What the game of Mahjong is really about
INDIA NEWS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 7:17AM IST
Who would have thought that a century old Chinese game of tile and tactics would find a chic resurgence in urban India? What began as a casual curiosity for a few has turned into a full-blown cultural moment. Mahjong is no longer a quiet pastime but an obsession and, surprisingly, a restorative form of self-care. No matter how long the day or how loud the mental clutter, Im never too tired to play. Theres something self-soothing about sitting at the table, running my fingers through the cool, smooth tiles and letting their rhythm reset my mind.At its heart, mahjong thrives on contradictions. It demands focus yet rewards intuition, encourages patience but punishes hesitation. Each game unfolds across four winds East, South, West and North with the rules shifting subtly across regions and even cities. American Mahjong, for instance, plays by its own scorecards, while in Mumbai, Mahjong Gita reigns supremea homegrown version devised by the late Gita Patel, an ardent enthusiast whose love for the game led her to craft an ingenious set of rules that now govern the most competitive play.TILE TRAVELLERSFortunes in mahjong shift as swiftly as the shuffle of tiles. Four players draw and discard, balancing strategy with serendipity, as they race to rearrange a random set of tiles into coherent patterns that deliver not just a win, but a higher score stacked with doubles, with the Holy Grail of a Major Hand built on winds and dragons. To paraphrase actor Julia Roberts, the beauty of the game lies in finding order within chaos. And when that chaos finally settles into harmony, there is an indescribable pleasure to mahjonging. Winning is a complete sensory experience tactile, visual and most of all, cerebral.For many, though, it is less about victory and more about the meditative act of rewiring the mind guided by an almost ASMR-like soundscape. Once played with ivory and bamboo tiles that felt cool and weighty in the hand, the same rituals now unfold over engraved acrylic or resin sets. Yet that distinct clack, sharp but soothing, still anchors the experience. The soft scrape of tiles as they are shuffled into neat lines, the deft click as opponents rack theirsfaces expressionless, betraying nothingits a rhythm in itself. In those moments, the outside world fades. Its no longer about luck or logic, but the calm that comes from seeing order take shape, the quiet satisfaction of building something out of nothing.Of course, mahjong isnt a solitary pleasure. Originating in Qing-dynasty China, mahjong once travelled the world, tucked away in lacquered boxes, enchanting Western drawing rooms in the 1920s, before finding its way into the barracks of India where it became both a social ritual and an exercise in quiet intellect for army wives. Its revival in urban India feels like a full circle, mirroring not just a broader cultural longing for tactile connection in a digital age, but also a vociferous appetite for mentally engaging pursuits in a doomscroll era.GAME FOR ALL AGESEveryone seems to be playing it these daysfrom long-time loyalists like my Nani to a new wave of enthusiasts. Perhaps thats part of its modern allure. In an era when our attention spans are splintered, mahjong brings people together, bridging generations, lifestyles, professions and even temperaments.My sessions with the girls are the most cherished part of my week. Sometimes we sip tea, most often wine. Sometimes competition is light, other times ruthlessbut there is always an unspoken camaraderie that only comes from a shared obsession. Between shuffles and discards, we swap life updates, vent about work and moan about the perils of parenting today.Over time, Ive realised that the lessons from the table extend far beyond it. Mahjong is a lesson in patienceyou cant force the right tiles to come to you. It rewards observationwhats discarded often tells you more than whats kept. You find beauty in strategy, luck in surrender and above all, resiliencebecause sometimes, even after the perfect setup, the winds shift and you start again. In the end, mahjong is about more than just finding order in chaos. Its about finding yourself in the soft clatter of those tiles.The writer is an economist and founder of The Foodie Diaries
Continue reading at Economic Times
35m
Unsure insurance: When health cover promises peace but delivers paperwork and panic
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 7:03AM IST
Health insurance policyholders in India are facing a surge in claim rejections and disputes, leading to a crisis of trust. Despite paying premiums, many find their claims denied on technicalities, forcing them into lengthy battles with insurers. Regulatory interventions are underway to improve transparency and speed up resolutions.
