Top stories on Nov 19: Nifty 50 nosedive, Vladimir Putin’s India visit, LIC Hindi switch row, North India smog, more

On November 19, key developments included a sharp decline in the Nifty 50, announcement on Vladimir Putin’s anticipated visit to India, and a controversy over LIC’s switch to Hindi. Let’s know some of the top news of the day one by one:

Nifty 50 nosedives 10 per cent from record high

The Indian stock market benchmark Nifty 50 broke its seven-session losing streak on Tuesday, 19 November, closing 0.28% higher at 23,518.50. However, the index gave up most of the gains it made earlier in the session. Despite ending in the green, it remains approximately 10.5% below its record high of 26,277.35, reached on 27 September. Read all about the market crash here

Bharat Dev Varma passes away

Bharat Dev Varma, the husband of actor Moon Moon Sen, died at his residence in Kolkata on Tuesday (November 19). He was the father of actors Raima and Riya Sen. An ambulance was sent from a private hospital in Kolkata’s Dhakuria to take Varma to the hospital. However, he breathed his last before the ambulance could reach his residence. Who was Bharat Dev Varma? Read here

Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit India

Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit visit India soon, the Kremlin press secretary said on Tuesday, November 19. Although Vladimir Putin’s visit to India is confirmed, the exact dates are yet to be finalised. “We are working on the dates,” CNNNews18 quoted Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying. This will mark Vladimir Putin’s first visit to India since Russia launched a war on neighbouring Ukraine in 2022.

BJP’s Vinod Tawde accused of distributing money ahead of Maharashtra polls

Chaos erupted at a hotel near Mumbai on Tuesday as members of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi accused BJP leader Vinod Tawde of distributing money. The senior politician found himself blockaded inside the hotel for more than three hours amid a war of words with BVA workers. The incident comes merely hours before residents of Maharashtra are slated to cast their ballots for the state Assembly elections. Visuals shared online showed the politician jostling with the furious workers amid a heavy police presence. Read more on this news here

Saatvik Green Energy files DRHP

Saatvik Green Energy has filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO). According to the DRHP documents, filed on Monday, November 18, Saatvik Green Energy is looking to raise up to ₹1,150 crore via a mix of a fresh issue and an offer for sale (OFS) by the promoters.

LIC displays Hindi on website, MK Stalin cries ‘language imposition’

State-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) blames a technical glitch for displaying Hindi as the default language on its revamped website. LIC’s response came after many criticised it, especially in Tamil Nadu, to the extent that Chief Minister MK Stalin called it “linguistic tyranny” and “language imposition by force” on the people of the country.

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