Daily Excelsior

SRINAGAR, May 16: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today congratulated Rajouris young boxer Mohammad Yasser on winning the gold medal at the Asian Boxing Championship held in Uzbekistan. In his congratulatory message, the Chief Minister said that the young athletes remarkable achievement has brought pride and honour to Jammu & Kashmir and the entire country. He lauded Mohammad Yassers dedication, hard work and determination, saying that his success on the international stage reflects the immense spo

NEW DELHI, May 16: The Centre on Saturday appointed two each joint secretaries and joint directors in the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is under the heat over the NEET-UG paper leak. Anuja Bapat, a 1998-batch officer of Indian Statistical Service, and Ruchita Vij, a 2004-batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes), will be new joint secretaries in the NTA for five years, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said. Akash Jain, an Indian Revenue Service [] The p

NEW DELHI, May 16: India is implementing one of the worlds largest dam-rehabilitation programmes under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Programme (DRIP), with rehabilitation proposals worth Rs 5,053 crore for 191 dams already approved and major physical-rehabilitation work completed at 43 dams till March 31, 2025, according to the Jal Shakti Ministry. The ministry said the second and third phases of the DRIP, operationalised in October 2021, together cover 736 dams across 19 states and thr

JAMMU, May 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the transfers and postings of two police officers with immediate effect in the interest of administration. According to an order issued by the Home Department, Krishan Kumar, IPS (AGMUT:2019), who was awaiting posting, has been appointed as SSP CTFD, replacing Deepika, IPS (AGMUT:2018), who has been directed to await further posting at the Police Headquarters, J&K. Meanwhile, Musadiq Majid Basu, SP Security VIP Tech, has been transferre

Srinagar, May 16: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has announced summer vacations for district courts functioning in the Jammu summer zone of the Union Territory. As per an official notification issued by the Registrar Generals office, the courts will observe a 15-day vacation from June 8 to June 22, 2026, including both dates. The order applies to district courts situated in the summer zone of Jammu province. However, courts operating in Districts Kishtwar and Doda, along [] The pos

Srinagar, May 16: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has revised the pecuniary limits of jurisdiction for Civil Judges (Junior Division) and Civil Judges (Senior Division) across the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. According to a notification issued by the Office of the Registrar General, Srinagar, under Section 21 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Courts Act, 1977, all Civil Judges (Senior Division) have been empowered to hear civil suits valued up to 20 lakh within [] The post High

Pahalgam, May 16: One tourist was killed while several others, including the driver, sustained injuries after a Tavera vehicle bearing registration number JK21A-0379 skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge on the Pahalgam-Aru route in south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Saturday. Officials said the vehicle was being driven by Rayees Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, a resident of Rangward Laripora. The accident occurred while the vehicle was travelling from Pahalgam towards Ar

JAMMU, May 16: Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Commissioner Dr Devansh Yadav on Friday termed Census 2027 a historic exercise being undertaken after a gap of fifteen years, and urged citizens to actively participate in the enumeration to enhance the coverage of government welfare schemes and strengthen service delivery. With more than 1,200 enumerators deployed for the exercise in Jammu city, and the self-enumeration window to open May 17, the commissioner clarified various aspects related to

COLOMBO, May 15: The Sri Lankan government has imposed a 50 per cent surcharge on vehicle imports excluding motorbikes and three-wheelers considering the continuing slide of the countrys currency. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is also the finance minister, in a notification on Saturday said by this order levy on imported goods specified in the schedule here to a surcharge at the rate of 50 per cent on applicable customs duty effect from May 16 for a period [] The post Sri Lanka impos

New Delhi, May 16: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made the study of three languages compulsory for students from Class IX beginning July 1, while clarifying that there will be no Board examination for the third language (R3) in Class X. In a circular issued on May 15, the CBSE said that at least two of the three languages must be native Indian languages, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum [] The post CBSE Makes Three-Language St

NEW DELHI, May 16: Rupee breaching one level after another is more a reflection of sentiment-driven weakness than any serious deterioration in macro fundamentals, said N ArunaGiri, CEO of TrustLine Holdings. He warned that the real risk is that, if left unchecked, this loss of confidence can turn into a self-fulfilling vicious cycle, triggering further pressure on the rupee that is not warranted by underlying fundamentals. If one looks at Indias macro position today, the situation is far from al

NEW DELHI, May 16: The countrys largest IT firm TCS aims to become the worlds largest AI-led technology services company, with 130 of its top 139 clients already choosing it as their AI services partner, CEO and Managing Director K Krithivasan said. In his letter to shareholders in the companys Annual Report for 2025-26, Krithivasan noted that FY26 marked an inflection point for enterprise AI, as customers decisively moved from experimental pilots to scaled deployments. To realise the opportunit

