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DD to run Ruskin Bond kids’ series
NEW DELHI: Starting the last Sunday of the year, Doordarshan will start airing the weekly series on India’s most loved kid’s writer Rusking Bond. The series, “Dehra Kids” will be shown on Sundays at 8.30 pm.
The best part is, kids will be able to see their beloved Bond, who will appear for a short time at the beginning of each story, and talk about his life and the inspirations behind these stories.The stories have been adapted for television by Anasuya Vaidya, the executive producer, and directed by Ajay Shetty.
The Dehra Kids are a group of children living in a small hill town, and comprise some of Ruskin Bond’s most enduring fictional characters – the cricket-loving Ranji, the all-knowing Koki, animal-lover Mukesh, Teju always up to mischief – and Chashmu, who observes everything around him.
These stories are recreated in the magnificent Himalayan setting of ManaIi and its surroundings, a press statement from the national broadcaster says.
Humour, adventure and a dash of the supernatural make “Dehra Kids” a complete fun-filled entertainment for children. Some of Ruskin Bond’s best short stories are part of the series, such as “Ranji’s Wonderful Bat”, “The Black Cat”; “The Great Train Journey”, “When the Guavas Are Ripe”, “Mukesh Starts a Zoo” etc.
The talented child actors of Dehra Kids include Govind Marodia, Dhruv Shetty, Bhavya Mahajan, Nishant Gambhir, Mohit Arora and Nisa. Adult characters are played by veterans like Jalabala Vaidya.
The curtain raiser of “Dehra Kids” will be telecast on Sunday, 24 December at 8.30 pm on DD Bharati.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
