HIL returns to shape future of Indian hockey

The Hockey India League is back. It features both men's and women's competitions. The league aims to strengthen Indian hockey. Matches will be held in Rourkela and Ranchi. These cities are emerging hockey hubs. The league will provide opportunities for young players. It will also offer a platform for retired players. The league's timing is ideal given hockey's rising popularity.

Mentally ill Cgarh man reunited with mom, abandoned at Rourkela stn

Hockey India League 2024-25 countdown begins, tickets for matches free for Fans

The Hockey India League (HIL) is returning after seven years, kicking off on December 28 in Rourkela. Free tickets are available via Ticketgenie. Bollywood star Sara Ali Khan and music artist King will headline the opening ceremony. The Hockey Ka Jashn initiative will promote the sport nationwide. The league aims to provide an unparalleled fan experience.

Minor girl gang raped in Odishas Rourkela, three held

Rourkela: A minor girl was allegedly raped by three persons in Rourkela city, police said Friday. The three accused have been arrested, the police added. The incident took place three days ago when the girl (15) was roaming in the Rourkela bus stand area after a quarrel with her family, the police said. The three []

Vedanta Kalinga Lancers unveil jersey and mascot

BHUBANESWAR : Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, the Odisha-based franchise in the upcoming Hockey India League, unveiled their official jersey, mascot and team anthem at a grand event held in Kalinga Stadium here on Thursday. The jersey was officially revealed by Sports and Youth Services minister Suryabanshi Suraj. The home jersey features a striking combination of blue and green, while the away jersey retains the vibrant orange and white. The new jersey design blends history, art, geography and progress, paying tribute to Odishas rich heritage and forward-looking aspirations, the franchisee officials said. After the jersey unveil, David John, the strategy director of Kalinga Lancers, expressed optimism about the team composition. During the auction, we picked our choice players as per our strategy. The HIL is going to restart after a gap of seven years. We are the defending champions and will try to keep the winning momentum on from the first match on December 28 at Rourkela, he said. Former India captain, coach and Arjuna awardee and now the team manager Dr AB Subbaiah said, Being the defending champion, all eyes will be on your players. We have a wealth of talent and experience in our team. They will act as a driving force for the team. Congratulating Vedanta for leading the franchisee, Subhaiah said eight young players from Odisha are in the team. They will have a great opportunity to learn from many experienced and overseas players. Among others, COO of Vedanta Aluminium and Director-Kalinga Lancers Sunil Gupta, Sports and Youth Services secretary Bhaskar Joyti Sarma, along with the Indian players were present on the occasion.

Odisha: Two killed after train hits motorcycles that breached closed level crossing

Rourkela: Two persons were killed as a train hit their motorcycles when they were trying to cross railway tracks in Odishas Sundargarh district even as the level crossing was closed, police said Wednesday. The incident happened near Kalunga around 9.30pm Tuesday when four persons were travelling on three motorcycles. They crossed the closed barrier with []

NIT-R ramps up research on tribal communities

ROURKELA: The National Institute of Technology-Rourkela (NIT-R) has taken up a series of research studies to identify critical challenges and work out policy solutions for the tribal communities of the state. The long-term and policy oriented research studies by the humanities and social sciences department of NIT-R are largely focused on key areas including health, education, tribal languages, culture and practices, reasons for low economic growth, livelihood issues and lack of inclusivity of tribal communities. NIT-R sources informed the institute is working on a project called Tribal Narratives of Sustainable Development: A Study of Sundargarh District in Odisha with Prof Ramakrishna Biswal acting as the project director. Sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR), the study chiefly focuses on the Paudi Bhuyan, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) concentrated in Bonai sub-division of the district. Another project led by Prof Koteswara Rao Kodirekkala is studying Cultural Limits on the Transmission of Traditional Knowledge: A Study among a PVTG of Northern Odisha. Earlier, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had sponsored a project for running a Centre of Excellence for Tribal Studies with Prof Seemita Mohanty as the coordinator. The project had focused mother tongue-based multilingual education, management of minor forest produce for empowerment of women of PVTG in Odisha, health issues of tribal elders, low literacy and dropout in Sundargarh. Head of the humanities and social sciences department Prof Narayan Sethi said, the research projects aim at betterment of tribal communities not only by identifying the critical challenges they face but also through sustainable solutions.

13 towns in Odisha record minimum temp below 10 degree Celsius

The minimum temperature at Rourkela was 5.7 degree Celsius followed by Similiguda in Koraput district at 7.2.

Oil India, BMC ink pact to set up 200 TPD biogas plant in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: Oil India Limited on Monday signed an MoU with Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up a compressed biogas (CBG) plant capable of processing 200 tonne of segregated municipal solid waste in the state capital. The central PSU will also support the state government in setting up of CBG plants in seven more places across the state. Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said the move is significant towards creating a better Bhubaneswar. The gas generated from the plant can be used as fuel for transportation as well as in other sectors. The compost generated in the process can also be used in farming, he added. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had stressed setting up of more such projects in the state and assured of all possible support in this regard, Mahapatra said. While eight acre land has already been provided for the project in the city, Oil India Limited will also help the state government in setting up similar plants in six to seven more places including Puri, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Sonepur and Berhampur. The company has already taken steps in this regard and preparation of detailed project report (DPR) is in progress, he said. The minister said though a two-year deadline has been set for commissioning of the plant in Bhubaneswar, he has urged authorities to expedite the project work to ensure it is completed ahead of its scheduled timeline. Officials said the plant with 200 tonne per day (TPD) capacity will initially produce 10 to 15 TPD biomethane gas. Its capacity can also be scaled up to 300 TPD in the future. Around `150 crore will be invested for the project. Once the plant is set up, BMC will be able to handle its municipal waste more effectively. The harmful waste will be captured properly and optimised for better use supplementing the efforts of net zero emission target of the country, said H&UD secretary Usha Padhee. Municipal commissioner Rajesh Pravakar Patil said Oil India will commission the plant and look into its operational management. The problem we are facing at the temporary transit station will reduce to a significant extent once the plant is commissioned, he added. Oil India CMD Ranjit Rath said the CBG plant will process the municipal solid waste and convert it into two products, majorly green gas and green manure. We have got an assurance from the civic body here that we will be having access to segregated municipality waste for their processing at the plant, he said.

G Udayagiri records seasons coldest 4.80 c

BHUBANESWAR : An unrelenting cold wave swept across Odisha for the third consecutive day with G Udayagiri recording this seasons lowest minimum temperature of 4.8 degree Celsius on Monday. Steel city Rourkela shivered with mercury plunging to 5.7 degree C on the day. The other stations which recorded sub-10 degree C were Phulbani (7), Jharsuguda (7.1), Daringbadi (7.5), Bhawanipatna (7.8), Angul (8), Keonjhar (8.8), Sundargarh (9), Jagatsinghpur (9.5) and Dhenkanal and Koraput (9.6). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a cold wave warning for Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Jagatsinghpur and Angul districts for Tuesday. Chilly weather is prevailing as dry and cold northerly and north-westerly wind are blowing towards Odisha, director of Bhubaneswar meteorological centre Manorama Mohanty said. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 10.9 degree C and 11 degree C respectively. The minimum night temperature was significantly below normal in Jharsuguda, Angul, Bhubaneswar and Chandbali. However, the night temperature is expected to rise again as wind pattern is expected to change and easterly as well as south-easterly wind carrying moisture will start blowing towards the state. The minimum night temperature is expected to gradually rise by 3 to 5 degree C from Tuesday onwards, Mohanty said. Director of SOAs Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC) Sarat Sahu said night temperature is likely to rise from Tuesday onwards. The northern cloud band of the low pressure system over central parts of south Bay of Bengal may move towards north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast, he said. Chilly weather is likely to make a comeback from Sunday onwards, Sahu said.

ECoR bifurcation sparks political uproar over Odishas revenue loss; demands for compensation

