DHARMAPURI l sunday l march 09, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l CITY EDITION Women trailblazers take over Prime minister’s social media a/c Women leaders from chess, science, rural entrepreneurship, empowerment and inclusive development posted their winning strategies titans from diverse fields join hands While Anjlee Agarwal, an advocate for universal accessibility, called for a stronger push towards a more inclusive India under the ‘Sugamya Bharat’ initiative, scientists Elina Mishra and Shilpi Soni highlighted the importance of women’s participation in science, urging more women to pursue careers in nuclear and space technology ■ 2,372 all-women security cover at pm event ■ A security cover comprising only women police personnel was deployed at a mega event addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat’s Navsari on Women’s Day on March 8 The bandobast included 2,100 constables, 187 SIs, 61 inspectors, 16 DSPs, five SPs, one IGP and one Additional DGP rank officer women police personnel deployed for modi’s security on march 8 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Dealing with US push in agri market unbeaten india’s one final push for desert glory G o m e s h S @ Chennai In sports, more often than not, history is written by winners. No matter what a team does or how far a team progresses in a tournament, holding aloft the trophy defines it. No other team knows this better than India. In the last three ICC white ball tour naments, India have reached the final three times, lost one and won one. How the third final against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy would end will be known on Sunday night. The win will also lay to rest the controversies surroundi n g t h e scheduling. One thing, however, is clear that the brand of cricket India are playing is something unique. One that head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke about from the moment he took over: winning brand of cricket, a philosophy they would want to follow. India, however, have not been able to live up to it, especially in the longest format. Home series loss after 12 years, BorderGavaskar Trophy loss after ten years have added pressure on Gambhir as well as captain Rohit Sharma. A victory in Dubai is ever more important.  P11 A vehicle in flames after Kuki protesters clashed with security personnel in Kangpokpi district on Saturday | PTI Manipur erupts amid bid to restore free movement Protester killed in Kangpokpi district, over a dozen others injured P r a s a n ta M a z u m d a r @ Guwahati Clashes broke out in Manipur’s Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district on Saturday as the Centre tried to restore free movement for people on all roads in the ethnic violence-hit state. Over a dozen protesters were injured, one of whom reportedly succumbed to injuries. The protesters attacked a state-run bus and torched at least one private vehicle. At a high-level Manipur security review meeting held in New Delhi on March 1, Union home minister Amit Shah had issued directions to restore free movement and take action against anyone attempting to create obstructions. Acting on that directive, the Manipur State Transport (MST) operated two buses, one on the Imphal-Kangpokpi-Senapati route and another on the Imphal-Bishnupur-Churachandpur route, with security cover by personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces. Similarly, the Federations of Civil Society (FOCS), a conglomerate of 20 Imphal Valley-based organisations, took out a peace expedition from Imphal to go to Senapati which is a Naga-majority district. The participants, who were travelling in some vehicles, were stopped at Sekmai in the Imphal West district by security forces and they returned to Imphal. Meanwhile, crowds were building in different parts of Kangpokpi district to thwart the march by FOCS and the movement of the MST bus. They erected barricades on a national highway by putting boulders and burning tyres. When the MST bus entered Kangpokpi district, the protesters attempted to prevent its movement by pelting stones. This led to a confrontation and the security personnel used force to restore normalcy leading to clashes. The other MST bus travelled up to Kangvai, a small town in Kuki-majority Churachandpur district bordering Meitei-majority Bishnupur district, and returned. It was not known if the two buses had passengers. In a purported video, some Kuki-Zos reiterated that there will be no free movement. j aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi AS India and the US begin trade talks, New Delhi has conveyed that it has been reducing applied tariffs in agreements with developed countries, while emphasising a “mutually beneficial” approach and “sensitive handling of sectors l i ke a g r i c u l t u re ” , a ke y focus of the Trump administration in seeking greater market access. A team of Indian officials, led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited Washington from March 3 to 6 and engaged the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, US T rade Re presentative Jamieson Greer and their teams. President Donald Trump said India has agreed to cut its tariffs “way down now” because somebody is finally “exposing” them, evoking sharp reactions from opposition parties in the country . Reducing “average applied tariff significantly” has been a key aspect of India’s recently concluded mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreements with a slew of developed countries such as Australia, the Key objectives for India at U.S. talks Increasing market access, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, deepening supply chain integration, ensuring India does not turn dumping ground for products, and increasing investments are key objectives UAE, Switzerland, Norway and the ongoing talks with the European Union and United Kingdom. But the “tone and substance of the talks” and “understanding each others’ concerns to get to an agreement” is the new focus. “The teams will now get into sector wise, issue-wise specifics,” said a source. Asked about various statements coming out of Washington on tariffs and trade negotiations, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a press briefing: “We have in recent times entered into bilateral trade agreements based on tariff liberalisation with several partners.... The ongoing discussions should be seen in that context.” Trump’s tarif f against India rolls out April 2. WITH THIS ISSUE the naked truth Maha Kumbh: The Secret Life of Naga Sadhus PLUS 12 PAGES