New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday welcomed the implementation of Ayushman Bharat and other central welfare schemes in West Bengal, days after the Bharatiya Janata Party formed the government in West Bengal for the first time.In Tuesday’s X post, Prime Minister Modi “The welfare of my brothers and sisters in West Bengal is of paramount importance,” he said.“I am extremely happy that the people of the state will have access to Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest healthcare service, which ensures access to quality and affordable healthcare. At the same time, the dual-engine government will ensure seamless implementation of important central projects,” he added.The new West Bengal government held its first cabinet meeting on Monday where CM Suvendu Adhikari announced the launch of central schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima and PM Vishwakarma.ALSO READ | What’s on the Suvendu Adhikari government’s agenda today: Ayushman Bharat, border fencing and bureaucracy reformsAdhikari said the implementation of these schemes will not disrupt existing state welfare schemes, including Lakshmir Bhandar and Swasthya Sathi.Ahead of the assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at a rally in Bengal that the state’s BJP cabinet would approve the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Act in its first meeting. The scheme provides health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh per annum to eligible families.It is unclear how the state government plans to run central and state welfare schemes in sectors where beneficiaries may overlap (especially Ayushman Bharat and Swasthya Sathi).“To avail the benefits of Ayushman Bharat, certain conditions have to be fulfilled. Those who are not eligible for Ayushman Bharat may continue to receive benefits of Swasthya Sathi. Those who are eligible will get Ayushman Bharat benefits,” a source said.Adhikari was sworn in as the ninth chief minister of West Bengal on Saturday, becoming the first Bharatiya Janata Party leader to chair the state government after ending 15 years of rule by the All-India Trinamool Congress party.
Sooryavanshi “Slight duty on the battlefield”? Former India batsman marks RR
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has emerged as one of the brightest young stars in IPL 2026, having scored an impressive 440 runs in just 11 innings at the age of 15. While his fearless batting has attracted attention throughout the tournament, the former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar I believe there are growing concerns about how teams will utilize the youngster.Suryavanshi was mainly used as an impact player, playing mainly as a batsman and rarely playing. Manjrekar feels this could hinder the youngster’s overall development as a cricketer and stressed that fielding is an equally important part of the game.“I feel more and more that the impact player rule should be reconsidered for this reason as well. Is this all we want to see from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? Is it just one aspect of his game? A cricketer is someone who bats well and plays well on the field,” Manjrekar said on the Sportstar Insight Edge podcast.
He explained that earlier generations of players were judged on all aspects of the game, not just hitting ability. “We respect the batting ability of players like Inzamam-ul-Haq, but we also see their fielding and other aspects of the game. It helps people evaluate players properly. Now, someone can come in, face a few balls, show their batting ability and then disappear without showing another side of cricket,” he added.Manjrekar further believes that young players should also experience pressure on the field, including dealing with mistakes and learning from them.“We don’t expect to see all 3 dimensions of a player. But the more I think about it the more it all makes sense and you are right, Sooryavanshi, you want to see him out on the field and see what happens and be under pressure. If he is a good batsman but has slight responsibility on the field, I would like to see that exploited. This is what we experience as outfielders too, it will be a hit and a chilling feeling when we take the ball due to the tension that comes with it. You don’t want getting to one of the highest levels of the sport to be that easy,” he added.The former India batsman also pointed out that international cricket requires well-rounded cricketers and not specialists who contribute only in one discipline. According to him, the Royals may have inadvertently limited Sooryavanshi’s growth by using him only as an impact player.“Of course (letting him play as an impact player will stunt his growth as a fielder). That’s a problem that’s going to be there. India won the T20 World Cup despite the impact player rule, and guys like Shivam Dube did well in the T20 World Cup despite not bowling at all. So things are happening. But I believe a cricketer, not someone, will come in and bowl, bowl, bowl and then take a break and enjoy life. I just want to test each player more, not just if he is a good bowler and if he bowls four balls, I also want to see him on the field,” Manjrekar concluded.
What charges does Wang Ailin face? Kash Patel speaks after Acadia mayor accused of being Chinese foreign agent
A Southern California mayor has agreed to plead guilty to serving as an illegal agent of the Chinese government, CNN reported. Mayor Wang Ailin ArcadiaOfficials said on Monday, May 11, that he had resigned from the city government.
