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The Indian economy grew 7.8% in the April-June quarter, beating expectations despite oil price shocks from the Iran war. Meanwhile, two Indian-born women adopted by different families in the Netherlands discovered nearly four decades later that they are biological sisters. Mina Gelting and Minal Taijon, friends since meeting at a camp in 1996, learnt the truth through a DNA test and now plan to travel together to Mumbai to trace their roots. Watch NewsToday With Rajdeep Sardesai.
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00:08Good evening, hello and welcome to the news today, your primetime destination news, newsmakers,
00:13talking points, the big talking point tonight. India post 7.8% growth in quarter one. The big
00:20question, has the country weathered the West Asia war shock, proven the doomsday as wrong,
00:27separated in childhood sisters, reunite after 40 years, the incredible story of Meena and
00:35Meenal. You don't want to miss that, straight out of a cinema story, but this is real life.
00:40As always though, first, it's time for the nine headlines at nine tonight.
00:47Global uncertainties fail to halt India's rise. 2026, quarter one of FY2627 record GDP growth
00:58at 7.8%. Prime Minister Modi hails a herculean feat, says doomsdayers were doomed, India bloomed.
01:05Opposition says, where are the jobs being created? The numbers don't reveal the agony on the ground.
01:16Big bilateral meet on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek. Prime Minister holds talks
01:22with Iran President Pezhesh Kyan and Russian President Putin. Prime Minister bats for peace
01:27and dialogue in both meetings.
01:33Fresh attacks in West Asia between US and Iran amidst the deadlock. Trump posts an AI video
01:40showing Khark Island being blown to smithereens. US military says Khark Island wasn't attacked
01:45in overnight strikes.
01:50Congress goes all grunts blazing against BJP over a registration of FR against Rahul Gandhi
01:56over the purification. Rao says BJP trying to muzzle the Congress leader's voice. BJP says
02:03it will launch mass protests against Rahul. FR is filed against BJP leaders across Uttarakhand.
02:11The Vijay for Prime Minister chorus grows in Tamil Nadu. TVK wants Vijay to be the Prime Minister
02:18candidate in 2029. TN Congress ministers threaten to quit if Vijay or TVK refuse to back Rahul Gandhi.
02:28Delhi and Maharashtra's draft electoral roll released over 47 lakh voters excluded in Delhi.
02:352.06 crore people missing in Maharashtra. Those not in the list can file claims till September 30th.
02:42Telangana chief minister protests. The SR exercise calls for more time.
02:5017-year-old student gang raped inside a sleeper bus in the national capital. Accused bus driver
02:56conductor arrested. Survivor allegedly picked up in Noida, dropped off at Delhi's Kashmiri gate
03:01after the sexual assault.
03:05The Nepal flood death toll nears the thousand mark. About 4,000 people still missing. 180 Indians
03:11rescued so far. Rescue operations underway in full swing.
03:17And the GOAT, the greatest of all time. Lionel Messi has hung his boots. Argentine star footballer
03:24says he's retiring from international football. This comes after losing the FIFA World Cup final
03:30in July.
03:31Boys and girls, what all sport people have been waiting for.
03:46But the story at our very top that's breaking this evening is from the world of sport where the
03:52GOAT, the GOAT, the greatest of all time, Lionel Messi has decided to retire from international football.
03:58The Argentine legend has hung his boots. Messi has posted an emotional post just now on Insta
04:05announcing his retirement from international football.
04:0925 international goals for Messi in 207 matches. World Cup win in 2022, remember? And a final just two months
04:20ago. The one and only Lionel Messi.
04:22Nikhil Nas joins us. Nikhil, in a sense, this was inevitable. Messi isn't getting any younger. He would be what?
04:2942, 43 when the next World Cup is played. So this is perhaps the right time, many would say, for
04:36Messi to go. He would have loved to win that World Cup two months ago. But a great run.
04:41Well, that's correct, Rajdeep. What's really interesting now is that in that statement that he's just put out on social
04:47media, he says that right after the World Cup got over, the World Cup this year, two days after that
04:53final, where they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Spain in that final, he had decided and he had written this
04:59statement two days after that final.
05:01He's posting it now, but he had made up his mind right after that World Cup that he's not going
05:06to be playing for Argentina anymore. He maybe thought this was the right time to let the world know.
05:11But you're right. I mean, you just look back at his career. He's often been compared to Diego Maradona, but
05:16just compare the numbers of the two players, two legends and Messi actually, in terms of pure numbers, stands heads
05:22and shoulders above his idol in Diego Maradona.
05:25You just mentioned the number of goals that he scored. Definitely 125. Second highest international goals in the history of
05:33the sport in the 207 games that he played.
05:36But compare that to Diego Maradona, 34 goals for Maradona for Argentina. Lionel Messi at 125. Compare the assists, 27
05:45assists for Diego Maradona for Argentina.
05:47Lionel Messi finishes with 68 assists. So clearly the numbers favoring Lionel Messi. He's of course also finished as the
05:56second highest goal scorer in World Cup history.
05:59He's got 21 goals. The man ahead of him is still playing football in Kylian Mbappe. He of course has
06:05a World Cup or two there.
06:06But just look back at that story, Rajdeep. It was 2016. They failed to win the Copa America versus Chile.
06:13Again, a heartbreaking loss in the final. And Lionel Messi announces his retirement. But then, a few months later, spurred
06:19on by his late father and the fans who called for him to continue.
06:23He goes back and reverses his decision. Plays for Argentina. From there on, goes on to win two Copa Americas
06:29and that one World Cup, which you were very lucky to witness live in Qatar when he went on to
06:34lift that trophy.
06:35And now retires as, of course, the greatest of all time in the sport that is the most popular on
06:41the planet.
06:43Statistics certainly suggest greatest of all time. That debate will continue. But Lionel Messi clearly has given so much to
06:49so many people over the last decade and a half.
06:52Nikhil Nas on a day when the sports world has bid adieu to a real legend. Thanks very much.
06:59Okay, let's turn to our top focus today and it is the economy.
07:04The government today released the growth numbers for the first quarter. That's the first quarter of 26-27, April to
07:10June.
07:11The first since the West Asia War began that triggered a crisis in world trade.
07:16And the headline numbers are reason to cheer.
07:19The government data shows India posted 7.8% growth in the first quarter, up from 6.9% recorded
07:26in the first quarter of 2025.
07:28The number, however, is lower than the previous quarter, which saw 8.6%.
07:33The strong growth, despite the war, means we could be on track to meet, perhaps better, the projected 6.6
07:40% growth for 26-27.
07:44The big questions, of course, while these numbers are being showcased by both sides, government claiming that they've proven the
07:51doomsdayers wrong.
07:52Critics saying these numbers don't reflect ground realities.
07:55Has India weathered the West Asia shock?
07:57Is the big question that we are posing today.
08:00Who benefited most from the NDA's economic policies?
08:04Those will be some of the other questions we'll pose.
08:06But let's go straight to our special panel.
