance programs, and executed successful integration of transformative acquisitions. At Amazon's AWS, Sahai served as Head of Worldwide Go-to-Market Finance for Compute and AI/Machine Learning services, providing financial leadership for specialist sales teams across global markets. Before AWS, Sahai served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Investor Relations at Target Hospitality Corp., where he managed all investor relations and capital markets activities for the company's equity public market debut and executed comprehensive debt financing transactions. Prior to Target Hospitality, he spent nearly a decade at FMC Technologies, Inc. and TechnipFMC plc , a publicly-traded diversified oilfield services company, in progressive finance leadership roles in investor relations, financial planning and analysis, operations finance and controllership, and regional and corporate treasury. Earlier in his career, Sahai spent several years at Delphi Corporation where he was part of the Finance Leadership Development Program and held various roles in product and portfolio planning, M&A, restructuring, and financial risk management. 'Narinder's proven track record as CFO of both publicly traded and private-equity-backed companies, combined with his operational discipline and strategic financial leadership, makes him exceptionally well-suited to guide Sinclair through its next phase of growth,' said Chris Ripley, President and CEO of Sinclair. 'He brings a unique perspective having worked in multiple industries—including cloud and AI-focused companies. Narinder is a proven C-suite leader with a strong history of executing value-creating strategies, optimizing capital structures, and driving margin improvement. We're looking forward to him building on our culture of success, industry leadership, and best-in-class finance team, especially as we advance commercialization strategies around ATSC 3.0 and continue to deliver long-term value for our stakeholders.' Sahai holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering, graduating as valedictorian from Thapar University in India, and a Master of Business Administration with High Distinction from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Sahai is also a CFA® Charterholder. "I am honored to join Sinclair during such an exciting period of transformation and growth,' said Narinder Sahai. 'Having worked across diverse industries—from automotive and energy to consumer and technology—I have a deep appreciation for companies that are successfully transforming themselves while maintaining strong operational discipline. Sinclair's unique position at the intersection of local media, sports, and emerging technology creates tremendous opportunities. From the company's leadership position in local broadcasting, combined with its pioneering work in ATSC 3.0 technology, the strength of Tennis Channel, and innovative ventures portfolio, I see significant potential to drive value creation for all stakeholders. I look forward to working with Chris, the Board, and the entire team to execute on Sinclair's strategic vision while maintaining the strong financial discipline that has positioned the company for success.' With this appointment, Lucy Rutishauser will step down as Chief Financial Officer and continue as Executive Vice President to support the transition. She will remain in that capacity until her planned retirement later this year, at which time she will assume the role of Senior Advisor. About Sinclair:
Indian Express
29-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
From Dubai's highways to Punjab's orchards: ‘Farming not just a livelihood, it's a fulfilling life'
After spending 14 years as a heavy truck driver in Dubai, Narinder Singh, 51, returned to his roots in Punjab in 2010 — not due to financial hardship, but because his aging parents and family wanted him back home. In 2011, he began farming on his family's six-acre ancestral land in his native village Jharh Sahib of Punjab's Ludhiana district. He later expanded operations to eight acres by leasing two more. What began as a traditional farming and dairy venture has now evolved into a diversified agricultural model integrating fruit orchards, agroforestry, intercropping, drip irrigation, polyhouse cultivation, and zero stubble burning. He didn't stop here but also set up his own bio-fertiliser manufacturing unit, which has the potential to generate cooking gas. Narinder, who has studied up to Class 12, takes pride in not relying on a tractor for cultivation on almost his entire six-acre base. His self-sufficient fertiliser unit means he remains unaffected by the common shortage of urea and DAP that trouble most farmers in the state. 'Along with tradtional farming, I started dairy farming in 2011. At one point, we had 35 to 40 cattle head, including buffaloes,' Narinder recalls. 