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Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Foreign students flock to Kerala University, 138% rise in applications over last 4 years
While Kerala youths are scouting for higher education abroad, their international peers appear to be increasingly turning towards the University of Kerala. According to the university, the current academic year of 2025-26 has seen a 138 percent rise in foreign applications compared four years ago. University authorities have received 2,620 applications from 81 countries in 2025-26, up from 1,100 students in 2021-22. The number of foreign students has been steadily rising for the last four years, with the university receiving 1,400 in 2022-23 and 2,600 in 2024-25. 'The university has consistently attracted the highest number of foreign students among all universities in Kerala,' Sabu Joseph, director of the Centre for Global Academics (CGA) at University of Kerala, said. 'This year's applications include 1,265 for undergraduate programmes, 1,020 for postgraduate courses, and 335 for PhD programmes. The processed applications were submitted to the portal of Indian Council for Cultural Relations, under the External Affairs Ministry, for final selection.' While the majority of applicants hail from Africa, there are students from Iran, Iraq, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Philippines, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, Russia, France, and the USA. Commerce and management studies remain the top choices, followed by political science, psychology, economics, education, linguistics, and English literature. Science disciplines like computer science, biotechnology, chemistry, environmental sciences, mathematics, physics, and statistics also draw significant interest. Currently, 205 international students are from 52 countries — including Colombia, Peru, U.K and the USA. 'The university supports its global scholars with orientation programmes, cultural events, and annual graduation ceremonies, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment. The growth in number of applicants underscores the university's rising global prominence and unwavering commitment to academic excellence and cultural diversity,' Sabu said.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Martini Culture Is Getting Getting More Personal
Clarified martinis, savory infusions and bold garnishes are redefining the classic cocktail in bars across the country. The martini is no longer a fixed idea. What was once a precise formula—gin or vodka with dry vermouth, stirred, served up—is now a broader category open to experimentation and reinterpretation. 'There are plenty of ways to exercise creativity to produce a new variation on the classic martini,' says Maura Milia, a global brand ambassador for Italian vermouth maker Martini, via Zoom. Although the classic martini serve has evolved, Milia specifies the baseline for the cocktail is still the same with two main ingredients. First is the base (gin or vodka) and second is dry vermouth. (And martinis should actually be stirred, not shaken.) Martinis continue to hold a strong presence in the U.S. cocktail scene, with 20% of on-premise cocktail consumers ordering them at bars and restaurants, according to CGA by NIQ's 2024 Cocktails Report. The preference spans across all age groups, indicating the martini's staying power even as tastes shift. The espresso martini, for instance, stands out for its rapid rise over the last few years. Between the third and fourth quarters of 2023, it rose from eighth to fourth in U.S. cocktail sales, growing 91%. In 2024, its sales increased another 116% annually. Despite its minimalist origin, the modern martini has become a canvas for invention. Variations stretch beyond ratios and ingredients. Bartenders now infuse base spirits with herbs, substitute vermouths or reimagine the serve altogether. What was once a straightforward cocktail has grown more flexible and more personal. Some of the changes are subtle, others far more radical. 'Since I'm based in Mexico, I have access to all different ingredients from Europe or the rest of the world,' Milia says. 'I was pleasantly surprised by trying a martini that was infused with Hoja Santa, which is known as Mexican peppermint. It gave the martini this very aromatic and herbal aftertaste while keeping the flavors crisp and sharp.' These adaptations aren't necessarily new, but their frequency and visibility are increasing. Even the most debated versions, like the dirty martini, are being reconsidered. 'Many consumers have different tastes and preferences, so it's a good thing that dirty martinis are evolving,' she says. 'As new generations develop their palate, cocktails that we all know and love will need to evolve to cater to these new tastes.' At the center of this shift is the drinker's desire for control and variation. Fewer people are ordering martinis exactly by the book. Instead, they're seeking precision and customization. The structure of the drink is an invitation to modify, but the process demands restraint. 