The Indian Weekender| 01 May 2026

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Friday, MAY 1, 2026 • Volume 17 / Issue 17

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BUSINESS END

New Zealand, India sign ‘once-in-a-generation’ free trade deal in New Delhi

IWK BUREAU

N

ew Zealand and India have formally

signed a Free Trade Agreement in

New Delhi, marking what officials

are calling a “once-in-a-generation” deal

aimed at significantly boosting economic

ties between the two countries.

The deal was signed by Trade Minister

Todd McClay and Minister of Commerce

and Industry of India, Piyush Goyal, in the

presence of New Zealand delegation at

India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)

- Bharat Mandapam.

The agreement, signed on 27 April, is

expected to give Kiwi exporters greater

access to one of the world’s largest and

fastest-growing consumer markets. Trade

Minister Todd McClay led the New Zealand

delegation for the signing, which included

MPs from across party lines and more than

30 business representatives.

Indian minister Piyush Goyal

acknowledged the leadership of the prime

ministers of both countries in concluding

the deal in a record nine months.

“India’s first women-led Free Trade

Agreement and a defining milestone in our

bilateral economic journey,” Goyal said.

“It grants 100% duty-free access for Indian

exports to New Zealand, opening significant

opportunities for MSMEs, farmers, women,

youth, professionals and job-creating

sectors, while safeguarding India’s sensitive

interests through a balanced and calibrated

framework.”

He further said the forward-looking

agreement would facilitate $20 billion

of investment into India, deepening

cooperation in trade, services, investment,

innovation, mobility, agriculture productivity

and education, and creating pathways for

skilled talent and students.

“A truly win-win partnership that advances

the vision of Viksit Bharat, strengthens

India-New Zealand ties, and sets a new

benchmark for inclusive and trusted global

cooperation.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a

tweet on 27 April said,

“Just over a year ago, I met with Prime

MORE ON PAGE 4

Photo: Piyush Goyal/X

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VENU MENON

The New Zealand-India Free Trade

Agreement is poised to enter the

legislative process in New Zealand,

with cross-party support from the opposition

Labour Party, amid anti-India racist sentiment

stoked by ruling coalition partner, New

Zealand First.

Minister for Trade and Investment Todd

McClay returns from India next week with a

trade agreement signed and ready to be tabled

in the New Zealand Parliament.

But prior to his departure for New Delhi over

the weekend, McClay faced tough questions in

parliament fired at him by coalition partner

and prime critic of the trade deal, New

Zealand First’s Winston Peters.

Peters grilled McClay on the

Temporary Employment Entry (TEE)

visa and the provision allowing

visa holders to bring their family

members to New Zealand, “as is the

case with temporary entry visa holders

from other FTA partners, such as China,

Thailand, and the Phillipines.”

It is on this point that the fine print in the NZ-

India FTA requires to be amplified for clarity.

Parliament heard that every year 1,670 high

skilled workers can enter New Zealand via a

special visa that allows them to stay for three

years and mandated them to “return home”

at the end of that period.

The government says the trade agreement

with India is different from other agreements

because it “does not give them a right

automatically to bring family members here.”

However, the government has left a

window ajar for Indian workers barred from

bringing their families to New Zealand. They

are free to apply for visas “in other parts of

New Zealand policy around immigration.”

Critics of the FTA have called out an apparent

discriminatory bias in its text.

Peters milks that to dramatic

effect by noting:

“An Indian chef coming here under the

Indian Free Trade Agreement will have fewer

rights than a Chinese chef coming in under

the China-New Zealand FTA. In other words,

an Indian chef is worth less to the National

Party than a Chinese chef?”

McClay skirts the issue of parity raised by

Peters by falling back on an artless literalist

approach that relies heavily on textual accuracy.

“That was not part of the negotiation, nor is it

part of the trade agreement. No commitments

were made in that area.”

Clearly, the National Party is delinking trade

from migration to blunt the objections raised by

its coalition partner, New Zealand First.

The cracks exposed within the ruling

coalition around perceived discriminatory

clauses, contained in the FTA, are absurdly

NEW ZEALAND

Friday, May 1, 2026 3

Trade deal with India set to be tabled in NZ Parliament

Minister of

Commerce and

Industry of India,

Piyush Goyal welcomed

New Zealand Minister for

Trade and Investment,

Todd McClay to India

on Saturday

theatrical, considering that New Zealand First

has earned notoriety for coining the raciallycharged

phrase “butter chicken tsunami,”

aimed at exaggerating migrant inflows from

India. Peters builds on that apocalyptic vision

of New Zealand’s borders being breached

by mass migration from the Third World by

buttressing it with numbers.

“On average, a visa holder will bring their

partner and two children with them.”

He follows this up with a poser:

“Doesn’t the 5,000 TEE visa and the FTA

mean that up to 20,000 more Indians are able

to come to New Zealand?”

McClay counters by invoking the emotive

image of the toiling immigrant working long

hours to keep the economy running in New

Zealand. International students from India, the

other bugbear of populist politicians fearful of

a demographic shift in the wake of uncapped

student numbers, sees McClay pivoting

to the back foot. He is quick to point out

that controls are in place to manage the

numbers.

But it is around the $33 billion

investment target, spread over a period of

15 years, that the sophistry, generated by

the FTA’s text, peaks.

“Aspirational” is a key word bandied about

by Trade Minister McClay to hedge his position

in the event that the FTA’s investment target

is not met. It is noteworthy that the trade

minister cites the High Commissioner of India

to New Zealand to source the word, saying,

“In fact, a month or two ago, the Indian High

Commissioner to New Zealand stated this

publicly and said the figure that has been

mentioned is aspirational.”

No doubt, McClay is seeking to corroborate

his stand on the investment target of the FTA

by aligning it to India’s position, articulated by

a representative of the Government of India

in New Zealand.

The trade minister is at pains to establish

that “the New Zealand Government,

through the India free trade agreement, has

not taken on a commitment to invest an

amount of money in India.”

Instead, the government has “taken on a

commitment to promote investment in India.”

In other words, the trade deal between New

Zealand and India rests on goodwill and trust,

and is not defined strictly in dollar terms. On

the tricky issue of a clawback of benefits by

India if the investment target is not met by

New Zealand, McClay is not inclined to be

alarmist. He prefers to view that as part of

the nitty-gritty of monitoring the agreement.

The bottomline, as McClay and supporters of

the trade deal see it, is:

“A country of 5 million people selling to a

country of 1.4 billion people.”

Venu Menon is a senior journalist

based in Wellington

4 Friday, May 1, 2026 Read online www.iwk.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND

Punjab-born NZ soldier who once worked at

a petrol station found passion in the NZ Army

IWK BUREAU

When Lance Corporal

Guatam Bajaj arrived in

Auckland from Punjab

as a young migrant, he brought

with him fluency in several

languages and dialects, and a

willingness to take on whatever

work came his way.

Before donning the uniform of

New Zealand Army, he worked

a string of jobs: petrol station

attendant, taxi driver, butcher

shop employee and security

guard. It was a period marked

by hustle and adaptation, far

removed from the structured life

he would later embrace.

A recent video of Lance Corporal

Bajaj speaking in Hindi on ANZAC

Day has been widely appreciated

by the community. In the video,

he explains that the date marks

the first major military action by

Australian and New Zealand troops

at Gallipoli in 1915, and highlights

the role of Indian soldiers who

served alongside them during

World War I.

At 28, while pursuing fitness

and sport studies in Christchurch,

a chance encounter set him on a

different course.

“I met some Army personnel, and

I really liked what I saw,” as quoted

by New Zealand Defence Force.

New Zealand, India sign

‘once-in-a-generation’ free

trade deal in New Delhi

FROM PAGE 1

Minister Modi in India. We agreed then, that

we’d launch negotiations on a free trade

agreement. For decades, many people said it

couldn’t be done. But tonight, that deal gets

signed.”

Luxon further mentioned that signing of

the deal meant more jobs on farms and

orchards, “it means more money coming

into local communities, and it means more

opportunities for your family to get ahead.”

McClay in an earlier statement before his

visit to India had said that FTA is “such a

significant achievement for New Zealand.”

“If you think about it as 1.4 billion people in

India, their wealth is growing, they are going to

become the consumers of the future.”

“The New Zealand economy is getting on

at the ground floor of that and I think, in the

future, this will be one of the most significant

trade agreements to help secure our economy

- but a lot of people have worked very hard to

make sure we can get there,” McClay had said

earlier as quoted by RNZ.

The deal follows sustained diplomatic

efforts, with McClay travelling to India seven

times since the current coalition government

took office. Securing a trade agreement

with India had also been a key election

commitment made by Prime Minister

Lance Corporal

Gautam Bajaj/NZDF

“They told me, ‘You’d be perfect

for the Army.’ I was already into

fitness, so I thought—why not give

it a go?”

Today, Bajaj serves as the

second-in-command with the 3rd

Supply and Catering Company at

Burnham Military Camp, part of

the 3rd Combat Service Support

Battalion. But his entry into the

Army was anything but planned.

That decision led him to join

Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the Māori

name for the New Zealand Army,

marking the beginning of a career

that would test and reshape him.

The journey, he said, often

prompts questions from others

curious about life in uniform.

“Is it supportive? Is there any

racism? What do they expect of

you? What’s the pay like?

“I tell them, ‘The uniform doesn’t

ask where you’re from—only what

you stand for. You may be born in a

different country, but your courage

will serve you anywhere’.

Lance Corporal Bajaj said he

had always approached life with

intensity, but the Army demanded

more.

“It drives you to keep improving

not just physically, but mentally and

professionally,” he said.

Christopher Luxon during a televised debate

in 2023.

Political backing for the agreement has

been mixed. The Labour Party confirmed

last week it would support the deal, allowing

the necessary legislation to move through

Parliament. Its backing proved crucial after

New Zealand First announced its opposition

shortly before the agreement was finalised.

Party leader Winston Peters has raised

concerns over migration provisions within

the deal, as well as limited gains for the

dairy sector. He also questioned a clause

requiring the government to help facilitate

US$20 billion in private investment into

India over 15 years.

Labour’s support came with conditions,

including several policy concessions, and

a warning that the investment target was

“very unrealistic” and “almost impossible” to

achieve.

Ahead of the signing, Luxon said in a

social media post, “New Zealand’s Free

Trade Agreement with India will be signed on

Monday night,” while sharing a video outlining

its expected benefits.

In the video, he emphasised the scale of

the opportunity, stating, “We are signing a

Free Trade deal with India that opens one

of the biggest markets in the world to Kiwi

exporters.”

