THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2025 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 Pages 16 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘EVERY INCH OF ENCROACHED LAND WILL BE RECLAIMED’ ‘COUNTRY FACING UNDECLARED EMERGENCY’ TRUMP FACES AN ALLIANCE INDIAN TEAM STICKS SHAPED TO HIS LIKING AS HE TO BUMRAH’S PLAN ATTENDS THE NATO SUMMIT P5 SENSEX 82,755.51 p700.40 WEATHER Generally Cloudy sky with one or two spells of light to moderate rain/ thundershower very likely to occur. RAINFALL: 05.6 mm NIFTY 25,244.75 p200.40 ` vs $ 86.09 P11 SILVER `1,08,000 GOLD `99,990 140 crore aspirations soar with Shukla into space BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 66.69 Mamata in Digha ahead of Rath Yatra to ensure safe run Min. 72% STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE TEMPERATURE President, PM hail successful launch of Axiom-4 space mission NEW DELHI, 25 JUNE Max: 32.5˚C (-0.4 ) Min: 28.2 ˚C (+1.4 ) SUN RISES 04:54 hrs MOON RISES 04:19 hrs P16 He is travelling to the ISS on an American commercial mission with 3 other astronauts RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 91% P13 A SUN SETS 18:25 hrs MOON SETS 18:37 hrs Full Moon on 11 July THUMBNAILS Security personnel conduct a security check ahead of Amarnath Yatra on Jammu Srinagar National Highway, in Ramban on Wednesday. nANI Over 3,900 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran, Israel till date: More than 3,900 Indian nationals have been brought back from Iran and Israel till date under Operation Sindhu. The Indian govt launched Op Sindhu to evacuate all the Indian nationals from Iran and Israel amidst the escalating tensions between both countries, which had gripped the region for the past couple of weeks before a ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday. fter several delays, Axiom Mission 4 or Ax-4 carrying IAF pilot Shubhanshu Shukla along with others lifted off to the International Space Station on Wednesday. Shukla, who is the mission pilot, is India's second astronaut going into space -- four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984. The 39-year-old fighter pilot was chosen by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as the prime astronaut for this historic flight. The Indian astronaut is travelling to the International Space Station (ISS) on an American commercial mission with three other astronauts, carrying the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians to send a second 'Gaganyatri' to space after a gap of over 40 years. “The 14-day Ax-4 mission will realize the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation’s first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. While Ax-4 marks these countries' second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JUNE Station. This historic mission underscores how Axiom Space is redefining the pathway to lowEarth orbit and elevating national space programs globally,” said Axiom Mission on its website. The Ax-4 crew also includes Sławosz Uzna ski, European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut, the second Polish astronaut since 1978 to achieve this feat. Tibor Kapu will be the second national Hungarian astronaut since 1980. “Peggy Whitson will command her second commercial human spaceflight mission, adding to her standing record for the longest cumulative time in space by an American astronaut,” it said. The Axiom-4 mission necessitates an approximate travel duration of 28.5 to 29 hours to traverse the distance from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), despite the latter’s orbital altitude of around 400 km above the Earth's surface. This time frame is not solely attributable to the linear distance but rather to the intricate orbital mechanics that govern the process of rendezvousing with the ISS. The Axiom Mission 4 had faced a series of delays due to weather and technical issues. The mission is a commercial venture between the Houston-based Axiom Space and NASA. Tharoor’s cryptic post after Kharge’s rebuke STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JULY Hours after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge rebuked party leader Shashi Tharoor over his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Thiruvananthapuram MP posted a message on X that was widely seen as a response to his party colleagues' criticisms. "Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one," read the post, accompanied by a photograph of a bird. Commenting on the ongoing discussion regarding Mr Tharoor’s praise for Prime Minister Modi, party chief Kharge remarked today, "For us, it is country first, but for some people, it is Modi first." This stands as the strongest rebuke to Mr Tharoor from the Congress leadership to date. Previously, Mr Tharoor’s party colleagues had directed sharp criticism at him over his comments following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. Mr Kharge’s remarks came amid growing attention surrounding an article written by Mr Tharoor about India’s outreach in the wake of Operation Sindoor. In the piece, published in The Hindu newspaper, he stated that Prime Minister Modi’s energy, dynamism, and willingness to engage remain a “prime asset” for India on the global stage and deserve greater support. His comments angered the Congress and deepened the rift between the leadership and the diplomat-turnedpolitician. The principal Opposition party, which has been consistently targeting the government, was not pleased that Mr Tharoor failed to echo the party’s stance. At an event in Moscow, Mr Tharoor clarified that his article was not an indication of his "leaping to join" the BJP, but rather a statement of national unity, national