Daily Excelsior

JAMMU, Apr 15: The Jammu Division of Northern Railway on Wednesday said it will operate a Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Service (JPP-RCS) train between Adarsh Nagar in New Delhi and Budgam in central Kashmir from April 17, offering relief to traders in the Valley, particularly fruit growers and handicrafts merchants. The service will run regularly on a trial basis till May 31, after which it is likely to be inducted into regular service subject to satisfactory occupancy levels, an official []

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: Students of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) made a strong academic impression at the prestigious Industry Speaks 2.0 event organized at the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, where leading voices from industry and academia deliberated on the theme Powering the Future: AI, Semiconductors and the Next Tech Revolution. A contingent of students from the School of Computer Science & Engineering (SCSE), along with faculty members, actively participat

-A Historic Act, A National Resolve- Tarun Chugh Where women are honoured, there divinity resides. This ancient Sanskrit wisdom is no longer merely a verse from our scriptures under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, it has become the foundational governing principle of our nation. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam the Constitutions 106th Amendment Act, also known as the Womens Reservation Act, 2023 is not merely a piece of legislation. It is the fulfilment [] The p

Prof K S Chandrasekar kscnair@gmail.com Knowledge as the supreme purifier in education. In this world, there is nothing as purifying as knowledge. Bhagavad Gita 4.38. After independence, India had witnessed a range of institutions, focusing primarily on the social sciences viz., Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, Centre for Policy Research, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Institute for Social and Economic Change, came to be with

Prof M K Bhat drmkb1963@gmail.com Iran-America war has rattled the geopolitical and geo economic atmosphere of the world. The closure of Strait of Homruz by Iran is a big push to world economy towards Global recession. The economies of global south, Europe and Asia have started to feel the heat and the other nations of the world are going to feel its intensity quite soon. Protests against the continuation of war have erupted in many countries including America. Maritime insurance [] The post War

Pak orchestrated smuggling to fund terrorism Not a single accused will be spared Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: Drug abuse isnt just a law & order issue but a social cancer requiring every part of society to fight. I urged for Whole of Government and Whole of Society approach. I believe when the governments strength and societys resolve act as one, then even the toughest challenges crumble, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on [] The po

Govt to frame rules, set up Expert Committee Proposals start reaching, told to wait for Panel Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Apr 15: Clearing decks for setting up of Private Universities for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has given assent to `The Jammu and Kashmir Universities Bill, 2026 passed by the Assembly on last day of the budget session i.e. April 4. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The LG has also cleared `The Jammu [] The post Decks cleared for

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Apr 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today rededicated the renovated War Memorial and attended the 78th Raising Day celebrations of the Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) Regimental Centre. The programme was held at the Regimental Centre, where the Chief Minister, as Chief Guest, unveiled the renovated War Memorial and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony to pay homage to the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. The fun

Excelsior Sports Correspondent RAMBAN, Apr 15: The Ramban Kesri Dangal marked a grand revival of traditional wrestling in the region after a gap of five years, rekindling enthusiasm for the age-old sport under the aegis of the Yuva Dangal Committee Ramban. The event witnessed a large turnout of spectators and featured wrestlers from Jammu and Kashmir as well as neighbouring states, particularly Punjab. The atmosphere remained vibrant throughout the day as bouts unfolded in the traditional Akhara

CM refuses to cut inaugural ribbon in tricolor Delimitation in J&K benefitted particular party Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, Apr 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that the Government is working on bringing a new industrial incentive policy that will benefit Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here in response to a question about the industrial incentive policy in the Union Territory, which expired in September last year, Omar said the government is working

LG releases activity calendar of JKAACL Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, 15 Apr: Jammu Kashmir Lok Bhavan today celebrated the Foundation Day of Himachal Pradesh, at Jammu. The cultural evening, celebrating the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, was attended by students, senior officials, and the people of Himachal Pradesh living in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, who were the special invitees on the occasion. In his address, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha extended his heartiest greetings and b

MUMBAI, Apr 14: Uncertainty prevailed over Rohit Sharmas availability for the Indian Premier League clash between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings, even as the senior batter engaged in a light training session here on Wednesday. Rohit had walked off during MIs batting innings in the sixth over after experiencing discomfort in his hamstring during last Sundays high-scoring clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium. Rohit was batting on 19 off 13 balls when he retired hurt,

JK Bank sets up 110 branches, PNB 310 Avtar Bhat JAMMU, Apr 15: The registration for 57-day long annual Amarnath Ji Yatra in South Kashmir Himalayas started on 556 bank branches across the country today with large number of devotees thronging in front of counters set up here for their enrolment. There was huge rush of devotees in front of counters established by various banks in Jammu with people including men and women waiting in long queues from early in [] The post Registration begins for ann

Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI Apr 15: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh proposed positioning the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) as a nodal institution for building artificial intelligence competencies among public sector officials and developing a curriculum for AI-driven Smart go

Martyrs Memorial Badminton tourney Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: Gopesh Singh entered the final of the Under-17 boys singles on the second day of the Martyrs Memorial Prize Money Badminton Tournament, being organised by the High Toss Sports Club at Champion Arena, Chowadhi, Jammu. Sixteen quarterfinal matches were played today in both the girls and boys sections. Earlier, in the semi-final, Gopesh Singh defeated Divesh Bakshi in an exciting match by 21-13, 21-15. In the quarterfi

Say accused sold 630 Kg heroin worth approx Rs 792 crores Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: In a major breakthrough, Jammu and Kashmir Police have uncovered the cross-border links of notorious drug kingpin Gulzar Ahmad alias Lau Gujjar arrested earlier this month, revealing his connections extending from Jammu to Punjab and Pakistan. Police have also claimed that the accused has so far sold nearly 360 kilograms of heroin, estimated to be worth around Rs 792 crore in the international market

Fund crunch, approval delays cant justify non-payment Flags systemic lapses in financial planning, governance Mohinder Verma JAMMU, Apr 15: Coming down heavily on the practice of forcing citizens to approach courts for rightful payments, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has held that withholding admitted dues on grounds like administrative delays, pendency of approvals or alleged paucity of funds is wholly untenable in law and such pleas are nothing but attempts to shift the burden o

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, April 15: BJP spokesperson and convenor, International Affairs, Gaurav Gupta today termed the recent telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump a defining moment that opens a new chapter in India-US friendship and global cooperation. In a statement, Gupta said the nearly 40-minute discussion between the two leaders reflects the deep mutual trust and evolving strategic partnership between the worlds two largest democra

For too long, the DIETs in Jammu and Kashmirs border districts have operated in the shadow of their urban counterparts comparatively under-resourced, under-equipped, and inadequately positioned to train teachers for the unique challenges of frontier schooling. The Jammu and Kashmir Governments decision to upgrade DIETs at Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, and Kupwara into Centres of Excellence, at a sanctioned outlay of Rs 40.83 crore, is therefore not merely a policy announcement. It is a long-awaited

By T N Ashok For six decades, Dubai International Airport was the ultimate proof of concept: that a city conjured from desert sand could outshine every rival simply by wanting it more. Sheikhs poured billions into terminals before demand materialized, groomed Emirates into a flying empire, and draped the transit halls in marble and duty-free excess. The strategy worked so spectacularly that by the 2010s, Dubai was handling 87 million passengers a year the worlds busiest hub for [] The post Dub

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Jammu Mahanagar today staged a protest against the Controller of Examinations of Cluster University of Jammu, expressing strong resentment over the recently issued examination datesheet. Raising slogans and highlighting student grievances, ABVP activists alleged that the datesheet was issued, despite incomplete syllabus coverage in several affiliated colleges. Students claimed that an acute shortage of lecturer

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu (JU), Prof Umesh Rai, today released a book titled Innovation and Sustainable Business Development A Multidisciplinary Perspective. The book release function was graced by Prof Neelu Rohmetra (Dean Research Studies, JU), Prof J P Singh Joorel (Dean Academic Affairs, JU), Dr Neeraj Sharma (Registrar, JU), Prof Hardeep Chahal (Director, ICccR & HRM), Prof Gurjeet Kaur (Department of Commerce) and Dr Isha Sharma (Sr Assist

Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Apr 15: The police arrested two drug-peddlers from Thannamandi area of district Rajouri today and recovered about 17 gms of heroin from their possession. Reports said a police team from Thannamandi, led by Insp Sachinder Pal Singh, under the supervision of SDPO, Parupkar Singh, during a naka intercepted one person identified as Iraz Khan, son of Sarfraz Ahmed, resident Thannamandi. Upon search, he was found in possession of nearly 10 grams of heroin. The accused

NEW DELHI, Apr 15 : Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday called for embracing artificial intelligence as a force for greater good, saying it is empowering governments to serve better than ever before. Addressing the 5th Dr Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on AI for Good Governance here, Radhakrishnan also said that AI is an enabler for building a Viksit Bharat that is inclusive, efficient, and future-ready. He noted that India is at the forefront of leveraging AI which strengthens [] Th

UNITED NATIONS, Apr 15 : The legacy of B R Ambedkar and his ardent advocacy for cultivating constitutional morality was honoured at a special event hosted by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN to commemorate his 135th birth anniversary. In his welcome remarks at the event held Tuesday, Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni emphasized that Ambedkars call for cultivating constitutional morality is especially relevant in these troubled times, cha

