VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html What you see first in the image reveals what you are currently seeking in life The women who paint Jharkhand: Sohrai-Khovar’s journey from ritual to global gallery Supreme Leader Khamenei footage to be released ‘in future’, Iran says as reports claim he is close to ‘dead’ Aug 09, 2026, 17:43 IST Quote of the day by Leonardo DiCaprio: ‘The smallest seed of an idea can grow. It can grow to define or destroy you,’ life lesson shared by ‘Inception’ actor about decisions and directions Mount Everest Geological History: Before it became the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest was part of an ancient sea: Geological studies reveal how a 470-million-year-old seafloor rose to form the roof of the world Taiwan: ‘Hellscape’ strategy: How Taiwan plans to use drones to stop China in its tracks In 2010, Shanghai turned a polluted industrial brownfield into Houtan Park; its wetlands now clean up to 634,000 gallons of river water a day NEW DELHI: After holding a meeting with a delegation of protesting students, the Jharkhand government on Sunday agreed to cancel the 14th JPSC, JPSC Backlog 2023, and JPSC Backlog 2025 exams but rejected the demand to scrap the CGL examination, saying it was conducted under court orders and selected candidates are already employed.Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jharkhand minister Sudivya Kumar Sonu said the government had agreed to “98 percent” of the points raised by the protesting students and decided to address the alleged irregularities through a “two-pronged approach”.He said the criminal aspects associated with the 14th JPSC examination would be investigated by the CID and the Enforcement Directorate would be requested to probe alleged illicit financial transactions.”Following three days of talks and extensive consultations, and acting on the instructions of CM Hemant Soren, the government decided to address the irregularities associated with the 14th JPSC and the 2023-25 backlog recruitments through a two-pronged approach. Criminal aspects will be investigated by the CID; furthermore, given the financial implications and evidence of illicit financial transactions, a request will be made for an ED investigation,” the minister said.”Following these discussions, student representatives demanded the cancellation of the CGL examination. The government clearly stated that, as the examination was conducted in accordance with the directives of the High Court and the Supreme Court, and is currently under their monitoring, it lacks the authority to cancel it. The government offered to oversee the investigation by constituting a monitoring committee headed by a retired judge; however, the students refused to accept this proposal. We believe the government agreed to 98 percent of the points raised,” he added.”The remaining two percent, specifically the demand to cancel the CGL exam, could not be met because the government cannot unilaterally cancel an exam conducted under court orders, where results have been published and successful candidates are already employed. To instill confidence among the students, the government was willing to form a committee headed by a retired judge to oversee the CID’s work, thereby providing a channel for students to voice their concerns if they felt the CID was not listening to them. Overall, after these processes and efforts, we believe the government demonstrated genuine goodwill and sensitivity toward the students in its attempt to bring the agitation to a close,” he further said.Meanwhile, the protesters maintained that their agitation would continue and that a march to the Vidhan Sabha would be held on August 10 until the case is transferred to the CBI.”Let me clarify that our Vidhan Sabha gherao will continue peacefully. Our demand is for a CBI inquiry; we will not compromise on that,” Kunal, a student leader, said.”This was the second round of talks with the government delegation. Regarding the specifics, particularly the 14th JPSC, JPSC Backlog 2023 and JPSC Backlog 2025 exams, the government has decided to consider cancelling all three. Furthermore, the government has proposed CID and ED investigations into all exams conducted by the TDPL agency. Additionally, the government has accepted almost all of our demands concerning reforms, with the exception of one or two issues, such as age relaxation, on which no consensus could be reached.”Regarding the CGL exam, the students demanded a CBI inquiry; however, the government did not agree to this. Instead, the government stated that a judicial inquiry would be conducted under the chairmanship of a retired judge, and if financial irregularities are detected, the ED would also be involved. Nevertheless, we students continue to demand a CBI inquiry,” Ravindra Paswan, another student leader, said.”The agitation will continue; the agitation is still ongoing,” he added.The protesting students are seeking reforms in the recruitment examination system and action over alleged irregularities in various JPSC and JSSC examinations.