Daily Excelsior

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 24: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo virtually inaugurated state-of-the-art fire fighting system, G+3 lift facilities and a comprehensive Water Supply Scheme (WSS) for Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag from Civil Secretariat here today. MLA Anantnag-West, Abdul Majeed Larmi; MLA Anantnag East-Shangus, Reyaz Ahmad Khan; Principal GMC Anantnag, Dr. Rukhsana Najeeb; heads of different specialities, do

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: The Congress party has been gradually shrinking due to a steady erosion of its traditional support base across large parts of the country, Union Minister Chirag Paswan said on Saturday, as he chaired Rozgar Mela here as part of nationwide appointment letter distribution led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Click here to watch video Talking to reporters in Katra after paying obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine this evening, the Minister for Food Processing

Excelsior Correspondent KATRA, Jan 24 : Taking a major initiative to promote tourism across Jammu, the Hotel and Restaurant Association (HRA) today unveiled its visually rich 2026 calendar in a function held here today. The calendar will be distributed across India among tourism stakeholders including travel agents, tourism offices, government officials, travel trade Fairs and media houses. The calendar was unveiled by HRA president Rakesh Wazir, chairman Shyam Lal Kesar, senior vice president V

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: Renowned menswear and kidswear brand Mohanlal Sons, known for its legacy of quality and fine craftsmanship, has announced a special Republic Day Sale offering substantial savings to customers. As part of the celebrations, the Brand has rolled out an exciting Half Price Sale, providing a flat 50 per cent discount on the entire sale stock across its showrooms and online platform. In addition to this, customers can also avail an exclusive 15 per cent discount

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: In a vibrant display of patriotic spirit ahead of Republic Day, the Tawi River Front was illuminated with tricolour faade lighting on Saturday evening. The initiative was undertaken by Jammu Municipal Corporation as part of the citys Republic Day celebrations. Also, decorative pole lights were also illuminated on left bank of river front as part of Smart City project. The ceremonial inauguration of the lighting was performed by Dr Devansh Yadav, Chief Execu

*Step addresses long-pending issues of career progression Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Information Technology Department, has successfully encadred 44 officials of the department who were earlier appointed on substantive IT-related posts in various Government departments across the Union Territory. This encadrement marks the first major step in a phased process, wherein the remaining IT personnel shall also be brought under the ambit of the J&K IT Services, ensuri

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather today directed the district administration for speedy clearance of snow in his constituency Charar-i-Sharief and its remote areas. The Speaker drew the attention of administration towards some important roads for snow clearance particularly Nagam-Hayatpora-Dardpora- Mallapora- Tujan- Dalwan Fotlipora road, Kanidajan- Darwan- Chalyan road, Kanidajan- Branpathri- Nowgam- Batpora road, Waterloo- Sani Darwan-

Ashok Ogra ashokogra@gmail.com History is typically recorded through official records, political speeches, and dates. What often gets lost are the quieter truths-the fear that enters homes before people flee, the sudden silence of neighbours who once shared festivals, the confusion of children who do not understand why their world has collapsed. The elderly who leave carrying keys of houses they will never return to. Displacement is not just about moving from one place to another. It is about lo

Dr Harmeet Singh Soodan harmeetjnu@gmail.com Ramnagar Fort, a majestic architectural landmark situated at Udhampur district 40 kms west of Udhampur and it lies near the serene banks of the Tawi River, stands not only as a monumental symbol of Dogra heritage but also as a significant reflection of the political, military, and cultural brilliance of the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who played a pivotal role in shaping the destinies of the regions under his influence, including Ramnagar

Excelsior Sports Correspondent LEH, Jan 24: The Khelo India Winter Games 2026 witnessed thrilling action today as hosts Ladakh won their first gold and Haryana consolidated its lead in the medal tally. Ladakhs womens relay quartet-Skarma Tsultim, Shabana Zara, Tasnia Shameem and Insha Fatima-clinched the 2000m short track relay at Nawang Dorjay Stobdan Stadium in an eventful race marked by flips and crashes. Despite a challenging competition from Karnataka and Maharashtra, Ladakh emerged victori

