Yearly Archives: 2026

Indian Idol 3 Winner And Actor Prashant Tamang Dies At 43

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Actor-singer Prashant Tamang, who recently appeared as an assassin in the second season of the acclaimed streaming series Paatal Lok, has passed away at the age of 43. He is reported to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Tamang rose to national prominence after winning Indian Idol Season 3 in 2007, a victory that marked one of the most decisive audience-driven moments in the history of Indian reality television. His triumph, achieved with a record number of votes, came after a closely watched finale against fellow contestant Amit Paul.

Before stepping into the limelight, Tamang served in the Kolkata Police, a detail that became central to his public narrative during the competition. Hailing from a Nepali-speaking Gorkha family, he drew extraordinary grassroots support from the Gorkha community across India and abroad. His appeal lay less in technical virtuosity and more in a restrained, heartfelt singing style that resonated widely with viewers.

Following his win, Tamang released his debut album Dhanyavaad in 2007, featuring tracks in Hindi and Nepali. The album found significant acceptance in eastern India and Nepal. While he went on to record playback songs for Hindi and regional films, his presence in mainstream Bollywood remained limited. In later years, he increasingly focused on Nepali-language music, where he built a steady career and a loyal listener base.

Tamang also explored acting, appearing in several Nepali films, including Gorkha Paltan, a project rooted in the historical legacy of the Gorkha military tradition. More recently, his appearance in Paatal Lok Season 2 marked a notable return to wider public attention.

Reacting to the news, Amit Paul shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, posting a throwback photograph of Tamang and writing that he was struggling to process the loss of “my brother, my friend, my dosti.”

Though he may not have remained a constant fixture in national pop culture, Prashant Tamang’s legacy endures. He is widely remembered as one of the earliest reality-show winners whose success was powered by regional identity, collective mobilisation, and audience voting strength—often cited as a turning point in how popular participation reshaped Indian television talent shows.

Also Read: London’s Far-Right Rally Sends Shockwaves Through South Asian Communities

Signature Global’s Q3 Sales Bookings Fall 27% Despite Festive-Season Demand

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Gurugram-based real estate developer Signature Global reported a sharp year-on-year decline in sales bookings for the October–December quarter, a period typically marked by robust housing demand due to the festive season.

In a regulatory filing on Sunday, the company said sales bookings fell 27 per cent to ₹2,020 crore in the December quarter, compared with ₹2,770 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. The number of housing units sold during the quarter plunged to 408, from 1,518 units a year earlier.

Measured by area, sales bookings declined to 1.44 million sq ft, down from 2.49 million sq ft in the year-ago quarter.

The October–December period is traditionally considered one of the strongest quarters for residential real estate sales, driven by festival-related buying. However, the company did not spell out any specific reason for the slowdown in its exchange filing.

Rolls Out New Projects

Industry observers point to the timing of new launches as a possible factor. Signature Global rolled out a major housing project on the Dwarka Expressway only toward the end of December, which may have curtailed sales momentum during the quarter.

For the first nine months of the current financial year, the company’s sales bookings declined 23 per cent to ₹6,680 crore, from ₹8,670 crore in the same period last year. Unit sales during this period also more than halved to 1,746 units, compared with 3,539 units a year ago.

Commenting on the performance, Chairman Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal said the company had delivered a healthy showing in the first nine months of FY26, supported by steady demand across its key micro-markets. He added that the launch of the wellness-focused premium project, Sarvam at DXP Estate on the Dwarka Expressway, had received an encouraging response, underlining evolving buyer preferences.

Signature Global had posted sales bookings of ₹10,290 crore in the previous financial year, ranking it as the fifth-largest listed real estate developer by sales. For the current 2025–26 fiscal, the company has guided for sales bookings of ₹12,500 crore, implying that it will need to clock close to ₹6,000 crore in sales in the ongoing quarter to meet its annual target.

What US withdrawal from UN bodies could mean?

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When UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric briefed correspondents in New York on Thursday following the release of the White House Memorandum, he insisted that the Organization will continue to carry out its mandates from Member States “with determination.”

Wednesday’s memorandum states that the US administration is “ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law.”

Several of the bodies listed in the memo are funded principally or partially by the regular UN budget, implying that voluntary funding will be impacted, although central funding will continue.

However, the White House notes that its funding review of international organisations “remains ongoing,” and it is currently unclear what the impact of the announcement will be.

Here’s a breakdown of the 31 UN entities mentioned in the memorandum, and how they are making a positive difference to people, communities and nations, worldwide.

Development

  • UN Human Settlement Programme (UN Habitat): Promotes sustainable towns and cities and provides technical and policy advice for the improvement of living conditions and the reduction of urban poverty

Education and training

  • UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): Provides training and capacity-building for individuals, organisations, and countries (especially developing nations) on areas like diplomacy, sustainable development, climate change and crisis management
  • UN System Staff College: Equips UN personnel with learning, training and advisory services to ensure a capable, adaptable and collaborative UN workforce
  • UN University: The UN’s global think tank and postgraduate teaching organisation conducts research and provides policy advice on pressing global issues
  • Education Cannot Wait: The UN global fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises, to ensure that children and youth affected by conflict, displacement, and disasters have access to safe, quality education

Gender

Health

  • UN Population Fund (UNFPA): Promotes sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, promotes gender equality and collates population data for development, helping to reduce maternal mortality and expand access to family planning

International Law

  • International Law Commission: Mandates the development and codification of international law by drafting legal instruments and clarifying principles; fostering the rule of law, and supporting peaceful relations among states
  • International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals: Carries out essential functions of the former International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, completing ongoing cases, protecting witnesses and preserving archives, ensuring accountability for serious international crimes