What charges does Wang Ailin face?
Wang was charged in April with one count of acting as an unlawful agent of a foreign government in the United States. She allegedly followed instructions from Chinese officials, such as sharing articles favorable to Beijing, without notifying the U.S. government in advance as required by law.
Wang, 58, was elected to the five-member city council in November 2022.
Learn more | Who is Wang Ailin? Five things you need to know about former Arcadia mayor’s admission that he was a ‘Chinese agent’
director of the fbi Kashi Patel The latest news, shared on X, said the FBI and its partners will continue working to “eradicate this influence from U.S. institutions.”
“Arcadia Mayor Irene Wang is here california Charged with acting as an unlawful agent of the People’s Republic of China in the United States,” Patel wrote. “Mayor Wang admitted to serving as a foreign agent from at least 2020 to 2022 – promoting the People’s Republic of China in the United States and acting at the direction of the People’s Republic of China to further their interests. She has agreed to resign and plead guilty. “
He added, “The @FBI and our federal partners continue to act aggressively to root out this impact on American institutions across the country.”
City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a news release that no city finance or staff members were involved. “We want to be clear: This investigation involves the conduct of an individual, and these charges are for conduct that ceased after Ms. Wang was sworn in in December 2022,” he said, according to CNN.
Learn more | California mayor admits to being Chinese agent; quits job
Wang has agreed to plead guilty, according to federal officials. The maximum penalty is 10 years in federal prison.
Wang’s attorneys, Jason Liang and Brian Sun, said in a statement that their client recognized the seriousness of the charges and accepted responsibility for “his past personal mistakes.”
“She apologizes for the mistakes she made in her personal life,” the attorneys said. “Her love and devotion to the Acadian community has not changed and has not wavered.”
FIR filed against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi for derogatory remarks against PM Modi
sajwadi party MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi spoke out over derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Kotwali Nagar police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district on Tuesday.The case was filed on a complaint lodged against BJP leader Satyendra Pratap Gupta after he made controversial remarks during the Mahoba protests, news agency PTI reported.Lodhi participated in demonstrations led by Samajwadi Party leaders to submit a memorandum to the governor on issues such as power cuts, installation of smart meters and rising inflation.
Speech video sparks political controversy
A purported video of the incident that surfaced on social media shows Lodhi using objectionable language against the Prime Minister while responding to a question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to people to reduce fuel consumption and limit purchases of gold and other imported goods.The Hamirpur-Mahoba MP used expletives against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called him a “desh-virodhi (anti-national)” prime minister, PTI reported. He also questioned the prime minister’s foreign visits and said the country had never seen such a leader before.Interacting with reporters after submitting the memorandum, Lodhi warned that the government would have to “face the consequences” if the protesters’ demands were not met.
BJP leader condemns remarks
The remarks triggered a strong reaction from BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who called them an “insult” to democratic values.Adityanath posted onHe added that Lodi’s actions reflected “a bad political culture, ideological bankruptcy and disrespect for the dignity of public life”.The chief minister further said that these remarks were an insult to the trust and trust of 1.45 billion Indians and the democratic dignity of the country.
BJP seeks action Akhilesh Yadav
Union Minister and Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhry also criticized the Samajwadi Party MP and demanded action against him.“The kind of dirty and indecent language used by Akendra Singh Lodhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be strongly condemned and proves that Samajwadi Party is a party of goons and people who use abusive language,” Chaudhry said, according to Press Trust of India.He urged Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to expel Lodhi from the party, saying the leadership’s silence would be seen as acquiescence to his remarks.Several BJP leaders, including spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla and MLA Shalabh Mani Tripathi, also shared the video online and accused the Samajwadi Party of encouraging misuse of political language.In the same interaction with reporters, Lodhi also said that the Samajwadi Party will oppose the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and claimed that other India Bloc parties will push for elections through votes.
A hunt for rare birds, a visit to a landfill, a deadly outbreak: how Leo Hilperod became hantavirus patient zero
Dutch ornithologist Leo Schilperoord, whose lifelong pursuit of rarity and beauty ended due to the global health emergency, has been identified as patient zero of a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, according to Argentinian authorities.Authorities believe the 70-year-old and his wife Mirjam Schilperoord, 69, contracted the virus in late March when they went birdwatching at a landfill outside Ushuaia.
