The Indore Insider

DIY Fun: Durga Puja & Dussehra Special A hands-on celebration of spirit, stories, and snacks! TINA KHATRI Step into a world where samosas bake golden in the oven, arrows fly (safely!) from handmade bows, goddesses ride lions through verses, and quiz questions test your festive flair. This Durga Puja and Dussehra, we’re mixing tradition with imagination through a set of fun-filled, creative activities for kids and families. From crafting your own mini bow and arrow to baking bite-sized samosa pockets, solving a quick round of mythology trivia, and finishing with a fill-in-the-blanks poem that celebrates the victory of good over evil — this page brings festive joy to your fingertips. Whether in a classroom, kitchen, or courtyard, these activities are designed to spark creativity, celebrate culture, and most importantly — have fun doing it together! So sharpen your pencils, preheat that oven, and stretch your crafting string... Let’s get this “Shubho” showdown started! Baked Samosa Po...

Ravana Market Booms in Indore Ahead of Dussehra With Dussehra around the corner, Indore’s festive spirit is on full display at the Ravana Market near Malwa Mill, where more than 30 shops have been set up, offering a vibrant collection of Ravana effigies in all shapes and sizes. The effigies range from 1 foot to 51 feet tall and are priced between ₹1,000 to ₹51,000, depending on their size and design. This year, some artists are planning themed around modern-day evils, such as terrorism, the Sindoor drug operation, and the controversial Raja case. “Earlier, everything was handmade—bamboo frames, painted faces, and stitched clothes. Now, with higher demand, we use readymade materials and printed designs for faster production,” said Jitendra Kunare, organiser of the Ravana Market. “Some of the larger effigies require professional printers to get the designs just right.” The market has become a bustling hub of activity, offering not only traditional Ravana figures but also symbolic represe...

Halfway Lost: 49% Don’t Make the Middle School Mark in MP TINA KHATRI Nearly 49% of students enrolled in primary education in Madhya Pradesh do not continue to middle school, reveals the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Education, 2025. While the state reports a primary enrolment rate of 41.7%, this sharply declines to 21.3% at the middle school level, highlighting a significant challenge in student retention. This decline highlights serious challenges in retaining students beyond primary schooling in Madhya Pradesh. Although the state's primary enrolment is slightly higher than the national average of 41.6%, its middle-level enrolment of 21.3% falls below the all-India average of 22.0%. Experts warn that this substantial dropout rate between primary and middle schooling could have long-term repercussions for Madhya Pradesh’s socio-economic development. Reduced retention threatens to limit literacy growth, hamper skill development, and affect future employment prospects. Enrolment and...

International Day of Peace on Sept 21  Peace, Power & Pastries: A Weekend of Discovery TINA KHATRI   Hey curious friends, the weekend’s here, Let’s celebrate peace with fun and cheer! Try the Egg in Vinegar—watch how strength grows, From soft and fragile, to strong as it shows. Whip up a Cardamom-Rose Cheesecake delight, Where New York meets India in every bite. Then dive into a story, “World Chose Peace”— A tale of hope that makes worries cease. These three cool activities, simple and sweet, Show how peace and strength can beautifully meet. So, gather your tools, your smiles, and glee, This weekend is for peace—come create with me! Cardamom-Rose Cheesecake Ingredients Crust: 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ cup melted butter 1 tbsp sugar ¼ tsp ground cardamom Filling : 24 oz cream cheese (softened) ¾ cup sugar ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt) 3 eggs (or ¾ cup Greek yogurt for eggless) 1 tbsp rose water ½ tsp ground cardamom 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt Topping (op...

Teachers Trained to Advance ‘Tejasvi’ Entrepreneurship Programme Students selected under the Tejasvi Madhya Pradesh programme will receive seed funding of ₹2,000 each to develop their ideas into business models. Over 3,200 students from 90 government schools in Indore district will receive this support. The Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) has transferred ₹64.78 lakh to the District Education Officer and the Samagra Shiksha programme to facilitate the funding. To facilitate the same, a four-day training programme was conducted for teachers from 162 government higher and higher secondary schools across the district. The training aimed to equip educators with the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the Tejasvi initiative effectively in classrooms for the current academic year. The Tejasvi programme, launched by the Madhya Pradesh School Education Department, focuses on fostering entrepreneurial skills and mindsets among students. Initially piloted in Bhopal and Indore, the...

Indore’s Forest Cover Declines Amid Urban Expansion​ TINA KHATRI Indore Indore’s forest cover has fallen by approximately 7 percentage points since 2021, now standing at around 17%, according to the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) and Madhya Pradesh government data. This reduction places Indore among the urban districts in Madhya Pradesh experiencing the most significant loss of green cover. In comparison, nearby Gwalior has reported a 9.5% increase over the same period. The loss reflects a combination of rapid urban growth, infrastructure development, and encroachments on forested land. Notably, the construction of the metro route between Regal Square and Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport necessitated the removal of 1,240 trees, including mature neem, mango, peepal, and ficus species. While 1,012 trees were transplanted, 228 were felled. The Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has deposited ₹12.40 lakh for compensatory afforestation under the state’s Preservation of Trees (Ur...