MOSCOW, Jan 24: The Singapore-flagged vessel Armada 86 05 of US marine robotics company Ocean Infinity, which is leading the underwater search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, has not made any significant discoveries during the latest phase of its work, according to a new search progress report sent to family members obtained by Sputnik. Overall, despite consistent deployment of AUVs and significant cumulative survey coverage achieved during this period, there has been no significant discover

Keralas Abhijith Amal Raj claimed gold in the mens advanced figure skating category as the sport made its debut at the Khelo India Winter Games 2026. A former world champion in artistic roller skating and Asian titleholder, Abhijith returned to ice skating after nearly a decade to compete on a national stage. At just 24, he has also launched Adler Vision, a figure and roller skating academy in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, providing training with international coaches to over 100 [] The post Keralas Ab

NEW DELHI, Jan 24: The Union home ministry will showcase the countrys boldest criminal law overhaul in a century, adopting a faster, tech-driven and citizen-centric justice system, in its tableau on 77th Republic Day parade, according to an official statement issued Saturday. The tableau will be themed on the three new laws the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2024, replacing British-

Bushan Jalali In the late 19th century, the profound philosophical system known as Kashmir Shaivism (Trika philosophy) faced an existential crisis. Centuries of political upheaval , mercenaries insurrection and social displacement had pushed this sophisticated non-dualistic tradition to the brink of extinction. Then centauries old scriptures, texts were either vandalised, vanished and made forbidden. So much so practicing Shaiv Shastre( Kashmir Shaivism )was a big challenge and ultimately confin

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 : US President Donald Trump on Friday criticised Canada for rejecting his proposed Golden Dome missile defence project over Greenland, warning that Beijing could eat them up as Canada deepens trade ties with China. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, Canada is against The Golden Dome being built over Greenland, even though The Golden Dome would protect Canada. Instead, they voted in favour of doing business with China, which will eat them up within the [] The post Trump sl

TEHRAN, Jan. 24: Irans Foreign Ministry on Friday denounced a European Parliament resolution criticizing Tehran over human rights violations during recent unrest, calling it meddlesome and irresponsible. The European Parliament on Thursday expressed full solidarity with Iranians, accused the government of rights violations, and called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to be designated a terrorist organization. In a statement, Iran said the resolution contained false and incorrect claims

KYIV, Jan 24: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that two days of trilateral talks with Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi concluded with constructive discussions on possible parameters for ending the war. The talks are the first known instance that officials from the Trump administration have sat down with both countries as part of Washingtons push for progress to end Moscows nearly 4-year-old invasion. All parties agreed to report to their capitals on each aspect of t

Rajinder Chand Anthal rajinderchandanthal100@gmail.com During the construction of Mantalai-Latti road in the year 1975, strange incidents happened in Shapri Forest area of village Sarar of Tehsil Chenani. The road takes upward serpentine turns at this moist forest area and proceeds further towards open area of village Marothi. The soil in this half kilometer forest area was stable with thick vegetation of herbs and shrubs with rocky makeup on rear side of road alignment, called Shapri locally. F

Long-pending Gair Mumkin Khad issue *MoU still not signed to start delineation exercise Mohinder Verma JAMMU, Jan 24: Though the three-month deadline expired on December 15, 2025, the Sub-Committee comprising three Ministers has not submitted its recommendations to the Government to break the logjam over the long-pending Gair Mumkin Khads issue. Moreover, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of India agencies is yet to be signed to start the much-needed delineation exercise. Fol

