Kolkata’s historic Red Road roared with the energy of 35,000 yoga practitioners on Sunday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined them for the 12th International Day of Yoga. The Prime Minister moved among participants, corrected postures, and performed Tadasana, Ardha Chakrasana, Bhadrasana and Trikonasana as the crowd followed the Common Yoga Protocol.

Modi said yoga has become the world’s largest community movement and is uniting people, nations and cultures. “The entire nation, world, seems connected. This is the power of yoga. Yoga connects everyone, brings everyone together,” he said. He also praised West Bengal for carrying forward yoga through saints like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and Lahiri Mahasaya, calling collective practice on Bengal’s sacred land a unique spiritual experience.

The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”. Modi explained the theme in personal terms: “We should strive to remain as flexible at 40 as we were at 20, stay as energetic at 50 as we were at 30, and look and remain healthy at 70 as we were at 50.” He said the message is not for the elderly only — it applies to people of all ages.

Before the main session, Modi performed Sukshma Vyayam, a yoga warm-up, and during Sheetali Pranayama he gestured to participants to stick out their tongues while practising the breathing technique. He spent time at different locations across the venue, guiding people on how to perform asanas correctly and interacting with them.

The day’s celebrations were spread across India. In Visakhapatnam, Baba Ramdev led an event where young men and women practised yoga on poles and ropes. In Vadodara, women performed aqua yoga in a swimming pool at the Sama Sports Complex. Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel of the 47th Battalion performed yoga on the banks of Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh at an altitude of 13,862 feet.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said yoga is India’s heritage and a gift to the world. “When the world was searching for peace, India gave Lord Buddha, and when the world sought ways to maintain health, Indian sages gifted yoga to humanity,” he said. He urged all Indians to make yoga part of their daily routine.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking after a Mumbai event, highlighted massive participation in West Bengal and said residents of North Mumbai practised yoga on the seashore alongside spiritual leaders. He recalled Modi encouraging him to practise yoga and pranayama during the COVID-19 period and linked good rainfall to better crops, food security and growth.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan extended Yoga Day greetings from Bhopal, saying yoga unites humanity and reflects “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the world is one family. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh performed yoga in Shillong. Home Minister Amit Shah practised yoga in Ahmedabad, while Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel and Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi also joined celebrations.

June 21 was chosen for International Yoga Day because it is the summer solstice — the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Yogic tradition says on this day Lord Shiva, regarded as the first yogi, began teaching yoga to the Saptarishis. The first International Day of Yoga was celebrated on 21 June 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi, with 35,985 participants including Modi and representatives from 84 countries; the event set two Guinness World Records.

Why it matters: Yoga Day is now a global ritual that crosses borders, age groups and communities. The Prime Minister’s personal participation and public message — “be 50 at 70” — puts healthy ageing in the spotlight, while the scale of participation signals yoga’s cultural reach in India.

The Union Finance Ministry has officially ratified the 8.25% interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund deposits for the third consecutive year, paving the way for early credits.

Finance Ministry gives final nod

NEW DELHI: In a major relief for salaried employees across the country, the Union Government has officially ratified the 8.25% interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) deposits for the financial year 2025-26. The move clears the technical decks for the state-run retirement fund manager to begin its annual payout distribution cycle.

According to sources familiar with the development, the interest amount is expected to reflect in the accounts of more than seven crore contributing subscribers later this month.

Third consecutive year of steady returns

The ratification comes after the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), which serves as the apex decision-making body of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), recommended maintaining the status quo during its meeting on March 2, 2026.

Headed by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the board chose to retain the 8.25% interest rate for FY26. This marks the third straight year that the EPF interest rate has remained unchanged, providing a sense of stability for long-term retirement savings amid fluctuating market indicators.

Faster payouts via new digital system

While the interest rate remains steady, subscribers are likely to see their accounts updated much faster this year. Ground-level cues from the labor ministry indicate that the EPFO's recently upgraded digital ecosystem will be fully leveraged for this rollout cycle.

Under this new tech infrastructure, interest will be credited to individual accounts almost immediately once the backend process is triggered. This marks a significant departure from previous years, where structural and technological bottlenecks often delayed the actual reflection of interest in subscriber passbooks by several months.

Trajectory of EPF interest rates

The 8.25% interest rate has become a baseline for the EPFO in recent years. The retirement body had retained the exact same rate for the preceding fiscal, 2024-25. This followed a marginal upward revision from 8.15% in the 2022-23 financial year.