08:10Okay, so let's take those big questions around GDP numbers to our panel of special guests.
08:17Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Advisor, State Bank of India, member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council and
08:24the 16th Finance Commission.
08:25Neelay Shah, Managing Director, Kota Mahindra, Asset Management.
08:28He's also been part of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council.
08:32And Santosh Mehrotra, visiting Professor, Centre for Development at the University of Bath.
08:37Can I call him a critic, in a way, of some of the government's policies?
08:42He's also been with the Centre for Labour at JNU.
08:44Good to have all of you.
08:46And let me start with you, Professor Mehrotra, because the Prime Minister has used these numbers,
08:50saying the 7.8% expansion in this quarter is a herculean feat,
08:55despite global disruption like oil price shocks, supply chain issues.
08:59goes on to say, and he's addressing critics, doomsdayers were doomed and India bloomed yet again.
09:07How do you respond?
09:08Have the doomsdayers been proven horribly wrong by these numbers?
09:13Well, I'm sorry to say that we have too far been proven right,
09:17and the PM and the government economists have too long been proven wrong.
09:23So I'm unimpressed by whatever anyone says.
09:28Be that as it may, let's rejoice of the fact that we've achieved 7.8.
09:34There's no question about that.
09:36And we've sort of gotten over what looked like possibly a bad quarter.
09:44The fact remains that oil prices have been relatively low.
09:48But let's just look at the foundational numbers, the most important numbers.
09:54We should never take India's quarterly estimates overly seriously.
09:59Even the annual GDP estimates, Rajdeep, let me just remind your viewers,
10:07are revised four times in our country before they become finer.
10:12So quarterly estimates can never be taken overly seriously.
10:16Having said that, let me come back to these numbers.
10:19Yes, it's good news.
10:21However, the fact of the matter is, for the last eight years,
10:25manufacturing has been underperforming.
10:27And we see, when you look at the PIB's numbers,
10:31sectoral composition of the gross value added in the same Q1,
10:36for manufacturing is now at 13%.
10:39You know, for 25 years, Rajdeep, from 1992 to 2015,
10:46that number used to be 16% to 17%.
10:49In the last eight years, it had fallen to 14% and 13%,
10:55and I'm looking at this at 13%.
10:57I'm very pleased that manufacturing has grown robustly in this past year.
11:04We don't know.
11:05To some extent, I suspect this is on account of GFCF,
11:09meaning investment having done reasonably well in this quarter, 34%.
11:15But we'll wait to see.
11:17Because over the 12-year period, investment-to-GDP ratio has been stuck in the range of 26% to
11:2532%,
11:26which is well below what we were achieving from 2004 to 2015.
11:33And that's the reason why we were growing at 8% then,
11:37which is what we need to achieve in order to become Vitsit Bharat for 20-plus years.
11:42And we are, in the last 10 years, we've achieved only 6.2%.
11:47So, I'm very pleased that this has happened.
11:50Right.
11:51Let's wait to see how things turn out from this point onward.
11:54Okay.
11:55Those are opening remarks.
11:56Swamyakanti Ghosh, you know, there will be those who will say this is genuine acceleration in economic activity.
12:03That's what the government is saying.
12:04There are others who are saying this could be attributed to statistical factors, revisions,
12:08base effects, or stronger-than-expected government spending.
12:11Is the truth somewhere in between, between the euphoria that the government has and the doomsday critics,
12:17that we still are in uncertain times?
12:22No, thank you, Razdeep, for having me on the show.
12:24I think, let me put out some numbers over here.
12:28Yes, the economy, the global economic order is going to significant uncertainties.
12:34And to some of the points which was mentioned by my earlier panelists, I think the overall investment numbers today
12:41on an unchanged,
12:42on the new GDP basis, 34.6%, the savings is around 33.7%.
12:47Yes, it's lower than what was earlier, which was around 37%, but it is significantly picked up if you look
12:53into the data.
12:54So, it is not stuck in the 27-28% as that point has been just made.
12:59On the manufacturing sector, I think we need to look into the last couple of years' growth rate.
13:06The last three years' manufacturing average growth rate has been 9.8%.
13:10GDP last three years has grown at 7.4%.
13:14This is the average growth rate.
13:16GVA has grown at 7.8%.
13:18The industry is 8.6%.
13:21And the agricultural growth rate has been somehow lowered below the trend, 3.4%.
13:25That is because of the monsoon vagaries.
13:28So, I think, and on a 10-year period also, if we look into the 10-year of the, I
13:33mean, if we just make a juxtaposition of 2000, say, this decade and the last decade,
13:38I think if you take out the GFC year, which witnessed a significantly lower growth of 3.1% and
13:45the COVID year of minus 5.8%,
13:47the 10-year growth rate for the 14 to 24 is actually higher than which happened last time.
13:54It was marginally higher at 7.4%.
13:56That's against 7.2%.
13:57But having said that, yes, the challenges remain.
14:01We are in a world of extreme uncertainties.
14:05So, therefore, I think one of that number is being reflected in the nominal GDP numbers,
14:09which is actually coming at much lower than the market expectations.
14:13Yeah, so that, you know, that's the point.
14:15Nominal GDP has come in at much lower than expected.
14:18There's a base effect also.
14:20We are moving, you know, we are growing up from a low base.
14:22I'm just asking you, the skeptics are saying that.
14:25That don't go by the headline, top line numbers.
14:27Look at the base effect.
14:29Look at nominal GDP numbers.
14:31Yes, the nominal GDP, in fact, the nominal GDP is lower because the input prices are running
14:39higher than the output prices.
14:41And that is because of the global uncertainties.
14:43So, that is one of the reasons why the GDP, the manufacturing, real GDP is, in fact, higher
14:49than the nominal GDP.
14:50So, therefore, the deflator is negative.
14:53And to your question of the critics, I would like to say that, yes, there will be some moderation
14:58in the GDP growth rate in the next couple of quarters.
15:01But overall, the full year growth rate with a 7.8% fast quarter growth rate, and even with
15:07some moderation, will still remain above the 7% benchmark, which we have consistently achieved
15:12in the last three years.
15:14Nileshah, where do you stand?
15:17So, clearly, Rajdeep, my prism is slightly narrow.
15:21So, if I see on a longer term basis, in 2014, we were 10th largest economy.
15:28Today, we are 5th largest.
15:30That's the slope which is worth accelerating and staying on.
15:35Many of the other countries are falling behind us.
15:38We should focus our energy on overtaking Japan and Germany over the next couple of years.
15:44Number two, if I look at the profitability of Indian companies, they have delivered exceptionally
15:51good results both in March 26th as well as June 26th quarter.
15:56So, listed India is doing very well by posting double-digit earnings growth.
16:03More importantly, when we evaluate this performance in the backdrop of oil price uncertainty, supply
16:11chain disruption, rupee depreciating, and monsoon-related shortages, then this performance is reasonably
16:19good.
16:20Are there weaknesses in this performance?