Now in a leadership role, he is

part of a unit that must be ready to

deploy at short notice. His work has

taken him beyond routine military

duties into critical emergency

response efforts.

Following Cyclone Gabrielle,

his team was deployed to Napier

and Hastings, providing catering

support to military personnel

involved in recovery operations. In

2024, they undertook similar work

for firefighters battling the Port

Hills fire.

His service has also extended

overseas. He recently returned

from an exercise in Papua New

Guinea, and in 2022, he was part

of the New Zealand Defence Force

contingent in London to mark the

late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years

on the throne.

“You get world-class training,

and you grow stronger mentally,

physically, and emotionally, all

while serving your country and

helping the community.”

Recognition has followed

his work. At the end of 2025,

Lance Corporal Bajaj received

four battalion awards, including

the Commanding Officer and

Regimental Sergeant Major’s

Award, along with Top Soldier,

Junior Leader and Warrior Awards.

Yet, beyond the accolades, he

sees his role as something larger.

“I believe my achievements

represent the positive contribution

of the Indian community in

Aotearoa,” he said.

“I want to let young people from

migrant backgrounds know that

commitment, discipline and service

are valued in the New Zealand

Defence Force.

“One soldier, two nations. If I can

do it, so can you.”

LC Bajaj was also awarded Top

Soldier in the unit, along with the

Commanding Officer’s Award. He

has also received four Excellence

Awards.


NEW ZEALAND


Photo:

New

Zealand High

Commission to

India & Nepal/

Facebook

IWK BUREAU

The new Parliament building

in New Delhi, established in

2023, features carpeting made

with around 20,000 kilograms of

wool sourced from New Zealand.

In a social media post, the New

Zealand High Commission to India

and Nepal noted the growing trade

and cultural ties between the two

nations.

Inaugurated in two years ago,

India’s new Parliament used

carpets crafted from high-quality

New Zealand wool, valued for its

Roopa Aur Aap: Supporting

families, building safer

communities for 15 years

IWK BUREAU

Roopa Aur Aap Charitable Trust is a

non-profit entity that has served as

a strong support system to victims and

families of family violence over the past

fifteen years.

The organisation was founded in

2008 and has since then been able to

positively offer culturally responsive and

free services to achieve safety, dignity,

and long-term wellbeing within different

communities.

One of their core mission is

empowerment. The trust provides a

wide spectrum of support services, such

as counselling and mediation, crisis

intervention, and special social worker

help.

Roopa Aur Aap also offers legal and

immigration services as they understand

the complicated issues many people deal

with and they make sure that people in

need can access the necessary guidance.

Their main areas of concern are mental

health and emotional recovery. The

organisation provides personalised mental

health services to assist individuals to

regain confidence and stability following

trauma. Moreover, there are also specialised

programs like the elder abuse awareness

How New Zealand wool became part

of India’s new Parliament

long fibres, lustre and durability.

The material is widely used in

premium flooring and furnishings.

New Zealand exports approximately

17,000 tonnes of wool to India

each year, with around 72 percent

classified as strong wool, considered

ideal for carpets and home

furnishings due to its durability and

programmes that raise awareness of the

hidden problems in the community.

In addition, Roopa Aur Aap also takes

steps to make a sustainable change by

providing education and outreach. The

trust hosts workshops and awareness

programs to educate communities about

family violence, prevention measures and

resources.

They provide outreach services beyond

New Zealand to serve communities on a

larger scope.

The organisation assists in making

relationships stronger and healthier and

more resilient households.

By providing children specific programmes

and family-oriented services, the strength of

the trust lies in its multilingual and culturally

diverse workforce, which guarantees the

accessibility and consideration of the needs

of various communities in its services.

Roopa Aur Aap provides free services to

everyone and removes financial barriers

to make sure that those who are in need of

help the most receive it.

To combat family violence affecting

communities, Roopa Aur Aap Charitable

Trust’s mission is to create safer

and stronger communities through

compassion, education, and lifetime

support.

texture, according to New Zealand

High Commission to India & Nepal.

In a move to further strengthen this

partnership, New Zealand’s High

Commissioner to India, Patrick Rata,

visited Varanasi on 23 April. The visit

focused on engagement with India’s

globally recognised Bhadohi handknotted

carpet industry, a key hub for

carpet manufacturing.

Hosted by New Zealand Wool

Service International Limited, the

High Commissioner met with

major users of New Zealand

wool, including DP Woollens and

Obeetee. Discussions centred on

enhancing imports of premium

New Zealand wool to support and

sustain the quality of India’s carpet

sector.

Beyond industry meetings, Rata

also explored the cultural heritage

of Varanasi. His itinerary included

a visit to the city’s iconic ghats,

where he engaged with the spiritual

and historical significance of one

of India’s oldest living cities.


NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand’s most in-demand jobs

revealed — check the list

IWK BUREAU

Automation engineers have

emerged as the most indemand

workers in New

Zealand, with job listings for the

role nearly tripling over the past

year, according to new data from

SEEK.

The data highlights how New

Zealand’s labour market is

evolving, with strong demand

emerging across technology,

construction, logistics and

healthcare sectors.

The figures show that

automation engineering roles

recorded the fastest growth in job

advertisements nationwide, with

employers offering an average

salary of $115,446. The data

compares hiring trends from late

2024 to early 2026, pointing to a

broader shift toward technologydriven

and essential trade roles.

Sales positions ranked as

the second most sought-after,

followed by truck drivers and

support coordinators, reflecting

continued demand across both

white- and blue-collar sectors.

The construction and

infrastructure industries are also

facing mounting pressure to fill

roles. Job advertisements for

truck drivers more than doubled

during the period, alongside

NZ hospital staffing crisis linked

to baby deaths, investigation finds

IWK BUREAU

New Zealand’s largest nurses’ union has

described hospital staffing shortages

linked to the deaths of babies as “a national and

avoidable tragedy” following an investigation into

maternity care failures.

The NZ Nurses Organisation (NZNO) responded

after a Stuff investigation revealed multiple cases

in which babies died or suffered severe injuries,

with staffing shortages and workplace pressure

identified as contributing factors.

“These whānau may have had different

outcomes if these hospitals were safely and

properly staffed,” said NZNO Kaiwhakahaere and

midwife Kerri Nuku, Stuff has quoted.

“This analysis also noted the pressure on staff,

and I would like to acknowledge the mental toll

these events would have had on them,” as quoted

by Stuff. Stuff reviewed findings from coroners

and the Health & Disability Commissioner

involving births in hospitals and maternity centres

since 2016. The review identified 11 cases where

babies were stillborn or died shortly after birth, and

investigations later pointed to staffing shortages

or pressure on medical staff.

Another case involved a woman who died

during a caesarean section that should have been

performed by a senior specialist, but none were

available at the time, as reported by Stuff.

Investigators also found staffing issues in

five additional cases where babies survived

but suffered lifelong disabilities, including brain

damage and stroke, after needing resuscitation.

Nuku said responsibility stretched across

several governments because “every government

makes a decision about the levels of funding they

Representational image

significant increases in demand

for heating, ventilation and air

conditioning (HVAC) technicians

and roofers.

Among the fastest-growing

roles, technical leads in the ICT

sector remain the highest paid,

earning an average salary of

$150,062. Project managers in

construction are also among the

top earners, with average salaries

of $135,239.

provide for the public health system,” Stuff has

quoted. “It is time for Te Whatu Ora to implement

urgent safe midwife-to-patient, and nurse-topatient

ratios. Healthcare funding must be based

on patient need not arbitrary budgets.

“These deaths are utter tragedies and every

parent’s worst fear. The birth of a baby should be

one of the happiest times in your life. My heart and

condolences are with each and every whānau that

lost a baby … the grief that these mothers endure

is tragically life changing,” Stuff has quoted.

Health NZ said improvements had been made

following the incidents and maintained that

maternity care overall in New Zealand remained

safe and high quality. One coroner investigating

the death of a newborn girl in 2021 raised serious

concerns about hospital systems and resources.

“I am gravely concerned by the resourcing and

systems issues highlighted during the course of

this inquiry,” the coroner said, as quoted by Stuff.

The baby was born unresponsive after suffering

a brain injury before birth and died later that day.

The coroner found delays in care at Auckland

Hospital may have reduced her chances of

survival. “An acute shortage of midwives … meant

there were not enough midwives available to

provide care to the women who were in labour or

to support the timely transfer of women from the

assessment unit to the delivery unit,” the coroner

said, Stuff has quoted.

“The midwives on duty were short-staffed,

working long hours in demanding roles, and

unable to take any breaks,” as quoted by Stuff.

The report noted the true scale of the issue

could be higher because many investigations take

years, and not all cases are reported to authorities.

Hiring activity has also picked

up in healthcare and corporate

services. Health and safety

managers and podiatrists both

recorded strong growth in job

listings, with average salaries

of $120,797 and $90,552

respectively.

Demand has also risen for

specialised machinery operators

in the transport and manufacturing

sectors, particularly those

qualified to operate HIAB cranes

and excavators.

The SEEK data is based on fulltime

salary information shared

by employers. To be included in

the analysis, roles needed a high

volume of listings and at least 5

percent year-on-year growth.

Top 20 fastest-growing roles in

New Zealand (by job ad growth):

• Automation Engineer: 184.8%

(Average salary: $115,446)

• Salesperson: 145.5%

($77,696)

• Truck Driver: 126.1% ($63,814)

• Support Coordinator: 121.3%

($66,767)

• HVAC Technician: 118.8%

($79,654)

• Designer: 117.1% ($99,547)

• Roofer: 108.8% ($74,986)

• HIAB Crane Operator: 97.4%

($68,675)

• Interpreter: 94.4% ($62,803)

• Machine Operator: 93.4%

($64,242)

• Technical Lead: 81.5%

($150,062)

• Production Supervisor: 81.1%

($83,168)

• Operations Coordinator: 73.8%

($69,868)

• Excavator Operator: 69.8%

($67,332)

• Painter: 69.1% ($65,508)

• Security Technician: 68.1%

($78,000)

• Draftsperson: 66.7% ($86,864)

• Health and Safety Manager:

66.7% ($120,797)

• Podiatrist: 66.7% ($90,552)

• Project Manager: 66.7%

($135,239)


IWK BUREAU

handyman accused of

A swindling clients out of more

than $114,000 spent much of the

money on gambling, massages,

and cryptocurrency purchases, a

court has heard.

