A low pressure area which has formed over south-east Bay of Bengal is likely to trigger rainfall in several parts of Odisha, bringing people relief from the scorching heat, officials said on Friday.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the low pressure is likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 36 hours and intensify further during the subsequent 24 hours.

"The low pressure area over south-east Bay of Bengal and the neighbourhood has become well marked over the same region and associated upper air cyclonic circulation extends up to mid-tropospheric levels," said an IMD bulletin.

"It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 36 hours and intensify further during the subsequent 24 hours. The system is very likely to move north-northeastwards during the next 72 hours," the bulletin said.

It further said that rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of coastal Odisha and the adjoining interior districts of Kandhamal, Rayagada and Kalahandi.

"Gusty surface wind from southwesterly direction with speed reaching 45 kmph gusting to 50 kmph, is likely to prevail along and off Odisha coast," said the release.

It also advised the fishermen not to venture into the sea. 

Several parts of Odisha have been experiencing an intense heat wave since the last several days.

More than 1,400 Sikhs from India on Friday celebrated the Baisakhi Festival in Hassan Abdal, a town in Pakistan's Punjab province famous for one of the most sacred sites of Sikhism.

The officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee also took part in the festivities.

ETPB Chairman Siddiqul Farooq inaugurated the festival. Speaking on the occasion he said the board would continue facilitating the visiting Yatrees.

He said the ETPB is establishing the Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib and Ghandara University in Taxila.
“The federal Higher Education Commission has allocated Rs 1bn for each project and construction work will soon begin,” he said and reiterated that the people of both countries want peace.

Baisakhi is an ancient festival dating back to the 17th century, also marks the beginning of a new solar year and harvest season. It is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar, commemorating the establishment of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699 by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of Sikh religion, throng at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassan Abdal. The celebrations start when devotees with flowers and offerings in their hands, proceed towards the Gurdawaras and temples before dawn.

The Indian Sikhs would also visit Gurdwara Janamesthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Soda in Farooqabad, Gurdawara Kartarpur Narowal and Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.

The Yatrees will visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on April 18, Kartarpur Narowal on April 19 and return to Lahore on the same day. A seminar title 'Besakhi' will be held in Lahore on April 20 where Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest.

The Yatrees will return to their homeland, India on April 21.
 

The CVC report that has shown a drastic reduction in the number of corruption complaints against the Delhi government indicates that the “level of satisfaction” with the AAP has risen among the people, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday.

He said it was mainly due to zero tolerance against corruption at the top echelons of the government as part of which even ministers have been “shown the door” in the last two years.

“Our party had come riding on the plank of anti- corruption. There is zero tolerance against corruption. The CVC report reflects the truth.

“There has been a dramatic reduction in the number of complaints of around 81 per cent between 2015 and 2016. It shows the level of satisfaction among people,” Sisodia told a press conference.

The number of complaints against those under government of National Capital Territory of Delhi has declined with a total of 969 received last year as against 5,139 in 2015, the CVC has said in its annual report tabled in the Parliament recently.

Projecting it as an “achievement” of the AAP government, Sisodia contrasted the figures with that of the Centre where, the report says, complaints have gone up by 67 per cent over the previous year.

When asked why the Rajouri Garden poll results did not reflect the “satisfaction” among the people, Sisodia said the party's loss was mainly due to anger over sitting MLA Jarnail Singh quitting to contest polls in Punjab.

Singh himself has spoken about the need for the party to go for an honest and deep introspection.

When queried, AAP Delhi Convenor Dilip Pandey said the party will introspect on the other aspects behind the loss even as he stressed that the primary reason was the decision to field Singh in Punjab.

Tiger Shroff is not worried about being compared to his actor father Jackie as he believes in creating his own legacy.

The young star says he and his father are two different people with different personalities.

“I want to create my own legacy, my own space. The first time I ever performed on a show, the judges were Farah Khan and Annu Malik.

“They said 'You should be Hrithik's brother or Govinda's son the way you dance'. But I have an identity of my own. My father and I are very different people with different personalities,” Tiger told when asked if he ever bothers to outdo his father's legacy.

The Baaghi actor says despite his vast experience in Bollywood, Jackie never interferes in his career.

“It does help having someone like him around but he has never involved himself in my career, not at all. He never does that nor ever will. But because I am his son, I think I got recognition from a very early age, that 'He is Jackie's son'.”

