Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Modi to join Bear Grylls in wilderness

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi is teaming up with British TV adventurer Bear Grylls to venture into India's wilderness to raise awareness about protecting nature, the show's host said.

India is struggling to protect its environment and its wildlife, as a huge and growing population puts ever more pressure on its wild spaces.


"People across 180 countries will get to see the unknown side of PM @narendramodi as he ventures into Indian wilderness to create awareness about animal conservation & environmental change," Grylls, star of survival show Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel, said on Twitter.

A trailer for the programme shows Modi, 68, driving into the Jim Corbett National Park in northern India guided by Grylls, with images of a tiger, a herd of elephants and deer running in the distance.

"You are the most important person in India, it's my job to protect you," Grylls tells Modi.

Modi said he had grown up in nature and the programme with Grylls was a chance to showcase India's rich wildlife.

"For years, I have lived among nature, in the mountains and the forests," Discovery quoted Modi as saying in a statement.

"These years have a lasting impact on my life. So when I was asked about a special programme focussing on life beyond politics and that too in the midst of nature I was both intrigued and inclined to take part in it."

The show, which airs on August 12, is stirring some excitement among fans of Modi, who led his party to a second straight general election victory this year.

"This is unbelievable. PM Modi knows how to do it," said one Twitter user, Akash Jain.

India, which stretches from snow-bound Himalayan heights in the north to steamy tropics in the south, is home to most of the world's remaining wild tigers.

India's tiger count rose to 2,967 in 2018, up a third from 2014, new estimates released by Modi on Monday showed.

More than 3.8 million sq km (1.5 million sq miles) of forest were surveyed in 2018 and 2019, with cameras in about 26,000 locations and hundreds of thousands of kilometers covered on foot.

"India is committed to doing whatever it can to further animal protection and conservation," Modi said, releasing the census report.

In recent years, endangered wild cats, including leopards, have come into more frequent conflict with villagers as the animals' habitat shrinks.

Last week, villagers in northern India beat a tiger to death with sticks after it mauled a man, media said.

(Reuters)

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less