Continue reading at Economic Times
49m
SDAL, CSIR-NAL partner for development of 150 kg class loitering munition
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:57AM IST
MIs Solar Defence & Aerospace Ltd entered into a collaborative agreement for design and development of LM-UAV with CSIR-National Aeronautical Laboratories (NAL)for indigenous design, development and production of Loitering Munition (LM) UAV of 150 Kg Class. SDAL was chosen as an industry partner through a competitive bidding. The exchange of agreement between the two parties took place at a function organised at CSIR-NAL.On the occasion of the signing of Collaborative Agreement between CSIRNALand SDAL, Dr. Jitendra Singh, appreciated the new initiative and unique approach adopted by CSIR of involving an industry partner in a project of strategic importance from the very beginning including design & development.Mis Solar Defenceand Aerospace Ltd. (SDAL) asserted that as an industry partner, SDAL will play a pivotal role in the realisation of the LM-UAV and work tirelessly towards productionisation of the system at the earliest.SDALis working tirelessly towards making Indian ..
Continue reading at Business Standard
55m
Wall Street sees Indian markets rebounding after year of underperformance
INDIA MARKET | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:32AM IST
Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Inc and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are among those who expect the country's markets to claw back lost ground next year as earnings stabilise and policy support kicks in
Continue reading at Business Standard
1h
IndiGo announces mandatory Airbus system upgrade across entire A320 fleet
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:20AM IST
The airline noted that with the completion of this technical requirement, all updated aircraft are now operating with the latest approved configuration
Continue reading at Business Standard
1h
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:14AM IST
In a post shared on X on Saturday, the airline said the upgrade programme was executed through a coordinated effort between its engineering and operations teams, ensuring each aircraft received the mandated system enhancement without disrupting flight schedules. IndiGo emphasised that the fleet-wide update was carried out with "minimal impact on customers' journeys and zero cancellations."
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
Trai likely to cut backhaul spectrum fee by 50% to ease telcos' cost burden
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:00AM IST
Telecom cos are on the brink of a major financial relief, with potential cuts of up to 50% on backhaul spectrum fees on the horizon. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is set to make this game-changing decision, focusing on lifting the weight off telecom operators' shoulders.
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
DoT mandates SIM binding for WhatsApp, Telegram and other OTT apps to check online fraud
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:00AM IST
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which issued the directions on November 28, asked the OTT firms to implement SIM binding within 90 days. Failure on the part of the OTT firms to implement the mandated SIM binding would attract penal provisions.
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
A320s being urgently updated after Airbus alert
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:00AM IST
DGCA orders inspections and software updates on over 300 aircraft this weekend while the manufacturer advises modifying or replacing a component.
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
DoT orders SIM binding for OTT apps to curb fraud
INDIA NEWS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:00AM IST
The Department of Telecommunications has directed over the top (OTT) communication apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Signal, Arattai and others, to ensure SIM binding. This means the app will remain linked to the mobile number on a particular device. The move aims to check rising instances of frauds and digital arrests.The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), which issued the directions on November 28, asked these OTT firms to implement SIM binding within 90 days. Failure on the part of the OTT firms to implement the mandated SIM binding would attract penal provisions.The DoT also said that web or desktop versions of apps must automatically log users out every six hours and require reauthentication through QR code pairing. The mandate on SIM binding follows a nearly year-long engagement between DoT officials and OTT firms to check online frauds. The financial sector already enforces SIM binding. For instance, on UPI apps etc, money cant be transferred if there is no active SIM in the device.The DoT directions were issued under the Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Rules, 2024, notified on October 22 as part of the Telecommunications Act. The government said the move was triggered by instances where such apps were being used without the underlying SIM present on the device, enabling misuse from outside India for cyber fraud. Various ministries, including the Home Ministry and regulators, are working in tandem to find a solution to control surging online frauds.By the Rule BookWhile a section of the tech industry believes that DoT might have breached its regulatory mandate, officials clarified that the directions issued to the apps are within the purview of telecom cyber security rules. It is only for the entities that use telecommunication identifiers like a mobile number for providing services. In case they dont want to do the SIM binding, they should not use the mobile number as an identifier, an official said, on the condition of anonymity.Apart from SIM binding, the DoT will be setting up a mobile number verification (MNV) platform that will be used to verify if the mobile number belongs to the right person and not being misused. Meanwhile, the app operators have questioned the rationale of such a move, which could create disproportionate friction for legitimate users while bad actors could easily adapt or migrate.One industry executive pointed out that these directions overhaul how widely used messaging apps function in India, without prior public consultation or technical feasibility assessment. Continuous SIM checks are not uniformly implementable across devices, particularly on iOS, where OS-level restrictions limit how frequently and in what manner apps can check SIM state, an industry executive told ET.Consumer use-cases such as international travel, eSIM and dualSIM setups, secondary devices, long workday desktop access, and accessibility for elderly users may also be affected by the mandatory six-hour logout cycle, another executive explained. Small businesses that rely on persistent web clients for customer communication could face disruptions.Industry representatives also questioned the effectiveness of SIMbinding in curbing fraud originating from outside India, noting that scam operators can still obtain Indian SIMs through mules or remote devices, while a significant volume of fraud originates domestically. They said a comprehensive approach involving stronger SIM lifecycle controls, better law enforcement coordination, and behavioral fraud detection would be more effective. Sector experts have recommended that the DoT must pause implementation timelines and initiate a formal consultation.
