Local Round-up: Ustad Zakir Hussain Passes Away at 73, Visa-free Travel for Indians in Russia, 'ONOE' Bill & More!

Local Round-up brings to you what's happening across the country in travel, food, infrastructure, sports, and herein, we have curated the updates from the weekend and the beginning of this week for you. So, read these below. 

Tabla Maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain passes away at 73 in the US

The pride of Indian classical music, Ustad Zakir Hussain, has passed away at the age of 73 in San Francisco from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an official statement from his family confirmed on Monday. He had been in hospital for the past two weeks and was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after his condition deteriorated, as said by his family. The legendary tabla player has given his years to the Indian music industry, bagging the Grammy's 4 times and the title of Padma Vibhushan in his career. 

UPI sets a new milestone with over 15,000 crore transactions till November 2024

Driving the #DigitalPayment revolution, UPI achieved 15,547 crore transactions worth Rs. 223 lakh crore from January to November, 2024, showcasing its transformative impact on financial transactions in India.
⁰#FinMinYearReview2024⁰#BankingInitiatives⁰#ViksitBharat pic.twitter.com/Bkbag6542k

— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) December 14, 2024

On Saturday, the Ministry of Finance published the most recent Unified Payments Interface (UPI) data, showing 15,537 crore transactions between January and November of 2024. A total of Rs 223 lakh crore was the value of these deals, making it a new record for UPI in India. The Finance Ministry posted on X, "Driving the Digital Payment revolution, UPI achieved 15,547 crore transactions worth Rs. 223 lakh crore from January to November 2024, showcasing its transformative impact on financial transactions in India." 

Russia to launch visa-free travel for Indian tourists in 2025

According to a May report by news agency PTI, Russia and India conducted talks in June on a bilateral agreement to relax visa requirements to introduce visa-free group travel exchanges. After this discussion, it was recently reported that Indian tourists may soon be able to visit Russia without a visa, with the arrangement potentially starting as early as spring 2025.

Chennai Suburban to get its first AC train

The commuters in Chennai's suburban areas can now seek relief from the increasing heat as the railway launches AC coaches. The operation of the AC coaches will start from January 2025 as Thiruttani in the west will be getting a 12-car air-conditioned rake from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF). The suburban trains on four sections in the city covering nearby districts of Chengalpattu in the south and Arakkonam are being operated by the Chennai division of Southern Railway.

For the first time, Goa to honour heroes of liberation

The Goa government is going to honour the freedom fighters who fought for the liberation of the state. This is the first time any Indian state has offered such recognition. Only 14 out of the 74 identified martyrs have surviving immediate family members to receive the honour. "The kin of those who lost their lives in Goa's Liberation struggle did not receive a pension, nor were the martyrs ever honoured. My govt has decided to give a certificate of honour and 10 lakh to their family members, the first such initiative in India. Not a single government has recognised them over the past 60 years," said Pramod Sawant, CM of Goa, according to TOI.

Ram Mandir in Ayodhya gets ‘Sword of Honour’ award for safety excellence

The Ram temple project in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya bagged the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’ award, one of the highest accolades in safety management. Nripendra Misra, the chairman of the Construction Committee of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said that the British Safety Council conducts the audit of the process, practices, and finally, on-site activity assessments, and only those who achieve a five-star assessment are eligible to enter the ‘Sword of Honour’ award contest. In another achievement, Larsen & Toubro, a multinational company responsible for the construction of the Ram Temple, was also awarded the ‘Golden Trophy’ by the National Safety Council for safety measures taken in the construction of the Ram Temple.

Simran Shaikh becomes the highest pick in the 2025 Women’s Premier League mini-auction

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gujarat Giants (@giantscricket)

All-rounder from Mumbai, Simran Shaikh, begged the highest bid of Rs 1.9 crore in the Women's Premier League 2025 mini-auction. The 22-year-old is known for her big hits, which was one of the reasons for her pick by the Gujarat Giants after a frenetic bidding war with Delhi Capitals. Interestingly, she was acquired for Rs. 10 lakh at the inaugural auction.

400 buffaloes and goats rescued by Indian nonprofits from the sacrifice ritual in Nepal 

At least 400 buffaloes and goats were rescued by nonprofits Humane Society International (HSI), India and People for Animals (PFA) that were purported to be slaughtered at a mass animal sacrifice ritual at Gadhimai in Nepal. A statement from HSI on Wednesday said that 347 goats and 74 buffaloes were among more than 750 animals rescued by HSI, India and PFA, along with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a central armed police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Many of these rescued animals have been brought to Vantara Wildlife and Rehabilitation Centre in Jamnagar. 

'One Nation, One Election' Bill approved by the Union Cabinet

On Thursday, December 12, 2024, the ‘One Nation, One Election’ (ONOE) bill-a historic initiative to hold simultaneous elections throughout the nation was adopted by the Union Cabinet. Discussions on a possibly revolutionary change to India's voting system will begin when the bill is submitted to Parliament this week.

Team Mumbai wins their second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 concluded on Sunday, December 15, 2024, crowning team Mumbai as the champions for this season. Mumbai leaned on their collective batting strength to defeat Madhya Pradesh by five wickets. Suryansh Shedge, Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav were the biggest draws, scoring 36, 37 and 48 respectively with Rahane receiving the 'Player of the Tournament.'