The actor says he enjoys outings with his father as they get equal attention by their fans.

“The best feeling is when we go out for lunch, and the crowd doesn't know where to go. To him or to me. It is either 50-50 or 60-40.

“Either way, it feels fantastic. I am so proud to be his son. My father is such a cool person. He has such goodwill. I don't know one person who talks negatively about him.”

Tiger has been appointed as the brand ambassador for the recently launched kids channel Sony YAY.

The hill state of Himachal Pradesh may see the age-old tradition of ‘animal sacrifice’ back in practice after three years gap with some riders, as per interim relief by the Supreme Court.

In an interim order on petitions against ban on ‘animal sacrifice’ at religious places and congregations imposed by Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2014, the Apex court said, “If any slaughter of animals is done for purposes involved in the petitions, it shall be done in an area set up in accordance with law. The Municipal Authority shall ensure such compliance.”

The court order dated 10 April, 2017 said that the Animal Welfare Board of India and another respondent in the matter may be heard while setting up such area.

The HC judgement was challenged by Kullu Kardar Sangh and Maheshwar Singh, chief care-taker of Lord Raghunath (the main deity in Kullu). A ‘Kardar’ is the care-taker of deity.

“It is a big relief. The people in the hill state have deep faith on deities and the practice of animal sacrifice for them. It’s an integral part of our tradition and culture,” said petitioner, Maheshwar Singh, who is descendant of erstwhile rulers of Kullu and is senior BJP leader.

Singh said he had already appealed to the people to make good use of the interim relief and that they should shun merciless killing of animals for sustainability of the centuries old tradition.

He said the ‘animal sacrifice’ would now be carried out in Kullu Dusshehra festival this year in the Lanka Bekar area in Kullu in accordance with law. The Municipal Committee would be approached to construct an enclosure there.

With the HC ban on ‘animal sacrifice’ in Himachal Pradesh in 2014, the age-old practice of sacrificing animals on the conclusion of Kullu Dussehra, a centuries-old festival, had to be discontinued.

For symbolic sacrifices, coconuts had substituted animals (a buffalo, a male sheep, a fish, a crab and a chicken) as offering to appease gods and goddesses at the culmination of the week-long- festivities. It was all done in tight security as it turned out to be an issue of departure from the psycho-cultural belief in hill society.

The High Court in its judgement dated September 1, 2014 had banned animal sacrifice at religious places.

HC bench comprising Justice Rajeev Sharma and Sureshwar Thakur had observed, “A startling revelation has been made as thousands of animals are sacrificed every year in the name of worship. Sacrifice causes immense pain and suffering to innocent animals. They cannot be permitted to be sacrificed to appease a god or deity in a barbaric manner."

President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday underscored the need for India to be a global powerhouse not just in terms of economic parameters but also 'Gross National Happiness'.

“If we aspire to be one of the leading economic powers of the world, yes, we can be, but merely in statistical terms, in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), in terms of skill are not adequate,” Mukherjee said after laying the foundation stone for the Bengaluru Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics here.

The President said the concept of development has changed now and international organisations like the World Bank and IMF are talking about development in terms of GDP as well as Gross National Happiness (GNH).

“Along with GDP, GNH is considered as one of the important factors of development,” Mukherjee emphasised.

He expressed concern over unemployability of the youth in India, saying “600 million youth are entering the job market, but their employability is not adequate”.

“They are educated, but not employable. Their employability is not up to the world standard,” he said.

Mukherjee observed that skill development may not appear glamorous but is most important in the Indian context.

Putting a premium on quality, the President said it is important to maintain international standards in education and training to make Indian youth employable in the world.

“IITs have 100 per cent campus recruitments. IITians are working in MNCs across the world at different positions. Even Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics will not be local but of international repute,” Mukherjee stressed, calling upon the state government to run the school with this objective.

He expressed happiness that the school is named after Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution, a “bright product” from the London School of Economics.

Speaking on the occasion, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state government has already allocated a sum of Rs 150 crore towards setting up of the school.

“Further, Rs 75 crore are being released in the next five years in a phased manner for setting up of the proposed corpus. It has also been decided to release the recurring grant of Rs 10 crore each year for the next five years,” he added.

