Daily Excelsior

Excelsior Correspondent COLOMBO, Jan 19: Renowned poetess, ghazalkar and vyangyakar Dr Anila Singh Charak today was conferred with the prestigious Bharat Hindi Gaurav Samman at a grand literary function held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The award was conferred for her unmatched contributions to the field of literature. The award was presented by Ankuran Datta, Director, High Commission of India, Colombo, along with Dr Atila Kothwala, Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre and Dr Neeta Subhashin

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 19: Jammu & Kashmir Postal Circle today inaugurated its first N-Gen Post Office in Kashmir at the University of Kashmir campus. This is the second N-Gen Post Office in the J&K Circle, after AIIMS Vijaypur. The N-Gen Post Office was dedicated by Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, and D. S. V. R. Murthy, Chief Postmaster General, Jammu & Kashmir Circle, in the presence of Shri Adam Mohi-ud-Din, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Sr

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Spy stories continue to attract readers, especially when written by those with real-life experience. This was evident at the New Delhi World Book Fair 2026, where a well-attended discussion on the book Mukhbir by Brigadier Sushil Tanwar was held at the Theme Pavilion in Bharat Mandapam. The book was featured under the fairs central theme, Indian Military History: Valour and Wisdom @75, during the event held from January 10 to January 18. The panel discussion was [] The post Sp

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: After a grand success at Bahu Plaza in Gandhi Nagar area, Tealogy Caf has started its second outlet here in Roop Nagar after a formal inauguration on Monday. On the very first day after inauguration, the caf was thronged by large number of customers who relished a variety of eatables at the food point. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO Many well wishers also visited the caf and extended best wishes to the proprietor, Vasu Magotra. [] The post Tealogy Caf starts out

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: Protest demonstrations, public meetings, wearing of black badges and paying tributes to martyrs marked the observance of 37th Holocaust Day by Kashmiri Hindus across country today. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO Terming the Kashmiri Pandits the victims of genocide the leaders of various organisations of displaced Pandits today highlighted the pain and agony of community which they faced due to cross border terrorism. The Youth 4 Panun Kashmir which organised a p

Ziali Reen The demand for a separate statehood for Jammu Province has long been trivialised as emotional, reactionary, or politically motivated. Such characterisations, however, deliberately avoid engaging with the substantive realities that have shaped Jammus trajectory since 1947. When examined through the lenses of governance, development, political representation, fiscal justice, and demographic security, the argument for separate statehood emerges not as a political indulgence but as a str

Mission YUVA gains momentum with 95% Panchayat coverage *Timelines finalised for implementation of EoDB Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee of Mission YUVA, during which he reviewed the district-wise and panchayat-level performance of the flagship self-employment initiative across the Union Territory. The meeting besides Additional Chief Secretary, Planning; Principal Secretary, Finance; Managing Director, J&K Bank; a

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday laid the foundation stone for Meerz Health Care Hospital in Srinagar. This will be 180-bedded super speciality hospital and boost medical infrastructure and enhance healthcare services for Srinagar city and nearby Districts. The Lieutenant Governor congratulated and extended his best wishes to the Meerz Group and everyone associated with the hospital. He highlighted that the private investment in healthcare infra

Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Jan 19 : As a follow up to the announcement made by by PM Narendra Modi on November 3, 2025, the Research Development Innovation (RDI) funding for industry-backed projectswill start by the end of this month, with thefunding framework having entered into the execution phase, and two public sector institutions poised to start funding industry-backed projects. This was disclosed following a review of the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund scheme at a

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, Sanjeev Verma, today inaugurated a three-day painting camp on the theme My India, My Vote at Kala Kendra, Jammu . The inaugural ceremony was attended by Dr. Nirupa Rai, Special Secretary, Office of the Chief Electoral Officer; Harvinder Kour, Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL); Sonali Arun Gupta, Additional Secretary, JKAACL; Dr. Javaid Rahi, Secretary, Kala Kendra and other senior officers from JKAAC

BEIJING, Jan 19: French museum Louvre, along with the Museum of Art (MAP) of Shanghai, held a curated exhibition with 300 works on India, Iran and the Ottoman World. The exhibition, jointly presented by MAP and the Louvre, marks the French museums first-ever showcase in Shanghai, and is its largest exhibition ever organised in China, the Indian mission in Shanghai said in a post on X on Monday. Indian Consulate General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur attended the opening of the [] The post Louvre hold

NEW DELHI, Jan 19 : Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday met the US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, and American Senator Steve Daines and discussed bilateral issues. The meeting is important as India and the US are engaged in negotiating a bilateral trade agreement amidst a steep 50 per cent import duty imposed by the Donald Trump administration on Indian goods since August. Delighted to again meet my good friends US Senator @SteveDaines and the US Ambassador [] The post Goyal

