Daily Excelsior

NEW DELHI, May 9: Navrattan Cement Industries LLP, a subsidiary of Navrattan Group, has announced an initial investment of Rs 250 crore to set up a green cement manufacturing unit in Punjab. The project will be set up in Rai Majra village, Rajpura, Patiala district, according to a company statement. The upcoming plant will focus on advanced green cement technologies designed to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency compared to traditional cement manufacturing methods, it said. Th

NAGPUR, May 9: Dr Hemant Sharad Pande has assumed charge as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) here. He assumed the charge on Friday. Dr Pande, who began his professional career in 1989 with Coal India Limited as a mining engineer, possesses 37 years of experience in WCL and South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). Prior to assuming charge as the CMD, he was serving as Director (Human Resources) at WCL, a statement said. During his tenure, initiatives []

JAMMU, May 9: The Public Works (Road and Buildings) Department of the Jammu and Kashmir Government has placed 3 Diploma holder Junior Engineers as Incharge Assistant Engineers click here to see complete order The post 3 PWD JEs promoted as Incharge AEs appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN, May 9: As White House is expecting a response from Iran on a proposed plan to end the conflict, reports have emerged that talks between the United States and Iran could resume as early as next week in Pakistans capital Islamabad. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that both sides are working with mediators to draft a one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding. The proposed framework would set the stage for a month-long negotiation pro

NEW DELHI: (May 9) The CBI on Saturday conducted searches at 17 premises in Mumbai in connection with three cases registered against Reliance ADA Group companies Reliance Telecom Limited, Reliance Commercial Finance Limited and Reliance Home Finance Limited and their directors, officials said. These searches are being conducted at the residential premises of directors of the above-mentioned companies as well as at the office premises of intermediary companies whose accounts were used for divers

KATRA: Former India cricketer and current head coach of the senior mens team, Gautam Gambhir, arrived in Katra with his family to offer prayers at the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. After he arrived in Katra, Gambhir greeted fans and clicked photos with them. Then he joined his family to go to the temple. Gautam Gambhir coached the Indian cricket team to victory in the 2026 ICC Mens T20 World Cup. The Men in Blue defended their [] The post Gautam Gambhir arrives in Katra with family to

ABBOTSFORD (Canada), May 9: Three Indian-origin persons have been found guilty of first-degree murder by a court in Canada in connection with the killing of a couple in Abbotsford, according to local broadcaster CBC News. Arnold and Joanne De Jong were found dead in their Abbotsford residence in May 2022. Four years later, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Brenda Brown on Friday ruled that Gurkaran Singh, Abhijeet Singh and Khushveer Toor played a willing and integral role in the couples []

COLOMBO, May 9:One of Sri Lankas senior most Buddhist monks has been arrested for the sexual abuse of a minor girl, the police said on Saturday. Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana, 71, is the chief priest of a prominent temple in the country. He was taken into custody on Friday night after a magistrates court in the holy city of Anuradhapura issued an arrest warrant against him and the victims mother for allegedly aiding and abetting child abuse. The victim is a [] The post Top Sri Lankan monk arre

MOSCOW, May 9: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday voiced confidence of victory in Ukraine as he oversaw a military parade on Red Square commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Security was tight in Moscow as Putin and several foreign leaders attended the parade, even as a US-brokered three-day ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities. Putin, in power for more than a quarter-century, has used Victory Day, Russias most import

VATICAN CITY, May 9: The Vatican is sending new signals about how it intends to minister to LGBTQ+ Catholics in the Pope Leo XIV era, with signs of openness and limitations after Pope Francis ushered in a notable welcome during his 12-year pontificate. Catholic LGBTQ+ advocates cheered this week when a Vatican working group released a report featuring the testimony of two gay, married Catholics who spoke openly about their sexuality, faith and how the Catholic Churchs negative teaching on [] The

PESHAWAR: (May 9) Five terrorists were killed in operations conducted by security forces in Pakistans restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the army said on Saturday. Based on intelligence reports, the security forces initiated two separate operations in the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts on May 7 and 8, it said in a statement. Four terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in the military engagement in the Tank district, the statement said. The post Pak

MUMBAI: (May 9) Senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil on Saturday criticised the Maharashtra government over farmer suicides and crimes against women and asserted leaders of the ruling alliance had earned a PhD in corruption. In a statement, Patil said that although the BJP was in power in 17 states, Maharashtra ranked first in the country in both corruption and farmer suicides and second in crimes against women. Citing figures from the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, [] The p