BHUBANESWAR: Nearly six years after the announcement of new South Coast Railway (SCoR), the build-up on its expeditious operationalisation has begun to fuel fear, concern and political outcry in Odisha over the bifurcation of East Coast Railway (ECoR), particularly the substantial revenue loss for the profit-making zone. While the SCoR zone headquartered at Visakhapatnam and its operational area are yet to be formally notified, a tender worth Rs 149 crore has recently been floated for construction of the zonal office building. The SCoR will have three divisions - Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal spanning the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana (except Kurnool of Hyderabad division and Jaggaiahpet of Secunderabad division). As per the detailed project report (DPR) accepted by the Ministry of Railways, apart from the three divisions, SCoR will have a major portion of Waltair division, which is now entirely under ECoR. Waltair division will split into two and one part will merge with Vijayawada division. The other will be converted into a new division with headquarters at Rayagada under ECoR. Before the 2019 general elections, the Centre had given a go-ahead to the bifurcation plan for addressing administrative and operational challenges. It was seen as a bid to appease Andhra and now it is making the most of it. As the neighbouring state is eyeing all railway lines that fall within its boundary, Odisha may end up being on the losing side in the bifurcation of Waltair division. The division generates around Rs 10,250 crore annually, primarily from freight traffic linked to the mining and steel industries, and contributing significantly to ECoRs revenue. Bone of contention The DPR reveals that of 1,106 km of railway route coming under Waltair, 450 km will be merged with Vijayawada division while of the rest 656 km, 541 km will be under Rayagada and 115 km under Khurda Road divisions. The ECoR has three divisions - Khurda Road, Sambalpur and Waltair. After bifurcation, SCoR will have rail routes measuring 3,496 km but ECoR will have to be satisfied with 2,321 km in changed circumstances. The new zone could actually have more railway lines if Palasa-Nuapada and Nuapada-Gunupur lines are retained in SCoR as proposed. The bone of contention, however, is the lucrative Kothavalasa-Kirandul Line (popularly known as KK Line) that comes under Waltair division. The 446-km KK Line runs through the mineral-rich regions of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. If a major portion of KK Line is transferred to SCoR, the ECoR will face significant revenue loss. Sources said the ECoR earns about Rs 29,000 crore annually and is expected to lose nearly Rs 6,000 crore if the freight corridor is handed over to SCoR. The major source of revenue is Visakhapatnam area where Vizag steel and port are located apart from Gangavaram port. It will be delinked from ECoR and the revenue is expected to come down by more than 20 per cent. ECoR will also lose its dominance of being the number one income-generating zone of the Indian Railways, pointed out Nirakar Das, a former railway employee. It has been proposed to split KK Line at Araku station and retain the 106 km Kothavalasa-Araku line with Vijayawada division while the rest 340-km Araku (excluding)-Kirandul will come under Rayagada division. According to the DPR, all track routes of Waltair division running within AP, barring a small part from Nuapada to Ichchapuram, will be in SCoR, but Rayagada will not have a direct approach from ECoR until the proposed Therubali-Gunupur new line is completed. The Centre has recently sanctioned the 73.62-km Gunupur-Therubali new line at a cost of Rs 1,326 crore and the project is expected to be completed by 2030-31. Odishas demands As the final SCoR notification is expected anytime soon, people in Odisha have demanded that the Waltair division be retained with ECoR and if it is not possible due to operational reasons then the railway sections that are now with South Eastern Railway (SER) and South East Central Railway (SECR) must be merged with ECoR to recompense the revenue loss. If the KK Line, along with Vizag Steel, Visakhapatnam and Gangavaram ports, is included in SCoR, then lines such as Jareikela-Bondamunda-Rourkela-Jharsuguda, Ib-Belpahar-Brajarajnagar, Bansapani-Barbil and Ranital-Rupsa-Bangiriposi should come under ECoR. A railway official said the loss of ECoR can be minimised only if the revenue generated from the mining belts of Odisha and Rourkela steel plant which are now under SER and SECR, are brought in. Moreover, Rayagada, being a new division, should have direct link with ECoR. When Vijayawada division already has 964 km of railway line, what is the logic of adding 450 km more? If Vizianagaram can be added in Rayagada division, it will have a direct link with ECoR. The railway should also prepare a separate DPR for Rayagada and appoint a divisional manager to look after the issues, said Das. However, the unresolved issue has fuelled public discontentment in the state. Opposing the Centres move to merge Waltair with SCoR, former Union minister Srikant Jena has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to fortify the ECoR, instead of dismantling its structure. The BJD has also raised the issue in the recently-concluded winter session of the Assembly. Senior BJD MLA and former minister Ranendra Pratap Swain demanded the Centre must clarify on its move to compensate the loss to be faced by Odisha. The proposal was mooted in 2019 for reorganisation of the zones. We were then told that the proposed bifurcation plan would be properly examined and the states interest will be protected. Nothing was finalised then. The bifurcation is now being done surreptitiously without taking Odisha into confidence, Swain told TNIE on Sunday. The senior BJD MLA said any attempt to bifurcate ECoR by dismantling Waltair division is a loss to Odisha. ECoR is the pride of the state. The Railway earns Rs 100 from ECoR by spending Rs 47 while they spend Rs 107 to earn Rs 100 from other zones, he said. The Railway minister also represents the state. How can he do injustice to us? If they are doing it for political exigencies to appease Andhra Pradesh, why dont they bifurcate the SER and merge the railway portions of Odisha in ECoR to compensate the loss? They must bring in the states railway lines from SER and SECR zones to form a new division at Rourkela. We would oppose the ECoR bifurcation move to protect the states interest, Swain added. In response, deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo said BJP MPs have already met Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and he had assured that railway lines in Odisha under ECoR will not go into the newly-created zone. A tender worth Rs 107 crore for the new divisional headquarter at Rayagada has also been floated, Singh Deo informed.

Odisha: Two sisters trampled to death by wild elephant

Rourkela: Two sisters were trampled to death by a wild elephant after it attacked their house in Odishas Sundargarh district, officials said Sunday. The incident happened in Kantapalli village in Tamada range of Bonai forest division, they said. The deceased were identified as Samiya Munda (12) and her sister Chandni Munda (3), they added. The []

Two minor sisters among three killed in elephant attack in Odisha's Sundargarh district

ROURKELA: Cruel fate doubled up with abject poverty to prematurely end two tender lives from blossoming when a marauding wild tusker razed their house made of twigs and polythene the ground and trampled two little sisters aged three and 12 years late on Saturday night in Bonai Forest Division (BFD) of Sundargarh district. The incident occurred at Mundabasti of Kantapali village in Gurundia block of Tamra range under BFD around 11.30 pm on Saturday, while separately in another elephant attack in the same night a youth was killed in Sol of Tamra range of BFD. This apart a contractual elephant tracker was critically injured in elephant attack inside Rushimath forest of Tamra range of BFD on Friday evening. Gurundia Sarpanch Pravakar Munda said around 11.30 pm on Saturday a single marauding tusker demolished the makeshift house made of twigs, earth and polythene sheets, adding during the incident a woman, her three children and elderly father-in-law were present. She said while the old man walking with stick and the woman with her seven-years-old child somehow escaped to safety her two daughters aged three and 12 years met tragic end under the feet of the tusker. The Sarpach described it as a most tragic and unfortunate incident, adding the victim family lived in abject penury and their makeshift house neither could provide protection from elephants or chilling winter night. Gurundia police and Gurundia police on Sunday seized the bodies for autopsy. A local forest official on condition of not being identified said the marauding tusker of the Koida forest range of BFD travelling through the forests of Rourkela Forest Division (RFD) entered the Gurundia of BFD and caused the havoc, adding the tusker later moved on to a forest of Gurundia. In the other incident on Saturday night at Tukura village of Tamra range of Gurundia under BFD on a youth Rajesh Munda was trampled to death by an elephant when he came out of his house. Regional Chief Conservator of Forest (RCCF) P Ramaswamy described the death of two children as most unfortunate, adding before the incident elephant squad was present near the site, yet the tragic incident occurred. He said elephant tracking and early warning system across vulnerable areas of Tamra range and BFD would be strengthen, adding efforts are also underway to use latest technologies to monitor elephant movements. He said the contractual forest worker accompanied by others had gone inside the forest to install trap cameras when he was attacked and injured, adding instruction has been issued to all to strictly follow safety protocols and get information about elephant presence through drone cameras before entering forests. With three more deaths in a single night the total human casualties in elephant attacks rose to 11 in BFD limits in this calendar year 2024. Meanwhile, with death of an under-treatment villager Nane Dhanwar (54) on December 10 at a hospital at Rourkela the death toll in elephant attack in RFD in 2024 has risen to 12. Two killed, three injured in separate elephant attacks in Odisha

Odisha: Husband & brother-in-law held for murdering pregnant wife

Odisha: Husband & brother-in-law held for murdering pregnant wife Bhubaneswar: The Rourkela Police in Odisha on Friday arrested a man and his brother-in-law, an Assistant Sub Inspector of Police, for hatching a plot to kill the pregnant wife at Jhirdapali village in Sundargarh district. The accused persons were identified as Deben Kumar [] The post Odisha: Husband & brother-in-law held for murdering pregnant wife appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Rourkela pregnant woman murder: Investigation reveals husband shot woman to cover love affair

ROURKELA: The 33-year-old pregnant woman of Sundargarh, alleged to have been murdered during a late-night loot bid, was actually gunned down by her husband, Rourkela police said on Friday. Police cracked the disturbing case by arresting victim, Shamyamayee Beheras husband Deben Behera (35) and his brother-in-law Satya Narayan Behera, also an assistant sub-inspector of police. Shamyamayee was shot dead around 12.20 am on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday at her in-laws house in Jhirdapali village under Tikayatpali police station in Bonai sub-division of Rourkela police district. Police said Deben had concocted the story that armed robbers killed her during a loot attempt. DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said the husband, a panchayat extension officer (PEO), had an affair with another woman, which prompted him to murder his wife in cold blood and make it appear like an armed burglary. Discrepancies in statements, timelines, contradictory forensic evidence and concealing of facts led the police to form a special team of additional SP and SDPO rank officers to ascertain the events and veracity of statements of Deben, his family members and neighbours, Rai said. Earlier, police had detained Deben and three others including his relative who is an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police, as the key suspects in the case. Investigation finally concluded that it was a pre-meditated murder and the DIG attributed the motive to Debens extra-marital love affair. According to the victims father Pitambar Behera, a native of Chhendipada in Angul district, Shamyamayee was married to Deben on February 7 and during her death, she was seven months pregnant. In the 11 months of marriage, except for 10 initial days, she was not allowed to go to her parental home. Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said Deben was looking for an opportunity to execute his horrific plan to eliminate his wife. On Wednesday midnight, when she woke up to go to the washroom, Deben tiptoed opened the entrance door and hid along the staircase. When she came out, the accused suddenly appeared before Shamyamayee and fired at her chest from point-blank range with a country-made single shot firearm. A country made pistol used in the crime and used ammunition case have been recovered and seized. From the angle of the bulleting piercing through her chest, the forensic management study concluded the firing was done by some amateur and not professional shooter, Wadhwani said. This led police to believe Deben might be behind the crime. The SP said the accused ASI posted at Uditnagar police station of the Rourkela had helped Deben conceal the weapon, erasing crucial evidence and extended post-crime guidance. The duo has been arrested and will be produce before a court on Saturday. During the crime, Debens mother and his aunt were in their sleep and they were jolted out of their slumber by the gunshot and fake scream of Deben.