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: University of Jammu reaffirmed its sporting dominance by winning the Overall Championship Trophy of the 3rd Chancellors Trophy 2025-26 for Men and Women, organized by the Directorate of Sports & Physical Education, University of Jammu. The University secured 11 titles and two runner-up trophies, while Cluster University of Jammu finished overall runners-up and University of Ladakh stood second runners-up. Dr Neeraj Sharma, Registrar, University of Ja

NEW DELHI, Jan 19 : India and the United Arab Emirates on Monday set a target of USD 200 billion in annual trade by 2032 and agreed to seal a strategic defence pact while boosting cooperation in energy, space and civil nuclear sectors with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan laying out a broad agenda to shore up ties. Modi welcomed Al Nahyan at the Delhi airport with a hug and then they [] The post Modi hosts UAE President: Massive USD 200 bn trade t

DAVOS, Jan 19: With chances of people getting killed or injured being several times higher than other modes of transport, an Indian expert on road safety has underlined that safe mobility would be key to realising the Viksit Bharat goal, and there is a huge potential for a Make in India model of tackling road crashes for the Global South. He said there are good samaritan laws in the Western world also, but those might not work in other countries, [] The post Cultural empathy must in road safety

DAVOS, Jan 19: The Uttar Pradesh Government delegation, led by state finance and parliamentary affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, began its engagements at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos with a strong focus on forging global partnerships and securing high-impact investments. Coordinated by Invest UP, the Governments investment promotion and facilitation agency, the delegation held a series of strategic meetings and signed key MoUs, reinforcing Uttar Pradeshs ambition to emerge

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday gifted an ornate wooden swing from his home state of Gujarat and a Pashmina shawl to visiting UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, officials said. Modi welcomed Al Nahyan and his mother Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence here. The prime minister and Al Nahyan sat on the hand-carved wooden swing with traditional designs, showing skilled craftsmanship, placed against the backdrop of [] The pos

KABUL, Jan 19 : An explosion in downtown Kabul on Monday killed at least seven people and wounded about a dozen more, according to an Italian medical charity running a surgical care facility in the city. The reasons for the blast were not immediately clear. The explosion appeared to have hit a restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district of the Afghan capital. In the first few minutes after the blast, a police spokesman, Khalid Zadran, had identified the facility affected as [] The post Explosion in d

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: In a historic achievement for Jammu & Kashmir, Nirmal Singh, former ace athlete and Lecturer in Physical Education at GGHS Bishnah, has become the first-ever National Starter from the Union Territory. Singh qualified the rigorous national-level examination conducted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala, assessed by Chief Referee and International Starter Alan Bell from England.

Avtar Bhat SRINAGAR, Jan 19: In order to give a new lease of life to old manuscripts, the Government of India has undertaken an ambitious plan of digitalizing and preserving thousands of old manuscripts in Sharda, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabi scripts lying with various Government, semi Government organizations as well as with temple committees, trusts, Gurudwaras, NGOs and Khanqahs in Jammu and Kashmir. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp .According to official sources, the Kashmir Uni

Law prohibits advertisement of certain drugs NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Lieutenant Governors or administrators of five Union Territories will now have the power to authorise officers to search any premises or seize any record related to misleading advertisements claiming magical properties and remedies for the treatment of certain diseases like cancer and diabetes. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp In an order notified in the gazette recently by the Home Ministry, the Government has delegat

WDs to hit J&K from Jan 22-24 Fayaz Bukhari/ Gopal Sharma SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 19: While the Western Disturbances are likely to hit Jammu and Kashmir on January 22,23 and 24, with forecast of rain and snowfall in many parts of the UT, there was some respite from cold wave conditions in Kashmir as minimum temperatures across the Valley rose by a couple of degrees today with higher reaches receiving light snowfall. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Higher [] The post Snowfall in highe

KABUL, Jan 19: An explosion in downtown Kabul on Monday killed at least seven people and wounded about a dozen more, according to an Italian medical charity running a surgical care facility in the city. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The reasons for the blast were not immediately clear. The explosion appeared to have hit a restaurant in the Shahr-e-Naw district of the Afghan capital. In the first few minutes after the blast, a police spokesman, Khalid Zadran, [] The post 7 killed

LUDHIANA, Jan 19: Four unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire outside the residence of a businessman and set a car on fire in Khanna here today, police said. The car was partially damaged in the fire. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Superintendent of Police, Khanna, Pawanjeet Singh, said the attackers wore masks to conceal their identities. He said authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the culprits. We have formed eight teams to apprehend t

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 19: The Government today issued orders of promotion/placement and posting of 21 Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) as In-charge Executive Engineers (Xens), Electrical in the Power Development Department. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Electrical Engineers elevated/placed as I/C Xens are-Sunil Sharma,Rakesh Warikoo, Ajaz Rashid, Aman Bharti, Farooq Ahmed Ganai, Suhail Nazir, Syed Abrar Hussain, Sanjeev Singh Pathania, Iffat Rashid, Tassaduq Nab