According to a report by Stuff,

Andrew Trevor Hill, 50, appeared

in the Dunedin District Court on

Tuesday for sentencing after

previously pleading guilty to a

representative charge of obtaining

by deception, an offence carrying a

maximum sentence of seven years

in prison.

According to the summary of

facts, Hill gained about $114,000

through the offence. Defence

lawyer Philip Ross told the court his

client could provide $1000 towards

reparations the following day, but

Judge Nevin Dawson dismissed

the offer.

“Mr Hill is an accomplished

conman,” the judge said, as

quoted by Stuff.

Judge Dawson also noted

Hill’s offending history in both

New Zealand and Australia, as

well as what he described as a

pattern of failing to keep promises.

The court had no evidence Hill was

employed or even possessed the

money he claimed he could repay.

“What he says doesn’t impress

me,” Dawson said. The sentencing

was ultimately adjourned until

August because the court had not

yet received submissions from

police.

Handyman

blew client

funds on gambling

and crypto.

(Representational

image)

Hill had operated

Andrew Till Fencing

Ltd, where he was the sole

director and shareholder, before

the company was removed from

the register. Trading in Gisborne

between June and September

2024, he offered services including

fencing, concreting, decking, and

earth-moving, as reported by Stuff.

Police received more than a

dozen complaints from customers

NEW ZEALAND


Handyman spent client funds on

gambling and crypto

across Gisborne, Wairoa, and

Mahia who said they had paid large

deposits for work that was never

completed.

Investigators said Hill quoted

jobs for 14 victims over a threemonth

period and collected

deposits despite having no

intention of finishing the work.

“The defendant received deposits

from the victims for the quotes

with no intention of completing

the work,” the summary said, Stuff

has quoted. A review of Hill’s

business bank account showed

he received more than $352,000

in deposits during that time.

Authorities alleged he withdrew

$38,000 in cash, spent around

$60,000 on personal expenses

including “gambling, massages and

cryptocurrency purchases”, and

transferred another $75,000 into

his personal account. According

to a report by Stuff, victims had

hired Hill for projects ranging from

drainage and tree work to fencing

and concrete slabs. In many cases,

police said he either failed to begin

the work or abandoned jobs after

starting them, before cutting off

communication.

One client reportedly paid

$24,000 for a carport installation,

driveway concreting, and decking.

Hill allegedly spent only one day

demolishing old concrete and

decking before disappearing and

failing to answer further messages,

as reported by Stuff. All victims are

seeking reparations.

During a police interview, Hill

claimed his business “got too big

too quick” and that he lacked the

funds needed to cover wages and

labour costs, as reported by Stuff.

Although defence counsel

suggested Hill could be considered

for home detention, Judge Dawson

indicated imprisonment was likely.

Hill also has a prior conviction

in Australia. In 2019, he was

sentenced in New South Wales

to 22 months in prison for similar

offending, although the non-parole

period was later reduced on appeal,

Stuff has reported.


NEW ZEALAND

ROWAN QUINN/RNZ

Auckland mayor Wayne

Brown referred to an RNZ

staff member of Indian

descent as “a Muslim terrorist”

and commented on his beard as

the man escorted him into the

building for an interview.

Brown said the comments were

a “fumbled attempt at humour”.

RNZ said the man was

greeting Brown as he arrived at

RNZ’s Auckland offices for an

appearance on the Afternoons

programme on Monday.

The staff member apologised

to Brown for the wait, mentioning

security being tight in the building,

an RNZ spokesperson said in a

statement.

“The Mayor responded with

a comment along the lines of

‘security can’t be very tight if

we’re being escorted by a Muslim

terrorist’,” the RNZ spokesperson

said.

“The Mayor also made a

comment about the employee’s

looks and said something like

‘gosh look at your beard’.”

The man noted he must have

looked shocked because the

mayor then said he was only

joking, the spokesperson

said

The staff member, who

RNZ News agreed not to name,

said he was shocked and hurt by

the comments.

“I agree with the Mayor that his

comments were inappropriate

and disrespectful,” he said

in a statement sent by RNZ’s

communications team.

“I acknowledge his apology and

Auckland

Mayor Wayne

Brown Photo:

RNZ / Marika

Khabazi

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown refers

to RNZ staffer as ‘a Muslim terrorist’

hope this incident leads to

reflection about the choice

of language, and the danger of

racial and religious stereotyping,

especially by those in positions of

leadership.”

RNZ’s chief people officer

Sarah Neilson said the comment

was not acceptable.

“RNZ’s immediate concern

is for our colleague who was

understandably hurt by the

comments,” she said in a

statement.

“At our workplace we want

people to be treated with respect,

including by our guests. The

comment made to our employee

was unacceptable whether it was

made in jest or otherwise.”

The Mayor’s apology

The mayor sent the man an email

apology a short time after the

incident.

It was requested he send it

via an RNZ colleague and the

organisation has released it:

“I am writing to apologise

for the comment I made to you

yesterday. It was inappropriate,

and I take full responsibility for it.

“I understand that my words

were disrespectful, and I regret

the harm they caused. It was a

fumbled attempt at humour which

I admit I got wrong.

“On a personal note, I have a

great deal of respect for the Sikh

community in Auckland, and I am

sorry that my comment fell short

of that.”

The man is not Sikh. The Mayor

was mistakenly told by his staff

that the man was Sikh.

In response to questions

from RNZ today, Brown sent a

statement.

“I tend to use humour in all

interactions but acknowledge I

got this one wrong,” he said.

“When I was made aware of this,

I immediately sent an apology to

[the man]. I have always made it

clear that I have great respect and

admiration for our Muslim, Sikh

and Indian communities here in

Auckland, and I will continue to

be a Mayor who represents every

Aucklander.”

A Legacy Script in a Multilingual City

INDIVER NAGPAL

Let’s establish the baseline

facts.

On Monday, Auckland Mayor

Wayne Brown arrived

at RNZ for an interview.

Greeted by a staff member of

Indian descent, Brown remarked

that “security can’t be very tight if

we’re being escorted by a Muslim

terrorist,” followed by a comment

about the man’s beard. Brown

later classified this as a “fumbled

attempt at humour” and issued

an apology referencing the Sikh

community. The staff member

is not Sikh. RNZ noted that

Brown was mistakenly told by his

staff that the man was Sikh.

We can grant the technicalities.

His staff provided the wrong

data for the apology. He sent a

private message. He expressed

regret. I will take all of that at face

value, because analysing these

incidents requires starting with

the best possible version of the

opposing side.

It still doesn’t rescue the

underlying failure.

The core issue isn’t the staff

briefing. When Brown walked into

the building and saw a brownskinned

man with a beard, the

immediate reflex — the default

output — was ‘Muslim terrorist’.

That pattern-matching existed

independently of any staff input.

The easy path is to label the

mayor racist and move on. It is

Photo:

Auckland

Council

a low-resolution take. It

doesn’t explain why this failure

mode is recurring, why the

apologies fail to patch the issue,

and why a significant segment of

Auckland simply shrugs.

Here is the structural reality.

Brown is 79. He trained as an

engineer in the 1960s, built a

career in property development,

and held directorships across

major infrastructure entities.

He has spent his working life

in closed ecosystems where

a specific register of humour

acted as a lingua franca. You

used stereotypes as shorthand to

signal you belonged to the group.

In those rooms, the distinctions

between Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu

weren’t just ignored in the humour;

they were physically absent from

the room.

That operating model

functioned for decades. The issue

is that he is still running a legacy

script, but the environment has

fundamentally shifted. At the 2023

Census, 31.3% of Aucklanders

identified as Asian. For the man

he met, the distinction between

Muslim and Sikh isn’t trivia — it’s

his life, and in the shadow of the

March 15 terror attacks, it is a

matter of safety.

The precise term isn’t ‘racist’; it’s

‘monolingual’. Brown is fluent in a

dialect of humour that no longer

maps to reality. He reaches for his

old phrasebook to build rapport,

and when the new room responds

with hurt instead of laughter,

he is genuinely bewildered. In

his original dialect, intent is the

entirety of meaning. He lacks the

apparatus to understand that in

a multilingual room, words are

received in languages he doesn’t

speak.

The staff error in the written

apology is simply a reflection of

this same ambient processing.

Someone in the mayor’s

office, tasked with drafting the

apology, assumed the man was

Sikh. The same low-resolution

categorisation — brown, bearded,

undifferentiated — operates at

the institutional level. The filing

cabinet belongs to the office, not

just the man.

New Zealand has formally

recognised this gap. A dedicated

Ministry for Ethnic Communities

has existed since 2021, funded

at $18.225 million in the current

Budget. In December 2024 it

published its first comprehensive

evidence report on how the

country’s 1.1 million ethnic

community members are actually

faring. The infrastructure exists.

The intent is real.

But advisory infrastructure

cannot reprogram reflexes. The

Ministry can document the gap

and brief ministers. It cannot

update the pattern-match that

fires before any briefing note is

written. Formal acknowledgement

of a problem is not the same as

closing it.

The cost of this friction isn’t

borne by Brown. It is borne by the

man he spoke to, who asked for

reflection on “the danger of racial

and religious stereotyping.” It is

borne by Muslim Aucklanders, and

by every brown child watching an

elected official use ‘terrorist’ as a

punchline.

Demanding a resignation is

polarising and unproductive. The

actual question is whether the

mayor and his office can do the

unglamorous, systemic work of

updating their operating model.

It requires recognising what

assumptions surface when a

stranger walks into the room, and

tracing where those assumptions

came from.

If you are an Aucklander looking

to apply force to this issue, write

to his office. Do not write angrily;

write specifically. Ask what

reflection on racial and religious

stereotyping actually looks like in

practice for the mayor’s team. A

single letter is noise. A thousand

calm, specific, unignorable

letters function as a necessary

system update. The mayor will

not learn a new dialect from

internet outrage, but he might

learn from constituents patiently

demonstrating that his current

one is obsolete.

Indiver Nagpal is an Aucklandbased

AI strategist and business

leader. He co-leads a New

Zealand-based global company.

He writes at kinarey.com.

The views expressed in this

article are those of the author

alone and do not represent

the views or positions of any

organisation he is affiliated with.


NEW ZEALAND


Hit play on local talent this May with

‘Sounds of Tāmaki Makaurau’

SUPPLIED CONTENT

Auckland will echo with music this

May as a new programme, Sounds

of Tāmaki Makaurau, launches as

part of NZ Music Month, turning the spotlight

firmly onto local talent across the region.

