Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
Nine electrocuted as heavy rain lashes Kolkata and suburbs
- At least nine people lost their lives in Kolkata and nearby areas after heavy rain, caused by a low-pressure system over the northwest Bay of Bengal, hit the city on Monday night.
- Kolkata received 247.5 mm of rain in 24 hours till 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The rain led to severe waterlogging, problems in suburban trains and Metro services, and caused major trouble just before Durga Puja.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this was not a cloudburst. They explained that between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., 98 mm of rain fell in one hour, but for a cloudburst the number must cross 100 mm.
- The nine deaths happened because people came in contact with electric wires lying in the water on the roads. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) for not fixing these wires.
- Mamata Banerjee told CESC chairman Sanjiv Goenka that the company must take full responsibility. She also ordered that ₹5 lakh compensation be given to each victim’s family.
- The Chief Minister further said the State government will also support the families with jobs, but CESC cannot escape responsibility. She reminded that similar deaths due to electrocution happened earlier during Cyclone Amphan in 2020.
- The electrocution deaths were reported from areas like Ekbalpore, Gariahat, Haridevpur, Behala, Netaji Nagar, Garfa, Shakespeare Sarani, and Beniapukur, spread across both northern and southern parts of Kolkata.
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor Firhad Hakim said the unusually heavy rain in a single night caused the severe waterlogging. He added that emergency teams are working on high alert to restore services and help people quickly.
- Metro services had to be stopped as water entered the Blue Line tunnels. Eastern Railway rescheduled trains due to flooding. At the airport, 30 flights were cancelled and 31 more were delayed.
- Water entered houses, housing complexes, government and private hospitals. Calcutta University and Jadavpur University cancelled classes and Tuesday’s exams, while schools were told to start Puja holidays earlier.
- Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari blamed people’s problems on Mamata Banerjee’s “misrule.” He accused her of ignoring IMD warnings and not taking disaster-prevention steps.
- Adhikari also criticised Banerjee for blaming CESC and for her strange statement that waterlogging in Kolkata was due to water flowing in from Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
- Preparations for Durga Puja also suffered badly as many pandals were flooded. Organisers said art decorations were damaged and almost impossible to repair before the festival.
- The IMD warned that another low-pressure system may form over the east-central Bay of Bengal on September 25. It could cause more rain in Kolkata on September 26.
Trump calls India, China the ‘main funders’ of Russian war
- S. President Donald Trump, in his speech at the UN General Assembly, said that India and China are the main countries helping Russia’s war in Ukraine by buying its oil.
- Trump also repeated his claim that he stopped the India-Pakistan conflict in May, even though India had already denied it earlier. He added that he has put “penalty tariffs” on India, doubling the rates.
- Even though China imports more oil and gas from Russia, Trump especially pointed at India. The U.S. put 25% tariffs, while Trump also criticised NATO countries for not reducing their use of Russian energy.
- This was Trump’s first speech at the UNGA in his second term. He warned that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, the U.S. will impose very strong global tariffs with help from other nations.
- Trump said that sanctions will only work if European countries also agree to apply the same tariff measures. Meanwhile, the European Union has already put sanctions on Indian companies like Nayara Energy, which is partly owned by Russia’s Rosneft.
- Trump also claimed that he ended “seven wars” in just seven months. He listed them as India-Pakistan, Cambodia-Thailand, Kosovo-Serbia, Congo-Rwanda, Israel-Iran, Egypt-Ethiopia, and Armenia-Azerbaijan, saying these were his peace-making achievements.
- India’s Ministry of External Affairs had earlier rejected the U.S. claim. It explained that India’s Russian oil imports were not unusual and also reminded that America itself still trades with Russia in some important minerals.
President praises women-focused films
- President Droupadi Murmu gave the 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke Award to actor Mohanlal at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony and congratulated all the other winners.
- Mohanlal, while receiving India’s highest cinema honour, thanked everyone and said, “Cinema is the heartbeat of my soul. Jai Hind,” showing his lifelong love for films.
- President Murmu praised Mohanlal’s brilliant acting, saying he has played all kinds of roles — from soft and gentle to very powerful — and has made huge contributions to Indian cinema over many years.
