Here’s where you can travel visa-free if you are an Indian

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Here’s where you can travel visa-free if you are an Indian

India has been ranked 85th out of 199 countries in the Henley Passport Index for 2015. Japan topped the list with top rank for the fifth consecutive year. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan were at the lowest rankings in this year’s index released by Henley last week.

The Henley Passport Index for this year was just announced, in which nations from all over the world were ranked based on the performance of their respective passports. Japan topped the list for the sixth year in a row, while India placed 85th out of 199 nations. Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have the lowest Henley Passport Index rating.

Every year, the London-based global citizenship and residence consultancy business Henley & Partners publishes the Henley Passport Index, and for 2023, they used data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to compile the ranking.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2023, Indian passports allow visa-free travel to 59 countries.

“The index contains 199 passports and 227 travel locations, providing consumers with the most comprehensive and dependable information about their worldwide access and mobility,” according to the index. According to the report, each passport is assessed based on the total number of visa-free places to which the bearer has access.

According to Henley Passport power scores, only 6% of the world’s countries provide access to more than 70% of the global economy. Only 17% of countries provide visa-free travel to more than four-fifths of the world’s 227 destinations.

According to the Henley Passport Index 2023, the following are the world’s top ten most powerful passports: Japan, Singapore, and South Korea; Germany and Spain; Finland, Italy, and Luxembourg; Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden; France, Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom; Belgium, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States; Australia, Canada, Greece, and Malta; Hungary and Poland; and Lithuania and Slovakia.

In 2023, India placed 85th in the world’s most powerful passport index and offers visa-free entrance to 59 nations. Previously, the country was rated 82nd, 84th, 85th, and 83rd in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively.

Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to over 50 countries.

Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are among the Oceania countries that provide visas on arrival to Indians.

Iran, Jordan, Oman, and Qatar are among the Middle Eastern nations that allow Indians to travel without a visa.

Albania, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago all provide visas on arrival to Indians.

Visas are not required for travel to the following Asian countries: Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Macao (SAR China), Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

Bolivia and El Salvador are two American nations where Indians can travel freely.

Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are among the African countries that offer visa-on-arrival to Indians.

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State Govt. approves Rs.7.5 cr equity investment in startups

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State Govt. approves Rs.7.5 cr equity investment in startups

The Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned ₹7.5 crore in equity investments to five startups that were founded and managed by entrepreneurs from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin handed over the sanction orders on Friday in the presence of ministers for finance and human resources management.

The Tamil Nadu government has approved 7.5 crore in equity investments in five firms developed and managed by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes entrepreneurs. At the Secretariat, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin handed over the sanction orders in the presence of Ministers for Finance and Human Resources Management Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and T.M. Anbarasan.

The Tamil Nadu SC/ST startup fund is both an equity and a loan fund. In the Budget for 2022-23, the government set out 30 crore for this fund via StartupTN. This campaign aims to provide inspiring tales that will encourage the establishment of new start-ups by SC/ST entrepreneurs as part of the march toward inclusive mass entrepreneurship across demographics and industries.

Since May 2022, the programme has received 330 applications. StartupTN conducted preliminary applicant shortlisting with the assistance of experts. Following a thorough review of the businesses, the project sanction committee authorised investments totaling 7.5 crore in five firms in the form of Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCD).

Unibose Technology Pvt. Ltd., a firm that develops and manufactures robots for cleaning vessels that store hazardous pollutants in the oil and gas sector and sewage systems, has received an investment of Rs. 2.5 crore. The new funding will assist Unibose in completing the development of its product lines and commercialising them in the market, which will include both government and private sector buyers.

Pack N Back Solutions Pvt. Ltd. was the second business to get $2 million in funding. The money will assist it in developing a logistics platform for tracking containers by inserting RFID tags and transforming into a digital supply chain management firm.

Three additional startups received one crore each: Ywe Auto Assist India Pvt. Ltd. (TowMan), Eco Soft Zolutions Pvt. Ltd., and PEAS Automation Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Ywe Auto Assist offers subscription-based roadside assistance to two-wheelers and four-wheelers, including towing, jumpstarting, and other small vehicular movement services such as vehicle pickup and drop-off at dealers for repair or servicing. The funds will allow them to extend their activities throughout Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund will assist Eco Soft in transitioning from a software services supplier to an automobile SaaS product provider, eventually becoming a financial solutions provider. PEAS Automation Technologies is incorporating Industry 4.0 ideas to create a portable multi-agro processing unit in the primary processing segment for small and medium farmers. The financing will assist the startup in moving forward with the development and commercialization of its Mobile Multiprocessing Units for foodgrains.

