Veteran Kannada film actress Prathima Devi dead
Bengaluru, Apr 6: Veteran Kannada film actress Prathima Devi who had worked in more than 60 movies died at the age of 88 on Tuesday, family sources said.
Hailing from the district headquarters town of Udupi in coastal Karnataka, Prathima Devi is survived by her sons S V Rajendra Singh Babu, Sangram Singh, Jayaraj Singh and daughter Vijayalakshmi Singh.
According to the family members, she had a habit of sleeping before lunch everyday.
On Tuesday too, she was lying on the bed. When her family members tried to wake her up, she did not respond.
Believing that she might have lost her consciousness due to old age, the family members rushed her to a hospital where she was declared brought dead.
Born as Mohini, the actress adopted the new name Prathima Devi when she made an entry to the silver screen with the movie 'Krishna Leela' at the age of 15.
She was married to eminent Kannada film actor, director and producer late Shankar Singh.
Some of her prominent movies besides 'Krishna Leela' were 'Jaganmohini', 'Nagakanye', 'Shiva Parvathi' and 'Sri Srinivasa Kalyana.'
In his condolence message, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressed his deep sorrow.
She was one of the towering personalities in the Kannada film industry and the industry has lost a most talented actress in her death, the Chief Minister said in a statement.
ರಂಗಭೂಮಿ ಮತ್ತು ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ 4 ದಶಕಗಳ ಕಾಲ ಸೇವೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದ್ದ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಹಿರಿಯ ನಟಿ ಪ್ರತಿಮಾ ದೇವಿಯವರ ನಿಧನಕ್ಕೆ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @BSYBJP ರವರು ತೀವ್ರ ಸಂತಾಪ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಪಡಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮೃತರ ಆತ್ಮಕ್ಕೆ ಸದ್ಗತಿಯನ್ನು, ಕುಟುಂಬದವರು, ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ದುಃಖ ಭರಿಸುವ ಶಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಭಗವಂತ ನೀಡಲಿ ಎಂದು ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿಗಳು ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) April 6, 2021
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