'Now I keep only six–seven of them, as my focus has shifted more towards farming and horticulture.' His current setup includes 1.5 acres of guava orchards with Hisar Safeda and Taiwan Pink varieties, and 0.5 acres of Anna variety apples, which he is growing on a trial basis. On these two acres, he practises intercropping by growing turmeric and ginger between the rows of fruit trees. 'My guava and apple orchards are planted on raised beds — 21 or 22 of them — with a spacing of 12×12 ft between rows. For guava, we maintain 6×6 ft spacing between plants, while for apples it's 12×12 ft,' he explains. 'We prune the trees twice a year to maintain a height of four–five feet, which improves fruiting and makes intercropping easier.' 'We harvest guava twice a year — once from mid-July to August and again in November–December, when prices are higher,' he says. 'After the first year, which requires the highest investment of around Rs 70,000 to 80,000 per acre due to the cost of plants and labour, the recurring costs are low. Guava trees yield around 10 kg per plant in the first year and up to 20–25 kg in subsequent years. With around 600 plants per acre, the returns multiply quickly.' 'I have planted around 900 guava plants in 1.5 acres, and each plant yields about 20 to 25 kg of fruit. I could get more, but that would compromise the quality. Even at the minimum wholesale rate of ₹25–30 per kg — and going up to ₹50–60 per kg — a single tree earns about ₹500 on average with minimum average price while maximum could go up to Rs 800 to 900. From 900 trees, one can easily earn around ₹4.5 lakh per season. Since the orchard bears fruit twice a year, I earn approximately ₹6 lakh per acre annually from guava, after covering all expenses. Intercropping turmeric adds another ₹50,000 to my income from the same land. I also intercrop ginger, but currently use it as seed to expand its area,' says Singh, adding that guava trees would require replacement after around 25 years. He has dedicated three acres to poplar plantations, intercropped with maize and wheat during the first two years. 'In one acre, around 370 poplar trees are planted. By the fourth year, each tree weighs between 2.25 and 2.5 quintals. At the current market rate of ₹1,200 per quintal, each tree sells for ₹2,300–3,000. So, 370 trees can fetch between ₹8.5 and 11 lakh, which translates to an annual income of ₹2 to 2.75 lakh per acre over four years. Intercropping maize (June–October) and wheat (November to April) in the first two years adds another ₹35,000 to ₹40,000 per acre after covering input costs.' He has also allocated 0.5 acre for fodder cultivation for his cattle. A single one-kanal polyhouse (1/8th of an acre) gives him an annual net return of ₹50,000–60,000 from summer and winter vegetables — three crops a year. 'This is more than what one earns from wheat and paddy on a full acre,' he added. His 5.6 acres of orchards, agroforestry, and the polyhouse are equipped with drip irrigation and sprinklers, significantly saving water. 'I have never used a tractor on this land — everything is done manually,' he says, adding that he had even grown banana orchard in Punjab successfully. On the remaining two acres, he practises crop rotation: Basmati rice (June–October), potatoes (October–February), and spring maize (February–June). One of Narinder's proudest innovations is his 30×10 ft bio-fertiliser unit — an aerobic system that produces liquid manure and even has the potential to generate cooking gas. 'I collect cow dung, cattle urine, green manure like moringa and pruned guava leaves, weeds of field, leftover buttermilk (lassi), and jaggery. This is stored in a 5,000-litre bag. The first fermentation cycle takes two months, after which we get 100 litres of bio-fertiliser every second day.' This liquid can be applied via drip irrigation or foliar spray, depending on crop age. 'It's like IV fluid for crops,' he says, comparing its effect to intravenous therapy in humans. The cost of the unit? Just ₹30,000 initially, with a lifespan of 7 to 10 years. Narinder learned to build and operate it through YouTube and company guidance. 'Now I hardly use any urea or DAP,' he adds. For his sustainable farming practices, Narinder has received multiple recognitions, including the District-Level Award on Republic Day — twice — for managing crop residue without burning, instead incorporating it into the soil or using it to make bio-fertiliser at his unit. He was also honoured with the Rattan-E-Baghbani Award by the Punjab government in 2021. 'When I left Dubai, I never imagined I'd find such purpose in the soil of my village,' he says with quiet pride. 'But today, I'm convinced that farming — if done right — is not just a livelihood, it's a fulfilling life.'