Designed to celebrate Auckland’s diverse

music talent, the programme features more

than 40 free events across community

venues and local arts spaces throughout

Tāmaki Makaurau. The initiative places

special emphasis on rangatahi and emerging

artists, while also showcasing established

performers.

Shining a spotlight locally, Sounds of

Tāmaki Makaurau provides a stage for

established performers while also creating

focused space for emerging artists. It is the

beginning of a long-term vision to amplify

the stories and sounds of our communities,

showcasing local arts facilities and bringing

quality entertainment to Aucklanders.

“As a recognised UNESCO City of Music, we

know the music scene in Tāmaki Makaurau is

as powerful as it is diverse and we want to

celebrate that,” says Gene Rivers, Auckland

Council’s Arts and Culture Programmer.

“At its core, Sounds of Tāmaki Makaurau

is a commitment to our local artists. By

bringing together grassroots performers

and established artists in our community

spaces and venues, we’re creating a stage

for everyone. And we invite Aucklanders to

come along, discover a new favourite band

or support a local legend and celebrate the

calibre of talent that makes our city sing.”

The month-long programme includes a

range of live performances, digital showcases

and exhibitions designed to bring audiences

closer to Auckland’s creative talent.

Among the highlights is a series of

emerging artist showcases at community

venues such as Te Oro and Studio One Toi

Tū, featuring alumni from Stand Up Stand

Out (SUSO), an Auckland Council initiative

supporting rangatahi development in

songwriting, musicianship and dance.

Another key feature is Ka Mua Ka Muri,

a web series inspired by the U.S. NPR

(National Public Radio) Tiny Desk Concerts,

featuring performances and interviews with

Auckland musicians and songwriters. Artists

including Phoebe Rings, Mokomokai, Spell,

SPDRTWNBBY and SUSO alumnus Cameron

Beattie will perform live at Central City Library.

At Kōmanawa Theatre, This Place Here

brings together a dynamic ensemble of

artists and global instrumentation reflecting

Auckland’s multicultural identity. Led by artist

Swap Gomez, the collaborative platform

amplifies the voices and cultural soundscapes

of migrant and Indigenous communities,

blending creative exploration with storytelling.

Central City Library will also host Encore!, an

exhibition celebrating Auckland’s live music

history and iconic venues. The programme

includes lunchtime drop-in sessions where

librarians take over the decks as DJs,

alongside a series of live performances

throughout May.

“Sounds of Tāmaki Makaurau is a brilliant

new chapter for our city and we can’t wait

for Aucklanders to discover the talent that is

nurtured right here at home,” says Community

Committee Chair, Councillor Julie Fairey.

“Let’s celebrate the diverse voices that

make our local music scene so unique. This

is a great opportunity for all Aucklanders

to tap into the wealth of entertainment and

celebrate the vibrant sounds and stories

Tāmaki Makaurau has to offer.”

Event highlights across May include

Thursday evening DJ sets at Queens Wharf

featuring Māori HiFi artists TDK and Grantis,

who will present a 100% Aotearoa music mix;

the Rhythm Nation kapa haka series with free

Saturday midday performances; and ongoing

Ka Mua Ka Muri live recordings and Encore!

library sessions.

For the full programme, visit OurAuckland.

nz/sounds.


NEW ZEALAND

IWK BUREAU

The Ministry of Home Affairs

has introduced a major

overhaul of the Overseas

Citizen of India programme after

more than a decade. The updated

framework, effective April 1, brings

a standardised global fee structure,

tighter compliance requirements

for passport updates, and broader

eligibility for sections of the Indian

diaspora. Reported by Firstpost.

Officials stated that the

changes aim to modernise

diaspora management, strengthen

biometric verification systems,

and streamline services across

more than 100 Indian missions and

consulates worldwide.

Unified global fee

structure introduced

One of the key changes

is the introduction of a

uniform global fee system,

replacing earlier missionspecific

charges.

Under the revised

structure, fresh OCI

applications submitted

overseas will cost $275 (or

equivalent in local currency), while

those filed within India will cost

Rs 15,000. Re-issuance of OCI

cards due to passport updates or

changes in personal details will

now be charged at $25.

In cases where OCI cards are lost

or damaged, duplicate cards will be

issued for $100. Additionally, the

IWK BUREAU

Three Punjabi men have died

in a serious crash involving

a car and a tanker truck on State

Highway 1 near Waiouru.

The crash happened late on

Monday night as the men were

travelling from Wellington towards

Tauranga. Police were alerted to

the incident at about 11.50pm.

“Three people have died following

a crash involving a car and a tanker

truck on State Highway 1, about

5km north of Waiouru,” police said

in a statement.

Manjinder Singh, Sandeep Singh,

Varinderpal Singh were named as

the three who were killed in the

accident, according Manjinder’s

first cousin, who confirmed the

names to The Indian Weekender.

Manjinder Singh hailed from

SBS Nagar, Nawanshahr,

and Sandeep Singh,

Varinderpal Singh were

from Uttarakhand.

“The three were friends

and were on work permits

in New Zealand. They used to

work together,” Kamaljit Singh, first

cousin of Manjinder, told The Indian

Weekender.

“They were on their way back

from Wellington to Tauranga,”

Kamaljit told The Indian Weekender.

Manjinder Singh is survived by

his wife and two young daughters,

aged 3 and 7. Sandeep Singh

The

new OCI

regulations include

a standardised $275

application fee, a mandatory

three-month update rule for

new passports, and a historic

expansion of eligibility for

fifth and sixth-generation

descendants in Sri

Lanka.

fee for converting

older Persons of

Indian Origin cards

into OCI status has

been fixed at $100.

Strict ‘three-month rule’

for passport updates

The new rules also introduce a

mandatory compliance requirement

for OCI cardholders regarding

passport updates.

Cardholders must update their

OCI details on the official portal

within three months of receiving

leaves behind his wife

and child in India, while

Varinderpal Singh was

unmarried, according to

Kamaljit.

Kamaljit said Manjinder Singh’s

final rites will be held in Tauranga,

while the last rites of the other two

deceased will be decided by their

respective families.

All three occupants of the car

died at the scene. The driver of the

tanker truck, with which the car is

a new foreign passport. Failure to

do so within the 90-day window will

attract a penalty of $25.

Authorities have linked this

requirement to enhanced biometric

verification systems, which are

expected to enable faster “e-gate”

immigration processing at Indian

airports by ensuring real-time

synchronisation of passport and

OCI data.

Expanded eligibility for Sri

Lankan diaspora

said to have collided, was treated

for moderate injuries.

The collision impact was severe,

with the car ending up underneath

the heavy vehicle, according to

some news accounts in the Punjabi

media.

Emergency services responded

quickly, and a helicopter was

deployed to help search the

surrounding area amid initial

concerns that another person may

have been involved.

India has also expanded OCI

eligibility to include fifth- and sixthgeneration

members of the Indianorigin

Tamil community in Sri Lanka.

Previously restricted to fourthgeneration

descendants, the

revised policy now opens the door

to a wider segment of the diaspora,

particularly those who have faced

documentation challenges.

Sri Lankan government-issued

records will now be accepted as

valid proof of ancestry, easing longstanding

barriers for applicants.

Police later confirmed there were

only three people in the car.

Whanganui Area Commander

Inspector Neil Forlong described

the loss of life as heartbreaking.

“Our initial enquiries show the

car has likely crossed the centre

line just before the crash, but why

that occurred is a focus of our

investigation.

“There were initial fears a fourth

person may have been travelling in

the vehicle, but we have thankfully

Officials noted that this move could

enable hundreds of thousands of

individuals to reconnect with their

roots through long-term, multientry

visa access to India.

Residency rule removed

for select categories

The government has also removed

the earlier six-month residency

requirement for certain OCIrelated

processes. This change

is intended to facilitate smoother

participation in initiatives such

as the Vaibhav Fellowship, which

connects global Indian-origin

scientists and researchers with

institutions in India.

Eliminating residency constraints

is expected to reduce administrative

delays and enhance mobility for

skilled diaspora professionals.

However, officials have cautioned

that under the new system, failure

to update information within the

prescribed timelines may result

in delays or additional scrutiny at

immigration checkpoints in major

cities like Delhi and Bengaluru.

Despite the stricter compliance

measures, the OCI card continues

to remain one of India’s most

significant tools for engaging with

its global diaspora.

Three Punjabi friends killed in SH1 crash involving a tanker

Frome

left to right:

Manjinder Singh,

Sandeep Singh and

Varinderapal Singh

/Supplied

India revamps OCI rules with new

fees and stricter norms

been able to rule that out.

“I want to acknowledge the fast

response of emergency crews, who

were faced with a tough scene.

“Crashes like this are devastating

for the families involved and

the community, and Police will

continue to support those affected

by this tragedy.”

Police are continuing to

investigate the circumstances

surrounding the crash.


NEW ZEALAND


Girmitiya ancestry the inspiration behind

Fijian writer’s debut novel

RNZ

A

woman whose greatgrandparents,

all eight

of them, were Girmitiya

labourers has put their stories into

her debut novel.

The result is Banjara, a novel

partly based on what she found,

which is told through the eyes of

two women more than 100 years

apart.

Author, Shana Chandra told Nine

to Noon she knew her grandparents

were Girmitiya, but nothing of their

origin stories.

“I knew that they were part of

this larger geopolitical movement

under colonialism, but I didn’t have

their personal stories,” she said.

“I didn’t know where they

came from in India. I didn’t

know what made them

vulnerable to coercion.

I didn’t even know their

names. So really, writing

the story was a way for

me to write their origin

story not only for me, but for

them.”

Chandra said the former head

of New Zealand’s Girmitiya

Foundation told her that Indo-

Fijians were prohibited from writing

about indenture.

“It felt very important for me to

write this origin story, because

there was so much silence - I think,

because there was so much shame

over what happened.

“And it was my way of saying to

my ancestors, they no longer need

to be silenced, and... thank you, in

a way, because I used to be quite

angry about the silence, but then I

realized it was their gift to me, and

their gift to all of us - they didn’t

want us to be burdened with what

they endured.”

Girmitiya

ancestry the

inspiration behind

Fijian writer’s debut

novel. Photo:

Supplied

Chandra said a lot of

research went into the book, but

historical records only tell so much.

“When I saw my greatgrandmother’s

immigration pass,

she boarded the Hereford, which is

actually the same boat that Avani,

my character, boards in the book.

“She was only eight when she

boarded and she boarded the

boat with her younger brother, her

older sister and her father, and

there was actually no record of

her mother being on board. So

because of the way indentureships

were partitioned with men on one

side and women and children on

the other, I know that those women

on board would have helped my

great-grandmother and her siblings

survive in a myriad of ways.

