Through the lens of realism

Kuzhithurai Raveess artistry is a masterclass in the intricate beauty of realism, where every detail is meticulously crafted and brought to life through his distinctive approach to colour blending. At the Beauty Is Truth art exhibition, hosted at the Lalitakala Akademi Art Gallery in Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, these works take centre stage. Nothing can compare to the happiness you get when you are able to create a shade that is the closest to the original colour of your muse. It is in fact, a discovery, says Ravees, who is an art director in the Tamil film industry. One of the standout paintings in the exhibition is a depiction of waves that resemble the famous The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. Especially in my wave paintings, Ive developed a shade thats neither blue nor green, giving it a unique, lifelike look. Similarly, blending different shades of red and white for the petals of a magenta champa flower creates a distinct effect. These conscious and accidental discoveries bring immense satisfaction, he says. Ravees has worked as an associate art director on over 35 films, including Kaavalan , Viruthagiri , Ninaithathathu Yaro , NOTA , Sketch , Pagan , Thana Serntha Koottam, and Ivan Vera Maathiri . He also served as art director for films like Pathungi Payanum Thala, Karikalan, Veerai Makkal, Thilagar, Kubera Rasi, and Kodaimazhai. His experience in the film industry, where creating large-scale sets requires precise attention to detail, has influenced his approach to art. I guess this has made me more observant of the smallest details in everything I see. Detailing makes an art different from others, says Ravees. Ranju Leaf, curator of the exhibition, agrees. Painting is more than just a picture; it has intricate detailing which makes it stand out and transforms it into a truly creative output. Another striking piece in the exhibition is a painting of a womans reflection in a glass, wearing a Victorian-style dress. The dark blue gown, with white lace detailing on the borders, exudes life. This piece required a great deal of effort. The lace designs had to be carefully painted, and the folds and creases on the gown were meticulously drawn to make it look real, he says. The exhibition also includes a thread art installation of Mahatma Gandhi. Using over 4,000 lines of threads connected to 300 nails, Ravees has created a stunning portrait that stands as a marvel of precision and patience. The total length of the thread used is around 3,000 metres. Canvas and cinema Ravees, a self-taught artist, began his creative journey at the age of 13, sketching pencil portraits inspired by magazines. Growing up in Kuzhithurai, near Kanyakumari, he was heavily influenced by Tamil cinema and collected film posters and photographs, that he later brought to life through painting. His passion for cinema led him to pursue a career in the film industry, joining the South Indian Cine and Television Art Directors Association. Despite his commercial success, Ravees has never deviated from his artistic pursuits. He actively participates in art exhibitions across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Mumbai. Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Foundation awarded him for his excellence in art. Those who have an interest in arts should never be bogged down by negative words. Encouragement is the boost every artist needs. I turned into an artist because of the kind words from people around me, adds Ravees The exhibition will be open until Saturday, from 10 am to 6:30 pm.

Three killed after tourist bus turned upside down in Kerala's Mattupetty

IDUKKI: Three students were killed after a tourist bus carrying college students from Kanyakumari turned upside down in Mattupetty near Munnar on Wednesday. The deceased have been identified as Venika R, Athika R and Sudhan, who were second-year BSc students at the Scott Christian College in Nagarcoil, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. Venika and Athika died on the spot. Sudhan, however, succumbed to injuries on the way to the Medical College Hospital in Theni. As per the eyewitnesses, the incident happened on Wednesday at around 2.30 pm. The team had set off from Nagarcoil on Tuesday night and arrived in Munnar on Wednesday early morning. The bus was heading to the Kundala dam area. However, while negotiating a curve, the driver lost control of the bus. It reportedly veered off the highway and turned upside down on the side of the road. Immediate rescue operations were held under the leadership of local residents and passengers in other vehicles that came following the bus came. The injured were immediately taken to a private hospital in Munnar. A total of 19 injured have been admitted at the Tata General Hospital in Munnar. Critically injured four persons were shifted to the Medical College Hospitals in Theni, Kolencherry and Kottayam. There were total of 41 passengers in the bus including 4 teachers. Although eyewitnesses say over speeding as the cause of the accident, the exact reason is yet to be determined.

If Hinduism is Talibanised, world would be destroyed: Sri M

You are not a conventional spiritual leader. You are married, have conducted padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, and have been a mediator when political killings happened. What makes you different from other spiritual leaders? What you said is one of the factors that makes me distinct (smiles). But theres a slight correction to saying that Im not seen as a conventional spiritual person. I have a parampara. My guru was from Nath Sampradaya (Gorakhnath). In Nath Sampradaya, there are married and unmarried persons. My guru asked me to lead a normal life. Who is Sri M in reality? A spiritual leader, mystic or a social activist? If you ask that in depth, there is no Sri M, there is only the soul. My birth name was Mumtaz Ali Khan. The first letter starts with M. When I was given deeksha in Nath Sampradaya, a Nath name was needed. So I was called Madhukar Nath. He (guru) used to call me Madhu. That also starts with M. But what makes me happy is that the M in Sri M means manushyan or manav (human being). I am a human being and I am free of all other definitions. Sri was prefixed by someone. Even if you call me M, Im happy. If Im addressed as Mr M, Ill be the boss of James Bond (laughs out). In your autobiography, it is said that you undertook a journey at the age of 19. Why did you have to travel to the Himalayas to seek your spiritual purpose? At the age of nine, my guru placed his hands over my head. It was after that episode that spirituality manifested in me and changed my life. Till the age of 19, I was in Thiruvananthapuram and met a lot of spiritual leaders. But I did not think of accepting any of them as my guru. So, after hearing about gurus and yogis in the Himalayas, I was attracted to go there. I left without informing anyone. I had to face a lot of difficulties. Finally, I found Babaji at Vyasa guha. I was with him for three and a half years. Was the journey to meet your guru predestined? No. I dont encourage the word predestined as it denotes a fatalistic life. There is a blueprint that is predestined. But man has a brain and freedom to work within that blueprint. If there is a blueprint for 10 persons to go towards spirituality, only one person may go. Its our decision. If not, whats the use of the brain if everything is predestined? So, isnt there destiny? Destiny means what you make of your life. My statement can render astrologers jobless. But this is my belief. People say Guru Babaji is still there. Is that true? We call him Sri Guru Babaji in our parampara and not mahavatar. Yes, I believe so. In our parampara we dont consider him a human being. Any human should die once born. This is a being who was not born from the womb of a mother. He is actually a mayaroopam in our language, a body created for a specific functionality. Whenever he feels the function is complete, he would dissolve it. So he exists even now. There have been many godmen around us. Is Sri M one of them? There will be attempts to make me one but I wont allow it as there is no need for it (laughs out). What makes you different from them? Do I look like a godman? There are two dangers associated with godmen. One, the personality itself will be full of ego and will start thinking that whatever one says is right. Secondly, ones personality becomes more important than ones teachings. This is equally dangerous. I have told people that it is not me but what I say that is important. Names like Sri M, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar... arent all these a part of making the person godmen? Nobody is willing to call me M. Sri is actually a short form for Sriman (Mr). It was a royal family in Delhi that first used to call me Mr M. Their niece suggested calling me Sri M and the name stuck. Now it is very useful as it can be used as a pen-name (smiles). Most spiritual leaders relinquish their ties with families but you maintain family relations. How is that possible? Very difficult (laughs out). Its a tightrope walk. To maintain a family along with spirituality is very difficult. I was ready to take up sanyasa. But Babaji advised against it. He asked me to get married and experience problems faced by commoners. In my opinion, marriage has the capacity to cut the ego. If one moves to sanyasa without experiencing grihastha, he may later become distracted by some attractions. It is difficult to handle it unless you are exceptional. You were born in a traditional Muslim family. What attracted you to Hinduism? Rebirth is a theory for many but an experience for me. My life changed when Babaji placed his hand over my head. He didnt ask me to change. But when I introspected, I liked ancient Hinduism which provides for questioning, probing and accepting. In Upanishads, you can see dialogues. Nobody asks you to believe in something. There is another stream which asks you to believe only in one god. Suppose if I cannot believe it, there is no answer for it. Also, we may feel their arguments are contradictory. Then I thought there should be something else. And I started meeting swamis in the area. I also read spiritual books from the public library. I got attracted to this stream (Hinduism) because, in it, we learn through dialogues. But I havent changed my name. Is your name still Mumtaz Khan? Yes. I didnt feel the need to change it. Are you saying that you were attracted by the freedom in the Hindu religion? Yes. But that is my fear as well. If Hinduism is Talibanised, the world would be destroyed. There is a possibility for that. How do you view casteism? Isnt casteism the big bane of Hinduism? Yes. Casteism developed much later in Hinduism. Who authored Brahmasutra and Mahabharata? It was Veda Vyasa, whose mother was a fisherwoman. One should be judged by his life not by birth. Today, there are many Brahmins whose lifestyle is worse than anyone else (smiles). But Mahabharata is full of caste references Yes, there are caste references in the Mahabharata, but it was the social norm at the time. However, it is no longer necessary. When people achieve success in a certain field, they often try to pass it on to the next generation, which can lead to a system resembling caste. This happens in many areas, even business. Brahmins were universally respected. So they tried to perpetuate their position, making it hereditary instead of focusing on qualities. The varnashrama system, however, was originally based on qualities. Even when you say this, a Dalit cannot be a priest in Sabarimala... Its a difficult issue to address, and ideally, the criteria should be based on quality, not birth. I dont deny the role of genetic factors, but I believe that I may be more qualified than some Brahmins despite being outside the traditional hierarchy. Do you foresee a possibility of an India without caste? If the caste system ever ceases to exist in India, then it will become a true Hindu Rashtra. When I talk about Hindu, dont think of it as a political statement about a Hindu Rashtra. Its about understanding the essence of Hindu teachings. My definition of Hindu is a Sanatani definition. Your arguments seem contradictory when you say that some people are qualified for something... Theres no contradiction. People qualify themselves by practising and learning at home. They know the requirements and what needs to be done. Its difficult to train someone from outside the system because they havent been exposed to it from a young age. You once said Marxist ideology would have been different had Karl Marx read the Upanishads. What exactly did you mean? Marxs Das Kapital has no spiritual aspect, it is strictly economic. Had Marx read the Upanishads, there would have been a spiritual element in his philosophy. The dialectical aspect is fine, but it should not be reduced to materialism alone. How do you see the equation of Marxist leaders and yoga? Some time ago, Marxist leaders approached me with a request to teach their cadre yoga. But they didnt want to associate with orthodox centres. Yoga, as a practice, can be done even without being a believer. I agreed to teach them. They named the approach Chethana Yogam, and some of the cadre started practising it. About 1,000 volunteers even demonstrated their practice at an event in Kannur. Whats the difference between Communist yoga and normal yoga? No difference (laughs). The probable difference is they wouldnt say any chants of Ganesha or other deities before the commencement of the yoga. They would just do it. Some practices require the chant of om. They asked me if it was necessary. I told them if its difficult to chant om, they need to just say ooooo instead (laughs out). There are many who do it. Has CM Pinarayi Vijayan shown interest in learning yoga? I cant comment on that (smiles). Swami Vivekananda called Hinduism the mother of all religions. From what you say, Hinduism has different streams of thought. How much of a common ground or source do you feel all religions have? Islam speaks about formless God and Hinduism also has nirakara sankalpa? There is a correction. The Allah that Islam speaks of and the Parabrahma in Vedanta are not one and the same. There is a conceptual difference. In my opinion, Swami Vivekananda must have used the word religion as a general term, and not as a specific term. Second, Swamiji appreciated all schools of thought. Jains may or may not admit they are Hindus but they are also part of the whole structure. Buddhism may seem different, but basically, it is the same stream. These things are all rooted in ancient wisdom or teachings. Why do you say Allah is different? Because the concept is different. I have studied both. Allah is formless (nirakara) but is not without attributes (nirguna). Formless Allah gets angry and all. It is contradictory, but that is the concept. It is not Advaita although people think Allah is the only God, which means it is Advaitic. Allah is defined as a concept which is the only truth and nothing else is true. But Advaita is a concept which says everything is rooted in the same truth. In Advaita, according to Adi Shankara, the Supreme Brahman is the only truth. That truth you cannot contact, you cannot pray to it, you cannot worship it, and it does not have any attributes (nirguna). It has no personal qualities... nothing you can do to it. When you quieten your mind totally, when all ripples of thought cease fully, what remains is the Brahman. That concept and the concept of Allah is very different. In the science vs spirituality debate, science is logic and spirituality is faith. How can a person with a scientific mind be spiritual? Because spirituality is not non-scientific, and religion may appear to be based on faith. There are many things that the ordinary brain, in its present capacity, can explore. The most intelligent person quickly realises the limitations of so-called ordinary thinking. There are other modes of thoughts and experiences that are outside the systemic thoughts and experiences we have built up. The most intelligent person should understand the limitations of psuedoscientific thought and then go beyond it. Can spirituality and science go together? It should go together. There was a time it was moving together, and that has to come back.. And we need to be careful about pseudoscience. You have spoken about a particular verse in your book and also about naga loka. You claim to have met the naga. How does this relate to science? The only reason is science too has a prejudice. They are not ready to accept something which is beyond what they have defined as science. The definition of science has to be changed, just as our understanding of humanity, religion and spirituality must change with time. Some say your autobiography reads like a fantasy novel Yes, I tell kids that if they enjoy reading Harry Potter, they should read my book too (laughs out). Sometimes, truth is easier to understand through fiction because our minds struggle to conceive such possibilities otherwise. But lets keep an open mind. Unlike many sadhus who use intoxicants like ganja or ayahuasca, I dont consume any narcotics or alcohol. Everything I have seen and experienced is real for me, at least. Reality can be subjective. What is real for one person may not be real for another. You were born into a Muslim family but later followed a Hindu spiritual path. How do Islamic religious organisations perceive you? They are generally very angry with me. However, as I dont actively challenge them, they leave me alone. But they cannot accept my choices. In Shariah Islam, changing ones faith is considered blasphemy and is punishable by death. I have received threats, but I dont care. You were among those who played a key role in restoring peace in Kannur. How did that happen? When our padayatra was passing through Malappuram and Kannur, I was warned. But I decided to walk. On my right side were RSS workers, and on my left, CPM workers. That may have been a first in the history of Kerala. After the padayatra, I decided to make an attempt to bring peace. When I met some leaders, I knew that everybody was interested in stopping violence. I met the top brass in RSS in Delhi. On the Left partys side, the onus was on the district secretary, P Jayarajan. I met him. We held three meetings in Kannur with the top leaders of CPM and RSS, including Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Gopalan Kutty. We settled the issue and held a peace walk through Kannur, with all of them participating. The RSS is celebrating its 100th year of its formation. Your views on RSS... Many people harbour a lot of misunderstanding about RSS. Take the instance of the recent discussions around Gyanvapi Masjid (in Varanasi). What did RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat say? He said there is no need to excavate everywhere (under each mosque) to look for Shiva Linga. This is a message. All said and done, RSS is hundred percent nationalist. For them, the country is everything. If it is being threatened politically, physically or culturally, they object. It may be right or wrong, but they object. Thats my experience. Is that the reason you face opposition from Muslim fundamentalist groups? It could be. If there is one text, one scripture and one teacher, then there are chances of more such instances. But if we take this side (Hinduism), it offers variety. It isnt based on just one. Having one has its advantages, but there are disadvantages too. People who do namaz five times a day will do so irrespective of whether its a railway station or a bus stand. Their strength is that millions of people do namaz facing one direction at the same time. Will our people (Hindus) openly chant a gayatri mantra or sandhya vandanam? Our strength (that of Hinduism) is that we are ready to acknowledge that we need not always head in one direction. Im not saying that either of these needs to change. Theres something in between these two. We need to arrive at a consensus. You have stated that two women have majorly influenced your life your mother and your wife. Can you elaborate? Ive only one regret in my life my mother suffered a lot when I wandered around. Since there was no communication for three and a half years, they didnt even know whether I was alive. So, I still have a connection with my mother through my mind. My wife is a simple person. Theres a theory that whatever we experience in this life is because of our karma in past lives. Whats your take? Yes. I cannot think about Vedanta without considering the influences from my past lives. So, according to you, are there rebirths? Hundred percent! Its my experience. For me, its not a theory though it cannot be proven (smiles). Whats the ultimate truth? Its very difficult to define the ultimate truth. In my opinion, it is to discover the divinity in you. In the core of our being, theres divinity. Such a spark is present in all human beings. Spiritual life is to discover that spark. The aim is to discover your true self, who you actually are!

