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The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
From Coins to QR Codes: How UPI Changed Everyday Transactions
Published : Jul 17, 2025 08:13 IST - 10 MINS READ I can't remember when exactly I started using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), but it has been a while. I think it was pre-COVID—I had to make a payment to a friend and he suggested I download GPay. I was hesitant and wary at first, as we tend to be with new things, especially when it involves one's bank account, not that there is very much in it, but still. When I sent my first email in 1998, little did I know that it would mark the end of writing letters. Often the dramatic turning points in our lives are not marked in red. We might remember birthdays and death anniversaries, but technological changes have a way of slipping into our lives quietly, like a neighbourhood cat that one day likes you enough to adopt you. From here on, your life will never be the same, except that you don't know it yet. I must have posted one last letter to someone but it's not something recorded in my memory. I wrote a letter, then email entered my life, and I moved forward. Similarly, one innocuous afternoon a skinny lad came and affixed a cable to my parents' Bush Baron black & white TV. I stopped watching Doordarshan and switched to watching The Wonder Years and MTV. I think it was 1994. I never went back to DD. Another instance I can think of is dictionaries. For quick reference we started using online dictionaries, especially while writing; I can't recall the last time I checked a word in the Concise Oxford. I mention this because once in March and twice in April, the National Payments Corporation of India, the body that is responsible for the smooth functioning of UPI, experienced 'intermittent technical issues'. It was a bit like the 'Sorry for the Interruption' sign on DD, except that that sign was a frequent fixture on our screen in the 1980s—we were used to it; the UPI is so reliable that we transitioned seamlessly and take it for granted. Money has ceased to be a tactile thing. Also Read | Digital India must not deny the unlettered access to their own money Everywhere I went—to the supermarket, the kirana store, the cigarette shop—people were desperately trying to make payments but were unable to. The new bar of soap was abandoned, left to fend for itself on the shop counter. That's how dependent we've become on UPI. The UPI being down was a national issue; it trended on X and broadsheets ran editorials. The wallet-keys-watch holy trinity—something we always double checked when leaving home—has long ceased to be holy. Most of us have stopped using cash; carrying a debit card is a hassle, for the debit card needs a wallet, and the wallet's place in one's pocket has been usurped by the phone. ****** UPI is the world's most popular alternative payment method, way ahead of others like Skrill (100+countries), Brazil's Pix and China's Alipay. One of the reasons why UPI became so popular in India is because cash transactions were never easy-peasy. One started the day with a challenge: how will I break a note. If the note was of a high denomination, one was forced to buy things one didn't really need, just to make the process of breaking a note more attractive for the shopkeeper. Change was hoarded like gold. There was another problem: if you were not careful, your fellow Indian would try and palm off a tattered note. Like if the streetlight was not working at the spot where the auto guy dropped you off at night, he might slip in a torn note, or one that was taped together. You couldn't afford to let your guard down because everybody was looking to get rid of their dodgy notes. The law says that all notes, no matter what the condition, are legal tender. That's not the way it worked on the ground. Funny, how a poor country can be so concerned about the aesthetics of currency—how a note looks decides its fate, a bit like how brides are chosen in arranged marriages. One also had to be alert about counting the notes—the payee would give you less money than was actually due. If you caught him out, he'd pass it off as a mistake. My first time in England, I made the mistake of counting the money that the cabbie had returned to me. I did this in front of him, which, I was later told, was a very rude thing to do. He was offended. There, the levels of trust are so high that counting is taken as an insult—are you trying to say that I'd cheat you? Where do you come from? A tradition that was passed down from generation to generation was to hold the note up to light to check for the watermark. We did it out of reflexive habit and no one took offence. Fake currency was a thing, and doing this just showed that you were a thoroughbred Indian insider. It got you streetcred. The act/ process of obtaining the cash was tedious in itself. One had to fill out a withdrawal form or a self-cheque, stand in a queue, before being granted an audience with the cashier, a dreaded, grumpy, frog-like figure with zero princely potential. He would squint at you from behind the counter and nine times out of ten declare that the signature did not match. He would make you do another signature, then scrutinise it like a watchmaker. I always got the sense that the cashier behaved like he owned all the money in the bank; he was not giving you what was rightfully yours, but doing you a favour. In recent times, the cashier's high point came during demonetisation, except that by now he worked in an air-conditioned private bank and had access to a note-counting machine. The skill of licking your finger before counting notes had been made redundant. 