'Like most things in mixology, it's all about balance,' she says. 'The precision comes at the beginning, with only two core ingredients, and then the mixologist can add their personal flair.' Proper technique affects more than presentation, and with so many variations, simplicity can show the drink was made with care. That said, temperature and dilution are often overlooked by casual drinkers, but they are critical. 'In a classic martini, the correct dilution is essential to soften the alcohol and open up the botanicals,' Milia explains. 'Over stirring or over shaking will make the martini watery and flat, which loses the silky texture while under diluting will create an unbalanced and hard to drink martini.' The growing diversity of ingredients also plays a role. Milia notes that most people assume dry vermouth is essential, but other types are worth attention, such as white vermouth. That blend offers an alternative for those unsure about the traditional version. 'It has subtle sweet vanilla flavors, and it falls right in the middle of sweet and dry,' she says. 'This balanced profile makes it a more approachable variation.' The rise of the 'filthy martini,' a version made with little or no vermouth and house-made brines, is also changing expectations. Milia says that modern drinkers are 'starting to prefer less-strong, more approachable serves, without giving up the martini all together.' Customization extends to the garnish, the brine and even the dilution method. The result is a drink that looks familiar but rarely tastes the same twice. Still, not every modification works. Too much experimentation without focus can lead to imbalance. 'I think a cocktail only becomes gimmicky when it isn't thoughtfully crafted,' Milia says. 'When too many ingredients and flavors are mixed, without attention to detail and thought for what the consumer desires, it can often be overstimulating and look to be doing too much.'
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Local athletics club brings home six medals
Kwa-Thema – Langaville Athletics Club has a new home at Kwa-Thema Stadium. The club recently came back with six medals from the third league of the CGA's 2025 cross-country season at the Dobsonville Multi-Purpose Centre. Among the stars, Zanele Mzizi won gold in the 3km for the U14 girls. 'The stadium is better situated for our training. The facility we used before did not have tracks. This was an issue because when we go to compete at different stadiums our runners would not know how to stay on course. ALSO CHECK: Langaville youth win big at Team Talk Championship on Youth Day 'Now they will train within the lines, and I believe that we will get better results when we compete,' explained coach and founder Sakhi Kgapola. Kgapola admitted that the stadium could be in better condition. 'We have some challenges with overgrown grass and there are no lines on the track. We hope that the facility will be refurbished to the best standard, in order to give the athletes the best chance at winning,' he added. The club will participate in the fourth league of the CGA 2025 cross-country season at Marivate Park, Daveyton on the June 28. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Pietrouisti podiums at provincials
Matthew Pietrouisti fought hard and smart to finish third in a competitive U11 to U13 boys' mile at the CGA 21km, 5km and mile championships at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec on June 14. Bohang Qhoaisa of Mamepe Striders won the 1.6km race in 05:04, while Boxer's Philani Luthuli was three seconds off the pace after crossing the line in 05:07. Pietrouisti secured the bronze medal with a time of 05:10, rounding off the top three. Pietrouisti's podium finish was a result of sheer determination and a strong desire to push his limits. He has been performing well recently, and this result follows his first victory of the current CGA cross-country season, where he won the U12 boys' 4km race at the third league meeting in Dobsonville. Speaking to the Benoni City Times after the race, the Farrarmere Primary learner said the race was an opportunity to raise his profile and gain recognition. 'I am always up for new challenges and experiences – an opportunity to put my name out there and be seen. That's what I hoped for on Saturday, and I'm happy with the result,' he said. Reflecting on the race, the youngster told the paper he learned valuable lessons that will help him in the future. 