16:23Undoubtedly, as both the panelists mentioned, there are certain things where we have to work
16:28upon.
16:28But if our trajectory is taking us from 10th largest to 5th largest economy, whatever we
16:34are doing is right.
16:35We should continue to do that.
16:37And whatever correction we can take to accelerate it further, we should be open to it.
16:4410th to 5th is also partly a consequence of the size of the Indian economy.
16:49You would expect that per capita income, which is also a measure.
16:54We still remain 120 or 122 in the world.
16:57But I just want to put up a graphic.
16:59Because while the numbers are looking good, we also asked in our Mood of the Nation poll,
17:04who's benefited most from NDA government's economic policies.
17:07Now, the numbers here are stark because as you look at it, 55.7% in August 2026 are saying
17:14big business benefited.
17:15Farmers is at the moment 8.1.
17:209.1 two years ago, now it's 8.1.
17:23Salary class, have they benefited the most?
17:267.4%.
17:27Small businesses who form the bulk of the economy, 6.4% only feel they've been the major beneficiaries.
17:34Daily wage earners, are they the beneficiaries?
17:365.5%.
17:38Therefore, Santosh Barotrana, I know you've been making this point that there are serious
17:42crises and these are structural.
17:44Any government will face them today in terms of job creation, in terms of ensuring those
17:49at the bottom of the pyramid, their incomes don't remain stagnant.
17:52Are those the real numbers that we should look at going ahead?
17:58Listen, if Rajdeep, if we are doing so brilliantly, why is it that jobs are not growing?
18:06Why is it that real wages are not growing?
18:08Both my panelists have no choice but to present the government point of view.
18:16You know the reasons why.
18:18So let me just deal with each of the points that have so far been made.
18:23We are not the fifth largest economy.
18:26We are the sixth largest economy, point one.
18:29Point two, related to that.
18:32We may have gone from 10th to the 5th.
18:36However, you rightly made the point about per capita income.
18:41And we don't seem to be rising in that rank.
18:43Point three, associated with this same, is that had we continued to grow at the rate
18:49that we were growing from 2014, we would actually be the third largest economy right now.
18:55Next turn, let's turn to profits.
18:57Corporate profits, of course, they've been very robust for the last years, last many, many years.
19:03Wages have not been growing.
19:05Corporate savings, in fact, stand at 10 to 11 percent of GDP.
19:09For the last 10 years, Rajdeep, then why are they not investing?
19:13The FM is asking that question.
19:16For 10 years, she's been asking that same question.
19:19They're not investing.
19:20So why is it that the government is having to take all the expenditure, the cap expenditure?
19:28On the GDP estimates that Mr. Ghosh put out, you know, the claim about 7.2 in the previous government
19:36and the last 10 years being 7.6.
19:38The fact of the matter is that in the last 10 years, we've seen a dramatic collapse of the MSME
19:46sector, thanks to policy mistake after policy mistake,
19:50starting with the demonetization, a badly designed GST, after which the growth rate fell by the government's own estimates all
19:58the way to COVID.
19:59And during COVID, we managed COVID so badly that we accounted for 26 percent of global world debts, 80 million
20:09workers were added to agriculture,
20:11and the unorganized sector did extremely badly, continued to do badly.
20:15They've only just recovered to the level in the last two years, the level that they were at in 2015
20:24-16.
20:24So the GDP numbers that Mr. Ghosh is citing are not capturing.
20:31They are using as proxies the proxies of the organized sector for the unorganized sector.
20:37When the IMF has pointed out precisely one of these, one of the reasons why we were downgraded from grade
20:45B to grade C for our methodology for estimating GDP is precisely this.
20:51That we are still using, you know, proxies for, which are old proxies for estimating the gross value added of
21:00the unorganized relative to the organized.
21:02Okay. You know, there are points there, Soumya Kanti, Ghosh, that deserve a response.
21:08The fact, for example, is corporate profits have grown, but investments are not growing at the same pace.
21:16The fact is that real incomes are not growing.
21:20I mean, where, therefore, why is, if corporate profits are growing, if our GDP is looking robust, much of it
21:28is due to the service sector,
21:29but why is it then that the same corporates are not investing big in India?
21:34Much of this is capital expenditure driven by the government.
21:37Government's capital expenditure is still driving the economy in many parts.
21:41No, Rajdeep, let me come to each of this point which Mr. Mehrotra mentioned.
21:47First is in the corporate profitability.
21:49Let me put out some numbers.
21:51Last year in FI26, the overall corporate project announcement was $86 trillion, of which 35% was in the renewables,
22:01data centers, and the infrastructure.
22:03And so that number actually doesn't say that there has been no investment.
22:07The second point on the corporate point, even if I assume that there has been no investment,
22:11in the last five years, the corporate sector taking advantage of a low interest region has significantly delivered their balance
22:18sheet of around $18 trillion.
22:20And the overall cash on the corporate hand is almost around $16 trillion.
22:24So they can actually jolly well use their cash to further investment,
22:27even if you are assuming that the private investment has not picked up at that pace, which is not entirely
22:32correct.
22:33To the specific point on the SME sector, I think it's not correct.
22:38The SME credit growth, if you know, today is growing at 24.5%,
22:43and that is because of the formalization efforts which has been undertaken.
22:47On the Uddham portal, 6.6 crores of SME sector has actually registered,
22:54and these are the formalization entry which is happening.
22:57And out of an overall incremental credit growth in the current year, which is around $6 trillion,
23:0230% has gone to the MSME sector.
23:05So it's not correct to say that the MSME sector has gone credit.
23:08Yes, the MSME sector, yes, we can argue that the MSME sector deserves more credit,
23:13and the penetration rate needs to go up.
23:15And to the last point, which Mehrotra Alji also mentioned,
23:19about that the methodology is faulty,
23:21I think this taking proxies has already been corrected in the new GDP series.
23:25In the new GDP series, the proxies are not used.
23:28The ASUSC data which is being released by the CSU is extremely comprehensive,
23:33and that data actually captures a lot of points and concerns of the unorganized sector.
23:40Let me get Professor Mehrotra to respond, then I'll come to you, Neelaj.
23:43Professor Mehrotra, you want to respond?
23:45I mean, I think there are two views, right?
23:46The glass half full versus the glass half empty.
23:49At a time when global economies have struggled,
23:52India has shown that it's…
23:54I mean, the doomsday are said that we could at one stage,
23:57because of what was happening in West Asia, fall to below 6%.
24:00That's clearly not happened.
24:02Rajvi, listen, the fact of the matter is,
24:06I've not been a doomsayer about the Indian economy.
24:10I'm very optimistic.
24:12However, only in the medium to long run.
24:14The point is that if our young were so optimistic,
24:21would they be on the streets exactly one month ago?
24:25Would they have exploded all across the country?
24:29Exploded is the right word to use across the whole country.
24:34But there are various issues there.
24:36Those issues also have to do with paper leaks.
24:39They have to do with, you know, providing…
24:41No, no, no.