- She also said it was good to see that more films about women are being made and recognised. These films highlight stories of mothers, courage, unity, and women standing against unfair traditions.
- The President added that women should have proper representation in film award juries, both at the central and regional levels, so that different views are included in the judging.
- Murmu said cinema should spread awareness on social issues, especially among young people, and should serve society and not just be about popularity.
- She also appreciated the focus on children’s cinema, especially stories of young girls. She pointed out that six child actors won awards this year for their amazing performances.
- Shah Rukh Khan won Best Male Actor for Jawan along with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail, which also got the Best Feature Film
Rani Mukerji won Best Female Actor for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, while Sudipto Sen won Best Director for The Kerala Story (Hindi). - The Kerala Story also won Best Cinematography for Prasantanu Mohapatra, showing its technical strength as well as direction.
- V.N.S. Rohit and Shilpa Rao won Best Male and Female Playback Singer awards for Premisthunna in Baby (Telugu), which also won Best Screenplay.
- Sai Rajesh Neelam won Best Screenplay for Baby, while Parking (Tamil) and Chaleya from Jawan (Hindi) also received screenplay honours, showing the variety in writing.
- Ashish Bende’s Aatmapamphlet (Marathi) won Best Debut Film.
- Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani won Best Popular Wholesome Entertainment Film.
- Meghna Gulzar’s Sam Bahadur was awarded as the Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social, and Environmental Values, praised for its patriotic storytelling.
- Naal 2 (Marathi), directed by Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti, won Best Children’s Film, while Hanu-Man (Telugu) won in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics
- The Best Male Supporting Actor award went to Vijayaraghavan for Pookkaalam (Malayalam) and Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar for Parking (Tamil).
- The Best Female Supporting Actor award was shared by Urvashi for Ullozhukku (Malayalam) and Janki Bodiwala for Vash (Gujarati).
- Best Child Artiste awards went to Sukriti Veni Bandreddi (Gandhi Tatha Chettu – Telugu), Kabir Khandare (Gypsy – Marathi), and Treesha Thosar, Shrinivas Pokale, Bhargav Jagtap (Naal 2).
- V. Prakash Kumar (Vaathi – Tamil) and Harshavardhan Rameshwar (Animal – Hindi) won awards for Music Direction, while Karsarla Shyam (Balagam – Telugu) won Best Lyrics.
- Deepak Kingrani won Best Dialogue Writer for Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (Hindi), recognised for its powerful writing.
- Regional Language Best Film Winners included Rongatapu 1982 (Assamese), Deep Fridge (Bengali), Parking (Tamil), Kandeel (Kannada), and Shamchi Aai (Marathi).
- Other regional winners were Puskara (Odia), Godday Godday Chaa (Punjabi), and Bhagavanth Kesari (Telugu), each showing cultural richness and strong storytelling.
Important Questions
- What hourly rainfall figure did the India Meteorological Department give to explain why the Kolkata rainfall was not a cloudburst?
- From which areas of Kolkata were the electrocution deaths after the heavy rain reported?
- What rate of penalty tariffs did U.S. President Donald Trump impose on India in his UN General Assembly speech?
- Which Indian company linked to Russia’s Rosneft did the European Union put sanctions on?
- Which actor received the 2023 Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony?
- Which film directed by Meghna Gulzar won best feature film promoting national, social, and environmental values?
Important Vocabulary
- Electrocution – death or injury caused by electric shock.
- Compensation – money given to someone as help or payment for loss or damage.
- Rescheduled – to change the time or date of an event already planned.
- Bereaved – people who have lost a family member or loved one.
- Tariffs – taxes placed on goods imported from another country.
- Ceasefire – an agreement to stop fighting for a time.
- Sanctions – official restrictions placed by one country on another to punish or pressure it.
- Accusations – claims that someone has done something wrong.
- Phenomenal – something outstanding or extraordinary.
- Representation – having people from a group present in a decision-making role.
- Cinematography – the art of camera work and photography in films.
- Patriarchal – a system controlled mainly by men, often limiting women’s rights.
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