“One day, I just had this

compulsion to wake up and say all

of those women’s names because

I knew that they they would have

helped them survive.”

There were shocking discoveries,

too. One immigration pass was that

of a 15-day-old baby who had died.

“And on the left-hand side, written

in cursive writing by a colonial

official, was that her mother had

suffocated her. And though I

know that could be true, there was

something about that intuitively

that just didn’t sit right in my body.”

Chandra later came across a

post from a site called Cutlass

Magazine, featuring real oral

histories.

“One about a woman who said

that when her grandmother was

indentured, the women on board

had to hide the children because

crew members would find them a

nuisance and want to throw them

overboard.

“And there was an actual story

from an indentured man who kept

on repeating the same story, how

on his ship that had a particularly

rough passage, the captain came,

took a newborn baby and fed it to

the sea as a sacrifice.

“Even just me writing the names

of those women afterwards, just

burst into tears... It was important

to weave those other stories, those

oral histories, into the book to show

that other side of history.”

Chandra believes a lot of

labourers were duped into signing

the labour agreements, and many

were promised a “paradisical island

full of abundant opportunity”.

“But what they actually faced

...was hard labour up to 14 hours a

day or over six days a week. And a

lot of them were subjected to brutal

physical and sexual abuse.

“At one point in Fiji, Fiji had the

highest suicide rate in the world

due to indenture.”

Chandra said there was “amazing

forms of resistance” from the

women.

“There’s something known as the

women’s gang.

“These women would form these

gangs, and they would go to known

abusers and use the only thing,

only weapons they had, which was

their bodies, and retaliate and beat

their abusers. So my book really

showcases that female solidarity.”

She said it was tough to navigate

all the cultural practices and

language of the time to be accurate.

But what also became important

was the “emotional truth”.

“That emotional honesty was

almost just as important, because

that’s what it’s really trying to

capture, but I was lucky. When I

was writing this novel, it did feel like

something larger was guiding my

hand. So I do partly dedicate this

novel to my ancestors, who felt like

they were conspiring with me from

the heavens.

“I think what’s so amazing to me

is that, and this is what I hoped the

book would do - it would provide

an emotional landscape for other

Indo-Fijians to rebound off and to

start talking about these stories.”

Shana Chandra will be appearing

as part of the Auckland Writers’

Festival next month.

-By RNZ

IWK BUREAU

popular fish and chip shop

A near Orewa Beach in Auckland

has gone into liquidation, leaving

more than $300,000 in unpaid tax

debt and all 14 employees out of

work.

According to a report by Stuff,

Orewa Beach Fish and Chips Ltd,

the company behind the beachfront

takeaway store on Hibiscus

Coast Highway, was placed into

liquidation on April 8. The business

had operated since 2021 after

taking over a previously vacant site

opposite the beach.

Former owner and sole

shareholder Mark Huxford had

shared his vision for the store on

its website after launching the

business in 2020.

“Because there’s nothing

like hot chips and fresh fish,

and a perfectly cooked and

seasoned chip is one of the

truest joys in life,” Stuff has

quoted.

According to the first liquidator’s

report from Blacklock Rose Ltd, the

company owes a total of $441,615.

Popular

Orewa fish

and chip shop

collapses owing

$308,000 in tax

debt. (Photo:

Supplied)

Popular Orewa fish and chip shop

collapses owing $308,000 in tax debt

The largest debt is to Inland

Revenue, which is owed $308,000.

The report also lists $104,000

owed to unsecured creditors and

$23,000 to former employees.

The company’s assets have not

yet been disclosed.

Although the takeaway outlet

was still operating at the time

liquidation began, all staff were

later made redundant. Liquidators

said they had interviewed Huxford

and “obtained details pertaining to

the operation of the business,” Stuff

has quoted.

The report also noted that the

company bank account had been

frozen and was overdrawn.

Since entering liquidation, the

business has been sold by the

liquidators.

Attempts to contact Huxford for

comment were unsuccessful.

Calls to the store currently play

a recorded message stating the

shop would remain closed until

Friday, April 17, “while we make

some changes and tend to some

maintenance issues in the shop,

resulting from the recent storm,” as

quoted by Stuff.

The same statement appears

in the latest post on the store’s

Facebook page.

12 ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, May 1, 2026 Read online www.iwk.co.nz

Bobby’s ‘Bandar’

To Release On June 5

AGENCIES

Bobby Deol-Starrer “Bandar” is set to hit theatres across the

world on June 5, the makers announced on Monday. The

film, said to be inspired by real-life events, also features

Sanya Malhotra, Raj B Shetty, Jitendra Joshi, Sapna Pabbi,

Indrajith Sukumaran, Riddhi Sen, Saba Azad and Nagesh Bhosle

in piv- otal roles.

“Bandar” has been produced by Nikhil Dwivedi and is backed

by Zee Studios. Anurag Kashyap has directed the film while the

script has been penned by Sudip Sharma in collaboration with

Abhishek Banerjee, according to a press release. The film, which

had its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film

Festival (TIFF) in September 2025, follows the story of a fading

star accused of rape, shining a light on systemic injustices,

silenced voices in courtrooms, and the harsh realities of a deeply

flawed legal framework.

Besides “Bandar”, Deol will also feature in the action-thriller

“Alpha” alongside Sharvari and Alia Bhatt. The film is directed by

Shiv Rawail. He will also appear in the Tamil action-drama film

“Jana Nayagan”. It is directed by H Vinoth.

Emily Intimidated By Meryl

AGENCIES

Emily Blunt recently confessed to feeling deeply

intimidated by Meryl Streep during the filming

of the original “The Devil Wears Prada.” Blunt, who

is set to return for the highly anticipated sequel,

was sharing her thoughts during a SiriusXM Front

Row chat hosted by Andy Cohen. She was joined

by fellow cast members Anne Hathaway, Stanley

Tucci, and Streep herself.

When the conversation turned to their early work

relationship, Blunt recalled the first film’s shooting

in 2006 and admitted that she was “quite scared”

of her legendary co-star at the time.

“I mean, on the first one, I was quite scared

because I feel like you were in a zone... She was

in a Miranda zone,” Blunt told Streep,

who essays Miranda Priestly,

the cruel editor-in-chief of

Runway magazine in

the film franchise.

Replying to the

actor, Streep

said, “Oh, yeah.

I was in that

zone.” Blunt

added: “Not

impenetrable,

but we could

come up and

tell you a funny

story, but you

wouldn’t do your

extraordinary laugh

that I normally hear.”

The first film revolved

around Andy Sachs

(Hathaway), a smart but fashionclueless

journalism graduate who moves to New

York City with dreams of becoming a serious

writer. Desperate for work, she lands a job as

a junior personal assistant to Miranda Priestly,

the cold and tyrannical editor-in-chief of the elite

fashion magazine Runway.

“The Devil Wears

Prada 2”, which is

set to release on May

1, is directed by David

Frankel and written by

Aline Brosh McKenna.

The story will follow Streep’s

character, Miranda Priestly,

navigating the decline of traditional

print media, forced to face off against her

former assistant, Emily Charlton (Blunt), who

is now a high-powered luxury group executive

controlling vital advertising funds.

It is produced by Wendy Finerman with Michael

Bederman, Karen Rosenfelt and McKenna serving

as executive producers.

AGENCIES

In a major relief for Rhea Chakraborty, a special Mumbai

court has ordered the defreezing of the actor and her

brother’s bank accounts citing the NCB’s failure to follow

procedural requirements under the NDPS Act.

The duo was accused in a drug-related case

linked to the death of actor Sushant Singh

Rajput in 2020. The Narcotics Control

Bureau (NCB) had blocked the siblings’

bank accounts during its investigation

into the case. Represented by

advocate Ayaz Khan, Rhea and Showik

Chakraborty contended that the NCB

failed to follow the compulsory

proce dural steps required under

Section 68F of the Narcotic

Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

(NDPS) Act, 1985, which governs the seizure

or freezing of assets. The prosecution

challenged the application, referencing

Chakraborty’s purported statements as

proof of her involvement in a drug syndicate

with ties to traffickers. They argued that

freezing the accounts remained a vital and

Rhea

Gets

Relief

justified measure taken by the investigating officer.

However, finding merits in the defence’s contention,

Special NDPS Court Judge UC Deshmukh on Saturday

noted that under section 68F(2) of the NDPS Act, any

order to freeze or seize property must be confirmed by a

“competent authority” within 30 days. If no such

confirmation is made, the order becomes

legally invalid. The respondent (NCB) does

not deny that there is no compliance

with the mandatory provision, the court

pointed out. Therefore, in view of a high

court ruling and provisions of Section

68F of the NDPS Act, the application is

liable to be allowed, it said.

The special court then directed the

immediate defreezing of the bank accounts and

permitted the duo to operate them in accordance with

RBI rules and regulations.

The NCB has been probing the alleged drug use in

Bollywood and the television industry following the death

of Sushant Singh Rajput. The 34-year-old actor was

found hanging at his apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra area

on June 14, 2020.


MIX & MATCH

Friday, May 1, 2026

13

Recipe

RAJMA CURRY

by

Ruby Dhillon

This wholesome, protein-rich dish comes in different varieties

such as red rajma, chitra rajma, Jammu rajma, Kashmiri rajma,

etc. Rajma is popularly known as rajma chawal (kidney beans with

rice) in North India, where it is a favourite Sunday lunch in many

households, especially among children.

PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes | SOAKING TIME: 8 hours

COOKING TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup red rajma (kidney • 1 tsp coriander powder

beans)

• 11/2 tsp rajma masala

• 1 tsp salt

powder

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tbsp clarified butter powder

• 3 dry red chillies

• ½ salt or according to

• 1 onion, large

taste

• 11/2 tsp garlic paste • 1 tomato, large

• 1 tsp ginger paste • 2 tbsp clarified butter

• 2 green chillies

or oil

• 1 tsp red chilli powder • coriander leaves to

• ½ tsp turmeric powder garnish

METHOD

Wash the rajma thoroughly until clean. Soak

in a bowl with 3 cups of water, cover, and set

aside for 8 hours or preferably overnight (1 cup

of rajma doubles in size after soaking, yielding

about 2 cups).

Drain the soaked rajma and transfer to

a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of fresh

water along with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 bay

leaf, and 1 tablespoon of clarified butter.

Stir well until combined. Pressure cook

over a medium flame for 5-6 whistles, then turn

off the flame and allow the pressure to release

naturally.