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Here’s how Kapil Dev changed the story of Indian cricket with World Cup 1983

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Here’s how Kapil Dev changed the story of Indian cricket with World Cup 1983

Kapil Dev’s appeal as a player lay not as much in his game as in his gladiatorial instincts. India have yet to find an answer to Kapil Dev a quarter of a century after the allrounder hung up his boots.

Sunil Gavaskar was the Little Master, but his records were obliterated by the Sachin Tendulkar, who was followed by Virat Kohli, and now the rising star is Rohit Sharma – batsmen come and go, but India has yet to find an answer to Kapil Dev a quarter-century after the allrounder retired.

It was perhaps the best hour in Indian cricket when ‘Kapil’s Devils’ won the 1983 World Cup in the United Kingdom, despite cricket fans dismissing our prospects and bookmakers giving India odds of 66:1. We had only won one game in the previous two World Cups, and that was against East Africa.

Half of the Indian squad lacked confidence; assuming it would be a brief visit, they had booked tickets from London for a tour of the United States long before the final.

But we’ll get to that later. Kapil’s attraction as a player stemmed from his gladiatorial tendencies more than his skill. He was a hard competitor and courageous opponent with the ball, bat, or even as a fielder. You were prepared for the unexpected from him.

Every great player has that X element, but Kapil had three. Who can forget his spectacular 5/28 session against Australia in 1980-81, bowled with a strapped thigh and painkillers, which helped India draw a Test series for the first time in Australia? Who can forget his four sixes in a row batting with the last man in 1990, which helped India escape a follow-on at Lord’s?

When ‘Master Blaster’ Vivian Richards tried to knock Madan Lal out of the ground in the World Cup final, Kapil, who had stationed himself at short midwicket, ran back a good 20 yards, following the ball and judging it to perfection.

Until then, chasing a meagre 184 for victory in 60 overs appeared to be a formality for the two-time champions West Indies, who were coasting along at 57 for the loss of two wickets, with Richards scorching away on 33 runs off 27 balls.

Indeed, the disrespect with which he had despatched Madan Lal to the fence three times in his previous over prompted the TV pundit to declare that ‘it is curtains for India’. Kapil’s choice to stick with Madan Lal – a story in and of itself -‘ and his own Herculean effort in the outfield proved decisive.

Kapil was regarded as unique from the start. The radio commentary in December 1978, when the 19-year-old debutant smashed India’s quickest Test half-century off 33 balls, with two sixes, is unforgettable.

In Karachi, he was up against Imran Khan and Sarfaraz Nawaz. The ‘Hurricane from Haryana’ was just getting started. He went on to become the first player in history to have both 4,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets.

Kapil was one of the seven children of a successful wood trader who relocated in Chandigarh after Partition. He attended DAV school but spent most of his time at Desh Prem Azad’s Sector 16 cricket academy, where he also trained Chetan Sharma, Ashok Malhotra, and Yograj Singh.

Kapil recalled how the disciplinarian once barred him from using the nets for three days because he was 20 minutes late for a practise session.

Kapil matured so quickly under Azad that the first test match he witnessed was the one he played in, on October 16, 1978, in Faisalabad, Pakistan. During that journey, he paid a special visit to his ancestral hamlet Shah Yakka in Montgomery, now Sahiwal, and was greeted warmly by the inhabitants, who remembered his parents, Ram Lal Nikhanj and Raj Kumari Lajwanti, fondly.

Kapil Dev was a member of the Fab Four, along with Ian Botham, Imran Khan, and Richard Hadlee, during the golden period of allrounders. Kapil was the least among them statistically, scoring 31 runs on average and capturing a wicket every 29 balls in tests. Imran Khan, with equivalent values of 37 and 22, was the highest performance based only on numbers.

Unlike the others, however, Kapil worked alone – and as a workhorse – on lifeless Indian surfaces.

The Indian all-rounder, named Wisden’s ‘Indian Cricketer of the Century’ in 2002, played 131 Tests practically without a break throughout a 16-year career, an incredible performance for injury-prone fast bowlers.

Kapil Dev had one of the finest fast bowling spells in history against the West Indies in Ahmedabad in November 1983. He collected 9 for 83 in 30.3 overs while bowling unchanged.