The couple from Hollewijk spent five months traveling across South America. They first arrived in Argentina on November 27, then passed through Chile and Uruguay before returning to Argentina for another birding trip.The Schilperoords are long-time bird enthusiasts and co-authored a 1984 study on pink-footed geese in the Dutch ornithological magazine Het Vogeljaar. They also traveled to Sri Lanka in 2013 on a private birding and wildlife tour and spotted the rare Serendi Scops Owl.On March 27, the couple visited a landfill outside Ushuaia that attracts birdwatchers looking for the white-throated caracara, also known as the Darwin caracara after Charles Darwin.Authorities suspect the couple inhaled virus particles in the feces of long-tailed pygmy rice rats carrying the Andean strain of hantavirus, the only known virus that can spread from person to person.The New York Post quoted photographer and local guide Gastón Bretti as saying: “It is very common for birdwatchers to visit the landfill because there are so many birds there.” He added, “It is a mountain of garbage that now far exceeds the limits originally set by the authorities.”Four days later, the couple boarded the MV Hondius in Ushuaia on April 1, along with more than 100 passengers, many of them birdwatchers and scientists.Leo Schilperoord developed fever, headache, stomach pain and diarrhea on April 6 and died on board the ship five days later.On April 24, Mirjam Schilperoord disembarked the ship with her husband’s body during a planned stop at the Atlantic island of St. Helena. She later took an Airlink flight to Johannesburg and was about to catch a KLM flight to the Netherlands, but airport staff discovered she was too ill to continue traveling. She collapsed at the airport and died the next day.On May 2, when the World Health Organization first reported a cluster of severe respiratory illnesses, the MV Hondius was carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. At that time, 34 passengers had already landed on the Atlantic island, and the ship continued to sail to Cape Verde.The evacuation, which later resulted in the repatriation of 94 people, came 41 days after the ship left southern Argentina and nine days after the first positive test for hantavirus.The MV Hondius then departed Tenerife for the Netherlands after the remaining passengers and several crew members were evacuated.“Like a bird in flight,” read an obituary published in the Haulerwijk Country Magazine. “We will miss you and your stories.”
Still rocking: Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets new life at RCB
Raipur: One night in December 2012, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, a young Uttar Pradesh pacer announced his arrival in international cricket after making a dream debut in a T20I against Pakistan. Swing the new ball with excellent control, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Returns the number 3/9. More than 13 years later, in a format that has tilted further towards the batsmen, Bhuvneshwar remains not only influential but one of the most effective players, as he was in intense pulsed light this season. Once a young swing bowling prospect, he has become a study in craftsmanship, discipline and constant innovation.The 36-year-old has taken 21 wickets in 11 games and tops the IPL wicket-taking charts this season, an important mark as the 200-plus total no longer feels safe and bowlers are challenged every over. For Bhuvneshwar, survival in modern T20 cricket comes down to one thing: constant evolution.