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Apr 15: Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani Sogami today met several delegations at his residence in Shivpora, engaging with representatives from the Lecturers Forum, Teachers Forum, and Traders Forum. The Traders Forum delegation was led by senior trade union leader G M Hamdard. During the interactions, the delegations highlighted a range of issues concerning their respective sectors, drawing attention to the challenges faced by the teaching communi

LUCKNOW, Apr 15: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday expressed concern over a massive fire that broke out at a slum cluster in the Tedhi Pulia area of Vikas Nagar here, calling for immediate relief and a thorough investigation. In the fire, about 200 shanties were gutted this evening, according to officials. The defence minister, who represents the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, spoke to the district magistrate (DM) to take stock of the situation

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Apr 15: A man accused in a rape case registered in 1987 was arrested in Budgam district on Wednesday, nearly 39 years after he had been on the run, police said. The accused, identified as Bashir Ahmad Ganaie, a resident of Drer Kalipora in Shopian district and presently living in Kulgam, was wanted in a case of abduction and rape, a police spokesman said. In a significant breakthrough, police apprehended a long-time absconder who had been evading [] The post Man

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 15: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered the adjustment of Seven In-Charge Executive Engineers (Mech) in the Public Works (R&B) Department against available vacancies across various divisions to ensure smooth departmental functioning. Sanction is hereby accorded to the placement of following Assistant Executive Engineers as incharge Executive Engineers in their own pay and grade. The Engineers include, Rajeev Gupta, Mir Irfan ul Islam (both degree hol

JAMMU, Apr 15: Police here have intensified crackdown against narcotics under the 100-day Nasha Mukt Abhiyan, with Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police Joginder Singh warning of strict accountability of police personnel, asserting that in any police station area, either the station house officer (SHO) will remain or the drug peddler there is no place for both. He termed the drug menace a conspiracy by the enemy country to push society into addiction, also flagging the alarming proliferation of

SRINAGAR, Apr 15: A visually impaired student in Srinagar has scripted an inspiring story by securing 95 per cent marks in the Class 10 board examination conducted by the Central Board of School Education, the results of which were declared on Wednesday. Zainab Bilal, who aspires to study computer applications, scored 475 out of 500, with a perfect 100 per cent in computer science. Since my childhood, I have wanted to get into the information technology sector. I intend to [] The post Visually I

JAMMU, Apr 15: The Union Government has appointed Syed Haamid Bukhari as the Registrar of Companies (ROC) for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. An officer of the Indian Corporate Law Service, Bukhari was selected through the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2016 and brings several years of administrative experience to the post. A resident of Jammu and Kashmir, Bukhari has an academic background in management and law. He completed his studies at IUST Awantipora, pursued a [

JAMMU, Apr 15: The Power Development Department (PDD) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfer and posting of 82 Engineers in the interest of the administration. See Order Copy Click Here The post Power Development Department Transfers 82 Engineers appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

ISLAMABAD, Apr 15: A Pakistani delegation, led by Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, reached Tehran on Wednesday as part of Islamabads efforts to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran. The Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the military, said in a statement that Munir is part of a delegation that also includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Field Marshal Asim Munirand Mr Mohsin Naqvi, Interior Minister, along with the delegation, arrive at Tehran [] The pos

SRINAGAR, Apr 15: The Transport Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir, has ordered the transfer and posting of two ARTOs with immediate effect in the interest of the administration. The post Two ARTOs Transferred In Kashmir appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

SRINAGAR, Apr 15: Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, today said that the government is prioritising employment generation, having referred nearly 30,000 posts and facilitated recruitment of around 15,000 through various agencies over the past year in Jammu and Kashmir. The Deputy Chief Minister informed this while addressing a large public gathering at Kunzar in the Gulmarg constituency. He was accompanied by Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Gulmarg Peerzada Farooq Ahmad

JAMMU, Apr 15: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday ordered the annual Darbar Move of offices from Jammu to Srinagar for the Summer Season 2026, outlining a detailed schedule for closure, reopening, transportation, security, and administrative arrangements. According to Government Order No.786-3K(GAD) of 2026 dated April 15, offices observing a five-day week will close in Jammu on April 30 after office hours, while those following a six-day week will close on May 2. All offices are s

JAMMU, Apr 15: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said a major narcotics network with interstate and cross-border links was busted with the arrest of most-wanted drug kingpin Gulzar Ahmad alias Lau Gujjar along with several of his associates. Senior Superintendent of Police (Jammu) Joginder Singh said Gujjar had been supplying narcotics in bulk quantities across the region, and evading capture for more than two decades, terming his arrest a major breakthrough. He was a hardcore criminal a