Andamans to Arunachal: Amazon Pharmacy facilitates medicine access across India

Amazon Pharmacy delivers medicines across 100% serviceable pincodes across the country, subject to availability and regulatory requirements, ensuring that customers even in the remotest areasPort Blair and Havelock in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Leh in Ladakh, Kanyakumari, and even Roing in Arunachal Pradeshhave access to essential medication.

Thiru. MA. Subramanian, Hon'ble Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu Addresses the Yoga National Conclave - 2025

Dr. C. N. Maheswaran, I.A.S., Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation Limited, Chennai and Dr. A. M. Moorthy, Advisor, IYA-TNSCC and Director of Sports Medicine and Yoga, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chrompet, Chennai, facilitated the gathering. Thangalakshmi, State Coordinator, of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari for Tamil Nadu and the Treasurer of Indian Yoga Association, Tamil Nadu State Chapter Committee welcomed the gathering and Dr. R. Elangovan, Secretary, Indian Yoga Association, Tamil Nadu State Chapter proposed the vote of thanks.

Minister L Murugan calls Union Budget as a major step towards Viksit Bharat

PUDUCHERRY: Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr L Murugan stated that the Union Budget 2025-26 is a major step towards accelerating Indias growth, with a vision for a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Addressing a press meet in Puducherry on Sunday, he emphasised that zero poverty is a key goal of the budget. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, and this budget will further strengthen this progress, he said. Murugan highlighted that India has surpassed the UK to become the worlds fifth-largest economy and is projected to reach the third position by 2027. He stated that the budget focuses on agriculture, aiming to make India a global food supplier. Pointing out to the allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for startups, he stated that it will enhance employment opportunities for youth across the country. Highlighting the budget allocation for Puducherry, he said, The budget has allocated Rs 3,432 crore under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rs 1,450 crore for JIPMER under the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, and Rs 186.44 crore for water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Murugan mentioned that Puducherry, Karaikal, and Mahe railway stations will be developed under the Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme. He also expressed confidence in the revamped PM Svanidhi scheme, stating that the enhanced loans announced in the budget will benefit more street vendors in Puducherry. When questioned about the absence of specific schemes for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the budget, he said, The loan limit under the Kisan Credit Card scheme has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, benefiting 16,000 farmers in Puducherry. Before 2014, Tamil Nadu was allocated only Rs 800 crore for railway projects, but we have now increased it to Rs 6,000 crore. Funds have also been allocated for new railway line projects. Several railway stations, including Kanyakumari and Tambaram, will be upgraded. The Tamil Nadu government must cooperate and hand over the required land for these projects. This is a budget for all states, and sector-wise allocations will be made in due course. On the exclusion of the union territory from the Finance Commission despite Jammu and Kashmir being added, and the Puducherry Chief Ministers statement on financial constraints, he said, The Central government provides 90% financial assistance to Puducherry. There is no financial crisis, as the Prime Minister and Home Minister fully support the Union Territory. Jammu and Kashmir was included in the Finance Commission after Article 370 was revoked to address its basic infrastructure needs. Puducherry already has such facilities. However, we will convey the request to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The press conference also saw the presence of Puducherry Education Minister A Namassivayam, Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister A K Sai J Saravanan Kumar, Member of Parliament S Selvaganapathy, and MLAs RB Ashok Babu and VP Ramalingam.

Puducherry L-G K Kailashnathan, CM Rangasamy inaugurate Agri Festival 2025

PUDUCHERRY: Lieutenant Governor K Kailashnathan and Chief Minister N Rangasamy inaugurated the Agriculture Festival 2025 and the 35th Flower, Vegetable, and Fruit Exhibition at the Botanical Garden. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Government of Puducherry, is organising the exhibition from Friday to Sunday. Assembly Speaker R Selvam, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister C Djeacoumar, MLAs Anibal Kennedy and PML Kalyanasundaram, Agriculture Secretary A Nedunchezhiyan, and Department Director Siva Vasanthakumar participated in the event. During the inauguration, Farmers' association representatives presented green shawls to the dignitaries. The exhibition features flower plants cultivated by the Horticulture Department of the Puducherry government. Various sculptures, including replica of Thiruvalluvar statue in Kanyakumari, Aayi Mandapam in Puducherry and a steam engine, have been created using flowers and fruits. The exhibition also includes high-yield vegetable and fruit varieties, stalls from agricultural research institutes, agricultural technology seminars, floral rangoli displays, horticulture tools and, sales stalls from leading horticulture product manufacturers, a mini train ride for children, a musical fountain, and cultural performances.

