In an age dominated by information flow, understanding how a nation is portrayed on the global stage becomes paramount. The “India in Global Media” weekly digest serves as a compass, guiding readers through the diverse lenses of international news agencies from January 14 to January 20.

DW – India election: Can Gandhi’s march rally voters against BJP?

• Rahul Gandhi from the Indian National Congress is marching across the country hoping to energize voters against Narendra Modi’s nationalist government. But will it be enough to beat the BJP?
• Political columnist Srinivasaraju claims there is a certain vagueness surrounding the latest Gandhi march in terms of its purpose and messaging.
• “It is a great idea to be in touch with the masses, to be in live contact with them, but the messaging has to be far more direct and has to lead them into an electoral warmup,” he said.
• “Congress should have had a cultural narrative by now because they have an economic narrative that is all about reason and rationale, but there is an emotional aspect to every election, and Modi plays on that all the time,” he added.
• “Congress has to have cultural answers to the questions the BJP has been throwing at them. Regarding elections, economics is always trumped by culture or emotion.”

For detailed report click on : https://www.dw.com/en/india-election-can-gandhis-march-rally-voters-against-bjp/a-67984972

Gulf News – India’s Republic Day: No flights at Delhi Airport for 2 hours daily until Jan 26

• Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued airspace restriction for 11 days in view of preparation for Republic Day celebrations. There will be airspace curbs from January 19 to 25 as well as on January 26 and 29. As per officials, landing or take-off of non-scheduled flights of scheduled airlines, and chartered flights will not be permitted from 10 am to 1.15 pm during the January 19-25 period.
• During this period, scheduled flights will not be impacted. As per the notice to airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), these restrictions will be in place from 6 am to 9 pm during the period from January 26 to 29.
• Meanwhile, the security checks for passengers will be further intensified across the Metro stations beginning Friday until January27, given the enhanced security arrangements ahead of Republic Day on January 26th, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement on Thursday.
• French President Emmanuel Macron will be the chief guest this year. It will be the 6th occasion when a French leader will be the chief guest at Republic Day celebrations.

For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/indias-republic-day-no-flights-at-delhi-airport-for-2-hours-daily-until-jan-26-1.1705688163868

Gulf News – India set to host Miss World pageant after a gap of 28 years

• India is set to host the 71st Miss World pageant after a gap of 28 years, according to the organisers of the event, which will be streamed and telecast worldwide.
• The official page of Miss World took to X and wrote, “Chairman of Miss World, Julia Morley CBE stated, “Excitement fills the air as we proudly announce India as the host country for Miss World. A celebration of beauty, diversity, and empowerment awaits. Get ready for a spectacular journey! #MissWorldIndia #BeautyWithAPurpose.”
• Reita Faria Powell became the first Indian woman to win the Miss World crown in the year 1966. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan brought home the Miss World crown in 1994 while Diana Hayden was crowned the title in 1997. Yukta Mookhey became India’s fourth Miss World in 1999 and Priyanka Chopra Jonas won the Miss World title in the year 2000. Manushi Chhillar was crowned Miss World crown in 2017.
• Venues for this year

Between February 18 and March 9, this year venues for the event include the magnificent G-20 site, the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, and the dazzling Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

For detailed report click on : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/india-set-to-host-miss-world-pageant-after-a-gap-of-28-years-1.1705761960625

The Wall Street Journal – Why India Isn’t the New China

• The country’s population surpassed China’s last year. But India’s path forward is likely to look very different from its neighbor’s.
• China’s economy is struggling, but another Asian giant, neighboring India, is suddenly squarely on investors’ and manufacturers’ radar. The first two decades of the 21st century were largely the story of China’s rise. Will the next two be the story of India’s?
• There are plenty of reasons for optimism. The country’s population surpassed China’s last year. More than half of Indians are under 25. And at current growth rates, it could become the world’s third-largest economy in less than a decade, having recently overtaken the U.K., its old colonial ruler, for the no. 5 spot. India’s equity market has now seen eight straight years of gains. Worsening trade relations between the West and China only helps its case.

For detailed report click on the link : https://www.wsj.com/economy/global/why-india-isnt-the-new-china-e61f4699?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

The Guardian – Indian teen invents gadget that may transform dementia care

• YouTube robotics tutorials helped 17-year turn his concern for his grandmother into a device that alerts carers if Alzheimer’s patients fall or wander off
• She had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s but I was still in shock. What would have happened if I hadn’t been there?” says Chadalavada. Chadalavada knew Jayasree as both a loving grandmother and a dynamic, successful woman, who had a high-profile career as a civil servant, interacting with top politicians and policymakers in the state of Telangana.
• But Alzheimer’s disease altered her completely. He says: “She used to get up at 3 or 4 in the morning and go outside, thinking she was on a train.”
• Now aged 17, Chadalavada is poised to start manufacturing a device that detects when people with Alzheimer’s fall or stray, which goes beyond the reach of the devices currently available.
• The light and compact Alpha Monitor, which can be worn as a badge or an armband, sets off an alarm when the wearer starts to move and alerts a caregiver if the patient falls or wanders off. Most similar devices run on wifi or Bluetooth, so when a person moves out of their frequencies’ limited range the connection is lost and with it the monitoring. But the Alpha Monitor can detect a person more than a mile away in cities and three miles (5km) in the countryside thanks to the long-range technology, known as LoRa, it uses.
• Teaching himself with YouTube videos about robotics and electronics, Chadalavada has developed 20 prototypes.

For detailed report click on : https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/jan/16/hemesh-chadalavada-indian-inventor-alpha-monitor-alzheimers-dementia-care

(The Report is curated by Dr Vinay Nalwa)