24:42They are not just about paper leaks.
24:42A limitation in government jobs available.
24:45There are various issues for that.
24:46They are about the chronic shortage of jobs.
24:50So let me come back to the points about proxies
24:53suddenly having begun to be used.
24:56Yes, but only for the last three years.
24:59What Mr. Ghosh was explaining to you
25:02about the last 10, 12 years growth being higher
25:05is based still on the old proxies.
25:09They haven't given us a backcast number for all the 12 years.
25:13We will wait to see what they do with the backcast numbers,
25:16because they did manage to actually downgrade the growth rate
25:20between 2004 and 2014.
25:23What's your number on employment?
25:26Because we get various numbers on employment.
25:28What is your, since that's an area which you've looked at very closely,
25:32what are your numbers on employment saying?
25:34The youth unemployment rates by PLFS numbers are still 12 percent.
25:41Graduate unemployment is about 20 percent on the basis of PLFS.
25:49It's actually higher than that.
25:51I could give you by difference.
25:53Let me just sort of, the fact of the matter is,
25:56Mr. Ghosh told us about Udyam registration being seen as formalization.
26:036.6 crore on Udyam.
26:06Rajdeep, do you know what, I can go to Udyam website right now,
26:11and while we are still talking, before I've completed three sentences,
26:15I can give you the registration.
26:17It gives me no benefit, zero benefit.
26:20That's not formalization.
26:22Forgive me.
26:23Actually, the fact of the matter is,
26:2570 percent of the 72 million non-farm enterprises
26:30in the entire economy are unregistered in anywhere in the records.
26:37They might be in the Shops and Establishment Act.
26:40They may be in some municipal act, et cetera, et cetera.
26:43So, you know, don't even get me started.
26:46I have actually written about this at great length.
26:49Mr. Ghosh, unfortunately, has been telling us that formalization
26:53simply means that GST registration is taking place.
26:58GST registration takes place for the biggest of the MSMEs,
27:01of the medium enterprises.
27:04What about the small?
27:05What about the micro?
27:07And forget about the unorganized sector.
27:09That's what I'm talking about.
27:10The government doesn't even know about their existence.
27:13That's why, you know, I'm not for a moment suggesting
27:18that credit for the MSME sector has not grown.
27:22Yes, it has grown.
27:23But their needs are so great, they have been hammered for 10 years.
27:27Now, suddenly, we are being told, yes, they've started to grow.
27:30Listen, if things were so wonderful,
27:33jobs would have been growing both in the formal sector.
27:36Look at what's happening to the packages that the IIT walas are getting.
27:40And their placement rates are well below what they used to be five years ago.
27:45IIT walas.
27:46Can you imagine what it is like for the normal higher education graduate?
27:51I mean, it's a...
27:52You know, Nilej, you have to hold your horses,
27:56given the fact that, you know, the two of them are,
27:59Professor Marotra and Swami Gandhi Ghosh,
28:01are engaging in a very civilized but pointed debate.
28:06Yes, Mr. Ghosh, you want to have one more response
28:09and then I'll go to Nilej.
28:11No, I think on the formalization front,
28:15we are absolutely correct.
28:16I think as a bank, as the largest bank,
28:18State Bank of India,
28:19use the data extremely comprehensively
28:21to extend loans to the MSME.
28:22So it's not correct to say that this Uddham portal
28:25is not formalization.
28:26We can always debate what will be the extent of formalization.
28:29So that is point number one.
28:31On the other issue, basically,
28:32I think that today the CSO has also revised the...
28:36released the estimates of the last...
28:38I think last several indicators,
28:40which shows that the growth rate was almost identical to the old series.
28:44And to the point,
28:45reference of the SME credit is not going for the 10 years.
28:49Let me put you some numbers over here.
28:50The total outstanding bank credit today is 218 trillion,
28:55out of which the outstanding credit to the MSME sector is 31 trillion.
29:00So that is around more than 10 percent.
29:03And that's not a small number.
29:05So yes, we have to travel a distance.
29:07Yes, I admit that the penetration rate has to go significantly higher.
29:11But to say that they're not credit,
29:13I think is not...
29:14is basically...
29:16is a figment of imagination.
29:17Nilesh Shah, would I be right, therefore,
29:20to say that what we are seeing is
29:23the Indian economy resilient,
29:26some sectors growing faster than others,
29:28some call it an uneven case-shaped recovery,
29:31corporate profits rising,
29:32consumption also, interestingly,
29:34showing some positive signs of rising,
29:37but lower income groups still struggling,
29:40rural households struggling,
29:41and jobs remains a big question.
29:43So there are positives,
29:44but there are also negatives.
29:47Undoubtedly, Radhib,
29:49life is never black or white.
29:51It is always shades of gray.
29:54And since Professor Saab
29:56talked about some of the numbers,
29:58which he says is probably debatable,
30:02let me just share some of the numbers
30:04in terms of volume on which people pay tax.
30:07I'm sure Professor Saab will agree
30:10that Indians don't have generosity
30:13to pay higher tax than necessary.
30:15If at all, it is the other way around.
30:18Between F5-14 to F5-26,
30:21cement production in India went up
30:23from 256 million ton to 479 million ton.
30:27That growth is real.
30:29Steel moved from 74 to 164 million tons.
30:33Aluminium from 1.4 to 4 million tons.
30:36Passenger vehicles from 25 lakhs to 47 lakhs.
30:40Passenger vehicles from 25 lakhs to 47 lakhs.
30:41Commercial vehicle from 6 lakhs to 10 lakhs.
30:43Tractors from 6 lakhs to 12 lakhs.
30:45Mobile phones from 6 crore to 15 crore.
30:49And foot grain production from 265 million ton
30:52to 377 million ton.
30:55Now, he also talked about India's trajectory
30:58to become third largest economy.
31:00I just did some Google search.
31:02Between 2004 to 2014,
31:05India remained 10th largest economy.
31:07The up-move trajectory only happened after 2014,
31:11were moved from 10th to 6th,
31:13as he claimed,
31:14but my data shows 5th.
31:15Now, if you are going in a straight line
31:17from 10th to 10th,
31:18then you believe it will become third largest.
31:20And when I am saying that we moved
31:22from 10th to 5th or 6th,
31:24then we will become third largest.
31:26You know which one to rely upon.
31:29The truth, of course, is
31:30that we will require for us
31:33to become a truly developed economy by 2047.
31:36The Indian economy to grow at 9.25% annually for 21%.
31:41This is Niti Aayog,
31:42Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri,
31:45well above India's historical long-term average of 6.3%.
31:50So, ambition, in conclusion,
31:53Nilesh Shah will need to be even higher.
31:55We get satisfied with these numbers.
31:57There is, as I said, euphoria at the moment
31:59that we've withstood maybe some of the supply-side shocks
32:02and what's happened in West Asia.
32:04But, going, looking ahead in the short term,
32:07do you still fear global uncertainty?