'Nowadays, cash is used by two categories of people: the really poor who have no access to a basic smartphone and a bank account, and the really wealthy who still hide their black money in basements and false ceilings. ' Cash came with another problem—of storing it in the house, and how to carry it safely while travelling. A stock of emergency cash would generally be hidden under a pile of clothes in the Godrej almirah. It was an open secret known to burglars. When travelling long-distance, my father would wear a vest with an inside pocket where the notes were concealed, a kind of secret portable locker, fused into one's body. Nowadays, cash is used by two categories of people: the really poor who have no access to a basic smartphone and a bank account, and the really wealthy who still hide their black money in basements and false ceilings. Cash enjoys an under-the-table existence in most property deals, which are conducted partly in white and partly in black. In bars and clubs, you can still find rich brats pulling crisp bills from wads of cash. Daddy must be a real estate dealer. Which brings us to the handmaiden of currency notes: coins. The memories of coinage are like the rings on a spliced tree trunk: you can tell a person's age from the coins she remembers. Coins are made of metal and alloys, each with its own fascinating history. The 10 paisa coin, for instance, went through a gamut of materials—cupronickel (1957-67), nickel-brass (1968-1971), aluminium (1971-1993) and stainless steel (1988-1998). The metal factor spawned its own artificial man-made scarcity. If the value of metal was more than the coin's denomination, those coins would illegally vanish from the market. They were melted down and sold as what they were originally: base metal. The beautiful thing about coins is that people collect coins and they have value. The current value of a discontinued coin is at times more than its original denomination, depending on age and rarity (those from before 1980 are more valuable); mint mark (coins from the Bombay and Calcutta mints are more sought after); and condition (whether worn or uncirculated). Commemorative coins with special designs, issued to mark specific events, can be worth a lot more. Or take the 25 paisa coin of 1984. The coin was minted in Bombay, Calcutta and Hyderabad, but in this case the Hyderabad one is the most valuable, going at a rate of Rs. 1,000-5,000, while the Bombay and Calcutta ones are valued at Rs.50 and Rs.100. A range of numismatic apps, from Coinbazzar to even Flipkart, cater to the coin collector. I still find old coins in my house, in unopened drawers, unspent leftovers from childhood piggybanks made of clay—the great Indian gullak. Coins also enjoyed a parallel life. Passengers on a train would fling coins into rivers for good luck. Most coins didn't make the journey to the riverbed, landing on the railway overbridge itself. Children from nearby shanties would collect the coins and put them back into circulation. ****** When MTV launched in 1981, the first ever music video they played was The Buggles' 'Video Killed the Radio Star'. The coming of the ATM killed the cashier, punctured his pomposity. No longer was he a star sitting on a high horse in a stifling cubicle, with a slow-whir fan for company. The first ATM I used was when I arrived as a student at Oxford, in 1998. I was petrified of the machine, took too long to press the right buttons, and, sure enough, the machine swallowed up my card. It was night and the bank was shut. I pictured it going down a mysterious chute, before vanishing into an underground molten black hole. When I went back the next morning the recovery process turned out to be quite simple. An employee opened a lock from inside the bank, put his hand in and fished it out. He demystified the ATM. The ATM made life easier, both for us and the thieves. The bank robber didn't now require the skill or gumption to break into a bank safe after dinner or do a daring hold-up after breakfast. He just had to detach the ATM machine, bung it in a getaway vehicle and drive away into the sunset. Which is why, at least in India, ATMs come with security guards. For the guard, the ATM kiosk is his office and bedroom. The more ambitious use it as a library to work in, a cramped study room of sorts, where you can read, make notes, and prepare for competitive exams. Also Read | What broke Paytm? To be fair, UPI has not killed cash, coins, cashiers or the ATM. The RBI continues to issue coins in the denominations of 50 paise, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 rupees. But, at least for the urban middle class, actual currency has become a bit like linear TV—it's not dead, yet, but on its way out. Most have switched to smart televisions. While UPI has not killed cash off completely, it has killed the toffee economy. Back in the day, the shopkeeper would return some amount of the balance due to the customer in toffees. The reason given was the lack of requisite change. A small bakery near my house expanded into a full-blown eating joint by following the five-toffee principle. This unwritten rule states that in every transaction return a minimum of five rupees (sometimes even 10) in toffees. This led to many arguments with tempers soaring, before the hapless customer surrendered in resignation. The second rule was that toffee was a one-way currency—the shopkeeper was allowed to use it as such but not the customer. You couldn't come back the next day, buy a loaf of bread and pay part of the amount in toffee. I must say that I sort of miss those orange Parle toffees that could fill several jars, even though I was somewhat pleased to hear that the bakery recently burned down due to a short circuit. It will take many, many toffees to rebuild it. Meanwhile, start searching for that lost 5 paisa coin in your house. It might just make you a millionaire. The writer is the author of The Butterfly Generation: A Personal Journey into the Passions and Follies of India's Technicolour Youth, and the editor of House Spirit: Drinking in India.