Mercury dips to 8.1C in Rourkela, dense fog envelopes several places

Husband and cop among four held in connection with murder of pregnant woman in Rourkela

ROURKELA: A day after the mysterious murder of a seven-month pregnant woman Samyamayee Behera (33), the Rourkela police on Friday claimed to have cracked the case with the detention of four key suspects, including her husband Deben and his relative, who is an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of police. The woman was initially suspected to have been shot dead during a bid to loot her house on Wednesday night. Police debunked the loot theory concocted by Deben, a local Panchayat Extension Officer (PEO). DIG of Police (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said some suspects have been detained for questioning. Police are corroborating the statements of the detained persons, other family members present at the house at the time of incident and the driver who drove the woman with a gunshot injury to the hospital, he said. Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadwani said they have almost solved the murder mystery and collected reliable evidence, adding the investigation is being carried out from all angles. The culprits would be arrested soon, he said. While police are tight-lipped about the mystery behind the murder, reliable sources claimed her husbands addiction to gambling might have some connection with the murder. So far, it appears Deben hatched the plan and executed it with the help of his relative, a police official and two others, the sources said. Earlier, on Thursday the victims parents had alleged before police that Samyamayee was murdered by her in-laws. The autopsy was conducted at Sundargarh Government Medical College and Hospital and opinion of forensic management experts was also taken. In the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, unidentified miscreants had allegedly shot dead Samyamayee at the entrance of her in-laws house at Jhirdapali of Tikayatpali police limits in Sundargarh district, about 80 km from Rourkela. Her husband had claimed he, his mother and aunt were sleeping in the house when two to three robbers tried to force open the entrance door. When Samyamayee opened the door, the miscreants snatched her mangalsutra and when she screamed in panic, they shot her dead and fled, he had claimed. Reports said after the incident, the victim was rushed to Bonai Sub-Divisional Hospital (BSDH) where she was declared brought dead. Police sources said timelines of the crime narrated by the three other members present at the house lacked coherence. They pointed out the mismatch in the time of occurrence of the incident as stated by Deben and the neighbours. Deben said it took place at about 12.50 am while people in the immediate neighbourhood claimed they heard the gunshot around 12.20 am and when they came out, no one was found rushing out of the house. Moreover, police sources said the victims body was taken to BSDH at 1.40 am while the distance from the house and the BSDH was a 20-minute drive. After the incident, Deben waited for a driver to take his wife to the hospital although he could drive. Also, no blood stain was found in the vehicle that carried Samyamayee to the hospital, the sources added. Chhendipada MLA Agasti Behera too demanded a proper investigation into the murder of his cousin Samyamayee.

Sony Sports Network signs three-year deal to telecast Hockey India League

The Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 is set to reach millions of hockey fans across India and beyond, as Sony Sports Network (SSN) announces its comprehensive telecast plan for the upcoming season. Fans will be able to catch all the action live on Sony Sports Ten 1 (English), Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi), and Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD). With the HIL 2024-25 scheduled to begin on December 28, 2024, Sony Sports Networks multi-channel, multi-language broadcast strategy aims to provide an immersive viewing experience for hockey enthusiasts, ensuring that the HIL is accessible to a diverse audience. By offering commentary in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, SSN aims to engage fans from different regions and make the sport more inclusive. Broadcast details for HIL 2024-25: Sony Sports Ten 1 English (SD and HD) Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi (SD and HD) Sony Sports Ten 4 Tamil and Telugu (SD and HD) The tournament, which will take place in Rourkela and Ranchi, features top Indian and international hockey stars across both the mens and womens leagues. The inclusion of Sony Sports Ten 4, broadcasting in Tamil and Telugu, marks a significant expansion of the leagues reach, catering to the large fan bases in the southern regions of the country. Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer - Distribution & International Business and Head - Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India said, Hockey has gained significant popularity in India with the Indian teams success in consecutive Olympics contributed to the resurgence. At Sony Sports Network, we have always been committed to serving sports fans with a diverse sports portfolio for Indian fans. The inclusion of one of the worlds premier franchise-based hockey leagues in our offerings will undoubtedly bring fans closer to the game. We are excited about this three-season partnership and see it as a key step toward establishing ourselves as the Home of Hockey, just as we have done with other major sports in our portfolio. Hockey India League (HIL) Governing committee chairperson Dr Dilip Tirkey said, We are thrilled to partner with Sony Sports Network for the telecast of HIL 2024-25. Their expansive coverage across multiple channels and languages will ensure that fans from all corners of the country can enjoy the league. This season is poised to be bigger, better, bolder, and we are confident that Sonys unmatched telecast capabilities will help take the excitement of Indian hockey to new heights. Hockey India League (HIL) governing committee member Bhola Nath Singh said, Our focus has always been on promoting hockey to a wider audience, and this partnership with Sony Sports Network allows us to do just that. With their multilingual telecast plan, we are making the sport accessible to a larger audience, bringing them closer to the game. We believe this season will set a new benchmark in terms of viewership and fan engagement.

Rourkela murder: Rape accused burnt victim's head; minor nephew played accomplice

ROURKELA/BHUBANESWAR: The gruesome murder of the 18-year-old girl whose dismembered body parts were found in Rourkela was not just horrifying, it was executed in cold blood as main accused Kunu Kisan, a mason by profession, came fully prepared to destroy evidence and derail the investigation. He burnt the victims severed head before disposing it of in a swamp. The 30-year-old prime accused watched several crime shows, including the popular series Crime Patrol , revolving around kidnapping and murder, to learn the tricks before killing the girl whom he had allegedly raped and impregnated over a year back. Shocking details emerged from initial investigation of the case which has sent shockwaves across the state. After the murder, Kisan chopped the victims hands and legs to prevent police from getting fingerprints on the body. He severed her head, set it on fire and disposed it off in a swampy area near Rourkela to allow decomposition to reduce scope of her identification. In all this chilling act of murder, a minor nephew of Kisan played the perfect accomplice. The probe revealed the accused had been persuading the victim to give a favourable statement in the court ever since he walked out on bail last year in December. Victim got pregnant, underwent abortion The victim was a native of Lahandabud village in Sundargarh district and had visited her uncles place in Lefripara block last year when he met Kisan who is a native of the same area. After she returned to her village, Kisan befriended and raped her. The girl even got pregnant and had to undergo abortion. After the incident, she shifted to her aunts place in Jharsuguda and worked at a beauty parlour at Beheramal, police sources said. Meanwhile, Kisan was arrested in connection with the case in August last year but was granted interim bail three months later on December 4. Once out on bail, he remained in contact with the girl over the phone and on many instances, visited Jharsuguda to meet her. The accused even attempted to lure the girl on the promise of marriage but her uncle was against showing any leniency in the court, said the police sources. In the meantime, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him and the accused reportedly filed an application in court to quash the NBW but his plea was rejected and he was ordered to surrender before police. Plan to eliminate girl Since the girls uncle was against withdrawal of the case and with no legal option was available, Kisan was certain that he would be convicted and hatched the conspiracy to eliminate her. As part of the plan, he reportedly went to Beheramal on December 7 morning and picked up the victim. After the girls family lodged a missing person complaint with Jharsuguda Town police on December 7, cops acted swiftly and examined CCTV footage of Beheramal and other nearby areas. The footage showed the victim comfortably accompanying the accused on the motorcycle. Initially, the police did not rule out the possibility that she had eloped. However, when the cops met her family and came to know that she was raped a year back and the accused was trying to influence her to give a favourable statement in the court, police intensified the probe and traced the accuseds travel route using CCTV footage and technical evidence. It was a very challenging case as the accused was wearing a full face helmet and had even affixed a fake number plate on the motorcycle, said Jharsuguda SP Smit Parmar. Investigation by Jharsuguda police led to the revelation that she was last seen riding pillion in the motor bike with two persons. After travelling about 30 km on the bike towards Sundargarh district, one of them got down. The accused and the victim took some other vehicle to reach Rourkela where he was working at a TV showroom. That is where the juvenile nephew who had arranged kerosene and bags to be used in the crime joined them, police said. Chilling details of the crime On the intervening night of December 7 and 8, Kisan and the victim took the juvenile along and the trio left towards a secluded spot about 100 metre of the NH 143 under Lathikata police limits. Investigation revealed while the juvenile stood guard at a distance, Kisan talking friendly with the victim slit her throat from behind, dismembered her body into half a dozen pieces and burnt her face with kerosene. He then packed the body parts into plastic cement bags. The SP said some articles of the victim and bloodstains were found from the crime spot. Subsequently, the two disposed the severed head at the morass of effluent discharged from the Rourkela Steel Plant near Tarkera with the hope that nobody would visit the spot. Other body parts including the torso were thrown in Brahmani river while clothes, footwear and other articles were thrown in the nearby bushes. Jharsuguda SP Parmar said the bike was hidden at Bamra in Sambalpur district from where it was recovered later. IG (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal said meticulous investigation under the leadership of Jharsuguda SP, the blind case was cracked and latest crime detection technology including AI helped the probe. Parmar said police have sufficient forensic and other material evidence to prove Kisan and his nephew were involved in the crime. Further investigation into the matter is continuing and we have requested the court for three-day remand of Kisan, he added. Meanwhile, Kisan was forwarded to the court at Jharsuguda under sections 140(1)/103(1)/238(a)/61(2)(a) of BNS, while the juvenile was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. A murder most foul Before killing the girl, accused watched several crime shows revolving around kidnapping and murder Kisan slit her throat from behind, dismembered her body into half a dozen pieces and burnt her face He then packed the body parts into plastic cement bags With help of his nephew, Kisan disposed of the severed head at the morass of effluent discharged from RSP Other body parts including the torso were thrown in Brahmani river

