South Korean First Lady, A 'Dangal' Fan, Invites Phogat Family For Tea
CHANDIGARH: Haryana's famous wrestler family, the Phogats, on whose story Aamir Khan starrer Bollywood film 'Dangal' is based, have been invited for a meeting in New Delhi with South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook, who had watched the movie back home with a group of Indian students.
The Phogat family says they are excited and looking forward to the meeting.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in is on a state visit to India from July 8 to 11.
Ms Jung-sook's meeting with Indian students and a screening of 'Dangal' was arranged in the run up to President Moon Jae-in's visit to India.
"It is a great honour to have been invited over a cup of tea with her. We were told that the first lady was quite appreciative of the movie, which has touched her deeply," wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat told PTI over phone.
'Dangal', which was released in 2016, is a sports drama based on the life of Mahavir Singh Phogat and his daughters Geeta and Babita.
"After watching the film with Indian students, she liked it and expressed keenness to meet us. We were contacted by the Korean Embassy officials and now all of us are planning to meet her," said Geeta Phogat's cousin Rahul Phogat said.
Mahavir Phogat said it gave him immense joy "that the film is also becoming a medium to further strengthen relations between the two countries".
Despite all odds, Mahavir Singh Phogat, who hails from Balali village in Bhiwani district, trained his daughters to become world class wrestlers.
He overcame odds to train his daughters in wrestling, a game commonly perceived as a male dominated sport, especially in a state like Haryana.
courtesy : ndtv.com
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IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka's recovery
Colombo (PTI): The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka “address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs.
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The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said.
The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion.
“Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred," it said.
"An IMF mission team will visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions,” it added.
The 48-month extended fund facility deal with the IMF in March 2023 carried hard reforms to Sri Lanka's welfare-based governance.
It was signed after Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented economic meltdown with its first-ever sovereign default.
Several hours before the IMF decision, the parliament here approved without a vote a supplementary estimate of LKR 500 billion, which the government said was required to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the disaster.