32:10Do you believe that we are on the right trajectory
32:12or there will be bumps on the way?
32:15Undoubtedly, there will be bumps.
32:16As a country,
32:17we are not willing to take tough decisions.
32:20We are the only country in the world
32:22where 125% of GDP is kept
32:25in frozen savings of gold and silver.
32:30India is a current account surplus economy
32:33if we remove gold imports.
32:34But our greed or love for gold
32:37results into our capital going abroad.
32:40If we are net exporter of capital,
32:42how are we going to grow?
32:43The lend reform, the labor reform,
32:46the capital market reform,
32:47those are all the questions
32:49which we have to address
32:50if we have to go to 10%.
32:51But at the same time,
32:53whatever we are doing
32:54is good enough to keep us
32:56in 5%, 6%, 7% growth trajectory.
32:59Okay.
33:00I think we've heard all the three of you.
33:03And as I said,
33:05therefore, we try to
33:06cut through the euphoria,
33:08through the headlines
33:09to get a realistic picture.
33:10And the realistic picture,
33:12as I often say in India,
33:13is that the glass
33:13is definitely half full.
33:15But you've also got to look
33:16sometimes at the glass
33:18as half empty.
33:20Those are not necessarily doomed there.
33:22Some of them also provide
33:23occasionally reality checks.
33:25But Soumya Kanti Ghosh,
33:28Neeles Shah, Santosh Merotra
33:29for joining me here today.
33:31Thank you very much.
33:36Good to have a civilized debate
33:38with fine voices.
33:39Okay, let's turn to
33:40the latest on the Prime Minister's
33:42visit to the SCO
33:44where he's held bilateral talks
33:46in Bishkek
33:47with Russian President
33:48Vladimir Putin
33:49on the sidelines
33:50of the SCO meet.
33:52The Prime Minister said,
33:53India wants the world
33:54to move from endless war
33:55to the end of war.
33:56In a clear reference
33:57to the two conflicts,
33:58one between Russia and Ukraine,
34:00the other between the US
34:01and Iran.
34:02But no sign of
34:03any real breakthrough.
34:05The Prime Minister
34:06has also invited
34:06the Russian President
34:07to the BRICS summit
34:08that's scheduled to be held
34:09in India later this month.
34:11Mr. Putin on his part
34:12has hailed the ties
34:13between Moscow and New Delhi,
34:15calling it a privileged relationship.
34:16Interestingly,
34:17Modi and Putin
34:18shared a ride
34:19in a car together,
34:20the first scene
34:21doing a carpool
34:21at the last SCO summit
34:23in China as well.
34:27Okay, let's turn
34:28from there
34:29to our top political story
34:30because the draft
34:31voter rolls are out
34:32after the special revision,
34:34intensive revision,
34:35took place in Maharashtra
34:37and Delhi
34:38with 47.57 lakh names
34:41dropped in Delhi,
34:42almost 30%,
34:43while around 2.07 crore
34:46voters in Maharashtra
34:48have been classified
34:49as uncollectible.
34:51With claims
34:52and objections
34:53now open,
34:54the voter roll revision
34:55is already triggering
34:56a political storm,
34:57not just here,
34:58but also in Telangana.
35:01India Today reports.
35:07Draft voter lists
35:08for Delhi and Maharashtra
35:09released after the special
35:11intensive revision
35:12of the electoral rolls.
35:14Delhi had 1.45 crore
35:16electors before the SIR.
35:1897.54 lakh voters
35:21have been included
35:22in the draft list.
35:2447.57 lakh voters
35:26or nearly one-third
35:27are deleted
35:28after being classified,
35:30under-absent,
35:31shifted,
35:33diseased
35:33or duplicate entries.
35:36In Maharashtra,
35:37the names of approximately
35:392.07 crore voters
35:41have been classified
35:42as uncollectible.
35:44Individuals whose names
35:45do not appear
35:46in the draft voter list
35:47can file their claims
35:48and objections
35:49till September 30th.
35:51These claims
35:52will be decided
35:53by October 29th.
35:55The final voter list
35:56will be published
35:57on November 4th.
35:59Meanwhile,
36:00Telangana CM Revan Threddy
36:01has written to
36:02Chief Election Commissioner
36:03Gyanesh Kumar
36:04seeking an extension
36:06of date
36:06for those left out
36:08of the draft list
36:09in the state
36:09to file their claims.
36:13Out of 3.38 crore
36:15electors in Telangana,
36:1673.39 lakh
36:18or 21 percent
36:19have been classified
36:20under the absent,
36:22shifted,
36:23dead
36:23and duplicate categories.
36:2592 lakh voters
36:27are being issued
36:27notices
36:28to submit documents.
36:30Voters who received
36:32SIR notices
36:32allege
36:33they are being asked
36:34to produce documents
36:35dating back
36:36several decades.
37:16The large-scale electoral list
37:19deletions in Telangana,
37:21Maharashtra and Delhi
37:22have sparked concerns
37:23among voters
37:24who will now
37:25have to file claims
37:26with the Election Commission.
37:28With Abdul Bashir,
37:30Bureau Report,
37:32India Today.
37:37Plenty of questions
37:38there over the SIR list.
37:40Let's turn to the
37:41shocker of the day
37:42where a 16-year-old girl
37:44has allegedly been
37:45gang-raped
37:45inside a moving
37:46private sleeper bus
37:47in Delhi NCR.
37:49The incident took place
37:50on August 4th
37:51after the minor
37:52boarded the bus
37:53at Parichok
37:54in Great Anoida
37:55but has only now
37:56come to light.
37:57The driver and conductor
37:58have been arrested
37:59with CCTV footage
38:01helping police
38:02trace the bus.
38:03But the case
38:03has also once again
38:04raised questions
38:05of whether
38:06basic safety norms
38:07that were introduced
38:08after the Nirbhaya case
38:09are actually being
38:10followed on the ground.
38:12Take a look.
38:1614 years after the Nirbhaya
38:18horror shook Delhi,
38:19another alleged rape
38:21inside a moving bus
38:22has brought back
38:23a chilling question.
38:25What really changed?
38:27A 17-year-old
38:29was allegedly
38:30gang-raped
38:30inside a private
38:32sleeper bus
38:33on August 4th.
38:34The minor
38:35boarded at Parichok
38:37in Great Anoida.
38:38Driver and conductor
38:40sexually assaulted her
38:41during the ride.
38:42Threatened to kill her
38:44if she resisted
38:45and dropped her
38:46on Ring Road
38:47near Kashmiri Gate.
38:49She approached
38:50Kashmiri Gate Police.
38:53CCTV helped
38:54trace the bus.
38:55The driver and conductor
38:56were arrested
38:57within hours.
39:21You can see
39:22in these visuals
39:23that this is a luxury
39:24sleeper bus.