Amid Bangladesh unrest, eight workers face paraded naked in Odisha over molestation allegation

ROURKELA: Amid soaring tensions between India and Bangladesh over targeted attack on Hindus in the neighbouring country, eight construction workers perceived as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were stripped and paraded naked by an irate mob at Sundargarh town on Thursday. The victims, engaged as construction workers, faced the mob justice after one of them allegedly molested a woman. Sources said tension flared up after some local residents spotted a construction worker from Murshidabad in West Bengal molesting a woman near Mission Road. Soon an angry mob of around 120 people brought eight construction workers from nearby areas including the one accused of molestation. After thrashing the workers, the mob stripped them and made them march towards Town police station. It is learnt that before police arrived, the victims were forced to walk fully naked for some distance. Police had a tough time assuaging the angry mob and after much persuasion, the construction workers were allowed to complete the march half-naked. Police said the incident occurred when one of the construction workers allegedly grabbed a woman, forcing her to scream for help. Subsequently, the worker was chased and attacked by locals. The mob then assaulted the workers. Eventually, police rescued the workers and provided medical treatment to them. Sources said the construction workers, belonging to a particular religion, claimed that they hailed from Murshidabad in West Bengal. Verification of their actual identity would take time. Sundargarh SP Pratyush Diwakar said multiple FIRs have been filed in connection with the incident. Police are scanning CCTV footage to identify the assailants. Legal action will be taken against those involved in the incident. Police sources said a case under sections 191 (2), 126 (2), 127 (2), 351 (2), 296, 115 (2), 121 (1), 132, 74, 109, 117 (4) and 190 of BNS has been registered. A complaint was also lodged by local residents against the construction workers. No arrest has been made from either side.

Eight Bengali-speaking workers stripped, paraded for misbehaving with woman in Odishas Sundargarh

Rourkela: Eight Bengali-speaking migrant workers were Thursday stripped and paraded on a road with their hands tied for allegedly attempting to outrage the modesty of a local woman in Odishas Sundargarh town, police said. Police said local residents thrashed and paraded the workers in a semi-nude condition on Mission Road between 8.30 am and 9 []

Persistence key factor behind CLAT topper Arunimas success

BHUBANESWAR : Arunima Thakur, who has done the state proud by securing an All India Rank-1 in the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT)-2025, does not believe in fixed study hours. But, she sets an academic goal for herself every day and ensures she meets it before calling it a day. From among 50,000 students who appeared for the examination, Arunima scored a percentile of 99.9 bagging the top rank. The Consortium of National Law Universities announced the results earlier this week. Following the results, 23-year-old Arunima is considering to take up a postgraduate law programme in either National Law University-Delhi or National Law School of India University at Bengaluru. A native of Rourkela and student of University Law College of Utkal University here, Arunima started preparations for CLAT a year back. And from day one, her strategy for appearing for the examination was clear. I began with reading newspapers and judgments every day. Since the CLAT exam has lengthy questions, I wanted to improve my reading speed. And then in June, I joined a coaching centre to just take mock tests, said the topper, who is currently in the final year of her integrated law degree at the law college. While there were no fixed study hours for her, Arunima set a goal for studying a certain number of chapters every day and she completed the goal before hitting the bed. I had expected a very good rank in the CLAT exam but topping it had never occurred in my mind, said the girl who had also topped the district in Class X exam and scored 98.2 pc in Class XII. She is an alumnus of Delhi Public School, Rourkela. Daughter of Amitabh Thakur who is a Rourkela Steel Plant employee, Arunima plans to start preparations for the UPSC while pursuing her career in law at one of the top law universities in the country. While she likes taking part in debates, Arunima pursues playing the flute as a hobby. On Wednesday, Arunima and her parents met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi who congratulated her on her success.

Odisha: Rape-accused man, out on bail, kills victim, throws body parts in different places

Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: A man, who was out on bail after being jailed for raping a girl, killed the victim, chopped her body into pieces and threw the body parts in different places in Odisha, police said Wednesday. According to the police, the accused, identified as Kunu Kissan, was arrested for allegedly raping the minor in Sundargarh []

AI Technology Saves Elephants in Odisha from Train Collision

A small herd of elephants, including two adults and a calf, was saved from a potential train collision in Odisha's Rourkela district, thanks to an AI-powered camera system deployed by the forest department. The elephants were headed towards the railway tracks, where they could have been struck by an oncoming train. However, the timely use of AI technology helped avert the disaster. AI camera captures & zooms into the elephants approaching the railway line, sending alerts to the control room for stopping the train. We had solutions. Happy to see that the ones implemented are now giving results.These 4 cameras along the track was part of mitigation measures. pic.twitter.com/RBNe0hPOnl Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) December 8, 2024 Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, shared a video of the incident on X (formerly Twitter). The footage shows the AI camera zooming in on the elephants as they approached the tracks. The system immediately sent an alert to the control room, which then notified the train driver to stop the train in time. Nanda praised the effectiveness of the system, writing, AI camera captures & zooms into the elephants approaching the railway line, sending alerts to the control room for stopping the train. We had solutions. Happy to see that the ones implemented are now giving results. The AI cameras were part of a broader mitigation effort aimed at preventing wildlife-related accidents on railway tracks. Four such cameras were strategically installed along the route to monitor animal movement. This coordinated effort between the forest and railway departments ensured the safety of both wildlife and passengers.

AI to turn saviour of elephants in Rourkela

RAJESH MOHANTY, OP Rourkela: Five elephants that ventured dangerously close to railway tracks were Sunday saved thanks to an innovative pilot project led by the Forest department, harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to safeguard jumbos. The initiative involves the installation of four solar-powered towers, each equipped with 360-degree cameras that provide real-time information to a []

Electric scooter catches fire, burns 4 other vehicles

Rourkela: An electric scooter caught fire while charging in a residential building near Sundargarh Government College, leading to a blaze that destroyed four other vehicles and furniture. The incident occurred Sunday around 9:30pm when the owner of the scooter fell asleep while it was charging. Locals suspect that the fire may have been caused by []

Potato crisis: Government set for price intervention through NAFED supply

BHUBANESWAR : Unable to regulate retail price of the potato even after normal flow of the tuber from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the state government has decided to provide the kitchen essential to consumers at a subsidised rate through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED). In the first phase of its market intervention initiative, the state government has procured 60 tonnes of potato from Uttar Pradesh through NAFED and the same will be available to consumers at fair price shops of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Jajpur, Balasore, Balangir, Sambalpur and Rourkela at a subsidised rate of `30 a kg. The sale of potato through NAFED started on Monday at various locations in the state capital city, said a senior officer of the civil supply department. After the lifting of the embargo on inter-state movement of potato by West Bengal government, normal supply to Odisha from the neigbouring state has been restored. There has been uninterrupted potato supply from Uttar Pradesh as Odisha traders do not want to rely solely on West Bengal due to volatility of TMC government. There is sufficient stock of the tuber everywhere, said secretary of Kuberpuri Bayabasayee Sangh Shakti Shankar Mishra. Mishra said there is absolutely no reason for retail traders to sell potato at `45 a kg when the wholesale price is `28. After deducting `2 a kg towards transportation cost, charging `15 more as profit is criminal. Similarly, the wholesale price of onion is `30-`32 a kg whereas the retail price is not climbing down from `60. All retailers prefer to lift third grade quality of potato and onion and sell at the price of first quality to maximise their profit. It is difficult for general consumers to keep tab on wholesale price of essential commodities on a daily basis but not for the state government. The supplies department has an intelligence wing to inform the government on prices of all essential commodities on daily basis. The enforcement wing has the job to regulate the market price. It goes without saying that the two agencies of the government are not doing their job properly, he added. Justifying the higher price of potato, a retail trader in the Unit-IV market said the quality of the tuber available at wholesale market is very low grade and there is substantial waste, say eight to 10 kg in a 50 kg packet. The retailers have to charge more to make up for their loss.

Over 59,000 victims of online trading fraud in Odisha in six years: CM Mohan Majhi

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi revealed on Monday that over 59,000 people in the state have fallen prey to online trading fraud in the past six years. He shared these figures in a written statement presented during the State Legislative Assembly session. Between 2019 and November 2024, the state registered 769 cases of online trading scams, affecting 59,437 individuals. The number of reported cases peaked in 2023 and 2024, with 190 cases impacting 18,994 victims in 2023 and 472 cases defrauding 40,270 people in 2024 alone. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Police also reported significant cases, with four online trading fraud incidents in 2023 involving 18,804 victims and three more in 2024 affecting 40,219 individuals. To combat the surge in cybercrime, the state launched a dedicated cybercrime unit under the Crime Branch in Bhubaneswar on September 5, 2023. The unit specialises in investigating identity theft, hacking, phishing, and financial frauds such as ATM and online banking scams. Majhi also highlighted the states first cyber police station, established in 2004 and later moved to Cuttack in 2006. Despite handling fraud cases involving amounts over Rs 25 lakh, the station still operates without a fully sanctioned staff. In a broader effort to combat cybercrime, Odisha inaugurated 11 new cybercrime police stations and upgraded three more in Berhampur, Rourkela, and Sambalpur in 2021. Additionally, all district police headquarters now have cybercrime cells. Other initiatives include a cyber help desk, a 1930 cybercrime hotline, and specialised units focusing on online abuse, cyber forensics, social media monitoring, and digital fraud prevention. We are committed to enhancing our cybercrime response and safeguarding citizens from emerging digital threats, Majhi asserted.

