Ajmer (Rajasthan):

Adani Group Chairperson Gautam Adani, accompanied by his wife, Priti Adani, visited Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan.

They offered “makhmali chadar” and flowers at the revered shrine.

The Adani family was welcomed by Dargah Ajmer Sharif and Chairman Chishty Foundation, Haji Syed Salman Chishty. “He (Gautam Adani) prayed for the whole country,” he said.

Pleased to welcome and host Shri Gautam Adani ji @gautam_adani & Smt Priti Adani ji @AdaniPriti Shri Rajesh Adani ji & Smt Shalini Adani ji at Dargah Ajmer Sharif to offer gratitude on behalf blessed Adani family and prayers for India’s prosperity & global peace. We also honoured… pic.twitter.com/lV5kTWmrG0

— Haji Syed Salman Chishty (@sufimusafir) February 15, 2025

The Ajmer Sharif Dargah is considered to be among the holiest Muslim shrines in India and is also a famous landmark in Ajmer.

Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, a Sufi saint from Persia, is enshrined here. In keeping with his secular teachings, its doors are open to people of all faiths and religions.

Made of marble and gold plating, the actual tomb is guarded by a silver railing and a marble screen. During his reign, Emperor Akbar is known to have made a pilgrimage to Ajmer every year. He, as well as Emperor Shah Jahan, built mosques inside the shrine complex.

Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju had last month presented a sacred chadar on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the revered shrine of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti in Ajmer. The annual Urs commemorates the great Sufi saint, an event symbolizing harmony, spirituality, and devotion.

In conjunction with this solemn presentation, the Minister unveiled several initiatives to enhance the experience and convenience of pilgrims visiting the Dargah. The initiatives included release of the Operations Manual for Urs, the launch of the official Dargah Web Portal, and the introduction of the “Garib Nawaz” App.

The Operations Manual for Urs is a comprehensive guide designed to ensure the effective organization of the event, with detailed protocols for crowd management, security, healthcare, and sustainability.

The Dargah Web Portal and the “Garib Nawaz” App aim to modernize pilgrim services, providing online information about the Dargah, schedules of events, lodging facilities, and other conveniences. These platforms also facilitate transparency and accessibility, aligning with the Government of India’s vision of Digital India.

“The Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is a unique occasion that brings people together, transcending boundaries of faith and culture. With these new initiatives, we strive to uphold the sanctity of the event while ensuring a seamless and enriched experience for the devotees,” Rijiju said on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

New Delhi:

Chairperson of Adani Foundation, Priti Adani, on Monday, said the passing away of one of the pioneers of ‘parallel cinema’ — film-maker and National Award winner Shyam Benegal — marks the end of an era in Indian cinema, adding that his legacy will continue to inspire others.

Taking to X, Priti Adani wrote: “Shyam Benegal’s passing marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. A master storyteller, his films bridged art and reality, giving voice to the unheard and shaping the golden age of parallel cinema. His legacy will continue to inspire filmmakers and cinephiles alike. Om Shanti.”

Shyam Benegal’s passing marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. A master storyteller, his films bridged art and reality, giving voice to the unheard and shaping the golden age of parallel cinema. His legacy will continue to inspire filmmakers and cinephiles alike. Om Shanti …

— Priti Adani (@AdaniPriti) December 23, 2024

Shyam Sunder S. Benegal, a multiple National Award winner and among the pioneers of ‘parallel cinema’ – with silver screen classics like “Junoon”, “Ankur”, “Manthan”, “Zubeida” and “The Making of the Mahatma” – passed away after a long battle with a kidney disease, his family said here on Monday.

A second-cousin brother of the late legend, actor-film-maker Guru Dutt, Benegal was 90 and breathed his last at a private hospital in Mumbai. He is survived by his wife Nira and their daughter Pia.

Conferred the Padma Shri (1976), the Padma Bhushan (1991), the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2005) and many other national-international honours, Benegal had celebrated his 90th birthday (December 14) with many colleagues from the film industry present to meet and greet him.

The details of the last rites are not yet known.

Born in Hyderabad on December 14, 1934, Benegal belonged to a Konkani-speaking Chitrapur Saraswat Brahman lineage, with his photographer-father Sridhar B. Benegal having roots in Karnataka.

At the age of 12, Shyam shot a film using a camera presented by his father, who inspired and nurtured his interest in film-making which became his career for over six decades.

Later, Benegal went on to study MA (Economics), founded the Hyderabad Film Society, and later started his career in 1959 as a copy-writer with Lintas Advertising Agency in Mumbai, where he rose to be the Creative Head, with over 900 ad films and sponsored documentaries under his belt.

In 1962, Benegal made his first Gujarati documentary film, “Gher Betha Ganga” (Ganga At Doorsteps), taught at the prestigious Film & Television Institute of India from 1966-1973, and later served as its Chairman twice (1980-1983 & 1989-1992).

With over 70 documentaries and short films to his credit and a stint in the USA, Benegal made his first full-length Hindi feature film, “Ankur” (1974), that shot him to fame, bagging 3 National Awards, another 43 national-international awards/honours.

