Adani defends India's COVID handling, says criticism should not be at cost of national dignity
New Delhi, Sep 21: Amid talk of his infrastructure conglomerate venturing into the media space, billionaire Gautam Adani on Tuesday said media coverage cannot be biased under the garb of press freedom and criticism should not be at the cost of national dignity.
Addressing the JP Morgan India Investor Summit, the head of the port-to-energy Adani Group defended India's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying in a rush to lay blame and find fault, it was ignored how well a nation with people more than Europe, North America and Oceania handled the crisis.
"Perhaps we could have done some things better and, of course, every life lost is a tragedy. But the sheer size of our population arguably makes the challenge posed by COVID in India greater than in any other major nation," he said.
Stating he wasn't implying that there cannot be any criticism, he said in democracy accountability has to be fixed.
"But in the rush to lay blame and find fault, it is possible that we failed to acknowledge another, more positive side to the story of how we handled and continue to handle the COVID crisis," he said, adding "criticism cannot be at the cost of national dignity. It cannot be at the cost of degrading a nation."
Adani, who a couple of days back hired a senior journalist to head his group's media venture, said media coverage cannot be biased under the garb of press freedom.
"There is always another side of the story which unfortunately was not told," he said.
Adani Group appointed Sanjay Pugalia, who previously worked with BBC radio, Navbharat Times, Zee News, Star News, CNBC and Quint, as the chief executive officer and Editor in Chief.
The appointment has triggered speculations of the Adani group's possible launch of a TV and digital media venture.
The Group has so far not commented on the speculations.
At the JP Morgan Summit, Adani said India has more people than Europe, North America, and Oceania put together, which also means that India's vaccination effort is larger than the combined efforts of 87 other countries.
"For comparison, while the daily vaccination count in the US is currently around 800,000, India is vaccinating 12 times that number or around 10 million people every day.
"Even if the United States and other countries have completely vaccinated a greater percentage of the population, the pace at which India has accelerated its vaccination programme, despite all the hurdles, is unmatched," he said.
India, he said, has suffered some of the most drastic consequences of COVID.
"Whatever our views, we can all agree that India had nothing to do with the virus, yet has suffered some of its most drastic consequences," he said, adding the pace at which the country has accelerated its vaccination programme, despite all the hurdles, is unmatched.
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KMES Institutions shine in SSLC result, continue four-decade legacy of education in rural Karkala
Karkala: KMES Institutions of Education at Kukkundooru in Karkala taluk has recorded outstanding results in the 2025-26 SSLC and PUC examinations, continuing a four-decade educational journey that began with just 22 kindergarten students and no building of its own.
The institution secured a 100 per cent result in the SSLC examinations, with all 43 students passing the examination this year.
Muhammad Arman Shahid emerged as the school topper by scoring 619 marks out of 625, securing 99 per cent and also ranking sixth at the state level. He scored full marks in Kannada, Hindi, Mathematics and Social Science.
Krithika V. Nayak secured the second position in the school with 607 marks and 97.12 per cent, while Arhan stood third with 605 marks and 96.8 per cent.
Out of the 43 students, 21 passed with distinction, 19 secured first class, two students obtained second class and one student passed in third class. Fourteen students scored above 90 per cent.
The institution also performed strongly in the PUC examinations. The Science stream recorded a 100 per cent result, with all 44 students passing, while Commerce secured a 98 per cent pass percentage.
Twelve students scored full marks in different subjects, including Mathematics.
In Commerce, Deeksha Acharya topped the college with 588 marks, while Harshitha H. Kini secured the second position with 581 marks.
In Science, Naveen B. Nayak emerged as topper with 586 marks, followed closely by Sameeksha Moily and Aifa Nidha, who both secured 585 marks.
Speaking about the achievement, High School head teacher Shrimati Patkar said the institution has always focused on supporting academically weak students through affordable education and free special classes.
“Our ambition is to provide quality education even to students who struggle in studies. The fees are very low, and free coaching classes are conducted. I have worked here for 28 years and have always found the atmosphere supportive of education,” she said.
Primary School head teacher Lolita Zeena D’Silva appreciated the dedication of the teaching staff and said the school encourages students not only to achieve high marks but also to become role models.
PU College Principal Balakrishna Rao said the institution focuses on value-based education and overall personality development.
“The aim is to help students succeed not only academically but also in cultural activities, sports and leadership. We encourage qualities such as patience, tolerance and discipline,” he said.
Rao also credited the institution’s growth to the support of founders K.S. Mohammed Masood and K.S. Nissar Ahmed, along with President K.S. Imtiaz Ahmed.
Speaking on the occasion, Imtiaz Ahmed said the institution was built on the dream of making quality education accessible to financially backward families in rural areas.
He said the guidance and encouragement of his elder brothers, Mohammed Masood and Nissar Ahmed, along with the contribution of teachers, students and parents, helped transform the institution into a model educational centre.
The KMES Institutions trace their roots back to 1984, when they were founded by senior social activists Haji P.M. Khan, K.S. Nazeer Ahmed and Haji A.S. Rashid Haider.
The institution initially functioned from the Government Urdu School premises as it did not have a building of its own. Classes began with only 22 students in lower kindergarten and two teachers.
Later, under the leadership of K.S. Mohammed Masood and with continuous financial and moral support from non-resident businessman K.S. Nissar Ahmed, the institution gradually expanded.
In 1993, the school shifted to its own building and began conducting classes from LKG to Class 5.
As student admissions increased, Nissar Ahmed personally funded the construction of three additional classrooms to address infrastructure shortages.
The institution’s new school building was completed in 1997, while the PU College building was constructed in 2001.
From humble beginnings in a borrowed building to producing state-level rank holders and consistent academic results, the KMES Institutions have grown into one of the prominent educational centres in the Karkala region.
