"My Father Ravi Shankar Was Never Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma's Guru": Anoushka

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma, a sitarist and music producer from the Rikhi Ram lineage of instrument makers, has a separate fan base among music lovers. From being the first sitarist to perform solo at the White House to advocating music as a therapeutic tool for emotional well-being, the musician carries forward a culturally rich classical tradition. He has, however, often called himself the last and youngest disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar – a claim recently opposed by the legendary musician's daughter, Anoushka Shankar.

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma has often revealed in past interviews how a conversation with Pandit Ravi Shankar marked a turning point in his musical journey. Nullifying his claims, however, Anoushka Shankar mentioned that he was never formally a disciple of her father. “Rishab is really talented, and he is clearly speaking to people in a really wonderful way. I think there is some misunderstanding about his guruship,” Anoushka told Humans Of Bombay.

Although Anoushka praised Rishabh's talents, she clarified, “He learnt very intensively with someone very dear to me, one of my father's senior disciples, Parimal Sadaphal, and he had a couple of lessons with my father, very informally, with Parimal uncle also in the room.”

“We knew him from childhood because he was the son of our instrument maker, Sanjay Rikiram Sharma. So somehow that has gone, blown up into some story of him being his last disciple or the youngest disciple, which isn't true. But he is super talented and deserves all success with or without that story,” she continued.

When Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma Called Himself "The Last Disciple Of Pandit Ravi Shankar"

In a video uploaded on his official Instagram handle, Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma can be seen playing the sitar. While the tunes are magical, it was his caption that instantly grabbed the attention of many. 

The side note read, “Music can heal, believes 24-year-old sitar player Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, who belongs to a family of luthiers and is the last disciple of late sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar.”

Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma (@rishabsmusic)

When Rishab Rikhiram Sharma Spoke Of His Lineage With Ravi Shankar

In a previous conversation, Rishabh revealed his deep-rooted connection with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Calling the legendary musician his guru, he told Bani Anand that Ravi Shankar had once called his father, Sanjay Rikiram, and asked him to bring Rishabh to him. “Once we were there, Guruji was like, ‘OK, take out your sitar and play for me a little bit.' I played, and then he picked up his guitar and played the same composition,” he shared.

Talking about the turning point in his life, Rishabh shared, “After that, he turned to my parents and said, ‘With your permission, your kid has a lot of talent, I would love to be his guru and teach him,' and I saw my parents' jaw drop to the floor because God himself had come down and said, ‘Can I teach your child?' So my dad didn't have the courage to ask him. For him to offer to be my guru was amazing.”

On the work front, Anoushka Shankar is currently on her Chapters Tour 2026 in India, marking 30 remarkable years of celebrating music.

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5 Arrested, Rs 6 Crore Fine After Mumbai Metro Slab Collapse Kills 1

Taking action after a person died and three others were injured in the Metro slab collapse in Mumbai's Mulund on Saturday, the Maharashtra government has suspended an executive engineer and imposed a penalty of Rs 6 crore on the contractors and consultants involved in the project. 

Five employees of the contractors, including the project director, have been arrested. 

A slab of the under-construction Metro Line-4, which connects Wadala to Thane, fell on an auto-rickshaw and a car on the arterial LBS Marg in Mulund on Saturday afternoon. Ramdhan Yadav, a prominent local Samajwadi Party official and village head, who was travelling to a wedding, died, while three others were injured. 

Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde ordered the suspension of Executive Engineer Satyajeet Salve and said penalties totalling Rs 6 crore had been imposed on the contractors and consultants, Milan Road Buildtech and Louis Berger. 

Shinde also ordered a comprehensive safety and structural audit of the entire Metro stretch and announced an increased compensation of Rs 15 lakh for Yadav's family.

Police said they have arrested four employees of Milan Road Buildtech and one from the DB Hill LBG Supervisory company, including Project Director Harish Chauhan and two project managers. 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident and action will be taken against those responsible. 

Hitting out at the government, the Opposition said it does not value people's lives. 

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, "If you notice, pillars are already painted, before the work was completed... Even today, most infrastructure work has terrible barricading that either leads to traffic jams or vehicles falling into open pits... Life has no value under the BJP regime," he said.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also asked whether the lives of Mumbai residents have "become cheap".

"Why are safety rules only on paper when Metro work is underway? Why weren't adequate safety arrangements made when work was in progress on such a busy road?" she asked. 