Union ministers Ananth Kumar and D V Sadananda Gowda, state Governor Vajubhai Vala were present, along with state higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddi and academicians.

Smoking-related diseases will claim 200 million lives in China this century and plunge tens of millions into poverty, a report said on Friday.

China is the world's largest consumer and producer of tobacco, and the industry provides the government with colossal sums.

In 2015, it recorded 1.1 trillion yuan (USD 160 billion) in profits, up 20 per cent year-on-year.

But a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said today that the Asian giant will suffer an economic toll if it does not urgently reduce its smoking population.

The paper – called “The Bill China Cannot Afford” – estimated that the total annual economic cost of tobacco use in the country in 2014 was 350 billion yuan, up tenfold from 2000.

“If nothing is done to reduce [the death rate] and introduce more progressive policies, the consequences could be devastating not just for the health of people across the country, but also for China's economy as a whole,” WHO China representative Bernhard Schwartlander said in a statement.

The calculation includes both the direct costs of treating tobacco-related illness and the indirect costs such as lost work productivity.

“The rapid increase in costs associated with tobacco use in China is unsustainable,” Schwartlander added.

Twenty-eight per cent of all adults and 50 per cent of men in China are estimated to smoke regularly.

Rural-to-urban migrants are more likely to be smokers, the report said, adding that they risk descending into poverty when smoking-related medical costs become too great – a reality at odds with the government goal of eradicating poverty nationwide by 2020.

The organisations recommended a smoke-free policy across the country akin to laws in Beijing and Shanghai, where smoking is banned in most public places.

However, enforcing anti-smoking measures can be difficult in China as the state-owned China National Tobacco Corp, which enjoys a near-monopoly, shares offices and senior officials with the national tobacco regulator.

The report also urged further raising tobacco taxes to make smoking less affordable. While retail tobacco prices increased following a taxation hike in 2015, the average price of a cigarette pack remains just ten yuan.

A 50 per cent increase in the retail price of cigarettes would prevent 20 million premature deaths over 50 years, the report said.

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star campaigner Virat Kohli smashed a spectacular 62-run knock after returning from a shoulder injury and took his team to 142/5 in 20 overs against Mumbai Indians at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.

Leading RCB by an example, Kohli hit five boundaries and two sixes in his 37-ball knock to lift the Bengaluru crowd off their feet.

Explosive batsmen Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers failed to shoulder responsibility as they managed to hit just 22 runs and 19 runs respectively.

Following the dismissal of top three batsmen, RCB’s batting line-up collapsed like a house of cards.

In the middle-order, Kedar Jadhav was run out for nine runs, while Mandeep Singh went lost his wicket for a duck.

New Zealand pacer Mitchell McClenaghan  led Mumbai’s pace attack as he claimed two wickets in the shape of Kohli and Mandeep.

McClenaghan trapped the big fish – Kohli with a good length delivery that was lofted by the Indian batsman at deep extra cover, where Jos Buttler made no mistake.

Hardik Pandya took the scalp of Gayle, earning the breakthrough for Mumbai in the 10th over.

Hardik’s brother Krunal Pandya also chipped in by claiming the wicket of De Villiers. This was the third time in three innings when Krunal dismissed the South African batsman.

Actor Anil Kapoor has declined to wade into the Twitter debate between daughter Sonam Kapoor and actor Abhay Deol, who had slammed Bollywood actors including his Aisha co-star for endorsing fairness creams.

“It's a small thing. I don't get involved into any matter of my kids. So, let it be between the kids. Sonam will be the right person to speak about this. If there is a crucial matter or anything I will talk about it; don't involve me into these small things. Sonam can handle these things very well,” Anil told reporters here at an event.

Abhay had criticised Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor and John Abraham for featuring in campaigns that promote and sell fairness creams.

While the other actors stayed silence, Sonam posted a photo of Esha Deol, Abhay's cousin, endorsing a fairness cream. She, however, deleted it later.

Abhay had simply replied, “Is wrong too. For my views read my post.”

Along with the photo she wrote, “@AbhayDeol I appreciate and concur with your views and would like to know your thoughts on this as well.”

Sonam has won a special mention for her portrayal of the Neerja Bhanot in the Ram Madhvani-directed movie and at the 64th National Film Awards.

Anil, 60, said he is proud of her actress daughter Sonam.