CM Stalin takes a halwa dig at centre for budget snub

TIRUNELVELI: A day after buying halwa from the famous Iruttukadai in Tirunelveli, CM MK Stalin took a halwa dig at the central government for ignoring TN in the Union budget. Announcing various projects for the district on Friday, Stalin said Tirunelveli is known for its world-famous halwa, but now, the halwa given by the centre to the state has become even more famous.Halwa jibe is a Tamil expression of the sweet delicacy to mean deception. Blasting the centre for not allocating funds to the state, the CM said the development of the southern districts will grow by leaps and bounds in the next five years. It will make a tiger leap, he said. Stalin was speaking at a government function organised on Tirunelveli Medical College campus. He inaugurated completed projects worth Rs 1,304 crore, laid the foundation stone for new projects worth Rs 309 crore, and distributed welfare assistance worth Rs 167 crore to 75,151 beneficiaries. The Thamirabarani-Karumeniyar-Nambiyar river-linking project will bring surplus water from the Thamirabarani river through a 75-km canal to the drought-prone regions of Thisayanvilai and Sathankulam. The project, estimated at a cost of Rs 1,060.76 crore, has been successfully piloted over the past two years and has now been officially launched, Stalin said, adding key projects, including Tirunelveli Western Bypass Road from Thalaiyuthu to Konganthanpatti, Ambasamudram Bypass Road, and a Rs 605.75-crore combined water supply scheme, would soon be implemented. Additionally, the plans for an eco-tourism and adventure park in the Manimuthar dam area are under review. Tirunelveli city is set to get an IT park in Perumalpuram, while a new district headquarters hospital will be established in Valliyoor. Other medical infrastructure projects include a 50-bed ICU and laboratory at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, a super-specialty department for heart, neurology, nephrology, and liver diseases, and an additional block at Ambasamudram Government Hospital, the CM said. A new SIPCOT industrial park will be established on 2,291 acres in Marukalkurichi and Thiruvaramangai villages in Nanguneri taluk. Another SIPCOT industrial park is planned on 1,200 acres of dryland in Moolakaraipatti. To ease congestion in Tirunelveli city, a Y-shaped railway flyover will be built between Palayamkottai and MGR Bus Stand at a cost of Rs 120 crore, Stalin said. Coming back to criticising the centre, the CM said in December 2023 heavy rain had wreaked havoc on Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts. Though two Union ministers visited the flood-hit areas, they didnt facilitate any relief to the state, he claimed. Criticising the Union budget, the CM said the Centre is repeatedly deceiving the state and has made allocations only for the BJP-ruled states and election-bound states. He also said the Porunai museum, being constructed at a cost of Rs 33 crore, is set to be completed by April. Left to launch nationwide stir condemning budget Chennai : CPI national secretary D Raja said Left parties will stage a nationwide protest from February 14 to 20, condemning the budget. Addressing news persons in Chennai, Raja said the budget offers no relief or welfare measure for the underprivileged. He also dismissed governments claim that raising income tax exemption limit will benefit middle class. Meanwhile, CPI said Raja will launch partys protest by burning copies of budget in Chennai on Saturday.

Kashmir linked to Kanyakumari through Railway Line: Prez Murmu

New Delhi, Jan 31: Kashmir has now been connected to Kanyakumari through a railway line as the Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Rail project is complete, President Droupadi Murmu said on Friday. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament, the president highlighted the achievements of the Railway Ministry. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project has been completed, connecting the nation from [] The post Kashmir linked to Kanyakumari through Railway Line: Prez Murmu appeared first on Northlines .

Kashmir Linked To Kanyakumari Through Railway Line: President Murmu

New Delhi, Jan 31: Kashmir has now been connected to Kanyakumari through a railway line as the Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Rail project is complete, President Droupadi Murmu said on Friday. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament, the president highlighted the achievements of the Railway Ministry. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project has been completed, connecting the nation from Kashmir to Kanyakumari through a railway line, Murmu said. Under this ambitious project, the Chenab bridge has been constructed, which is the highest railway bridge [] The post Kashmir Linked To Kanyakumari Through Railway Line: President Murmu appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

BJP emerges richest party with Rs 7113-crore fund balance, Congress has Rs 857 crore: EC data

NEW DELHI: The BJP, which claims itself as the biggest political party in the world, has a whopping cash and bank balance of Rs 7,113.80 crore against the principal opposition Congress party's Rs 857.15 crore as on March 31, 2024, according to figures provided to the Election Commission. The BJP spent as much as 1,754.06 crore during 2023-24 when Lok Sabha elections were announced, a whopping 60 per cent rise than Rs 1,092 crore spent in 2022-23. In comparison, the Congress spent as much as Rs 619.67 crore during 2023-24, against Rs 192.56 crore in 2022-23. The Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 16, 2024. According to the figures provided to the EC in their annual audit reports, the BJP has received voluntary contributions through the now banned electoral bonds of Rs 1,685.69 crore during 2023-24, against Rs 1294.15 crore in the previous year. The ruling party has also shown having received other contributions to the tune of Rs 2,042.75 crore during the year, against Rs 648.42 crore in the previous year 2022-23. In its audit report to the EC, the Congress has shown having received total contributions of Rs 1,225.11 crore during 2023-24, including Rs 1129.67 crore through grants, donations and contributions. This also includes Rs 828.36 crore received through electronic bonds during the year ended March 31, 2024, which have now been banned by the Supreme Court. During the year, the BJP spent Rs 591 crore in advertisements, including Rs 434.84 crore in the electronic media and Rs 115.62 crore in printed material. The ruling party also spent Rs 174 crore during 2023-24 on aircraft/helicopters, against Rs 78.23 crore in 2022-23 and gave financial assistance of Rs 191.06 crore to its candidates during the year in question, against Rs 75.05 crore in the previous year. The BJP spent Rs 84.32 crore on meeting expenses in 2024 and Rs 75.14 crore on organising morchas, rallies, andolan and call centre expenses in 2023-24. The Congress, on the other hand, spent as much as Rs 207.94 crore on the electronic media and Rs 43.73 crore on printed material during 2023-24. The opposition party also spent Rs 62.65 crore on aircraft/helicopters during 2023-24 and gave financial aid of Rs 238.55 crore to its candidates. It also spent Rs 28.03 crore on publicity expenses and Rs 79.78 crore on social media expenses during the year ended March 31, 2024. The party also stated in its audit report that it spent Rs 49.63 crore on the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2, led by former party chief Rahul Gandhi during 2023-24, against Rs 71.84 crore spent on Bharat Jodo Yatra undertaken by him from Kanyakumari to Kashmir during 2022-23.

A hanging wonder

Taran and his family are awestruck by the brilliance of engineering that is the Mathur Aqueduct in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

Assam CM to inaugurate Aanandalaya Bhawan in Dibrugarh

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, Jan 25: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is going to inaugurate the regional headquarters, Aanandalaya Bhawan ofVivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari on January 27. Located at Mahalaya Road near Old Govt Boys High School Field, Aanandalaya Bhawan will serve as a hub for Vivekananda Kendras initiatives in the North-East, focusing on value-based education, skill []

Cyclists On Kashmir-Kanyakumari Expedition For Pollution-Free India Leave Jammu

JAMMU, Jan 19: Five cyclists from Mumbai, who have started a Kashmir to Kanyakumari expedition, to spread the message of a pollution-free India left Jammu Sunday morning, expressing happiness they were able to cycle on snow. Jammu Zone Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain received the cyclists aged between 54 to 67 years before flagging them off with good wishes for their onward journey during which they plan to cover 4080 kms in 40 days. Satish Jadhav [] The post Cyclists On Kashmir-Kanyakumari Expedition For Pollution-Free India Leave Jammu appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Cross-Country Cycle Expedition Flagged Off From Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 16: A 4,000km cycle expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari began from here on Thursday to promote a pollution-free India. The expedition with several participants from Maharashtra, including two sexagenarians, was flagged off by the Deputy Inspector General, Central Kashmir Range, Rajiv Pande from the iconic Lal Chowk here. The cycle rally will travel across the country to Kanyakumari, covering a distance of 4,048 km. One of the cyclists, Satish Jadhav, 67, said he wants every citizen of the [] The post Cross-Country Cycle Expedition Flagged Off From Kashmir appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Kashmir to Kanyakumari: Cross-country cycle expedition flagged off

Srinagar: A 4,000 km cycle expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari began from here on Thursday, January 16, to promote a pollution-free India. The expedition with several participants from Maharashtra, including two sexagenarians, was flagged off by the deputy inspector general, Central Kashmir Range, Rajiv Pande from the iconic Lal Chowk here. The cycle rally will Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Green signal to train on Katra-Reasi track

Srinagar, Jan 15:The dream of connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari through railway is becoming a reality as Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has authorized the opening of the newly constructed 17 km long Katra-Reasi rail track for public carriage of goods and passenger traffic, railway officials said. A seven-page authorization letter by CRS Dinesh Chand Deshwal, [] The post Green signal to train on Katra-Reasi track appeared first on Northlines .

Kashmir To Kanyakumari By Train Soon As Newly Constructed BG Line Gets Railway Authorisation

This comes nearly a week after conducting a two-day statutory inspection of the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway link.

Railway Safety Commissioner Gives Green Signal To Train Ops On 17 Km Katra-Reasi Track

JAMMU, Jan 15: The dream of connecting Kashmir to Kanyakumari through railway is becoming a reality as Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) has authorised the opening of the newly constructed 17 km long Katra-Reasi rail track for public carriage of goods and passenger traffic, railway officials said. A seven-page authorisation letter by CRS Dinesh Chand Deshwal, give green signal for the opening of the newly constructed broad-gauge line between Katra and Reasi stations for public carriage of goods and passenger [] The post Railway Safety Commissioner Gives Green Signal To Train Ops On 17 Km Katra-Reasi Track appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

On first anniversary of 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,' Congress says Manipur 'still awaits visit by PM Modi'

NEW DELHI: Launching a vitriolic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting violence-hit Manipur, the Congress on Tuesday said that he has found time, inclination and energy to go all over the world but has not seen it necessary to reach out to the distressed people in the northeastern state. The Congress' outburst came on the first anniversary of the lunch of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' that began in Manipur. The Congress had launched Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' from Manipur on January 14 last year aiming to put the spotlight on issues such as unemployment, price rise and social justice. A Congress' rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai had marked the culmination of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', which was carried out in hybrid mode in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls. Today, exactly a year ago, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was launched by the Indian National Congress from Manipur. The BJNY followed in the wake of the historic Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and covered 6,600 kms going through 15 states, culminating in Mumbai on March 16, 2024, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. Today, exactly a year ago, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was launched by the Indian National Congress from Manipur. The BJNY followed in the wake of the historic Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and covered 6,600 kms going through 15 states, culminating in Mumbai on March pic.twitter.com/D42FwEoCf5 Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 14, 2025 Manipur still awaits a visit by the Prime Minister, who has found the time, inclination, and energy to go all over the world - but has not seen it necessary to reach out to the distressed people of Manipur, he added. The prime minister has steadfastly refused to meet with political leaders of Manipur, including his own party legislators and the CM himself, Ramesh alleged. The agony of Manipur has continued unabated since May 3, 2023. Just a few days back the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports was asked to put off its proposed study tour to the state, he said. The Congress has been attacking the prime minister for not visiting Manipur besides slamming the Centre for its handling of the situation in the ethnic strife-torn northeastern state. More than 220 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. CPI calls for Biren Singh's resignation, says apology for Manipur ethnic strife is 'not enough'

Rahul Gandhi: BJP, RSS Undermining Constitution; Love Will Defeat Hatred

New Delhi : Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on both Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections, and accused the BJP and RSS of destroying the Constitution of the country. Stating that the Congress party travelled 4000 km to save the Constitution, he assured that caste census would be conducted if Congress came to power The Constitution says people belonging to any caste or religion should be given protection if he is Indian. People of BJP and RSS are destroying the Constitution. They are spreading hatred. We travelled 4000 kilometres from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to save the Constitution. Prime Minister Modi, BJP and RSS attack Dr BR Ambedkar's Constitution every day, Rahul Gandhi said. Stating that for him, India means a country with o hatred, he said he could always be seen standing with a person belonging to any religion or caste if that person is assaulted by anyone. For us every person in this country is equal. Only love will defeat hatred in the country. For me, India means there is no hatred in the country and the poor and people belonging to any religion can dream big. I don't want an India where billionaires can do anything and people like Ambani and Adani buy the whole nation and control all the businesses. We will not allow this to happen, he said. Bringing Aam Aadmi Party also in the ambit of his criticism, the former Congress President asked what has Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal done towards combating inflation and helping the poor. I wish to ask is the inflation increasing or decreasing? What did Kejriwal and PM Modi say on inflation? They said they would reduce inflation. Has it been reduced? Poor is becoming poorer and the rich is becoming richer. There are 100 to 150 billionaires who are controlling the country. They get all the privileges. Have you ever seen PM Modi speaking about Adani and Ambani? Has Kejriwal ever said anything about Adani? he said He further said there are around 50 per cent people from backward class, but they don't get adequate representation or benefits from the country. There are 15 per cent Dalits. 8 per cent are tribals. 15 percent are minorities. If you see any big government institution in the country or judiciary you will not find people from backward classes. Only 90 people in the country decide how much money has to go in each sector of the country. Out of 90 per cent, 50 per cent population belongs to the backward class. And out of 90 only 3 people are part of the decision-making process. The population is 50 per cent but the participation is 3 per cent. On the budget from the OBC community out of Rs 100 they get an amount of just Rs 5, Rahul Gandhi said. If you add backward class and Dalits, the population is 65 percent there participation is just 6 percent. If you see the management of top companies you won't find any person belonging to Dalit or Backward class. When I talk about caste census the PM and Kejriwal is silent. Both want that in the country backward class, Dalits, tribals and minorities do not get any participation. When Congress comes power reservation would exceed 50 percent and caste census would be passed in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, he added. The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The last date for filing nominations is January 17. The date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20.

Irate woman vandalises ATM

Hyderabad: Madhuranagar police are on the look-out for a home-maker who vandalised an ATM after she allegedly failed to con a bank employee during counting of notes. According to the police, the accused is a 35-year-old resident of Rahmathnagar. The accused was given `7 lakh in cash after she sold her property in Suryapet. She went to a bank in Vengal Raonagar to deposit the money in her account. The cashier counted the money and told the woman that `21,000 was short. The woman lost her temper and the staff called the police. The woman then went to the ATM deposit machine and threw a rock it, damaging the screen. 400 auto drivers at traffic awareness programme Hyderabad :As part of the National Road Safety Month, Hyderabad police organised a traffic awareness programme for 400 autorickshaw drivers, near Ambedkar statue on NTR Marg on Saturday. At the meet, it was decided that police would paste traffic awareness stickers on the back of the vehicles till the programme ends on January 31. City traffic additional DCP P. Viswa Prasad, who was invited as a chief guest, addressed the gathering. You should be the real heroes of Hyderabad. Do not park on roads, bus stops, don't allow extra passengers, do not demand extra money with passengers, Vishwa Prasad said. He also requested them to keep boards carrying school children when carrying school children during school timings for safety. 210 vehicles seized in crackdown Hyderabad: State transport officials have seized 210 vehicles of private operators for illegally transporting passengers from Telangana to Andhra Pradesh using unregistered private cars/buses and breaking a number of rules. We have coordinated with zonal teams of LB Nagar, Shamirpet, Rangareddy, Hayathnagar and formed special joint teams, said district deputy transport department officer Sadanandam. The authorities were on the look-out for overloaded vehicles, those without inter-state permits, and yellow plate vehicles without fitness certificates. Apart from this, our teams are also checking the buses coming from Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Puducherry, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kanyakumari, Bengaluru to Hyderabad, he added. During the normal days, the ticket cost in a private sleeper bus from Hyderabad to Vijayawada is around `1,800, during the festive seasons it is `4,200. This is against the law, G. Srinivas, a passenger said. The private cars that used to charge `300 to Suryapet are now raising their fare to `900 taking advantage of the Sankranti demand. The government should take the issue seriously and stern action should be taken against the private bus owners, M Gayatri, a passenger said. We have focused on those who are charging high charges from passengers during the Sankranti festival. Today will be focusing more on the permitting capacity and admitting passengers beyond the permit, a officer said.

Brewing joy and forging bonds with cutting chai

A good cup of chai (tea) can work wonders. And if it is Mumbais masala cutting chai with a friend or colleague then it can even form unbreakable bonds! From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, you will always find a chai shop along the road. After all, a lot can happen over a piping hot cup of cutting chai. For the uninitiated, cutting chai is strong masala tea simmered for long and then served in tiny glasses or kulhad (clay cups). Be it college students, poor labourers or seasoned politicians, the humble cutting chai has a crucial role in blurring party lines, forging bonds and striking timeless conversations. No prizes here, if you are also thinking of Chai pe Charcha! Stuti Bid reminisces of the times when she would wait for her college lectures to finish and she would dash for a cup of cutting chai with a friend or two. She avers, The day feels incomplete without that one cutting chai. On a serious note, a cup or glass of cutting chai has been a great way of connecting with people from all walks of life. Cutting chai plays a special role in my life as a symbol of warmth, connection and meaningful conversations, says Fauzia Chaudhary, a social worker from Mumbai. For Fauzia, the shared cups of chai have become more than just a hot sipping. They have become moments that have strengthened relationships and created lasting memories adds Fauzia. Swarali Kulkarni, a food & Travel blogger says, For most of us cutting chai with a snack, biscuit or even sutta (quick smoke) is an emotion. Whether you have a good day or a bad day at work, a cup of cutting chai with some close pals can act wonders. It acts as a conversation starter and social blender. These shared cups of chai have become moments that have strengthened relationships and created lasting memories. Fauzia Chaudhary, social worker, Mumbai

Jammus Business Interests Will Not Get Harmed: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Dispelling the apprehension about the new railway link that connects the Kashmir Valley with the countrys railway grid harming the business interests of Jammu, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Monday that it, in fact, will benefit the entire Jammu and Kashmir and even Ladakh. The new Jammu Railway Division will be beneficial to all. We anticipate significant benefits, including a surge in trade and tourism, and we will ensure that Jammu reaps the rewards of this development as well, the Chief Minister said while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the newly carved out rail division at Jammu. He added that Jammu will not suffer economic losses due to the direct rail link to the Kashmir Valley, but a new railways division will create jobs, enhance trade, and boost tourism in the entire erstwhile state of J&K. Terming the launch of the Jammu Railway Division as a historic moment for J&K, the Chief Minister said that to have their own railway division has been a long-standing demand of the people of the erstwhile state and today, that dream has been fulfilled. Reassuring the people of Jammu that the new division will benefit them economically, Mr Abdullah said, With its control and coordination to be based in Jammu, local recruitment will be prioritized. This will bring employment opportunities to the region, benefiting our youth and boosting the local economy. He added, Also, the commissioning of the Srinagar-Katra rail line will revolutionize travel in the regionthe connectivity would resolve long-standing challenges such as disruptions in winter flights and exorbitant airfares (on the Srinagar route). J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while speaking on the occasion said that connecting the Kashmir Valley with Kanyakumari through the railway network was a dream which has come true under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Jammu is set to become one of the finest railway stations in the world, with the region being elevated to the status of a new railway division. This will greatly improve connectivity and create new job opportunities in J&K and I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Union Railway Minister for their focused efforts toward the development of the Union Territory, he said. He said that by the end of this month, the Kashmir Valley will be fully connected to the national railway grid, marking a transformative moment for the region. The railway network will become the lifeline of J&K, driving economic progress and industrialization in the region. Enhanced connectivity means more opportunities, more jobs, and a brighter future for the people of J&K, he said. He added that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Modi, projects worth Rs 40,000 crore are being executed in J&K to further enhance the railway network whereas surveys for new railway lines are also underway, aimed at boosting connectivity within the region and to other parts of the country. Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said that the inauguration of the new Jammu Railway division is a historic milestone as it would effect significant positive changes in the rural heartlands of Kashmir Valley and ensure broader development of the entire region. He said that the first train had arrived in J&K in 1972 and that the gap of over fifty-two years between that milestone and Mondays achievement raises important questions. He asked, Was it due to administrative inefficiency, a lack of political will, or certain elements opposing the integration of Kashmir with the rest of India through rail connectivity? However, he also said, Perhaps it was destiny that we had to wait over fifty years, until the advent of Prime Minister Modijis leadership, to witness this moment as it is under his guidance that this dream, once considered impossible, has now been fulfilled.

Railway Division Inauguration| PM Modi-led Govt making dreams come true: LG Sinha

Jammu, Jan 06:Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today hailed the PM Modi-led government for turning dreams into reality, Speaking at inaugural ceremony of new Jammu Railway Division here, LG Sinha, according to the news agency, said, Connecting Kashmir with Kanyakumari through the railway network was a dream for decades, and today, under the [] The post Railway Division Inauguration| PM Modi-led Govt making dreams come true: LG Sinha appeared first on Northlines .

PM Modi Led Govt Making Dreams Come True: LG Sinha

Jammu, Jan 6: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said that Kashmir getting connected with Kanyakumari through a railway network was a dream and it has come true. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of new Jammu Railway Division, here, LG Sinha, according to the news agency said, The government led by PM Modi is making dreams of people come true within the stipulated time and to Kanyakumari rail connectivity is yet another landmark achievement. LG Sinha expressed [] The post PM Modi Led Govt Making Dreams Come True: LG Sinha appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Katra-Srinagar train likely to chug after Jan 20

Northern Railway announces timings; Vande Bharat express to leave Delhi at 7 PM arrive in Srinagar at 8 AM Srinagar, Jan 3: The Katra-Srinagar train is likely to chug on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) after January 20. Officials said that final preparations are being made to connect Kashmir with Kanyakumari through a railway network. [] The post Katra-Srinagar train likely to chug after Jan 20 appeared first on Northlines .

Vande Bharat sleeper train achieves peak speed of 180 km per hour: Centre

The Ministry of Railways on Friday announced that Vande Bharat sleeper train has achieved a peak speed of 180 km per hour in its multiple trials in the last three days. The trials will continue till this month end before this world class travel for long distance travel is made available to the rail commuters across the nation, a statement by the railway ministry claimed. Sharing a video of a successful trial in Kota Division, Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw on X mentioned the speed in his post. Vande Bharat (Sleeper) testing at 180 kmph pic.twitter.com/ruVaR3NNOt Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 2, 2025 The video shows a nearly full to brim glass of water adjacent to a mobile on a plain surface inside a Vande Bharat sleeper train. The Water level remaining static can be seen in the video as the moving train achieves near constant peak speed of 180 km per hour exhibiting the element of comfort in the high-speed rail travel. The post came after 3 days of successful trials, which concluded on January 2, in which a Vande Bharat sleeper train in its loaded condition touched the peak speed. On Thursday, during a 30 km long run between Kota and Laban in Bundi district of Rajasthan, the train reached a peak speed of 180 km per hour. A day earlier, i.e. on the first day of 2025, in a 40 km long trial run between Rohal Khurd to Kota, Vande Bharat sleeper train touched the peak of 180 km per hour. On the same day, peaks of 170 km per hour and 160km per hour were achieved on Kota-Nagda & Rohal Khurd-Chau Mahla sections. These trials will continue for the month of January under the supervision of RDSO, Lucknow. Once these trials are over, the train will be evaluated by the Railway Safety Commissioner at the maximum speed. Only after passing the final stage, Vande Bharat trains will be officially certified and handed over to Indian Railways for induction and regular service With these successful trials, rail commuters can hope for world class travel experience in long distance travel like Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Delhi to Mumbai, Howrah to Chennai and many other routes also, the statement said.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Achieves 180 km/h in Trials: Watch Video By Railway Minister

NEW DELHI: Indian Railways has reached a significant milestone with its Vande Bharat sleeper train prototype successfully achieving a top speed of 180 km/h during recent field trials. Designed to enhance long-distance overnight travel, this new sleeper variant promises to revolutionize rail journeys with its cutting-edge features, including internet connectivity, improved safety measures, and luxurious comfort. Record-Breaking Trials Shared by Railway Minister Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently shared a video showcasing the impressive trial run of the Vande Bharat sleeper train. The footage captures the train achieving its peak speed of 180 km/h, demonstrating its superior performance and stability. The trials, conducted under the supervision of the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), are part of an intensive evaluation process to ensure the trains readiness for regular operations. Vande Bharat (Sleeper) testing at 180 kmph pic.twitter.com/ruVaR3NNOt Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 2, 2025 A Transformative Leap in Long-Distance Travel The Vande Bharat sleeper train represents a significant advancement in Indian Railways mission to provide world-class rail services. Following the success of the Vande Bharat Express chair car trains, the sleeper variant is poised to deliver a similar blend of speed, safety, and luxury for longer routes. Key features include automatic doors, ultra-comfortable berths, onboard Wi-Fi, and an aircraft-inspired design. Highlights of the Trial Run The trial, conducted in Rajasthans Kota Division, not only demonstrated the trains high-speed capability but also highlighted its stability. A video shared online shows a glass of water remaining perfectly still on a table as the train raced at 180 km/h, emphasizing the smoothness of the ride. Faster Journeys on the Horizon With speeds surpassing the current maximum of 140 km/h achieved by long-distance trains like the Tejas Rajdhani Express, the Vande Bharat sleeper trains promise to significantly reduce travel times. Routes such as Delhi-Mumbai, Howrah-Chennai, and Kashmir-Kanyakumari are expected to benefit from these high-speed trains, bringing unparalleled convenience to passengers. Upcoming Launch and Certification The sleeper trains are undergoing rigorous testing, with the final evaluation to be conducted by the Railway Safety Commissioner. Once certified, these trains will be inducted into regular service, ushering in a new standard of luxury and efficiency in long-distance rail travel. The Vande Bharat sleeper trains symbolize Indian Railways commitment to innovation and modernization, ensuring passengers experience faster, more comfortable, and technologically advanced journeys.

Kashmir is inseparable part of Indias soul: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Asserting that Indias boundary is not determined by geo-politics, Union Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the country is integrated from Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south and from Kamrup in the east to Kutch in the west on the basis of civilization and culture. The Home Minister went on to assert that the historical and cultural integration of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh with rest of India has references in 8,000-year-old ancient texts. Shah made these remarks here during the launch of the book Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh: Through the Ages published by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). Speaking at the event, he emphasised that Kashmir was not just a territorial part of India but an integral part of its civilizational essence. He also referred to historical granths (ancient scriptures) that validate Kashmirs connection to India for millennia, emphasising that the region is inseparable from Indias cultural identity. The Home Minister also reiterated that Article 370 was a temporary provision and its abrogation in 2019 was essential. Post-abrogation, he claimed, separatism and terrorism have significantly declined, and the ecosystem sustaining such activities has been dismantled and highlighted unprecedented infrastructure progress in Kashmir, including new rail connectivity and the construction of Indias longest tunnel as symbols of a new and prosperous era for the region. The Home Minister also commended the ICHR for its meticulous research, which he noted debunked separatist narratives. Shah ended his speech asserting that the abrogation of Article 370 has not only brought peace and development but also reinvigorated a historical truth that Kashmir is an inseparable part of Indias soul and identity. He also reinforced that the regions significance went beyond politics and geography.

India's first glass bridge opens in Tamil Nadu

Kanyakumarinow boasts Indias first glass bridge, a 77-meter-long, 10-meter-wide architectural marvel inaugurated on December 30 by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The Rs 37-crore project marks the silver jubilee of the Thiruvalluvar statue's unveiling by late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. , , - pic.twitter.com/EmATLQhPLh M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 30, 2024 The glass bridge connects two of Kanyakumari's most celebrated landmarks: the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-foot Thiruvalluvar statue. Designed with a transparent glass surface, it offers visitors stunning, uninterrupted views of the sea and the surrounding landscape, enhancing the areas visual and tourism appeal. Previously, tourists relied on ferry services to travel between the Vivekananda Memorial and the Thiruvalluvar statue. The new bridge not only creates a more scenic and direct route but also adds a unique experiential element to the visit. Chief Minister Stalin shared a video of the bowstring-shaped bridge on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, showcasing its intricate design and panoramic surroundings. During the inauguration, he walked across the bridge, appreciating its construction and the immersive experience it provides. The glass bridge is part of a broader initiative by the Tamil Nadu government to boost tourism and infrastructure in Kanyakumari. By offering a closer connection between two cultural landmarks, the project reflects the state's commitment to creating innovative attractions while preserving its historical and natural heritage. The bridge is expected to draw tourists from across the country and beyond, solidifying Kanyakumaris reputation as a prime destination for cultural and scenic tourism.

77-Metre-Long, 10-Metre Wide: India's 1st Glass Bridge Now Open In Tamil Nadu

The glass bridge in Kanyakumari offers stunning views of the sea and reduces travel time for tourists between Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue

Tamil Nadu: Glass bridge connecting Vivekananda memorial, Thiruvalluvar statue inaugurated

Kanyakumari: A 77-meter-long and 10-metre wide glass bridge connecting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-feet high Thiruvalluvar statue off the coast of Kanyakumari was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday evening. The glass bridge, said to be the first such one in the country, offers tourists an enchanting view of the monuments of the two savants and the sea around. It provides a thrilling experience of walking above the sea, a tourist official said. The project, executed at a cost of Rs 37 crore by the state government, was inaugurated coinciding with the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the Thiruvalluvar statue by late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. The bowstring arch glass bridge has been designed to withstand the saline breeze. It will be the latest attraction at the Land's End. After the inauguration, the chief minister, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers, MP Kanimozhi, and senior officials, walked over the bridge. A laser light show was held at the Thiruvalluvar statue.

Tamil Nadu: Indias First Glass Bridge Inaugurated In Kanyakumari, Connects Thiruvalluvar Statue To Vivekananda Rock

India's First Glass Bridge Inaugurated In Tamil Nadu

A 77-meter-long and 10-metre wide glass bridge connecting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-feet high Thiruvalluvar statue off the coast of Kanyakumari was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday evening.

A journey from Kashmir to Kanyakumari on track

SRINAGAR: The long-awaited train service from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is about to become a reality. This follows the Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) inspecting the 17 km Katra-Reasi stretch of the 65 km Katra-Sangaldan section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link on January 5, 2025. This is a vital link connecting Kashmir to the rest of the country. PM Narendra Modi is likely to dedicate it to the nation on January 26. Of the 65-km long Katra-Sangaldan, the Reasi-Sangaldan part including Reasi Station has been completed. Only a 17 km stretch between Katra and Sangaldan which has the iconic Anji Khad bridge is pending CRS inspection. All of them together will be inaugurated together by the PM, said K Sainath Reddy, executive engineer of Konkan Railway at Reasi Station. Anji Khad Bridge, which connects two tunnels between Katra and Reasi station is Indias first cable-stayed bridge is 473.35 meters long. Katra is the last railway station on the Jammu side where people get down for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The bridge has support of 96 cables having cable lengths varying from 82 meters to 295 meters, said Sjuo Kumar Deputy Chief Engineer (Bridges) of Konkan Railways. After Reasi, comes Bakkal, and thereafter comes Kanthan Chenab Railway Station. Before the station is Chenab Bridge, the worlds highest railway bridge. The height of this arch bridge is 359 meters above the riverbed. It is taller than the Statue of Unity, which is 182 meters, and the Eiffel Tower, which stands at a height of 330 metres, said RR Mallick, Deputy CE of Chenab Bridge. For the people in the rest of the country, especially those down South, Kashmir is a dream destination, which the majority have heard of or seen only in movies. Given the high cost of air travel, Kashmir visit remains a dream for many. If there is a train to Srinagar, I would go. My heart desires to see Dal Lake in Srinagar, where the famous song from Kashmir Ki Kali was shot, said Swapna from Vijayawada. Qadir, who has been operating a Shikara on the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar for more than 40 years, calls it a welcome development. Afsan, who operates Kashmiri Arts Gallery, a floating shop on Dal Lake said many artisans and craftsmen would benefit. Feroz, who runs a Kashmiri crafts shop in Srinagar, said, Now, we are spending anywhere between Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 on cabs. The cost would decrease by one-third, he said. Nisar from Anantnag said the though the new railway connection will bring more opportunities for Kashmir, but there are concerns that those dependent on transportation like cabs, trucks, might suffer from decrease in demand for them.

Tsunami survivors overcome scars of 2004 with resilience

Chennai: The ineffaceable scars of the tragic loss of their close blood relations still haunt the survivors 20 years after the Tsunami struck on the fateful morning of December 26, 2004. Sowmya, one of the survivors, who was rescued in Nagapattinam district that bore the brunt of the giant tidal wave killing 6,065 people, has become a mother of a girl child now. Like several other children orphaned by the Tsunami, she accepted the harsh reality and showed resilience to overcome the crisis and live. She was four years old when the Tsunami hit the coast, massively destroying property and lives. Sowmya later became the goddaughter of IAS official Dr J Radhakrishnan and completed her BA in Economics. Radhakrishnan solemnised her marriage with K Subash, a technician, in 2022. In October this year, she became a mother of a girl child. It is heartwarming to see our goddaughter grow up and become a mother. Our family felt blessed, Radhakrishnan, currently Additional Chief Secretary, Cooperative Department said. He was joined by his wife Krithika and son Dr R Arvind and Nagapattinam district collector P Akash, in showering blessings and gifts on Sowmya at her foster home in the district. Meena, rescued as a toddler, and Sowmya were among the 40 child survivors who grew up in the Annai Sathya Government Children's Home. They came together and celebrated their reunion on December 22, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Tsunami. Among them, Tamilarasi Vijayabalan, now 35, who is BSc in IT, and also holds MCA degree, is working as a teacher at the Annai Sathya Government Children's Home established post-tsunami to take care of 100 children. The home located in Samanthanpettai near Nagapattinam now takes care of victims of abuse and child marriage. Radhakrishnan was then posted as collector to oversee the relief and rehabilitation activities in Nagapattinam district. Apart from Radhakrishnan and his family, Collector Akash, district Child Protection Officer V Ezhilarasi and Juvenile Justice Board member M Malarvizhi too lauded the survivors who displayed resilience. The unprecedented devastation due to the fury of the waves affected around 50 town panchayats of six coastal districts of Kancheepuram, Villuuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari, and Thoothukud in the state. As per the intensity of disaster, the affected town panchayats were categorised as worst damaged and partially damaged and 19 out of 50 town panchayats were declared as worst damaged as the loss of lives and damage to property was high, an official said. The calm Sunday following Christmas had turned into a dreaded nightmare for several hundreds of families in the coastal districts from Cuddalore to Kanyakumari. The huge waves ravaged habitations, infrastructure and claimed several lives. The state government agencies and non-governmental organisations helped to rebuild houses and restore our livelihood, says R M P Rajendira Nattar, president of Indian National Fishermen Union, Nagapattinam. In view of the 20th anniversary, the Tamil Nadu government should take steps to waive off the the fishers' contribution of Rs 11.34 crore towards the establishment of the mini fishing harbour in Nambiyarnagar in the district. The fishers have mortgaged their houses built for them by the government under the Tsunami rehabilitation, to make their contribution. They are now neck-deep in debt. Waiving off their contribution would be a relief to the fishers, he told PTI. He had already petitioned the fisheries department officials in this regard and that he was told that a policy decision on the waiver could be taken only by the government, Nattar said. The state government had contributed Rs 22.87 crore for constructing the mini fishing harbour that was inaugurated last year.

World's highest arch bridge to link Kashmir to India

Srinagar: The Katra-Banihal rail section, which includes the worlds highest arch bridge over the Chenab, is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on January 26. Upon its completion, Kashmir and Kanyakumari will be connected for the first time by rail. This section is considered one of the great engineering marvels, highlighted by the Chenab Bridge, which is 725 metres long and built 359 metres above the river. It stands 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower and is five times the height of Delhis Qutb Minar. The bridge can withstand wind speeds of up to 260 km/h. The section also includes 934 rail bridges and 38 tunnels. Another notable structure in this section is the Anji Ghat cable railway bridge, the countrys first cable-stayed bridge supported by 96 three-layered cables. The bridge stands 331 metres above sea level. Connecting the Kashmir Valley by rail is expected to boost tourism in the Valley, making it easier and hassle-free for visitors to travel, and residents can travel more safely and quickly to other states for employment and trade. The project was sanctioned in 2002 and has been eagerly awaited, with the Railways spending around `37,000 crore on the endeavour. According to Chenab bridge executive engineer Robinder Singh Yadav, this was one of the most challenging construction projects on the river. He noted that simply reaching the location posed a major hurdle. From 2013 onward, around 2,000 people worked on the project to bring it to completion. Several stations are coming up along this route, including at Reasi, located in a remote part of the Kashmir Valley. Sai Nath Reddy, executive engineer at Reasi station, noted that work on the section of the project from Baramulla to Kashmir started in 2004 and called it a game-changer for the region. Local residents say this connectivity will be revolutionary, as they are often isolated, and road travel can be long and arduous. Manzoor Ahmed Dar, a resident of Old Barzulla in Rajbagh, Srinagar, who works in a silk-weaving factory, shared his excitement: My son and his family live in Hyderabad, and we visit them once a year. Its always a lengthy and tiresome journey. This rail connectivity will be a blessing for us. Initially, the Railways will operate a MEMU train, with plans to introduce a Vistadome coach later to boost tourist traffic. The MEMU train carried civilian passengers for the first time on Sunday, after securing clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety. For travellers from Hyderabad and Telangana heading to Kashmir, there are currently seven trains running from Hyderabad city stations to Delhi, from where they can connect directly to the new rail route once services are established.

25 years of Thiruvalluvar statue

Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin celebrated the 25th anniversary of the setting up of a 'skyhigh' statue of Thiruvalluvar at Kanyakumari, where the nation begins, by M Karunanidhi and said that it was a statue of wisdom. In a message on X, Stalin said Thiruvallur, who gave the world the classical Tamil literary work Thirukural was an advocate of equality.

BJPs Annamalai Accuses Kerala of Dumping Waste in TN Border Districts

BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai alleged that Kerala has been using Tamil Nadus border districts as dumping grounds for biomedical, plastic, and meat waste. He urged the DMK government to take immediate action to prevent the neighboring state from discarding its waste in Tamil Nadu. Annamalai warned that if Kerala continues this practice, he would arrange for the waste to be sent back to the state. He accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin of compromising the state's interests, including on issues like Cauvery water, to favor political allies. The DMK government has allowed border districts to be turned into garbage dumping yards for Kerala, he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). @mkstalin , , , pic.twitter.com/egdyR3x3ue K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 17, 2024 Additionally, Annamalai claimed that the state government was ignoring illegal smuggling of minerals from Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts to Kerala. Despite repeated complaints to authorities and the Chief Minister's Special Cell, no action has been taken. This is happening with the full knowledge of the DMK government, he alleged. Annamalai called for urgent intervention to address the waste dumping and protect Tamil Nadu's border districts.

A. Kanyakumari and Vittal Rangan presented a delightful string theory

The senior violinist and her disciple presented kritis and ragas that brimmed with bhakti rasa

Tamil Nadu Braces for More Rain as IMD Issues Heavy Rainfall Alert

Tamil Nadu continues to face relentless rainfall, leading to severe waterlogging in several areas, particularly in Thoothukudi and its surrounding regions. Streets in localities like Postal Telegram Colony, Rajiv Nagar, Rajagopal Nagar, Bharati Nagar, Amuda Nagar, KVK Nagar, and Asoke Nagar were submerged due to the heavy downpour. Heavy Rainfall Forecast Until December 18 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Chennai has predicted more rainfall across various parts of Tamil Nadu until December 18. Heavy rain is expected to lash isolated places in districts like Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari. Additionally, Kerala and the Lakshadweep region are also likely to witness heavy rainfall. Cyclonic Circulation Over Andaman Sea According to the IMD, a cyclonic circulation over the Andaman Sea and adjoining areas was observed on Saturday. This weather system is expected to develop into a low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal by Sunday. Meteorologists anticipate the system will intensify further and move west-northwest towards the Tamil Nadu coast, potentially exacerbating the rainfall. Rainfall Predictions for the Coming Days Monday, December 16: Light to moderate rainfall is expected to occur in several areas across Tamil Nadu, including coastal and interior regions, as well as in the Union Territories of Puducherry and Karaikal. Residents in these areas are advised to prepare for intermittent showers, which could vary in intensity and cause minor disruptions in daily activities. Tuesday, December 17: Widespread light to moderate rainfall is expected in coastal Tamil Nadu and scattered regions of interior Tamil Nadu. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning may occur in isolated areas. Districts such as Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai, along with Karaikal, may experience heavy rainfall. Wednesday, December 18: Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecasted in districts including Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, and Mayiladuthurai. Additional regions such as Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Tiruchirappalli, Villuppuram, Chengalpattu, and Kallakurichi, as well as Puducherry, may also experience heavy rain. Precautionary Measures Authorities and residents in the affected areas are advised to stay alert and take necessary precautions. The persistent rain could lead to further waterlogging, disruption of daily activities, and potential damage to infrastructure. Emergency teams are on standby to address any critical situations arising from the severe weather conditions.

Indian Accent Pops Up in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace is excited to present a one-of-a-kind culinary experience with Indian Accent, renowned for its innovative modern Indian cuisine. On December 14th & 15th, 2024, this exclusive pop-up will bring the restaurants globally celebrated flavours to Hyderabad. Indian Accent, in association with The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, promises a dining experience that celebrates excellence and creativity like never before. Nestled in the heart of Hyderabads thriving business and IT hub, The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace is a luxurious haven that blends sophistication with serene comfort. Adding to its repertoire of fine dining experiences is Kangan, its signature restaurant that celebrates the rich culinary traditions of the North-West Frontier. Popularly known for its opulent dining affair immersed in the rich tapestry of regional flavors, Kangan is all set for its guests to embark on a gastronomic adventure with this special pop-up that will feature Indian Accent's signature dishes. Doda Burfi Treacle Tart (Photo by arrangement) The Indian Accent menu is a testament to the restaurant's mastery of combining traditional Indian flavors with contemporary techniques. The specially curated menu for this pop-up will feature signature dishes like tofu medu vadai with madras gunpowder and sambar cream, arbi galawat with crispy sevai and barberry chutney, ker sangar paneer with Rajasthani papad kadhi, and beet and peanut butter chop, kasundi cream, beetroot crisps. Non-vegetarian offerings include kanyakumari crab, telicherry pepper; duck shaami, crispy sevai, barberry chutney, and meetha achaar pork ribs with dried mango and sour apple. Desserts include daulat ki chaat, rose petal chikki, roasted almonds, doda barfi treacle tart, and vanilla bean ice cream. Daulat Ki Chaat (Photo by arrangement) Says Shantanu Mehrotra, Executive Chef, Indian Accent: As we take Indian Accents signature modern Indian cuisine on this multi-city journey, Im thrilled to bring our unique approach to new cities and share the creativity and flavors that define our food. Each pop-up offers a chance to connect with guests in a fresh, exciting way, and we look forward to bringing this experience to Hyderabad. Indulge in an unforgettable dining experience where tradition meets innovation, and every dish tells a story of culinary excellence. Event Details: Dates: Saturday, December 14th & Sunday, December 15th, 2024.

Vidwan Bharat Sundar Shines in Concert at Kalasagarams 57th Annual Festival

Hyderabad: The city witnessed a brilliant vocal concert as part of Kalasagarams 57th annual festival of music, dance and drama by Carnatic vocalist Vidwan Bharat Sundar from Chennai, who has many accolades to his credit including the best concert award from Madras Music Academy and the Carnatic Music Idol title. He started the concert with a brisk Nattakurinji varnam in second speed. Then came the beautiful Guruleka in Gowrimanohari. The Kalpana swaras were a prelude. Next came G.N. Balasubramaniams Sivanandha Kamavardhani in Kamavardhini ragam with alapana. Sunder performed the neraval at Bhavani Pavani. Shyama Sastrys Maayammaa was presented neatly in Chouka kalam. The next item was a bhava-laden Indha Thiruvadivam by Neelakanta Sivan in Vasantha. The Kambodhi raga alapana left the audience spellbound. A pleasant kriti of Thyagaraja, Sri Raghuvara Aprameya, was the main piece. With a quick swara kalpana and awesome thani avarthanam by Delhi Sairam on the mridangam and Shyamkumar on kanjira, Sunder moved to a detailed Shanmughapriya Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP), Nee Mahima Ganimpa Tharama Gajaraja Gamani Shankari in Tisra Jathi Thriputa Thalam. Sunder took the Suruti and Kapi also in RTP which was captivating. Next came Dr M. Balamuralikrishnas Marulu Konnane Saki Ninnu in Jenjjutti. He concluded the concert with Dwijavanthi thillana, making a mark and delighting the audience. Before the concert, Sundar gave away prizes to the winners of the Kalasagaram music competitions, including three tamburas. The Kalaimamani A. Kanyakumari Award was presented to Peri Thyagaraju for excellence in the field of violin.

Train from Kashmir to Kanyakumari

Avinaash Mehra The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in ones determination. The dream of much anticipated Udhampur-Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link Project is coming true by couple of weeks.The project is being constructed by Indian Railways as National Project in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since 2002. The Railway Board, Government of India has entrusted the construction of section of Katra-Dharam section project to KRCL and Dharam-Baramulla to IRCON International limited through Northern Railway. The project [] The post Train from Kashmir to Kanyakumari appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

CBI Conducts Searches at 6 Locations in Tamil Nadu in Bribe Case

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches on the residential premises of an accused at Chennai, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu in an on-going investigation of a case of bribery leading to recovery of Rs. 27 lakh in cash and incriminating devices and documents. The CBI had registered a case on October 25, 2024 against half a dozen persons including the then Senior Deputy Director of Research (P&R Cell), Traffic Department, Chennai Port Trust Authority, and five private persons including, proprietor, two working partners, Signing Authority Mediator and Mediator of a private company. The case was booked based on a complaint of Chief Vigilance Officer, Chennai Port Trust Authority, Chennai and findings of Preliminary Enquiry conducted by CBI. It was alleged in the complaint that the Senior Deputy Director during the year 2019 and 2020 demanded and obtained illegal gratification of Rs.70 lakh as commission for awarding tender for four tugs with spares and Annam (Oil Recovery Vessel) from the company proprietor. It was further alleged that the Senior Deputy Director issued a fake order purportedly issued by Chennai Port Trust authorities. Further investigation into these matters is in progress.

With cases dragging on, many former left-wing extremists question point of rehabilitation package

Kanyakumari has been languishing in jail since June 2017, when she accepted the policy to return to the mainstream. The former naxals regret their decision and argue that the way the government treated them discouraged active Maoists to accept the policy

Weather Alert: School Closures in Tamil Nadu as Monsoon Rains Intensify

Heavy Rains in Tamil Nadu Lead to School Closures in 5 Districts - Safety Guidelines Issued Heavy rains have hit Tamil Nadu as the northeast monsoon intensifies, leading to school closures in five districts. Authorities are on high alert as the state faces continuous downpours, disrupting daily activities. Schools in Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Tiruvarur districts have been closed today due to the ongoing heavy rainfall. Additionally, the Kanyakumari district, including Kanniyakumari and Pechiparai areas, has also seen school closures. Earlier this week, on November 19, school closures were also reported in the districts of Nagapattinam, Thoothukudi, and Karaikal. In Karaikal, both schools and colleges were closed, while in Thoothukudi, only schools were shut down. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain forecast for the next five days, predicting moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning in many regions. The IMD has specifically warned of continued heavy rain in the delta regions and urged residents to stay prepared for any disruptions. Southern and delta districts like Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Mayiladuthurai have already experienced significant rainfall, which has caused waterlogging on roads and affected daily life. Authorities are advising residents to exercise caution. In response to the heavy rains, district officials have implemented disaster management measures. Relief teams are being deployed to monitor flood-prone areas, and citizens are urged to stay away from waterlogged zones. Residents are also advised to stay updated on weather reports and follow safety guidelines to avoid further disruption. As the monsoon continues to impact Tamil Nadu, it is crucial for everyone to remain alert, informed, and prepared to ensure their safety during this challenging weather period. Heavy Rainfall Forecast in Tamil Nadu: IMD Issues Alert for Chennai and Other Districts Heavy Rain Predicted for Chennai and Tamil Nadu: IMD Issues Alerts Across Districts

Rahul Gandhi says Modi is losing memory like Biden

Mumbai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday continued his attack against the BJP and RSS claiming that the Hindutva organisations are working to destroy the Constitution of India. Addressing an election rally at Amravati, Mr. Gandhi asked whether the saffron party was protecting the Constitution when it stole the state government by purchasing MLAs. He also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is suffering from memory loss like former United States President Joe Biden. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who addressed a rally at Shirdi, challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to publicly commit to conducting a caste census. The Congress party considers the Constitution as the countrys DNA, while for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) it is a blank book, Mr. Gandhi said in an apparent reference to the BJPs allegation that Congress leaders distributed blank books as Constitution of India in Maharashtra during the Assembly election campaign. The Congress leader addressed the rally to campaign for Maha Vikas Aghadi candidates contesting the Assembly election. Maharashtra will vote for 288 Assembly seats in a single phase on November 20. The counting of votes will take place three days later. Maha Vikas Aghadis campaign that the BJP wants to change the Constitution had helped the opposition alliance during the Lok Sabha election. MVA had won 29 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Reiterating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party has no respect for the Constitution, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, Nowhere in the Constitution it is written that governments can be toppled by purchasing MLAs as was done in Maharashtra and Rs 16 lakh crore debt of top businessmen can be waived. Taking a dig at PM Modi, Mr. Gandhi said, My sister told me that these days Mr. Modi was speaking about the same issue that I have been raising. I have been saying that the BJP is attacking the Constitution. The PM came to know that the people are very angry about it. So now he is claiming that the Congress is attacking the Constitution. I told him in the Lok Sabha that the 50 per cent cap on reservation should be removed. Now he is saying that I am against reservations. The former President of America used to forget and he had to be reminded from behind. The President of Ukraine came and the President of America said that Russian President Putin had come. He had lost his memory. Similarly, our Prime Minister is losing his memory. I told Mr. Modi to do a caste census. The country should know how many Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs are there. In the next meeting, he will say I am against the caste census. he added. Addressing a public rally at Shirdi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her brother has been demanding caste census in order to give justice to all communities. She said, The BJP claims my brother is against reservation. This is the same person who walked from Manipur to Mumbai demanding justice. He walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir demanding a caste census. They spread lies because they are scared. How can we allocate reservations effectively without knowing the population composition of each caste? Ms. Gandhi Vadra challenged PM Modi to announce publicly that a caste census conducted and the 50 per cent cap on reservation will be removed. ReplyForward Add reaction

PM Modi, Shah spreading lies that Rahul Gandhi is against reservation, alleges Priyanka

Shirdi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah of spreading lies about her brother Rahul Gandhi that he is against reservation. She said these leaders are scared of Rahul Gandhi because he wants a caste census to be conducted in the country. Addressing a poll rally in the temple town of Shirdi in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra, she said projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore were snatched away from Maharashtra. All of us are proud of Maharashtra. But in this land, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being insulted...you people are being insulted. All these leaders, including Modi ji, take his (Shivaji Maharaj) name, but they do not respect him, Gandhi alleged. PM laid a foundation for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue but later stopped the work, she said, apparently referring to the warrior king's proposed memorial in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai. The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj outside Parliament was removed. The statue installed in Sindhudurg, collapsed as corruption took place in its construction. What is the point of taking the name of the legendary king if you want to insult that person, she said. She challenged PM Modi to announce publicly that a caste census was conducted and the 50 percent cap on reservation would be removed. But they say from the public platform that my brother is against reservation. The person, who traversed from Manipur to Mumbai carrying out Nyaya Yatra, about him you are saying that he is against reservation. They tell lies from public platforms as they know that the person traveled from Kanyakumari to Kashmir seeking justice and seeking caste census. Gandhi added that PM Modi always takes the name of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Yes, our ideologies (Congress and Shiv Sena's) were different...Yes, our political thinking was different... But neither Balasaheb Thackeray nor any leader from the Congress and Rahul ji would tolerate the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, she said.

PM serving interests of billionaires at expense of poor, alleges Rahul Gandhi

JHARKHAND: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of serving the interests of billionaires at the expense of the country's poor. Gandhi, who addressed two election rallies in Jharkhand during the day, also charged Modi with seeking to destroy the Constitution which is the soul of the country. The Congress leader claimed that while the opposition INDIA bloc was fighting to protect the Constitution, the BJP was trying to dump it in the trash bin. PM Modi says Rahul is flashing a red book. Its content is important, not the colour. Had you read it, you would not have been spreading hatred and dividing society, Gandhi said in a rally in Godda district. It is a fight of ideology between the INDIA bloc and BJP-RSS. We are protecting the Constitution and BJP-RSS is trying to dump it in the trash bin. They are spreading violence and trying to divide society on the basis of caste, creed and religion, he alleged. Addressing another rally at Bermo in Bokaro district, Gandhi accused Prime Minister Modi of seeking to destroy the Constitution which is the soul of the country. The Constitution is the soul of the country. Prime Minister Modi says it is blank inside. Look at this, it has contents. He says Rahul shows a red book; its content is important and not the colour, he said, displaying a copy of the constitution. The BJP has been accusing the Congress leader of displaying a fake copy of the constitution with blank pages at an event in Maharashtra recently. PM Modi wants to destroy the constitution, but no power can do it, he said. Maintaining that he was not afraid of Modi or his 56-inch chest, Gandhi alleged: He is a puppet of billionaires. The former Congress president accused the PM of giving lessons to people during the day, while enjoying the weddings of industrialists at night. Gandhi claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in Maharashtra was toppled to grab land. He alleged that Modi was trying to hand over land worth Rs 1 lakh crore in Mumbai's Dharavi to an industrialist. The Prime Minister worked for the welfare of billionaires in the country and privatised institutions, colleges, industries, hospitals and ports, Gandhi claimed. He handed over the country's wealth to 25 capitalists. PM Modi waived Rs 16 lakh crore of debt of industrialists but did not do anything for the poor people, farmers and Dalits, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said. PM Modi rendered the country's youths unemployed through GST and demonetisation, he alleged. Gandhi said that though PM Modi speaks of his respect for the poor, but does not waive the farm loans. Advocating for the need for a nationwide caste census, the Congress leader claimed that it would change the face of India. The caste census would reveal positions of tribals, Dalits and OBCs in various institutions, he said. The Congress, if voted to power, will ensure caste census and remove the 50 per cent cap on the reservation, Gandhi said. If we are voted to power in Jharkhand, we will raise the reservation of STs to 28 per cent from the present 26 per cent, SCs to 12 per cent from the 10 per cent at present and OBCs to 27 per cent from the existing 14 per cent, he said. Gandhi further alleged that Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) constitute 90 per cent of India's population, but they are not represented in government institutions. He also targeted the BJP over the arrest of JMM leader Hemant Soren, and said, A tribal CM elected by you was put behind the bars in Jharkhand. Accusing the BJP of spreading hate and violence, Gandhi said it can be eliminated through love. Ours is a 'mohabbat ki dukan' (shop of love), they have 'nafrat ka bazar' (market of hatred), he said asserting that he undertook a 4,000-km padyatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to spread the message of love because BJP's hatred and divisive policies could be won by love only. Meanwhile, Gandhi was delayed for the second meeting at Bermo as his helicopter, which was supposed to take him back after addressing an election rally, was grounded for about two hours, prompting allegations from the Congress that it was politically motivated. Our leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was not allowed to take off for about two hours, posing a grave threat to his life. This was a security lapse at the behest of the Centre, state minister Deepika Pandey Singh alleged. Officials said the delay was on account of the region's airspace being declared as a o-flying zone after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stranded in Jharkhand's Deoghar airport for nearly two hours after his special IAF aircraft developed a technical snag. The PM visited Jamui to attend a function marking the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda, celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.

Step Back In Time As Kanyakumari's Govt Museum Reveals The Region's Rich Past

The museum showcases the pre-independence history of the Kanyakumari district, the history of the Kumari Kandam, the Travancore princely state and rare wartime weapons used at Vattakottai Fort.

Heavy Rainfall Forecast in Tamil Nadu: IMD Issues Alert for Chennai and Other Districts

Tamil Nadu, including its capital Chennai, has been witnessing continuous heavy rainfall in recent days, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rain for Thursday and Friday. The Regional Meteorological Centre predicts that while Chennai will experience moderate rain through Thursday, some areas may face heavy downpours. Will Schools in Chennai Be Closed? Despite the ongoing rains and weather warnings, schools in Chennai are set to remain open on Thursday, November 14. There are no holidays declared for schools and educational institutions in the city due to the weather. IMD's Rainfall Alert for Tamil Nadu The latest bulletin from the IMD indicates that 23 districts in Tamil Nadu, including Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Kallakuruchi, Tiruvannamalai, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Villupuram, Sivaganga, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and Karaikal, are likely to experience heavy rainfall at isolated places on Thursday. In addition to Tamil Nadu, heavy rain is also expected in Kerala, Mahe, Puducherry, Karaikal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and southern Karnataka. Cause of the Heavy Rain The heavy rainfall is being caused by a low-pressure system over the southwest Bay of Bengal. This system is moving closer to the Tamil Nadu coast, resulting in increased rain across the central and southern parts of the state. The rain is expected to continue until around November 16. Heavy Rain Predicted for Chennai and Tamil Nadu: IMD Issues Alerts Across Districts

Silver jubilee of Valluvar statue in Kanyakumari

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.(Twitter) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin.(Twitter) Chennai: The silver jubilee of the installation of the 133 feet high statue of Tamil poet savant Thiruvalluvar on a rock off the coast of Kanyakumari will be celebrated in a grand manner with Chief Minister M K Stalin participating in it and the government conducting several competition for school and college students to celebrate Thiruvallvurs poetic genius and philosophy. In a video speech on Tuesday announcing the celebrations, Stalin regretted that a group was trying to paint Valluvar, who stood for egalitarian principles, in saffron. Valluvar gave the world the universal principle that all were born equal, he said. The dedication of the statue to the nation in January, 2000 by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was a dream come true for him. He had envisaged the project in 1975 itself but could implement it only in 2000, Stalin said. The height of the statue, sculpted by Ganapathy Stapathy, marked the 133 chapters of Valluvars magnum opus, Thirukural, which was popularized by Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar E V Ramasamy, DMK founder C N Annadurai and Karuanidhi, Stalin said. When the statue was about to be installed on the rock, questions were asked on the durability of the statue and the sculptor said that as long as waves and hills existed, the statue would stand and true to his prediction, it withstood the onslaught of the 2004 tsunami, he said. As part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the statue, essay competitions for school children, social media shorts reels contest for college students and painting competitions through AI and digital technology would be held, the Chief Minister announced. A 3-D laser show and plethora of programmes have been planned to commemorate the silver jubilee and in the run up to the celebrations on December 31 and January 1, seminars and symposiums would be organized and prizes would be given away, he said.

BJP burnt Manipur, attempted to divide people across India on religious lines, alleges Rahul

Lohardaga: In a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the saffron party of burning Manipur and making attempts to divide people across the country on religious lines. He also alleged that the saffron party deprived 90 per cent of the nation's population of their due rights and benefits. The BJP burnt Manipur and attempted to divide people on religious lines. It incited Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs against each other. In recently held Haryana elections, the BJP incited Jats against non-Jats...It is the character of the BJP, Gandhi alleged while addressing an election rally in Lohardaga. The Congress leader also claimed that he undertook a 4,000-km padyatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to spread the message of love and to open 'nafrat ke bazar me Mohabbat ki dukan' (to open shops of love in the market of hatred). When I raise my voice for tribals and Dalits, the BJP accuses me of dividing India. I am here to unite and strengthen India. If I am wrong for raising the voice for 90 per cent of India's population, which constitutes tribals, Dalits and OBCs, for their participation in governance, I will continue to do so, Gandhi claimed. He alleged that the BJP waived loans of 25 capitalists worth Rs 16 lakh crore but blamed the Congress for easing farmers' debts to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore during the UPA regime. Did the BJP government waive any loan of Jharkhand farmers?...No because you are tribals, Dalits and OBCs. The BJP will never waive your debts because it waives debts of capitalists, he alleged. This was Gandhi's second visit to Jharkhand after the announcement of the assembly polls. The elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

Caste census to make resources available equally to all sections: Bhatti

Hyderabad: The crucial meeting to discuss caste census survey in Telangana will become a golden letter day in the history of India, said Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu here on Tuesday. Speaking at the meeting to deliberate on caste census at Gandhi auditorium at Bowenpally in Secunderabad, Bhatti said that the decision on caste census was taken after Congress partys beloved leader Rahul Gandhi was convinced during his padayatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari by interacting with people from all sections of society. He firmly believed that the caste census was the only way to make available the nation's resources and assets equally to all sections of society and to render justice to all. Bhatti recalled that Rahul Gandhi had predicted before general elections that Congress would assume power in Telangana and announced that the caste census would commence from here itself. From the day Congress came into power in Telangana, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the entire Cabinet started working on giving a shape and direction to Rahul Gandhis thoughts and ideas on conducting caste census in the country, he said. The first step was to pass a unanimous resolution on caste census in the State Assembly, then issuing a GO based on the Assembly resolution through the Planning department to bring it into the public domain. Today, Rahul Gandhi is holding discussions with intellectuals, social scientists of Telangana society to decide what questions to be included in the caste census survey to cover all categories of people and what type of information should be elicited through the survey, Bhatti said. He also said that meetings were already held with key leaders of the Congress on caste census at Gandhi Bhavan. As per instructions of PCC President B Mahesh Kumar Goud, the District Congress Committees met and gathered information at the district level. As part of this process, suggestions and views of intellectuals will be taken and Rahul Gandhi's ideas and opinions on the subject will be understood to frame and finalise questions in caste census surveys to collect comprehensive information, Bhatti added.

Sat Sharma, Mahant Rohit Shastri, Prajapati call on LG

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Nov 3: Sat Sharma, President BJP J&K, along with Sunil Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly from Paddar- Nagseni constituency today called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan. Mahant Rohit Shastri, President, Shri Kailakh Jyotish and Vedic Sansthan also today called on Lieutenant Governor. Subsequently, Neeraj Kumar Prajapati, popularly known as The Bicycle Man of India also called on Lieutenant Governor and briefed him about his 4,200-kilometer cycle ride from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to promote millets [] The post Sat Sharma, Mahant Rohit Shastri, Prajapati call on LG appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Vijay Slams BJPs ONOE Plan

Chennai: The Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, on Sunday criticised the BJP governments push for one nation, one election as anti-democratic and accused the DMK government of evading the caste census issue. In its first executive committee meeting, presided over by Vijay, TVK also demanded the revival of the Sri Lankan Tamils issue in the states political agenda and asserted that the Centre had no authority to interfere in Tamil Nadus matters. The TVK condemned the Centres attempt to introduce one nation, one election, labelling it a direct threat to democracy. A resolution highlighted that while the DMK claims to follow the path of social justice, it has been evasive about conducting a caste survey, blaming the Union government instead. The party insisted on completing the caste survey within Tamil Nadu. Another resolution addressed attempts to saffronise Tamil heritage by misrepresenting figures like Thiruvalluvar and distinguishing between Thamizhagam and Tamil Nadu. TVK emphasised that linguistic rights are paramount for Tamil Nadu and vowed not to compromise on preserving the mother tongue. The party dismissed the Union governments ambition to impose a third language in Tamil Nadu, asserting that such efforts would fail given the regions strong cultural and linguistic identity. TVK called for a referendum among Sri Lankan Tamils to achieve a permanent solution to their issues, aligning with the Tamil Nadu Assemblys unanimous resolution from 2011 during J. Jayalalithaas tenure as Chief Minister. The party urged that the Union governments foreign policy regarding Sri Lanka should be formulated in consultation with the Tamil Nadu government. Addressing local issues, TVK opposed the acquisition of farmers' land by NLC India Limited, demanding employment for the heirs of those who relinquished land and the regularisation of contract workers. The party also criticised the DMK for failing to implement monthly electricity billing as promised, noting that only power tariffs have increased. In a bid to celebrate Tamil heritage, TVK appealed to the state government to build a large exhibition hall showcasing the legacy of Tamil kings from the Chera, Chola, and Pandya dynasties. The party opposed any Union government attempts to establish a mine in Kanyakumari and highlighted that attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy intensified after the cessation of the Katchatheevu islet to Sri Lanka. TVK stressed the importance of adhering to international laws in handling fishermen crossing sea boundaries. The party also opposed the Wakf Amendment Bill, 2024, stating it infringes on Muslim rights and disrupts the federal structure of the country. TVK accused the DMK of deceiving the public by promising to abolish NEET and urged the Union government to transfer education from the concurrent to the state list to facilitate the removal of NEET in Tamil Nadu. Commending the state governments recognition of Thagaisal Thamizhar Virudhu and appreciating the Union governments establishment of a rocket launch port at Kulasekarapattinam, TVK also called for the initiation of metro rail projects in Coimbatore and opposed land acquisition for the Parandur airport. The party condemned the DMK government for failing to maintain law and order, noting an increase in illicit liquor sales and youth drug addiction. TVK advocated for the closure of Tasmac shops, attributing them to social insecurity and rising crime, and suggested finding alternative revenue sources. Embracing the legacy of Dravidar Kazhagam founder E.V.R. Periyar, TVK committed to policies promoting women's education, social reforms, social justice, and rationalism. The party pledged to uphold the honest administration and secular principles championed by former Chief Minister K. Kamaraj and continue B.R. Ambedkars fight against caste oppression and for communal representation. TVK emphasized its intention to transcend specific identities, fostering unity and social harmony among the people.

St. Josephs University NCC cadets cycle 650 km from Bengaluru to Kanyakumari in 45 hours

The achievement is being touted as a first in the history of the NCC

Five killed, 12 injured in accidents in MP's Betul district

Betul (MP): Five persons were killed and 12 injured in separate accidents involving heavy vehicles in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district, police said on Sunday. Two persons died, and 12 sustained injuries when a tractor-tractor transporting them overturned near Hanuman Dol on Betul-Parasia Road around 7 am on Sunday, an official said. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kamla Joshi said the victims were labourers returning home to their village from Betul railway station in a tractor-trolley. The vehicle overturned, killing two of them, she said, adding that the injured were taken to a hospital. The official said the labourers had travelled to Betul from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, where they had gone to work in a factory a month ago. District Collector Narendra Raghuvanshi said there were 21 persons on the tractor-trolley, all residents of Bakud and Dulara villages in Ghoradongri tehsil, who returned from Kanyakumari for the festive season. He said one of three critically injured persons was referred to Bhopal for further treatment. In another accident in the district, three persons were killed when a truck hit their two-wheeler on Betul-Athner road around 11 pm on Saturday, police said. The accident occurred near Bharkawadi village, around 10 km from the district headquarters, said Anjana Dhurve, the in-charge of Betul Bazar police station. A truck transporting fertiliser hit the two-wheeler, and the injured men were rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared them dead, she said. The official said the victims were identified as Vijay (35), Krishna Dhurve (20) and Raghunath Sareyam (38). A case was registered against the truck driver who fled from the spot, leaving the vehicle behind, she said.

Court orders Tamil Nadu police officers to appear in Ambalamukku murder case trial

A private nursery employee was murdered at Ambalamukku and her necklace stolen allegedly by a Kanyakumari native