Express Tribune
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Rick Hurst, Dukes of Hazzard actor, dies at 79
Actor Rick Hurst, known for his role as Deputy Cletus Hogg on the television series The Dukes of Hazzard, has died at the age of 79. His family confirmed that he passed away on June 26 in Los Angeles. The cause of death has not been made public. Born on January 1, 1946, in Houston, Texas, Hurst studied at Tulane University and Temple University before pursuing a career in acting. He appeared in various television shows from the 1970s onward, including Happy Days, MASH*, Gunsmoke, and The Wonder Years. His film credits include Steel Magnolias, The Karate Kid Part III, and In the Line of Fire. Hurst played Deputy Cletus Hogg in over 50 episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979 to 1983. He later reprised the role in two reunion television films released in 1997 and 2000. In recent years, he remained involved in fan events related to the series. At the time of his death, Hurst had been scheduled to attend a fan gathering at Cooter's Place, a venue dedicated to the Dukes of Hazzard franchise. Fellow cast members and former colleagues acknowledged his passing through public statements. He is survived by two sons, including actor Ryan Hurst, who is known for his roles in Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. Memorial details have not yet been announced.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Swinging Laurel Canyon Abode Has Hosted Everyone From Mick Jagger to a 1980s Bond Girl
Situated between Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, Laurel Canyon has a long artistic legacy in L.A.'s entertainment industry lore. Early 20th-century hunting cabins gave way to bohemian cottages and secluded bungalows that, over the decades, attracted a who's who of the film and music industries, including Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, and Cass Elliot of the Mamas and the Papas. This 1956 midcentury residence, now available for the first time in 25 years, shows signs of that lineage, playing host to some of pop culture's biggest names, from Mick Jagger and Marilyn Manson to Gwen Stefani and Heath Ledger. It was previously owned by the actor and singer Olivia d'Abo, best known for her role on the sitcom The Wonder Years, and her cousin Maryam d'Abo, a former Bond girl (1987's The Living Daylights), also spent time there. Continuing the theme, the current owner, Nico Golfar, runs an event company that has worked with numerous celebs. The three-bedroom, two-bath abode is listed for $1.6 million with Mason Canter at Keller Williams Realty Los Feliz. More from Robb Report Maestro Dobel Just Dropped a New Collection of High-End Extra Añejo Tequilas French Artist Claire Tabouret's Hand-Painted Home in L.A. Lists for $3 Million A Perfectly Preserved 1960 Richard Neutra Masterpiece in L.A. Hits the Market for $8 Million The Mulholland Drive home could use a little love from whoever snaps it up, but its creative flourishes and original details, such as the irregular flagstone floors, make it by far a more interesting option than your typical fixer-upper. A swooping, freestanding fireplace with a circular opening anchors the open-concept main and provides a template for the curving walls and circular cutouts in the ceiling. To one side of the fireplace is a slightly sunken living room, while the other side is home to a pop art-red built-in dining banquette and a pass-through kitchen. The primary suite includes a funky bathroom with a rainfall shower above a double-size soaking tub, along with a wood-paneled W.C. Currently configured with two bedrooms, the third bedroom has been converted into an office with direct access to the backyard. There, you'll find a large pool, accompanied by a small patio with just enough room for an al fresco dining spot and a fire pit. This part of Laurel Canyon is famously appealing to Hollywood heavy hitters, in part due to its easy access to Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the Burbank studios. Among the immediate area's past and present residents are Quentin Tarantino, Justin Bateman, Will Ferrell, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Ball, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Last year, the musician Rufus Wainwright listed his property for $2.2 million (it didn't sell), and Rob Zombie just spun his secluded side-by-side homes in the canyon on the market for $9 of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
She was the 90s babe who dated two real-life brothers in different teen sitcoms... can you guess who she is?