MUMBAI, Jan 19: British citizen and NHS UK consultant Dr Sangram Patil was stopped at Mumbai International Airport while attempting to return to the United Kingdom, days after being questioned by Mumbai Police over social media posts critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The incident has triggered renewed scrutiny of the case against him and the continued enforcement of a Look Out Circular despite his cooperation with investigators. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Dr Patil, who

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 19: The J&K Special Tribunal has directed the respondents in the Royal Omkar Nest Housing Project to maintain status quo and not to raise or bring under construction any structure in the projects common areas as per the original sanctioned plan, in a dispute filed by Sandeep Kumar and others. In its interim order, the Tribunal noted the grievance that the clubbed/common area was allegedly being compromised by carving out two commercial vends (shops), which, the

Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan 19: An explosion in central Kabul on Monday killed at least seven people, said Italian NGO EMERGENCY which runs a hospital in the Afghan capital. A deadly explosion hit a central Kabul hotel on Monday (January 19, 2026), city police and the Afghan government said, and an AFP journalist saw firefighters near the scene. Twenty people have been received at EMERGENCYs Surgical Centre in Kabul following an explosion this afternoon in the Shahr-e-Naw area, near the hospital. []

Srinagar, Jan 19 : The Director General of Police (DGP) Jammu and Kashmir, Nalin Prabhat (IPS), presided over a high-level security review meeting here on Monday to assess preparations for the Republic Day celebrations. Senior officers briefed the DGP on current intelligence inputs, existing security deployments, and operational readiness. The discussions focused on comprehensive measures to fortify security protocols, protect public spaces, and ensure the seamless execution of events at all des

CS lead Apex Committee assesses progress of implementation across J&K JAMMU, JANUARY 19: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of the Apex Committee of Mission YUVA, during which he reviewed the district-wise and panchayat-level performance of the flagship self-employment initiative across the Union Territory. Deputy Commissioners from all districts participated in the meeting through video conferencing. Commending the Labour & Employment Department for its meticulous monitoring

Jammu, Jan 19: Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, on Monday, chaired a high-level security coordination meeting here, emphasising the importance of meticulous planning and close coordination to ensure smooth conduct of Republic Day celebrations. Jammu will host the main Republic Day function on January 26 at M A Stadium, where Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is scheduled to take the salute and unfurl the tricolour. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will be the chief guest at the event. [

Srinagar, Jan 19: Nearly two years after a tragic boat capsize in the Jhelum river, the long search for the last victim ended on Monday when locals recovered the body of Showkat Ahmad Sheikh near Srinagars Lasjan. This followed a grim breakthrough last week, when Sheikhs severed foot was found during sand mining and later identified by his widow. Officials said the search operation was intensified immediately after the identification of the foot, which the widow recognised by the shoe. [] The po

SRINAGAR, Jan 19: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday paid homage to Havildar Gajendra Singh of the Indian Armys special forces, who was martyred during the ongoing anti-terror operation in Kishtwar district. I salute the supreme sacrifice of our braveheart Havildar Gajendra Singh. His supreme sacrifice will remain etched in our hearts. The entire nation stands in solidarity with the bereaved family of our martyr in this difficult hour, Sinha said. One soldier was killed

Leh (Ladakh), Jan 19: More than 1000 athletes will take part in the Ladakh leg of the 2026 Khelo India Winter Games starting in Leh on Tuesday. The Nawang Dorjan Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, the Army rink and the frozen Gupukhs Pond will be the centres of attraction till the Games end on January 26. The opening ceremony of KIWG 2026 will take place Tuesday afternoon. Four hundred and seventy-two athletes will take part in two ice sports skating and [] The post Khelo India Winter Games 2026 Begins Tue

Jammu, Jan 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday laid the foundation stone for Meerz Health Care Hospital in Srinagar. This will be 180-bedded super speciality hospital and boost medical infrastructure and enhance healthcare services for Srinagar city and nearby Districts. The Lieutenant Governor congratulated and extended his best wishes to the Meerz Group and everyone associated with the hospital. He highlighted that the private investment in healthcare infrastructure is the cornerston

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Power Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said the Electricity Amendment Bill is likely to be introduced in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament. The bill seeks to bring reforms in the power sector and ensure the profitability of debt-ridden power distribution companies. The minister made these remarks on the sidelines of the inauguration of the IIT-Delhi-CERC-Grid India Centre of Excellence in the national capital. On Sunday, the power ministry said that power distribution ut