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'Bangladesh Comes First': Tarique Rahman On His Foreign Policy

After a sweeping victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman, in a press conference, said that Bangladesh's foreign policy will prioritise the country's interests over others. "People come first," he said.

"Freedom loving pro-democracy people of the country have once again brought victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party," he said in English, before switching to Bangla.

"We have cleared ourselves regarding the foreign policy which is in the interest of Bangladesh, and the interest of the Bangladeshi people comes first. By protecting the interest of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people, we will decide our foreign policy," Rahman said.

Answering how the government would approach international relations, senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the party would stick to multilateralism and not go after a country-centric approach.

That being said, Rahman's "Bangladesh First" policy aims to balance ties with neighbouring countries like India, China and Pakistan.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman leaves after addressing a press conference in Dhaka on February 14, 2026
Photo Credit: AFP

The BNP leadership also highlighted how important safeguarding sovereignty, ensuring strategic autonomy and mutual respect would be to shape foreign relations.

How India Views The New Leadership

Humayun Kabir, who handles international relations for Rahman and is set to be a key official in the new regime, said the priority is to build a "stronger cooperation among our people".

He said India will be one of the countries that "we will visit", though he did not give a definite time.

"Obviously there are certain domestic priorities and then international engagements. Of course India will be one of the countries that we will visit, among other countries in the region," Kabir told NDTV.

India views the return of an elected leadership as an "opportune moment" to repair setbacks inflicted on the relationship. The focus now shifts to BNP's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, whom Indian officials describe as someone they are "cautiously optimistic" about.

That optimism was reflected in the swift outreach from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who posted on X that he was "delighted to speak" with Rahman and congratulated him on the "remarkable victory" in the elections. PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to peace, progress, and prosperity for both nations, emphasising the deep historical and cultural ties that bind the neighbours.

The BNP won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, per the Electoral Commission.

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Abhishek Reaches Colombo Ahead Of India vs Pak Game, Says This About Health

Abhishek Sharma's participation in India's match against Pakistan here depends on his recovery from a stomach bug, but the swashbuckling opener arrived with the team on Friday, raising hopes of his return at the Premadasa on Sunday. Abhishek had missed India's match in New Delhi against Namibia on Thursday despite being released from a private hospital in the national capital. India will have a net session on Saturday evening, and Abhishek's fitness will be monitored closely before a final decision is taken.

In a video posted by Punjab Kings (PBKS), pacer Arshdeep Singh can be seen asking him, "How are you?"

To this, Abhishek replied, "Dal-rice, very good. Me? Good."

Daal-rice khao, jaldi theek ho jaao! pic.twitter.com/aKEpKCw08G

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) February 13, 2026

Parents arrive in Colombo

Meanwhile, the parents of the India opener also arrived in Colombo ahead of the Pakistan match. Rajkumar Sharma has been a constant source of support for Abhishek and has coached the left-handed batter since childhood. The parents were also present in Dubai during the Asia Cup.

If Abhishek continues to be unavailable, India can either persist with Sanju Samson or bring in the fit-again Washington Sundar to pair with Ishan Kishan at the top.

Having played his entire T20I career after the T20 World Cup win by the Rohit Sharma-led side in 2024, Abhishek has scored 1,297 runs in 38 matches and 37 innings at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, with two centuries, eight fifties, and a best score of 135. He entered the T20 World Cup as the world's top-ranked T20I batter.

In three matches against Pakistan, he has scored 110 runs at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, with a best of 74.

Following the toss against Namibia on Thursday, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said about Abhishek, "Abhishek is still not fine; he will miss a game or two."

Earlier, the Indian opener was hospitalised due to a stomach infection, according to a BCCI source. The southpaw was not looking well during the team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir's residence on Sunday and was the first to leave the gathering.

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Why A UK-Based Doctor Returned Home To Contest Elections In Bangladesh

Tasnim Jara, a 31-year-old doctor, returned from Britain to join Bangladesh's National Citizens' Party (NCP) but later quit over its alliance with Islamist groups. She is now contesting the parliamentary elections as an independent, driven by what she describes as a desire to build a "genuinely new political culture".

Jara said the July uprising had "opened a window" for people like her to enter politics and help reshape the system. That optimism, she said, dimmed when the NCP aligned itself with Islamist forces.

As voting concluded in Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections on Thursday, Jara told NDTV why this election matters to her and why it compelled her to return home.