This 90s babe made headlines and history by romantically linking with two real-life brothers while starring in several beloved sitcoms. Think you know who it is? Born in California and raised on a ranch in Arizona, this actress got her start as a barrel racer before returning to the Golden State, where her path to fame began after being crowned Miss California American Pre-Teen in 1987. Before breaking into Hollywood, she made an early TV appearance during Young People's Week on CBS's Card Sharks in 1986 - walking away with $3,200 in winnings. At just 14 years old, she made her first major on-screen appearance as a guest star on the '90s sitcom Step By Step - often dubbed a modern-day Brady Bunch - marking the start of her ascent in the entertainment world. She began to gain recognition through appearances in a variety of television specials and celebrated '90s series, including Blossom, Living Dolls and the coming-of-age classic The Wonder Years. However, it wasn't until her sun-kissed blonde hair, approachable smile and all-American charm landed her a series regular role on the beloved '90s sitcom - set in an upscale West Coast beach town - that she truly became a household name. This actress portrayed an understanding, bubbly bass player whose playful immaturity was balanced by her steady role as the anchor of her high school friend group. Through her appearances, the blonde bombshell ultimately set a one-of-a-kind TV record - becoming the only actress to play a love interest to two real-life brothers on two separate sitcoms. With a career now spanning 35 years, this actress has amassed more than 20 appearances across a wide range of films and television series. Have you been able to guess who it is yet? It's Kelly Packard! The now 49-year-old actress perfectly embodied the laid-back, sun-soaked spirit of Tiffani Smith - the cool, beachy, bass-playing teen at the core of the hit 90s series, California Dreams. Running for five seasons, Packard was a key force behind both the beachy West Coast charm - and the band - that defined the heart of the show. Her easygoing warmth and natural magnetic energy allowed her to deeply connect with the other characters, often serving as the group's peacemaker and steady voice of reason whenever drama stirred among friends. Like most teenagers, Tiffani faced her share of typical struggles - but she approached them with sincerity and optimism, offering viewers a relatable and grounded portrayal of teen life. Reflecting on her time on the show during a 2024 episode of the Pop Culture Unplugged podcast, Packard credited California Dreams' success to its blend of friendship, music and the chill California beach vibe. She described it as a natural successor to the popularity of Saved by the Bell, capturing a similar spirit. The show changed her life virtually overnight, opening doors in both acting and music - including more mature roles on the big screen. In no time, Packard landed a brief but notable stint on Boy Meets World, portraying two characters across just three episodes, and in doing so, made a bit of TV history. 'I just know how excited I was because I loved the show,' Packard said about booking Boy Meets World during a 2024 podcast episode of The Pod Meets World alongside costars. 'And then I obviously left an impression because they just kept asking me back,' she added. During her brief time on the series, she played two separate characters - Tracy and Candy - appearing as a love interest to both Eric Matthews (played by Will Friedle) and Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage). When she played Susan Fisher on The Wonder Years as a love interest for Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage), she unknowingly set the stage for a mind-blowing TV milestone - later going on to date Fred's real-life brother, Ben Savage, on Boy Meets World. When Packard played Susan Fisher on The Wonder Years as a love interest for Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage), she unknowingly set the stage for a mind-blowing TV milestone - later going on to date Fred's real-life brother, Ben Savage, on Boy Meets World 'It's those Savage boys that just kept me working. I owe them everything,' Packard said during on The Pod Meets World podcast episode. In a more mature role, Packard went on to appear in a total of 50 episodes of Baywatch between 1991 and 1999, cementing her place as a familiar face on one of the most-watched television shows of the decade. She starred alongside castmates Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra and David Hasselhoff. What set this show apart was that she played four different roles - Joannie, a beach girl, Beth Campfield and April Giminski - making her only the second actress in series' history to portray multiple characters. 'Being on the number one show in the world, it took me to a whole different level in terms of my spiritual being,' Packard said during a previous in-depth interview about her journey on Baywatch. 'Just knowing that I could touch people out there… I have tried to do that every day in my life since then,' she added. She later became a sought-after TV host, with one of her most notable roles on Ripley's Believe It or Not. Traveling the globe, she reported on astonishing facts accomplished by extraordinary individuals for the show, captivating audiences with each unbelievable story she secured in the process. In 2014, Packard and her family appeared in an episode of Wife Swap, in which she switched places with actress Tichina Arnold. Today, Packard is actively engaged in both entertainment and family life, connecting with fans young and old through public events and social media - including several California Dreams reunions alongside fellow cast members. She and co-star Jenny Kawn initiated the idea for these reunions, leading to sold-out performances in major cities like Los Angeles and New York, Packard shared on the Pop Culture Unplugged podcast. During the podcast episode, Packard shared her desire to return to acting - feeling as though she has much more to offer the industry - and expressed openness to future auditions. In 1996, she married Darrin Privett, an emergency medicine physician. Together, they have four children together - three daughters and one son - and reside in Newhall, California. Daily Mail reached out to Packard for further comment.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