Union Minister for Departments of Atomic Energy, Space, S&T, PMO and Personnel Training, Dr Jitendra Singh discusses at a Roundtable interaction with media Indias nuclear ambitions in the SHANTI Bill era. Excerpts: What is the roadmap for the SHANTI Act? The process of making rules to the Act has begun but we are taking time given that this is going to change the entire format of our nuclear energy-related activity opening up to private and non-government sectors and agencies. [] The post PSLV

The decision to designate the University of Kashmirs Persian Department as a Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre marks a quiet but momentous intervention in the preservation of Jammu and Kashmirs civilisational memory. In a region layered with centuries of intellectual, spiritual and cultural traditions, conserving manuscripts is not merely an academic exercise; it is an act of safeguarding identity itself. Few regions in the subcontinent have witnessed such a rich interplay of cultures, faiths and lan

Legislators seek enhanced allocations Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 24: As part of the ongoing pre-budget consultations for the budget session 2026-27, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah continued his engagement with MLAs from South and North Kashmir districts at the Civil Secretariat, here today. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The meeting was attended by Ministers Sakina Itoo, Javaid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, P

Dr Ritika Sambyal drritzsam10@gmail.com Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln It is that time of the year again. As winter recedes, a palpable anxiety settles over millions of households across India. Board Exam Season is not merely an academic event; it is a socio-cultural phenomenon. The air thickens with expectations, dining tables turn into war rooms of revision strategy, and the collective blood pressure of [] The post The

Mahi Charak mahicharak06@gmail.com Time, the migration of students from Jammu has been described as a matter of ambition and dreams. Young people, it is often said, leave their homes to explore better opportunities in metropolitan cities. However, this explanation overlooks a harsh reality. For a large number of students from Jammu and the wider Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions-migration has gradually become less of a choice and more of a compulsion. The primary reason is the limited availabili

Budgam verdict was referendum against NC Govt: Sunil Avtar Bhat JAMMU, Jan 24: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while outrightly rejecting division of Jammu and Kashmir UT by carving out separate States of Kashmir and Jammu, today said that party stands for integrated J&K as a single unit. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Setting all speculations to rest in this regard, party national general secretary and incharge J&K and Ladakh UTs, Tarun Chugh while talking to reporters at the [] Th

Flight operations, train services restored Irfan Tramboo SRINAGAR, Jan 24: Weather conditions across Kashmir improved today as the Western Disturbance (WD) moved away from Jammu and Kashmir bringing bright sunshine to most parts of the Valley with flight operations and train services back to normal. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp According to the Meteorological Department, the weather is expected to remain largely dry over the next 48 hours. However, another Western Disturbance i

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs Advisor, Nasir Aslam Wani has been accorded rank and status of a Cabinet Minister. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp An order to this effect was issued today by the General Administration Department (GAD) following approval from the Lieutenant Governor. Wani will be entitled to a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs 80,000, rent-free accommodation and transport facilities. The post CMs Advisor Wani gets Cabinet

DAVOS, Jan 24 : Kerala has secured investment commitments worth over Rs 1.17 lakh crore (USD 14 billion) at the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, with the state governments high-level delegation successfully showcasing Keralas robust and future-ready industrial ecosystem before global business leaders. The commitments and Expressions of Interest (EoIs) span a wide range of sectors, including renewable energy, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), skill

Srinagar, Jan 24: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday officially accorded Nasir Aslam Wani, Advisor to the Chief Minister, the rank and privileges of a Cabinet Minister. A formal order, states that Nasir Aslam Wani will be entitled to a monthly consolidated salary of Rs 80,000, along with rent-free accommodation and transport facilities to be provided by the Motor Garages Department. Nasir Aslam Wani is a senior leader of the National Conference and a close aide of [] T

JAMMU, Jan 24: In a vibrant display of patriotic spirit ahead of Republic Day, the Tawi River Front was illuminated with tricolour faade lighting on Saturday evening. The initiative was undertaken by Jammu Municipal Corporation as part of the citys Republic Day celebrations. Also, decorative pole lights were also illuminated on left bank of river front as part of Smart City project. The ceremonial inauguration of the lighting was performed by Dr Devansh Yadav, Chief Executive Officer of Jammu Sm