'It is a completely different race from cross-country, and I need to change my strategy. But I am always up for it. I have my goals, am determined, and am working hard this season.' Meanwhile, East Athletic Club's (EAC) Mahlatse Mamonyane won the U11to U13 girls' mile. The Daveyton resident clocked 05:34 to beat Mia van Huyssteen and Megan Roberts. Huyssteen completed the race in 05:41, while Roberts, of the Brakpan club Irun AC, followed a second later to claim the bronze. In other results, Bennett Seloyi and Lebo Phalula-Mzazi won the men's and women's half marathons, while Andries Sesedi and Megan Roome clinched the senior men's and women's 5km Noah and Tshenolo Sebueng won the juniors' 5km events. Zanele Maisa, from KwaThema, and Olympian Ryan Mphahlele won the senior women's and men's miles. Tebogo Matsimela, Keegan Coetzee, Hanri Pretorius, and Boipelo Maroga won the junior men's and women's miles, as well as the U14 to U16 boys' and girls' miles, respectively. Also Read: CGA celebrates athletes for raising the bar at nationals Also Read: Local athletes to watch in the CGA cross-country season At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
For the Indian economy, a season of mixed tidings
The fiscal health of the Centre and states is a key cog of the macro picture. This article analyses the Government of India's (GoI's) fiscal trends for FY2025 and what they augur for the current fiscal and the medium term. In absolute terms, the GoI's fiscal deficit in FY25 marginally exceeded its Revised Estimate (RE) of Rs 15.7 trillion by Rs 77 billion, as per provisional data from the CGA. This was led by a welcome overshooting in capex, with a back-ended surge seen in Q4. A less palatable miss on the receipts side was, however, largely offset by considerable savings of Rs 0.9 trillion in revenue expenditure in the fiscal. The provisional estimate of the nominal GDP for FY25 printed at around 2 per cent higher than the First Advance Estimate (FAE) for the fiscal that was used at the time of the Union budget. This meant that the fiscal deficit was contained at 4.8 per cent of GDP, in line with the target. Interestingly, the revenue deficit was curtailed at Rs 5.7 trillion lower than RE of Rs 6.1 trillion. As a proportion of GDP, this amounted to a 17-year low of 1.7 per cent vs 1.9 per cent included in the FY25 RE, a welcome development. The hits and misses under various heads in FY25 may have some bearing on the assessment of the FY26 targets. For instance, the Rs 0.6 trillion shortfall in gross tax revenues in the FY25 provisionals vis-à-vis the RE has pushed up the required growth rate for this head in FY26 to 12.5 per cent from an already optimistic 10.8 per cent earlier. However, there is an additional cushion on the receipts side of around Rs 0.4 trillion on account of the higher-than-budgeted RBI dividend transfer. Additionally, as per CGA data for April, miscellaneous capital receipts amounted to as much as 46 per cent of the FY26 BE of Rs 470 billion, as against nil in the year-ago month. This is an unusually high proportion to be recorded in the first month of the fiscal and gives us confidence that its target is unlikely to be missed. On the expenditure side, the required growth to meet the FY26 BE for revex is now higher than assumed in the budget; for capex, it is lower. For this year, both the composition and the timing of expenditure will be key. An early kick-off to spending will provide a buffer against the uncertainties wrought by the tariff issues. The upward revision in the FY25 nominal GDP number also augurs well for meeting the deficit- and debt-to-GDP targets for FY26. Despite a relatively lower projected nominal growth of 9 per cent in FY26 (ICRA's forecast) vis-à-vis the budgeted levels of 10.1 per cent, the fiscal deficit can be contained at 4.4 per cent in FY26, while accommodating a marginal fiscal slippage, given the larger base. The fiscal buffer in FY26 could be used to push up the capex, which has begun on a strong note, surging by as much as 61 per cent to Rs 1.6 trillion in April 2025, well above the average monthly required run-rate of Rs 0.9 trillion for the fiscal. Capex needs to grow by 0.9 per cent in the remaining 11 months to meet the FY2026 budget target. Given these buffers, the GoI could push up capex by at least Rs 0.8 trillion in FY2026 relative to the BE, which would take the headline figure to nearly Rs 12.0 trillion, implying a higher growth. Some major policy issues are looming on the horizon, which would affect the Centre's and states' finances, and their fiscal relations. First, the Sixteenth Finance Commission is due to submit its report later this year, and its recommendations will impact both central and state finances over the next five years. Will the recent conflict and need for geopolitical readiness lead to higher pre-emptive defence spending? If so, this may leave less money for other priorities. The Pay Commission award and its timing will affect the Centre's finances directly and some states may follow suit. Lastly, the GST compensation cess is shortly due to cease in its current avatar and how it is reimagined will impact Centre and state revenues. The writer is chief economist and head, Research & Outreach, ICRA