39:25But in this bus
39:26as well,
39:26the curtains
39:27are still on
39:28which means
39:28that even after
39:31the laws that
39:31have already mandated
39:32that in sleeper buses
39:34these kind of curtains
39:35cannot be put up
39:36and if at all
39:36these curtains are put up
39:37then specifically
39:38during the night time
39:40it is absolutely
39:40important to make sure
39:41that the curtains
39:43are removed
39:43and light is switched on.
39:45Definitely a lot of
39:45questions are now
39:46being asked
39:47on the vigilance
39:47that can be seen
39:48on the streets
39:49be it of the
39:49Nauda Police
39:50or for that matter
39:50for the Uttar Pradesh Police.
39:54The 2012 Nirbhaya
39:55case sparked
39:56nationwide protest
39:57led to the formation
39:58of Justice Verma Committee
40:00and sweeping changes
40:01to rape laws.
40:0214 years on
40:04another girl
40:05is allegedly assaulted
40:06on a moving bus.
40:08So were even
40:08the most basic
40:09safety rules
40:10being followed?
40:12Curtains or tinted film
40:14must not obstruct
40:15visibility
40:16not followed.
40:17Bus interior
40:18must be visible
40:19from outside
40:20not followed.
40:21GPS and CCTV
40:23must remain
40:24operational
40:25status unknown.
40:2814 years
40:29after Nirbhaya
40:30India changed
40:31its laws.
40:33But laws
40:34mean little
40:35when basic
40:36safety rules
40:37are ignored.
40:39Vedanshul Singh
40:40and Arvindo Jha
40:41Bureau Report
40:42India Today.
40:45Okay, let's turn
40:46to a story
40:47that's going to
40:48beat all stories
40:49you've heard of
40:50in a very long time.
40:52Separated in childhood,
40:54reunited
40:55decades later
40:56as adults,
40:58as sisters.
41:00This is the
41:00remarkable story
41:02of Meena
41:03Gelting
41:04and Meenal
41:05Taijan.
41:06The two siblings
41:07were left
41:08as infants
41:09at orphanages
41:10in India.
41:12They grew up
41:13in the care
41:13of different
41:14adoptive families
41:15in the Netherlands.
41:16Ended up
41:17becoming friends.
41:18They first
41:19met each other
41:20at a camp
41:20as teenagers
41:21in 1996.
41:23But even though
41:24they lived
41:24just 100 miles
41:25apart,
41:26they didn't know
41:27the big secret.
41:29Now 30 years
41:30later,
41:31a DNA test
41:32has shown
41:33that the friends
41:34are actually
41:35biological sisters.
41:37That's right.
41:37This is the
41:38fascinating story
41:39of Meenal
41:41and of
41:43Meena.
41:45That's the story
41:47that we want
41:47to tell you.
41:48Joining us now
41:50is Meena
41:51Gelting.
41:52I'm also joined
41:53by Margot.
41:54She is from
41:55MyHeritage.com
41:56that did the
41:57DNA testing
41:58that finally found
41:59that Meena
42:00and Meenal
42:01were sisters.
42:02Meena,
42:02good to have you
42:03on the show
42:03and you're smiling
42:04and why not?
42:06Imagine discovering
42:07your sister
42:08who lives
42:09just 100
42:09kilometers away
42:10from you
42:10after almost
42:11four decades.
42:12Tell me
42:13when you first
42:14got that call
42:15from Meenal
42:16saying,
42:16look,
42:17our DNA tests
42:18are matching,
42:19we are sisters.
42:20What's the first
42:21thing that came
42:21into your mind?
42:23Well,
42:24I couldn't believe
42:25it.
42:26It was the
42:2620th of May
42:28and it was
42:29just,
42:30I just got,
42:31I put my son
42:32into bed
42:33and I was just
42:34sitting on the
42:34couch with a
42:35cup of tea
42:36and then Meenal
42:37texted me
42:39and she did
42:41a message
42:41on Facebook
42:42and she said,
42:44do you remember
42:45me?
42:46I am Meenal,
42:47we met on
42:48camp,
42:49we probably
42:50are sisters,
42:51do you have
42:52a message
42:53from MyHeritage
42:54as well?
42:55So,
42:56that was the
42:57beginning of it
42:58all.
42:59I'll come to
43:00the message
43:01from MyHeritage
43:02in a moment
43:02but I just want
43:03to understand
43:04the emotions
43:05that you went
43:05through because
43:06I mean,
43:07it's one thing
43:08to be adopted
43:09when you're,
43:11what,
43:11a little tiny
43:12tot,
43:13you were a
43:13couple of years
43:14old,
43:14both you and
43:15your sister
43:15around the
43:16same time,
43:16five or six
43:17years old?
43:18How old were
43:19you?
43:19No,
43:20I was probably
43:21four months.
43:22Oh,
43:22you were four
43:22months,
43:23okay.
43:23Yes,
43:24and my sister
43:25was three
43:27months,
43:28three and a
43:28half months,
43:29yes,
43:29and we were
43:30adopted a year
43:31after each
43:32other.
43:32So,
43:33you're adopted
43:33a year after
43:34each other,
43:35four months
43:35and three
43:36months,
43:36you go to
43:37Netherlands
43:37and this is
43:38way back
43:39in the,
43:39in the 1980s
43:41and then
43:42suddenly,
43:43it's 40
43:44years later
43:44that you
43:45find that,
43:46guess what,
43:47you have a
43:48sister in
43:48Netherlands,
43:49you're not
43:49so lonely
43:50after all,
43:50you're not
43:51so alone
43:51after all.
43:53I just want
43:53to understand
43:54the range
43:55of emotions
43:55that you
43:56went through
43:56at that
43:56very moment
43:57when you
43:58realized,
43:59not probably,
44:00but definitely
44:00she's your
44:01sister.
44:03Well,
44:03I,
44:04I,
44:04I cried,
44:05I just
44:06broke down
44:07in tears
44:07and I,
44:08I thought,
44:09is this
44:09really happening?
44:10Is this
44:11really happening?
44:12And I,
44:12I gave my
44:13phone to my
44:14partner,
44:14and he
44:15was seeing
44:17all those
44:17numbers and
44:18I,
44:19I asked him
44:20to check
44:20my phone
44:21and because
44:22Minal
44:24sent me a
44:25screenshot,
44:27but her
44:28telephone was
44:29in French,
44:29so I,
44:30I can't speak
44:31French,
44:32so there was
44:33written
44:34sir and
44:36sir is
44:36sister and
44:38well,
44:40I,
44:40I,
44:40I googled it
44:41and I
44:42just saw
44:43that it
44:44meant
44:44sister,
44:45so I
44:45broke down
44:46in tears
44:47and I
44:47was just
44:49trying to
44:49catch my
44:50breath and
44:50well,
44:51I was so
44:52nervous because
44:53I,
44:53I thought,
44:54oh my
44:54gosh,
44:55could this
44:55be true?
44:57Yes.
44:58Well,
44:59it was true
45:00and Margot,
45:01you have a
45:01huge role to
45:01play in
45:02making those
45:02dreams come
45:03true.