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe JCM submitted five demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Examination.The NSUI submitted six demands, including a CID investigation into all JPSC and JSSC examinations under suspicion within 90 days. It also demanded the establishment of a Jharkhand Testing Agency on the lines of the National Testing Agency.The ACS demanded that tribal and regional languages be included as qualifying papers in recruitment examinations. It also sought cancellation of examinations in which irregularities were found.Meanwhile, 19 people have so far been arrested in connection with the case, while former JPSC panel chairperson L Khiangte has been questioned four times since July 28.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosWATCH: Mamata Banerjee’s Car Hit By ‘Large Stones, Shoes’; Bengal BJP Chief Condemns Attack‘Shivling Beneath Darul Uloom Deoband’: Hindu Outfit Plans Ganga Water Offering At Islamic SeminaryBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover123PhotostoriesWeekly Tarot Horoscope From August 9 to August 15, 2026 For Your Birth DateInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? 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Doctors explain what may be stopping your levels from rising123Hot PicksThailand School ShootingUPI TransactionsAsk Me AnythingJharkhand protestGurgaon rainNICL Assistant RecruitmentAnkur WarikooIndia Labour CodesGold rate todayTop TrendingNashik EarthquakeUddhav ThackerayRaja RaghuvanshiBJP MLA Fake MarriagesDevendra FadnavisSiddhivinayak Temple donation theftDelhi Wife MurderAbhijeet DipkeTarun TejpalPraveen Nettaru Murder Case Aug 09, 2026, 18:19 IST Delhi fee regulation order 2026: Private schools get timelines, no fresh fee hike allowed until new structure is fixed In 2017, Antigua and Barbuda removed invasive rats and goats from Redonda; by 2023, vegetation biomass rose over 2,000% and ground dragons increased 13-fold US Army conducts first live-fire hypersonic test with repurposed HATS launcher Sohrai-Khovar, an ancient women-led art tradition from Jharkhand (Image: TWAC) A local artisan crouches by her doorstep, her hands stained with mud and colour drawn straight from the earth around her. The warmth of rust red, the hush of chalky white, the depth of a black gone nearly charcoal. With nothing more than a broken comb and a steady hand, she draws a peacock on a wall still damp from its coating of clay. In a few hours, this wall, like thousands of others across Hazaribagh, will carry the story of the land of Jharkhand, a mural to its beauty.Sohrai and Khovar paintings are a unique and tribal style of art originating from caves of Jharkhand. In 1991, celebrated and renowned environmentalist Bulu Imam documented rock shelters in the Isco hills of Hazaribagh district and noticed that the motifs on the ancient cave walls closely resembled the paintings still being made on village homes nearbyImam was able to sketch out a connection between the 21st century walls of a home to the Mesolithic and Chalcolithic caves of 10,000 to 5,000 BCE. Other researchers, citing the Archaeological Survey of India, place the rock art closer to 7,000-4,000 BCE, in the Paleolithic period.The dates might be contested but what remains true is that Sohrai and Khovar painting represent one of the longest continuously practiced visual art traditions on the subcontinent, a line running from cave wall to mud wall across several thousand years.What is Sohrai-Khovar?Ganju Sohrai painted house (Source: TWAC)Sohrai was originally a season specific craft style painted around the harvest festival of the same name, celebrated after Diwali in the month of Kartik, when households give thanks to their cattle and to the land.Inside of a Khovar room (Source: TWAC)Khovar, the word draws from “kho,” meaning cave, and “var,” meaning groom, is painted for weddings, decorating the room where a newly married couple will spend their first nights together.Both styles of art are made almost exclusively by women. Even its heritage tracing follows matrilineal succession, passed down from mothers to daughters. Traditionally it is classified as a Ma-Beti Parampara, with techniques passed down orally rather than written down.From mud walls to airport terminalsSanjeev Kumar (IFS), principal chief conservator of forests and head of forest force for Jharkhand, has spent much of his career working alongside these villages. He offers a structural explanation for why this art form became a livelihood tool in the first place, rather than staying purely ceremonial.Jharkhand’s rural economy runs largely on two crop cycles a year, he points out, which leaves long stretches when women in farming households have little steady work. Between the sowing and the harvest, there is a kind of enforced pause — and in that pause, an entire category of household income simply goes quiet.Painting, once confined strictly to festival and wedding seasons, has increasingly moved to fill exactly that gap, giving women a way to keep earning in the months the land itself has nothing to offer.It isn’t only about income, in Kumar’s telling. Starting in 2007, as Divisional Forest Officer in Dhanbad, he began organising folk art camps to give Sohrai a wider audience, drawing participants from across India and as far as Australia and Bangladesh. The camps followed him through later postings — Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh, and beyond — running until the pandemic forced them online, then resuming after. The same women who might once have sat out the off-season are now, through this ecosystem, training relatives, negotiating with buyers, and travelling to exhibitions. Kumar