top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Commoners feel painful pinch

Mumbai: As fuel prices shot up by nearly Rs 5/litre in barely 10 days, the common citizens are feeling the pinch of a fresh wave of inflation and rates of all essentials gradually rising. From the humble favourite street corner vada-pav and pav-bhaji to milk, vegetables, fruits, groceries and ice-creams, besides online food deliveries, malls, showrooms and other retailers, the impact is starkly visible all around. Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) President Viren...

Commoners feel painful pinch

Mumbai: As fuel prices shot up by nearly Rs 5/litre in barely 10 days, the common citizens are feeling the pinch of a fresh wave of inflation and rates of all essentials gradually rising. From the humble favourite street corner vada-pav and pav-bhaji to milk, vegetables, fruits, groceries and ice-creams, besides online food deliveries, malls, showrooms and other retailers, the impact is starkly visible all around. Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) President Viren Shah said the situation is indeed gloomy and likely to worsen, “not just in India, but world over” in the coming weeks. “After the appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people have veered to savings… Usually during summer vacations, our sales go up, but this year we are facing a downfall,” Shah told ‘The Perfect Voice’. He said that the response from thousands of FRTWA members in Mumbai and other parts are discouraging as many are trying to cut corners, save on overheads and possibly reduce staff. “There will be no fresh hirings, no increments for current staff, and since business is down, even the existing staffers face the axe. Prices are shooting up everywhere due to fuel price hikes coupled with fall in demand, it's like a double-hit for us,” lamented Shah. More than Heat Roadside food-vendors and customers are facing more than just the summer heat. Shubham Sharma running a popular pani-puri chat centre in Kandivali said that left with no options, he is forced to hike the prices of all his offerings by Rs 5-10 per plate from today. “We somehow managed with the previous two fuel price hikes, but the latest one will impact our livelihood. Business is already down due to summer vacations, this is another blow, with future appearing bleak,” rued Gupta, whose vast clientele base comprises students and office-goers. Most vada-pav vendors on the streets have quietly jacked up their rates by Rs. 5-10, depending on the locality. The rates have shot up between Rs. 25-Rs. 35, said Mangesh Sawant from Goregaon. “It’s a cascading effect. The price of pav (bread loaf) has gone up, the vegetables and chutneys are much more expensive besides the cooking oil and gas cylinders… What can we do?” lamented Sawant, showing how the afternoon peak hour rush was thinning. A visit to Dahisar markets shows a similar picture as vegetable prices have gone through the roofs – most greens of daily use are selling between Rs 25-40/250 gms; a bunch of ‘kothmir’ is available for Rs. 50, up by Rs 20 in just a week; tiny lemons go Rs 10 apiece, drumsticks are a luxury at Rs. 20-25/per piece, said a vendor Dilip Gupta. Despite the heat, the consumers are shying away from the traditional ice-creams and other cold drinks or frozen desserts, said the famed Borivali Best Falooda Centre owner Ramavtar Singh. “Summer is usually our peak season, but this year it is tough… The fuel prices hike has affected transportation costs of all our raw ingredients like milk, fresh or dry fruits, sugar, juices, etc. We shall be forced to hike the prices of our single kulfi from Rs 35 to Rs 50 soon, that will further hit business,” Singh said. Inflation Push Financial analyst and advisor Rajesh Shah said that fuel price hike has hit transportation, farming, logistics, manufacturing, retail supply chains, refrigeration, warehousing costs, etc, which could push up India’s retail inflation sharply in the next couple of months. “Added to this is the threat looming over fare hikes of public buses, railways, taxis, autorickshaws, arising out of the zooming global crude oil prices in the wake of the face-off in West Asia. Since India imports nearly 80 pc of its crude oil needs, it is extremely vulnerable to international shocks,” explained Shah. Market players point out how the cost of transport of essentials from farms to markets have increased by several thousands of rupees per truck as diesel powers the entire chain. “These costs are naturally passed down to the final consumer… ” said a tempo owner, Rupesh Gowale of Dahisar, as netizens raged against the government over social media.

A beacon of hope for rural athletes

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

How Akash Shinde transformed from a shy village boy to a prominent kabaddi player

beacon of hope

Mumbai: In the heart of Nashik's Adgaon village, a young boy Akash Shinde dared to dream big. Little did he know that his journey from playing in the muddy grounds of his town to becoming a PKL winner would inspire a generation of aspiring athletes.


“Initially, when I used to play, I would come home with bruises because Kabaddi was played in the mud,” Akash recalls as he enters his fourth season with the Puneri Paltan. And despite his family's initial concerns, his passion for kabaddi burned bright, fuelled by the unwavering support of his early mentors Sagar Malwade and Vinod Labde.


His path to success was far from smooth. He faced numerous setbacks, failing to make the cut in his first attempts at various levels. “I fell short in my first attempts at all levels. I went for my senior camp for Maharashtra and fell short there too!”


But instead of letting these failures discourage him, Akash used them as stepping stones. “These setbacks kept me determined, and I knew I needed to try harder and with renewed energy to show the world what I could do and achieve.”


His breakthrough came in 2019 at a seniors’ trial in Nashik. This performance opened doors, leading him to play in the Junior Nationals and eventually catching the eye of Yuva Paltan, which is the Puneri Paltan’s academy.


The turning point in Akash’s career came when he represented his college in Beed, earning his first chance to play for Maharashtra. Under the guidance of Anil Jagdale and Kailas Jagdale, his skills flourished. His journey accelerated as he moved from Mahindra & Mahindra to Yuva Paltan, where mentors like Sangram and Ashok helped refine his game.


Akash’s PKL debut with Puneri Paltan in Season 8 was a moment of immense pride, not just for him but for his entire village. “No player from the Nashik region had made it to PKL or even the Maharashtra team, so it was a shock, a pleasant one, for everyone. The entire Nashik district was very happy. It felt really good,” he reminisces.


But it was in Season 9 that he truly announced his arrival, becoming a formidable force on the mat. In the 22 matches that Akash played on the way to his first PKL final, he scored 139 raid points, averaging 6.32 raid point per match.


His performances caught the eye of the national selectors, earning him a spot on the Indian team for the Asian Games. “I received my Team India kit on the 27th of October. I still remember it,” he says.


The crowning glory came in PKL Season 10 when Akash, along with his Puneri Paltan teammates, lifted the coveted trophy. Albeit playing a diminished role, he managed an impressive 56 raid points in the 13 matches he played. “There was only one target then... we had made up our minds that we had to win the title this season, whatever it took,” he shared, reflecting on the team’s collective determination. Now, Akash stands as a beacon of hope for young athletes from rural India. His message to them is clear: “Keep believing in yourselves and your dedication and efforts.” He emphasizes the importance of loyalty, urging young players to stay true to the clubs that nurture them.


As he prepares for PKL Season 11, his journey from the muddy grounds of Adgaon to the bright lights of Pro Kabaddi serves as a testament to the power of dreams, determination, and unwavering support.

Comments

bottom of page