“In such a young age and in such a short span she has got this recognition (referring to the special mention). She is fortunate. Every actor was fabulous in Neerja and every department of Neerja was excellent.

Neerja was Sonam and Sonam was Neerja. It's a great honour as the film got the best Hindi film award and Sonam got a special mention,” Anil said while speaking on the sidelines of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Voting Weekend press conference here.

IIFA Voting Weekend which is held in Mumbai from April 14 to 16 will see members of the Indian film industry showing their support to IIFA as they come forward to vote for their peers.

“It's happening for the first time in New York and it's a big thing to host IIFA there. The show will be bigger and spectacular in every way. We will promote Indian cinema there in the best way possible.”

The 18th edition will be hosted in New York this July at the MetLife Stadium.

Andre Timmins, Director, Wizcraft International, which produces and organises the annual event, told, “This year there will be a great mix of film industry people from Bollywood and Hollywood, besides the addition of cricketers.

“It's too early to give out names at the moment. But our aim is to make it bigger and better this year.”

Post the ban on sale of liquor 500 meters from highway, hotels in Chandigarh are witnessing a drop in bookings for corporate meetings and social functions.

Most of the finest hotels in Chandigarh fall on Madhya Marg which comes under the 500 meters rule of liquor ban.

Top hotels, including JW Marriott Sector-35, Western Court Sector-43 and Hotel Maya Sector-35, have been served a notice to not offer alcohol on account of their closeness to the highway.

“Our hotel used to be the hub for all the corporate meetings, but we no longer have the same amount of bookings​. This is not only loss of business, but also loss of face,” says Santosh Singh operation manager at Western Court Sector-43.

“The bookings have decreased by 40 per cent, including the restaurants. The corporate meetings used to be our highlight, despite the ban we are providing fewer packages to our regular customers,” Singh added.

Hotel Maya, which falls on Madhya Marg, has also lost its bookings because of its distance to the highway. Earlier, the hotel used to get 15 to 20 bookings in a month, but now clients are skeptical about the bookings for their events due to the liquor ban.

“Social-business cultural norms accept responsible drinking. In the hospitality industry that is the way people socialise. Due to few cancellations the management is coming up with non-alcoholic drinks menu to guests,” said Parteek Kumar, Banquet Manager, Hotel Maya Sector-35. Hotels are already reporting about 30 per cent drop in their sales and preparing to lay-off staff after next Supreme Court hearing in the case this July.

A top UN official has urged nations to follow the example of social reformer and Dalit icon Baba Saheb Ambedkar in the fight for social justice and equality, calling them to harness the power of digital technologies for social and financial inclusion.

"It is fitting that we honour his (Baba Saheb Ambedkar s) legacy of fighting against social discrimination by talking today about how to use digital technologies to promote empowerment and inclusion for all people not least, women," Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said at a special event organised here by India's Permanent Mission to the UN to mark Ambedkar's 126th birth anniversary.

She said nations live in an era of rapid and momentous change driven in large part by advances in information and communications technologies, which have the power to help us achieve all the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this spirit, she called on nations to harness the power of digital technologies for social and financial inclusion and the advancement of societies everywhere.

"I am sure Baba Saheb Ambedkar, who stood for the rights of women, minorities, and the underprivileged, would welcome these efforts. Let us follow his example and fight for social justice and equality by fulfilling the promise of the 2030 Agenda. Let us mobilise the best minds in the world of technology to invent more ways to improve people s lives, and ensure that no one is left behind," she said yesterday.

Mohammed said the introduction of digital identity can provide a breakthrough, citing the example of the biometric identity cards in India, Aadhaar.

Digital identity would help to provide better and more inclusive access to public services and finance, including for the poorest and most vulnerable, she said adding that the use of biometric identity cards in India for over one billion people is a "great example".

She noted that currently, more than half the world's population — some 3.9 billion people lack access to the Internet and in the Least Developed Countries, the number is as high as 85 per cent.

As many as 130 cyclists from 20 different cities across the country, participated in the ‘Heritage Ride’ that was flagged off from the historic Ridge on Friday, to sensitise the masses for a clean and green Shimla.

The event to raise environment awareness is also aimed to encourage cycling amongst the citizens.

