FRIDAY 17 JANUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00 | LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR NETANYAHU SAYS 'LAST MINUTE CRISIS', DELAYS GAZA TRUCE PRASHANT KISHOR ENDS HUNGER STRIKE P9 SENSEX 77,042.82p318.74 NIFTY SINDHU ENTERS QUARTERFINALS OF INDIA OPEN 2025 A STRATEGIC RESTORATION OF TIES P5 23,311.80p98.60 ` vs $ 86.44 P7 GOLD 81,320.00 P12 SILVER 1,03,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 81.59q0.44 SMOG/SHALLOW FOG LIKELY IN THE EVENING/NIGHT THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 19 AND 08 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. ISRO successfully docks twin SpaDeX spacecraft Success of Startup India reflects today's India is dynamic, confident & future-ready, says PM RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY India has become the fourth country to accomplish the feat Max. 100 % STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BENGALURU, 16 JANUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underscored the role of Indian startups in solving global challenges while at the same time creating employment opportunities and boosting our quest towards self-reliance. His comments came as India marks nine years of its flagship initiative for startups ~ Startup India ~ launched in January 2016. Modi said the initiative has propelled India to become one of the largest and most vibrant startup ecosystems globally. "It is a landmark initiative that has redefined innovation, entrepreneurship and growth," he said in a series of posts on X, describing the programme as "very close to my heart as it has emerged as a powerful way of furthering youth empowerment". "Over the past nine years, this transformative program has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful Startups. People would doubt India's ability to thrive in this system just a decade ago," he added. Over the past nine years, the government has recognised 1.59 enterprises as startups under the Startup India initiative spanning 55 indus- WEATHER TEMPERATURE Min. 61 % Max: 19.6°C (0) SUN RISES 07:15 hrs MOON RISES 21:09 hrs Min: .10.3 °C (2.7) SUN SETS 17:48 hrs MOON SETS 10:00 hrs THUMBNAILS The Atal Tunnel at Rohtang is covered in a thick blanket of fresh snowfall in Kathua on Thursday. n ANI SC to hear on 13 February criminal appeals relating to Godhra train burning: The Supreme Court on Thursday fixed 13 February for the hearing on a batch of criminal appeals in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. Expressing displeasure about the parties seeking adjournment, a bench of Justices J. K. Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar remarked that it has deferred hearing several times and after much reluctance, posted the matter on 13 February for hearing. (Details on Page 8) Cabinet approves third launch pad at Sriharikota T he Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday successfully completed the docking of two spacecraft as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), making India the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China to accomplish the feat. The Indian space agency also announced that after the docking, completed on Thursday morning, control of the two spacecraft as a single object was successful. “Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment. Let’s walk through the SpaDeX docking process: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed,” it said in a post on social media platform ‘X’ announcing the achieve- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY ment. “Undocking and power transfer checks to follow in coming days,” the space agency said. With the successful docking of the spacecraft, India has become the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China to accomplish the feat. ISRO had launched two small spacecraft, SDX01, the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target in a low-Earth circular orbit on 30 December and placed at a distance of around 20 km from each other to facilitate a gradual rendezvous through the closing of the distance for a final docking. The mission earlier missed two docking sched- US short seller Hindenburg Research shuts shop, BJP targets Congress AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY The founder of the US based short Seller-Hindenburg Research, Nate Anderson announced on Thursday that he has decided to close down the operations of his investigative firm. Mr Anderson shared this decision through an official statement, where he said the decision to disband was not due to any external threats, personal health, or major issues. Instead, it was motivated by a desire to step back from the intensity of his work and focus on other aspects of life. He said: “As I've shared with family, friends and our team since late last year, I have made the decision to disband Hindenburg Research". He added: “So, why disband now? There is not one specific thing--no particularthreat,nohealthissue, and no big personal issue.” In January 2023, Hindenburg Research published a report accusing the Adani Group of financial irregularities, leading to a significant drop in the company's stock price. The group at the time had rubbished these claims. Hindenburg Research later accused Securities and Exchange Bureau of India (SEBI) chief Madhabi Buch and her husband of having held “stakes in both the obscure offshore funds used in the Adani money siphoning scandal.” The Buchs, too, have denied the charges. Reacting to the announcement that Hindenburg Research would shut down operations, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party said that the US-based short seller's reports were 'supari' taken against India's rising economic power. SpeakingtoANInewsagency, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Hindenburg'sreportwassponsored, organised, orchestrated and manipulated act of economic anarchism and economic terrorism. “Hindenburg report was'supari'takenagainstIndia's rising economic power. This report was a sponsored, organised, orchestrated and manipulated act of economic anarchism and economic terrorism...Rahul Gandhi, your international alliance partner Hindenburg has shut its shop, now when will you stop your propaganda against India? What