A look at the historical timeline shows that the EPFO had dropped the interest rate to a multi-decade low of 8.10% in FY22, a low point not seen since the late 1970s. Prior to that dip, returns hovered around the 8.5% to 8.8% mark during the mid-to-late 2010s, reflecting a higher interest rate regime across the broader banking sector.

Security for retirement corpus

Because the Government of India acts as the ultimate guarantor for EPF deposits, any rate recommended by the CBT requires a mandatory vetting and concurrence process by the Ministry of Finance before it can be executed.

Initial reports indicate that the file has now been completely processed and sent back to the Ministry of Labour. Local authorities confirmed that backend testing for the mass credit is underway, ensuring the system can handle the concurrent volume of over 70 million active accounts without technical glitches.

What next for subscribers?

Subscribers looking to verify their updated balances will be able to do so via the official EPFO unified portal or through the centralized Umang mobile application once the labor ministry gives the final operational go-ahead. Officials have hinted that the formal notification regarding the commencement of the credit process will be issued over the weekend.

The government's approval of the EPF Interest Rate has brought relief to millions of salaried employees across the country. With the Ministry of Finance ratifying the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's recommendation, EPFO is now set to begin the annual interest credit process for the financial year 2025-26.

The decision is significant for over seven crore contributing members who rely on EPF savings as a key component of their long-term financial security. According to sources, the interest amount is expected to reflect in subscribers' accounts later this month. The approval also ensures continuity in returns for EPF members, as the interest rate remains unchanged for the third consecutive year.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation had recommended retaining the 8.25% interest rate during the meeting of its Central Board of Trustees (CBT) held on March 2, 2026. The board, chaired by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, concluded that the current rate remains sustainable while balancing returns for subscribers and the financial health of the retirement fund.

Interest Credit Process Begins

The EPFO can credit annual interest only after receiving formal approval from the Ministry of Finance. With the ratification now complete, the Ministry of Labour is expected to direct the organisation to initiate the credit process.

Officials familiar with the matter indicate that the recently introduced digital infrastructure within EPFO will enable faster processing and quicker reflection of interest amounts in members' accounts. The upgraded system is designed to reduce delays that subscribers have experienced in previous years.

For salaried employees, the development is particularly important as EPF remains one of India's largest retirement savings schemes. Interest earned on EPF deposits plays a crucial role in wealth accumulation for workers in both the public and private sectors.

EPF Rates Over the Years

The EPF Interest Rate has witnessed several changes over the past decade. The rate stood at 8.25% for both 2023-24 and 2024-25 and has now been retained for 2025-26 as well.

Earlier, EPFO had increased the rate from 8.15% in 2022-23 to 8.25% in 2023-24. Before that, the organisation reduced the rate to 8.10% for 2021-22, which was the lowest return offered in more than four decades.

Historical data shows that subscribers received 8.5% interest in 2020-21 and 2019-20, while the rate was 8.65% in 2018-19. During 2015-16, the return stood at 8.8%, one of the highest rates in recent years.

According to officials, EPFO continues to evaluate market conditions, investment returns and fund performance before recommending annual interest rates. The government, acting as guarantor of EPF deposits, provides final approval before the rate becomes effective.

Financial experts note that despite fluctuations in market-linked investment products, EPF remains a preferred retirement savings instrument because of its relatively stable returns and government-backed structure.

With the approval process completed, EPF Interest Rate credit is expected to begin shortly, providing a financial boost to millions of subscribers and reinforcing confidence in one of India's most widely used social security and retirement savings schemes.

In a landmark move for India's gig economy, quick commerce giant Blinkit has officially removed its high-pressure "10-minute delivery" claim from all platforms. This decisive action, taken following the direct intervention of Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, signals a pivotal shift in India's booming but often contentious quick commerce sector, prioritizing worker welfare over breakneck speed.

Other major players, including Zepto, Swiggy, and Zomato, are expected to follow suit after a high-level meeting with the Labour Ministry, where concerns over delivery personnel's health and safety were paramount. Blinkit has already revised its principal tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to the more measured “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep,” effectively retiring the marketing promise that became a symbol of worker strain.

Government Intervention Catalyzes Change

The policy shift is the direct result of sustained government attention on the conditions of platform workers. Minister Mandaviya met with senior leaders from the major aggregators, persuading them to abandon strict delivery deadlines that contributed to unsafe working conditions.

This intervention reflects a growing official consensus that the relentless pursuit of ultra-fast delivery had untenable human costs. During a recent Parliament session, AAP MP Raghav Chadha highlighted the "pain and misery" of gig workers, calling for regulations to ensure dignity, protection, and fair pay. Following the government's directive, Chadha hailed the move as a "victory for delivery partners," stating that the constant pressure from a public countdown was "real, constant, and dangerous".