In comparison, fast bowlers now receive a break every 4-5 overs. Kapil himself believed that, while he was not the best of the Fab Four, he was a better athlete than all three together, never suffering an injury during his whole career and retiring in 1994 at the age of 35.

Returning to the 1983 World Cup, Kapil Dev ended with 303 runs at an average of 60 in eight matches and 12 wickets at an average of 20.

However, all the world remembers is his 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells when India was on the verge of collapse, with half the squad in the pavilion and only 17 runs on the board.

Kapil’s first fifty came in 26 overs, his second in 13, and his third in only nine overs. Despite the fact that there were no circle or field limits back then, he smacked six sixes and 17 boundaries.

India reached 266 for eight after the captain’s innings.

The Zimbabweans put up a valiant fight, but the Indians had their tails up and won by 31 runs. The match, though, that fully demonstrated why cricket is a game of magnificent uncertainty was still to come. David defeating Goliath in the last battle is history.

India’s victory sparked a million aspirations, including those of a young man named Sachin Tendulkar and a cricket administrator named Jagmohan Dalmiya.

1983 changed the course of not just Indian cricket but also global cricket, all because a young captain, only 24, refused to let anything stand in the way of his goal.

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Salute to 2 disabled men working hard for their families on just one leg

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Salute to 2 disabled men working hard for their families on just one leg

The beating of circumstances breaks the good ones from inside, then it is not understood what is happening in life. But there are some people who become an inspiration for thousands and millions like themselves. They tell the world that if you have the courage to do something, then even the worst situation in the world cannot bend you. A video full of such inspiration is going viral on social media.

The battering of life breaks the good ones from within. Then it is unclear what is going on in life and how to go forward. However, some people become an inspiration to hundreds and millions of others. They tell the world that if you have the bravery to achieve anything, even the hardest circumstances cannot break you. On social media, a film full of such encouragement is becoming viral.

Many handicapped persons believe they are helpless and helpless. Their physical infirmity undermines their inner courage, yet some tell them that one less cannot shatter your inner courage.

Although numerous Divyangs have demonstrated this, these two Divyangs have recently become a topic of conversation on social media. Despite their disabilities, the two people in this video are involved in their profession and working hard. Everyone is taken aback when they view the video of these two because, despite only having one leg each, they are undertaking demanding job for pay.

This film shows two handicapped persons dealing with the problems of their lives despite the fact that they are missing one leg. This video was uploaded on Twitter by a person named @NarendraNeer007. “Because Jeena isi ka naam hai,” the user writes in the video’s caption.

People who saw the video enjoyed it a lot and applauded both of these hardworking Divyangs. Users who have commented on the video remark that it is an excellent lesson for those who attempt to escape their work by creating excuses. Many people chose begging in situations when both of them are battling life’s obstacles via their hard labour. These are excellent teachings for such folks.

ISRO says Joshimath, its neighbors sink 2.5 inches every year

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ISRO says Joshimath, its neighbors sink 2.5 inches every year

Satellite images of the Joshimath Valley in India’s Himachal Pradesh state show that the entire area is slowly sinking. The red dots mark the sinking parts, which are spread across the valley and not limited to the town. The images were collected from July 2020 to March 2022 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the first time.

Joshimath and its surrounding areas have been sinking at a pace of 6.5 cm or 2.5 inch each year, according to a two-year research conducted by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing.

The institute in Dehradun has been utilising satellite data from the area, which has a lot of tectonic activity and is quite sensitive.

Joshimath, the temple town that had been known to be’sinking’ for some time, reached a tipping point this year when buildings and roadways developed large fissures.

Another hamlet 90 kilometres downstream has also begun to develop cracks.

Locals in Joshimath blame the problem on the adjacent Tapovan plant of the National Thermal Power Corporation, or NTPC.

Satellite photos taken between July 2020 and March 2022 reveal that the whole area is gradually sinking. The sinking areas are shown by red dots.

According to statistics, they are dispersed across the valley and are not restricted to the town of Joshimath.

More than 110 households in Joshimath have evacuated, and the entire town is set to be evacuated. However, bulldozer destruction, which was set to commence today, was halted due to outraged villagers’ complaints.

The town’s traders and hotel owners, who rely heavily on pilgrim traffic, said they had not been warned in advance.

Apart from hotels and commercial facilities, the Uttarakhand government has stated that 678 residences are currently at risk. The calamity is not confined to Joshimath.