is your relationship with Hindenburg? Was it a Soros-sponsored report? Today, Congress should clarify and apologise. Congress and its eco-system are anti-national,” he said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, meanwhile, in a statement on X said: "The closure of Hindenburg Research does not, in any way, mean a clean chit for Modani.” (See Pg 5) Gambhir highlights indiscipline in Indian dressing room: Report TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY In the aftermath of consecutive Test series losses to New Zealand (3-0 whitewash at home) and Australia (3-1 loss in Australia), the BCCI’s review meeting in Mumbai last Saturday opened a can of worms with head coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly complaining of indiscipline in the Indian dressing room, leading to the board implementing strict protocols on travel itineraries of immediate families of players during overseas tours. Following the team’s return to the country from the forgettable tour Down Under, where Rohit Sharma & Co conceded the BorderGavaskar Trophy to the Aussies for the first time in a decade, besides losing their chance to feature in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final, scheduled at the Lord’s in June, the captain and coach along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar met the BCCI top brass, including president Roger Binny and secretary Devajit Saikia, for a review meeting. During the meeting, Gambhir had reportedly pointed fingers at the “indiscipline” in the dressing room, and suggested that family time be limited on both short and long tours. Going by the coach and a senior player’s sugges- tions, the board decided to revive the touring protocols for the national men’s team, including a restriction on how much time families can spend with players. According to multiple sources, it was also revealed that during the entire tour of Australia that started a week before the opening Test in Perth, from 22 November, last year and ran till 5 January, there was only one team dinner, dropping enough hints of the team split by factions. ules on 7 and 9 January due to technical issues. The postponement of the SpaDex docking schedules also came amid the announcement of a change of guard at ISRO. Distinguished scientist V Narayanan took charge as ISRO’s new chairman on 14 January. A trial attempt was carried out on 12 January to bring the two spacecraft up to 15 metres and 3 metres from each other and capture each other’s photos. The SpaDex (Space Docking Exercise) mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV. Saif Ali Khan undergoes surgery after stabbing attack STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI, 16 JANUARY Hindi film actor Saif Ali Khan was injured after he was attacked by an intruder with a knife inside his residence in Mumbai early Thursday morning. Mr Khan was taken to Lilavati Hospital at Bandra West where he underwent surgery and is reported to be out of danger. “An unknown person entered actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence late at night. He attacked Saif Ali Khan and injured him. Investigation is on,” a Mumbai police spokesperson said. According to police. the intruder had tried to attack the actor in his children’s room and after he tried to protect his children (Jeh and Taimur) as well as his wife Kareena Kapoor, he ended up getting stabbed in the process. Some family members of the actor were also present in the house at the time of the incident, the police spokesperson said. Mr Khan was seriously injured in the attack, with a knife blade penetrating close to his spinal cord. Theincident took place at Mr Khan's house in Bandra around 2 a.m, after a thief intruded into the house and went straight to the maid's room, after which the maid began screaming. Mr Khan came out of his room and tried to catch the thief. However, the thief attacked him and fled from the scene. After Mr Khan was injured, his son Ibrahim Ali Khan was informed about the incident. Ibrahim reached the building and rushed Mr Khan to Lilavati Hospital in an autorikshaw. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday approved the establishment of the Third Launch Pad (TLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre of ISRO at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The Third Launch Pad project envisages the establishment of the launch infrastructure at Sriharikota for the Next Generation Launch Vehicles of ISRO and also to support as standby launch pad for the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota. This will also enhance the launch capacity for future Indian human spaceflight missions. The Project is of national importance. (Details on Page 8) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 16 JANUARY tries including agriculture, IT, biotech, fintech, education, and renewable energy. According to the government, startups recognised by DPIIT have created over 17.2 lakh direct jobs. According to the official data, the IT services industry leads with 2.04 lakh jobs, followed by healthcare and lifesciences with 1.47 lakh jobs and professional and commercial services with around 94,000 jobs. Moreover, the count of unicorns or startups with a private market valuation of USD 1 billion or above has grown to over 100, with a collective valuation of around Rs 30 lakh crore. The prime minister said this "transformative" programme has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful startups. From tech-driven solutions to rural innovations, healthcare advancements to biotech breakthroughs, Fintech to EdTech, clean energy to sustainable technology, Indian startups are solving global challenges while at the same time creating employment opportunities and boosting the country's quest towards self-reliance, he added. Underlining his government's commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that uplifts every dream and contributes to 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', he said his dispensation has left no stone unturned to encourage a culture of startups. He said his government's policies have focused on "Ease of Doing Business", greater access to resources and, most importantly, supporting them at every juncture.