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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

US again places India on ‘priority watch list’ over alleged gaps in patent enforcement, IP rights violations

  • PTI
  • Apr 30, 2025
  • 3 min read


NEW DELHI: The US on Tuesday once again placed India on its 'priority watch list', stating that New Delhi remains one of the world's most challenging major economies for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPRs).


The US Trade Representative's (USTR) 2025 Special 301 report, an annual review of the global state of IPR protection and enforcement, said that over the past year, India has remained inconsistent in its progress on intellectual property protection and enforcement.


It said that although India has worked to strengthen its IP regime, including raising public awareness about the importance of the subject, and engagement with the US on IP issues has increased, there continues to be a lack of progress on many long-standing IP concerns.


"India remains one of the world's most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP... India remains on the Priority Watch List in 2025," it said.


The country had earlier stated that this report is a unilateral measure taken by the US under their Trade Act, 1974 to create pressure on countries to increase IPR protection beyond the TRIPS agreement. Besides, India has maintained that its IPR regime is fully compliant with global trade norms.


The report comes in the backdrop of India-US negotiating a bilateral trade agreement to boost two-way commerce to USD 500 billion by 2030. The US is looking at bridging its trade deficit with India, which was USD 41.18 billion in 2024-25, through this pact.


A trade expert said India has a well established legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard IPR that meets its obligations under the WTO's Agreement on Trade Related IPRs (TRIPS).


The concerns identified in the report are based on the inputs provided by the American industry on their perception of the level of protection provided by India to Intellectual Property.


The report also said patent issues continue to be of particular concern in India.


"Among other concerns, the potential threat of patent revocations and the procedural and discretionary invocation of patentability criteria under the Indian Patents Act impact companies across different sectors. Moreover, patent applicants generally continue to confront long waiting periods to receive patent grants and excessive reporting requirements," the report said.

Stakeholders continue to express concerns over vagueness in the interpretation of the Indian Patents Act, it alleged.


It added that India maintains high customs duties directed to IP-intensive products such as information and communications technology products, solar energy equipment, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and capital goods.


"While steps to improve IP Office operations and procedures are to be commended, India's overall IP enforcement remains inadequate," it said.

It added that the US intends to continue to engage with India on IP matters, including through the trade policy forum's intellectual property working group.


The report has listed eight countries, including India in its 'priority watch list'. China, Indonesia, Russia, Argentina, and Venezuela are among others on the list.


It has also placed 25 countries, including Pakistan and Turkey, on the list.

US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer said the USA's trading partners must address the concerns identified in the report and stop those stealing the intellectual property of hard-working businesses and individuals.


This annual report details USTR's findings of more than 100 trading partners after research and engagement with stakeholders.


Other issues that have been flagged in the report include, concerns over the provision of Section 3(d) of the Patent Act, and pharmaceutical patent disputes.

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