Rourkela girl tops CLAT PG exam

FTBI signs MoU with MCL for Rs 4.65 crore funding to support start-ups, focus on women and tribal entrepreneurs

ROURKELA: The Foundation for Technology and Business Incubation (FTBI) at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has signed an MoU with Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) for a funding support of Rs 4.65 crore to promote start-ups. The pact aims at additional focus on women and tribal entrepreneurs to help build more inclusive and sustainable economies. FTBIs initiatives have been making significant impact with several tech-based start-ups gaining investor confidence. The MoU was signed in the presence of NIT-R director Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao, MCL general manager (CSR) Bichitrananda Behera, and FTBI president Prof Manoj Kumar Mishra. The MoU seeks to promote science and technology-driven enterprises, create employment opportunities, and leverage innovative advancements from NIT-Rs students, faculty, and other entrepreneurs incubated at FTBI. The funding will also support the establishment of laboratories, procurement of equipment, and the organisation of start-up events. Plans are underway to build two specialised labs tailored for deep tech start-ups. Since its inception in May 2016, FTBI has supported innovative ideas, processes, and products from NIT-R stakeholders and external entrepreneurs. Operating from a 9,500 sq mt multi-storey facility, including 6,000 sq mt of air-conditioned space, FTBI offers state-of-the-art infrastructure such as equipped labs, furnished offices, communication facilities, convention centres, and administrative support. FTBI CEO Chiranjibi Samal said over 70 start-ups have been incubated so far, with three securing Series A funding. Success stories include Coratia Technology Pvt Ltd and Datoms (formerly Phoenix), both achieving valuations exceeding `100 crore while Coratias rise in just three years has been exceptional. The FTBI has witnessed a sudden increase in start-up activity post-Covid-19, establishing itself as a prominent incubation hub in Odisha. It now ranks second only to KIITs incubation centre in Bhubaneswar, which was founded in 2007.

Vegetable prices soar in Sundargarh despite being a bulk producer; delayed cultivation blamed

ROURKELA: Sundargarh district may have been a bulk producer of vegetables but continues to grapple with spiralling prices of the essentials this winter. The rising prices have heaped additional miseries on the consumers amid prolonged inflation of all other food commodities. In fact the consumers are getting battered from all sides. Market sources at Rourkela informed among staple vegetables potato is priced at Rs 45 per kg while onion is costlier at Rs 55 per kg. For potato, Rourkela city and other markets of Sundargarh are dependent on West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh whereas Nashik largely caters to the onion needs. For other vegetable crops, the district is a bulk grower with Nuagaon block regarded as one of the leading producers of horticulture crops in Odisha. Besides Nuagaon, Bisra, Kuanrmunda, Lathikata, Lahunipada, Kutra, Bargaon, Tangarpali and several other blocks significantly contribute to vegetable production. Around this time of the year, locally-grown vegetables flood the Rourkela market, substantially bringing down the cost. Locally-grown tomato is priced around Rs 10 per kg or less, while most other vegetables sell for Rs 20 to Rs 40 per kg. This winter, however, seems to be an exception. Cauliflower is priced in the range of Rs 40-Rs 50, while bitter-gourd sells for Rs 60. Brinjal, bean, plantain and pointed-gourd are selling in the price range of Rs 50-Rs 60 per kg, while medium size bottle-gourd is available for Rs 20 per kg. Similarly, garlic is priced at Rs 360, while coriander leaf continues to be dearer at Rs 400 per kg. Limited availability vegetables like drum-stick, ladys-finger, chickpea are priced Rs 80 or above, while capsicum is priced Rs 60 per kg. Only carrot price has come down to Rs 40 from Rs 60. Cow-pea continues to be sold at Rs 40 per kg. In the kharif season, the district agriculture strategic committee had targeted to cover 36,800 ha with vegetable crops and the target was claimed to have been achieved which raises question as to why the price of the vegetables runs so high. Deputy director of horticulture of Sundargarh Sukanta Naik said he was clueless about inadequate availability of locally-grown vegetables in the local markets though the phenomenon prevails across Odisha. He believes low yield could be a reason. Some vegetable farmers cited delayed and erratic monsoon to be the culprit and pointed out that most vegetable farmers delayed vegetable cultivation which is why standing crops would take 15 days to a month to reach the markets.

61 kg silver seized in Jharkhand, probe launched into GST evasion

ROURKELA: The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Rourkela uncovered a major haul of around 61 kg of silver from a man hailing from Jharkhand. The State GST authorities have initiated an inquiry into potential tax evasion following the seizure of the consignment. Based on its purity, the total value of the seized silver is estimated to range between 54 lakh and 61 lakh. Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) of the GRP station, Reshma Ekka, stated that the discovery was made during routine search operations at Rourkela railway station on Wednesday around 9:30 am. The GRP team observed suspicious behaviour from a man waiting at the station with a trolley bag and a backpack. He was about to board the delayed Hatia-bound Tapaswini Express when the GRP team accosted him. Upon searching his luggage, the team found the silver contraband packed in small bundles, Ekka said. The suspect, identified as Chandan Soni (30) from Ranchi, Jharkhand, was taken into custody along with the contraband. Both were handed over to the State GST authorities for further investigation. Deputy Commissioner of SGST, Jagdish Saha, said on Thursday that preliminary investigations revealed Soni had brought approximately 51 kg of silver ornaments from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and also collected about 10 kg of silver in the form of bricks from Rourkela. There were no purchase documents for the bricks, Saha said. While the man claimed to have valid documents for the silver ornaments, he failed to produce them for the majority of the consignment procured from Agra. Saha added that verification of the available documents was ongoing to assess potential tax evasion. The seized silver is set to be deposited at the district treasury in Rourkela. It is understood that the State GST levies a 3 per cent tax on gold and silver.

PM Modi's Dual Visit: Bodoland Mahotsav in Delhi,Tribal Pride Celebrations in Odisha, Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the inaugural Bodoland Mahotsav in Delhi on November 15, a two-day cultural event aimed at highlighting the language, literature, and rich cultural heritage of the Bodo community. The celebration will take place at the SAI Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, focusing on promoting unity, peace, and a stronger bond within the Bodo community. This event will also serve as a platform to connect Bodo communities across Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, and other northeastern border regions. In addition, PM Modi is scheduled to launch the Pradhan Mantri Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, a nationwide initiative for rural upliftment, from Jamui district in Bihar. This launch coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of the revered tribal leader Birsa Munda, underscoring the governments commitment to tribal development and empowerment. Prime Minister Modi is also expected to attend a special event in Odishas Rourkela to honor Birsa Mundas enduring legacy as a freedom fighter and tribal icon. While the Odisha visit awaits final confirmation, the states Panchayati Raj Minister has expressed hope for the occasion, which will be observed as Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas, or Tribal Pride Day, in tribute to Munda's contributions. The Prime Ministers Bihar visit, scheduled for today, will include a commemorative event in Jamui district, approximately 200 km from Patna, in recognition of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, marking the 150th anniversary of Birsa Munda. Janjatiya Gaurav Divas: Honoring the Tribal Heritage and Their Role in India's Freedom Struggle PM Modi's Visit to Jamui: A Push for Development or Political Strategy?

Odisha sets up 29 check posts in border districts ahead of Jharkhand polls

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the first phase of polling for the assembly elections in Jharkhand on Wednesday, the Odisha police have tightened security in the districts sharing the border with the neighbouring state to ensure peaceful voting there, a senior police officer said. Security has been tightened in the borders of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts close to Jharthe Odisha police have tightened security in the districts sharing the border with the neighbouring state to ensure peaceful voting therekhand. Check posts have been installed and armed personnel deployed round the clock to prevent entry of unwanted people and materials to the poll-bound state, said Odisha's ADG Law and Order Sanjay Kumar. The measures were taken after a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI). Odisha has already established 29 check posts in the border districts and intensified patrolling in all the sensitive areas, the ADG said. Meanwhile, a report from Rourkela said that the Sundargarh police were in touch with the West Singhbhum district police. The objective of the coordination is to ensure that any attempt by Maoists to disrupt the elections is prevented. Sundargarh has a 75 km border with Jharkhand and most of the places are forested areas. The security arrangements were made in the wake of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) outfit asking Jharkhand voters to boycott the election through posters and banners. The Rourkela police in coordination with their West Singhbhum counterparts are regularly carrying out anti-Naxal operations along the border. The ADG said Jharkhand-bound trains and buses are being checked.

Meet engineer-turned-IAS officer, IIT graduate, who cracked UPSC exam without coaching,securedAIR...

Sanjita Mohapatra, hailing from Rourkela, Odisha, has always been passionate about learning. After completing her schooling in Odisha, she pursued mechanical engineering at IIT Kanpur. With a clear vision of becoming an IAS officer.

Five killed, 4 injured in clash among nomadic groups in Odisha

Rourkela: At least five persons, including three women, died and four others were critically injured in a clash between two nomadic groups in Odisha's Sundergarh district, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place at Karamadihi village under the jurisdiction of Sadar Police Station late on Tuesday over a suspected extramarital affair, they said. All the five were hacked to death by the rival group, a senior police officer said. Western Range DIG Brijesh Ray said the four injured were undergoing treatment at Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital. According to preliminary reports, some persons of the rival group entered the village with sharp weapons and attacked members of the other faction. Investigation is underway and two police teams have been formed to nab the culprits, officials said. Senior police officers, forensic teams and a dog squad are at the spot, they added.

Cyclone Dana Effect: 198 Trains Cancelled on Oct 23, 24, 25

BHUBANESWAR: Due to the impending landfall of Cyclone Dana on October 24-25, 2024, a total of 198 trains95 up and 103 down trainshave been canceled for October 23, 24, and 25. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has issued a bulletin outlining the cancellations, which include major trains such as the Howrah-Secunderabad Express, Shalimar-Puri Super Fast Express, New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Express, and many others. These cancellations affect various trains traveling to and from major hubs like Secunderabad, Bhubaneswar, Chennai Central, and Howrah. The full list of cancelled trains provides details on specific routes and dates for both up and down directions. This disruption is a preventive measure to ensure the safety of passengers and railway infrastructure during the cyclones landfall. Passengers are advised to check for further updates and make alternative travel arrangements accordingly. Here is the detailed list of cancelled trains: Down Trains 1. Train No. 17016: Secunderabad to Bhubaneswar 23.10.2024 2. Train No. 12840: Chennai Central to Howrah 23.10.2024 3. Train No. 12868: Puducherry to Howrah 23.10.2024 4. Train No. 22826: Chennai Central to Shalimar 23.10.2024 5. Train No. 12897: Puducherry to Bhubaneswar 23.10.2024 6. Train No. 18464: SBC to Bhubaneswar 23.10.2024 7. Train No. 08442: Brahmapur to Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 8. Train No. 20842: Visakhapatnam to Bhubaneswar (VB) 24.10.2024 9. Train No. 22874: Visakhapatnam to Digha 24.10.2024 10. Train No. 18118: Gunupur to Rourkela 24.10.2024 11. Train No. 11019: CSURATM to Bhubaneswar 23.10.2024 12. Train No. 22820: Visakhapatnam to Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 13. Train No. 08532: Visakhapatnam to Brahmapur 24.10.2024 14. Train No. 12509: Bangalore to Guwahati 23.10.2024 15. Train No. 12842: Chennai Central to Howrah 24.10.2024 16. Train No. 22808: Chennai Central to Santragachhi 24.10.2024 17. Train No. 15227: Bangalore to Muzaffarpur 24.10.2024 18. Train No. 18046: Hyderabad to Howrah 23.10.2024 19. Train No. 20838: Junagarh Road to Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 20. Train No. 22503: Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh 23.10.2024 21. Train No. 22973: Gandhidham to Puri 23.10.2024 22. Train No. 20807: Visakhapatnam to ASR 25.10.2024 23. Train No. 18448: Jagdalpur to Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 24. Train No. 08534: Palasa to Cuttack 24.10.2024 25. Train No. 08422: Gunupur to Cuttack 25.10.2024 26. Train No. 06095: Tambaram to Santragachhi 24.10.2024 27. Train No. 12246: Bangalore to Howrah 24.10.2024 28. Train No. 12704: Secunderabad to Howrah 23.10.2024 29. Train No. 08444: Palasa to Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 30. Train No. 22888: Bangalore to Howrah 23.10.2024 31. Train No. 03429: Secunderabad to Malda Town 23.10.2024 32. Train No. 12864: Yesvantpur to Howrah 23.10.2024 33. Train No. 18418: Gunupur to Puri 24.10.2024 34. Train No. 06087: Tirunelveli to Shalimar 23.10.2024 35. Train No. 08412: Bhubaneswar to Baleswar 24.10.2024 36. Train No. 02832: Bhubaneswar to Dhanbad 24.10.2024 37. Train No. 12074: Bhubaneswar to Howrah 25.10.2024 38. Train No. 12893: Bhubaneswar to Sonepur 25.10.2024 39. Train No. 22823: Bhubaneswar to New Delhi Rajdhani 25.10.2024 40. Train No. 08441: Bhubaneswar to Brahmapur 24.10.2024 41. Train No. 09059: Surat to Brahmapur 23.10.2024 42. Train No. 18419: Puri to Jayanagar 24.10.2024 43. Train No. 18304: Puri to Sambalpur 24.10.2024 44. Train No. 12892: Puri to Bangiriposi 24.10.2024 45. Train No. 08428: Puri to Angul 24.10.2024 46. Train No. 08414: Puri to Talcher 24.10.2024 47. Train No. 12843: Puri to Ahmedabad 24.10.2024 48. Train No. 08423: Puri to Daspalla 24.10.2024 49. Train No. 17479: Puri to TPTY 24.10.2024 50. Train No. 18425: Puri to Durg 24.10.2024 51. Train No. 22202: Puri to Sealdah 24.10.2024 52. Train No. 18421: Puro to Sonepur 24.10.2024 53. Train No. 12838: Puri to Howrah 24.10.2024 54. Train No. 18452: Puri to Hatia 24.10.2024 55. Train No. 18477: Puri to Rishikesh 24.10.2024 56. Train No. 12801: Puri to New Delhi 24.10.2024 57. Train No. 12896: Puri to Shalimar 24.10.2024 58. Train No. 18410: Puri to Shalimar 24.10.2024 59. Train No. 20823: Puri to Ajmer 24.10.2024 60. Train No. 08404: Puri to Khurda Road 24.10.2024 61. Train No. 18126: Puri to Rourkela 25.10.2024 62. Train No. 08475: Puri to Nizamuddin 25.10.2024 63. Train No. 20836 (VB): Puri to Rourkela 25.10.2024 64. Train No. 12278: Puri to Howrah 25.10.2024 65. Train No. 18416/18414: Puri to Barbil-Paradeep 25.10.2024 66. Train No. 08432: Puri to Cuttack 25.10.2024 67. Train No. 12822: Puri to Shalimar 25.10.2024 68. Train No. 12875: Puri to Anand Vihar 25.10.2024 69. Train No. 08410: Puri to Khurda Road 25.10.2024 70. Train No. 18417: Puri to Gunupur 25.10.2024 71. Train No. 18022: Khurda Road to Kharagpur 24.10.2024 72. Train No. 08456: Khurda Road to Kendujhargarh 24.10.2024 73. Train No. 08454: Cuttack to Bhadrak 25.10.2024 74. Train No. 08438: Cuttack to Bhadrak 25.10.2024 75. Train No. 18038: Jajpur Keonjhar Road to Kharagpur 25.10.2024 76. Train No. 08462: Paradeep to Cuttack 25.10.2024 77. Train No. 08406: Paradeep to Kendujhargarh 25.10.2024 78. Train No. 08408: Paradeep to Cuttack 25.10.2024 79. Train No. 08446: Paradeep to Cuttack 24.10.2024 80. Train No. 18044: Bhadrak to Howrah 25.10.2024 81. Train No. 08032: Bhadrak to Baleswar 25.10.2024 82. Train No. 08064: Bhadrak to Kharagpur 24.10.2024 83. Train No. 08522: Visakhapatnam to Gunupur 24.10.2024 84. Train No. 07470: Visakhapatnam to Palasa 24.10.2024 85. Train No. 12074: Bhubaneswar to Howrah 24.10.2024 86. Train No. 12822: Puri to Shalimar 24.10.2024 87. Train No. 12844: Ahmedabad to Puri 26.10.2024 88. Train No. 18424: Daspalla to Bhubaneswar 25.10.2024 89. Train No. 12278: Puri to Howrah 24.10.2024 90. Train No. 18418: Gunupur to Puri 25.10.2024 91. Train No. 08522: Visakhapatnam to Gunupur 25.10.2024 92. Train No. 18526: Visakhapatnam to Brahmapur 24.10.2024 93. Train No. 20836 (VB): Puri to Rourkela 24.10.2024 94. Train No. 22896 (VB): PURI to KOAA 25.10.24 95. Train No. 08012: DSPL to BBS 25.10.24 96. Train No. 03229: PURI to PNBE 25.10.24 97. Train No. 03102: RMM to BBS 25.10.24 98. Train No. 08416: BAM to TATA 24.10.24 & 25.10.24 99. Train No. 20892 (VB): PURI to HWH 25.10.24 100. Train No. 22840: PURI to VZM 24.10.24 & 25.10.24 101. Train No. 08442: BAM to BBS 25.10.24 102. Train No. 20895: BBS to ROU 24.10.24 103. Train No. 08430: PURI to JER 24.10.24 & 25.10.24 UP Trains 1. 12703: Howrah-Secunderabad 24.10.2024 2. 12821: Shalimar-Puri 24.10.2024 3. 12552: Kamakhya-Bangalore 23.10.2024 4. 22824: New Delhi-Bhubaneswar 23.10.2024 5. 22603: Kharagpur-Villupuram 24.10.2024 6. 12073: Howrah-Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 7. 18045: Shalimar-Hyderabad 24.10.2024 8. 12277: Howrah-Puri 24.10.2024 9. 22851: Santragachhi-Mangalore 24.10.2024 10. 12841: Shalimar-Chennai Central 24.10.2024 11. 12663: Howrah-Tiruchchirappalli 24.10.2024 12. 03230: Patna-Puri 24.10.2024 13. 18478: Rishikesh-Puri 23.10.2024 14. 18409: Shalimar-Puri 24.10.2024 15. 12881: Shalimar-Puri 24.10.2024 16. 12802: New Delhi-Puri 23.10.2024 17. 08011: Bhanjapur-Puri 24.10.2024 18. 12837: Howrah-Puri 24.10.2024 19. 12863: Howrah-Bangalore 24.10.2024 20. 18047: Shalimar-Vasco Da Gama 24.10.2024 21. 12839: Howrah-Chennai Central 24.10.2024 22. 22644: Patna-Ernakulam 24.10.2024 23. 06090: Santragachhi-Chennai Central 24.10.2024 24. 03101: Kolkata-Puri 23.10.2024 25. 12514: Silchar-Secunderabad 23.10.2024 26. 08555: Bhadrak-Daspalla 25.10.2024 27. 22504: Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari 23.10.2024 28. 08415: Jaleswar-Puri 25.10.2024 29. 12891: Bangiriposi-Puri 25.10.2024 30. 18021: Kharagpur-Khurda Road 25.10.2024 31. 12816: Anand Vihar-Puri 24.10.2024 32. 22895 (VB): Howrah-Puri 25.10.2024 33. 18043: Howrah-Bhadrak 24.10.2024 34. 08031: Baleswar-Bhadrak 24.10.2024 35. 08063: Kharagpur-Bhadrak 24.10.2024 36. 08453: Bhadrak-Cuttack 24.10.2024 37. 08437: Bhadrak-Cuttack 24.10.2024 38. 18037: Kharagpur-Jajpur Keonjhar Road 24.10.2024 39. 18303: Sambalpur-Puri 24.10.2024 40. 22839: Rourkela-Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 41. 18125: Rourkela-Puri 24.10.2024 42. 20835 (VB): Rourkela-Puri 24.10.2024 43. 20832: Sambalpur-Shalimar 24.10.2024 44. 18451: Hatia-Puri 24.10.2024 45. 18117: Rourkela-Gunupur 24.10.2024 46. 22865: Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Mumbai)-Puri 24.10.2024 47. 18426: Durg-Puri 24.10.2024 48. 02831: Dhanbad-Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 49. 08427: Angul-Puri 25.10.2024 50. 08413: Talcher-Puri 25.10.2024 51. 18415: Barbil-Puri 24.10.2024 52. 20891 (VB): Tata-Brahmapur 24.10.2024 53. 08455: Kendujhargarh-Khurda Road 25.10.2024 54. 08405: Kendujhargarh-Paradeep 24.10.2024 55. 18413: Paradeep-Puri 24.10.2024 56. 08533: Cuttack-Palasa 24.10.2024 57. 08431: Cuttack-Puri 24.10.2024 58. 08421: Cuttack-Gunupur 24.10.2024 59. 08461: Cuttack-Paradeep 24.10.2024 60. 08407: Cuttack-Paradeep 24.10.2024 61. 18423: Bhubaneswar-Daspalla 24.10.2024 62. 09060: Brahmapur-Surat 24.10.2024 63. 08521: Gunupur-Visakhapatnam 24.10.2024 64. 07471: Palasa-Visakhapatnam 24.10.2024 65. 22873: Digha-Visakhapatnam 25.10.2024 66. 22819: Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam 25.10.2024 67. 08531: Brahmapur-Visakhapatnam 25.10.2024 68. 20837: Bhubaneswar-Junagarh Road 24.10.2024 69. 18447: Bhubaneswar-Jagadalpur 24.10.2024 70. 18417: Puri-Gunupur 24.10.2024 71. 18420: Jayanagar-Puri 26.10.2024 72. 08424: Daspalla-Puri 25.10.2024 73. 18422: Sonepur-Puri 25.10.2024 74. 12895: Shalimar-Puri 25.10.2024 75. 20824: Ajmer-Puri 29.10.2024 76. 08476: Nizamuddin-Puri 26.10.2024 77. 12277: Howrah-Puri 25.10.2024 78. 20835 (VB): Rourkela-Puri 24.10.2024 79. 12821: Shalimar-Puri 25.10.2024 80. 18021: Kharagpur-Khurda Road 24.10.2024 81. 12073: Howrah-Bhubaneswar 25.10.2024 82. 12894: Sonepur-Bhubaneswar 24.10.2024 83. 20831: Shalimar-Sambalpur 25.10.2024 84. 08521: Gunupur-Visakhapatnam 25.10.2024 85. 18525: Brahmapur-Visakhapatnam 25.10.2024 86. Train No. 20841 (VB): BBS to VSKP 25.10.24 87. Train No. 08411: BLS to BBS 25.10.24 88. Train No. 08443: BBS to PSA 24.10.24 89. Train No. 08441: BBS to BAM 24.10.24 & 25.10.24 90. Train No. 17015: BBS to SC 25.10.24 91. Train No. 18463: BBS to SBC 25.10.24 92. Train No. 22974: PURI to LIMB 26.10.24 93. Train No. 20896: BBS to RMM 25.10.24 94. Train No. 20835 (VB): ROU to PURI 25.10.24 95. Train No. 08429: BBS to DSPL 24.10.24 & 25.10.24