KOLKATA: (May 9) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday touched the feet of 98-year-old BJP veteran Makhanlal Sarkar and sought his blessings at the swearing-in ceremony of the partys first government in West Bengal. Sarkar was arrested in Kashmir in 1952 while accompanying Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee during the movement to hoist the Indian tricolour there, the BJP said. Sarkar is one of the early grassroots figures associated with the nationalist movement in post-Independence In

PORT OF SPAIN: (May 9) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held comprehensive talks with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to explore new ideas and initiatives for expanding bilateral cooperation between India and the dual-island nation. Jaishankar arrived in Port of Spain from Paramaribo on Friday on the concluding leg of his three-nation tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at deepening Indias engagement with the Caribbean nations. Sat down this

NEW DELHI: (May 9) Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (retd) has been named Indias next Chief of Defence Staff and his primary mandate will be to implement the ambitious military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy. He will replace Gen Anil Chauhan, who completes his tenure as the countrys senior-most military commander on May 30. Lt Gen Subramani, widely known as an expert on Pakistan and China, is currently serving as the Military Advisor at the National Security Council [] The post Pa

NEW DELHI, May 9: RBI officers union has written a letter to RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, seeking his intervention to correct the promotion policy and restore a time-bound system. RBI officers across various regional offices and the central banks headquarters in Mumbai staged protests on Friday against recent policy changes that link promotions to vacancy availability, replacing the earlier time-bound promotion system. Reserve Bank of India Officers Association (RBIOA), in a letter dated May 8,

JAMMU: (May 9) Jammu and Kashmir Police has attached a property worth nearly Rs 93 lakh in Chandigarh during an investigation into a narcotics trafficking case that initially began with the recovery of a small quantity of heroin, officials said. The case originated on January 14 this year when a police team of Bagh-e-Bahu apprehended Arun Singh, a resident of Rajeev Nagar, Narwal in Jammu, and allegedly recovered heroin from his possession, they said. Following the recovery, a case [] The post

Introduction Every industry must effectively manage its public relations and search for a PR partner capable of managing media and business strategies. This guide explores the top 5 public relations firms in India that have served across industries and worked with numerous clients, and have ensured that their results exceed their clients expectations. 5 Best Public Relations Agencies in India In todays competitive scenario, PR is a highly competitive market, with each firm claiming to be the bes

KOLKATA: (May 9) Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday took oath as West Bengals first BJP chief minister, marking a dramatic saffron turn in the states political history, with the iconic Brigade Parade Grounds here hosting the swearing-in ceremony. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Adhikari amid the Jai Shri Ram slogan, drumbeats, and a sea of fluttering saffron flags. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, senior BJP leaders and chief ministers of NDA

KOLKATA: (May 9) West Bengals chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari said the days of Sonar Bangla have officially started with Saturday marking the beginning of a new era of peace and prosperity under a double-engine administration as the states first BJP government is set to take charge. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis arrival in Kolkata for the oath-taking ceremony at the Brigade Parade Ground, Adhikari posted a message on X welcoming him to the state and describing the occasion as [] T

Excelsior Correspondent VADODARA (GUJARAT), May 8 :Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today inaugurated Lakshya 2047 Centre for Future Skills, Cadaveric Centre and Advanced Medical Simulation facilities at Parul University here. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said India is moving at a very fast pace in emerging technologies including Qua

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 8: SMVDUs School of Business organized an insightful session by Neetu Dhar, Chairperson of Jammu Pariyatan Vikas Cooperative Ltd and Director of Unati Agri and Allied Multistate Cooperative Ltd. Prof. Ashutosh Vashishtha and Prof. Suparn Kumar Sharma welcomed the resource person. Addressing the participants, Neetu Dhar explained how SHGs functions as a strong grassroots mechanism for poverty alleviation by encouraging savings, credit access, collective decision

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 8: NHPC Limited, a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Power today announced the commercial operation of the fourth unit (Unit # 4 of 250 MW) of its 2000 MW (8250 MW) Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (LHP), located in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The unit commenced commercial operation adding 250 MW of clean energy to the national grid. On this occasion, Bhupender Gupta, CMD, NHPC expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Power, Government of India [] The

Ashok Ogra ashokogra@gmail.com For a long time, the Bengali voter has been associated with a strong cultural orientation-often identifying more with culture,debate and political engagement than being defined primarily through a religious lens. Material ambition and overt displays of wealth were also often viewed with some restraint. Politics in Bengal has not been confined to formal institutions; it has also found expression in literature, theatre, music and everyday conversation. This helps exp