Heat clarified butter in a heavy-bottomed pan

over a medium flame.

Add dry red chillies and sauté for a minute. Add

the peeled, washed, and grated onion and sauté

for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Add

the garlic paste and stir, then add the

ginger paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add

green chillies (made into a paste) and sauté for

another minute.

Lower the flame and add red chilli powder,

turmeric powder, coriander powder, rajma

masala powder, and garam masala powder.

Mix well, adding a splash of water to prevent

RUBY’S TIP

To make it more spicy and flavourful, heat 1 tablespoon of clarified

butter over medium flame. Add 2 chopped green chillies and sauté for a

minute, then add 2 teaspoons of Deggi chilli powder, stir well, and pour it

over the rajma just before serving.

burning.

Add the chopped tomatoes and salt, and sauté

over a medium flame until the tomatoes are soft

and the clarified butter begins to separate.

Remove the lid and check if the rajma is cooked

by pressing a bean with a fork; if it is still slightly

firm, cover and cook for another 2-3 whistles.

Add the onion, tomato mixture to the cooked

rajma and mix well. Add warm water according

to your desired consistency. Place the lid

loosely on top without sealing and let the rajma

simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes, stirring

occasionally. The longer it simmers, the richer

and tastier the gravy becomes.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with

chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.

Slopaganda Is The New Propaganda

Dr Mehak Jonjua

Journalist, Author & Media Mentor

X @janjuamehak

The use of memes driven by tension

with Donald Trump was an early

indicator of a more fundamental

change going forward through Iran in terms of

their messages. Today, analysts refer to this

phase of information warfare as “slopaganda,”

which consists of mass-producing low-quality

content through AI-generated images or text

- with the primary goal of overwhelming and

not convincing. The idea is that influencing

the public does not consist of crafting a

single strong narrative but rather, has shifted

to an entirely new concept of flooding

misinformation through many variations of

the same narrative.

The impact of this new slopaganda

mechanism is staggering. Cybersecurity

reports predict that, by 2025, more than 50%-

60% of all internet traffic will be automated

or bot-assisted activity. With the advent of

generative AI, many propaganda campaigns

can now be produced at virtually no cost,

with hundreds of images, memes, and video

clips created every minute, and some of these

increasing their output to thousands of posts

following the Killing of Qasem Soleimani via

accounts or groups with an Iranian connection.

This new slopaganda approach can be

seen across the entire world. In the case of

the Russia-Ukraine War, researchers counted

millions of posts each week on platforms like

Telegram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok

as part of competing narratives during that

conflict. The strategy of Ukraine, promoted

through President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was

based upon being authentic and relatable;

the videos produced by Pro-Russian efforts

were based upon creating as much content as

possible to dominate attention spans based

upon reposting and recycling.

Furthermore, China’s use of high-volume

messaging is also a notable example of

how slopaganda works. During COVID-19,

analysts noted the high level of coordinated

posting by state-linked accounts that

provided polished messaging and repeating

and meme-like images to confuse others

and reinforce narratives through frequency.

In addition, the same tactics have

been used against democratic systems.

Reports about investigations into the 2016

US elections showed how the Internet

Research Agency created tens of thousands

of posts a month that reached millions of

users through algorithmic amplification.

According to Freedom House, the increased

amount of organized digital manipulation

campaigns are going on in over 40 countries,

which suggests these tactics are becoming

normalized around the world.

What differentiates slopaganda from

traditional propaganda is not about the

credibility or cohesiveness of the content.

Rather, it is all about exploiting platform

algorithms that provide a reward for

engagement to help ensure that, as people

encounter a number of narratives similar

to each other within minutes, it creates a

perception of consensus.

The risk of slopaganda is cumulative. With

an increase in AI-generated content creation,

it would become much more difficult to

determine where satire, misinformation, and

truth start to blend together. It will create a

sense of familiarity through repetition and

build belief regardless of the quality of the

content being circulated.

Tehran’s experience with memes to the

international digital flooding of AI-generated

content is a new type of soft power. Rather

than arguing, persuading, or clearly deceiving,

slopaganda is simply saturating. Ultimately, in

a world with only so much attention, whichever

side can fill the feed will define what truth will

be accepted by the majority.


VIEW POINT

Inside The Mind’s Haunted House

Vikrant Parmar

Editor, Writer & Media Mentor

X @vikrantparmar17

There was a time when I, like

many others, quietly believed

that certain feelings could

not be explained—those sudden

chills in an empty room, the sense

that someone was watching, or an

unshakable heaviness that seemed to

come from nowhere. It is easy, in such

moments, to turn toward the idea

of the supernatural. After all, when

emotions feel overwhelming, the

mind searches for meanings beyond

the ordinary. But over time, I began to

notice a pattern: these experiences

often arrived not out of nowhere, but

during periods of stress, loneliness, or

emotional fatigue.

Science offers an interesting

lens to understand this. When we

are anxious or mentally drained,

the brain becomes more alert to

perceived threats. It starts filling

gaps in silence, turning shadows

into shapes, and ordinary sounds

into something more ominous. I

remember nights when a slight

noise felt amplified, almost

intentional, only to realize later

that it was nothing more than my

Pic Credit: Muhammed Jiyadh

heightened awareness playing

tricks on me. Studies in psychology

confirm this tendency—fear can

distort perception, making the

ordinary seem extraordinary.

Sleep, too, has its own

mysterious influence. Episodes

like sleep paralysis, experienced by

nearly 8% of people worldwide, can

feel intensely real—figures in the

room, a presence pressing down,

an inability to move. For someone

unfamiliar with the condition, it can

easily be interpreted as something

supernatural. Yet, it is the mind

caught between dreaming and

waking, projecting its fears into a

half-conscious state.

What we often call “negative

energy” also feels deeply personal.

I have walked into spaces that felt

heavy without any visible reason.

But later, I understood how much

our surroundings—dim lighting,

silence, unfamiliar settings—

affect our mood. The brain reads

these cues quickly, sometimes

translating discomfort into

something more unsettling.

The question then becomes—

what can we do so these feelings

don’t disturb us? The first step

is grounding yourself in reality.

Simple actions like turning on a

light, playing soft music, or even

checking your surroundings can

break the illusion the mind creates.

When the environment feels less

ambiguous, the brain has less room

to misinterpret. Managing stress

is equally important; practices like

deep breathing, journaling, or even

a short walk can calm the mind

and reduce hyper-alertness.

Sleep hygiene also plays a crucial

role. Maintaining a regular sleep

schedule, avoiding screens before

bed, and creating a comfortable

sleeping environment can reduce

episodes like sleep paralysis or

nighttime anxiety. When such an

episode does occur, reminding

yourself that it is temporary and

medically understood can help

reduce fear in the moment.

Most importantly, do not let

these feelings isolate you. Talking

to someone—whether a friend

or a professional—can provide

perspective and reassurance. What

feels supernatural often has very

human roots, shaped by emotion,

memory, and environment. And

once you begin to understand

that, these experiences lose their

hold over you, becoming less of

a mystery and more of something

you can manage with awareness

and calm.

(The writer can be reached at

vikrant.webs@gmail.com)

Dr Neeraj A Sharma

Honorary Consul General of the

Republic of Palau to India

X @Neerajpalau

or three decades, India’s

F presence in today’s global

economy has been shaped

primarily through coding. The

country’s most famous companies

are not oil firms or financial

institutions but rather software

export firms such as Infosys,

TCS and Wipro. These three firms

turned Bangalore and Hyderabad

into the world’s back offices.

Although the period of defining

India through these leading

companies is not over yet, it is

starting to pass. Infosys has been

removed from the group of India’s

ten most valuable companies after

having lost over ₹2 trillion during

its FY26 market cap decline, a

loss that is better characterised

as a structural indicator of how

India’s economy has outgrown the

industry that defined it.

This structural transition can

be viewed through India’s current

rankings where Reliance Industries

dominates the top of the chart

at approximately 19 to 21 trillion

rupees in market capitalization,

followed by HDFC Bank, Bharti

Airtel, ICICI Bank and State Bank

of India. Collectively, these five

Market Titans Under Pressure As The

Bluechip Tag Loses Its Edge

most valuable Indian companies

represent the largest number of

firms in these sectors; energy,

telecommunications and banking.

Additionally, if you look at the ten

most valuable publicly traded India

companies today, four of them

are in the banking and financial

services category (HDFC Bank,

ICICI Bank, SBI and Bajaj Finance).

Banking and financial services

have become key components of

the domestic credit growth story

which drives the overall economic

growth story for India. By figuring

in the ability of Reliance to diversify

across oil refining, retailing, the Jio

telecom empire and green energy

business (oil refining, retailing

and telecommunications only);

no comparable single asset IT

corporation has been successful

in matching Reliance’s sheer

resilience through its operating

diversification.According to

statistics, the sector’s revenue is

more than ₹10 lakh crore and 3.8

lakh workers.

TCS (a subsidiary of the TATA

Group) is still India’s largest IT

company; however, like the rest of

the work force in this sector, TCS

has undergone a restructuring. In

Q2 FY26, TCS reduced its employee

count from 613,069 in June 2025,

down to 593,314 employees in

September 2025. This constitutes

approximately 19,775 (19,529;

about 2% reduction) employees, or

approximately 66% of those initially

Pic Credit: Dimitri Karastelev

planned to be laid off during the first

quarter of the fiscal year. Similar

reductions occurred with Infosys

and Wipro. All three companies

maintained their revenue. For

example, in Q1 FY26, TCS reported

an increase in revenue of 1.3%

(from ₹62,103 crore to ₹63,437

crore; net income increased 5.9%,

or approximately ₹1,200 crore).

Likewise, Infosys experienced

revenue growth (7.5%; ₹42,279

crore) and HCL experienced the

largest revenue increase of the

three companies, growing by 8.1%

(approximate estimate is ₹42,700

crore.) The revelation here is that,

even though IT companies are

holding onto their revenue, there

has been a significant amount

of headcount reduction as a

result of the increased utilization

of automation and generative

artificial intelligence (AI), replacing

the work performed by previously

employed engineers.

HCL, which had previously

appeared resilient, was negatively

impacted when providing its

cautious forward guidance, leading

to a sizeable decrease in its share

value of approximately $4.5 billion,

following the company’s warning

to investors, which triggered a

broad-based sell-off in the sector.