also frames the work as central to the state’s eco-tourism ambitions.Sohrai-Khovar finally received Geographical Indication status in May 2020, reportedly approved in under nine months, unusually fast for a process that typically takes two to three years. The tag, granted by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, formally recognises the art as unique to the Hazaribagh region, and gave it a marketing foothold it hadn’t had before.The state took the recognition further. Hazaribagh became the first district in Jharkhand to commit to painting all its government buildings with Sohrai motifs — the chief minister’s residence, the state secretariat, Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport, railway stations across Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, and Tata Nagar all now carry the same red-black-white language once found only on village walls. The art has travelled further still: Prime Minister Modi is reported to have gifted a Sohrai painting to President Putin, a livelihood project turned, however briefly, into an instrument of diplomacy.Painting gifted to Russian President Putin by PM ModiThat visibility has translated into real, traceable livelihoods, in at least some cases. Local organisers connecting artists to buyers report dozens of women directly employed through their networks, hundreds more earning supplemental income in season. Cooperatives built specifically to give village women an alternative to farm labour have carried this work to dozens of international exhibitions across Europe and the US, and increasingly Canada, South Africa, and Japan. Trusts have gone further still — training programmes, small museums, free pigment, and the paperwork that eventually secured the GI tag itself.Tensions surrounding the craftNot everyone close to this history agrees the shift toward livelihood has been a clean win. Gustav Imam draws a distinction between his father’s original vision and the state’s current one. Bulu Imam treated Sohrai as fine art from the start — building an exhibition circuit that ran shows in Australia and Europe. The government’s livelihood framing, Gustav argues, risks something narrower: pay an artist per piece for a product and you’ve quietly converted her into daily-wage labour rather than treating her as an artist. He isn’t against commercialisation itself; he simply thinks dignity has to come first, and that dignity requires recognition at the very top of the field, not just income at the bottom. Traditions like Madhubani, Warli, and Gond painting have each produced nationally awarded artists, Padma Shri recipients among them; Sohrai-Khovar has not, despite women keeping the tradition alive through real struggle and real limitation. Until a handful of individual artists receive that kind of recognition, he argues, younger painters have no one concrete to aspire to become.Gangwa’s Lotus – archival art (Source: TWAC)He also offers a blunt estimate on the schemes meant to help: of the artisans meant to benefit from government portals and initiatives like Mudra loans, perhaps 5 to 10 percent actually do, largely because many are semi-literate and simply can’t navigate the registration process. The rest, in his account, remain outside the system entirely, not excluded by design, but by a bureaucracy that was never built with them in mind.Coal mining is often folded into this story as a single, simple threat, but the picture splits in two once you look closely. The Isco rock art site itself, the discovery that started everything, has not been destroyed. Dust from nearby mines has crept close and settled on it, but the site was declared a national monument around 2023. Other rock art caves in the region, more than a dozen now identified, remain safe largely because, in his words, no one knows about them, obscurity standing in for conservation.Pashupati by Kunti Devi (Source: TWAC)The villages are a different story. The North Karanpura coalfield sits beneath a large number of tribal villages across Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, and Chatra, and coal projects in the area have displaced multiple villages over the years, acquiring significant stretches of agricultural land in the process. Residents who’ve lost land describe rebuilding elsewhere, often some distance from where their families had always lived; local activists warn that further mining could displace still more. Bulu Imam’s decades of opposition — intellectual rather than confrontational, built on letters to officials rather than protest, work that earned him the Gandhi International Peace Award in 2012 — was never really about the rock art surviving. It was about whether the people who kept painting around it would get to stay.There is another complication that has nothing to do with mining. Since 2018–19, a central housing scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana, has replaced mud-and-thatch homes across rural India with brick and cement — a genuine welfare improvement. But Sohrai and Khovar are painted on mud, and the same pigments don’t take to cement the same way. One arm of government is quietly removing the canvas that another arm is simultaneously celebrating, not through malice, but through two policies that were never built with each other in mind.A seat at the table for indigenous art The most important complication was hinted at earlier. The market for