Mumbai: Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and son Aaditya were seen sharing warm greetings at Mumbai’s SWADESH event, which was held at Eros. SWADESH: An Artisanal Christmas Program at the Swadesh flagship store was held to honour India’s artists and artisans.

Mukesh Ambani, Uddhav Thackeray, and Aaditya Thackeray were seen engaging warmly as they toured exhibits featuring artisanal creations.

The event was also attended by several Bollywood celebrities, sports and business personalities, including Ranveer Singh, Deepika Paukone, Madhuri Dixit Nene and husband Dr Shriram Madhav Nene, Yuvraj Singh and wife Hazel Keech, Karisma Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia Deshmukh, Aneet Padda, Anand Mahindra, among others.

The artisians who were honoured by Nita Ambani include Shri Biren Basak, Padma Shri Awardee (2021) renowned for Tangail and Jamdani weaves; Shri V. Panneerselvam, Tanjore painter honoured with the Shilp Guru Award (2019) and National Award (2011); Shri Shammi Bannu Sharma, seventh-generation miniature painter and National President Awardee (2014); Shri GhanShyam Sarode, celebrated Paithani textile designer and handloom revivalist; Ms. Gunjan Jain, Odisha Ikat textile artist and National Award winner (2024).

Nita Ambani, Founder-Chairperson of Reliance Foundation, honoured artists and artisans at the celebration of the Swadesh flagship store. During the event, Nita Ambani wore a pair of antique kundan polki jhumkas, which were handcrafted over 100 years ago. On her hand rested a statement bird-shaped ring crafted in the jadau tradition using polki diamonds and rubies, a signature piece from Swadesh.

But perhaps the most personal detail was the ornate haath phool from her mother’s collection. Her look complemented her stunning peacock-blue Banarasi saree by Swadesh. The silk drape featured delicate meena work woven using the traditional kadhua technique, a method known for its fineness and the almost sculpted quality it lends to motifs.

Lucknow, Dec 6: On the 69th Mahaparinirvan Day of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati expressed concern that crores from the Bahujan community have yet to see the “good days” of self-respect and dignity, despite following the path shown by the architect of the Indian Constitution.

Taking to social media platform X, Mayawati wrote, “Today, on the death anniversary of Bharat Ratna, the most revered Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the messiah of crores of people from the Bahujan Samaj in the country, I paid tribute to him.”

She said that party leaders and followers gathered in large numbers at various Ambedkar memorials across the country to pay tributes to the architect of the Constitution.

“Members of the party from 12 organisational divisions of Uttar Pradesh, along with followers of Babasaheb, gathered in large numbers at the grand ‘Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Social Change Site’ built by the BSP government on the banks of the Gomti River in Lucknow. People from Western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Uttarakhand also gathered at the ‘National Dalit Inspiration Site and Green Garden’ established by the BSP government in Noida and paid their respects,” she added.

Mayawati further said that BSP National Coordinator Akash Anand also paid tribute at the Noida memorial. She noted that similar tribute programmes were held across various states at the zonal level.

“For this, I express heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone, especially to the people of Uttar Pradesh,” she said.

Reflecting on Ambedkar’s legacy, Mayawati questioned why millions from the Bahujan community were still waiting for dignity and social justice.

“On special occasions such as Independence Day, Republic Day, and on the birth and death anniversaries of Babasaheb, one question continues to arise — when will the ‘good days of self-respect and equality’ come for crores of Bahujans in the country, in line with the humanistic and welfare goals of the Constitution?” she wrote.

She asserted that the BSP, as the country’s only Ambedkarite political party, remains committed to Ambedkar’s mission.

“The BSP is conscious, alert, and deeply concerned about why true ‘good days’ have not yet come for the exploited, oppressed, and marginalised Dalits, tribals, and OBCs — the very communities for whom Babasaheb dedicated his life and enacted strong constitutional safeguards. Salute to him,” Mayawati added.

Pune: For maintenance purposes, a mega block is in place on Sunday on the Mumbai-Pune Railway Line. Due to this, many key express trains have been cancelled, while some locals from Pune to Lonavala will also not provide the service on Sunday.

Express trains, which have been completely cancelled, include the Sinhagad Express, the Deccan Queen Express, the Pragati Express, the Mumbai Pune Intercity Express and the Indrayani Express.

Meanwhile, many Pune-Lonavala local trains have been cancelled as well. Some of them have been completely cancelled, and some of them will begin or end their journey at Talegaon Dabhade Railway Station. They won’t connect Pune to Lonavala. Railway authorities have asked commuters to be aware of this and act accordingly.

Mega-blocks on the Mumbai–Pune Railway Line and the broader Mumbai suburban network are scheduled mainly on Sundays to allow Central Railway to carry out large-scale maintenance that cannot be performed during heavy weekday traffic. These blocks provide uninterrupted time for essential work on tracks, overhead equipment, points, signals, and bridges, ensuring long-term safety and reliability of both suburban and long-distance operations.

Sundays (or public holidays) are chosen because commuter footfall is comparatively lower. This reduces disruption to daily travel patterns. Mega-blocks occur almost every Sunday across the Main, Harbour and Trans-Harbour lines and occasionally affect stretches on the Mumbai–Pune intercity route as well. Their duration typically ranges from four to seven hours; earlier blocks commonly lasted four to five hours, though recent examples include work between Vidyavihar and Thane from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mega-blocks may also lead to temporary cancellations or diversions of Pune–Mumbai trains when work is scheduled on those sections.