MS Dhoni was not "lucky". He was a bloody good captain and an exceptional reader of the game. He could find a match-winner out of anyone.
That, my friends, is not luck. Being the only captain to win all three white-ball ICC trophies can't be luck.
Only six to nine individuals of the White-bellied Heron are left in India, and all are found in Arunachal Pradesh, according to Yumlam Benjamin Bida, Project Manager at ATREE and a PhD candidate at NERIST.
Bida, who has been working closely on the species for the last six years, said the global population of the White-bellied Heron stands at around 50 individuals.
He said the White-bellied Heron, an endemic species of Southeast Asia, is found in India only in Arunachal Pradesh. "It is a critically endangered species and it lives in pristine habitats. As temperatures rise, the habitat of the species is shrinking, further threatening its survival," he said.
Citing the threat posed by global warming to rare species, Bida said habitat loss is becoming a growing concern.
"Even a small increase in mean temperatures can have a significant impact because it occurs throughout the year. The species is already confined to a limited habitat that is shrinking. If these trends continue, the species could go extinct," he added
Research findings by climatologists and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicate that temperatures are rising while rainfall patterns are changing, with an increase in instances of extreme rainfall occurring over short durations, said Dr. Laxmi Linggi, Hydrologist at the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS).
"The problem is that there is very little time for water to percolate into the ground, due to which groundwater cannot be adequately recharged," she said, adding that much of the rainwater quickly flows into streams.
Dr. Linggi noted that this is one of the key water-resource challenges faced by hilly states such as Arunachal Pradesh, where intense rainfall within a short period results in rapid surface runoff, leaving insufficient time for water to be absorbed into the soil and replenish groundwater reserves.
Achyuth Sarkar, Assistant Professor at National Institute of Technology Arunachal Pradesh, said that smartphones have become a game changer in day-to-day life, but their increasing use has also led to data and content hacking.
He said that in Arunachal Pradesh, as well as across India, smartphones are increasingly being misused for hacking, data theft, OTP fraud, and financial scams through social media platforms.
As of today, the student community is heavily dependent on smartphones for assignments and other academic purposes.
While smartphone usage is acceptable and beneficial in many contexts, the unauthorised installation of apps and online scams has increasingly led to data breaches and content hacking.
He was responding to a question on whether cybercrime is increasing because of the digital revolution and rapid technological advancement.
“People from hilly regions are genetically stronger due to the climate, environment, and organic diet. Living in mountainous areas makes us physically and mentally resilient,” said Ruba Tadu, a gold medallist at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026.
He said their ancestors’ lifestyle in mountainous regions, including hunting and consuming organic food, has contributed to this advantage.
Tadu, who won gold in the men’s 88 kg weightlifting category, said these factors benefit athletes from Arunachal Pradesh and added that a shorter stature is also an advantage in weightlifting.
Arunachal Pradesh won 11 medals — six gold, one silver, and four bronze — at the Games.
“Being a sportsperson is not easy. You have to stay disciplined all the time and motivate yourself,” said Ruba Tadu, a gold medallist at the Khelo India Tribal Games 2026, sharing his weightlifting journey.
Tadu, who hails from Ruba village in Kurung Kumey district, said the area is yet to be connected with electricity and requires a half-hour walk to access.
Tadu said he began his weightlifting journey in 2013 and trained at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Naharlagun for a year before qualifying for the Army Sports Institute, where he trained from 2014 to 2018.
He said that during his training there, his performance improved and he won several medals at the national level.
Arunachal Pradesh won 11 medals — six gold, one silver and four bronze — at the Games.
"For any parent, seeing someone in their home become addicted to a substance is one of the greatest tragedies. Substance abuse is a matter of grave concern in the state,” said Bengia Ajum, Assistant Editor of The Arunachal Times.
He noted that nearly every household is affected in some way, with families struggling to cope with the situation.
Ajum acknowledged that the government has been focusing on substance abuse over the past few years but emphasised that more attention is needed.
“Focus should not only be on rehab centers. You can open rehab centers, but what comes next? For that, we need a comprehensive policy,” he said.
Dr. A.K. Pandey, Head of the Department of Commerce at Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), added that drug addiction does not typically originate in villages.
“Most substances found locally are natural and curable, but synthetic drugs coming from urban areas via anti-social elements are spreading into rural regions,” he explained.
Pandey stressed the importance of effective law enforcement to prevent the flow of these drugs.
He also cautioned against superficial awareness campaigns: “If there is no drug addiction in a village and you give education on drugs there, it could have a negative effect. Rural communities, being largely unaware, may develop curiosity that could worsen the problem,” he said.
Both were commenting on Arunachal Pradesh’s 2026‑27 budget focus on substance abuse.
#Catch the new episode of What Up! Arunachal every Wednesday at 5:30 pm on DD Arunprabha.
“Health sector focus in the budget is appreciable, but we need to consider the practical ground realities of implementing these announcements,” said @Bengiaajum , assistant editor of The Arunachal Times.
He was commenting on the Arunachal 2026‑27 budget, which includes plans to enhance healthcare infrastructure and services across the state, aiming to improve access to quality care for all communities.
Ajum observed that not every district is the same; some are small and have varying population ratios.
“While planning hospitals, population criteria should also be considered so that each facility serves its population effectively,” he added.
India, England, and Australia have spent the last decade or so leveraging their economic heft to hollow out the Test cricket ecosystem, and two of these teams still get humiliated in the format. Pathetic.
What's more infuriating than India's batting in Guwahati is the ODI series promos in between. It sort of rubs it in, "who cares if you lose all Tests at home as long as you win ODIs or T20Is or..."
Nachooo!!
If you're planning your travel from Ghaziabad's Hindon Airport, please abort. I repeat, abort.
This airport doesn't have basic facilities. There is no space to park more than 3 aircrafts. The one that lands, flies off.
No flight leaves on time. Cancellation is the norm