Former India Cricketer C D Gopinath Passes Away at 96 in Chennai

Chennai, Apr 10 (BNP): Former India Test cricketer C D Gopinath, the last surviving member of India’s first-ever Test victory team, passed away in Chennai at the age of 96.

Gopinath was India’s oldest living Test cricketer and the second oldest in the world after Australia’s Neil Harvey. Born on March 1, 1930, he was part of India’s early Test journey and remains closely associated with one of Indian cricket’s most historic milestones.

He represented India in eight Test matches and also featured in 83 first-class games for India and Madras. A right-handed batter, Gopinath played during a formative era of Indian cricket and contributed to the team’s early development on the international stage.

He was part of the Indian squad that secured the country’s first-ever Test win against England, a landmark achievement in Indian cricket history.

Gopinath’s passing marks the end of an era, closing a chapter linked to the very beginnings of India’s Test cricket legacy.

Paradip Port Authority Completes First Batch of CSR Skill Development Programme

Paradip (Odisha), Apr 10 (BNP): The Paradip Port Authority (PPA), in partnership with CEMS, has successfully completed the first batch of its CSR-supported skill development initiative focused on training youth from Odisha for industry-ready careers.

Under the programme, 25 participants were awarded certificates in Supply Chain Management, gaining practical skills relevant to the maritime and logistics sectors. The training aims to improve employability and prepare candidates for opportunities in key logistics centres such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.

Officials said the initiative is designed to strengthen job readiness by providing focused, industry-aligned training and bridging the gap between academic learning and workforce requirements.

The certificate distribution event was attended by Paradip Port Authority Chairman P.L. Haranadh, along with senior port officials. Commander Gopi Krishna Sivvam (Retd.), Chief Operating Officer of CEMS, also participated in the programme.

The initiative is aimed at building a skilled talent pool to support the growing needs of India’s logistics and maritime sectors, while also contributing to youth empowerment in the region.

RBI Plans New Security Measures to Combat Rising Digital Payment Fraud

Mumbai, Apr 10 (BNP): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a set of enhanced security measures aimed at strengthening the safety of digital payment systems amid a sharp rise in fraud cases driven largely by social engineering tactics.

According to the proposal, the central bank is considering layered safeguards, including delayed processing of certain transactions, stronger authentication mechanisms for vulnerable users, and tighter monitoring of bank accounts to detect suspicious activity more effectively.

The move comes as digital payment frauds have increased in recent years, with criminals often exploiting users through deceptive calls, messages, and online manipulation rather than technical hacking.

Under the proposed framework, banks and payment service providers may also be required to adopt more proactive fraud detection systems and improve real-time monitoring of high-risk transactions.

The RBI said the objective is to strike a balance between convenience and security, ensuring that the rapid growth of digital payments is not undermined by rising fraud risks.

The proposed measures are part of the regulator’s broader efforts to strengthen trust in India’s fast-expanding digital payment ecosystem.

Iran Limits Strait of Hormuz Transit to 15 Vessels Daily Under Ceasefire Agreement

Apr.10 (BNP): Iran has announced that no more than 15 vessels per day will be permitted to pass through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, following a ceasefire agreement reportedly reached with the United States.

According to TASS, which cited an unnamed senior Iranian official, the restriction will be implemented as part of controlled maritime operations aimed at maintaining stability in the region amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway approximately 34 km wide between Iran and Oman, serves as a vital global shipping route connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean. It facilitates the transit of nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies, along with essential commodities such as fertilisers and other goods.

The imposition of a daily vessel cap is expected to significantly impact global shipping traffic and energy markets, with industry stakeholders closely monitoring the situation. Experts warn that any prolonged restriction could disrupt supply chains and lead to volatility in global oil prices.

While the move signals a partial easing of tensions under the ceasefire framework, the controlled access highlights the continued strategic sensitivity of the region and its importance to global trade and energy security.

ISRO Successfully Conducts Second Integrated Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission

Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), Apr 10 (BNP): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the second Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-02) for the upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, marking another important milestone in India’s crewed space programme.

The test was conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and focused on validating the crew module recovery system, a critical safety mechanism that ensures the safe return of astronauts during re-entry and landing.

The crew module is the capsule that will carry astronauts during the mission, and the air drop tests are designed to simulate real landing conditions. These trials help engineers assess parachute deployment, stability of the capsule, and overall performance under different emergency scenarios.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO on the achievement, noting it as a key step forward for India’s first human spaceflight mission, which is targeted for next year.

The second test follows the successful completion of the first Integrated Air Drop Test conducted in August 2025 at the same facility.

Air drop tests are an essential part of mission validation, where a dummy crew module is dropped from an aircraft or helicopter to replicate the final phase of spacecraft descent. These experiments test critical systems such as parachute deployment, controlled descent, and safe splashdown under varied conditions.

With the success of IADT-02, ISRO has further strengthened the reliability of its crew safety systems, bringing the country closer to launching astronauts into space under the Gaganyaan programme.

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