“The 8 kms long ‘Heritage Ride’ first ever initiative is part of the main cycling event of 6th Edition of Hero Mountain Biking (MTB) Shimla which is organised by HASTPA (Himalayan Adventure Sports and Tourism Promotion Association),” said HASTPA, president Mohit Sood.

Shimla has been facing exasperation due to increasing motor vehicles, absence of parking spaces and long traffic snarls has become common sight these days, he said, adding that sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives of transit are the need of the hour to decongest the roads of Shimla and revive its old charm.”

The motive is to push the citizens of Shimla, especially the youth towards a greener and healthier lifestyle, under the campaign, “Green Shimla, Healthy Shimla of HASTPA which will focus to raise awareness and benefits of cycling, said he.

He disclosed that this year the event has witnessed highest number of participation of 130 riders which also includes the highest women participation as well.

The main cycling race, two day event will commence on April 15, from Woodville Palace, Shimla and conclude on April 16 at Shimla Hotel Woodville.

The race covering a distance of 120 kms with an elevation gain of 3,500 m, will transverse through single tracks, river beds, jeep tracks, forest tracks and some beautiful and picturesque parts of the Shivalik range.

The route includes Woodville Palace Shimla, Bulia, Ashwani Khad, Janed Ghat, Bhadhli, Chail, Sadhupul, Chail, Koti, Chini Bunglow, Dhalli and Shimla.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) officially named its central library after B.R. Ambedkar on the occasion of the latter's birth anniversary on Friday.

Speaking at the event, JNU Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar termed the library as a "lifeline of our students" and Ambedkar as the "greatest architect of modern India". 

"In the beginning of 2016 when I first joined the university, there was a 'dharna' going on in the Administrative Block but when I visited the library…I found it jam-packed. That's real JNU," Kumar said while addressing officials and students on the occasion. 

He said that after India got its independence the biggest question was how to achieve modernity and that our Constitution was the most important text which helped us in our struggle to reach that objective. 

"Constitution is our only scripture…(and) B.R. Ambedkar is the main architect of this scripture," he added. 

A bust of Ambedkar was also unveiled by Milind Kamble, Founder Chairman of the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) on the occasion. 

The renaming of the library has come after a series of protests by student groups belonging to minority sections that are studying in the university. 

A 20-year-old electrical engineering student from Maharashtra's Latur town, Shradha Mengshete has bagged the Rs. 1 crore Mega Draw for Lucky Grahak Yojana. She had made a transaction of Rs. 1,590 through her RuPay card to pay an EMI for her new mobile phone.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday felicitated winners of a mega-draw of two national incentive schemes for digital transactions — Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana.

Under the schemes, which have now ended, 1.60 million persons won varying prizes of a total of Rs 258 crore across India.

The second prize of Rs 50 lakh under the Lucky Grahak Yojana went to a 29-year-old primary school teacher, Hardik Kumar from Cambay, Gujarat, who used his RuPay card for a Rs 1,100 transaction.

The third prize of Rs 25 lakh was won by Bharat Singh of Sherpur village in Uttarakhand who made a transaction of only Rs 100 on his RuPay card.

Under the Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana for merchants, Anand Ananthapadmanabhan of GRT Jewellers in Tambaran, Chennai, won the Rs 50 lakh top prize for accepting a Rs 300 digital payment. He immediately announced it as a donation to the Clean Ganga Campaign.

The second prize of Rs 25 lakh in this category was bagged by Ragini Rajendra Uttekar, who owns a small beauty parlour in Thane, Maharashtra, who had accepted a card payment of Rs 510.

The third prize of Rs 12 lakh went to 33-year-old Shaik Rafi, who runs a wholesale clothing store in Ameerpet, Telangana, for accepting a Rs 2,000 payment on his PoS machine.

Defending his decision not to meet the Canadian defense minister during his forthcoming visit to India, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday said those questioning his stand lack national pride.

In a statement, the CM said the reactions of  showed that these outfits, including the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were completely lacking in national pride.

Amarinder asserted that the state government was regularly tracking and monitoring the activities of Khalistani sympathizers and others having any kind of links to extremist forces inimical to India.

"Our assessments and decisions are based on these reports,"  the CM said reiterating that while he was ready to provide security and protocol treatment to Harjit Singh Sajjan, during his proposed visit to India later this month, there was no question of meeting the Canadian minister.