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 8 : To discuss organizational strengthening, expansion of grassroots outreach and enhancement of public connectivity through local body units across the Union Territory, J&K BJP Urban Local Body Cell organized an important meeting, here today. J&K BJP president and Member Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Sat Sharma accompanied by General Secretary (Organization) Ashok Koul, General Secretary Baldev Singh Billawaria, All Cells Incharge Ved Sharma, All Cells Co-Incharge

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today met several public representatives, various deputations and individuals at his Public Services & Outreach Office Raabita here and discussed a range of public welfare and developmental issues concerning Jammu & Kashmir. MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, called on the Chief Minister and discussed issues related to parks and gardens in his constituency. MLA Banihal, Sajad Shaheen, also raised several issues of public importance co

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appreciated the prompt and coordinated efforts of the Army and Civil Administration in safely rescuing tourists stranded in the higher reaches of Gulmarg following a technical snag in a private helicopter. The Chief Minister commended the swift response and close coordination among all agencies involved in the rescue operation, which ensured the safety and well-being of the stranded tourists. He further directed the admini

Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, May 8: A joint delegation of Nirbhay Bharat Foundation and Sarhad NGO headed by Tarun Uppal called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, today. The post Delegation calls on LG appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 8: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah today called out forces stoking controversy over the Urdu language, saying the party remains steadfast in defending Urdus cultural, administrative, and religious centrality in Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement issued from the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subha, he said the forces attempting to manufacture outrage over the issue are doing so to camouflage their own historic blunders and political failures,

J&K to roll out rehabilitation plan for drug abuse victims Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 8: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired a meeting of the concerned Administrative Secretaries to deliberate upon the comprehensive rehabilitation plan for victims of drug abuse prepared by the Social Welfare Department in consultation with various Government departments and stakeholders. The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Finance; Principal Secretary, Home; Commissioner Sec

PARAMARIBO, May 8: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed the critical role of partnerships in achieving progress in a tough world, and underlined Indias role as a trusted partner in the global context. Jaishankar made the remarks while addressing representatives from sections of Surinamese society on the theme Partnership for Progress in Paramaribo on Thursday. The minister is here on the second leg of his three-nation Caribbean visit. Made the case that a tough world nevertheless requ

BEIJING, May 8 : China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said. Chinas state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of Chinas (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of Chinas advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design. Zhang had provided t

SINGAPORE, May 8 : India and Singapore have vowed to jointly work to combat the challenge of terrorism including cross-border movement of terrorists, radicalisation, and financing of terrorism. Both sides deliberated on bolstering their anti-terror cooperation at the fifth meeting of their Joint Working Group (JWG) on combating terrorism and transnational crime, held in New Delhi on Thursday. According to a joint press release, the JWG unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism in all its fo

KOLKATA, May 8 : West Bengal chief minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari on Friday evening met Governor RN Ravi and staked a claim to form the first BJP-led government in the state. Adhikari reached Lok Bhavan barely two hours after being elected leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The CM-elect was accompanied by several top leaders of the BJP, including Union ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Sukanta Majumdar and Santanu Thakur, Odisha Chief Minister []

BANGKOK, May 8: Miners in Myanmar have discovered a rare ruby of enormous size, considered to be the second-largest by weight ever found in the conflict-battered Southeast Asian nation, state media reported Friday. The ruby, measuring 11,000 carats (2.2 kilograms, or 4.8 pounds), was unearthed near the town of Mogok, in the upper Mandalay region, the heartland of the lucrative gem-mining industry that has recently experienced intense fighting in the countrys wide-ranging civil war. According to

BEIJING, May 8 : Indias new envoy to China Vikram Doraiswami presented a copy of his credentials to Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei, the Indian embassy said on Friday. Doraiswamis appointment comes amid efforts by India and China to rebuild relations that came under severe strain following the military standoff in eastern Ladakh in April 2020, which stretched on for four years. Ambassador Doraiswami on Thursday presented a copy of his credentials to Assistant Foreign Minister and Director-Ge

JAIPUR, May 8 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday directed the top military commanders of the three services to integrate an element of surprise into modern warfare to outmaneuver Indias adversaries and bolster strategic posture. In his address at the joint commanders conference in Jaipur, Singh also described the Operation Sindoor as a testament to the swift, precise, and joint response of the Indian armed forces to safeguard national interests and called upon the military to remain read

A new analysis tracking nearly 7,000 scientific abstracts submitted to the prestigious journal Organisation Science has confirmed what many quietly suspected: since ChatGPT arrived uninvited to the scholarly table in November 2022, AI-assisted writing has surged by 42 per cent, whilst the quality of research submissions has measurably declined. The numbers are damning, but the deeper malaise they point to is far more troubling than any statistic. Let us be precise about what a Large Language Mod

