South shines at 72nd National Film Awards Malayalam star Mammootty won the best actor award (Bramayugam) along with Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) at 72nd National Film Awards. Article 370 star Yami Gautam was named the best actress. Rajkumar Periasamy was named best director (Amaran). Pushpa: The Rule Part-02, Kalki 2898 AD, Lucky Bhaskar and Captain Miller won awards in various categories HYDERABAD l sunday l july 19, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l LATE CITY EDITION 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 Vikram-1 takes India into elite nations’ list engineers and guests gathered at the launch complex. One of the mission’s most At 12.05 pm on Saturday, Sky- striking moments came at 12.22 r o o t ’ s s e v e n - s t o r e y - t a l l pm, when the Sun rose into Vikram-1 roared into the skies view behind its symbolic payfrom the Satish Dhawan Space loads — the Cosmic Bloom diaCentre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriha- mond artwork and a miniature rikota, with not only a liftoff gold rocket carrying microweight of 45,000 kg but also the scopic sculptures of Sir CV Raaspirations of India’s man, Dr Vikram Sarafast-growing private bhai and Dr APJ space sector. Eighteen Abdul Kalam — creatminutes later, it ening dramatic visuals tered a 450-km Low transmitted from This is a defining Earth Orbit, making moment in India’s space. Skyroot the first Indi- space journey. Our A minute later, misan private company to sion control declared private sector is place a rocket into or“Grand Success” as opening new frontiers and bit and India only the Vikram-1 successfully accelerating third country, after injected its payloads innovation the US and China, into a 450-km Low with private orbital Earth Orbit. Narendra Modi, launch capability . The rocket deployed prime minister The launch came afSkyroot’s SCOPE satter an anxious wait. ellite and Grahaa Although the countdown began Space’s SOLARAS CubeSat at 11.30 am, the mission was into orbit, while its upper stage briefly halted because of an ap- continued carrying technology parent navigation-related is- demonstration payloads for insue, delaying liftoff by about 35 orbit experiments. minutes. Once the countdown According to the company all , resumed, Vikram-1 lifted off major mission objectives were amid cheers from scientists, achieved. continued on p2 Skyroot’s Mission Possible The stages of success 12.05 pm Liftoff from Sriharikota S i d d h a r d h a G at t i m i 12.07 pm Second stage ignition @ Hyderabad WITH THIS ISSUE The Dark Side of Romance PLUS 12 P AGES 12.08 pm Crosses the 100km Karman Line 12.09 pm Third stage ignition 12.10 pm Third stage burnout 12.13 pm 3 rd stage separation 12.15 pm Fourth stage ignition Vikram-1 Test Flight-1, India’s first private orbital rocket, lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota on Saturday | PTI 12.22 pm Sunrise photographed behind symbolic payloads from space 12.23 pm Payloads injected into 450-km Low Earth Orbit; mission declared “Grand Success” HYDRAA fences 840 acres of govt land worth `30K cr S B a c h a n J e e t S i n g h @ Hyderabad The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Saturday fenced around 840 acres of government land—with an estimated market value of `30,000 crore—across Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. While the drive covered multiple locations, the operation at Bahadurguda in Shamshabad mandal saw protesting farmers clashing with police. HYDRAA said that the land was secured at the request of the Revenue authorities to prevent further encroachments. Revenue, Municipal and HYDRAA officials carried out the fencing under heavy police security . At Bahadurguda, officials fenced around 650 acres in Survey Nos. 28 and 62, earmarked for the proposed high-speed train hub project. Separately HYDRAA said the , 1954 Khasra Pahani records Survey Nos. 25 and 26 as government land.  continued on p4 Birla OKs Sena merger, seats for rebel TMC P r e e t h a n a i r @ New Delhi IN a significant decision ahead of the Monsoon Session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, while also allowing 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs to sit separately in the Lok Sabha, even as their plea for recognition as members of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) remains pending. The decision is expected to reshape the Opposition’s floor strength and seating arrangement in the House. Approval of the merger has increased the strength of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha from seven to 13 MPs. The Speake r a cce p t e d t h e claim of the six MPs that they had merged with the recognised Shiv Sena headed by Shinde after examining constitutional provisions, parliamentary precedents and legal opinion. For the TMC dissidents, seats have been allotted away from the Mamata Banerjee-led bloc, though their bid for NCPI status is still under examination by the Speaker, a source said. The Speaker is also expected to approve a request from the DMK for separate seating arrangements. inside 2 US soldiers killed in iran attack on Jordan base I P9 Messi-inspired Argentina to take on Spain in summit clash today I P11 Wangchuk shifted to Safdarjung Hospital N i t i n R a w at @ New Delhi CLIMATE activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital by Delhi Police in an early morning clampdown on Saturday after 20 days of hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, where he was protesting against exam paper leaks and demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dhar mendra Pradhan. Police in plain clothes evicted Wangchuk from the protest site to the hospital, citing directions of the Delhi High Court and his deteriorating health condition. Safdarjung Sonam Wangchuk being Hospital said Wangchuk was admitevicted from Jantar ted at 7.40 am. “Blood tests showed Mantar | PTI compensated acidosis, reduced serum potassium levels and increasing urinary ketones. The patient has refused all intravenous fluids, oral rehydration fluid or any other medication,” the hospital said. A health bulletin issued by the hospital at 9 pm mentioned that Wangchuk’s condition warrants immediate medical intervention.