Sohrai-Khovar remains thin, prices stay low relative to the labour involved, and no fixed floor price exists to stop buyers from talking artists down. Imam suggests that the district administration consider setting a standard pricing for the art to battle some aspects of the issue.The proposed fix, in Gustav’s telling, isn’t more schemes. It’s status. He points to what happens when a piece lands somewhere with real institutional weight — a Sohrai painting, sold to the American ambassador during a visit to Kolkata, now hangs in a prominent hall at the US consulate.Contemporary Indian art by named painters routinely sells for crores; indigenous art too deserves a seat at that table. A tradition this old survives not just on income, but on being taken seriously by the people who could otherwise walk past it without a second look.Exhibition in Rome, 2008 (TWAC)The artisan finishes her peacock as the light starts to fade. Somewhere else in Hazaribagh, another woman is doing the same. Her red may no longer come from soil gathered by hand, but from a tube of paint bought at the market. The image on the wall is still recognisably Sohrai.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesFor thousands of years, the art has adapted to changing walls, changing materials and changing lives. But preserving it may require more than putting its motifs on government buildings or selling its paintings to new markets. It may mean preserving the women who make it, the homes they paint and the communities that taught them how.The paintings began on cave walls, moved to mud homes and have now travelled to airports, exhibitions and diplomatic gifts. What happens next will depend on whether Sohrai-Khovar is treated simply as a product to be sold — or as a living tradition whose value lies in the people who keep painting it.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Shivling Beneath Darul Uloom Deoband’: Hindu Outfit Plans Ganga Water Offering At Islamic SeminaryBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover‘Brahmins Joining BSP’: Mayawati SLAMS Akhilesh Yadav Over PDA’s ‘P Change’ From Pichhde To Pandit123PhotostoriesWeekly Tarot Horoscope From August 9 to August 15, 2026 For Your Birth DateInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? 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Doctors explain what may be stopping your levels from rising123Hot PicksThailand School ShootingUPI TransactionsAsk Me AnythingJharkhand protestGurgaon rainNICL Assistant RecruitmentAnkur WarikooIndia Labour CodesGold rate todayTop TrendingNashik EarthquakeUddhav ThackerayRaja RaghuvanshiBJP MLA Fake MarriagesDevendra FadnavisSiddhivinayak Temple donation theftDelhi Wife MurderAbhijeet DipkeTarun TejpalPraveen Nettaru Murder Case Turbulence-hit AI flight captain screening dope test ‘not negative, sent for confirmatory test:’ Govt Aug 09, 2026, 17:57 IST ‘I’m tearing it up’: Ajinkya Rahane’s shocking revelation that saved Yashasvi Jaiswal from 4-match ban When will CBSE release Class 12 Compartment result 2026? Here’s what we know so far Alanna Panday announces SECOND PREGNANCY with husband Ivor McCray, cousins Ahaan and Ananya Panday react: ‘One more to love’ Gold, silver prices seen rising next week as US inflation data, West Asia tensions guide markets Russian deputy PM Marat Khusnullin made the suggestion Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin has called on Moscow and New Delhi to explore the feasibility of a direct rail link to the Indian Ocean, aimed at reducing transit risks associated with the Bosphorus strait and Strait of Hormuz.“A rail link to the Indian Ocean should also be explored. Risks related to the Bosphorus and the Strait of Hormuz might require alternative routes: through Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Any options providing access to India are acceptable,” Khusnullin was quoted as saying by TASS.The proposal comes amid disruptions to maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz following the escalation of hostilities between the US-Israel and Iran. On February 28, the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, targeting key urban centres, including Tehran. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets and US military bases across Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesTehran subsequently announced a maritime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz targeting vessels linked to the US, Israel and allied countries involved in the conflict. The strategic waterway handles around 20% of global oil trade and nearly 20% of worldwide LNG shipments.Meanwhile, Türkiye briefly restricted access to the Bosphorus strait following attacks on vessels in the strait, including Turkish-owned ships.Beyond international transport links, Khusnullin also highlighted the need for sustained investment in Russia’s construction sector. He said the industry currently has the capacity to absorb an additional one trillion rubles annually.“The construction industry is already capable of handling an additional one trillion rubles annually. However, if such a volume is secured for the next five years, it would be possible to expand capacity and build even more,” he added.