Billionaire Gautam Singhania on Monday announced separation from wife Nawaz, saying the two have decided to pursue different paths. Mr Singhania, 58, had married Nawaz Modi, daughter of solicitor Nadar Modi, in 1999.

“This Diwali is not going to be the same as many in the past,” Mr Singhania, chairman and managing director of textiles-to-real estate conglomerate Raymond Ltd, said in social media posts. 

“It is my belief that Nawaz and I will pursue different paths from here on.” He had married Nawaz, who was 29-years-old in 1999, after eight years of courtship.

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— Gautam Singhania (@SinghaniaGautam) November 13, 2023

“32 years of being together as a couple, growing as parents and always being a strength of each other… we traversed with commitment, resolve, faith as along came the two most beautiful additions in our lives,” he said.

He, however, did not give details of the separation and custody of their two children.

“As I reflect over the unfortunate developments in the recent past, there has been a lot of unsubstantiated rumour mongering, and gossip surrounding our lives fanned by ‘not so well wishers’,” he wrote. 

“I am parting ways with her while we continue to do what is the best for our two precious diamonds Niharika and Nisa.” He sought privacy and respect for personal decisions.

“Please respect this personal decision and kindly give us the space to settle all aspects of the relationship. Seeking your best wishes for the entire family during these times,” he added.

Minutes before announcing the separation, Gautam Singhania wrote on X about his group’s real estate arm continuing to expand its presence across Mumbai.

“We have secured 3 new real estate projects in the (Mumbai Metropolitan) Region, with a combined revenue potential of over Rs 5,000 crore (USD 678 million). Our realty business has seen a strong growth trajectory over the last couple of projects and we are confident of delivering on the highest level of quality and finesse associated with Raymond Group for the upcoming projects,” he said.

Mr Singhania was in news a couple of years back over a feud with his father Vijaypat.

Vijaypat Singhania created Raymond Group, which became a household name in India, producing apparels brands and textiles. His son, Guatam diversified the group into more sectors in an attempt to widen the revenue.

Just like father who was a noted aviator, flying commercial aircraft for free, Gautam Singhania too is known for his adventurous streaks, racing fast cars in circuits around the world. 

The post-Diwali air quality in Delhi – at 12.30 pm the AQI was 305 – is better than it has been in the past six-seven years but it remains in the “very poor” category, a senior member of the government’s Commission for Air Quality Management told NDTV Monday. CAQM Member-Secretary Arvind Nautiyal said average AQI, or air quality index, readings for the day before, during, and morning after Diwali were around 220, and that this jumped to 300+ this morning. He attributed this to firecrackers; on Sunday tens of thousands across Delhi and the National Capital Region flouted Supreme Court orders on the bursting of crackers, specifically those containing polluting substances.

The slightly improved post-Diwali air quality was due to favourable weather conditions, including light rainfall on Friday, Mr Nautiyal pointed out, explaining that it had helped cleared the toxic smog blanket choking Delhi. The change was small – from nearly 500 Thursday evening to 407 the following morning – but it was significant and helped (perhaps) limit damage caused by firecrackers and other polluting activities, such as farm fires. The latter also saw a massive spike in Punjab on Diwali day.

“This year, fortunately, meterological and climatic conditions were favourable. So, on the day before Diwali, average AQI was 220. If you see in absolute terms, this is the best in the past six-seven years. The favourable conditions also helped on Diwali morning but in the evening, and if you see today also, there were more polluting activities, like bursting of firecrackers, the AQI worsened and we were over 300,” Mr Nautiyal said, adding, “So we are still, in absolute terms, in AQI category of ‘very poor’.”

On Sunday Delhi recorded its best Diwali day air quality – the AQI was 218 – in eight years. This figure was 312 last year, 382 in 2021 and a frightening 414 in 2020. It touched an extremely unhealthy high of 431 in 2016, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

However, as the evening came and people burst firecrackers, the city woke to a blanket of toxic smog and lung-killing pollutants. PM2.5 levels – a particulate that affects lungs and causes major respiratory issues – jumped 140 per cent between 7 am Sunday and this morning; on Sunday the PM2.5 level was 83.5 and 24 hours later – after the city was covered with acrid smoke from bursting firecrackers – it was over 200. 