One of the most talked-about candidates in this election, Jara's journey from the UK back to the bylanes of Dhaka has drawn wide attention.

Read | "Our Priority": Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami Chief To NDTV On India Ties

She said two factors pushed her into electoral politics. First, while her work as a doctor allows her to help many people, she believes it does not enable her to change the system itself. She wants to pursue lasting reforms in healthcare, education and governance. Second, she said she wants to challenge a political culture dominated by nepotism and corruption and replace it with transparency and accountability.

Jara said there is strong public enthusiasm for a different kind of politics, reflected in the response to her people-powered campaign. A campaign without large rallies or posters plastered across the city. She said voters connected with her door-to-door outreach and personal engagement.

Read | Killing Of Hindu Trader Sparks Minority Fears Ahead Of Bangladesh Polls

She added that the campaign holds particular significance for young Bangladeshis, as the election follows an uprising led largely by young people and women and marked by considerable sacrifice.

"We must make sure that we rebuild our institutions, and we never have to go back to a structure where authoritarianism can only be removed by people risking their lives or limbs," she said.

Jara is contesting as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9, where she faces stiff competition from BNP candidate Habibur Rashid. The constituency has 469,360 registered voters, with 12 candidates in the fray.

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NASA Successfully Tests Drag-Reducing Laminar-Flow Wing in Flight

NASA has successfully flown its 40-inch CATNLF laminar-flow wing model aboard an F-15B aircraft in January 2026. The test confirmed the drag-reducing design performs safely in flight. By maintaining smooth airflow over wings, the technology could improve fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent, lowering airline costs and reducing carbon emissions significantly.

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James Webb Telescope Finds Galaxies Nearly as Old as the Early Universe

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed early galaxies that appear almost as old as the universe itself. By analyzing 31 galaxies at high redshift, researchers estimated stellar ages of around 600 million years—close to the universe’s age at that epoch. One galaxy may even seem older than the universe, posing a potential challenge to the standard Lambda-CDM cosmological model if confirmed.

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When Big B Spoke About Rajpal Yadav's Struggles At Ata Pata Laapata Event

A decade-old moment of admiration involving Amitabh Bachchan and Rajpal Yadav has resurfaced amid the latter's ongoing legal troubles.

What Amitabh Bachchan Said About Rajpal Yadav

At the music launch of Rajpal Yadav's film Ata Pata Laapata in 2012, veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan made a special appearance. Speaking at the event, he said, "I feel very honoured that Rajpal has invited me here today and I have had the good fortune of working with him in the past."

He also acknowledged the struggles Rajpal had faced throughout his journey in the film industry and praised his dedication to his craft. 

Inside Rajpal Yadav's Decade-Long Legal Battle

Rajpal Yadav's legal troubles began in 2010, when he borrowed around Rs 5 crore from M/s Murali Projects Pvt Ltd to fund his directorial debut, Ata Pata Laapata. The film failed to perform at the box office, resulting in heavy financial losses and limited returns.

Unable to repay the loan, Rajpal faced mounting interest, penalties, and delayed payments, which eventually pushed the outstanding amount to nearly Rs 9 crore. In an attempt to settle the dues, he issued several cheques to the lender. These cheques were later dishonoured, leading to criminal proceedings under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

In April 2018, a magisterial court convicted Rajpal Yadav and his wife in multiple cheque bounce cases and sentenced him to six months in prison. The verdict was upheld by a sessions court in 2019, following which the matter reached the Delhi High Court.

Over the years, he was granted several extensions to repay the amount in instalments. While he made partial payments and offered repeated assurances, the court observed that he consistently failed to follow the agreed timelines.

The court noted that he was required to pay Rs 1.35 crore in each of the seven cases against him and directed that the amount deposited with the Registrar General be released to the complainant. In October 2025, two demand drafts of Rs 75 lakh were submitted, but nearly Rs 9 crore remained unpaid.

In June 2024, the High Court temporarily suspended his conviction on the condition that he make sincere efforts to reach an amicable settlement. These efforts were later found to be ineffective.

On February 2, 2026, the Delhi High Court directed Rajpal Yadav to surrender before jail authorities by 4 pm on February 4, observing that his repeated breaches of undertakings deserved strong criticism.