Jammu, Jan 24: BJP on Saturday reaffirmed its commitment to a united Jammu and Kashmir, firmly rejecting demands raised by some of its party MLAs seeking separate statehood for Jammu after its separation from Kashmir. The BJP leadership clarified its stand on the sidelines of a day-long workshop organised by the party for its legislators ahead of the Budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly which is scheduled to start on February 2. BJP believes in a fully united [] The post BJP Reiterat

Jammu, Jan 24: The Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch Jammu has registered 17 FIRs in multiple cases of fraud, cheating, impersonation, forgery and misuse of official positions by government officials, the agency said on Saturday. The FIRs were registered after preliminary verification by officials following written complaints, the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a statement here. The complaints pertain to a wide range of fraudulent activities including irregular issuance of

New Delhi, Jan 24: Ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27, a new study has added empirical weight to long-standing demands for higher expenditure on public healthcare, warning that socio-economic factors are increasingly driving medical costs and deepening inequality in access to care. The study, Impact of Determinants of Healthcare Expenditure in India: The ARDL Bounds Testing Approach, published in the International Journal of Advanced Research in December last year, analyses national data from 199

New Delhi, Jan 24: As the world is going through a period of uncertainty, Indias youths must remain strong and be prepared to take on every challenge, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday. In an address to a group of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, he also spoke of Indias befitting reply following the Pahalgam terror attack and urged them to draw inspiration from those who played a vital role during Operation Sindoor. Singh described the NCC cadets as [] The post Indias Youths Must

Ranchi, Jan 24: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday underlined the importance of unity in diversity during a closed-door interaction with tribal groups here, a participant said. Bhagwat listened to various issues raised by representatives of tribal groups during the event, including religious conversion, alleged flaws in the PESA rules and delisting, the participant added. In his concluding remarks, Bhagwat said Indian tradition and dharma teach us unity in diversity. The paths may be different,

JAMMU, Jan 24: In the aftermath of incessant rainfall and heavy snowfall across various parts of the Jammu Division, Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) has undertaken power restoration works on a war-footing to normalize electricity supply at the earliest. As a result of restoration efforts, the power load of JPDCL has been progressively enhanced and has presently reached 944 MW, as against the normal average running load of approximately 1056 MW, reflecting significant improve

Jammu, Jan 24: A hotel in Jammus Nagrota area was sealed on Saturday following allegations of illegal activities on its premises and several people, including two couples, were detained, police said. Acting on inputs, a police party along with an executive magistrate raided a hotel at Ban village. The hotel, located in a residential area, was allegedly being used to provide rooms to young couples, causing nuisance to locals and raising concerns about public morality, they said. The situation had

Jammu, Jan 24: Jammu Kashmir Lok Bhavan on Saturday hosted the grand celebrations of Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day at Jammu. Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha extended his heartiest greetings and best wishes to the people of Uttar Pradesh. He paid homage to the great luminaries, freedom fighters, and revolutionaries from the state and recalled their pivotal role in building a modern India. Literary figures have identified the ancient Uttar Pradesh region as Indias hear

New Delhi, Jan 24: For Lt Amit Choudhary, a second-generation army officer, who will lead a contingent of mixed scouts in the Republic Day Parade on the Kartavya Path, it will both be a personal milestone and a nostalgic nod to his father who was part of the ceremonial parade in 1990. Dressed up in characteristic multi-layer suits teamed with special boots and polarised sunglasses meant for high terrain and harsh weather, he and his contingent members on Friday took [] The post Granddaughter Of