6 Apple TV+ shows that are so good, I wish I could enjoy them for the first time all over again
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. There's a particular kind of magic that only comes with a first watch of a TV series — the sort of thing that makes you gasp at a twist you didn't see coming, get emotionally invested in a story and its characters, and whisks you away someplace else thanks to the visual magic of the medium. I've actually thought about this a lot while watching Apple TV+. It's no secret that Apple doesn't release as much content as most of the other streamers, but whenever Apple does get it right the result is often unforgettable. On that score, I've rounded up six Apple TV+ series below that are honestly so good, I wish I could erase them from memory just so I could experience them again for the first time. They range from heartwarming comedy to spy adventures and prestige drama that's as good as anything Hollywood has done in years. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 Bright, joyful, and full of heart, Acapulco has loads of How I Met Your Mother/The Wonder Years energy, thanks to narration by an older version of the show's main character — Maximo Gallardo, who as a young man in 1984 lands his dream job at the Las Colinas beach resort in Acapulco. The coming-of-age story unfolds with such a deft balance of charm and depth that by the end of each episode, you're either grinning or teary-eyed — and many times, both. The pastel-colored aesthetic and overall wholesome introduction to Mexico's culture certainly made me want to dig out my passport for that first visit to Mexico I keep planning. It somehow feels like underselling this next Apple TV+ standout by describing it as a mere TV show. Drops of God is a feast for the senses disguised as a family drama — sort of like a wine industry version of Succession. At the center of it all is a globe-spanning narrative stemming from the death of a wine expert who sets up a series of tests in order to determine who will inherit his estate: Will it be his estranged daughter, or his prized pupil? The series is tense, beautiful, and quietly devastating. And befitting its subject, the cinematography here is as intoxicating as an aged Bourdeaux. This dreamy adaptation of Min Jin Lee's award-winning novel is, without question, one of the most extraordinary things I've ever seen on television. It begins in Japanese-occupied Korea and follows Sunja, a young woman whose decisions echo across generations, as her family migrates to Japan and struggles to carve out a life amid war, discrimination, and dislocation. The title refers to the Japanese gambling game — one the family eventually turns into a livelihood — but it's also a haunting metaphor for the randomness of life, the slim odds of success, and the quiet resilience of those determined to endure. Here again, this is an Apple TV+ show that's on par with cinema. The visuals, the acting, and the storytelling in Pachinko are each breathtaking in their own right. Watching the show, dare I say, might even change you, not unlike the way traveling outside one's home country for the first time makes a profound impression on you. This next one broke the internet just a few months ago, with its jaw-dropping and supremely addictive second season. The premise behind Severance sounds simple: What if you could split your work and personal memories into two separate lives? The execution ended up being a masterclass in slow-burn tension, eerie world-building, and existential dread. Severance is actually so good, it's now the most-watched Apple TV+ series of all time, according to the streamer, and I envy anyone discovering this puzzle box for the very first time. It's rare for a spy thriller to be both razor-sharp and grimy, but Slow Horses pulls off that quirky balancing act thanks in large part to Gary Oldman's glorious mess of a lead performance. The show also pulls off a neat trick — it turns the espionage genre on its head by focusing on a team of MI5 outcasts rather than more competent secret agents with movie star good looks. The resulting story somehow makes these characters' loser status feel both hilarious and heroic. This is basically espionage with a hangover. It's messy and unpredictable. In a genre obsessed with perfection, Slow Horses makes failure look like a superpower. From its opening moments, Tehran grabs you and doesn't let go. This tightly-wound espionage thriller follows Tamar, a Mossad hacker sent undercover in Iran's capital, where one wrong move could mean the end — not just for her mission, but for her life. What makes the show stand out isn't just the cat-and-mouse plotting, but the emotional depth running beneath every decision Tamar makes. It's a story about identity, loyalty, and the psychological cost of living a lie. The upcoming third season has me especially excited — not just because Tehran raised its game significantly in Season 2, but also thanks to the arrival of Hugh Laurie, who joins the cast as a nuclear plant supervisor. When spy thrillers are done right, avoiding tired tropes and leaning into sharp writing and believable tradecraft, they're among my favorite kinds of shows to stream. And Tehran delivers so strongly, fans of The Bureau and The Americans will feel right at home here. With a lead actress who commands every scene and a constant undercurrent of tension, double-crosses, and moral ambiguity, Tehran stays a step ahead at every turn. Don't Miss: Today's deals: Nintendo Switch games, $5 smart plugs, $150 Vizio soundbar, $100 Beats Pill speaker, more More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
