9-yr-old Shreyovi Mehta named runner-up in Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
New Delhi (PTI): A chance encounter with two peahens on a morning stroll through the forests of Keoladev National Park in Bharatpur has put nine-year-old Shreyovi Mehta in the annals of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award.
The 60th edition of the prestigious award by Natural History Museum (NHM) has named Mehta runner-up in the '10 Years and Under' category.
Titled "In the Spotlight", Mehta's photo showed a pair of peahens, silhouetted under a canopy of trees at Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, India.
Mehta's image was one of the nearly 60,000 photographs by participants of all ages and experience levels from 117 countries and territories.
Talking about receiving the recognition, Mehta said she wants to continue practising wildlife photography.
"I am glad that my image of our national bird has been given recognition by Natural history Museum at the biggest stage of wildlife photography. I will continue to practice so that one day even our national animal - the tiger gets the same recognition," Mehta told PTI.
The class five student from Faridabad will receive a medal at an award ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London on October 8.
"In this selection you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues. These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world - the beauty and the challenges," Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel, said in a statement.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open at the NHM on October 11 and will run till June 29, 2025.
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TN govt reaffirms 21-yr age limit for liquor sales
Chennai (PTI): Seeking to curb rising alcohol consumption among minors in the state, the Tamil Nadu government has reinforced the legal age requirement of 21 for all liquor purchases and consumption.
The government has also ordered the closure of 717 liquor outlets across the state and warned of strict action against those who violate the new directives.
The state-owned Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the agency which holds a monopoly on sales of liquor, will be shutting 276 outlets near places of worship, 186 near educational institutions and 255 outlets near bus stations.
A senior TASMAC official on Thursday said that the staff at liquor shops have been instructed to check identity proof, including Aadhaar card, for all customers whose age is in question.
The official also said that the state government is considering a reduction in operational hours.
Currently, the liquor shops across the state operate from 12 noon to 10 pm.
"They are weighing a proposal to move the closing time to 8 pm," he added.
At present, the TASMAC operates a total of 4,765 liquor shops across the state. After the closure of 717 shops, it would come down to 4,048 outlets.
In 2025, the revenue from liquor sales stood at Rs 48,344 crore, which is the second highest after the registration department.
