Bollywood
Prajakta Koli becomes UNDP India’s first youth climate champion
Content creator and actress Prajakta Koli has become India’s first UN Development Programme (UNDP) Youth Climate Champion under her partnership with the organisation.
The title has been conferred to her following her contribution towards mental health, women’s rights and girl child education through various global social campaigns.
UNDP aims to eliminate poverty, achieve sustainable growth and scale up human development in countries where it is required the most.
As a part of her responsibilities now, Prajakta will be entrusted with interacting with young minds to raise awareness around climate crisis, global warming and biodiversity loss and their impacts, the tremors of which are being felt by all sections of the society, especially the poor and marginalized communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Prajakta said in a statement: “I am extremely humbled and honoured to have been entitled with this unique responsibility to champion a cause that is close to my heart. As the very first UNDP India Youth Climate Champion, I would like to produce and participate in opportunities that propel conversations around climate action and the urgent measures we must take.”
Commenting on how youth can make a difference, her statement further read: “The youth need to be the torchbearers of this revolution and foot soldiers who will work towards the common goal of an enriched and empowered future where the human species doesn’t become endangered. We have created this problem, but we can solve it too. With UNDP, I will strive to work with young minds across the globe to take appropriate measures for climate action.”
Welcoming Prajakta, Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India says: “We are excited to have Prajakta on board as the UNDP India Youth Climate Champion. Young people are the leading voice to make the world more sustainable. Prajakta has a strong connect with millions of young Indians. I am sure her voice reaches the hearts of youth, and inspires them to take climate action.”
In the past, the content creator has spoken up on issues like body shaming and online bullying with ‘Shameless’ as part of her campaign #iPledgeToBeMe which came into force on World Mental Health Day in 2016.
As a global ambassador for YouTube’s ‘Creators For Change’ initiative, she drew the attention of people to trolling, female subjugation and homophobia through her campaign ‘No Offence’ which was showcased at the UN headquarters in New York on International Tolerance Day.
In 2018, saw three initiatives and social cause partnerships from her, first with YouTube for Social Impact Girl’s Education campaign, with Instagram on their Safer Internet Week campaign and with One.org for their Girl Education campaign.
In 2019 she received an invite from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their annual Goalkeepers Summit.
Last year, she joined Google’s Impact Challenge to aid grants to non-profits addressing economic inequities faced by women and girls.
Bollywood
Sanjay Dutt says, ‘Grateful for the bond we share’ as he wishes Rakhi to sisters Priya & Anju

Mumbai, Aug 28: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt said that he is extremely grateful for the bond he shares with his sisters Priya and Anju.
On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Sanjay treated his Instagram family to some rare and precious moments with his siblings.
The ‘Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.’ actor shared that he feels truly blessed to have Priya and Anju as his sisters.
He wrote on the photo-sharing app, “Priya and Anju, I feel truly blessed to have you both as my sisters. Through every chapter of life, your love and support have been a constant. Grateful for the bond we share. Happy Raksha Bandhan (sic)”, followed by a red heart emoticon.
Earlier today, Priya also compiled a heartfelt note for Sanju on social media.
Celebrating the bond they have managed to create over the years, Priya reflected on their childhood together.
Taking a trip down memory lane, she dropped a couple of photos from when they were kids and penned, “From childhood memories to all that life has brought our way, some things never change. The love, the laughter, the arguments, the endless stories, the unspoken understanding… and the comfort of knowing that no matter where life takes us, we will always have each other.”
“We have grown up together, watched life change around us, celebrated some of its most beautiful moments, and stood beside each other through the difficult ones too. And somewhere through all those years, this bond has remained one of the few constants I can always come back to.
“Happy Raksha Bandhan, Bhaiya. Here’s to all the memories we have made, all the years we have walked through together, Always grateful to have you as my brother,” she went on to add.
Their parents, late legendary actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis, got married back in 1958.
Bollywood
Sushmita Sen pens heartfelt b’day note for daughter Alisah: I named her ‘God’s precious gift’

Mumbai, Aug 28: Actress Sushmita Sen celebrated her daughter Alisah’s 17th birthday with a heart-melting note, calling her a “beautiful, thoughtful, kind and generous soul”.
Sushmita took to Instagram, where she shared a string of images featuring her with Alisah and other family members.
“Happpppyyyyy Birthday Shona @alisahsen_ A beautiful, thoughtful, kind and generous soul…one, that a very loving God gifted me on this day, 17 years ago…I named her “God’s precious gift” ALISAH,” she wrote as the caption.
The actress talked about the person Alisah has grown up to be.
“As time goes by & I witness the person behind the name…there is a deep,happy knowing, that you will indeed be a gift…for this world & humanity at large…I am proud of who you are & the grace of God that flows through you!!! I remain in awe of your simplicity…love you sooooooo much!!! #duggadugga Maa,” she added.
The actress is the mother of two adopted daughters. At the age of 24, she adopted her first daughter, Renee Sen, in 2000, while her second daughter, Alisah, joined the family in 2010.
On the work front, Sushmita was last seen in Aarya 3, an Indian crime-thriller drama television series by Ram Madhvani. The show stars Sushmita Sen in the title role and is based on the Dutch drama series Penoza.
The series is about Aarya, an independent woman who seeks to protect her family and joins a mafia gang to get revenge for her husband’s murder. Recently, the show has been nominated for the International Emmy Awards for best Drama series.
She has also worked in films such as Biwi No.1, Sirf Tum, Filhaal, Aankhen, Main Hoon Na, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, Aarya, and Taali, where she portrayed transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant in the miniseries, which was released in 2023.
Bollywood
Akhilendra Mishra shares Team ‘Lagaan’ picture from Mumbai outing at CST station

Mumbai, August 27: Actor Akhilendra Mishra, who played Arjan in the cult classic Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India, along with his Lagaan co-stars seems to be having a great time.
The actor shared a picture with his fellow members of the film’s team at Mumbai’s historic V.T. station. (Now CST)
In the picture, Akhilendra Mishra is seen posing with three other members of the Lagaan team against the imposing backdrop of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Terminus.
Talking about Lagaan, the movie released on June 15, 2001, and went on to become one of the most celebrated films in Indian cinema.
Starring Aamir Khan as Bhuvan, Gracy Singh as Gauri and Rachel Shelley as Elizabeth Russell, the film featured a large ensemble cast including Raghubir Yadav, Rajesh Vivek, Raj Zutshi, Pradeep Rawat, Daya Shankar Pandey, Yashpal Sharma, Amin Hajee and Aditya Lakhia. The film was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The film completed 25 years in June this year, for which a major reunion of its cast and crew was held. Aamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker reunited with almost all the members of the original ensemble for a special celebration, while the film had also returned to theatres for celebratory re-release.
The anniversary celebrations also saw the cast revisit the film through a special script-reading session. Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh were seen recreating a Bhuvan-Gauri scene, while Aamir and Paul Blackthorne revisited some of the film’s iconic exchanges.
Recently, actor Pradeep Rawat, who played Deva Singh Sodhi, the Sikh ex-sepoy and an important member of Bhuvan’s cricket team in Lagaan, passed away at the age of 74 on August 4, 2026, following a battle with cancer.
Almost all members of the Lagaan fraternity, including Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowariker, Akhilendra Mishra, Daya Shankar Pandey, Amin Hajee and Yashpal Sharma, attended Rawat’s last rites in Mumbai and paid their final respects to their former co-star.
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