interest, and standing up for India. The Congress on Tuesday distanced itself from Mr Tharoor’s remarks. “It may be his personal opinion, but it is not the opinion of the Congress party. It is not the party’s view, as we have presented our stance with evidence and proof,” party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate told the media. Mr Kharge, speaking today, said that Mr Tharoor is very fluent in English. "I cannot read English well. His language is very good. That is why we have made him a member of the Congress Working Committee," he remarked. The Congress chief further stated that in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people, the entire Opposition expressed solidarity with the Army. "We said the country comes first, the party comes second. Some people feel 'Modi first, country later'. What can we do?" Mr Tharoor has been articulating New Delhi’s position to both national and international media in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s counter-strike, Operation Sindoor. His forthright statements earned him praise even from critics, who commended him for setting aside party differences during a national crisis. The Congress, which initially pledged full support to the Centre’s response to those behind the Pahalgam terror attack, later shifted its position, calling on the government to clarify the circumstances that led to the ceasefire and questioning the role the United States may have played. Survey reveals 79 pc of Indian policyholders unsure about insurance coverage STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 JUNE A recent nationwide survey has revealed a sharp disconnect between insurance ownership and policy awareness among Indian policyholders, raising fresh concerns about underinsurance and financial vulnerability. Conducted by consumerfocused InsurTech firm CoverSure, the survey covered 5,000 respondents across the metro, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities. It found that 79% of policyholders are unsure whether their existing insurance offers adequate coverage. The findings show that 71% of respondents own between two to five active insurance policies, with life insurance (63%) being the most commonly held, followed by health (24%) and motor insurance (13%). Despite this, only 35% claimed to fully understand their policy terms, benefits, and exclusions. A significant 65% admitted to having limited or no understanding, exposing a critical gap in insurance literacy. The knowledge gap extends beyond the policyholders themselves. The survey found that 60% of dependents were unaware they were covered under any insurance policy, and only 1 in 10 could accurately describe the coverage or ben- efits available to them. This lack of awareness frequently leads to missed claims, rejected submissions, and underutilized policies, according to the report. Policyholders also face challenges in how they manage their insurance documents and records. The survey revealed that 29% rely on physical files, 26% use spreadsheets, 24% track through SMS alerts, and 21% store documents in digital folders. These fragmented and out- dated systems often hamper access to critical information, especially during claims or policy renewals. Despite clear gaps in understanding, 38% of respondents believe they need no assistance managing their insurance. Meanwhile, 36% preferred human advisors and 26% were open to digital tools. CoverSure said this overconfidence—combined with low actual policy comprehension—signals a serious disconnect between perceived and actual insurance literacy in India. The company stressed the need for stronger consumer education, centralized digital management tools, and advisory support to bridge this gap. Without these measures, many Indian families may remain financially vulnerable despite owning multiple insurance products. President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the successful launch of the Axiom-4 space mission carrying Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. They wished Group Captain Shukla, who is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. President Murmu said the whole nation was excited and proud of an Indian’s journey into the stars. Welcoming the successful launch of the Space Mission, PM wrote on X: ''We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland, and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes, and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.” (See Page 6) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 25 JUNE Chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited Digha today, two days before the Rath Yatra festival to oversee the lastminute arrangements. She reached Digha by road this afternoon. She will pull the rope of the rath at the newly-built Jagannath temple to mark the beginning of the festival on 27 June. Built by the Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation she had inaugurated the temple on the day of Akshay Tritiya, 30 April. She has also made arrangements for the prasad to be distributed in Bengal and the process has already started. Thishasreceivedoverwhelming response from the people. She inspected the arrangements at ‘Mashir Bari’ (aunt’s house) situated a km away from the temple. Lord Jagannath, with his siblings, will stay there for seven days and return to the temple on 5 July. Wooden barricades have been put up along the kilometre-long stretch. The old Jagannath temple situated in old Digha will function as Mashir Bari. As per mythology, Lord Jagannath develops fever after Snan Yatra and goes to aunt’s house to improve his health. The temple will be reopened tomorrow. Lakhs of people are expected to witness the inaugural run of the three raths.