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With the soft murmur of dawn, while the wetlands of eastern India soak in the golden light of a rising sun, revolution is in motion. Hidden away in the flooded paddy fields, crabs crawl in the clefts between the tender rice shoots' nascent roots, their tender legs etching an incredible dance of cohabitation. It is not only nature's miracle—this complementarity of crustaceans and agriculture—it is an economic lifesaver for farmers struggling with mercurial weather and diminishing yields.

Welcome to integrated rice-crab farming, commonly called 'matsya prajapat'—a green farm revolution changing rural topography along Odisha, West Bengal, and portions of Andhra Pradesh. Farmers no longer sit out uncertain monsoons and crop destruction. They are harvesting two crops simultaneously from a single field: rice and crabs, thriving in tandem.

A Dual Harvest Against Climate Odds

Ranjan Behera, a Kendrapara district farmer in Odisha, remembers the hardship of traditional farming. "I relied solely on rice," he says. "But errant rains would decimate my crops every season. Now, even if the rice crop gets ruined, the crabs keep my family from starving."

The process is beautifully simple:

Rice is planted in conventional fashion in waterlogged paddies.

Juveniles are released into the paddies and absorbed by the rice plants.

The crabs, during a few months, feed on natural pests and organic waste, reducing chemical fertilizers and pesticides use.

At harvest time, crabs are of market size, creating a secondary income source beyond the rice crop.

This symbiotic association has several benefits:

• Natural pest management: Crabs eat pests and weeds, reducing farmers' reliance on expensive agrochemicals.
• Enhanced soil health: Crab faeces is a biofertilizer that makes the soil resilient.
• Climate resilience: Even if rice crops are devastated by flood or drought, crabs provide a buffer against financial loss.

From Survival to Prosperity

In the West Bengal Sundarbans delta—a cyclone- and brackish-water-hit area—paddies such as Maitreyi Mondal have become dependent on crab cultivation as a backstop. "Earlier, a single flood would destroy everything," she says. "Now, crabs provide us with a regular income. We sell them to local markets and even to Bangladesh."

The financial benefit is unambiguous. One hectare of integrated rice-crab cultivation can reap:

• 1.5 to 2 tons of rice
• 200-300 kg crabs, sold in domestic markets for ₹400-600 a kg

Marginal farmers get twice or thrice their investment back from this as compared to rice monoculture.

Challenges and the Road Ahead

Promising though the system may be, it is riddled with challenges:

• Unawareness: Farmers don't have a clue how crab farming is undertaken.
• Predator attacks: Birds and snakes occasionally attack young crabs.
• Access to markets: Good supply chains must be developed so prices are reasonable.

Agencies are filling in, such as WorldFish and India's Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and training to start community crab hatcheries to deliver a consistent supply of juvenile crabs.

A Blueprint for Sustainable Farming

Integrated rice-crab farming is not just agricultural farming—it is a success of human determination over climate change. By tapping into nature's synergies, farmers are rewriting the script of vulnerability into one of prosperity and resilience.

As the sun sets over jade-green paddies, the distant chatter of crabs in the sea suggests a comforting truth: sometimes the best solution comes in what nature has to offer.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who boycotted the last three Niti Aayog Governing Council meetings, participated in the 2025 iteration in Delhi on Saturday and requested the release of the Centre's share of Rs 2,200 crore of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). He requested Tamil Nadu's share in central duties to be raised to 50 per cent as envisaged by the vision of the Prime Minister to expedite the development of states.

"Due to a few states not joining the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education under the PM Shri scheme, the SSA fund has been withheld. To be precise, for the year 2024-2025, about Rs 2,200 crore of Union funding has been withheld from Tamil Nadu," Stalin continued in the 10th Niti Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He told the government that the hold-up of funds affects the education of students who are studying in government-run schools as well as children educated under Right to Education Act (RTE) and asked the Centre to release the funds at the earliest and without putting "unilateral conditions".

Previously, PM Modi had directed the states to make "future-ready" cities and one tourist destination at the international level. The Prime Minister directed the chief ministers to accelerate the development process in an effort to achieve the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' or developed India by 2047. Referring to the PM's proposal for states' development, Stalin said the Centre must increase its share in the central taxes to 50 per cent, calling it essential for a dedicated urban regeneration mission in the state.

Tamil Nadu is receiving merely 33.16 per cent of central taxes when it is eligible for a minimum of 41 per cent, Stalin recently stated on social media.

