bengaluru l Thursday l October 08, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 22 l late city EDITION duo wins chemistry Nobel for solving ‘mirror image mystery’ France’s Henri Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai on Wednesday won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for untangling the mirror images in molecules Henri B Kagan Kenso Soai Making the preferred variant of a molecule Their Discovery shaped modern medicine Molecules exist as two mirrored variants. But in living organisms, only one variant is found. While nature produces only the variant it requires, scientists have failed to create a specific version and have always ended up with an equal mix of both. Kagan and Soai discovered a solution to this puzzle, which has transformed modern medicine | P14 ■ ■ A drug must only contain the variant of the molecule as its target to have the desired effect. The mirror version could even cause harm In 1986, Kagan discovered how to create a “greater excess” of one of the mirror images. Soai then succeeded in designing a chemical reaction that created only the chosen version of a molecule Literature Nobel prize to be announced today CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Borrowing costs to go DKS warns against up as RBI raises repo rate mins ops sting creates ripples Key rate raised to 5.5%; RBI signals rate-hike season is on B E N N K O C H U V E E D A N @ Mumbai Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other INDIA bloc members lie on the road holding a copy of the Constitution in New Delhi on Wednesday | Parveen Negi PM Narendra Modi calls on veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani at the latter’s residence, in Delhi on Wednesday | PTI ‘We it!’ Flash stir adds to Says PMwill doBharat, on Viksit pressure on CEC adds criticism a motivator RAJ E S H K U MAR T H A K U r @ New Delhi P r ee t h a N a i r & U d aya n K i s h o r e @ New Delhi THE face-off between the INDIA bloc and the Chief Election Commissioner spilled onto New Delhi’s streets for the second consecutive day on Wednesday as police forcibly detained , Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition MPs for the third time in two days. This came after a flash protest demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. After an hour-long standoff, police carried Rahul Gandhi into a bus and forcibly removed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who lay on the road holding a copy of the Constitution. The siblings and other detained leaders were released later. Rahul said the Opposition’s protest would continue until Kumar resigned, calling it a fight to protect the “most sacred thing” in the country. Later asked about the FIR against him for Tuesday’s eight-hour sitin, he said, “I have 45 FIRs against me. My target is that there should be 100 FIRs against me. Every FIR against me is a medal for me.” The protest followed a luncheon for INDIA bloc leaders hosted by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge at a restaurant on Janpath in central Delhi. The leaders then boarded buses to head to Jantar Mantar, where heavy security had been deployed. When police stopped their buses on Ashoka Road, Rahul and other leaders got out and staged a sit-in, triggering a confrontation with security personnel. As police bodily removed Rahul and put him in the police bus, some Congress leaders climbed atop the bus and bonnet. A large posse of women personnel removed Priyanka and others and took them away in buses. The show of Opposition unity was marked by the absence of the Samajwadi Party How. ever, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “In the future, you might hear about a meeting over tea. We could all sit down and eat samosas too... Diplomacy will continue.” As for the Cockroach Janta Party it will launch its protest at , Jantar Mantar on October 10. Split verdict recall: SC to examine plea The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine a plea seeking recall of its split verdict on whether challenges to the 2023 law governing the appointment of the CEC and Election Commissioners should go to a larger Constitution bench | P11 As I said yesterday, those who have done this work are traitors and we will take action against them. I am telling you Gyanesh Kumar will have to resign. We will not stop till he resigns Rahul Gandhi Leader of Opposition Injecting fresh momentum into the Viksit Bharat vision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday coined a new slogan, ‘We will do it’, and called on citizens to work hard to help achieve the goal of becoming a developed country by 2047. The PM was addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’ held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi to mark his 25 years as the head of a government. “The dream we are seeing today in 2026 of a developed India will surely come true. There is no reason for India to stop now. A hundred years ago, we were even less than 40 crore; today, we are more than 140 crore. The 140 crore citizens together will build a developed India by 2047, and we certainly will. We Will Do It,” Modi said. He repeated the new phrase 19 times during his 50-minute address. “Viksit Bharat by 2047: we will do it. Top 3 economy: We will do it. Self-reliant India: we will do it. Global manufacturing hub: we will do it. Hosting the Olympics: we will do it. Forging ahead in space exploration: we will do it,” he said with the crowd echoing him. Modi said criticism has always motivated him to perform better. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, Modi said, “Those who tried to defeat me showed me humility Those who tried . to pull me down showed me resilience. Those who challenged me showed me the power of determination.” He said India is now advancing across multiple sectors. “The Indian Tricolour flies high in technology, sports and industry Indian pi. lots are being talked about across the globe today A day will come when the world discuss. es “Made in India” aircraft. These goals will be realised only if we formulate visionary policies and strive with the utmost dedication. This is not the time for rest; it is a time to move forward with purpose and to dedicate ourselves entirely to the nation,” he declared. Modi cautioned that political fragmentation for vote-bank gains remains one of the nation’s steepest hurdles. As drought takes effect, rice price shoots up in state Aged under 20 & unemployed? No US visas to nine wrestlers A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @ Bengaluru f i r o z m i r z a @ Chennai Drought in Karnataka has begun to impact rice production and its prices, with retail rates of several varieties of rice rising by Rs 25-30 per kg over the last three months. One of the major rice-producing states, Karnataka is expected to see lower production this year as sowing in June was low. With harvesting beginning in November, traders and industry experts anticipate tighter supplies in the coming months. Paddy is grown largely in Tungabhadra and Cauvery river basins, including Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Vijayanagara, Mysuru, Mandya and some parts of Malnad. Karnataka normally cultivates paddy in around 13 lakh hectares annually, but this year, it has reduced by over four lakh hectares due to severe drought in both basins. The price of Sona Masuri variety in the wholesale market has increased from Rs 50 per kg to Rs 75 to Rs 80. Similarly, Kolam rice, which was around Rs 75 per kg, is reaching Rs 100.  