Engineer’s Day Special  Celebrate creativity, curiosity, and the power of engineering! TINA KHATRI Welcome to a day filled with fun, food, and flight—all inspired by the amazing world of engineers! In India, Engineer’s Day is celebrated every year on September 15th to honour Sir M. Visvesvaraya, one of the country’s greatest engineers. Today, you’ll make an Engineer’s Food sandwich that looks like a brainy face, fold a simple paper plane to soar through the skies, and solve a playful poem called The Engineer’s Mind. You’ll also get to test your smarts with our Brainy Engineers trivia, exploring how engineers use tools, math, and creativity to solve real-world problems—just like Visvesvaraya! So grab your bread, peas, and paper, and let’s build something incredible. Ready to invent, create, and fly? Let’s go! Engineer’s Food Ingredients 1 slice of bread 2 tbsp boiled peas (lightly mashed or whole) 1 tbsp cream cheese, hummus, or peanut butter (as "glue") 2 cucumber or cheese s...

Indore’s designer wins over 66 top India’s designers @Goa Fashion Show Priyanshi Kamedia, a design student, bagged the prestigious Designer Award at the World Design Forum fashion show held recently in Goa. The event featured 66 designers from across India showcasing collections focused on handloom textiles. Priyanshi’s collection, titled “Petals and Looms,” showcased a unique blend of tradition and modernity by reimagining the Maheshwari handloom fabric into contemporary Western wear. Her designs featured hand-painted tulips and cherry blossoms in earthy shades of black, red, and mocha, capturing the cultural essence of Madhya Pradesh. A native of Indore, Priyanshi has been passionate about fashion design since her early teens. She credits her education for honing her skills and encouraging her creativity. “My goal was to present Indian handloom fabrics in a modern and wearable style that appeals to today’s youth,” she said. “Winning the Designer Award at such a national platform moti...

JEE Main 2026: January and April Sessions Confirmed, No Changes in Exam Pattern or Syllabus The National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to conduct the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 in its usual two-session format. According to official sources, Session 1 will be held in January 2026, and Session 2 is scheduled for April 2026. The official notification for both sessions is expected to be released in November 2025. This announcement brings relief and clarity to lakhs of engineering aspirants, as there will be no changes to the exam pattern or syllabus. The structure introduced in 2025 will remain in place for JEE Main 2026​, said JEE mentor Harpreet Singh. ​He added that each paper will consist of 75 questions in total, divided equally among Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics — 25 questions per subject. The questions will be of two types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and numerical value-based questions. Importantly, there will be no optional questions in Section B this yea...

Indore Schools to Track Aadhaar Biometric Updates via UDISE+ Portal In a bid to streamline Aadhaar-based services for schoolchildren, the biometric update status of students is now accessible to school principals in Indore through the UDISE+ portal. This advancement is part of the ongoing “Aadhaar for Students, Now at School Gate” campaign, which aims to ensure that children complete their Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBUs) in a timely manner. The campaign is being implemented across 44 districts of Madhya Pradesh and has seen a proactive response in Indore, where special Aadhaar camps have been set up in government schools to facilitate both enrolment and biometric updates. According to local officials, similar initiatives will continue until all eligible students are covered. Schools Leading the Drive in Indore In Indore, Aadhaar camps have recently been held in several government higher secondary schools, including those in Hih, Khudail, Pigdambar, Mhow, Dakachya, Ajnod, Dhannad, an...

Celebrate Grandparents’ Day with Fun, Food & Family! TINA KHATRI Grandparents hold a special place in our hearts, sharing stories, love, and wisdom across generations. This Grandparents’ Day on Sept 8, why not create some joyful memories together? Try Nani’s delicious bhel puri recipe—a tangy, crunchy treat full of flavours that everyone will love. Then, craft a beautiful two-layer flower card to express your love and gratitude in a handmade way. For some outdoor fun, enjoy a traditional Indian game of Pittu (Seven Stones), perfect for all ages to play together. Finally, test your knowledge with a fun quiz all about grandparents and Indian culture. Let’s make this Grandparents’ Day unforgettable with love, laughter, and togetherness! Nani’s bhel puri Ingredients • 2 cups bhel mix • ¼ cup red onion finely diced • ¼ cup tomato finely diced • 1 small potato boiled, peeled, and diced small • 2 to 4 tablespoons green chutney • 2 to 4 tablespoons tamarind chutney • ½ teaspoon kashmiri re...