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Shivling Beneath Darul Uloom Deoband’: Hindu Outfit Plans Ganga Water Offering At Islamic SeminaryBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover‘Brahmins Joining BSP’: Mayawati SLAMS Akhilesh Yadav Over PDA’s ‘P Change’ From Pichhde To Pandit123PhotostoriesWeekly Tarot Horoscope From August 9 to August 15, 2026 For Your Birth DateInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? Try these 5 simple parenting shiftsVitamin C from food vs supplements: Which gives you more and when taking extra may not help10 Indian states ranked highest for civic sense and responsible public behaviour; check if your state made it to the listHiccups that keep coming back? Doctor explains when they could signal a neurological problem5 foods packed with magnesium that can help support muscles, nerves and heart healthWhy you should add salt, not oil to pasta water: 6 common mistakes to avoid with pastaTaking vitamin D every day but still running low? Doctors explain what may be stopping your levels from rising123Hot PicksThailand School ShootingUPI TransactionsAsk Me AnythingJharkhand protestGurgaon rainNICL Assistant RecruitmentAnkur WarikooIndia Labour CodesGold rate todayTop TrendingNashik EarthquakeUddhav ThackerayRaja RaghuvanshiBJP MLA Fake MarriagesDevendra FadnavisSiddhivinayak Temple donation theftDelhi Wife MurderAbhijeet DipkeTarun TejpalPraveen Nettaru Murder Case ‘Reputation is more valuable than money’: Ravi Kishan explains he still can’t figure out why he goes viral’ after ‘money follows my brother’ remark and memes This insect makes a house of silk and leaves and then carries it everywhere on its back for safety Hyderabad Urban Expansion: Hyderabad’s urban footprint set to expand as Telangana plans new economic centres ‘We know how to stand up to American ideas’: Israeli PM Netanyahu rejects Trump’s 15-point Gaza plan KC Venugopal (right) urges Congress leaders to be careful while speaking amid row over Shashi Tharoor’s CJP remarks (File photo) NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday urged party leaders to “exercise caution” and avoid making remarks that could “please the BJP.”Venugopal was responding to questions about Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s comments suggesting that Rahul Gandhi’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” student outreach programme had failed to resonate with Gen Z as much as the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led protests. Watch ‘Did We Fail To Listen’: Tharoor Admits CJP Protest Resonated More Than Congress ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’“Even if Congress members do not always strictly abide by party frameworks or discipline, we must be careful to avoid making statements that merely appease the BJP. The BJP will be delighted if someone finds fault with Rahul Gandhi or says two negative things about him—it would be the happiest thing for them,” PTI quoted the Alappuzha MP as saying.However, Venugopal clarified that he did not believe Tharoor had made the remarks deliberately.“I have only seen his (Tharoor’s) statement reported by some media channels, as far as I know. I haven’t been able to hear exactly what he said. All of us should take care, whether knowingly or unknowingly—and I don’t believe he said it knowingly, nor is he likely to have said it intentionally—to refrain from making such remarks,” the senior Congress leader added.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesTharoor, while speaking at an event in Maharashtra on Friday, had replied in the affirmative when asked whether the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme had failed to resonate with young people as much as the CJP agitation, despite both raising similar issues.“Correct. And that’s why we need to ask ourselves what we failed to do,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP replied. “Did we fail to listen? Did we fail to tap into the old cliché of having our finger on the pulse of the people? Was our finger missing from the pulse of Gen Z? That’s something we really need to interrogate.”A day later, however, Tharoor criticised the media for allegedly interpreting his remarks as “an attack on my own party or its leadership.”He maintained that his comments were meant to stress the need for political parties to open their doors and create pathways for the next generation to play a greater role in shaping politics.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover‘Brahmins Joining BSP’: Mayawati SLAMS Akhilesh Yadav Over PDA’s ‘P Change’ From Pichhde To Pandit‘I Am Proud Of All Of You’: PM Modi’s Big Msg To Students At First Public Speech After CJP Protests123PhotostoriesWeekly Tarot Horoscope From August 9 to August 15, 2026 For Your Birth DateInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? 