"Long-term vision is to achieve economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable with social justice and equality and the Dravidian Model is how we achieve that for everyone," Stalin said, adding that it is also the vision of his administration to achieve a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030 and USD 4.5 trillion by 2047 to be aligned with PM Modi's "developed India" vision.

Tamil Nadu has also consistently posted an 8 per cent GDP growth in recent years and even 9.69 per cent growth during the previous year, MK Stalin reported at the meeting, which was chaired by Union Ministers, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman and other state Chief Ministers.

"Tamil Nadu has become industrialized across the board. From cars to green hydrogen, we've witnessed robust expansion across all sunrise sectors," the DMK leader enumerated major welfare initiatives his government utilized since 2021.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has raised an alert against unauthorised medical colleges in the nation that are running in the absence of necessary approvals from NMC and making false claims to students and parents about recognition and accepting admissions in medical courses that are not legally approved.

The guidelines issued by NMC Secretary Raghav Langer to states stated they have put down some of the key points to be remembered by parents and students while admitting to a medical course in India and the rules to be adopted by the students who want to take medical education in foreign nations.

The NMC also identified two medical colleges - Singhania University in Rajasthan and Sanjiban Hospital and Medical College, Howrah, West Bengal - for providing MBBS courses without NMC approval.

In a second advisory, Sukh Kal Meena, Director, Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), stated, "The NMC has noted a couple of instances of unauthorized medical colleges functioning in the nation, without necessary approvals. These colleges are cheating students and parents by asserting recognition and accepting admissions in medical courses that are not legally approved."

It, however, did not specify any medical colleges which are violating the norms except those of Rajasthan and WB.

"Only those medical colleges shown on the official NMC website are legally entitled to offer MBBS and other medical degree courses in India. Those institutions that are not shown on NMC's official list are unauthorised and running in contravention of NMC norms," the advisory further said.

The NMC also provided regulations for students who wish to undertake medical studies in foreign nations. The NMC informed that the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021, clearly state the norms for foreign medical education to be eligible to practice medicine in India.

The main requirements are minimum 54 months of study in one institution; 12-month internship to be served at the same foreign university; clinical training cannot be done in segments or in different countries; medium of instruction should be English; completed the compulsory subjects enlisted in the Schedule-I; enrolled with the respective professional regulatory council or otherwise, authorized to issue license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country from which the medical degree is granted and at par with the license to practice medicine issued to citizen of that country.

It further added that foreign medical graduates who do not meet these regulations can be disqualified from registration to practice medicine in India. The NMC also emphasized that students graduating from non-compliant colleges will be rendered ineligible for licensing exams - FMGE in India.

Ask any new copywriter what makes a great copy, and they'll likely answer: "a big idea." That breathtaking headline. That hook surprise. That flash of creativity that brings a person up short on the scroll.

But here's the secret that experienced copywriters know: amazing copy doesn't start with a big idea—it starts with clarity of intent.

Before you set a single word down, pause. Ask yourself: Why is the reader here? What are they really looking for—not on the surface, but in their hearts?

That is what writing without this understanding is like. Heart surgery without knowing where the pain is. You might have the skill, the gear, the panache. But you're still doing it blind.

Copywriting is not smart. Copywriting is transparent. And that transparency isn't in your head—it's in hearing out the reader's.

Is she tense? Hopeful? Surfing on boredom? Is she seeking a solution, or relieved that she's not isolated? If you haven't a clue what their purpose is, your copy will fail—no matter how beautiful it is.

Envision The Bourne Identity. Jason Bourne doesn't know who he is—still, his instincts kick in. He can fight, dodge, survive. But without context, he's just reacting.

That's what writing without reader intent feels like. Your instincts may be sharp, but your copy won't cut deep. It won't resonate. It won't touch.

So before you jump into headlines and hooks, ask:

In what state of mind is my reader?

What are they secretly hoping I'll provide?

What change do I want to effect by the end?

Intent is your creative GPS. It doesn't limit your creativity—it sharpens it. With intent, your ideas have purpose. Your words have force. Your copy resonates because it knows why it's there.

Master intent. Everything else—voice, style, even the big idea—follows from there.

Because clarity is not the enemy of creativity in copywriting. It's the foundation.