Hockey India League: Costliest buys Harmanpreet, Udita raring to play

Harmanpreet Singh and Udita Duhan can't wait to enthrall fans with their dazzling stickwork after walking away with the best bids in the men's and women's section at the Hockey India League auctions. While Harmanpreet was bagged by Soorma Hockey Club, representing Punjab and Haryana for a whopping Rs 78 lakh on the first day of the three-day auction, Udita was acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for Rs 32 lakh on Tuesday. The upcoming edition of the event holds greater significance as the Women's HIL will make its debut and will run co-currently with the men's league in two venues -- Ranchi (men) and Rourkela (women). The men's HIL will feature eight teams, while the inaugural women's event will have four teams, and expectedly Harmanpreet was ecstatic to witness the league's grand return. I am elated that the Hockey India League is back and in marvellous fashion. I was on the edge of my seat when my name came up during the auction, mentally hoping and urging Sardar Singh to bid

Hockey India League: Over 1000 names to go under the hammer at the league's auction

Over 1000 players, both domestic and international, will participate in the Hockey India League auction, to be held from October 13-15. This marks the league's return after seven years and features the first-ever women's competition. The league is set to begin on December 28 in Rourkela, Odisha.

Delhi franchise named PR Sreejesh as Director of Hockey for HIL 2025

Legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was on Friday named the Director of Hockey in the Delhi franchise for the upcoming Hockey India League. SG Sports, Media and Entertainment (SGSE), part of the APL Apollo Group, has acquired the Delhi team, to be named Delhi SG Pipers, for the HIL, which is set to be revived after a gap of seven years. The corporate house has bought both the men's and women teams of Delhi. The league will be held in two venues -- Rourkela (men) and Ranchi (women) -- and will begin on December 28. While the men's competition will have eight teams, six sides will feature in the women's event, which is being held for the first time. The league will be played from December 28 to February 1. The sport's world governing body, FIH, has given a sanction of 10 years for HIL. The player auction for the league will be held here from October 13 to 15. A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board. Tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi is the CEO of the Delhi side. Having

Odisha: Child rights body takes cognizance of gang-rape of minor girl

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) on Monday took suo motu cognizance of the alleged gang-rape of a minor girl in Rourkela on September 21 evening. The OSCPCR, according to sources, has served notices to the inspector in charge (IIC) of the Plant Site police station, the district child protection officer (DCPO) and the chief district medical officer (CDMO), asking them to submit an investigation, action taken and status reports within seven days. Earlier in the day, the Plant Site Police, Rourkela, took the three arrested accused to the crime spot for scene recreation. A special police team has been formed to investigate and find out if any other persons are involved in the case and if required, go out of the district and the state to apprehend them. The medical tests of the three accused were conducted at Rourkela Government Hospital. The investigating officer has not made anything public about the findings of the medical test. The scientific team has been visiting the crime spot. A dog squad has also been pressed into service. I hope we will complete the investigation soon and submit the charge sheet in the court so that the victim gets justice as soon as possible, said Rourkela superintendent of police (SP) Brijesh Rai. On September 21 evening, a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped. The victims sibling, who is also a minor, was also allegedly sexually assaulted by some youths near Birsa Munda Chhak in Rourkela. The heinous crime in Rourkela city has shocked the people across the state with many social organizations and reputed citizens demanding fair probe and early judicial trial so as to punish the culprits.

PM Modi Celebrates Karam Puja with Jharkhand's Tribes, Lays Foundation for Railway Projects

Ranchi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of Jharkhand on the occasion of the 'Karam Puja' festival, a celebration dedicated to worshipping nature. Upon arriving at Ranchi airport today, he was greeted with a 'Jahwa,' a traditional symbol of the Karam festival, presented by a local woman. Addressing a gathering in Jamshedpur, PM Modi highlighted the significance of the festival, noting that women pray for the well-being of their brothers during Karam Puja. This morning, when I reached Ranchi airport, a sister welcomed me with a 'jahwa' on the occasion of the Karam festival. On this festival, sisters pray for the well-being of their brothers. I congratulate the people of Jharkhand on the Karam festival, he said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone and dedicated several railway projects worth over Rs 660 crore. These projects include the foundation stone for the Madhupur By-pass line in Deoghar district and the Hazaribagh Town Coaching Depot. He also dedicated the Kurkura-Kanaroan doubling project, which is part of the Bondamunda-Ranchi single line section and the Rourkela-Gomoh route via Ranchi, Muri, and Chandrapura stations. The Karam festival, observed on the eleventh of the lunar month of Bhadra, honors Karam devta, the deity of strength, youth, and vitality. During this festival, young villagers gather in groups to collect wood, fruits, and flowers necessary for the Karam Puja. The celebrations are marked by singing, dancing, and vibrant festivities, reflecting the lively spirit of the Baiga, Oraon, Majhwar, and Binjhwar tribes in Jharkhand. Delhi Customs Seizes Cocaine Worth Rs 24 Crore at IGI Airport IMD Issues Red Alert for West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha Amid Heavy Rainfall Amarjot Singh, Brother-in-Law of MP Amritpal Singh, Linked to Ottawa Grenade Attack

