kochi l sunday l august 09, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late city EDITION India plans high-risk mission to bring ‘Green Boots’ home India is seeking a specialist recovery team to retrieve the remains of Dorje Morup, a 48-yearold lance naik of ITBP, from Mt Everest’s summit Part of historic everest expedition tricky recovery has september deadline For nearly 30 years, a body known as “Green Boots” has been frozen under a rock near Mount Everest’s summit. Morup was part of a historic 1996 ITBP expedition aiming to become the first Indian team to summit Everest from the Chinese side. Three climbers reached the top; but a blizzard claimed all three. Two bodies remain missing. The third was Morup’s ■ ■ Authorities hope to return Morup’s remains to his family in Ladakh for DNA confirmation and final closure, the BBC reported Recovery from the death zone at 8,500 metres is hazardous. Temperatures can fall to -40°C, and the Chinese side lacks helicopter evacuation. ITBP aims to complete the operation by September. 300 at least 300 people have died in the region since records began 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 PM addresses IIT-D convocation; in UP, Rahul says no jobs available ‘Vande Mataram’ circular lands UDF govt in a spot E x p r ess N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kozhikode Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 57th Convocation of IIT Delhi, flanked by Education Minister Pralhad Joshi | PTI No UPI user fee for you, govt assures consumers E N S E c o n o m i c B u r e a u @ New Delhi THE government on Saturday reiterated that consumers will not have to pay any fee for making UPI payments and that a vast majority of merchant transactions will continue to remain free, even if merchant discount rate (MDR) is introduced in the future. The clarification comes after Parliament passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act (PSS Act), enabling introduction of MDR on UPI transactions. The government said the amendment does not impose any charges on UPI transactions. Any MDR, if introduced, would apply only to a limited set of merchant transactions above a specified threshold and at a nominal rate, significantly lower than MDRs applicable to debit and credit cards. “All person-to-person transactions will continue to be free of charge,” the government said in a statement. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi interacts with students in Prayagraj on Saturday | PTI Question Dard, data, ideas, Modi daulat pitch tells Gen Z by Rahul I f r a h M u f t i @New Delhi N a m i ta b a j pa i @ Lucknow ADDRESSING the 57th convocation of IIT Delhi on Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi ex, horted graduating students to question ideas accepted without a thought while stressing that they should not stop at questioning but summon the courage to find solutions too. Challenges, he said, become opportunities for only those who innovate boldly . Returning in person to IIT-D after a virtual address during the pandemic, the prime minister told the Class of 2026 that an IIT education’s true value lies beyond degrees, CGPA or placements. “Your degree tells the entire world that you know exactly how to solve highly difAmidst all this ficult problems,” he said. rapid change, The PM recalled IIT-D’s remember hostel rivalries among Kumy words: the maon, Aravali, Karakoram, Vindhyachal, Nilgiri, Kaione who lash and Himadri, and locontinuously cal favourites like Jia learns is the one Sarai’s poha and Satpura who will win mess parathas, saying campus memories would enerNarendra Modi, gise them amid future Prime Minister responsibilities. He advised students to keep their curiosity alive in life.”The fundamental reason for the success of many alumni was that they boldly identified those crucial questions which the world had stopped considering as questions.” The university conferred degrees on over 3,000 graduating students, including 587 PhD scholars, during the ceremony which also saw , the first graduating batches of Bachelor of Design, Executive MBA, MSc in Biological Sciences and MA in Culture, Society Thought. , Of the 587 PhD graduates, 245 were women, on which PM Modi said it would have been “a little nicer” to see one or two more daughters on that list, before correcting himself: “not one or two, but far more.” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday described India’s youth as the country’s “greatest strength,” asserting their power was unmatched and unparalleled. Addressing the ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme in Prayagraj, he told a large gathering of students and competitive exam aspirants: “You are the power and pride of India. When I say this, I am talking about every Indian citizen.” The Congress leader said nations like China, America and Russia were often called major global powers, yet their strength paled in comparision to the potential of Indian youth. In a nearly 20-minute adToday, education dress, he took a jibe at the certificates have education system, noting that families spent hardno meaning in earned money on BA and India because MA degrees that failed to they cannot give generate employment. Only a dozen out of every 1,000 you jobs. All youngsters, he claimed, sedoors of cured permanent jobs. employment “This evening, I want to are closed speak to you about dard (pain), data, and daulat Rahul Gandhi, LoP (wealth),” Rahul said. He argued that all doors of employment were “closed”, blaming a decline in manufacturing, difficulties in securing loans, exam paper leaks and artificial intelligence replacing jobs for hurting young people’s prospects. Despite waterlogging and muddy patches at the venue, the event drew a sizeable crowd. On the recent student protests across the country, Rahul said the youth had “lit a light in the darkness” by confronting their fears and, in doing so, helped change the nation. “We will never resort to hatred or violence. We will change the system with love and affection,” he said, urging the audience to follow the same path. Students present at the venue raised concerns about hostel problems and competitive examinations. A directive from the Chief Secretary which insisted that , Vande Mataram should be recited in full during the Independence Day celebrations this year, has pushed the UDF government, especially the IUML, on the defensive. The sections which supported the UDF in the assembly elections have started casting aspersions on the front’s ‘commitment to resist the Sangh Parivar onslaught’, while the LDF stepped up its campaign over the ‘UDF-BJP deal’. The letter from Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha dated August 6 said “all physical celebrations during this period shall combine the collective singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ with the hoisting/display of the National Flag.” It said the Government of India has decided that Har Ghar Tiranga will be observed this year from August 9 to 17. “In continuation of the campaign launched in 2022 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 2026 edition has been integrated with the third phase of the nation- Savarkar question in school quiz sparks row Kasaragod: A political row erupted in Kerala over a question in a school quiz that described Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar as a freedom fighter “who received the most severe punishment from the British”, prompting education minister to order an inquiry.P4 wide commemoration of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram…,’ it stated. As criticism mounted from various corners, General Education Minister N Samudheen clarified that the circular has been issued as directed by the governor and the state government has no role in it. IUML national general secretary and Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty said the UDF stand is that there is no need to sing ‘Vande Mataram’ in full and the party’s further reactions will be after meeting Chief Minister V D Satheesan. But the pro-UDF organisations seem to be thoroughly unhappy with the develop● More on P4 ments.  India has begun efforts to join France’s sixthgeneration fighter programme, choosing its Future Combat Air System (FCAS) over the rival British-Italian-Japanese Global Combat Air Prog ramme (GCAP), as it seeks a foothold in next-generation combat aviation. In its Action Taken submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, the defence ministry said it had “initiated efforts in a concerted manner to co-join” FCAS, a programme spearheaded by the French government. The disclosure, contained in the committee’s Twenty-Fifth Report for 2025-26 tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday provides , clarity on a choice the ministry had left open in March. It had then told the committee that the Indian Air Force was looking to join one of the two competing sixth-generation fighter programmes. The move comes as major military powers race to develop combat aircraft designed around stealth, artificial intel- No clarity on nature of participation There is no clarity yet on the precise form of participation in FCAS, including whether it is seeking an observer role, a development partnership, production workshare or access to specific tech. The panel has sought a “status report, roadmap, timeline” on the sixth-gen programme in its next submission ligence (AI), advanced sensors, electronic warfare and mannedunmanned teaming. Unlike conventional fighter programmes, sixth-generation systems are being developed as a “system of systems”, with the crewed fighter expected to operate alongside unmanned aircraft, remote carriers and other networked assets while receiving and sharing data across the battlespace. The technology has growing relevance for India as China expands its air-combat capabilities. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force operates the J-20 and J-35 stealth fighter and is developing a wider ecosystem involving unmanned systems, long-range weapons, airborne sensors and electronic warfare capabilities. It has also flown two prototypes of its sixth-gen fighters. The choice of France also comes against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding bilateral defence ties. FCAS was originally conceived by France, Germany and Spain as a broader combat system comprising a new-generation fighter, unmanned remote carriers, advanced sensors and a combat cloud. The fighter was intended to eventually replace France’s Rafale and the Eurofighter. It was, however, was hit by disagreements between French company Dassault Aviation and Airbus over the division of work, development leadership and intellectual property . A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering speculation about a SAD-BJP alliance for the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, the Akali party on Saturday demanded the immediate implementation of the women’s reservation bill and a fair and equitable delimitation to ensure equal representation to all states. “After detailed deliberations on key issues before Parliament, the SAD demands a fair and equitable delimitation that ensures equal representation to all states,” Badal said, adding his party supports the Union government’s proposal for a uniform increase of 50% seats across all states. SAD has just one MP in the Lok Sabha. Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said his party had earlier opposed delimitation based on the 2011 Census, but after deliberations it decided to support the Centre’s proposal for a uniform expansion of seats. He was, however, cagey on an electoral alliance with the BJP in Punjab, which goes to polls in a few months. In a symbolic protest, PSC rank holders eat grass placed on top of copies of their rank list during an indefinite fast in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The protesters are seeking action on their demands, including referring private school teachers’ appointments to the Public Service Commission | Albin Mathew J aya n t h j a c o b @ New Delhi J a v a r i a R a n a @ New Delhi H a r p r ee t B a j w a @ Chandigarh serving up a protest India opts for France-led FCAS to US Vice-Prez Vance dials PM Modi enter sixth-generation fighter race US Vice-President J D Vance rang up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday as India and the United States seek to steady bilateral ties and maintain momentum in their strategic partnership. During the phone call, the two leaders “reviewed progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership” and “noted the sustained mo- Badal party on BJP’s page on delimitation mentum in the high-level engagements,” according to an official release. They “reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, defence, critical and emerging technologies, energy security and critical minerals,” the release said. Modi and Vance also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. Modi later said in a post on X: “Received a phone call from US Vice-President J D Vance. We discussed ways to deepen India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.” The PM also congratulated Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, on the birth of their son. Express Read Conductor, driver killed in KSRTC bus accident Kozhikode: A driver and conductor were killed and four passengers critically injured after a KozhikodeBengaluru KSRTC bus lost control and flipped upside down on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway at Bidadi on Saturday. P5 WITH THIS ISSUE The Brain Game Brigade PLUS 12 P AGES actor apologises to fans Mohanlal’s Sydney show hits a visa hurdle V a r s h a S o m a r a j @Kochi For the first time in his nearly five-decade film career, actor Mohanlal has missed an overseas stage show after failing to secure his Australian visa in time, leaving him “helpless” and apologising to fans who had travelled to Sydney for the event. The stage show — ‘Vaikittu Entha Paripadi’ — scheduled to be held in Sydney on Saturday night had to be postponed after Mohanlal was unable to travel to Australia. In a video message recorded from Singapore, the actor expressed deep regret over missing the show, and said he did not know how to explain the situation. “I don’t know how to express my grief. I am in a very sad situation. It has been almost 50 years since I entered the film industry Perhaps, I am . the actor from India who has performed in the most number of shows,” he said. He said he was unaware of what had caused the delay in the visa process. “For the first time in my life, I did not get my visa. I don’t know how it happened. It could be a technical or clerical mistake, or an AI-generated issue,” he said. “I am taking all the blame on myself. I am telling you that it is my fault. I am very sorry about it,” he said. Mohanlal said the show had been planned with a good concept and that he had tried to reach Sydney . His team, including singer K S Chithra, had already arrived there. “The organisers and my team made every possible effort to ensure that the show went ahead,” Mohanlal said, particularly thanking Vimal of Kayal Events and his office. “To each one of you who drove from far away and came to watch this show, I apologise from the bottom of my heart,” ● More on P4 he said.