Amarinder made it clear that the security and protocol treatment to be provided to Sajjan, when he visits Punjab, would be at par with what would be accorded to the Indian defence minister on a visit to Canada.

It will be neither more nor less, while keeping in view the threat perceptions against Sajjan, the CM added.

Amarinder came down heavily on the SGPC for their criticism of his stance, saying the religious body which, he said, claims to protect the interests of Sikhs and the ethos of Sikhism, seemed to have forgotten the treatment meted out to its leaders by hardliners in Canada.

"Do they have no sense of pride, he asked, adding that those opposing his principled stand on the issue were encouraging Khalistani sympathizers, thus fanning the possibility of the revival of Sikh extremism," the CM said.

Countering SAD leader Sukhbir Badal’s statement dubbing him as ‘anti-Sikh’, the CM said he had not expressed antagonism towards all Sikhs settled in Canada but only towards a miniscule population which is sympathetic to the Khalistani cause.

Reacting to AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira statement on the issue, Punjab Power & Irrigation Minister and senior Congress leader Rana Gurjit Singh said AAP’s own Khalistani sympathies had already been exposed in the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections.

English pop girl group Atomic Kitten, whose current members are Natasha Hamilton, Kerry Katona and Liz McClarnon, is planning to come to India.

Since the band is focused on a number of other upcoming overseas dates, Katona says the band is looking at India, reports okmagazine.com. 

"We're going to India and Asia. It'll be me, Michelle (Heaton, a temporary member as McClaron has a fear of flying) and Tash (Natasha Hamilton). It's just gone a bit mental after the Australian tour. I have no idea if we were big in India. I've never been to India, but I've longed to go there," Katona said.

"It's one of the great things about being back with Atomic Kitten. First time around I didn't really appreciate seeing other countries. Now I just think, how lucky I am?" she added. 
 

For Hrithik Roshan, life has been the best teacher of lessons he now willingly shares with his wide fanbase. The actor says there have been instances when he almost gave up in life, but he overcame that feeling with a new learning everytime.

The actor, who has come up with a video to motivate people to 'Keep Going' in life, says he credits "all the adverse moments" in his life — including his separation from Sussanne Khan — for where he is today.

"If you just look at it objectively and without attaching it to being a Hrithik Roshan story and view it just as a journey, I think there's a lot to learn. Do not feel disempowered by the situations in your life. They are there to serve a purpose, they are there to teach you something," Hrithik told.

Often, Hrithik shares words of wisdom with fans. He reminisced the multiple times he faced adversity to come out stronger.

"I was 21 years old and presumably the best doctor of the country was sitting in front of me, telling me that I did not have the genetics that would allow me to do the kind of things an actor needed to do in a Hindi film — things like dancing, jumping, falling, twisting, break dance and all of that," Hrithik said.

He remembers it as a "big blow" as he was even advised to rethink his career, which today he finds "foolish".

"What I learnt from then on is that you must arm yourself with enough information and not confine yourself to one person's point of view."

The second life-changing moment, he says, was when his father Rakesh Roshan was shot at in 2000.

"It was so disempowering to see him in the hospital with blood on the white sheets. It took away all meaning from what I was doing… From being an actor, doing a dance, doing a comedy scene," said the 43-year-old.

He says it was then that he introspected that when something in life disheartens you or disillusions you, it also gives you an insight into the true reasons why you should be doing something.

"Take positively every single time you feel disempowered as it is an opportunity to learn and to grow," advised the father-of-two, whose knee injury during the "Jodhaa Akbar" shoot also moved him.

"I was doing the climax sequence of Jodhaa Akbar and my knee just gave way." He had got arthritis in the knee, but he says his belief was stronger than any science.

"It is my belief that there is always a way out if you just keep holding on and walk an extra mile. Never stop seeking and never stop believing that there is and will and can be a way out," said the actor, who later even dealt with a brain surgery in 2013 for the removal of a clot.

"The brain surgery had a devastating effect again on my future — as in what I could do and what I could not, but by then I was so solid in my head. I felt like there was no stop to my career and the possibilities. So when I look back and join all the dots, every single time that my life seemed that it was over or it seemed like I could not keep going, it was only giving me fodder and information so that one day I could build the HRX brand."

Concluding, the actor shared: "I see my entire journey as a very positive one. Even in something like my separation, which is emotionally the most disempowering situation to be in, I could survive."