CONTINUED ON: P7 World Wrestling (UWW), the world governing body When ap. In a big setback to the Indian prised of the issue by this daily , wrestling contingent scheduled UWW chief Nenad Lalovic said to compete at the U23 World he would speak to the WFI in Championships, the US Embas- this regard. Later in the day La, sy in New Delhi on Wednesday lovic made a call to the WFI refused visas to nine out of 16 president Sanjay Kumar Singh. athletes. “We got a call from the UWW The wrestlers appeared for president. We have written to the visa interviews but were de- him, seeking intervention from clined visas as their age was 20 the UWW and USA Wrestling in or below and all of them, except this matter. He assured us that one, were unemour wrestlers will parployed. The one womticipate in the event,” press an wrestler, who reclusive Sanjay Kumar told cently got a job with this daily Meanwhile, . the Indian Railways, a WFI official also was also denied visas as she confirmed that USA Wrestling could not furnish her salary also got in touch with the and bank account details. federation. The championship is schedA total of 30 wrestlers (10 uled to be held in Las Vegas from each in men’s Greco-Roman, October 12 to 18. A total of 24 freestyle and women’s wresmembers from the Indian con- tling) were selected to compete tingent including 16 wrestlers in the competition. If things go appeared in the first round of as planned, they will be accominterviews at the US Embassy panied by coaches, medical staff on Wednesday. The second lot and referees for the event. comprising 14 wrestlers will visThe wrestlers, who were deit the Embassy on Thursday . nied visas, are Samarth Gajanan Concerned with the develop- Mhakave, Dheeraj Kumar Mament, the Wrestling Federation lik, Sachin Kumar, Nikhil, Harof India (WFI) mailed the US d e e p , P a r v e e n , A h i l y a Embassy and copied it to the Shatrughn Shinde, Neha SharUSA Wrestling and United ma and Neha.  P17 UWW assured us that wrestlers will get the visas Sanjay Kumar Singh, WFI president I will speak to the WFI & then speak on the issue Nenad Lalovic, UWW president THE Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday joined other central banks in biting the rate-hike bullet, delivering its first repo rate hike since February 2023. RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the key policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 5.5%, immediately raising the interest burden on borrowers. At its policy meeting held between October 5 and October 7, the MPC signalled that higher interest rates are here to stay for some time, changing its policy stance from ‘neutral’ to ‘calibrated tightening’. This, according to analysts, is a signal that two or three more hikes could be in the offing, depending on how inflation and other macroeconomic conditions evolve in the near term. RBI’s action sent stocks lower by 0.60.76%, while the rupee breached the 97-per-dollar mark for the first time since June and closed at a five-month low of 96.78. Bond yields hardened by 5-7 basis points to 7.25%. “Rate cuts are off the table for the time being, and any further action will be a hike or a pause, depending on the evolving macroeconomic outlook,” RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra told reporters. The hike was Malhotra’s first since he assumed office in December 2024. 6.50 6.25 6.00 5.75 5.50 5.25 5.00 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.50 6.25 Repo rate history Figures in % 6.25 6.00 5.50 5.50 5.50 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.25 7 Dec 8 Feb 8 June 9 Oct 6 Dec 7 Feb 9 April 6 June 6 Aug 5 Dec 6 Feb 5 June 5 Aug 7 Oct 2022 2023 2023 2024 2024 2025 2025 2025 2025 2025 2026 2026 2026 2026 During his tenure, RBI has delivered six rate cuts totalling 125 bps. The MPC, however, sent a mixed signal by raising its growth forecast by 40 basis points to 7.1% for the current financial year while increasing its inflation projection by 20 bps to 5.2%. The rate hike comes amid rising inflation risks and global macroeconomic pressures, including the threat of a drought and elevated bond yields. Typically central banks raise interest rates to , contain inflation by moderating demand, which in turn slows economic activity . RBI’s higher growth forecast, alongside the increase in its inflation projection presents a complex policy outlook. “The duration and the extent of the rate hike cycle would be contingent on the actual growth-inflation developments and outlook, especially that of underlying inflation, the extent of broadening of price pressures and second-round effects of the supply shock, as well as the impact of demand impulses,” the RBI governor said. P15 D ev a r a j B H i r eh a l l i @ Bengaluru Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, was said to have cautioned his cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant against possible sting operations, amid reports that private agencies could be secretly recording ministers’ conversations and movements. The caution from the chief minister, who also holds the intelligence wing of the Home Department, created ripples in political circles. His cabinet colleagues admitted that they got the alert from the CM, while opposition BJP and JDS turned the tables against Shivakumar, alleging that he himself is an expert in sting operations. At the cabinet meeting, Shivakumar reportedly showed ministers a file containing details of alleged ongoing sting operations and also a list of some two ministers who are purportedly being targeted, sources said. A minister told TNIE that the CM raised the alert at the beginning of the cabinet meeting itself and asked the ministers to be alert. CONTINUED ON: P4