On February 5, 2026, Rajpal Yadav appeared in person before the court. His counsel informed the judge that he was ready to submit a demand draft of Rs 25 lakh and follow a fresh payment schedule. Despite the offer, the court declined to reconsider its order, stressing that compassion must be balanced with discipline and that no special treatment could be given based on professional background.

Later the same day, Rajpal Yadav surrendered at Tihar Jail and began serving his six-month sentence. 

ALSO READ: Why Is Rajpal Yadav In Tihar Jail? Rs 9-Crore Cheque-Bounce Case Explained

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Nvidia GeForce Now for India Hands-On: Built to Impress

Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud gaming service has been available globally for a while. It sure makes a solid case for the continued need to invest in expensive gaming hardware for playing games. With the ongoing memory crisis, many could benefit from such a cloud gaming service, which is available in both free and paid tiers. But how does it work in India? We got a chance to try it out and came out impressed.

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Internet Stunned After Woman Reveals How Much Her Local Dry Cleaner Earns

White-collar jobs and fixed monthly paychecks are often seen as the safest path to building wealth. However, owning even a small business can be just as financially rewarding. In today's world, success and income are not always proportional to formal education, as practical skills, risk-taking, and hard work often matter far more than degrees on paper.

An example of it was recently seen when an X user revealed that her local dry cleaner earns over Rs 2 lakh a month. Nalini Unagar shared the story on X, saying the owner and his wife run the business with two helpers. The dry cleaner's monthly revenue is around Rs 283,500, with expenses like Rs 6,000 for electricity and Rs 40,000 for helpers' salaries, leaving a profit of Rs 237,500.

"Yesterday, I was talking with the dry cleaning shop owner near my house, where I regularly go. He and his wife both work together, and they have two helpers on salary. I was shocked when they said they earn around ₹2,00,000 per month, which is equal to a 10+ years experienced software engineer in India," the tweet was captioned on X. 

See the tweet here:

Yesterday, I was talking with the dry cleaning shop owner near my house, where I regularly go. He and his wife both work together, and they have two helpers on salary. I was shocked when they said they earn around ₹2,00,000 per month, which is equal to a 10+ years experienced… pic.twitter.com/BjPddpb9Me

— Nalini Unagar (@NalinisKitchen) February 9, 2026

Unagar also shared the shop owner's income breakdown. On a daily basis, they iron around 350 clothes at Rs 10 each, earning Rs 3,500, and dry-clean 20 heavy garments at Rs 350 each, adding Rs 7,000 daily. This totals Rs 10,500 daily, and with only 3 days off monthly, their estimated revenue is Rs 283,500.

"After cutting all the expenses, they get a profit of ₹2,37,500. They told me these figures are from last month, but on average, they earn ₹2 lakh+ every month," she added in the tweet. 

Social Media Reaction

The post sparked a lively discussion on X, with many users pointing out that it highlights the gap between perceived social status and actual economic value. Others were impressed by the dry cleaner's earnings, calling it a great example of entrepreneurial success. 

One user wrote, "We often chase white collar jobs for good salaries, but information like this prove that running your own business small or big , if done with real interest, can be just as rewarding sometimes even more.Thanks for sharing.."

"We're conditioned to run after white-collar jobs and fixed paychecks, but stories like this remind us that owning a business—small or big—can be equally fulfilling, and sometimes far more rewarding, when done with genuine passion. Appreciate you sharing this perspective," another commented.

"Why are you surprised? Small business owners have huge earning capacity if there is a conducive business environment. This was the backbone of America," a third user said.

A fourth user added, "Wow, that's impressive! It's great to see small business owners doing well. It really shows how hard work pays off."

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For Chandrayaan-4, India May Head Back To Moon's "Gold Rush Zone"

India has opened the world's eyes to the Moon's south polar "gold rush region". Now Chandrayaan 4 - the first ambitious lunar sample return mission, likely around 2028 -- homes in on same region to land. From Shiv Shakti Point to Mons Mouton Mountain, the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO is now narrowing down potential landing zones near the Moon's tallest mountain.

India had drawn global attention to the Moon's south polar region nearly two decades ago. Now it could be the landing pad for its most ambitious lunar mission yet -- Chandrayaan 4 - which aims to bring pieces of the Moon back to Earth.

Scientists at ISRO say they have identified a promising cluster of potential landing sites close to Mons Mouton, the Moon's highest mountain and one of the most scientifically intriguing regions near the South Pole.

