QWrap: Modi Hugs Trump Awkwardly; Remembering RD Burman’s Music

Here are the top stories of the day.

PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the White House.

(Photo: AP)

1. Awkward Hugs at Modi-Trump Meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday where they held delegation level talks. In a joint statement, the leaders declared fighting terrorism as their top priority.

Both the leaders called on Pakistan to stem terrorist attacks and Trump said both Modi and him are “leaders in social media”. Trump also accepted Modi’s invitation to visit India. Read the full story here.

2. China’s Incursion in Sikkim

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) issued a statement early on 27 June confirming the closure of the Nathu La Pass. The move is in response to Indian reports accusing the Chinese Army of entering India in the Sikkim sector and jostling with Indian army personnel guarding the Sino-India frontier and destroying two bunkers.

The PLA also issued a statement late on 26 June, accusing India of “provoking trouble” by repeatedly trying to stop the construction of a road along the border. It further urged India to withdraw its troops immediately from the border, People’s Daily reported. Read the full story here.

3. ‘Dada Shaped my Music’: Remembering RD Burman

In October 1993, I got time to do a comprehensive interview with RD Burman in his studio. We started with his latest 1942: A Love Story and went back to his childhood in Calcutta. About two hours into the interview, Asha dropped in and I got a rare chance to catch RD and Asha together with no time limit.

RD Burman: It was Dada (SD Burman) who from start to finish shaped my music. I was living with my naani in Calcutta and my father Dada Burman and mother Meera Burman were in Bombay. My father was trying to make his music career. First he tried in the 50s but got frustrated and came back to Calcutta. Later, he went to play another baazi with Guru Dutt’s film Baazi and he won.

Read the full story here.

4. VIVO Sponsors IPL for 5 Years with Rs 2,199 Crore

Companies paid Rs 3 lakh just to buy the application form, so it’s no surprise that VIVO has broken all previous records in their successful bid for the title sponsorship of the Indian Premier League.

Disclosed to be a massive Rs 2,199 crore, VIVO now holds the title rights for the IPL for a five year span from 2018 to 2022. The BCCI had last month invited bids for the title sponsorship of the cash-rich and glitzy event for the period between 1 August 2017 and 31 July 2022. Read the full story here.

5. Indira Gandhi and Emergency

On the night of 25 June 1975, Indira Gandhi got the proclamation of Emergency signed by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad. The police now had Constitutional powers they did not even know existed. They were instructed to not allow press vehicles carrying the next day’s newspapers to leave the office. In fact, journalists recall how the power to their printing units was cut through the night.

At 6 am, on 26 June 1975, Indira Gandhi got the proclamation of Emergency ratified by the Cabinet and an hour later, she informed her country via a 15-minute address on All India Radio. Read the full story here.

Video Producer: Sonal Gupta
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam