The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,071 in India on Monday (30), while the death toll rose to 29, according to the union health ministry.
The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 942, while 99 people were either cured or discharged and one had migrated, the ministry stated.
In its updated data at 10.30 am, it said two fresh deaths were reported from Maharashtra.
Thus, Maharashtra has reported the maximum number of eight COVID-19 deaths so far, followed by Gujarat (5), Karnataka (3), Madhya Pradesh (2), Delhi (2) and Jammu and Kashmir (2).
Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, West Bengal, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have reported a death each.
The total number of 1,071 cases includes 49 foreigners.
The highest number of confirmed cases of the pandemic has been reported from Kerala (194) so far, followed by Maharashtra at 193.
The number of cases has gone up to 80 in Karnataka, while Uttar Pradesh has reported 75 cases.
The number of cases has risen to 69 in Telangana, 58 in Gujarat and 57 in Rajasthan.
Delhi has reported 53 cases, while in Tamil Nadu, the number of positive cases is 50.
Punjab has reported 38 cases, while 33 COVID-19 cases have been detected each in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
There are 31 cases of the contagion in Jammu and Kashmir, followed by Andhra Pradesh (19), West Bengal (19) and Ladakh (13).
Bihar has 11 cases, while nine cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Chandigarh has eight cases, while Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand have reported seven cases each.
Goa has reported five coronavirus cases, while Himachal Pradesh and Odisha have reported three cases each. Puducherry, Mizoram and Manipur have reported a case each, the Health Ministry said.
Chef Asma Khan calls for an end to macho kitchens and celebrates older women in professional cooking.
Advocates unionising hospitality and improving working conditions across the industry.
Explains founding the Second Daughters Foundation to support girls’ education in India.
Discusses the political role of food in promoting labour rights and dignity.
Redefining kitchens and leadership
In the latest episode of Shami’s Speakeasy, chef and campaigner Asma Khan joined host Shami Chakrabarti to discuss justice, feminism, race and the politics of food. Chakrabarti described Khan as “not so much a celebrity chef as a revolutionary chef.”
Khan highlighted her all-women team at Darjeeling Express, many of whom are grandmothers, calling it “a powerhouse.” Rejecting the macho culture of celebrity kitchens, she said the average age of women cooking in her kitchen is 50, demonstrating that older women are central to professional cooking.
Unionising hospitality and work-life challenges
Khan spoke candidly about labour conditions in hospitality and the impossibility of perfect work-life balance for shift workers and entrepreneurs. She called for restaurant workers to unionise, reflecting on exploitation during COVID and ongoing staffing pressures: “Without collective action, we can never get anywhere.”
She also shared her approach to parenting and entrepreneurship: “There is no word called ‘balance’ for some of us. The only way out is to forgive yourself and keep going.”
Second Daughters and food as a force for change
As a second daughter, Khan founded the Second Daughters Foundation, supporting girls’ education in India through school meals and practical assistance for those most likely to be kept at home.
Khan also described food as a political tool, using it to “shake the world gently” while emphasising labour, dignity and respect alongside ingredients.
Episode details
Shami’s Speakeasy: Asma Khan is available on all major podcast platforms from 15 October 2025. Additional resources and artwork inspired by the discussion will be shared in the Speakeasy Zine on the show’s website and to subscribers.
Asma Khan is the founder of Darjeeling Express, London, and an advocate for dignity in hospitality and women’s rights. Shami Chakrabarti is a human rights lawyer, legislator, and broadcaster who hosts Shami’s Speakeasy as a forum for honest conversations on values, ethics and social change.
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