Using ultra sharp images from the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter, researchers have been quietly mapping hazards, slopes and sunlight conditions to zero in on terrain, which offers both safety and scientific payoff.

The move marks a significant moment in India's long and increasingly influential relationship with the lunar South Pole -- a region now seen globally as the Moon's most valuable real estate because of its ancient geology and the possibility of water ice locked in permanently shadowed craters.

India's Long South Pole Connection

India is the only country to have reached the lunar South Polar region three times. Chandrayaan 1's Moon Impact Probe struck close to the South Pole in 2008, sending back data that would soon change lunar science. Chandrayaan 2 followed in 2019 but crash landed during its final descent. In 2023, Chandrayaan 3 achieved a historic soft landing at Shiv Shakti Point, making India the first nation to land safely so close to the South Pole.

That continuity matters. It also underpins India's quiet but firm scientific claim to the region -- a claim rooted not in geopolitics but in discovery.

It was Chandrayaan 1 that, for the first time, detected clear signatures of water molecules on the Moon's surface. That single finding reshaped global lunar priorities. Since then, American, Chinese, Russian and private missions have all set their sights on the South Pole, hoping to tap water or ice that could one day support human habitats, fuel production and deep space missions.

In many ways, India opened the door to what is now widely described as the south polar gold rush.

Why Mons Mouton Matters

The focus on Mons Mouton is no coincidence. Rising dramatically above the surrounding terrain, the mountain sits in a region that balances competing demands: scientific richness, long periods of sunlight for solar power, and relatively gentle slopes for landing.

ISRO scientists have used high resolution stereo images, sharp enough to spot boulders barely a third of a metre across, to assess multiple candidate sites around the mountain. From these, a handful of kilometre scale zones have emerged as strong contenders, with one area standing out for having fewer hazards, smoother terrain and more consistently sunlit patches. The site being examined closely is called MM1located at about 86 degrees latitude which has the minimum hazards for a robotic soft landing.

For Chandrayaan 4, landing safety is not just about touching down. It is about taking off again.

A Mission Unlike Any India Has Flown Before

Chandrayaan 4 will be India's first mission to collect samples from the Moon and return them to Earth, a feat achieved so far by only a few countries. The spacecraft will land near the South Pole, scoop and drill lunar soil, seal the samples, and then launch an ascent module from the Moon's surface to rendezvous in lunar orbit.

The samples will eventually be brought home inside a re entry capsule, splashing down or landing on Indian soil for detailed laboratory analysis.

This leap builds directly on Chandrayaan 3, which proved that India could land precisely, operate robotic systems on the surface and even perform short "hops" with a lander. Chandrayaan 4 adds entirely new layers of complexity -- lunar lift off, docking in orbit, contamination free sample handling and a controlled return through Earth's atmosphere.

ISRO plans to launch the mission using two heavy lift Launch Vehicle Mark 3 or LVM3 rockets, assembling the spacecraft in Earth orbit before sending it onward to the Moon.

Why Samples Matter

Lunar samples tell stories that orbiters and surface instruments cannot. The Apollo and Soviet Luna missions returned material decades ago, but mostly from geologically similar regions. China's Chang'e 5 mission filled one important gap by bringing back younger volcanic material.

The South Pole represents something different: ancient, largely untouched lunar crust, potentially mixed with volatiles preserved for billions of years. Studying such samples could help scientists reconstruct how the Moon formed, how it cooled, and how water and other elements moved across its surface over time.

Once on Earth, the samples will be examined not just with today's instruments, but with technologies yet to be invented, ensuring their scientific value lasts for generations.

Setting Stage For The future

Chandrayaan 4 is expected to fly around 2028, and ISRO is already looking beyond it. Follow on missions, including Chandrayaan 5 in collaboration with Japan, are expected to deepen India's presence in the same south polar neighbourhood. 

The Indo-Japanese mission -- often called LUPEX -- will also target to land in the South Polar Region but hopefully closer to the South Pole itself and look directly for water ice.

Together, these missions will also serve a larger goal: preparing India for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The technologies being tested, autonomous docking, precision navigation, safe re entry, are essential stepping stones toward one day landing Indian astronauts, or Gaganyatris, on the Moon and bringing them back safely hopefully by 2040.

Nearly twenty years after Chandrayaan 1 changed how the world looks at the Moon, India is once again shaping the next phase of lunar exploration. This time, it is not just opening eyes, it is choosing where to dig.

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