In a time when language is often wielded as a tool of division in political discourse, a young girl’s academic achievement offers a quiet yet powerful counterpoint. When D. Jiya Kumari, a Bihar-born student, topped the Tamil paper in the Class 10 state board exams of Tamil Nadu, she did more than just excel in school—she challenged a narrative. Her success has prompted Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to call it an "eye-opener" for those who seek to stoke linguistic divides.

In this insightful piece, we unpack how a single student’s journey can symbolize the deeper currents of national unity, cultural integration, and the potential of India's multilingual ethos. At the intersection of politics, policy, and identity, Jiya Kumari’s story reminds us that education has the power not just to bridge gaps—but to dissolve them entirely.

Speaking about the example of a student belonging to Bihar-origin topping the Class 10 Tamil examination in the southern state this year, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remarked that her tale is an eye-opener for "those who are attempting to make divisions on the basis of language".

Pradhan was addressing a function on Monday to inaugurate a Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp, which is being organized in government schools this summer to introduce children to the study of Indian languages. He also inaugurated learning material like primers and special modules in Indian languages. He had dedicated the event to D Jiya Kumari, the Bihar student who achieved 93 out of 100 in the Tamil paper of the Tamil Nadu state board.

We have noticed this in the paper recently. She was born in Bihar, and her father came to Chennai to make a living 17 years ago. His three daughters have now learned Tamil in school. Jiya Kumari got 93 out of 100 in Tamil and 467 out of 500 total," Pradhan said.

Pradhan's remark comes after the Centre and Tamil Nadu had a confrontation over the State's refusal to adopt components of the National Education Policy 2020, including the three-language policy. The State, which has a two-language policy and students learn English and Tamil in school, had viewed the three-language policy as a move to implement Hindi.

In what is being hailed as a turning point in school health policy, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has sounded a national alert over the shocking escalation of Type 2 diabetes among children, a disease previously detected mostly among adults. As rates of childhood obesity and metabolic disorders rise throughout India, CBSE's reaction is at once urgent and prophetic: it has instructed schools to create "Sugar Boards" to inform children of the risks of excessive consumption of sugar.

As per the circular of CBSE, the increase in childhood Type 2 diabetes is closely related to unrestricted access to soft drinks, processed foods, and junk food—foods commonly available on or off school grounds. While sugar now accounts for 13%–15% of total child caloric intake, well above the recommended threshold of 5%, the board cautions that it poses a long-term risk to children's physical health, academic achievement, and general well-being.

These new Sugar Boards are not for show. They're being imagined as health education tools, bearing essential information including:

• Safe daily sugar allowances
• Sugar levels in popular foods and drinks
• The health effects of too much sugar
• Smart food swaps and healthier options

CBSE has also required schools to upload implementation reports and photos by July 15, and hold workshops and awareness seminars for children and parents.

The movement has received praise from high-profile figures such as Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath, a leading voice of India's wellness movement. Describing it as "a step in the right direction," Kamath stressed parental involvement and cultural sensitization concerning diet and health. "Now to work out how to make parents care about it," he posted on X, noting that this fight requires both institutional thrust and family-level change.

A lot of the motivation behind CBSE's shift comes from the bottom-up campaigns of health influencer Revant Himatsingka, commonly referred to as Foodpharmer, who initiated the Sugar Board Movement a mere 18 months ago. Himatsingka, who repeatedly alerted through viral videos and deconstructing food labels about sugar's underlying effect, referred to this as "India's largest step so far against childhood diabetes and obesity.

Speaking to Dr Amit Dias from Dept of Preventive and Social medicine, Goa Medical College, who was the Co Principal Investigator for the ICMR- INDIAB study on the epidemiology of Diabetes, we found that Goa has the highest proportion of diabetes in the country amounting to 26.4 % in adults. We need to take action right from childhood 

“In a nation grappling with both undernourishment in certain segments and lifestyle conditions in others, this directive might prove to be a game-changer. If done in earnest, CBSE's Sugar Board program can very well emerge as a national example for preventive health education among students.

This shift is now a reality driven by rising obesity, consumption of junk food, physical inactivity, and excessive screen time. I strongly believe that we must take proactive and creative steps to address this epidemic—starting with motivating children to embrace healthier lifestyles and activity, healthy food, and de-addicting them from mobile phones. Schools can play a pivotal role in this transformation by educating students about the risks of excessive sugar consumption and empowering them to make informed food and activity choices early in life - This will not only prevent diabetes but a whole range of non communicable diseases”