National

Over 3,300 Entries Surge into WAVES 2025 ‘Reel Making’ Challenge, Showcasing India’s Innovation Journey

Published

1 year ago

February 5, 2025

The “Reel Making” challenge at WAVES 2025 has garnered over 3,300 submissions from India and 20 other countries. This initiative, introduced as part of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), aligns with the Government of India’s “Create in India” vision, aiming to empower both domestic and international talents to engage in the expanding global content creation landscape.

The competition has seen enthusiastic participation from nations such as Afghanistan, the United States, UAE, Germany, and Australia, underscoring WAVES’ reputation as a leading platform for creators. Additionally, entries have poured in from various remote regions of India, including Tawang, Dimapur, Kargil, and Gangtok, highlighting the burgeoning digital creator ecosystem across the country.

According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, participants aged 20 and older were invited to create short reels based on two pivotal themes: “Viksit Bharat,” which focuses on India’s advancements in technology and infrastructure, and “India @ 2047,” which invites creators to envision the country’s future growth. These themes provide a distinctive opportunity for storytellers to creatively articulate India’s journey of innovation in engaging 30-60 second films.

Winners of the challenge will receive an invitation to a masterclass hosted by Meta in 2025, along with recognition at WAVES 2025, which includes all-expenses-paid access to the event. Furthermore, they will be supported by the Ministry to partake in international content creator competitions.

The winning reels will be featured in WAVES’ Hall of Fame, as well as on the official website and social media platforms, enhancing their global visibility.

National

Pickup Vehicle Crashes Into Divider, Two Killed Including Child

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Namma Kudla

Uttar Pradesh: A tragic road accident took place in Uttar Pradesh when a pickup vehicle lost control and crashed into a road divider.

The driver and a three-year-old girl died on the spot due to the impact of the crash. Nine passengers who were travelling in the vehicle sustained injuries. They were rushed to the district hospital for treatment.

Reports said the victims were travelling to their native village to celebrate the Holi festival. A video showing the horrifying scene of the accident has gone viral on social media.

Preliminary reports suggest that overspeeding may have led to the accident. Police have started an investigation into the incident.

National

Five from Karnataka Killed in Car–Container Collision in Andhra Pradesh

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Namma Kudla

Andhra Pradesh: Five people from Karnataka were killed on the spot after the car they were travelling in rammed into a container truck from behind in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district on Tuesday.

The accident occurred near Gangavaram in Palamaneru while the victims were on their way to Tirupati temple from Bengaluru. According to police, the car crashed into the rear of a container vehicle with great force, leaving the vehicle completely mangled.

The deceased have been identified as Mohandas (71), Nagaraj (61), Kusuma (61), Jayanti (59), and Pooja (33). All of them were residents of Rajajinagar in Bengaluru.

Preliminary reports suggest that the impact of the collision was so severe that all five occupants died at the scene. Police have registered a case at the Palamaneru police station and further investigation is underway.

More details are awaited.

National

Woman Kills Ex-Lover Over Blackmail in Ballia

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

Namma Kudla

Uttar Pradesh: A married woman allegedly killed her former lover in Ballia after he blackmailed her with private videos, police said.

According to police, the victim was identified as Pankaj Gupta, a resident of Azamgarh. He was reportedly in a relationship with the woman from a nearby village.

Police said the woman wanted to end the relationship. However, Gupta allegedly began blackmailing her using obscene videos and harassed her repeatedly.

Unable to bear the threats, the woman informed her brother and sister-in-law. The trio allegedly planned the murder during a wedding function on February 5.

On February 7, they allegedly called Gupta to the village on a pretext. He was strangled to death, police said. The accused then poured acid on his face to hide his identity and tried to destroy evidence.

An unidentified body with a disfigured face was found on February 10. The crime was later solved during the investigation.

Police have arrested three accused, including the woman, and sent them to judicial custody. Efforts are on to arrest other suspects involved in the case.