EC appoints 'Newton' actor Rajkummar Rao as National Icon
New Delhi (PTI): Actor Rajkummar Rao, whose portrayal of an official tasked with conducting polls in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh in the Hindi film "Newton" won accolades, was on Thursday inducted as a National Icon by the Election Commission.
Facing youth and urban apathy with many preferring to stay home than turn up at polling stations to cast their votes, the EC appoints prominent Indians as national icons to motivate voters to participate in elections.
The poll panel comprising Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel exchanged a memorandum of understanding with Rao appointing him as an EC icon.
Rao's portrayal as a principled government clerk who is determined to conduct a free-and-fair election in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh, overcoming the cynicism and apathy of a security officer, won accolades.
The movie won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and was also India's nominee for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 90th Academy Awards, popularly known as Oscars.
Earlier, the EC recognised actors Pankaj Tripathi and Aamir Khan, and sportspersons such as Sachin Tendulkar, M S Dhoni and M C Mary Kom, as national icons.
VIDEO | Election Commission appoints actor @RajkummarRao as its national icon ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.#AssemblyElections2023 pic.twitter.com/FnQXVoOLq0
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2023
Actor @RajkummarRao appointed as National Icon of #ECI
— Election Commission of India #SVEEP (@ECISVEEP) October 26, 2023
From On-Screen Elections in 'Newton' to Off-Screen Voter Awareness Hero, it is “ Lights, Camera, Vote !” for #RajkummarRao Rao all the way. #ECI #RajkummarRao #NationalIcon pic.twitter.com/Wabco2nwg8
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Cheating made bigger than it actually is: Gukesh
Prague (PTI): World Champion D Gukesh has categorically stated that the problems around cheating in chess are made to be bigger than its existence.
Speaking during a press conference for the Prague International festival, Gukesh said he did not support Vladimir Kramnik, a former world champion who has been infamously levelling charges against quite a few chess players suspecting cheating during online games.
“Obviously, I’m against any kind of unfair or unethical play," “It’s a kind of problem that we have been seeing lately," Gukesh said.
The whole world had stood out for Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky of America who died at a young age of just 29 years. Naroditsky was a famous content creator in chess who appeared to be very emotional in his last stream just days before his untimely death.
Gukesh is not the only one to join the bandwagon as earlier World number one Magnus Carlsen, FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich and Indian stars Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin had also criticised Kramnik as his allegations could not be substantiated with any definite proof.
Speaking about the forthcoming Candidates tournament, Gukesh said he did not believe in favourites and that he would love to play fellow city-mate R Praggnanandhaa.
Meanwhile in the first round of the super tournament, Gukesh will face Hans Moke Niemann of United States, another player who has fought his way to top level chess. Niemann is a dangerous customer and Gukesh likes to go for complex play which insures a fighting beginning for the World Champion.
The other Indian in the fray, Aravindh Chithambaram will take on Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, a recent winner of the Tata Steel Masters.