PM Modi virtually flags off six new Vande Bharat trains in Odisha, Bihar

Two new Vande Bharat express trains on Sunday started their journey from Odisha's Brahmapur and Rourkela after Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off six such trains in Jharkhand. The two trains flagged off from Odisha are Rourkela-Howrah and Brahmapur-Tatanagar. Special functions were organised at Brahmapur and Rourkela railway stations for the flagging-off ceremony. Odisha Governor Raghubar Das and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi were present at Rourkela and Brahmapur railway stations when the Prime Minister flagged off six Vande Bharat Express trains of which two started running through Odisha on Sunday. The governor graced the inauguration of Rourkela-Howrah Vande Bharat at Rourkela railway station, while Majhi attended the flagging off of Brahmapur-Tatanagar Vande Bharat at Brahmapur railway station. The CM boarded the Vande Bharat Express at Brahmapur to travel to state capital Bhubaneswar. The chief minister said the new Vande Bharat train will connect Odisha's

Jharkhand has three major enemies JMM, Congress and RJD: PM Modi

RANCHI: While addressing a 'Parivartan Yatra' at Jamshedpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Jharkhand has three major enemies: Congress, JMM and RJD. PM Modi had earlier announced 6 rallies in Jharkhand ahead of the assembly polls. The PM attacked the ruling alliance in the speech. RJD is taking revenge over the formation of Jharkhand and it is an open fact that the Congress hates Jharkhand. These people may go to any extent in greed of power and money, said Modi. The PM alleged JMM of supporting Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators. Do you know why it happened? Because the ghost of Congress has entered into the JMM, and when the ghost of Congress enters into any party, appeasement becomes the only agenda of that party, said Modi. For this, first they sacrifice the interests of Dalits, tribals and backward society, the same is happening with JMM, he added. He added that although the JMM was established on the basis of tribal votes, today they are standing with Congress, who have snatched the forest land of tribals. Do you know that there is only one most dishonest party and family in this country? It is the Congress Party and the Congress family; all the streams of corruption originated from there only, he added. PM Modi said that Jharkhand was created with big dreams, but all these dreams got sacrificed to corruption. JMM people also get training from there. All of them have come from the Congress School of Corruption, said Modi. PM Modi landed at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi on Sunday morning. He flagged off 6 Vande Bharat trains virtually from the airport. Due to heavy rains in Jamshedpur, PM Modi cancelled his trip to Tatanagar railway station, so he virtually flagged off the trains from Ranchi. PMs road show which was scheduled on Jamshedpurs Bishtupur Main Road was also cancelled due to the incessant rain. Later, however, the PM left for Jamshedpur from Ranchi via road. The Vande Bharat trains flagged off by PM Modi will run between Berhampur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, Howrah-Gaya, Dumka-Howrah and Howrah-Bhagalpur. These trains will enhance religious tourism in the region by offering quicker transportation to pilgrimage destinations such as Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar (Jharkhand), Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Kalighat, and Belur Math in Kolkata (West Bengal).

PM Modi Virtually Flags Off Six Vande Bharat Trains to Boost Connectivity in Eastern India

New Delhi: On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated six new Vande Bharat Express trains aimed at enhancing connectivity across Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The ceremony, originally planned to take place in person from Tatanagar, had to be conducted virtually due to poor weather conditions and low visibility, which prevented the PMs helicopter from taking off. Despite the weather setback, the event proceeded successfully, with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar present at Tatanagar station to mark the occasion. The newly launched trains will operate on important routes, including Tatanagar-Patna, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, Bhagalpur-Howrah, and Gaya-Howrah. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, the Vande Bharat trains will offer significantly faster connectivity, benefitting a wide range of commuters, including regular passengers, professionals, students, and business travelers. One of the key highlights of these new trains is their potential to boost religious tourism by providing quicker and more efficient travel to major pilgrimage sites such as Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, and Kalighat and Belur Math in Kolkata. In addition to facilitating tourism, these trains are expected to have a significant positive impact on various industries. The coal and mining sectors in Dhanbad, the jute industry in Kolkata, and the iron and steel industries in Durgapur are poised to benefit from improved connectivity, fostering economic growth in the region. The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express trains reflects the government's ongoing efforts to modernize India's rail network and provide state-of-the-art transport services. These trains, known for their speed and efficiency, are part of a larger plan to revolutionize travel across India, offering enhanced comfort and reduced travel time for passengers while bolstering regional development. Prashant Kishor Promises to Scrap Bihar's Liquor Ban Within an Hour if Elected Cultural Festival in Himachal Falsely Depicted as Anti-Muslim Violence, Video Rajasthan Chief Minister Returns from High-Profile Japan-South Korea Trip, Prepares for December Investment Summit

Check details of six new Vande Bharat trains unveiled by PM Modi today

Shillong, September 15: The six new Vande Bharat trains flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday in Jharkhands Jamshedpur to different destinations offer faster connectivity, safe journeys and a range of passenger amenities, the Railway Ministry has said. The six new routes that these trains will cover are Tatanagar-Patna, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, []

Film Heritage Foundation Announces Festival for Akkineni Nageswara Rao's 100th Birthday

India, 4th September 2024- To mark the 100th birth anniversary of Natasamrat Akkineni Nageswara Rao which falls on 20th September this year, not-for-profit organization Film Heritage Foundation announces a retrospective film festival titled ANR 100 King Of The Silver Screen that pays tribute to legendary doyen of Indian cinema. The festival will feature a compilation of 10 restored classics of ANR that will be screened from September 20 22, 2024 across 25 cities, including major metros like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru and smaller cities like Vadodara, Jalandhar, Rourkela, Warangal, Kakinada and Tumkur. Film aficionados across the country will have the exclusive opportunity to witness the remarkable versatility and powerful performances of the South Indian icon once again on the big screen in a curated festival of landmark Telugu films including Devadasu (1953), Missamma (1955), Mayabazar (1957), Bharya Bharthalu (1961), Gundamma Katha (1962), Doctor Chakravarthi (1964), Sudigundalu (1968), Prem Nagar (1971), Premabhishekam (1981) and Manam (2014) Film Heritage Foundation and Akkineni Nagewara Rao family is presenting the countrywide festival in association with the NFDC National Film Archive Of India and PVR-Inox. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Filmmaker and Director, Film Heritage Foundation states, After the huge success of our Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand retrospectives, we are thrilled to present another first-of-its-kind film festival of Telugu classics to honour the memory of a doyen of Telugu cinema - Shri Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The selection of films in this retrospective beginning from 1953 to 2014 include some of his biggest hits that will give people a chance to see his remarkable range as an actor and why these films continue to have resonance with people decades after they were made and why it is so important to preserve our film heritage. This is in keeping with our commitment to showcase the diversity of Indias rich film heritage from every region of the country and we have seen the enthusiasm of contemporary audiences for classic cinema during these retrospectives with many of the screenings going house full. Akkineni Nagarjuna states, I am delighted that the Film Heritage Foundation is celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of my father with a festival of his landmark films across the country. He was rightly called Natasamrat for his amazing ability to play a range of roles from a saint to an alcoholic to a romantic hero in a way that has stayed in peoples hearts and minds for decades. His performance in Devadasu has been acknowledged as one of the best across all versions of the film over the years and his films like Premabhishekam, Doctor Chakravarthi and Sudigundalu are loved even today. He was a pioneer who established Annapurna Studios, laying the first foundation for the Telugu film industry in our state. We are very proud of his legacy and through this festival audiences across the country will remember an icon not just of Telugu cinema but of Indian cinema. We would like to preserve this legacy so that people will remember him for another hundred years. The entire Akkineni family would like to thank the NFDC-NFAI and PVR-Inox for partnering with us to make this festival possible. Amitabh Bachchan states, I am delighted that Film Heritage Foundation will be celebrating the legacy of Shri Akkineni Nageswara Rao a pioneer of the Telugu film industry and an icon of Indian cinema by releasing his restored films all over India to mark his 100th birth anniversary. I had the good fortune to meet him on several occasions and I was always struck by his humility and simplicity. This is the first time a retrospective on this scale has been done for Telugu cinema in a manner befitting his stature. The festival is in keeping with Film Heritage Foundations commitment to bringing the heritage of Indian cinema back on the big screen the way these films were meant to be seen. This will give contemporary audiences an amazing opportunity to experience the tremendous screen presence, the versatility and the range of a legendary actor in Telugu classics like Devadasu, Sudigundalu, and Doctor Chakravarthy. Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films) and Managing Director, NFDC-National Film Archive Of India states, NFDC-NFAI is deeply honoured to collaborate in commemorating the birth centenary of Shri. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, by presenting seven timeless classics, restored in 4K from prints and negatives held in the archives collection. This event is not just a tribute to a legendary actor but also a testament to our commitment to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Indian cinema. By bringing these masterpieces back to the big screen, we hope to evoke a deep sense of pride and nostalgia, allowing audiences to reconnect with the golden era of our film history. Our sincere thanks go to PVR-INOX for providing the platform to share these films with the nation, to Annapurna Studios and Film Heritage Foundation for their curation and planning, and to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for funding this endeavour under the National Film Heritage Mission. Versatility, humility and a powerhouse of talent. These are some of the words often used to describe Akkineni Nageswara Rao, or ANR or Nata Samrat, as he was fondly called. An actor and producer who worked in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil cinema, ANR was most famous for his work in Telugu cinema. In a career spanning 71 years and more than 250 movies, he was best known for his diversity of roles. He acted in mainstream movies and offbeat films, in mythologies, dramas and comedies. The trailblazer was the recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Raghupati Venkaiah Award, Filmfare Awards, amongst others. ANR established Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad that grew as a hub for the Telugu film industry ANR passed away on January 22, 2014 leaving behind two generations of actors, including his son the superstar Nagarjuna and grandsons Naga Chaitanya and Akhil Akkineni to carry forward his legacy.