45:03I mean,
45:04explain this
45:05whole DNA
45:06testing that
45:07was done,
45:08myheritage.com
45:09did it,
45:10and that
45:11moment that
45:12it popped
45:12up of course
45:13on Minal's
45:14sort of
45:15screen,
45:17how,
45:18you know,
45:19have you had
45:19any case like
45:20this where you've
45:21discovered two
45:22individuals who are
45:23sisters 40
45:23years later?
45:28So,
45:29Minal's case
45:30is extremely
45:31unique in
45:32the chain of
45:33coincidences that
45:34brought to them,
45:35you know,
45:36finding each
45:37other,
45:37they were
45:37childhood friends
45:38and they were
45:38calling each
45:39other sister
45:40before they even
45:41knew that they
45:41were actual
45:42sisters,
45:42so their story
45:43is extremely
45:44unique,
45:45but we have
45:46everyday
45:47extraordinary
45:48stories with
45:49MyHeritage,
45:50we see family
45:51reunions all the
45:52time,
45:53have siblings
45:53finding each
45:54other,
45:55adoptees
45:55looking for
45:56their family,
45:57looking for
45:57who they are,
45:58where they come
45:59from,
46:00and you know,
46:01there's hundreds
46:01of thousands of
46:02adoptees around
46:03the world that
46:03are looking for
46:04answers,
46:05just like Mina
46:06and Minal,
46:09and DNA
46:10is a very
46:11easy and
46:12affordable way
46:13to do that,
46:14to look for
46:14answers,
46:15and it used to
46:16be something
46:17expensive and
46:18now it's very
46:18affordable,
46:19so yeah,
46:21there's no
46:21better feeling
46:22for,
46:22for,
46:23people at
46:24MyHeritage
46:24to see such
46:25a story like,
46:26Mina and
46:26Mina,
46:26So is that
46:27one of the goals
46:28of MyHeritage,
46:29to enable people
46:31to discover
46:31their siblings?
46:36One of the goals
46:37at MyHeritage is
46:38for people to
46:38find out who
46:39they are,
46:40where they come
46:40from,
46:41and it helps
46:41them understand
46:42who they are
46:42in the world
46:43today,
46:43so it could be
46:44finding a sibling,
46:45but it could also
46:45just be like
46:46learning about
46:47your heritage,
46:48learning about,
46:49you know,
46:50your history,
46:51you can find
46:52historical documents,
46:54you can build
46:54a family tree,
46:55there's a lot of
46:56things you can do
46:56with MyHeritage
46:57that help you
46:58understand who you
46:58are,
46:59and it doesn't
47:00have to be
47:01something as big
47:02as finding your
47:02sister,
47:02it could just
47:03be finding
47:05documents about
47:06your family
47:08and the people
47:09that came before
47:09you.
47:10You know,
47:11Mina,
47:12what is it that
47:12drove both you
47:13and your sister
47:14to do this?
47:15Is it because
47:16there you were
47:16in Holland,
47:17in Netherlands,
47:18looking very
47:18different to
47:19people around
47:20you,
47:20you had loving
47:20adoptive parents
47:22who had embraced
47:22you,
47:23given you all
47:24the pleasures
47:24of life,
47:25and yet when I
47:25read a recent
47:26article in the
47:27Indian Express,
47:28it suggested
47:28that both of
47:29you were still
47:30struggling to
47:31come to terms
47:31with just who
47:33your biological
47:33parents were,
47:35possibly with
47:36just the loneliness
47:37of being so
47:37different to
47:38everyone around
47:39you.
47:40Yes,
47:41yes,
47:41that's true.
47:42Yes,
47:42we were struggling
47:44with our identity,
47:46living here but
47:47missing a piece,
47:49just sometimes
47:50feeling really
47:51lonely.
47:52We grew up
47:54in a beautiful
47:55family,
47:56a heartwarming
47:57family,
47:57and we did
47:59our lives but
48:00still we were
48:01curious about
48:02our history,
48:03about our
48:04Indian roots
48:05and yes,
48:06we were looking
48:07in the mirror
48:08and we are
48:09looking like
48:10Indian girls
48:12but yes,
48:13we grew up
48:14in a small
48:15town,
48:16both of us,
48:17and yes,
48:18with Dutch
48:20people but
48:21yes,
48:22we are
48:22Indian,
48:23two Indian
48:24women.
48:24so yes,
48:26it was just
48:26searching for
48:28our identity.
48:30You know,
48:31it's fascinating,
48:31you took your
48:32DNA test as
48:33far back as
48:342017,
48:35years passed
48:36by without a
48:37match and you
48:37eventually delete
48:38the app and then
48:39Minal's message
48:40shows up but now
48:41that you've
48:41discovered this,
48:42is the urge to
48:43say come back
48:44to Mumbai,
48:45discover who
48:45your biological
48:46parents were
48:47to discover your
48:48Indian roots in a
48:49way or is
48:50that no longer
48:51an urge on
48:51your part?
48:53No,
48:53no,
48:54we have a big
48:55wish to go to
48:55India together
48:56and this time
48:57we go as a
48:58team and
48:59hand in hand
49:01walking the
49:02streets of Mumbai
49:03and it's such a
49:05big wish because
49:05yes,
49:07we are together
49:07now and
49:08we really would
49:09like to find
49:10out what our
49:12story is in
49:13India when
49:15we were
49:16before all of
49:18this,
49:18yes.
49:19So you want
49:20to go back
49:20to India to
49:21find out who
49:21your biological
49:22parents were,
49:23what led them
49:24to leave you
49:25in an orphanage,
49:25you want to go
49:26back to that or
49:27those are
49:28memories you'd
49:29rather,
49:29you know,
49:30you've got a
49:30full family,
49:31you've got lots
49:31of, you know,
49:32support around
49:33you in Netherlands
49:34but there's still
49:34that urge
49:35somewhere to
49:36know the
49:36missing part?
49:38Yes,
49:39even though we
49:40were growing up
49:41in a loving
49:42family,
49:42we wanted to
49:44know what our
49:45roots are and
49:45we want to
49:46find our
49:46biological
49:47parents and
49:48maybe even
49:49sisters or
49:50brothers but
49:51yes,
49:52we want to
49:52know what
49:53our story is
49:54and why our
49:55mother left
49:56us in what
49:57conditions she
49:58was,
49:59yeah,
50:00yes.
50:01Margot,
50:02have you seen
50:03that,
50:04you know,
50:04people who,
50:06wonderful parents
50:07who adopt
50:08children,
50:08give them a
50:09full life but
50:09they still want
50:10to know more
50:11about their
50:12roots,
50:12is that unusual
50:13or is that
50:14usually the case
50:15that people want
50:16to know more
50:16about their
50:17roots,
50:17especially as
50:18they grow up?
50:20It's extremely
50:21common that
50:22people want to
50:22know more about
50:23their roots,
50:24where they come
50:24from and we
50:25see it happening
50:26all over the
50:27world.
50:27We have
50:27incredible stories
50:29from India,
50:30but from Korea,
50:32from Sweden,
50:32from Brazil.
50:33Every day I hear
50:34stories about
50:35people like
50:36Mina and
50:36Minal that
50:37have a very
50:38limited knowledge
50:39about where
50:40they're from,
50:41that the paper
50:42trails are
50:43failing them
50:43and then
50:44DNA doesn't
50:46lie.
50:46DNA can
50:47show you
50:47who you
50:48really are,
50:49who you
50:49connect with,
50:49who are
50:49people from
50:51your family
50:51that you
50:51could potentially
50:52meet.
50:53It's a
50:55journey that
50:56anyone can
50:56do.
50:56It's very
50:57simple to
50:57start this
50:58journey on
50:59MyHeritage.
51:01Whatever
51:01information you
51:02can have,
51:02you can start
51:03a family tree
51:03and if you
51:04don't have
51:04any information,
51:05then DNA
51:06is an excellent
51:07way to start,
51:08excellent and
51:09affordable.
51:09We see
51:10those stories
51:10happening all
51:11the time,
51:12especially with
51:13other tools.
51:14You know,
51:14that's wonderful
51:15to hear,
51:15but Mina,
51:16you've got
51:17children,
51:18Minal has
51:18got children,
51:19when they
51:19met and
51:20they realized
51:20they now
51:21have cousins,
51:22what was that
51:23like for both
51:24of you and
51:25for the kids?
51:27Well,
51:28it's amazing.
51:29We went
51:29swimming with
51:30our family,
51:32with Minal's
51:34children and
51:35her husband
51:36and it was
51:37such an
51:38amazing day
51:39because we
51:39also did
51:40the barbecue
51:41and our
51:41children are
51:42getting along
51:43with each
51:43other.
51:44They even
51:44look like
51:45each other.
51:46My oldest
51:46and her
51:47oldest are
51:48looking exactly
51:49the same
51:50because when
51:51we saw
51:52pictures from
51:52each other's
51:53sons,
51:53we're doubting
51:54is he mine
51:56or is he
51:56yours?
51:57It was so
51:58much fun to
51:59see that and
51:59it was like
52:01they were
52:02spending their
52:03whole lives
52:03together and
52:04it was just
52:05the first time
52:06that they saw
52:06each other in
52:07the swimming
52:07pool.
52:08But they
52:09were hanging
52:09out and
52:10picnicking and
52:11just playing
52:13beach volleyball
52:13together and
52:15it was so
52:15much fun.
52:16It is such
52:18an amazing
52:19thing to have
52:20that kind of
52:21family in my
52:22life again.
52:23Yes.
52:24And your
52:25parents in
52:28Holland,
52:28respective
52:29parents,
52:30some have of
52:30course passed
52:31on, but
52:31those who are
52:32there, are
52:33they sharing
52:34your joy?
52:34Are they
52:35also elated
52:36in this
52:37discovery?
52:38Yes, yes.
52:39I have a
52:42very good
52:43bond with
52:44my parents
52:45and I
52:46never called
52:47them my
52:47adopted
52:47parents because
52:48in my heart
52:49I think I
52:50have four
52:50parents, one
52:51in India,
52:53two in India
52:54and two in
52:54the Netherlands.
52:56So my
52:57mom and
52:57dad, my
52:58dad passed
52:59away a
52:59couple of
52:59years ago
53:00but my
53:00mom is so
53:01happy for
53:01me and
53:02she's
53:04seeing every
53:05show and
53:06she is
53:07reading all
53:07over the
53:08internet and
53:09she's saying
53:09oh my
53:10gosh, that's
53:11my daughter,
53:11that's my
53:12daughter.
53:13And she's
53:14so happy for
53:15me because
53:15she was
53:17also feeling
53:18those things
53:20in her heart
53:21while I was
53:22searching in
53:24my teenage
53:24years for
53:25my Indian
53:26roots and
53:26she saw
53:27my sadness
53:28and loneliness
53:29and now
53:31she is
53:32seeing my
53:33happiness and
53:34the joy that
53:35I have, that
53:35I find
53:36Minal.
53:37And she
53:37is seeing
53:38Minal as
53:39like a
53:39little bit
53:40of a
53:40bonus
53:40daughter as
53:41well, like
53:42she's also
53:42a little bit
53:43of me, my
53:44daughter and
53:45yeah, she
53:46is just her
53:47family as
53:48well, so
53:48yes.
53:50You know, I
53:50don't know how
53:51many Hindi
53:51films you've
53:52seen, Mina,
53:53but this is a
53:54Hindi film
53:55story, separated
53:56at birth and
53:57then they find
53:58each other,
53:58lots of
53:59Hindi films
53:59like that, so
54:00you could
54:01actually do a
54:01real life
54:02Netflix series
54:03on the two
54:03of you and
54:04the final scene
54:05could be the
54:06two of you
54:06walking, Mina
54:07and Minal
54:08walking together
54:09on Marine
54:09Drive in
54:10Mumbai.
54:10I really
54:11love that.
54:12You'd love
54:12that?
54:13Yes, it's a
54:14good idea.
54:16What is it that
54:17you like best
54:18about India and
54:18Indians that
54:19you've been here
54:20once, I think?
54:21You've been to
54:22India once, what's
54:22the best thing
54:23you found about
54:24India?
54:25Well, I think the
54:27colours and the
54:28clothes, because I'm
54:29a woman, so I think
54:30the clothes are, and
54:31the music and the
54:33food, but also just
54:35being there and just
54:37where it all began
54:38with the two of us,
54:41even though we didn't
54:42know about each other,
54:43but it's just being
54:45there with her and
54:46because we went
54:48separately from each
54:49other to India.
54:50She did, I guess,
54:52two years later than
54:53me, but then we are
54:56going together and
54:57then we are eating
54:58together there and
55:00just shopping for
55:01some Indian
55:02saddies and just
55:04being an Indian
55:06woman, I guess.
55:07That's fantastic.
55:08I hope you take
55:10Margot along with
55:11you and maybe
55:12there'll be some
55:13OTT film producer
55:15who wants to make
55:16a Hindi, or there'll
55:17be a Hindi film
55:18producer who wants
55:18to make a story,
55:19just like there was
55:20Ammar Akbar Anthony,
55:22we'll call it Meena
55:23and Meenal, and I'm
55:24sure it'll be a
55:25super hit, but it's
55:25a great real-life
55:26story, guys, and
55:27Margot, full marks
55:29to you and My
55:29Heritage for uniting
55:31Meena and Meenal,
55:32and thank you very
55:33much, Meena, for
55:34coming and sharing
55:35your story.
55:36We hope to have you
55:37and Meenal together
55:37when you're in India.
55:39Come soon, and
55:40buy all the saris
55:41you want, and lots
55:43of colourful saris,
55:44so enjoy.
55:45Thank you very
55:46much, both of you
55:46for joining us on
55:48this story to beat
55:49all stories.