Latest news with #Jyothi
India.com
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress and dancer who shared screen with chief ministers, delivered over 100 films, succumbed to a lonely death, her name is…
Meet actress and dancer who shared screen with chief ministers, delivered over 100 films, succumbed to a lonely death, her name is… In the glitzy and glamorous world of Bollywood, it's usually the dazzling and picture-perfect life of celebrities that takes the centre stage. However, what happens behind the scenes, when the curtain falls, is a lot more than what meets the eye. One such story is of a South actress who was gaining immense love and success professionally, but when it came to her personal life, it had a striking contrast. Besides earning fame, she also felt the pain, loneliness, and ultimately left the world at a very young age. The person we are talking about is the celebrated actress and dancer Jyothi Lakshmi. Jyoti made her debut in the industry in the year 1970, and right from her first film, she gained a lot of love and attention. From her expressive eyes, strong screen presence, and captivating dance, she soon rose to fame. She was also known as 'dancer par excellence'; her dance gathered so many eyeballs that filmmakers used to cast her just to include a dance sequence. In her career trajectory, she worked in more than 100 films and even shared screen with some big stars and three sitting Chief Ministers, a rare achievement for any actress. Following in her footsteps, her sister Jaya Malini and daughter Jyothi Meena also became actresses. She famously appeared with Jayalalithaa in MGR's film Adimai Penn, where her dance sequence became one of the film's most attractive elements. However, besides gaining this massive success on screen, Jyothi Lakshmi's personal life saw some struggles. She never married anyone and lived a lonely life. Later in July 2016, she developed a major life-threatening health issue – cancer. Within just 20 days of her diagnosis, she left the world. Jyothi took her last breath on 9 August 2016, at the age of 63. Her fans were stunned by her death, and she left a void in the hearts of the entire fraternity with her absence. Jyothi might not be in the world, but her legacy still shines and continues.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Husband turns whistleblower, GHMC engineer booked for bribery; ACB probe in Hyderabad uncovers cash trail, digital evidence & irregularities in Rs 400 crore contract clearances
HYDERABAD: It's not every day that a corruption probe begins with a person walking into the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) office -armed with videos, screenshots and a bank trail against one's spouse. But, that's exactly how G Divya Jyothi, a former deputy executive engineer of Manikonda municipality and now with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), came under scrutiny. In an unusual twist, her husband turned whistleblower, accusing her of collecting lakhs in bribes from contractors in exchange for fast-tracking their bills. She dismissed the complaint as a "personal grudge" rooted in a strained marriage. But the ACB saw more than just domestic discord. After a swift probe, officials said the evidence pointed to abuse of public office. Now, a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against Jyothi and unnamed others, based on the complaint lodged by Jyothi's husband Sripad Suvarna on Oct 11, 2024. Jyothi, who served in Manikonda from Nov 2021 to Oct 2024 before being transferred to GHMC, is accused of clearing contractors' bills worth Rs 400 crore during her tenure, allegedly in return for bribes. Suvarna claimed that on Jyothi's instructions, contractors deposited bribe money directly into his SBI account in Manthani, and that part of the money was routed to her brother Sarath Kumar Gurappa, an employee at BDL. He submitted a cache of evidence - bank statements, UPI screenshots, WhatsApp chats, and DVDs containing video and audio clips - to back his allegations. He also submitted a video showing bundles of bank notes stashed at their Manikonda residence. Sent money to GHMC engg under pressure: Contractors The FIR named three contractors - K Anil Kumar (Sri Tirumala LCSS and Seven Hills Enterprises), P Naveen Kumar (P Ganesh Contractors) and R Praveen Kumar (Raja Rajeshwari Constructions) - who allegedly made the payments. At least two of them admitted, during the preliminary inquiry, that they transferred money under pressure, unaware that the account belonged to Jyothi's husband. As part of the inquiry, ACB obtained files from the Manikonda municipal commissioner. Officials confirmed that Jyothi had exclusive authority over estimation, inspections and sanctioning of engineering works. One instance that raised a red flag was a 40 lakh contract for the 'supply and fixing of children's play equipment in all parks in Manikonda municipality.' Awarded to Sri Tirumala LCSS, Anil Kumar transferred 9 lakh into Suvarna's account while the file was still pending with Jyothi. The work order, the ACB found, was processed without the signatures of the assistant engineer and the municipal commissioner. Measurement records lacked details of execution sites, but bills worth 31 lakh and 7 lakh were nonetheless cleared in May and June 2022. Adding to the irregularities, the agreement value of 44 lakh exceeded the sanctioned budget by 4.5 lakh, but no supplementary approval was recorded. WhatsApp messages and digital payment records aligned with the complainant's allegations. Based on these findings, the ACB submitted a report to its director general on April 25, 2025, following which a case was registered under section 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against Jyothi and unnamed others. The FIR states, "It is revealed that Jyothi dishonestly demanded and accepted bribe amounts from various contractors of the municipality to facilitate the processing of their contract work through her office."