During the same period, Tech

Mahindra has been losing IT staff,

while both Wipro and Infosys are

experiencing structural issues that

cannot be addressed through their

quarterly results; specifically, an

end to the linear model for hiring

that has provided much of the

profit in the Indian outsourcing

industry since the 1990’s. These

job reductions are an indication of

a major shift away from a focus

on financial health and toward a

longer-term strategy to position

their companies for success in the

future by developing their talent

and delivery methods to utilize

new technology.

Business Standard Companies

in this sector, then, are using

the term ‘future-proofing’ to

describe how they are automating

their businesses.The global

IT services market was worth

$1.85 trillion in 2024, projected

to reach $2.03 trillion in 2025

and beyond Skyquestt — and

to date, this growth has gone

toward new capabilities instead

of the traditional headcount-based

outsourcing. In January 2026,

Accenture announced plans to

invest $3 billion to expand its

data and AI capabilities and hiring

25,000 additional employees and

building six innovation centres

across the U.S. Mordor Intelligence

Similarly, in January 2026, IBM won

$1.2 billion, seven-year contract

with the Department of Veterans

Affairs to migrate 9 million patient

records into a new FHIR-compliant

hybrid cloud environment. Both

moves are examples of a shift

in the IT industry where funding

that was traditionally associated

with hiring people has changed to

funding associated with managing

the delivery of results rather than

people.In 2025, Infosys filed for

340 artificial intelligence patents

to compete in this area; cognizant

acquired a zero-trust cybersecurity

consultancy for $480 million at the

end of December 2025.


SPIRITUAL CORNER


Rasa Siddhanta As Energetic

Transformation: A Yogic –

Tantric Perspective

Designed by Freepik

In the

coming

week…

ARIES

(March 23–April 22)

TAURUS

(April 23–May 22)

GEMINI

(May 23–June 22)

This week pushes you to slow down—yes, even

you. Work may feel intense, but clarity comes

midweek. Trust your instincts in financial matters.

A surprise message could stir old emotions.

Focus: roots, security, meaningful connections.

Watch out for: resisting change because it feels

comfortable.

Comfort meets change. You may resist it, but

something new—career or personal—demands

attention. Relationships deepen if you open up

instead of staying guarded.

Focus: dialogue, learning, connection.

Watch out for: saying too much too soon.

Your mind is racing with ideas, but not all need

action. Focus on one goal. Communication

improves, making this a good week to resolve

misunderstandings.

Focus: feelings, relationships, caring.

Watch out for: holding back what you really feel.

RAVI K DHAR

Rasa Siddhanta, as articulated

in the Natyashastra by

Bharata Muni, has traditionally

been understood as a theory of

aesthetic emotion—the relish (rasa)

experienced by a sensitive spectator.

Later, Abhinavagupta deepened

this insight by suggesting that rasa

resembles brahmāsvāda, a taste of

universal consciousness. However,

these formulations can be further

enriched by interpreting rasa not

merely as emotion, but as an energetic

transformation within consciousness.

From a yogic perspective, particularly

in the light of the Yoga Sutras of

Patanjali, inner transformation

proceeds through stages that stabilize

the body, regulate energy, and refine

awareness. This process begins

with the cultivation of balance and

stillness, creating a condition in which

deeper energetic flows can emerge.

As rigidity dissolves, fluidity arises,

followed by rhythmic harmonization

of breath and awareness, eventually

leading to absorption and integration.

A striking parallel can be observed

in aesthetic experience. A work of art,

like the human body in yogic practice,

presents a structured and bounded

form—an expression of stability

analogous to the earth element (prithvi

tattva). Through engagement with

this form, the spectator’s attention is

stabilized. As the experience deepens,

emotional and perceptual fluidity

emerges, corresponding to the water

element (jala tattva). This is followed

by rhythmic entrainment—through

sound, movement, or narrative—

reflecting the operation of the air

element (vayu tattva), wherein the

internal rhythms of the spectator align

with those of the artwork.

At a certain point, the artwork draws

the spectator inward, functioning

analogously to pratyahara (withdrawal

of the senses). Attention becomes

absorbed, and a state of resonance

emerges between the internal

processes of the spectator and the

structure of the artistic form. It is

within this resonance that a crucial

transformation occurs: the release

of energies that were previously

constrained or “calcified” within the

individual.

From a tantric perspective,

particularly within Kashmir Shaivism,

such release can be understood as the

free movement of Shakti, the dynamic

energy of consciousness. Rasa, in this

sense, is not merely the enjoyment

of emotion but the felt experience of

liberated and harmonized energy.

Thus, aesthetic experience may be

understood as a form of subtle yoga—

an externally mediated process that

mirrors inner transformation. Rasa is

not simply tasted; it is the moment

in which consciousness, freed from

its constraints, experiences its own

dynamic fullness.

(The writer is a spiritual guide)

CANCER

(June 23–July 22)

LEO

(July 23–August 22)

VIRGO

(August 23–September 22)

LIBRA

(September 23–October 22)

SCORPIO

(October 23–November 22)

Emotions run high, but in a revealing way. Family

or home matters take center stage. Let go of what

drains you—peace is closer than you think.

Focus: creativity, self-expression, joy.

Watch out for: craving applause and losing sight

of substance.

Spotlight is on you, but pressure follows. Balance

ambition with rest. A conversation late in the week

brings unexpected clarity in love or friendship.

Focus: organisation, health, improvement.

Watch out for: perfectionism.

Details matter more than ever. You’re in problemsolving

mode, but don’t overthink everything.

Health and routine need attention—small changes

will go a long way.

Focus: relationship, compromise, aesthetics.

Watch out for: avoidance of conflict.

This week is about balance—again, but deeper.

You may feel pulled in two directions. Choose what

aligns with your long-term peace, not short-term

comfort.

Focus: depth, vulnerability, change.

Watch out for: power games or ignoring your own

boundaries.

Intense energy surrounds you. Secrets, truths, and

realizations surface. Instead of reacting, observe.

This is a powerful week for transformation.

Focus: travel (physical or mental), optimism.

Watch out for: over-commitment.

SAGITTARIUS

(November 23–December 22)

Adventure calls, but responsibilities hold you back.

Find a middle ground. A new opportunity—possibly

travel or learning-related—could emerge.

Focus: career, structure, long-term goals.

Watch out for: burnout or putting off your personal

life too much.

CAPRICORN

(December 23–January 22)

Work dominates, but don’t ignore emotional needs.

Someone close may need your time. Financial

planning improves if you stay disciplined.

Focus: creativity, intuition, compassion.

Watch out for: drifting without direction or

neglecting daily needs.

AQUARIUS

(January 23–February 22)

Your ideas shine this week. Creativity and

innovation bring recognition. However, don’t

detach emotionally—someone expects honesty

from you.

Focus: leadership, self-expression, bold moves.

Watch out for: ignoring others’ perspectives.

PISCES

(February 23–March 22)

Intuition is your superpower now. Trust it. Dreams

and inner thoughts guide you toward an important

realization. Avoid energy-draining situations.

Focus: feelings, relationships, caring.

Watch out for: holding back what you really feel.


TALKING POINT

Mehreen

Marries Arsh

AGENCIES

Actor Mehreen Pirzada, celebrated for her roles in hits

like “F2: Fun and Frustration,” “Mahanubhavudu,” and

“Raja the Great,” got married to Arsh Aulakh during a

private ceremony in Himachal Pradesh.

The couple announced their marriage via a joint Instagram

post on Sunday, showcasing several beautiful glimpses from

their special day. The post was simply captioned “26.04.26”

to mark the date of their union. For the wedding, the actress

chose a stunning pink anarkali suit featuring detailed silver

floral embroidery. She paired the look with elegant statement

jewellery and opted for a natural, minimal makeup style.

The groom coordinated perfectly in

a matching embroidered kurta

and sherwani paired with

white trousers, which also

showcased fine needlework.

The actor was

previously engaged to

Congress youth leader

Bhavya Bishnoi. They

got engaged in March

2021, but called off the

engagement in July 2021.

Pirzada made her acting

debut in 2016 with the Telugu

romantic comedy thriller “Krishna

Gaadi Veera Prema Gaadha”, which

served as a breakthrough role for her. She later went on to

feature in several projects, primarily in Telugu industry.

Priced Out Of Parenthood

Dr Mehak Jonjua

Journalist, Author & Media Mentor

X @janjuamehak

The dream of becoming a

parent is becoming more

and more of a distant

dream for couples around the

world as their financial realities

change, according to Global data

from 2025-2026, which reveals

just how much these changes

are taking hold of couples

worldwide. Rising job insecurity

and prices, as well as changes in

what people want to do with their

lives, are contributing to shifts in

fertility trends across the world.

Statistics illustrate the

changing nature of family

creation. There was a projected

total of approximately 132 million

births to take place by 2025. The

strong majority of which would

be in Asia and Africa, with India

alone accounting for over 23

million births and nearly 1 in 6 of

the births taking place around the

world. However, this represents a

downward trend in overall levels

of child births over the years. For

example, the Global performed

Average Fertility Rate has

decreased to about 2.2 children

per woman in 2024-2026, nearing

the 2.1 replacement rate required

to prevent countries from

declining.

On a global scale, the Birth

rate will decline to approximately

16.1 births per 1000 people in

2025, which has been declining

over the past several decades.

In developed regions of the

world the decline has been most

evident. In Europe, the Average

Fertility Rate is 1.3-1.5 births per

woman, while some countries

such as South Korea and Japan

have an average below 1.0,

which is among the lowest

recorded. OCD Statistics show

that there has been a decline

in birth rates: All but one of the

38 countries analyzed have

recorded an average fertility

below replacement rates.

The reason for the declining

birth rates is primarily financial.

The Global Market has caused

housing prices to increase

tremendously, resulting in many

couples paying 40% or more of

their income on rent. Additionally,

there is a substantial cost for

child care, with many countries

charging between $8000-$20000

per year for each child. For that

reason, many young people

throughout the World believe

they are unable to have as many

children as they would like, due to

financial and sociological issues.

The declining number of

births is affecting the United

States as well, with the birth

of approximately 3.6 million

children in 2025 and record low

levels of Fertility Rates.

The reason for the decline in

births throughout the world is due,

in part, to a Global Paradox. While

there continue to be high levels of

births in many parts of the world,

particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa

where the average is 4-6 children

per woman, much of the world is

entering a period of postponed

parenting and/or declining birth

rates.

Apart from being just a

demographic problem it has

also become the generational

dilemma of strong desires to have

children, while the financial burden

continues to grow.

Pic Credit: Omar Lopez


FUN ZONE


Cozy is a vibe. So much so

that even video games have

been getting cozy. “Cozy

gaming”—a genre of lowstress,

relaxing video games focused on

comfort and non-violent gameplay,

such as farming or decorating—

has grown into one of the medium’s

most popular and commercially

successful trends.

