Wednesday unfolded as a day of significant developments across sports, aviation, finance, and law in India. From Virat Kohli's majestic century on the cricket field to severe travel disruptions in the skies and a weakening rupee, here's a breakdown of the key events that shaped the day.
Kohli's Masterclass and Rahul's Steadying Hand in 2nd ODI
In a display of classic batting, Virat Kohli notched up his 53rd One Day International hundred during the second match against South Africa. The former captain, however, was dismissed shortly after reaching the milestone, getting out for a well-made 102 runs. His departure was a setback, but wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul ensured stability remained for the Indian team. Rahul played a controlled innings, reaching a crucial fifty and keeping the scoreboard ticking with sensible strokeplay, providing India with a solid platform in the match.
IndiGo's Operational Crisis: Punctuality Plummets to 35%
The country's largest airline, IndiGo, faced a severe operational crisis leading to widespread passenger inconvenience. Official data revealed that only 35% of IndiGo's flights operated on time on Tuesday, a drastic fall in punctuality. The situation remained grim on Wednesday, with the airline's crippling crew shortage leading to nearly 200 flight cancellations by the afternoon across multiple airports. As the carrier that ferries nearly two-thirds of domestic passengers, the disruptions caused significant travel chaos nationwide.
Policy Reversal on Sanchar Saathi & Rupee's New Low
In a swift policy reversal, the government withdrew its directive making the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory on all new smartphones. This decision came mere hours after Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the Lok Sabha, assuring members that unauthorized surveillance or "snooping" through the app was not possible. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee continued its downward trend against the US dollar. The rupee briefly breached the 90 mark, touching a new low of 90.05 in early trade on Wednesday, extending its losing streak from the beginning of the week.
Supreme Court's Humanitarian Gesture
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court permitted a pregnant woman and her eight-year-old child to return to India from Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds. The pair had previously been deported. The apex court was hearing the Centre's challenge to a Calcutta High Court order that had struck down the government's move to deport the woman, identified as Sunali Khatun, Sweety Bibi, and their families. The court's order allows their entry while the larger question of their citizenship remains under judicial scrutiny.