The Gig Worker Strike That Forced a Reckoning

The government's action did not occur in a vacuum. It was precipitated by a powerful, nationwide flash strike by gig workers on December 31, 2025. Organized by unions like the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), the strike saw participation from an estimated 40,000 delivery partners across major cities.

Workers protested against falling incomes, arbitrary algorithmic control, a lack of social security, and the intense pressure generated by "10-minute delivery" models, which they argued forced them into dangerous road behavior to meet unrealistic targets. Shaik Salauddin of IFAT welcomed the removal of the deadline, calling it a "significant and much-needed step in protecting the lives and dignity" of workers and a direct victory for their collective action.

Part of a Broader Regulatory Framework

The move against aggressive delivery promises is one piece of a larger effort to formalize and protect India's vast gig workforce. The Code on Social Security, 2020, which was notified in November 2025, formally recognizes gig and platform workers for the first time, entitling them to government-notified social security benefits.

Recently proposed draft rules under this Code set a 90-day annual work threshold as eligibility criteria for gig workers to access these social security schemes. Furthermore, the Code mandates aggregators to contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover to a Social Security Fund, financing welfare schemes for millions. This creates a structured framework moving away from voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) to statutory obligation.

The Road Ahead for Quick Commerce

For consumers, this change may mean a subtle adjustment in expectations, from "minutes" to "under an hour." However, the core quick commerce proposition—extreme convenience—remains intact. For the industry, the focus is now likely to shift from competing on impossible speed to competing on reliability, product range, and service quality.

The end of the 10-minute promise marks a crucial maturation point for India's digital economy. It demonstrates that sustainable growth must balance consumer demand with the well-being of the workforce that powers it. This recalibration towards safety and security is not just a win for gig workers; it is a necessary step towards building a more equitable and resilient future for one of India's most dynamic economic sectors.

A seemingly minor slip of the tongue by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has snowballed into a major political and cultural controversy in West Bengal.

The Mohun Bagan mispronunciation during an official announcement related to the Indian Super League (ISL) has drawn sharp reactions from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), reigniting long-standing debates over respect for Bengal’s cultural and sporting identity.

What Exactly Happened at the ISL Announcement?

On Tuesday in New Delhi, while announcing the restart of the Indian Super League from 14 February, Mansukh Mandaviya mispronounced two iconic football club names—Mohun Bagan and East Bengal—as “Mohan Baingan” and “East Baingan.” Though the minister later corrected himself, a short video clip of the moment went viral on social media within hours.

For many outside Bengal, the incident may have seemed trivial. But in a state where football is deeply emotional, the Mohun Bagan mispronunciation struck a sensitive nerve.

TMC’s Sharp Political Counterattack

The TMC reaction was swift and aggressive. Sharing the video on X, the party accused the BJP-led central government of disrespecting Bengal’s heritage.

TMC leaders stated that Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are not just clubs but symbols of Bengal’s identity, history, and pride. The party went a step further, sarcastically suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should learn basic Bengali before his scheduled visit to the state on 17 January.

Senior TMC leader and Mohun Bagan club member Kunal Ghosh said:

 Mohun Bagan represents national sporting identity

 East Bengal symbolizes struggle and resilience

 Such errors reflect cultural disconnect, not ignorance

BJP Plays It Down as “Human Error”

In contrast, the West Bengal BJP refused to escalate the issue. Party leaders described the incident as a simple human mistake, arguing that the focus should remain on the revival of the Indian Super League rather than pronunciation errors.

However, political observers note that in Bengal, football clubs often carry emotional weight equal to language, literature, and history—making such slips politically costly.

Why This Matters Right Now

The Mohun Bagan mispronunciation controversy comes at a politically sensitive time, just weeks before major political events in the state. With football deeply woven into Bengal’s cultural fabric, even symbolic issues quickly turn into identity debates.

Experts say the episode highlights:

 The importance of cultural sensitivity in national politics

 How sports and identity intersect in regional narratives

 The growing role of social media in amplifying political moments

Conclusion: More Than Just a Slip

While Mansukh Mandaviya’s comment may have been unintentional, the reaction proves that in Bengal, football is more than a game—it is an emotion.

The controversy serves as a reminder that words matter, especially when they touch the soul of a region’s identity. As India’s sports ecosystem grows, respect for local culture may become just as important as policy announcements.