“My technique and the psychology of the game have changed a lot. What has also changed is accepting situations quickly. The way batsmen attack you now is very different from 10 years ago. Accepting things quickly may help me,” the 36-year-old said.Such adaptability has become crucial in today’s tournament, which bears little resemblance to the early years of the IPL. Batsmen now attack from ball one, unconventional batting has become the norm and even good deliveries often disappear into the stands.“Five years ago, if you scored 40, I used to think it was a bad day,” admitted Bhuvneshwar, who took 4/23 against MI on Sunday and hit a crucial six in the final over. “Now, if you hit 40, I think that’s a good bowling! Earlier, 200 felt like a winning score. Now, when teams chase 200 points, it feels like ‘just 200 points’,” he said.Despite the changing demands, Bhuvneshwar remains one of the most dependable fast bowlers in the league, be it in the powerplay or in the death. The former India pacer, who has not played an international match since November 2022, insists there is no magic formula behind his longevity. Instead, he credits discipline and consistency with helping him stay ahead.“Motivation is overrated,” he said. “It’s discipline. You’re tired, you don’t want to go, but you still have to go. That consistency – doing things day in and day out – also keeps you consistent on the court.” However, age brings physical challenges. “When you’re younger, it takes less time to recover than it does at this age,” he said. “Physically it’s more difficult, but mentally it gets easier because you’re mature and experienced. You understand your game better. “Even as the younger generation of fearless batsmen continue to redefine T20 cricket, Bhuvneshwar believes the bowlers will continue to find ways to cope. “The batsmen did something and then the bowlers evolved. That’s how cricket has always worked,” he said.Bhuvneshwar’s RCB journey has also come to a successful end. He was part of the team’s formation as a young domestic cricketer in 2009 and 2010 before returning in 2025 as one of the most experienced pacers in the country. “Everything changed for me,” he said. “Back then, I was a domestic player. When I first came into the team, I just saw the glamorous side of it. Seeing the other players, the overseas players, I was nervous. But things have changed a lot now because a big part of being in the team now is being a senior player.“
Narrative of scientific progress from a narrow perspective: Jaishankar at the opening ceremony of the mathematics exhibition
UN External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated an exhibition highlighting Indian civilization’s contribution to mathematics, noting that narratives of global scientific progress have long been viewed through a “narrow lens” and stressing the need to “correct” historical distortions.
The exhibition titled “From Sunya to Ananta – Indian Civilization’s Contribution to Mathematics” is organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations and organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in collaboration with the India International Centre.
“When we gather at the United Nations, we often talk about our common human heritage. However, if we look back at the trajectory of modern history, we find that for too long the global narrative of scientific progress has been viewed through the narrow lens of time and geography,” Jaishankar said while inaugurating a “historic and unprecedented” mathematics exhibition at the United Nations headquarters on Monday.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Consul General of India in New York Binaya Pradhan, Princeton University mathematics professor and Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava, as well as UN ambassadors, diplomats and senior officials.
“As the geopolitical churning brings about a political and economic rebalancing, it will inevitably pave the way for a cultural rebalancing. This will be achieved by creating space for diverse narratives, including a fuller understanding of our past,” he said.
Jaishankar will pay official visits to Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago from May 2 to 10.
During a brief visit to New York on Monday, he inaugurated the exhibition, which is part of the India International Center’s project ‘SAMHiTA’, which is supported by the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
This special interactive exhibit highlights ancient mathematical concepts that originated in India and spread throughout the world over thousands of years—from zero, decimal place value systems, algebra, and algorithms to planetary models, astronomical calculations, combinatorics, binary enumerations, and geometry—the “Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem.”
The exhibition also honors the lineage of legendary Indian scholars Aryabhata, Brahmagupta and Bhaskara with the Kerala Academy of Astronomy and Mathematics.
“We gathered here are not just looking at numbers on a wall. We are looking at a civilization that originated from the intellectual soil of India. This is a legacy that is as much about the past as it is about the future,” Jaishankar said.
He stressed the need to recognize that “the democratization of technology and, indeed, the democratization of the world requires the democratization of history. Only by correcting the distortions of the past can we accurately solve the problems of the future,” he said.
The exhibition will take viewers on a “journey spanning millennia to witness how the mathematical discoveries of Indian civilizations have traveled across the world and continue to shape our modern lives.”
Jaishankar said that while the global spread of mathematics is an interconnected story, every supply chain of ideas has a starting point.
“When you visit this exhibition, you will notice that the code that is the basis of our current technological era was conceptualized in India centuries ago,” he said.
Regarding the importance of this exhibition to the United Nations, he said: “A diverse and democratic collective cannot be built on a single-dimensional narrative. As we embark on the journey of artificial intelligence, these truths will become increasingly obvious, and our mastery of the past will benefit from the tools of the future.”
He hopes the exhibition will raise awareness and spark a debate about “the richness of our inherently diverse world”. This will also help set aside biases and assumptions about embracing technology in today’s era.
“This exhibition reminds us that mathematics is a universal language and its dissemination has and will continue to serve global interests. The United Nations, as the most established platform for international cooperation, can use this message to advocate for closer international cooperation,” he said.
Ambassador Harish Parvathanini, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, said that mathematics is universal and has been enriched by the contributions of different human civilizations.