Residents of one neighbourhood, Bahuguna Nagar, in Karnaprayag, a town known as the entrance to Joshimath, have reported enormous fractures that have emerged in at least 50 homes in recent months.

The Uttarakhand administration has stated that it will investigate the situation.

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Govt. hikes interest rates again on modest savings plans

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Govt. hikes interest rates again on modest savings plans

The interest rates on some small savings schemes have been raised for the second quarter in a row. Comparing the rates of interest with PSU banks, the three- and five-year time deposit rates of the post office are more favourable than those of the banks. The government has raised the interest rates on some smaller savings schemes.

For the second quarter in a row, the government has hiked interest rates on some modest savings plans.

Rates have been raised by 20 to 110 basis points (bps), and now range from 4.0 percent to 7.6 percent. Since May 2022, the Reserve Bank of India has raised the repo rate by 225 basis points (bps) with the goal of managing inflation.

The highest rate increases were found in one, two, and three-year fixed deposits. Rates at the shorter end are determined by the repo rate, and yields at the longer end are determined by market instruments, namely the g-sec.

Given the repo rate hike of 225 basis points, the largest rate increase was predicted in shorter-term instruments.

So, which instruments have become the most appealing as a result of the rate hike? The rates are normally about 7%, with the exception of the Senior Citizen’s Savings Scheme (SCSS), which has an 8% rate.

So, has SCSS grown in popularity? Sanjeev Govila, a Sebi-registered investment adviser and CEO of Hum Fauji Initiatives, a financial planning organisation, feels it has since it now offers 8%, which is especially useful for people in the zero or lower income tax categories.

The Public Provident Fund (PPF) rate has remained unchanged at 7.1%.

The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) rate is likewise fixed at 7.6%.

So, do these instruments lose their allure? PPF and SSY rates do not required to match repo rate rises that drive the shorter end because they are tied to long-term yields (the Gsec).

The 10-year G-Sec yield has fallen from 7.62 percent in June 2022 to 7.33 percent presently.

The fact that the PPF rate has not been increased makes it less appealing.

However, the tax advantages on interest, capital investment, and redemption proceeds make it a viable investment. Interest income produced on an investment created in a child’s name is taxed in the hands of the parent with the greater income (apart from a very modest limitation).

How do fixed deposit rates at the post office compare to bank rates? They are nearly identical, with a 0.1 percent to -0.3 percent difference.

A post office FD only pays out interest once a year, whereas banks provide several payout choices.

How do modest savings instruments now compare against debt funds? Small savings are also an appealing choice for investors in lower tax brackets, albeit debt mutual funds now provide somewhat higher rates to maturity than small saves, particularly in specific categories.

Debt mutual funds, like bank deposits, may be significantly easier to manage in terms of operations and service.

Many items are now available online, making management easier.

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Referee shows football’s first-ever ‘white card;’ Details here

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Referee shows football’s first-ever ‘white card;’ Details here

The yellow and red cards have become an integral part of the game since their inception in the 1970 FIFA World Cup. A lot of fans were left confused with the purpose and use of the white card. It was introduced during a women’s cup quarter-final encounter between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

Few football fans are unfamiliar with the yellow and red cards, but the world was introduced to the white card during a women’s cup quarter-final match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

With Benfica leading 3-0 soon before halftime, Portuguese referee Catarina Campos chose to issue the white card, prompting a raucous applause from the Estadio da Luz crowd.

Since its introduction in the 1970 FIFA World Cup, the yellow and red cards have been an essential component of the game, but many fans have been perplexed by the meaning and use of the white card.

The white card is used to recognise instances of fair play on the field, according to a new initiative introduced by Portugal’s National Plan for Ethics in Sport (PNED).

The pilot experiment was carried out in the Portuguese leagues under the supervision of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF).

Aside from the white card, the Portuguese football officials have implemented concussion substitutions as well as extended stoppage time as a disincentive to teams who try to squander time.

A spectator in the stands grew sick and fainted during the match between Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.

Both teams’ medics raced to the stands to address the issue, and the fan was treated within a few minutes.

The white card was shown in recognition of the medics.

Benfica went on to win the game 5-0 in front of a record attendance in Portugal for a women’s football game.