Yamunanagar/Jhajjar (Hry), Jan 24: The mortal remains of Sudhir Narwal and Mohit Chauhan, who were among the 10 soldiers who died after their Army vehicle fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmirs Doda district recently, were consigned to flames with full state honours at their respective native places in Haryana on Saturday. The armoured vehicle of the Army was carrying troops for an anti-terror operation when it fell into the gorge on Thursday. The accident took place at the [] The post Mortal r

NEW DELHI, Jan 24 : More than 20 lakh long-pending promotions have been cleared in the last 11 years, ending a prolonged phase of stagnation that once saw many government employees retire from the same post at which they were appointed, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said while delivering the welcome address at the 18th Rozgar Mela today. At the 18th edition of the Rozgar Mela, more than 61,000 [] The post Over 20 Lakh S

Wayanad (Kerala), Jan 24: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has again written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct waiver of loans availed by the victims of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster in Wayanad, the party said on Saturday. The Congress MP has also urged the PM to convert the loans given to the state for disaster relief work as grants, it said in a statement. It further said that after Wayanad did not receive any central assistance related to [] The post Waive loans of Wa

New Delhi, Jan 24: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that it has been replaced by Scotland in the upcoming T20 World Cup after they refused to travel to India, citing security concerns following the ouster of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. It is learnt that senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were in Dubai on Friday and an email was sent late in the evening to BCB chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul, [] The post ICC Inform

New Delhi, Jan 24: President Droupadi Murmu will address the nation on Sunday on the eve of the Republic Day, her office has said. The address will be broadcast from 7 pm on the entire national network of Akashvani and telecast over all channels of Doordarshan in Hindi followed by the English version, it said on Saturday. The broadcast of the address in Hindi and English on Doordarshan will be followed by broadcast in regional languages by regional channels of [] The post President Murmu To Addr

Jakarta (Indonesia), Jan 24 : A predawn landslide triggered by torrential rains on Indonesias main island of Java killed at least eight people on Saturday and left 82 missing as rescuers struggled through deep mud, searching for survivors. Days of torrential rains had caused rivers to burst their banks, tearing through Pasir Langu village in the West Bandung district of West Java province. Mud, rocks and trees tumbled down the mountainside, burying some 34 houses. Rescuers were searching for the

Kyiv, Jan 24 : Russian attacks on Ukraine killed at least one person and wounded 18 overnight into Saturday, as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States were set to meet in Abu Dhabi for a second day of talks to end Russias nearly four-year full-scale invasion. One person was killed and four wounded in Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, according to Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko. In Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, drone attacks []

Dallas, Jan 24 : More than 8,000 flights across the US set to take off over the weekend have been cancelled as a major storm expected to wreak havoc across much of the country bears down, threatening to knock out power for days and snarl major roadways. Roughly 140 million people were under a winter storm warning from New Mexico to New England. The National Weather Service forecast warns of widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching [] The post Over 8,000 flights cancelled a

Islamabad, Jan 24 : At least nine members of a family were killed when an avalanche buried their house in northwest Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as heavy snowfall blanketed several regions of the country. Avalanches triggered by snowfall on Friday brought life to a standstill across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), blocking roads, stranding travellers and disrupting electricity and relief operations amid freezing temperatures, the Dawn newspa

New York, Jan 24 : An Indian national was among the victims of a shooting incident linked to an alleged family dispute in the US state of Georgia, according to the Indian mission in Atlanta. The shooting left four people dead early Friday morning while three children were inside the home during the incident in Lawrenceville city, local media reported. The Consulate General of India in Atlanta, expressing grief over the shooting, said the alleged shooter has been arrested and [] The post Indian n

Washington, Jan 24 : Guan Heng, who exposed human rights abuses in his native China, has been in US custody since being swept up in an immigration enforcement operation in August. He says he dares not even think about what would happen to him if he were sent back. I would be prosecuted, I would be jailed, I would be tortured. All of that could happen, Guan, 38, told The Associated Press in a recent call from the Broome County [] The post Chinese asylum seeker who exposed rights abuses fights to