“It connects humanity rather than divides humanity,” Parvathaneni said, adding that the exhibition “traces our fundamental concepts” such as zero, base ten, algebra, trigonometry and early concepts of infinity as they spread across cultures from India to the wider world.
The exhibition reminds the world that mathematics in India has never been limited to abstraction but has shaped art, architecture, music and cultural expression and remains a living and evolving tradition.
Parvatanini emphasized that India has always made its knowledge available to the world. “In today’s parlance, openness has been the mantra of India since ancient times.”
The exhibition, which will be held at United Nations Headquarters from May 11 to 15, connects these ancient insights to the present day, he said, adding that the same principles now underpin computing algorithms, GPS and artificial intelligence, showing that “what we think of as modern innovations often have deep historical roots”.
The Indian envoy said: “This exhibition invites us to consider India’s mathematical heritage as the common heritage of humanity. It emphasizes the value of knowledge exchange and reminds us that progress is achieved through collaboration across cultures and generations.”
The Permanent Mission of India said the exhibition aims to showcase India’s rich heritage of thinking, applying and developing mathematics over two thousand years.
It shows that ideas born in the Indian subcontinent through ancient mathematical works remain relevant today, underpinning the technology and science that shape contemporary global life.
The exhibition aims to highlight that while the influence of mathematics is global, India’s contribution to its formation is “unique and fundamental”.
“The same insights that scholars expressed in Sanskrit verses, an early iteration of binary code, now permeate the world’s digital infrastructure,” the report said.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
Suvendu Adhikari aide murder case: CBI takes over Bangladesh police probe, forms 7-member team
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation will take over the murder investigation into the murder of Suvendu Adhikari aide Chandranath Rath.After the Bengal Police recommended a CBI probe into the case, the central agency formed a seven-member team headed by DIG Pankaj Singh.“The investigation into the murders of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and PA Chandranath Rath has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI has constituted a seven-member special investigation team headed by a home ministry level officer,” the central investigative agency said.A few days after the assembly polls, Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath was killed in North 24 Parganas in West Bengal.At about 10:30 p.m., Lars was shot to death by an assailant on a motorcycle who followed his vehicle, forced it to stop and opened fire in full view before fleeing.According to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car was first stopped by a four-wheeler at Dohariya junction near Dotara, after which a motorcyclist approached the vehicle and started shooting.Earlier on Monday, a special investigation team camped out in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and arrested three people in connection with the incident. One of the defendants has been identified as the so-called sharpshooter.All three accused were brought to Kolkata late on Sunday night and were produced before a Barasat court. The court handed them over to police custody until May 24.“So far, three suspects have been arrested in connection with the Chandranath Rath massacre in Madhyamgram on May 6. Based on specific clues, two persons – Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya – were detained from Buxar in Bihar. The third accused, Raj Singh, was detained from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. After interrogation, all three were arrested from the Madhyamgram police station this morning,” a CID press release said.Sources say Raj Singh has been identified as the possible marksman, but police say further investigation is needed to confirm this.At the Barasat court, Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee informed the court that the accused entered the city through Bally Nivedita Setu and paid the toll using UPI. The payment was made using the SIM card of one of the defendants, although the SIM card was being used on another person’s phone.“However, we obtained a registered mobile number related to the UPI payment and used this clue to arrest the accused,” Chatterjee said.
Horrifying video shows the moment a Frontier Airlines plane hit a person on a Denver runway
Horrifying video shows the moment a Frontier Airlines plane hit a person on a Denver runway
An alleged violator of security at Denver International Airport was struck and killed by a taking-off Frontier Airlines plane Friday night, sparking an engine fire and a chaotic emergency evacuation that injured several passengers.The Frontier flight from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport struck a pedestrian as it took off around 11:19 p.m. local time on Friday, the airport said in a post on X.Horrifying video of the incident later went viral.Airport officials said the unidentified person jumped a fence and entered the runway area just minutes before the collision.Authorities said the person, who is not believed to be an airport employee, was attacked about two minutes after entering the airport, the Associated Press reported.