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Doctors explain what may be stopping your levels from rising123Hot PicksThailand School ShootingUPI TransactionsAsk Me AnythingJharkhand protestGurgaon rainNICL Assistant RecruitmentAnkur WarikooIndia Labour CodesGold rate todayTop TrendingNashik EarthquakeUddhav ThackerayRaja RaghuvanshiBJP MLA Fake MarriagesDevendra FadnavisSiddhivinayak Temple donation theftDelhi Wife MurderAbhijeet DipkeTarun TejpalPraveen Nettaru Murder Case Kiara Advani’s all-white corset look at Yash and Geetu Mohandas’ ‘Toxic’ trailer launch costs a whopping Rs 5.7 lakh Infant Sleep Safety: Cosy bedding for baby may not be safe: What every parent should know about their infant’s sleep space In 1967, US satellites hunting secret nuclear tests detected a flash from deep space; the accidental signal became the first observed gamma-ray burst From ‘enemies’ to ‘patriotic brothers’: Pakistan changes stance on PoK protesters ahead of polls NEET PG 2026 city intimation slip likely soon: Check exam city, steps to download and key dates Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Chak De! India’ co-stars Sagarika Ghatge and Vivan Bhatena reunite after 20 years, film to release in 2027 Sachin Tendulkar Father Story: “Never once did he tell me to…”: Sachin Tendulkar shares a beautiful story about his father when he bought his first car and the one quality he learned from him Weekly Tarot Horoscope From August 9 to August 15, 2026 For Your Birth Date ‘Anti-people’: Congress vows to oppose FCRA Bill, Venugopal accuses Centre of targeting NGOs Hemant Soren assures students on ‘transperancy and justice’ over alleged exam leaks NEW DELHI: Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren on Sunday urged youths protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams not to seek political patronage or allow their agitation to be politicised, saying dialogue, rather than batons, was the way to resolve issues.”Samvad and not ‘lathi-danda-bandook’ (dialogue, not batons), can solve all problems,” Soren said while addressing the Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav in Ranchi.”Weapons are meant for enemies at the border. I promise the exam protesters that justice will be delivered with full transparency,” the chief minister added.Soren further warned political parties and those with “political ambitions” against misleading the protesting youths through lies and misinformation.”The stir should not be politicised; I warn those harbouring political ambitions against misguiding youths,” he said.”I urge youths not to seek political patronage (for their stir); justice is your right,” Soren added.The chief minister said the concerns of the protesting students were also his own and assured them that those found guilty of irregularities would face strict action. “Those guilty of irregularities will face strict action. We caught theft, will deliver justice,” he said.Soren also alleged that vested interests were attempting to disrupt democracy in Jharkhand and accused rival political parties, apparently referring to the BJP, of trying to mislead the state’s youth.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe protests over alleged irregularities in recruitment exams entered their 16th day on Sunday, with six demonstrators on an indefinite hunger strike.A sixth round of talks between the state government and the agitators was held at the state guest house in Ranchi.The protesters are seeking reforms in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC), along with an independent probe into the alleged irregularities. They have demanded either a CBI investigation or an inquiry by a panel of retired high court judges from outside the state.Soren also referred to the protests over the NEET exam paper leak at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, saying, “All saw how youths were tortured, had to face pellet guns, baton charges, and were declared traitors.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover‘Brahmins Joining BSP’: Mayawati SLAMS Akhilesh Yadav Over PDA’s ‘P Change’ From Pichhde To Pandit‘I Am Proud Of All Of You’: PM Modi’s Big Msg To Students At First Public Speech After CJP Protests123PhotostoriesInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? 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The journey from a hospital referral to an actual transplant involves medical evaluation, registration, documentation, waitlist management, organ matching, allocation and, eventually, surgery and long-term follow-up.In India, the process is coordinated through a network involving the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), regional and state-level bodies, registered transplant hospitals and transplant coordinators.The scale of that system has changed sharply. In a February 2026 release, the Press Information Bureau said India recorded nearly 20,000 organ transplants in 2025, compared with fewer than 5,000 in 2013. More than 1,200 families donated the organs of loved ones after death in 2025, the release said.Yet the numbers tell only part of the story. Behind every transplant is a sequence that begins long before the surgeon enters the operating theatre — and, for the recipient, often long before an organ is ever offered. Notto’s says patients are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team, registered through a transplant centre, verified by the relevant allocation body and, once cleared, placed on the appropriate waiting list.The process starts at the transplant centreA patient with advanced organ failure is first referred to a licensed transplant centre. Doctors assess the underlying disease, the extent of organ damage and whether transplantation is medically appropriate.Not every patient with end-stage organ failure will necessarily be fit for transplantation.Talking about the initial evaluation before transplantation, Dr Manoj Gupta, senior director and HOD, liver transplant, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, said, “It typically includes a review of the patient’s medical history, physical examination, blood