SRINAGAR, Apr 15: In a major boost to promote Kashmir craft sector, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, today inaugurated the Know Your Artisan programme at Kashmir Haat here, under the Handicrafts and Handlooms ongoing Soulful Kashmir brand promotion campaign. He also inaugurated the new GI Testing Lab, Giant LED Video Walls and launched high precision fibre analysis equipment along with DesignNWeave software, designed by IICT Srinagar. Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, Advisor to Chief Min

SRINAGAR, Apr 15: IGP Kashmir V.K. Birdi-IPS chaired a crime review meeting of Kashmir Zone at PCR Kashmir today. The meeting was attended by all the range DIsG, district SSsP, JDP ZPHQ and other senior officers. At the outset, IGP Kashmir conducted a comprehensive review of crime across the Kashmir Zone. This was followed by detailed presentations from district SSsP, who outlined the measures undertaken to curb criminal activities within their respective jurisdictions. Discussions primarily foc

JAMMU, Apr 15: Kashmiri Pandits on Wednesday held protests in Jammu, demanding a two-fold increase in monthly relief from the existing ceiling of Rs 13,000 per family. They accused the authorities of failing to revise the assistance for the past eight years. Led by the community leader Ravinder Koul, scores of protestors gathered at the Press Club Jammu, raising slogans and pressing for enhancement of relief in view of the rising inflation. For the past eight years, there has been [] The post Di

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: India ranks among the worlds most advanced AI markets, particularly in coding, data analysis, and complex reasoning, but adoption here is 3-times more concentrated in top cities than in comparable nations, OpenAI said on Wednesday citing its latest capability gap findings for India. India ranks among the top five nations globally in thinking capability usage per person (measured via reasoning tokens used by ChatGPT Plus users), with users regularly solving complex problems and

BEIJING, Apr 15: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on Beijing and Hanoi to prioritise advancing infrastructure connectivity and strengthen their collaborations in emerging fields like artificial intelligence and semiconductors during a meeting with Vietnams newly elected president, the state broadcaster reported. To Lams four-day trip to China, which began on Tuesday, is his first overseas trip since he was elected last week. That signalled Lams foreign policy priorities and stron

TEL AVIV, Apr 15: Israels military said on Wednesday that it had struck more than 200 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon as it presses ahead with its aerial and ground war there despite the US-Iran ceasefire. Lebanons National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling in multiple southern Lebanese locations on Wednesday, including near Bint Jbeil, where Israeli forces have encircled Hezbollah fighters. The fighting in the south has continued after Israeli and Lebanese officials c

KYIV, Apr 15: Ukraines top diplomatic priority is securing its allies help to buy and build more air defence systems, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday between meetings with European leaders, as Russia kept up its deadly attacks on civilians and public infrastructure. Russian strikes hit more than a half-dozen areas of Ukraine behind the front line from Tuesday to Wednesday, killing an 8-year-old boy in the central Cherkasy region and a woman who was in a kiosk near a bus [] The post

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: Shriram Finance on Wednesday said its wholly owned subsidiary Shriram Overseas Investments Ltd has received in-principle approval from RBI to commence Primary Dealer (PD) business. Shriram Overseas Investments Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has received today i.e., April 15, 2026, an in-principal approval to commence Primary Dealer (PD) business from Reserve Bank of India, subject to compliance with the conditions, Shriram Finance said in a regulatory filing.

JAMMU, Apr 15: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting to review the availability of land and infrastructure for Central Government educational institutions, including Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), that are either non-functional or presently operating from temporary premises across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department; Secretary, Revenue; Deputy Commissioners repre

Srinagar, Apr 15: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday refused to cut an inaugural ribbon in saffron, white and green stripes, instead untying it and handing it to the organisers with the instruction that it be folded and kept with respect. Abdullah was inaugurating the Know Your Artisans event at the Kashmir Haat here. In a moment that was captured by camera crews and quickly went viral on social media platforms, the chief minister was seen walking [] The post CM Omar Ref

NEW DELHI, Apr 15: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday announced results for Class 10 board exams, officials said. The results have been declared, a senior board official said. The CBSE started with two editions of board exams for Class 10 from this year. It was mandatory for students to appear in the first edition, the results of which have been declared. Girls have again outshone boys in the CBSE Class 10 board exams, results for which [] The post CBSE Announces Result

KARGIL, Apr 15: The Kargil Democratic Alliance on Wednesday called for the immediate resumption of talks, asserting that it remains open to any fresh proposal from the Centre, excluding council-based arrangements. The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), is jointly spearheading an agitation for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh, following its separation from Jammu and Kashmir and the grant of Union territory status in 201