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| Chai with Bill Gates, Ambani wedding, chess glory and other 2024 viral moments from India | |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The Ambani wedding extravaganza first caught the world's eye when pop star Rihanna made an appearance | The Ambani wedding extravaganza first caught the world's eye when pop star Rihanna made an appearance |
| From fun viral videos and celebration of Indian sporting glory to moments that made us shake our heads in wonder - the year 2024 had all of this and more to offer on Indian social media. | From fun viral videos and celebration of Indian sporting glory to moments that made us shake our heads in wonder - the year 2024 had all of this and more to offer on Indian social media. |
| Here are some of the most memorable moments that we have picked for you. | Here are some of the most memorable moments that we have picked for you. |
| The months-long Ambani wedding | The months-long Ambani wedding |
| Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family kept the world captivated for several months with opulent celebrations for his son Anant's wedding. | Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family kept the world captivated for several months with opulent celebrations for his son Anant's wedding. |
| The extravaganza first caught people's eye in March when some of the world's most influential people started arriving in India to attend a pre-wedding event. The star of that show was pop star Rihanna, whose performance at the event was her first in India. | The extravaganza first caught people's eye in March when some of the world's most influential people started arriving in India to attend a pre-wedding event. The star of that show was pop star Rihanna, whose performance at the event was her first in India. |
| Over the next few months, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Justin Bieber performed at different events leading up to the wedding. | Over the next few months, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Justin Bieber performed at different events leading up to the wedding. |
| Guests included Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, actor John Cena, former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Samsung chairman Jay Y Lee and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan among hundreds of others. | Guests included Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Bill Gates, Kim Kardashian, actor John Cena, former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Samsung chairman Jay Y Lee and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan among hundreds of others. |
| Bill Gates's chai with Dolly Chaiwala | Bill Gates's chai with Dolly Chaiwala |
| Their video has more than 176m views on Instagram | Their video has more than 176m views on Instagram |
| Dolly Chaiwala, a tea vendor from the state of Maharashtra, found himself going viral online after he served a cup of tea to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. | Dolly Chaiwala, a tea vendor from the state of Maharashtra, found himself going viral online after he served a cup of tea to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. |
| The tea seller was already known for his flamboyant social media presence and unique style of serving tea. | The tea seller was already known for his flamboyant social media presence and unique style of serving tea. |
| Gates's video of the moment has more than 176m views on his official Instagram page. | |
| "In India, you can find innovation everywhere you turn - even in the preparation of a simple cup of tea," he wrote. | "In India, you can find innovation everywhere you turn - even in the preparation of a simple cup of tea," he wrote. |
| Dolly Chaiwala later told news agency ANI he didn't know he'd served tea to the tech billionaire. | Dolly Chaiwala later told news agency ANI he didn't know he'd served tea to the tech billionaire. |
| "I was not aware of it at all. I thought that he was a guy from a foreign country and I had to serve him tea," he said. | "I was not aware of it at all. I thought that he was a guy from a foreign country and I had to serve him tea," he said. |
| When Tendulkar spotted a new bowling star online | When Tendulkar spotted a new bowling star online |
| The young girl from Rajasthan went viral after Sachin Tendulkar shared her video | The young girl from Rajasthan went viral after Sachin Tendulkar shared her video |
| Sushila Meena, a 10-year-old girl from the small tribal hamlet Ramer Talab in the northern state of Rajasthan, went viral on social media this month after cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared a video of her bowling on X, formerly Twitter. | Sushila Meena, a 10-year-old girl from the small tribal hamlet Ramer Talab in the northern state of Rajasthan, went viral on social media this month after cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared a video of her bowling on X, formerly Twitter. |
| The young girl's video, originally shared on Instagram by her school teacher, showed her bowling in slow motion on a makeshift cricket pitch in her village. | The young girl's video, originally shared on Instagram by her school teacher, showed her bowling in slow motion on a makeshift cricket pitch in her village. |
| Tendulkar shared the video, commenting that her bowling action was "smooth, effortless, and lovely to watch!" He also said Meena had "shades of" former India bowler Zahir Khan. | Tendulkar shared the video, commenting that her bowling action was "smooth, effortless, and lovely to watch!" He also said Meena had "shades of" former India bowler Zahir Khan. |
| Khan promptly agreed. Several former cricketers have now come forward to help her realise her dream of playing for India. | Khan promptly agreed. Several former cricketers have now come forward to help her realise her dream of playing for India. |
| India's teen chess champion | India's teen chess champion |
| Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest-ever world chess champion | Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest-ever world chess champion |
| India celebrated as Gukesh Dommaraju defeated China's Ding Liren this month to become the youngest-ever world chess champion. | India celebrated as Gukesh Dommaraju defeated China's Ding Liren this month to become the youngest-ever world chess champion. |
| Dommaraju, 18, is four years younger than the former record-holder, Russian grand-master Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won the title in 1985. | Dommaraju, 18, is four years younger than the former record-holder, Russian grand-master Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won the title in 1985. |
| Indians had been following the 14-game World Championship competition with an intensity usually reserved for major cricket tournaments. | Indians had been following the 14-game World Championship competition with an intensity usually reserved for major cricket tournaments. |
| Fans began celebrating after a blunder by Liren paved the way for Dommaraju's win. | Fans began celebrating after a blunder by Liren paved the way for Dommaraju's win. |
| The teenager burst into tears as his win was announced and the room erupted with cheers. | The teenager burst into tears as his win was announced and the room erupted with cheers. |
| The video of his tearful reaction quickly went viral on social media. | The video of his tearful reaction quickly went viral on social media. |
| The caramel popcorn debate | The caramel popcorn debate |
| Is caramel popcorn just like any other popcorn? No, argued India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council which determines the rates at which various products are taxed. | Is caramel popcorn just like any other popcorn? No, argued India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council which determines the rates at which various products are taxed. |
| Earlier this month, the council announced that non-branded popcorn that was mixed with salt and spices would be taxed at 5% but caramel popcorn, which it categorised as a sugar confectionery, would attract an 18% tax. | Earlier this month, the council announced that non-branded popcorn that was mixed with salt and spices would be taxed at 5% but caramel popcorn, which it categorised as a sugar confectionery, would attract an 18% tax. |
| India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that the presence of added sugar made caramel popcorn a "mithai" or confectionery, hence attracting tax under a different category than regular popcorn. | India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that the presence of added sugar made caramel popcorn a "mithai" or confectionery, hence attracting tax under a different category than regular popcorn. |
| The decision had Indians up in arms, sparking a range of memes and criticism online. | The decision had Indians up in arms, sparking a range of memes and criticism online. |
| "Our country's tax system has truly evolved, popcorn is now the gold standard of luxury," one user wrote on X. | "Our country's tax system has truly evolved, popcorn is now the gold standard of luxury," one user wrote on X. |
| Instagram influencer and celebrity popularly known as Orry commented that caramel popcorn was injurious to "financial health". | Instagram influencer and celebrity popularly known as Orry commented that caramel popcorn was injurious to "financial health". |
| Jairam Ramesh, a spokesman of main opposition Congress party, said the "absurdity of three different tax slabs for popcorn under GST... only brings to light a deeper issue: the growing complexity of a system that was supposed to be a Good and Simple Tax". | Jairam Ramesh, a spokesman of main opposition Congress party, said the "absurdity of three different tax slabs for popcorn under GST... only brings to light a deeper issue: the growing complexity of a system that was supposed to be a Good and Simple Tax". |
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