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
KAU sending seeds to space on NASA's Axiom Mission 4
In a collaboration, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is joining NASA's Axiom Mission 4, marking a significant milestone for Indian agricultural science in space research. The mission will carry seed varieties developed by the KAU to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaborative research initiative. The project is a joint effort involving the European Space Agency (ESA), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and the KAU's College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The seeds selected for the space experiment include six high-yielding locally developed crop varieties: Jyothi, Uma (rice varieties); Kanakamani (horse gram); Thilakathara (sesame); Soorya (brinjal/eggplant); Vellayani Vijay (tomato). These seeds will undergo rigorous scientific evaluation in the unique microgravity environment of space, according to KAU sources. The primary goal of the study is to examine how space conditions, especially microgravity, affect germination, growth, and viability of food crop seeds. After spending time at the ISS, the seeds will be brought back to earth, planted in controlled environments, and monitored closely for changes in growth, resilience, and productivity. Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, one of the astronauts aboard the Axiom Mission 4, will play a supportive role in conducting the experiment in space. Among six Indian-led experiments selected for the mission, KAU's microgravity-focussed agricultural research stands out as a key scientific contribution, the KAU sources said.
India Gazette
09-06-2025
- India Gazette
Telangana: Excise Department seize 56 liquor bottles worth Rs 2.50 lakhs in three cases; Four arrested for illicit transportation
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 9 (ANI): The Excise Department's Special Enforcement Team (SET) seized 56 liquor bottles worth Rs 2.50 lakhs in three separate operations and arrested four individuals for illegal possession and transportation of liquor, according to the official statement. The raids were conducted in different locations, including Secunderabad, a railway station, and a private residence in West Marredpally. According to Excise official,' In the first case, the STF team, led by CI Nagaraju and SI Jyothi, seized 20 signature bottles from an individual named Sri Pana Raman near the Military Hospital in Secunderabad. In the second case, the same team caught Ajay Singh, a passenger who arrived from Bengaluru by the KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani Express. He was found carrying 44 bottles of Corona Extra Beer and four additional liquor bottles. The third raid was carried out at a house in West Marredpally based on a tip-off about ganja sales. The operation, led by CI Bhiksha Reddy, SI Balaraju, and SI Sandhya, resulted in the seizure of 13 grams of OG Kush ganja and 32 liquor bottles. The bottles were reportedly brought from Goa, Manipur, and Delhi. As per the release, two individuals, Runith and Aditya, were arrested during the raid. 'The duo was arrested for storing and selling the liquor,' said Pradeep Rao, the team leader of the operation. According to the Excise officials, the total value of liquor seized across the three cases has been estimated at Rs. 2.50 lakhs. 'These operations are part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal liquor trade in the region,' an official from the Excise Department said. (ANI)
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
After Roshni, Jyothi to show migrant children in Kerala the way
Kochi: The Roshni project was launched by the Ernakulam district administration in 2017 with an intent to ease the language learning challenges of migrant children, thereby helping reduce dropouts among students. Buoyed by its success, the state govt, with the help of local bodies, is set to roll out a new project titled 'Jyothi' to ensure the uninterrupted schooling of migrant children by monitoring their school attendance through panchayat members. "So far, the inclusive nature of Kerala society in general and projects like Roshni have provided a healthy environment for migrant children's learning. From this year, through Jyothi, we are hoping to extend the reach across all schools in the state," said state council of educational research & training director Jayaprakash R K. According to officials' estimates, Roshni project has helped reduce the dropout rates of migrant children by 60%. However, the implementation of similar programmes in the state faces several roadblocks. Roshni project's academic coordinator Jayasree Kulakkunnath said one of the most challenging aspects before the education department is the intra-state migration of labourers. "The existing dropout rates are not due to the inefficiency of the student or the education department, but because many leave school education due to intra-state migration," said Jayasree. She said a panchayat-level register of migrant students is required. Also it must be ensured that if a student leaves a school, they join another institution wherever their parents are moving to. She said as many of the students are first-generation learners, it is the state's responsibility to ensure that the children continue their education despite their parents' intra-state migration. Jayasree said yet another challenge faced by the educators of Roshni project is to convince the parents that their female students join for higher education. "Many of these students come from communities where early marriage is a norm," Jayasree said. "Convincing parents to let their daughters continue schooling, let alone pursue higher education, is an uphill task. But we're patient. This is a slow movement. One step at a time," she added.