and tissue tests, imaging, assessment of organ function, infection screening and evaluation of any underlying conditions. Eligibility is determined by several factors, including the patient’s overall health, the extent of organ failure, surgical suitability, the likelihood of benefiting from transplantation and the ability to adhere to the post-transplant treatment regimen.”However, other factors can also determine eligibility. Dr Goutham Kumar, consultant, HPB & liver transplant services, SPARSH Hospital, added that eligibility also depends on the “absence of absolute contraindications, including active systemic infections, untreated malignancies, severe substance abuse or irreversible co-morbidities.”The hospital and transplant coordinator then compile the information required for registration.Once the application is accepted, the patient’s details enter the relevant transplant registry and waiting list. The waiting period can range from the same day to several years.What being on the waiting list actually meansBeing on a transplant waiting list is not simply being in a queue. Notto says patients are listed according to medical criteria, with regular and urgent categories, while priority varies by organ. For kidney transplants, time on regular dialysis is among the factors considered; other organs follow different criteria.Dr Kumar explains how these organ-specific criteria work in practice, “Liver allocation often uses the MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score, while heart allocations prioritize patients on mechanical support. Pediatric patients and high-urgency acute cases frequently receive priority.”Notto’s manual also provides for urgent or “Priority One” categories for patients meeting organ-specific requirements. Such cases may be reviewed by an expert committee before priority is granted, with hospitals required to provide regular clinical updates.Registration does not freeze a patient’s status. Their medical condition continues to be monitored and records updated. Depending on their health, a patient may remain active, be made inactive or become medically unfit for transplantation.Live Kidneys lead India’s transplant numbersWhen a donor organ becomes availableThe next turn in the journey comes when an organ becomes available. It may come from a living donor, commonly a kidney or part of a liver, or from a deceased donor after certified brain-stem death. At that point, Organ India says, “the transplant coordinator of the hospital will counsel the family and give them the option of donating organs and tissues.”The next of kin must consent before retrieval. That makes a donor pledge only at the beginning of the conversation. Organ India puts it plainly: “In India it’s more important to talk to your family about your decision than it is to pledge your organs and get a donor card.”Once a donor organ is identified, a rapid, highly coordinated race against time begins. Blood group compatibility and cross-matching are verified between the donor and potential recipient, while the organ is assessed for suitability.Dr Kumar explains, “A surgical retrieval team harvests the organ and preservation solution is administered. Transport logistics—often utilising dedicated ‘green corridors’ or air transport—are activated to move the organ immediately.”The recipient is called to the hospital, re-evaluated and prepared for surgery, with the surgical team ready to proceed as soon as the donor organ arrives.From brain-stem death to retrievalA deceased donor is medically maintained while permissions and retrieval arrangements are completed, helping preserve viable organs until they can be recovered. Once retrieved, however, the clock begins to run: each organ has a limited preservation window.4–6 hours for heart and lungs, 6–10 hours for intestine, 12–15 hours for liver, 12–24 hours for pancreas and 24–48 hours for kidneysCost remains another major barrier to transplantation in India. Dr Kumar said the “initial surgical costs range from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 35 lakh depending on the organ (kidney vs. liver/heart) and hospital sector (public vs. private).” But the financial burden does not end with the operation. Lifelong immunosuppressants, anti-rejection treatment and “regular diagnostic monitoring add Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 monthly.”That narrow window makes allocation a tightly coordinated process. Organs are assessed, potential recipients identified and transport arranged.India’s transplant numbers are risingThe national system has expanded significantly over the past decade.The ministry said more than 1,200 families came forward to donate the organs of loved ones after death in 2025.”More than 4.8 lakh citizens have registered to donate organs and tissues after death through a Aadhaar based verification system, since 17th September 2023,” the PIB release said.The release also said India had developed expertise in complex heart, lung and pancreas transplants and claimed the country “leads the world in hands transplants and performs a greater number of hand transplants than any other country.”The government said the increase reflected improvements in deceased donation, transplant coordination and national organ sharing.The gap between demand and supply remainsEven after surgery, the process continues. Recipients need lifelong follow-up and