NEW DELHI, May 16: Housing sales in January-March fell 2 per cent annually to nearly 96,000 units across eight major cities amid slowdown in demand and less fresh supply of low-cost homes, according to PropTiger. On Saturday, real estate consultant PropTiger, which has recently been acquired by listed entity Aurum PropTech Ltd, released Real INSIGHT Residential Q1 2026 report that tracks eight key cities Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, MMR (Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and

NEW DELHI, May 16: Dr Reddys Laboratories on Saturday said it has launched its generic version of Semaglutide injection used in treatment of type 2 diabetes in Canada. The company is among the first firms to introduce a generic Semaglutide injection in the Canadian market, following the Notice of Compliance (NOC) received from Health Canada on April 28, 2026, Dr Reddys said in a statement. Canada is the first G7 country to grant market authorisation for Semaglutide injection, it added. [] The po

JERUSAlEM, May 16: Israel says it has killed the leader of Hamas military wing, one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks that triggered the war in Gaza. Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in a strike in Gaza City on Friday, Israels army said. He was one of the last senior commanders in Hamas military who had directed the planning and execution of the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel. Haddad assumed the role after his predecessor, Mohammed [] The post Israel Says It Killed Leader Of

Srinagar, May 16: Jammu Kashmir Lok Bhavan celebrated the Statehood Day of Sikkim, at Srinagar. The event brought together students, security personnel and people of Sikkim living in the Union Territory. Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha extended his heartiest greetings to the people of Sikkim on the occasion. Sikkim, the sacred land of Guru Padmasambhava, shines like a radiant star among Himalayan states and UTs. It is recognised globally as a model of organic farmin

LEH/JAMMU, May 16: The Ladakh Union Territory administration on Saturday signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu for establishing its satellite campus in Leh, officials said. A historic chapter of fulfilling the youth aspirations scripted today in Ladakh, with signing of a landmark MoU between UT administration and IIT Jammu, for setting up a satellite campus of IIT Jammu, in Leh, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena said on X. The initiative is a transformational mo

THE HAGUE, May 16: Terming India a land of opportunities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the country is undergoing an unprecedented transformation and its aspirations are no longer limited to its borders. Addressing the Indian community in The Hague, the Prime Minister also said that India is dreaming big and its youth aspires to reach the sky. Today India is saying we dont just want transformation, we want the best, we want the fastest. That is why [] The post Indias Aspirat

NEW DELHI, May 16: The southwest monsoon has advanced into parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea, the entire Nicobar Islands and parts of the Andaman Islands, including Sri Vijaya Puram, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. It also stated that conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance further into some more parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal during the next three-four day

CHANDIGARH, May 16:Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his appeal to people to postpone foreign travels when he has not stopped going abroad himself. Amid the crisis in West Asia, Modi has called for judicious use of fuel, postponing gold purchases and foreign travel. He also urged using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles and working from home to conserve foreign exchange. Speaking to reporters here,

LUCKNOW, May 16: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday said the fuel price hike would severely impact the lives of millions and called on the government to take measures to curb inflation. In a post on X, the former chief minister also expressed concern over the massive loss of lives and property in recent storms in Uttar Pradesh and urged the state government to assist the affected families with utmost generosity. Amidst the relentless rise in the prices [] The post Poor, working

CANNES, May 16: John Travolta was surprised with an honorary Palme dOr at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his directorial debut Friday. Thierry Fremaux, the festivals artistic director, brought out the award for Travolta just before the screening of his Propeller One-Way Night Coach. A visibly moved Travolta clutched his chest while Fremaux presented the trophy. You said this would be a special night, but I didnt know it would mean this, Travolta said to Fremaux. This is beyond [] The post

LOS ANGELES, May 16: Hollywood filmmaker Sam Raimi has been hired by Lionsgate to direct Magic, a modern adaptation of author William Goldmans novel. Raimi, best known as the director of three Spider-Man movies in the 2000s and creator of the Evil Dead franchise, will also produce the movie through the banner Raimi Productions, according to Deadline. The story was previously adapted into a 1978 film directed by Richard Attenborough, in which Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins played a ventriloquist wh

JERUSALEM, May 16: The tight relationship between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is typically managed discreetly. But this week, it was thrust into the open, illuminating tensions underlying the alliance as the Iran war embroils the entire region. The US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, first brought attention to the strengthening ties between Israel and the UAE by revealing that Israel had sent Iron Dome air-defence weapons and personnel to operate them to help protect the UAE from Ira

New Delhi, May 16: In a candid interaction with a group of youths here, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday not only offered leadership lessons to them, but also shared a personal dream to open a cafe named Ahista Zindagi, which will serve as a retreat for the senses in a fast-paced life. The general officer said this cafe, which he has planned to set up in his native state of Madhya Pradesh, will aim to serve as [] The post Army Chief Wants To Open A Cafe A Place To Relax For The Overw

JABALPUR, May 16: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said here on Saturday that technology is the only effective answer to wastage of judiciarys time. He was speaking at a programme of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Fragmentation to fusion empowering justice via united digital platform integration here. We should think of deepening technology and AI-based judicial architecture, the CJI said. Technology is the only effective answer to wastage of judiciarys time, he added. State Chief Minis

RAJOURI/JAMMU, May 16: One person died while seven others, mostly children, were hospitalised after allegedly consuming a wild vegetable in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district, officials said on Saturday. The incident was reported from Mohra village in the Kotranka subdivision, where members of two families consumed a wild vegetable following which they started showing symptoms of food poisoning on Friday evening, they said. The affected persons were initially shifted to the Community Health Cen

NEW DELHI, May 16: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Saturday staged a protest in the national capital, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over an alleged question paper leak in the NEET-UG this year. Holding posters, banners and party flags, IYC activists took out a protest march from Teen Murti Circle towards the education ministers residence before being stopped by police. Several members, including IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, were detained during the

New Delhi, May 16: The growing obsession with muscular physiques and rapid body transformations among the urban youth in India is fuelling dangerous misuse of steroids, stimulant-heavy pre-workout powders and unregulated gym supplements, with cardiologists warning of rising risks of arrhythmias, heart failure and sudden cardiac events in seemingly healthy young men. The trend, amplified by social media fitness culture and online supplement marketing, is pushing many gym-goers towards products an

SRINAGAR, May 16: Continuing its intensified crackdown on drug trafficking and narcotics-related activities under the ongoing Nasha Mukt Jammu & Kashmir Abhiyan, Srinagar Police on Friday attached immovable properties and a vehicle worth nearly 6 crore belonging to notorious drug peddlers under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The action was carried out by Srinagar Police through Police Station Khanyar under Section 68-F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against three a

NEW DELHI, May 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that the Narcotics Control Bureau has seized the first-ever consignment of Captagon, the so-called Jihadi Drug, worth Rs 182 crore. In a post on X, he said the Modi government has resolved to make a Drug-Free India. Glad to share that through Operation RAGEPILL, our agencies have achieved the first-ever seizure of Captagon, the so-called Jihadi Drug, worth Rs 182 crore, Shah said. The busting of the drug [] The post First-Eve

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SRINAGAR, May 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has approved the Used Water Management Projects for Baramulla and Rajouri districts to strengthen sanitation infrastructure and address wastewater-related challenges in the Union Territory. The Government has approved Used Water Management Projects for Baramulla (37.96 crore) and Rajouri (34.43 crore) to strengthen sanitation infrastructure and address wastewater challenges, according to the Chief Ministers Office. These projec

The used car market in India is expected to reach $40 billion by the end of this year. Tier 1 cities like Bangalore and Mumbai are among the major contributors to this growth as the sales of used cars in these cities is growing by 87% every year. While some part of this industry is still running in an organised way, entry of pre-owned vehicle platforms has opened doors for organised business opportunities. In this article, we will discuss why [] The post Why is the Organized Used Car Market a Ma

MUMBAI, May 16: NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar on Saturday said Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kants remark likening unemployed youth to parasites and cockroaches was unacceptable and was a reflection of intolerance towards criticism and questioning. The Karjat Jamkhed MLA said while he has the highest respect for the Indian judiciary, remarks of this nature from a Constitutional authority were deeply hurtful and appeared to mock an entire generation struggling with broken promises, lack of opp

NEW DELHI, May 16: In a stern military message to Islamabad, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said if Pakistan continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to decide whether they want to be part of geography or history or not. At an interactive session hosted by Uniform Unveiled at the Manekshaw Centre here, he was asked about how the Indian Army will respond if circumstances that led to Operation Sindoor last year comes up [] The post If Pakistan Harbours

SRINAGAR, May 16: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has constituted a fact-finding committee to inquire into alleged irregularities in assigning user credentials to unauthorized employees in the JK PaySys application in PW (R&B) Division Baramulla. According to an order issued by the Public Works (R&B) Department, the committee will investigate the assignment of user credentials in violation of prescribed norms and examine all related records. The two-member committee comprises Shahnawaz Umer Kha

Kulgam, May 16: In a major crackdown against drug trafficking, Police and District Administration jointly demolished the residential house of an alleged husband-wife drug peddler duo in Kulgam district involved in multiple NDPS cases. Officials said the demolished property belonged to notorious drug peddlers Nafeez Ahmad Dar, son of Mohd Ramzan Dar, a resident of Brazloo Jagir, and his wife Rukiya Jan. According to police records, Nafeez Ahmad Dar is involved in FIR No. 143/2020 under Section 8/

SRINAGAR, May 16: Police on Saturday conducted raids at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmirs Baramulla district in connection with a UAPA case against the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), officials said. Search operations were carried out at more than 15 locations including Jamia Qadeem, Naseem Bagh, Krankshivan, Tarzoo, Amargarh, Warpora, Bomai, Boitingoo and other areas of Sopore in north Kashmir. During the searches, incriminating material including literature linked with the banned organisa

SRINAGAR, May 16: A police officer allegedly shot his wife dead in a fit of rage before trying to kill himself in Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara district, officials said on Saturday. A probationary sub-inspector (PSI) of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Deep Singh, posted at a special operations group (SOG) camp in Kandi area of the north Kashmir district, had a quarrel with his wife Bhawana late Friday, officials said. During the altercation, Singh allegedly fired upon his wife in a [] The post J&K | Cop

KOLKATA, May 16: After the TMC faced an electoral setback, party supremo Mamata Banerjee urged its candidates who contested the recent assembly polls to rebuild the organisation, asserting that those wishing to quit the party were free to do so. At a meeting with the Trinamool Congress contesting candidates at her Kalighat residence on Friday, attended by its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, she said the organisation would rise again despite suffering a crushing defeat in the recent

JAMMU, May 16: A massive fire broke out in the Akhnoor area of Jammu district early Saturday morning, gutting three shops and causing extensive damage to property and goods worth lakhs of rupees, officials and locals said. The blaze reportedly engulfed two hardware stores and one sweet shop, reducing the establishments and the stocked material inside to ashes within a short span of time. Eyewitnesses said panic spread across the locality as flames rapidly intensified and thick smoke engulfed the

Farhad Ahmad pir pirfarhad123@gmail.com The texture of tulips always allures people. People always wait for spring to come. Spring is the only time for tulips to bloom in Kashmir. Everyone wants to gaze at tulips. On entering the tulip garden, the tulips themselves calm people; they act as a balm, and the silent beauty displayed in the multiple rows makes visitors feel this easing silence. Their beauty fills them with sighs of emotions of happiness and wonder. People visit in [] The post Fields

Dr Goldi Hazari oldihazari@gmail.com Imagine measuring the entire planet without ever leaving your city. This feat, seemingly impossible in our modern age of satellites and advanced technology, was achieved centuries ago by a brilliant mind in ancient India. Back in 500 CE, the renowned mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata accomplished precisely this, laying the groundwork for our understanding of the cosmos and the planet we inhabit. Long before the advent of sophisticated instruments, Aryabh

Afreen Bhat bhatafreen860@gmail.com Kashmir is famous not only for its natural beauty but also for its rich culture and traditions. One of the most graceful and loved traditions of Kashmir is the folk dance called Rouff. It is simple, elegant, and full of emotions, and it shows the real spirit of Kashmiri life.Rouff is mainly performed by women, especially during happy occasions and festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. It is also performed when spring arrives, as this season brings joy []

NEW DELHI, May 16: The National Commission for Women (NCW) is organising the fourth edition of its flagship consultation programme Shakti Samvaad in Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar on May 16-17, bringing together state women commissions nationwide to deliberate on womens rights, safety, empowerment and institutional coordination. In a statement issued here on Saturday, the commission said the two-day consultation aims to strengthen cooperation between the NCW and state women commissions, and promote

New Delhi, May 16: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted five persons, including an absconding alleged mastermind, in a case related to human trafficking and cyber slavery linked to Cambodia, officials said. According to the agency, the accused were part of an organised syndicate that lured Indian youth to Cambodia on the promise of legitimate jobs and high salaries before forcing them to work for scam companies there. The chargesheet was filed before a special NIA court in P

Srinagar, May 16: Sopore Police, in coordination with security forces, on Friday carried out extensive search operations at more than 15 locations across Bomai, Warpora, Sopore and Tarzoo in north Kashmirs Baramulla district in connection with a UAPA case linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) network. Officials said the searches were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into activities related to the proscribed organisation and its alleged associates operating in the area. The raid

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR (MAJALTA), May 15: Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo today inaugurated newly constructed building of Government Degree College (GDC) Majalta in Udhampur district amid great applause and enthusiasm from the students and locals of the area. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO MLA Udhampur East, Ranbir Singh Pathania; Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, Ram Niwas Sharma; Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Minga Sherpa; Directo

Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, May 15: FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), the womens wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), today announced the formal expansion of its J&K-Ladakh Chapter into Kashmir, saying the organisation was increasing its footprint in the Valley for the first time since the chapter was established in 2021. Addressing a press conference here, Varuna Anand, former chairperson of the chapter and presently National Initiative Head for Texti