Over a film career spanning more than 60 years, Benegal made many classics like “Manthan” (1976), “Bhumika” (1977), “Junoon” and “Kalyug” (1979), “Aarohan” (1982), “Mandi” (1983), “Trikaal” (1985, “Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda” (1993), “The Making of the Mahatma” (1996), “Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero” (2005), “Welcome to Sajjanpur” (2008), “Mujib: The Making of a Nation” (2023), to name a few prominent ones.

He also made noteworthy and award-winning documentaries, including on India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, “Jawaharlal Nehru” (1982) and “Nehru” (1985), on the legendary film-maker Satyajit Ray, Tata Steel’s Platinum Jubilee, A Festival of India, Lost Childhood, and many more.

Benegal created memorable television serials like: “Yatra” (1986), “Bharat Ek Khoj” (1988), “Sankranti” (1997), “Samvidhaan” (2014), among several others.

Tributes poured in for Benegal on social media from actors, actresses, producers, directors, his colleagues in the Indian and international film fraternity, media groups and his legion of fans and admirers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his wife Priti Adani sought blessings of Saibaba as they offered prayers at the Saibaba temple in Shirdi on Friday. The Chief Executive Officer of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, on behalf of the temple trust, presented a shawl and an idol of Saibaba to Mr Adani.

Shirdi | अदाणी समूहाचे सर्वेसर्वा, उद्योगपती गौतम अदाणी यांनी शिर्डी येथे साई बाबांचे घेतले दर्शन#GautamAdani#Shirdi#AdaniGroup#ndtvmarathipic.twitter.com/8jGqsl8Y3Q

— NDTV Marathi (@NDTVMarathi) August 16, 2024

On Wednesday, Mr Adani shared a video of airport terminals wrapped in the colours of the national flag. The clip was shared on the eve of Independence Day on X (formerly Twitter). 

Sharing the video, Mr Adani wrote, “As our nation celebrates 77 years of freedom, our airport terminals stand tall, wrapped in the proud Tricolour! Far more than just gateways, they symbolise our nation’s soaring spirit, resilience and optimism for a brighter future.” He also tagged the official X page of  Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. 

As our nation celebrates 77 years of freedom, our airport terminals stand tall, wrapped in the proud Tricolour! Far more than just gateways, they symbolise our nation’s soaring spirit, resilience and the optimism for a brighter future. @CSMIA_Officialpic.twitter.com/66g0DqGYdD

— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) August 14, 2024

The official page of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport also released a video of the “vibrant” Independence Day celebrations. From flag hoisting to dance performances, the clip showcased the spirit of patriotism.

As our nation celebrates 77 years of freedom, our airport terminals stand tall, wrapped in the proud Tricolour! Far more than just gateways, they symbolise our nation’s soaring spirit, resilience and the optimism for a brighter future. @CSMIA_Officialpic.twitter.com/66g0DqGYdD

— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) August 14, 2024

The note attached to it read, “Catch a glimpse of the vibrant Independence Day celebrations at #CSMIA, featuring captivating performances by the #CSMIA team and @CISFHQrs, along with stunning cultural showcases by 130 students from NRC School(Kalyan). Wishing everyone a Happy Independence Day!”

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

New Delhi:

On the occasion of International Youth Day, the Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, Priti Adani, said on Monday that the youth of India are striving for betterment.

International Youth Day is observed every year on August 12. The theme this year is ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development’.

In a post on the social media platform X, Priti Adani, wife of Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, shared her delight in meeting a mother-daughter duo, who completed a course at Adani Saksham — the group’s flagship skill development project — centre and runs a beauty salon.

“Delighted to meet Hamida Halani and her daughter Riya who completed a course at @AdaniSaksham centre together,” Priti Adani said in a post on X.

Delighted to meet Hamida Halani and her daughter Riya who completed a course at @AdaniSaksham centre together. Riya has partial hearing & speech loss and her mom is devoted to make her self-reliant. The duo now runs a beauty salon from home. Young people of our country are… pic.twitter.com/4o8Qr3HswM

— Priti Adani (@AdaniPriti) August 12, 2024

She informed that Riya has partial hearing and speech loss and her mom is devoted to make her self-reliant.

“The duo now runs a beauty salon from home. Young people of our country are striving for betterment and we are here to support them!” Priti Adani added.

The Adani Saksham skill development initiative has empowered 1,69,000 young individuals with essential skills to help them take the steps to secure a brighter future and potentially become entrepreneurs.

The initiative is part of the Adani Foundation, the brainchild of Priti Adani, an educationist and a qualified doctor. She has been spearheading the foundation for the last two decades. Recently the organisation completed 28 years.

Besides skilling, the Foundation is also focused on healthcare and nutrition.

Currently, the foundation operates in 6,769 villages across 19 states, positively impacting 9.1 million lives.

Earlier on Monday, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN also extended greetings on the youth day.

“On Monday’s #YouthDay and every day, the @UNYouthAffairs Office & the entire @UN family stand with and for young people,” he said in a post on X

“Together, let’s draw on their energy and ideas to shape a more sustainable future for all,” Guterres added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)