immunosuppressive medication, which can also carry long-term risks.Dr Jagriti Yadav, medical director – lab operations, Cryoviva Life Sciences, said, “The major long-term risks include acute or chronic graft rejection, opportunistic infections, cardiovascular complications, kidney toxicity, and metabolic side effects related to immunosuppressive medicines.”The increase in transplant numbers has not eliminated the shortage of organs.How India’s transplant numbers have surgedA 2024 article published in the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central noted that India was performing around 17,000-18,000 solid organ transplants a year, making it the world’s third-largest transplant country by volume after the United States and China, while transplant rates per million population remained lower than in several high-income countries.Organ India’s data and awareness material has similarly highlighted the disparity between the number of patients requiring organs and the number of deceased donors available. The organisation has estimated that India has a large pool of potential brain-stem-death donors but a much smaller number of actual deceased donors.For a patient on a waiting list, that gap translates into uncertainty: being medically eligible and registered does not guarantee that a suitable organ will become available in time.Delhi remains one of the country’s major transplant centres.The Delhi government’s organ-donation portal provides information on registered hospitals and transplant services and operates under the Health & Family Welfare Department and the State Appropriate Authority. The department’s published information lists registered facilities for kidney, liver, heart, lung and pancreas transplantation, as well as eye and cornea services.Foreign recipients are also part of the systemIndia’s transplant system also treats foreign nationals, subject to additional safeguards. Government guidance says an Indian living donor may donate to a foreign recipient only if they are near relatives; donors must be at least 18, with medical-visa and registration requirements applicable to both parties.Data shows organ transplants for foreign recipients in IndiaIn 2023, India recorded 18,378 transplants and 18,336 individual recipients, including 1,851 foreign nationals, according to Notto data reported in 2024. Delhi recorded the highest number involving foreign recipients at 1,445, followed by Rajasthan at 116 and West Bengal at 88. Only nine involved unrelated deceased-donor organs.For a transplant recipient, perhaps the least visible part of the process is the period between registration and an organ offer.During this period, the patient’s condition can change. Tests may have to be repeated, treatment may need adjustment and the transplant centre may update the patient’s status on the registry.The patient therefore remains under the care of the transplant team while the allocation system searches for a medically suitable organ.Notto says special requests do not guarantee an immediate organ or override the established rules for matching and allocation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe next stage is a more connected transplant systemIndia’s transplant system is becoming more digitally connected, with national coordination and data-sharing expanding alongside transplant numbers. Aadhaar-verified donation registrations crossed 4.8 lakh, while nearly 20,000 transplants were recorded in 2025.The next challenge is ensuring potential donors are identified, families counselled and organs retrieved, transported and allocated efficiently. For recipients, that means staying medically fit, updating the transplant centre and following clinical advice.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorSubhadra SrivastavaSubhadra Srivastava is a journalist with The Times of India, covering geopolitics, international and national affairs. With over three years of experience, she focuses on national and global developments, conflict, diplomacy and their impact on India. Her work combines breaking news with in-depth analysis, offering readers context and clarity on the stories shaping the world.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosBaramati Airfield Runway Excursion: Training Aircraft Veers Off Runway, No Injuries ReportedIN-SPACe Moves To Privatise Operations Of Rs 986-Crore Kulasekarapattinam SpaceportAir India Phuket-Delhi Flight Captain Reportedly Fails Dope Test After Turbulence IncidentSavarkar Quiz Question Sparks Political Row In Kerala; Education Department Orders InquiryWATCH: Uttarakhand Innovator’s Electric Flying Vehicle Takes Maiden Test FlightUPI To Remain Free For Users, But Some Merchants May Face Nominal Fees In Future: GovtArunachal CM Rejects Chinese Encroachment As India Assigns Official Names To 27 Places‘If You Don’t Kill My Husband, I Will’: Telangana Man Uncovers Wife’s Shocking Chats With Lover‘Brahmins Joining BSP’: Mayawati SLAMS Akhilesh Yadav Over PDA’s ‘P Change’ From Pichhde To Pandit‘I Am Proud Of All Of You’: PM Modi’s Big Msg To Students At First Public Speech After CJP Protests123PhotostoriesInside Kiku Sharda’s luxurious Mumbai home: Spacious balcony, elegant living room, and moreForget momo: Try these traditional steamed regional delicacies from Indian statesWant your child to actually tell you about school? 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