Daily Briefing: 1 govt tender. 3 bidders. Same shareholder — Patanjali’s Acharya Balkrishna

Three bidders turned up. And in violation of tender norms, all three had a common thread: shareholder Acharya Balkrishna, co-founder and managing director of Patanajali Ayurved Ltd, and a trusted aide of Baba Ramdev.

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In two companies, Balkrishna owned over 99% stake. The tender was finally awarded to the third company, Rajas Aerosports and Adventures Pvt Ltd. And in the months that followed, Balkrishna cobbled together a majority shareholding of over 69% in the company.
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When contacted by The Indian Express, authorities denied charges of collusion.

🔎 The full investigation, with a detailed timeline, the financials, and answers from those involved, can be read here.

👉 To get a sense of just how lucrative the George Everest Estate is, read the second part of the investigation, which looks into the eightfold increase in Rajas Aerosport’s revenues in the one year since it was awarded the contract.

On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. 👇

🇳🇵 Nepal protests

The fall of the KP Sharma Oli government has left a political vacuum in Nepal. Who will take over? The question remains unanswered as Gen Z groups, which led the uprising, are divided on who should hold the temporary reins. Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Poudel insists that any solution must be found under the existing Constitution, which restricts a former Chief Justice from becoming President or Prime Minister, nullifying Sushila Karki’s candidature.

Will the Constitution persist, or will Nepal script a new one? We are yet to get answers to this question. The split within the Gen Z grouping, which lacks any formal command and has multiple groups pushing for different solutions, is also a roadblock to quick resolution. Aishwarya Khosla profiles the many faces — a DJ, a rapper, and a climate activist — of the Gen Z protest.

How should Delhi view the next-door protests? We asked two experts to weigh in. Researcher Constantino Xavier insists that India must engage with the new class of leaders in Nepal, most of whom are “either oblivious about India or grew up influenced by Oli’s anti-India campaigns.” Meanwhile, Manjeev Puri, former Indian envoy to Nepal, says that peace and stability in the country “will be critical for India”.

The revolution will not be televised… it will be reel-ed, meme-d and Snapchatt-ed. Nepal’s Gen Z did what Gen Z does best to amplify their voice. From nods to the West’s ‘Eat the Rich’ campaign to viral TikTok dances, I sifted through the social media posts to bring you the best. Don’t miss!

📰 From the Front Page

Thaw: After weeks of strain, there was finally a thaw in India-US ties this week. Adding to it, the new US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, has said that US President Donald Trump has invited India’s commerce and trade ministers next week, and they will meet US trade representative Jamieson Greer to resolve the specifics of the bilateral trade deal.

Rage and grief: The killing of US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has triggered an outpouring of grief and outrage in the country. Trump called his death, latest in the spate of political violence that has hit the US, a “dark moment for America”. Who was Charlie Kirk, how did he become a MAGA icon, and why were his views controversial? Read our explainer.

📌 Must Read

It’s time to hold Big Tech accountable. The Indian Express has learnt that a Parliamentary panel will recommend tougher fines for social media platforms whose algorithms help spread misinformation. It has also discussed labelling Artificial Intelligence-generated content and laying down a legal definition of “fake news”.

⏳ And Finally…

Star on the rise: You have heard of Neeraj Chopra, the reigning world champion and Olympic gold medalist who turned javelin into a household word in India. His meteoric rise has inspired a generation, and while several Indians have followed in Chopra’s footsteps, none have come close to matching his consistency. But in Chopra’s long shadow, another figure is quietly rising. Towering at six-feet-five-inches, 25-year-old Sachin Yadav was a local cricket star before he picked up the spear. This year, he hurled his way into the spotlight with a silver medal at the Asian Athletics Championships. Already, youngsters look to him as a mentor. And now, as the World Athletics Championships open in Tokyo tomorrow, the stage is set. Will Yadav finally step out of the shadow and have his moment?

🎧 Before you go, do tune in to the latest ‘3 Things’ podcast episode. Today’s lineup: Doubts over exemptions in Right to Education; the Mehul Choksi case; and the latest on the Bihar electoral roll revision.

That’s all for today, folks! Happy weekend-ing!
Sonal Gupta

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