Jain couple to leave minor daughter, Rs 100-cr property for monkhood

Agencies
September 17, 2017

Neemuch, Sept 17: A well-educated Jain couple from Madhya Pradesh has decided to leave behind their three-year-old daughter and property “worth Rs 100 crore” to embrace monkhood.

Sumit Rathore (35), who has worked in London before managing his family business in Neemuch, and his wife Anamika (34), an engineer who was employed with a mining major, decided to renounce the material world recently.

Earlier this year, a Jain teenage boy from Gujarat, who had scored 99.99 percentile in the class XII commerce examination, took the vow of monkhood. The couple will be initiated into Jain monasticism at a ceremony to be held in Surat on September 23.

Their family members said the couple has been married for four years and have a daughter. At present, they have taken a vow of silence till they take ‘deeksha’ (vow) next Saturday. As per the monkhood tradition, their heads will be shaved and they will put on white robes for their entire life.

Anamika’s father Ashok Chandaliya, a former Neemuch district president of the BJP, said he would take care of his granddaughter. “I am not against my daughter Anamika becoming a nun,” he said.

Sumit’s father Rajendra Singh, who runs a factory manufacturing gunny bags for packaging cement, also echoed a similar view. Sumit announced his decision to take ‘deeksha’ at a function in Surat last month.

“However, the pontiff asked him to seek Anamika’s permission. She not only gave her consent but also expressed a desire to become a nun. Their families asked them to rethink, but the couple stood their ground,” Sandip said.

He said Anamika was the first student in Neemuch district to win a gold medal in her Board examinations for class VIII. According to a family member, Anamika completed her BE from Modi Engineering College in Rajasthan. She had worked with Hindustan Zinc before her marriage.

Sandip said Sumit holds a diploma in import-export management from a college in London, where he worked for two years before returning to Neemuch to look after his family business.

Comments

George
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

They should have taken this action before the child was born.

AK Shetty
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

I salute the couple for their sacrifice and dedication, such people would bring fame to the spiritual world unlike the Ram Rahims.

Rakesh
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

It is certain that the couple love each other too much. They r in search of Moksh but this search has made her daughter to suffer. they had a lot to do for the mankind if they r serious about service to God. What a great loss to our society !

Truth
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

First stir up all the dust with that Mining and Manufacture. next wear a face mask.

Unknown
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

It is a tough choice i am sure. Leaving their young daughter and all the luxuries money could have brought. Most of our giant seers & gurus also renounced worldly pleasures, some early and others late. Without knowing the circumstances we should not comment but appreciate their decision, a rare one indeed. I don't believe anything bad can come out of such an immense sacrifice.

Vijay
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

Selfish parents..destroying a childs' life.

Ganesh
 - 
Sunday, 17 Sep 2017

Should stop this practice. After 18 years old let them decide. till that age parents should not take rubbish decisions.

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News Network
November 27,2025

siddDKS.jpg

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday announced that he will convene a high-level meeting in New Delhi with senior leaders — including Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar — to resolve the escalating leadership turmoil in Karnataka and “put an end to the confusion.”

Kharge said the discussions would focus on the way forward for the ruling party, as rumours of a possible leadership change continue to swirl. The speculation has intensified after the Congress government crossed the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, reviving talk of an alleged 2023 “power-sharing agreement” between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.

“After reaching Delhi, I will call three or four important leaders and hold discussions. Once we talk, we will decide how to move ahead and end this confusion,” Kharge told reporters in Bengaluru, according to PTI.

When asked specifically about calling Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to Delhi, he responded: “Certainly, we should call them. We will discuss with them and settle the issue.”

He confirmed that Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and other senior members would be part of the deliberations. “After discussing with everyone, a decision will be made,” he said.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah held a separate strategy meeting at his Bengaluru residence with ministers and leaders seen as his close confidants, including G. Parameshwara, Satish Jarkiholi, H.C. Mahadevappa, K. Venkatesh and K.N. Rajanna.
Signalling calm, the Chief Minister told reporters, “Will go to Delhi if the high command calls.”

Shivakumar echoed a similar stance, saying he too would head to the national capital if summoned by the party leadership.

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News Network
December 2,2025

A major upgrade in safety and monitoring is planned for Haj 2026, with every Indian pilgrim set to receive a Haj Suvidha smart wristband linked to the official Haj Suvidha mobile app. The initiative aims to support pilgrims—especially senior citizens—who may struggle with smartphones during the 45-day journey.

What the Smart Wristband Will Do

Officials said the device will come with:
•    Location tracking
•    Pedometer
•    SOS emergency button
•    Qibla compass
•    Prayer timings
•    Basic health monitoring

SP Tiwari, secretary of the UP State Haj Committee, said the goal is to make the pilgrimage safer and more comfortable.

“Most Hajis are elderly and not comfortable with mobile apps,” he said. “The smartwatch will help locate pilgrims who forget their way or cannot communicate their location.”

The wristbands will be monitored by the Consulate General of India in Saudi Arabia, similar to mobile tracking via the Haj Suvidha App.

Free Distribution and Training

•    Smart wristbands will be given free of cost.
•    Training for pilgrims will be conducted between January and February 2026.
•    Sample units will reach state Haj committees soon.
•    Final devices will be distributed as pilgrims begin their journey.

New Rules for Accommodation

Two major decisions have also been finalised for Haj 2026:
1.    Separate rooms for men and women – including married couples. They may stay on the same floor but must occupy different rooms, following stricter Saudi guidelines.
2.    Cooking banned – gas cylinders will not be allowed; all meals will be provided through official catering services arranged by the Haj Committee of India.

These decisions were finalised during a meeting of the Haj Committee of India and state representatives in Mumbai.

Haj Suvidha App Launched Earlier

The government launched the Haj Suvidha App in 2024, offering:

•    Training modules
•    Accommodation and flight details
•    Baggage information
•    SOS and translation tools
•    Grievance redressal

Haj 2026 Quota and Key States

•    India’s total Haj quota for 2026: 1,75,025 pilgrims
•    70% (1,25,000) allotted to the Haj Committee of India
•    30% (around 50,000) reserved for Haj Group Organisers

Uttar Pradesh has the largest allocation (around 30,000 seats), though approximately 18,000 pilgrims are expected to go this year. States with high pilgrim numbers include Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Dates of Haj 2026

The pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from 24 May to 29 May, 2026 (tentative).
Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for Muslims who meet the required conditions.

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News Network
December 3,2025

arrival.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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