LG, CM express grief Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, May 8: At least three young men drowned in River Jhelum in Bandipora district today after slipping into the water while washing tent equipment near the Check Chandergeer area of Hajin town. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO The deceased were identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, 18, son of Bashir Ahmad Dar; Sameer Ahmad Dar, 22, son of Mohammad Jamal Dar; and Sohail Ahmad Dar, 22, son of Ghulam Nabi Dar, all residents of [] The post 3 drown in Jhelum while

Shivaji Sarkar None, not even US analysers, expected that a non-descript war with a small country like Iran could change the global energy scenario, that America is keen on monopolising. The US plans a conflict decades before as it had envisioned the 1969 Camp David accord with Egypt in a 1951 US congressional study. In 2026, its battle for supremacy is deeply hurt by Iranian strategies and devastation of the US assets in 13 the Gulf countries. Now the OPEC [] The post UAEs Opec Exit, Higher Oil

BJP obstructing governance in J&K Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, May 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that his party legislators are firmly with the National Conference (NC) and accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of hoping for Eknath Shindes type of split in his party. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO Omars remarks came after comments by the senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma, that the saffron partys next target is J&K and suggested []

KOLKATA, May 8 : West Bengal Chief Minister-elect Suvendu Adhikari on Friday evening met Governor RN Ravi and staked a claim to form the first BJP-led Government in the state. Adhikari reached Lok Bhavan barely two hours after being elected leader of the BJP legislature party at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO The CM-elect was accompanied by several top leaders of the BJP, including Union Ministers Bhupendra Yadav, Sukanta Majumdar and [] The post Su

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 8: The Outreach Department of Indian Institute of Technology Jammu organized an educational visit for 92 students of Classes XI and XII from Aryan Public School along with their escorts, offering them firsthand exposure to advanced scientific and research facilities on campus. The initiative aimed to nurture scientific curiosity among young learners and familiarize them with academic and research environments at an early stage. The programme was conducted under

JAIPUR, May 8: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday directed the top military commanders of the three services to integrate an element of surprise into modern warfare to outmaneuver Indias adversaries and bolster strategic posture. In his address at the joint commanders conference in Jaipur, Singh also described the Operation Sindoor as a testament to the swift, precise, and joint response of the Indian armed forces to safeguard national interests and called upon the military to remain ready

NEW DELHI, May 8: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday directed cooperatives NAFED and NCCF to accelerate procurement at minimum support price (MSP) levels, as wholesale mandi prices of pulses and other rabi crops continue to slide below support levels. Reviewing procurement operations, Chouhan told officials to treat the exercise as a mission-mode responsibility rather than a bureaucratic formality, stressing that depressed market prices without commensurate procurement action w

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, May 8: The Jammu & Kashmir Swimming Association has announced selection trials for the 79th Senior National Aquatic (Men & Women) Championships 2026, which will be held on May 16, 2026 at Jodhamal Public School Jammu swimming pool. The national championship is scheduled to be conducted from June 16 to 21, 2026 at Aquatic Complex, Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, under the aegis of the Swimming Federation of India and organised by the Gujarat

Srinagar, May 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has deputed 37 Junior Secretariat Assistants of the J&K Secretariat (Subordinate) Service for undergoing the J&K Secretariat Assistants Training Course at the Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development (IMPARD) campuses in Jammu and Srinagar. According to Government Order No. 874-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated May 7, the training programme will be conducted for a period of two months from May 11 to July 9, 2026. The order issued

Srinagar, May 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Friday ordered transfers and postings of two JKAS officers with immediate effect in the interest of administration. According to Government Order No. 889-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated May 8, Mr. Khalid Jehangir, JKAS, who was serving as Secretary in the Industries and Commerce Department, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, J&K, against an available vacancy. The order further stated that Mr. Soheel Noor Shah,

NEW DELHI, May 8: A CBI court here has allowed Lt Col Deepak Kumar Sharma accused of taking a bribe of Rs 3 lakh from a Dubai-based company to operate his four savings bank accounts in Jammu, saying the seizure cannot be an act in perpetuity to authorise the probe agency to bypass the law. Special Judge Gagandeep Singh was hearing Sharmas application for defreezing his bank accounts and a locker. The plea said that he had been granted bail [] The post Delhi CBI Court Allows Army Officer Accused

SRINAGAR, May 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appreciated the prompt and coordinated efforts of the Army and Civil Administration in safely rescuing tourists stranded in the higher reaches of Gulmarg following a technical snag in a private helicopter. The Chief Minister commended the swift response and close coordination among all agencies involved in the rescue operation, which ensured the safety and well-being of the stranded tourists. He further directed the administration to take all nec