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
A320s get urgent updates after Airbus alert
INDIA NEWS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 6:00AM IST
Indias aviation regulator on Saturday ordered urgent inspections and software updates across Airbus A320 family aircraft after European authorities and the aircraft maker cautioned that intense solar radiation could corrupt data critical to flight controls.The move affects more than 300 domestic aircraft, though the fix involves reverting to an earlier software and is a relatively simple 30-minute process on each plane. Regulators stressed there is no safety risk and the steps are precautionary. Indias carriers expect to complete work by Sunday morning.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) acted after a recent in-service event in which an A320 experienced what officials described as an uncommented and limited pitch down event, causing a sharp and sudden loss of altitude in-flight. The autopilot stayed engaged and the flight continued normally afterwards. 125661479 A preliminary technical assessment pointed to a possible malfunction in the aircraft elevator aileron computer (ELAC), which controls key flight surfaces. Airbus on Friday said analysis of a recent event involving an A320 family aircraft has revealed intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to functioning of flight controls.It also said it had identified a significant number of A320 family aircraft currently in service that may be impacted. 125661493 Emergency DirectiveTo address the issue, the manufacturer issued an alert operators transmission, a safety-related directive instructing airlines to install updated software or hardware protections. Airbus has worked proactively with the aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators to implement the available software and/or hardware protection and ensure the fleet is safe to fly, it said. The guidance was later reflected in an emergency airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).DGCA followed with a most urgent mandatory modification order on Saturday, instructing Indian operators to inspect and, if required, replace the ELAC. The notice stated that inspection and or modification on the following subject is mandatory and that no person shall operate the product unless the requirement is fully complied with. Airlines must also update internal certification records and the master mandatory modification list before returning aircraft to service.Ripples in IndiaAccording to DGCA compliance data as of 5:30 pm, software upgrades were complete on 270 of 338 affected aircraft. Airline-wise, 200 aircraft operated by IndiGo, 113 by Air India and 25 of Air India Express are affected. As of 5:30 pm, software upgrades were complete on 184 IndiGo, 69 Air India and 17 Air India Express planes. Government officials said data from the trio have been compiled, the affected carriers spot-checked and found compliant.Air India Express reported four cancellations and delays, while IndiGo and Air India reported no cancellations. We are confident of covering the entire (affected) fleet within the timeline prescribed by EASA, said Air India. According to Cirium data, Air India and IndiGo together have 1,164 of these aircraft on order from Airbus.The aircraft maker called the recommendations necessary and said it would continue to support airlines while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority. Aviation officials described the order as a preventive measure and said such directives are routine in global aviation safety systems. The regulator said flights remain safe to operate and the objective is to ensure all affected aircraft are cleared through inspection before flying.
Continue reading at Economic Times
1h
Auto Inc now offers premium add-ons in base variants to avoid absence penalty
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 5:30AM IST
Across India, consumers are shelling out Rs 80,000-2 lakh more for features they utilise less than 5% of the time they spend in the vehicle. Drivers admit to this, but if a carmaker excludes even one of these features, the variant is instantly rejected, said industry experts.
Continue reading at Economic Times
2h
How will new codes change labour laws? | Explained
INDIA BUSINESS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 2:50AM IST
What are the key features of the four Labour Codes? What will be the impact of the new laws on trade unions and tripartite mechanisms? Will more workers be brought into the ambit of social security schemes? When will the government start rolling out the new codes?
Continue reading at The Hindu
5h
Colleen Jones, Curling Champion and Broadcaster, Dies at 65
GLOBAL NEWS | Sun, 30 Nov 2025, 1:12AM IST
She won two world titles and six Canadian national championships, and was also a television anchor, reporter and commentator.
Continue reading at The New York Times
6h
more