PM10 pollutant levels also spiked and overall pollution levels crossed 500 at most places in the city during this period, according to data from the CPCB. Websites that monitor AQI in real time showed several places in Delhi, including the popular Lajpat Nagar market area, even reported readings above 900.

AQI readings between 0-50 is ‘good’, while 51-100 is ‘satisfactory’ and 101- 200 is ‘moderate’. Anything above 301 is ‘very poor’, anything over 401 is ‘severe’ and readings over 450 are ‘very severe’. For context, the World Health Organization says PM2.5 levels should not cross 15 micrograms per cubic metre of air in a 24-hour period.

Delhi, where the air quality ranks among the worst in the world’s capital cities, was cloaked in a thick blanket of smog with severe pollution levels for a week since October 28. The government had to shut schools and ban diesel trucks in view of the pollution, though it stopped short of enforcing the odd-even rule.

We’re sure you all had a great time during Diwali. Besides the decorations and fireworks, festive snacks always take centre stage in Diwali celebrations. Guess what? Even Bollywood celebrities aren’t any different when it comes to enjoying the festive treats. From Karisma Kapoor to Sharvari Wagh, B-Town has shared their love for the festive feast on Instagram. Let us talk about each of them one by one, starting with the diva Bhumi Pednekar. In the Diwali 2023 photo album, we saw her in a traditional saree look. In one of the pictures, she could be seen sitting on the floor with a plate full of ladoos in her hands. In another, we could spot her Diwali dinner plate, featuring methi matar malai, kadai paneer, chana masala, and tandoori roti. Her caption read, “(diya emoji) from mine to yours.” Take a look:
Also Read: What Happened When Bhumi Pednekar’s “Heart Said McDonald’s Gothilo” On A Road Trip

Diwali turned into a double celebration. The reason? Team India’s victory against the Netherlands in yesterday’s World Cup match. We couldn’t help but appreciate KL Rahul’s fantastic century. While he was engrossed on the field, Athiya Shetty felt his absence, especially as it was their first Diwali as a married couple. She shared a picture of ladoos on her Instagram Stories with the caption, “Missing Ahan Shetty (her brother) and KL Rahul.”

Wondering where Sonam Kapoor celebrated her Diwali? Let’s shine some light on that. She marked the special occasion at the residence of the designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, accompanied by her husband Anand Ahuja. Another couple joined them, Sonam’s sister Rhea Kapoor and her husband Karan Boolani. Rhea shared pictures from their celebration, and our food-loving souls couldn’t help but notice a large tray filled with Diwali delights such as chakli, kachori, sev, shakkar para, and balu shahi. Rhea captioned the post by writing, “A very happy, sunny, fabulous, carefree Goa Diwali from us to you! Love Rhea, Karan, Sonam, and Anand. Reporting live from the haus of Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla.”

Also Read: Sneak Peek Into Karisma Kapoor’s Seafood Feast: Guess What Was On Menu!
Karisma Kapoor consistently shares her festive moments on social media. She marked Diwali with a lavish party attended by Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Neetu Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Babita Kapoor, and many more. Expressing her love for festive food, her series of photos featured a snapshot of her enjoying what appeared to be a chocolate chikki. The text attached to her post read, “Family, Food, and Festivities. How it started and how it ended.”

Sharvari Wagh’s Diwali was all about embracing the best in ethnic attire and savoring Diwali “faral,” a mix of sweet and savoury snacks prepared especially for the festival of lights. In Sharvari’s post, she can be seen enjoying chikki. Her table was adorned with other delights like namkeen mix, biscuits, gujiyaan, and more. She also shared a video showcasing her attempt to move her heavy lehenga skirt into the car after sitting. Her caption aptly read, “From stuffing my face with [faral] to stuffing my lehenga in the car…..off to a pretty good Diwali.”

Tell us about your favourite Diwali snack in the comment section below.