CANADA TO NAME A NEW LEADER 09 MARCH 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 HAMAS WARNED PAGE 9 PAGE 6 SINCE 1818 PAGES 12 |` 5.00 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL: INDIA VS NEW ZEALAND. P12 Generally clear. Hazy in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 35°C and 23°C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 77% Not weaker than anyone, nor are we inferior: Mamata on International Women’s Day AGENCIES tions. Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra ~ arguably the most technically sound batters against spin in the Kiwi lineup ~ will carry the hopes of a team searching for its first ICC ODI trophy since 2000. Their own spin quartet ~ Santner, Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and Ravindra ~ could pose problems for India as well, making this a battle of patience, skill and adaptability. History adds another subplot: 25 years ago, New Zealand had beaten India in the final of the Knockouts tournament in Nairobi. But India will not want history to repeat itself. Instead, they will look to add another trophy to their cabinet after last year’s T20 World Cup triumph, where Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma played pivotal roles in an unforgettable campaign that culminated in a glorious Barbados night. Now, the distance to the final stop is getting shorter. TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 8 MARCH Min. 50% TEMPERATURE Max: 35.2˚C SUN RISES 05:56 hrs MOON RISES 07:23 hrs One final hurdle: India’s quest for glory against familiar foe NZ India look to spin quartet to work their magic against chief tormentors in ICC tournaments WEATHER T Min: 23.3˚C SUN SETS 17:40 hrs MOON SETS 20:10 hrs Full Moon on 14 March THUMBNAILS Women autorickshaw drivers during the flagging off ceremony of pink autorickshaws on the occasion of International Women's Day, in Chennai on Saturday. n ANI Israeli national among two women raped near KarnatakaÊs Hampi: Two women, including an Israeli national, were allegedly raped by three men near the Hampi heritage site in Karnataka's Vijayanagara district on the night of 6 March, Koppal police said on Saturday. A male tourist accompanying them was later found dead, they added. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah termed the incident a heinous crime and directed police to take immediate action against the accused. Two persons have been arrested. (Page 4) welve years of waiting, a campaign built on resilience, and one final hurdle against a team that has so often been India’s Achilles' heel ~ the New Zealand challenge. The stakes couldn’t be higher as Rohit Sharma’s men step onto the field at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, seeking to reclaim the ICC Champions Trophy and rewrite history. For years, the Kiwis have been India’s tormentors in ICC tournaments, holding a 10-6 record in global events and, more tellingly, a 3-1 advantage in knockout matches. From heartbreaking defeats in Manchester (2019) to Southampton (2021), the memories linger. But this Indian team isn’t dwelling on the past, it is here to break the cycle and create a new legacy. The biggest weapon in India’s arsenal in the tournament has been the spin quartet ~ Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy have turned the middle overs into a magician’s show, while Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have been precision artists, choking the opposition into submission. If the final is played on the same slow, gripping deck as the India-Pakistan Delhi Cabinet approves `5,100 crore for Mahila Samridhi Yojana Phase 1 AGRAJ PRATAP SINGH NEW DELHI, 8 MARCH In a landmark decision on International Women's Day, the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government on Saturday fulfilled one of the BJP's key election promises by approving rupees 5,100 crore for the first phase of the Mahila Samridhi Yojana in the national capital. BJP National President JP Nadda, while speaking at an event organised by the BJP Mahila Morcha at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to mark International Women's Day, said: “Let me tell AAP, we have come into power and have started working towards empowering Nari Shakti. I would like to congratulate women on Women's Day and on the launch of the Mahila Samridhi Yojana. Under the leadership of Rekha Gupta, the Cabinet has decided to implement it soon.” He further stated that the scheme, which was high- lighted in the BJP's manifesto during the Delhi elections with a focus on the financial empowerment of women, is a priority for the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also emphasised its importance. Mr Nadda expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and congratulated Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on initiating steps toward women's empowerment. Speaking to reporters after the event, Chief Minister Gupta confirmed that the Delhi cabinet, in its meeting today, had approved the scheme, which was a key election promise aimed at providing rupees 2,500 per month to women in the national capital. Ms Gupta informed that rupees 5,100 crore has been allocated in the Delhi budget for the implementation of the Mahila Samridhi Yojana. She also announced the formation of a committee, led by her, comprising ministers Ashish Sood, Parvesh Verma, and Kapil Mishra. The committee will finalize the terms and conditions of the scheme, and a dedicated portal will be launched soon for registrations. Commenting on the development, BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat stated that the budget for the scheme had been sanctioned by the Delhi Cabinet. She thanked CM Gupta and congratulated the women of Delhi, reaffirming that all BJP schemes would be implemented as promised. match, the Kiwis might find themselves trapped in a spin maze. Having said that, the New Zealanders are no strangers to these condi- ‘Two groups in Gujarat Cong, one is working for the BJP’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE AHMEDABAD, 8 MARCH Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday called for a structural overhaul in the Gujarat Congress, asserting that a faction within the party is "conniving with the BJP from within". Addressing party workers and former candidates of local body elections in Ahmedabad, Mr Gandhi said there are two groups of Congress leaders in the state — one that is well-connected with the people and carries the Congress ideology in their hearts, and another that is disconnected from the ground, does not respect the public, and is working in collusion with the BJP. The Gandhi scion further urged Gujarat Congress officials and workers to establish direct connections with the public. (Details on Page 5) Six women achievers take over PM Modi’s social media handle on International Women’s Day PARWINDER SANDHU NEW DELHI, 8 MARCH On International Women's Day, six accomplished women from diverse fields took over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter handle to share their inspiring journeys of empowerment and achievement. The initiative highlighted the contributions of women in sectors such as farming, sports, and science and technology. The women who took over the PM's social media account included Vaishali Rameshbabu from Chennai, Dr. Anjlee Agarwal from Delhi, Anita Devi from Nalanda, Elina Mishra from Bhubaneswar, Ajaita Shah from Rajasthan, and Shilpi Soni from Sagar. This initiative mirrors a similar effort from 2020 when seven women achievers took over PM Modi's social media accounts to share their remark- able success stories. Elina Mishra, a nuclear scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), expressed her gratitude for her family's academic influence. "My interest and inquisitiveness for science developed due to my father, who is my inspiration," wrote Mishra. Reflecting on her work in developing magnetic and RF characterization of Drift Tube Linac cav- ities for the Low Energy High Intensity Proton Accelerator (LEHIPA), she added, "It was indeed a very proud and satisfying moment when a 20 MeV proton beam was successfully accelerated." Shilpi Soni, a space scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), shared her pride in contributing to over 35 communication and navigation missions for ISRO over the past 24 years. "It was a dream come true to work with ISRO," she said. Encouraging women to explore science, she remarked, "India surely has the right platform for women to innovate and grow." Ajaita Shah, CEO of Frontier Markets, has empowered over 35,000 digitally-enabled women entrepreneurs in rural India. "One issue that remained close to my heart was the challenges women face in rural areas. Thus, I have spent the last two decades mitigating this," she wrote, encouraging women to become self-reliant and contribute to India's economic growth. Vaishali Rameshbabu, a chess Grandmaster from Chennai, called her chess journey "learning, thrilling, and rewarding." She urged young girls to chase their dreams, regardless of obstacles, and encouraged parents to support their daughters' ambitions. RoKo’s last act in ICC tournaments? Adding to the layers of drama is the uncertain future of India’s two greatest icons — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ICC tournaments. This could very well be their last ICC final together, and if so, they will want to walk away bathed in glory. For Rohit, that means breaking free from the string of quickfire 20s and 30s and playing the kind of innings that defines finals. Kohli, on the other hand, has already found his rhythm ~ his last five innings have yielded a century and two fifties, reminiscent of his prime years when he lorded over bowling attacks with ease. The concern surrounding injured Matt Henry might also offer Rohit some relief as the pacer has troubled him a lot in the past with his ability to find movement and bounce even on the most docile tracks. But even in his absence, Rohit will have to find a way out to lead from the front.But India’s success will not rest on just these two legends. Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya will need to bring their A-game once more, just as they did against Australia in the semi-final. If India can bring all these elements together, they will turn their emphatic campaign into a fairytale finish. KOLKATA, 8 MARCH On the occasion of International Women's Day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that every woman owns the strength and power to shape her world, as she is not weaker than anyone or inferior. “There should never be just one day dedicated to women, for every single day belongs to every woman. Every woman owns the strength and power to shape her world every day. I urge all my mothers and sisters--there has never been a better time to recognize the depth of your strength. We are not weaker than anyone, nor are we inferior. Beyond physical strength, it is our inner resilience, the courage to stand tall, and the resolve to fight back that determine how far we can go and how quickly we can win the battles ahead," Miss Banerjee posted on X. She further said that she believes in a world of equality, where each person ~ no matter their gender ~ has the right to soar. “Find your wings, and together, we will conquer the skies. This world is ours, all of us, from every walk of life,” she added. Miss Banerjee said that on this Women's Day, let us not elevate women as goddesses or deities but celebrate them as equals ~ human beings with inherent rights. “Let us honour this day as a reminder that every day belongs to everyone, and all people, irrespective of gender, deserve to be seen, heard, and respected,” Miss Banerjee said. Earlier today, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that women are the backbone of our society. “On this International Women's Day, I stand with you and for you--committed to breaking every barrier until every woman is free to shape her own destiny, chase every dream, and rise to greater heights. Happy Women's Day, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to 'Nari Shakti,' recognizing the strength and contributions of women on the occasion of International Women's Day.