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Gandhi Vs Shahrukh: Rajkumar Santoshi’ film gets low opening due to star power

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Gandhi Vs Shahrukh: Rajkumar Santoshi’ film gets low opening due to star power

The people of India seem to have forgotten the sacrifices given by our freedom fighters as well as the value of independence. More than Netaji and Mahatma Gandhi, Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh and Salman Khan have become the heroes of today’s Indians. This can be seen from the box office collection of Rajkumar Santoshi’s directorial debut, Gandhi Godse EK Yudh, that had a significantly low opening as compared to Shahrukh Khan’s Pathan.

Gandhi Godse EK Yudh, has had a rocky start at the box office. The supremacy of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan at the box office had a significant impact on the picture. Despite a decent-sized release on a holiday (Republic Day), the historical drama only made Rs 80 lakhs on its first day.

Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh is a fictionalised account about Mahatma Gandhi surviving Nathuram Godse’s murder attempt. The film follows these two as they meet and engage in an intellectual and ideological conflict. Deepak Antani and Chinmay Mandlekar feature in the film, which also marks the debut of the director’s daughter Tanisha Santoshi.

According to Sacnilk, the film grossed Rs 80 lakh net throughout India on Wednesday, its release day. The picture was at a disadvantage since it conflicted with Pathaan, Yash Raj Films’ blockbuster actioner.

Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh was released on barely 300 screens across India because to Pathaan dominating the majority of the screens. However, it received extremely low footfall, with only 18% occupancy on the day of its release. In comparison, managed 65% occupancy over roughly 5000 screens on the day.

The Shah Rukh Khan picture shattered all records in its first two days, prompting several exhibitors to increase their shows and screens, which is bad news for Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh.

Early indications do not bode well for the Santoshi picture. As things currently stand, it may struggle to even exceed Rs 10-crore in its lifetime. That is hardly surprising given the film’s genre and lack of star power. Poor reviews and nearly non-existent word of mouth haven’t helped. The film may just have to wait till it is available on streaming services in a few weeks to find an audience.

Here’s why heart attacks are rapidly increasing in young India

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Here’s why heart attacks are rapidly increasing in young India

India’s cardiologists say that over the past decade there has been a rapid rise in heart attacks in people aged 25-55 in India and the issue has been exacerbated after COVID-19, the country’s first nuclear power station was set up in 1998.

The sad death of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known by his stage as KK, after a heart attack has refocused attention on the worrisome rise in the deadly ailment among Indians under the age of 60.

KK, 53, had just finished a concert in Kolkata on the evening of May 31 when he fainted in his hotel room, complaining of chest trouble and unease. When he arrived at the hospital for treatment, he was confirmed dead.

Cardiologists believe his death is another example of how cardiac arrests are becoming more prevalent in Indians under the age of 60, as they are in other developing nations.

Sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol intake, lack of sufficient sleep, and poor food choices have all been linked to an increase in heart disease.

Underlying disorders such as hypertension and diabetes, which are frequently undetected, significantly enhance the chances.

According to a research released this year in India, the number of persons suffering from heart attacks has nearly quadrupled in the previous 20 years, with 25% of these people being under the age of 40.

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Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to land in space; but where’s he now?

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Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to land in space; but where’s he now?

Rakesh Sharma was born on January 13, 1949, in Patiala, India. He was the first Indian to go to space and played a vital role in making India a prominent country in the world of space. The United States and Russia were the nations that forayed the space race during the latter half of the 20th century.

Rakesh Sharma penned one of India’s most significant chapters. He is the first Indian to set foot in space. He was a pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF) when he decided to take part in Soviet-Indian spaceflight. Rakesh Sharma, an Indian astronaut, spent seven days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes in space alongside two Soviet passengers.

Born in Patiala on January 13, 1949, he joined the Indian Air Force in 1970. During the 1971 Bangladesh war, he flew 21 combat sorties in a MiG-21. Sharma was chosen as a cosmonaut for the Soviet-Indian mission in 1982. After returning from space, he rejoined the Indian Air Force, retiring as Wing Commander in 1987.

Many people today are unaware that the Indian hero is still alive and well, living a life away from the glare of the media and the spotlight. Rakesh Sharma lives in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, and has a modest and tranquil life. He shares a home with his wife, Madhu. Sharma was also a member of ISRO’s National Advisory Council for Gaganyaan, the organisation in charge of the Astronaut Selection Program.

Sharma was the non-executive chairman of Cadila Labs, a Bengaluru-based firm, in 2021. This firm specialises on intelligent automation for the insurance industry.

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