In 2016, ConcernedApe released

Stardew Valley and introduced

us to the pastoral pleasures of

farming parsnips and foraging for

berries. The lightning-in-a-bottle

moment for cozy gaming, however,

hit in 2020 with Nintendo’s Animal

Crossing: New Horizons. It offered

players an escape, if only virtually,

from the confines of COVID-19

quarantine.

In many ways, this genre

subverts typical video game

traits by focusing on comfort

over high scores, celebrating

connection over competition. But

while cozy games offer players

the comfort and connection of a

social circle, they also structure

relationships through systems of

exchange where care, friendship

and intimacy are earned through

repeatable actions.

Rewarding repetition

So, what counts as a cozy video

game? Daniel Cook and other

game designers agree that cozy

games tend to have high emotional

investment: they invite us to care.

They also promote a slow pace

of play and a focus on sociability,

encouraging us to explore these

game worlds and pay attention to

feelings—not just our own, but also

those of the fictional characters

we meet. Repetitive tasks, as the

bane of the modern work world,

paradoxically make games cozy.

Completing small, simple tasks

gives us a dopamine rush of

satisfaction and achievement,

especially when that success isn’t

tied to real-world stability.

While video game studies

scholars have long argued that

repetition helps players master

difficult challenges in “hardcore”

games, repetitive,

easy actions in casual

gaming can also

make play feel

meaningful—just

in a different way.

Stardew

Valley and

Animal Crossing:

New Horizons,

two of the bestknown

cozy games

of the past decade,

demonstrate that planting

digital crops and harvesting virtual

friendships help us feel invested.

Seemingly small gestures in these

spaces have a big emotional

impact: they remind us it’s the little

things that matter.

Simulating community

In Stardew Valley — rendered in

nostalgic 8-bit graphics—your

grandfather bequeaths you his

small farm. Settling into the

community, you quickly discover

how gift-giving, reciprocity

and everyday conversation

build friendships and potential

romances. Farming, fishing,

mining and forestry fit around your

Business Of Bliss Cozy Gaming

Is All About Trade & Success

A genre of low-stress, relaxing video games, popularly called “cozy gaming”,

focuses on comfort and non-violent gameplay, such as farming or decorating. In

many ways, this genre subverts typical video game traits by focusing on comfort

over high scores, celebrating connection over competition. But these games also

offer social ideals that need to be considered critically.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ encourages a low-stress, relaxing focus on comfort and non-violent gameplay.

daily rounds as you interact with

the townsfolk. Each inhabitant

of Stardew Valley has their own

favourite items, which you can

offer to winnow your way into

these characters’ hearts.

Similarly, Animal Crossing:

New Horizons encourages you to

connect with your fellow islanders

on a lush, deserted island getaway.

Its universe is populated with

an array of randomly assigned

anthropomorphic characters

(who also enjoy gifts). Everything,

from bunches of weeds to

harvested fruit, will earn

positive responses,

and you’re likely to

receive luxuries

like clothing and

furniture in return.

A n i m a l

Crossing also

facilitates a

digital community through island

visits. Through Nintendo Switch

Online, players can hang out on

other people’s islands.

This proved a boon during the

COVID-19 pandemic, when its

popularity skyrocketed—more than

49 million copies have now been

sold. Virtually dropping in on real

friends while the world socially

distanced and restricted travel

made many players feel less lonely.

Nintendo has banked on players

wanting more of these repetitive

tasks and social game play with its

recent release, Pokémon Pokopia.

As an addition to its lucrative

Pokémon franchise, Pokémon

Pokopia reframes its capture-andbattle

game series about magical

creatures through the cozy

comforts of gardening, crafting

and farming. Players can curate a

charming rural space, befriending

P o k é m o n

along the way.

Pokémon Pokopia’s

promotional material

exhorts players to “Get

to know your Pokémon pals

at your own pace as you all work

together to build a cozy utopia,”

using the marketable language of

community and comfort.

Quantifying connections

Comfort, escapism and community

have obvious market and player

appeal.

And in this way, the rise of the

cozy games’ genre may seem all

positive, but these games also

offer social ideals that need to

be considered critically. Stardew

Valley and Animal Crossing: New

Horizons, for example, encourage

users to see intimacy and

relationships as quantifiable, even

transactional.

Players that accrue friendship

points in Animal Crossing: New

Horizons get interpersonal perks

like nicknames and personal

visits. While many neighbourly

actions have point value, islanders

prefer gifts. Friendship points are

invisible in game play, but online

guides track the six levels of

friendship available. Maxing out

friendships gets you gifts in return,

and this pattern of investment

and exchange shapes the player’s

activities.

Stardew Valley puts friendship

progress on display

through bright red

heart icons. The

game’s “Gift Log”

formalises the

expectation

that players will

buy villagers’

favour, and

its catalogue

of loves, likes,

neutrals and

dislikes ensure

gifting is impactful and

cost-effective. With trackers

built directly into the interface,

friendships and romances are

represented as achievable tasks,

gamified to return new conversa

tions, storylines and yet more gifts.

Managing and maximising cozy

community games’ friendship

systems may take time, but the

end result is material gain. The

Pokémon Pokopia world is no

exception. It locks players’ access

to valuable game resources

behind friendships with particular

Pokémon: Scyther has the chops

to harvest lumber, and Hitmonchan

knows how to smash rocks and

might just teach your Ditto. By

turning friendships into goals,

players approach interpersonal

connections as extractive, a way to

advance in the game and not just a

pleasure in itself.

This kind of cozy gaming is

clearly big business. For instance,

even with its $99.99 retail price,

Pokémon Pokopia sold 2.2

million units in its first four days.

The genre’s broad appeal makes

community seem accessible (even

if the price tags aren’t). As a respite

from social isolation, economic

anxiety or geopolitical instability,

cozy games provide players with

a soothing fantasy—which might

say as much about their anxieties

as it does about their needs—one

handful of parsnips at a time.

Via The Conversation


SPARE A THOUGHT

DISCIPLINE over TALENT

Ravi Nanda

Youtube handle

@Ravinandatalks

There are moments in life

when we look at someone’s

success and whisper to

ourselves, “They must be gifted…

they must be born with something

special.” But the truth is far simpler,

and far more empowering: TALENT

IS A BLESSING. DISCIPLINE IS A

DECISION.And decisions, unlike

blessings, are available to every

single one of us.Talent may give you

a head start, but discipline decides

the finish line. Talent is inherited, but

discipline is earned. Talent creates

admiration, but discipline creates

transformation.In a world obsessed

with “natural genius,” we often

forget that the people who truly

changed history were not always the

most gifted — they were the most

committed. They showed up when

others rested. They practiced when

others celebrated. They persisted

when others quit.

DISCIPLINE is a mix

ofCommitment, Daily effort, Self

control, long term vision, Inner

strength, Relentless practice,

Consistency, Quiet perseverance.

These are the real engines of

greatness. These are the qualities

that turn ordinary people into

extraordinary examples.To

understand this deeply, we don’t

need fiction. History itself is full of

people who proved that discipline

could outperform talent every single

time. Today I am going to share ONE

INSPIRING STORY which itself is

the perfect example of DISCIPLINE

OVER TALENT.

MICHAEL JORDAN — THE

LEGEND WHO OUTWORKED HIS

OWN TALENT Michael Jordan

is celebrated as the greatest

basketball player of all time,but what

shaped him was not natural talent. It

was DISCIPLINE, OBSESSION, AND

RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC.As a

teenager, Jordan faced a humiliation

that could have broken him: He was

cut from his high school basketball

team. Instead of giving up, he turned

that pain into fuel. He began waking

up early, practicing late, and training

harder than anyone else. This

rejection became the spark that

ignited his legendary discipline.

THE WORK ETHIC THAT

BECAME MYTH: Jordan’s trainer,

Tim Grover, revealed that Jordan

would practice for three hours, then

play pickup games for another three

hours,all in the same day. He was

always the first to arrive and the last

to leave. His teammates said that

Jordan didn’t just outwork others, he

outworked himself every single day.

He mastered the fundamentals

with monk like discipline. Footwork.

Shooting form. Ball handling. He

repeated them thousands of times

until they became automatic. This

attention to detail made him

unstoppable.

FAILURE WAS HIS

TEACHER Jordan openly

spoke about his failures:

“I’ve missed more than

9,000 shots… I’ve failed

repeatedly. And that is why I

succeed.” This wasn’t just a quote; it

was his philosophy. He treated every

failure as a stepping stone, every

loss as a lesson, every weakness as

a training plan.

MENTAL TOUGHNESS OVER

NATURAL GIFT Jordan’s greatness

wasn’t just physical. His mental

toughness was unmatched. He

thrived under pressure, delivering

his best when the world expected

the most. This resilience was

built through years of disciplined

practice, not talent alone.

THE TRANSFORMATION From

a boy who was once rejected…

To a college player who struggled

to adapt… To a global icon who

redefined basketball…

Jordan’s journey proves

one truth:Talent may start

the journey, but discipline

finishes it.

Jordan’s life is the

ultimate example of

DISCIPLINE OVER TALENT because:

• He wasn’t the most naturally

gifted athlete.

• He built his greatness through

repetition, fundamentals, and

daily grind.

• He used failure as motivation, not

discouragement.

• He trained harder than anyone —

even after becoming a superstar.

• His discipline created a global

legacy that talent alone could

never achieve.

Discipline is the bridge between

potential and achievement.Talent

without discipline is like a car

without fuel, it looks impressive but

doesn’t move. On the other hand,

even average talent, when backed

by strong discipline, can create

extraordinary results.Discipline is

about showing up every day, even

when you don’t feel like it.

It is about choosing long-term

growth over short-term comfort.It

is about doing what is necessary,

not just what is exciting.The world

is full of talented people who never

reached their potential… simply

because they lacked discipline.

If you also feel that I am “not

talented enough,” remember

this: You don’t need to be born

extraordinary. You only need to

show up every day, every morning,

every moment with discipline. Talent

is a spark. Discipline is the fire that

keeps burning long after the spark

fades.And in the end, the world

does not remember the naturally

gifted. It remembers the ones who

stayed committed when no one was

watching.

Dear Reader, for most of the Life

queries, you can meet me at my

you tube channel @Ravinandatalks

where most of the LIFE VALUES are

shared in small & short messages.

The Winning Strategy for

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The Indian Weekender| 01 May 2026

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