Pilot reports engine fire after collision
An audio clip from ATC.com captured the pilot notifying air traffic control immediately after the impact.“We’re parked on the runway,” the pilot said. “We just hit a guy. Our engine is on fire.”The pilot later told controllers there were “231 people” on the plane and “one person was crossing the runway.”Air traffic control responded and said emergency crews were being dispatched.The pilot then reported smoke coming from inside the aircraft and informed the tower that passengers would be evacuated on the runway.Frontier Airlines stated that flight 4345 was related to the incident and confirmed that the takeoff was aborted after smoke was detected in the cabin. The airline said the plane was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members.“We are investigating the incident and coordinating with the airport and other security agencies to gather additional information,” the Associated Press quoted a statement from Frontier as saying.
Passengers describe panic in smoke-filled cabin
Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via emergency slides and then returned to the terminal by bus. Airport officials said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to hospital.Several passengers told local media that the plane suddenly stopped and smoke began to appear in the cabin, and panic quickly spread.“Honestly, I thought I was going to die,” passenger Mohamed Hassan told 9NEWS Colorado.“A lot of people next to me were screaming and crying. I just closed my eyes,” he said. “At that point, you’re not really thinking about anything, you know? Because we were about to take off and I heard a boom.”Another passenger, Nikil Thalanki, said he felt violent shaking as the plane appeared to be preparing to take off.“The engine was on fire. There were a lot of sparks. It stopped immediately,” he told local media, according to the Associated Press.“Smoke completely filled the cabin. It was very difficult to breathe.”Kimberly Randall also described the chaos during the evacuation.“After a few minutes, they finally opened the door. People were running out of the plane,” Randall said. “There’s chaos everywhere.”
NTSB reviews evacuation response
The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday it was gathering information to determine whether the evacuation required a formal safety investigation.NTSB spokesperson Sarah Taylor Sulick said the agency is reviewing details about the emergency response, including passenger evacuation procedures.Video from the scene appeared to show some passengers leaving the plane with carry-on luggage, an issue the National Transportation Safety Board has repeatedly flagged during previous evacuation investigations.The Denver Police Department said the investigation into the track death is ongoing and the identity of the deceased will be released by the Denver Medical Examiner’s Office.Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington called the incident a “terrible but preventable tragedy.”“Because this is an active investigation involving numerous other agencies, it will take some time as we are still confirming what information can be shared at this time,” Washington said in a statement.“This was a horrific, preventable tragedy that affected so many people due to the actions of a man who apparently broke into an airport and lost his life as a result.”
67% of children anemic: ICAR develops 203 nutritious crop varieties
Iron-rich rice, protein wheat and fortified millets are part of solution to India’s problem hidden hungerNEW DELHI: With nearly 67 per cent of Indian children and more than half of women suffering from anemia, Indian agricultural scientists have developed 203 biofortified crop varieties rich in iron, zinc, protein and vitamins in an attempt to combat malnutrition through daily staple food.The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a new report released this year that nutrient-rich varieties developed between 2014 and 2025 include iron-rich rice, protein-rich wheat, zinc-rich maize and fortified millet, aiming to improve nutrition without requiring people to change their eating habits.The report cited data showing that 67.1% of children aged 6-59 months and more than 57% of women aged 15-49 years in India are anemic, while the country still faces a severe burden of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. India also faces widespread “hidden hunger” due to lack of essential micronutrients such as iron and zinc, the report said.The publication, Biofortified Crop Varieties: A Sustainable Way to Alleviate Malnutrition, states that these crops are developed through traditional and molecular breeding methods to naturally increase nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, protein and vitamin A.ICAR said India has so far developed 70 biofortified wheat varieties, 43 maize varieties, 18 pearl millet varieties and 16 rice varieties, as well as nutrient-rich pulses, oil seeds, vegetables and fruits.Launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the SEHAT (Science Excellence in Health through Agricultural Transformation) mission, ICMR and ICAR seek to link agriculture with nutrition and disease prevention and promote the development of nutrient-rich crops.The report argues that biofortified crops could provide a low-cost and sustainable alternative to supplements and food fortification programs because nutrients are provided through the foods people eat on a daily basis.ICAR Director General ML Jat said dietary risks currently account for 54.6% of India’s disease burden and stressed the need to increase the nutritional sensitivity of the country’s agri-food system.Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India’s foodgrain production will reach a record 357.7 million tonnes in 2024-25, but added that improving nutritional quality was equally important for food security.
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