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: Consumer electrical goods maker Havells India on Monday reported a 7.9 per cent increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 300.05 crore in the quarter ended December 31, 2025. The company had posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 277.96 crore in the October-December quarter a year ago, according to a regulatory filing from Havells India. Its revenue from operations was up 14.3 per cent to Rs 5,587.89 crore in the December quarter. It was Rs [] The post Havells Q3 net profit up

NEW DELHI, Jan 19 : As a follow up to the announcement made by by PM Sh Narendra Modi on November 3, 2025, the Research Development Innovation (RDI) funding for industry-backed projects will start by the end of this month, with the funding framework having entered into the execution phase, and two public sector institutions poised to start funding industry-backed projects. This was disclosed following a review of the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund scheme at a meeting chaired []

SRINAGAR, Jan 19: Three alleged drug peddlers were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir in two separate operations, a police spokesperson said on Monday. In the first instance, police arrested two men in Shopian district and recovered 58 grams of heroin from them. Shopian Police arrested two drug peddlers at Naghard Wachi and recovered 58 grams of heroin from their possession, the spokesperson said. He said a case was registered against the duo under relevant sections of the law and an [] The post Thre

New Delhi, Jan 19: The Congress on Monday attacked former chief justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud over his remarks that bail should be the rule and not the exception when expeditious trial is not possible, and asked what stopped him from doing the right thing when he was the Chief Justice of India. Congress spokesperson and head of the partys social media department Supriya Shrinate said the bail application of Umar Khalid was filed in 2023 but was [] The post Cong attacks ex-CJI Chandrachu

New Delhi, Jan 19: Opposing the new VB-G RAM G Act that has replaced the MGNREGA, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have claimed that work for the countrys rural population will now become a revdi, to be handed over to them as the government decides, and will no longer be a right. Writing this in a letter to the rural folk, the Congress leaders have alleged that their right to work is being stolen even as states are [] The post Work Will Be Revdi Handed Over By Modi Govt, No L

Jammu, Jan 19: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Monday said Kashmiri Pandits are always welcome to return to their homes in the Valley, as the displaced community observed the 36th anniversary of their exodus in Jammu and reiterated demands for a comprehensive policy on their return and rehabilitation. However, the former chief minister expressed scepticism about whether the migrated community would want to come back in a permanent manner, considering they have built new lives wh

Leh, Jan 19: The Administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has deputed 18 officers for duty in connection with the Republic Day celebrations scheduled to be held on January 26, 2026. See Notification Click Here.. The post Ladakh Administration Deputes 18 Officers For Republic Day Celebrations appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

New Delhi, Jan 19: The Supreme Court directed the Election Commission (EC) on Monday to display the names of those on the logical discrepancies list at gram panchayat bhavans, block offices of talukas and ward offices in West Bengal. The court noted that 1.25 crore voters in the state figure on the logical discrepancies list. Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parents name and the age difference between a [] The post SIR: SC d

Washington, Jan 19 : Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged US President Donald Trump last week not to carry out a strike on Iran, arguing that Israel is not fully prepared to withstand Tehrans retaliation, according to The Washington Post, citing an unnamed source close to the White House. A US official said a major consideration was the lack of a substantial American military presence in the region, which Israel had relied on to help intercept Irans ballistic missiles during the [] The post N

London, Jan 19 : British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that US President Donald Trumps threat of tariffs against allies over Greenland is completely wrong and a trade war is in no ones interest. Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations, including the UK, because of their opposition to American control of Greenland, setting up a potentially dangerous test of US partnerships in Europe. Greenland is [] The post Sta

Hanoi, Jan 19 : Vietnams most important political conclave began Monday, as the ruling Communist Party convened to decide the countrys leadership and broad policy course for the next five years. A total of 1,586 delegates from across Vietnam gathered in the capital, Hanoi, for the National Congress, the partys highest decision-making body, which meets every five years to elect its top leadership and set priorities shaping the countrys political and economic direction. Delegates will elect about

Adamuz (Spain), Jan 19 : Spanish police said Monday that at least 39 people died in the a high-speed train collision Sunday in southern Spain and rescue efforts were continuing. The collision took place Sunday afternoon when a high-speed train derailed, jumped onto the track in the opposite direction and slammed into an incoming train near Adamuz. Rescue efforts were still underway Monday morning. Dozens more were injured from the crash. The Spanish Red Cross set up a help centre [] The post Tol

Beijing, Jan 19: Chinese police detained those in charge of a steel factory in the Inner Mongolia region after an explosion on Sunday killed two people and left 84 others hospitalised. Eight other people remain unaccounted for. A pressurized storage tank designed to hold steam and high-temperature water exploded in the factory, Baotou city officials said Monday. The blast occurred at a Baogang United Steel plant in the city of Baotou around 3 pm local time Sunday and caused tremors [] The post F

New Delhi, Jan 19 : State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) on Monday reported a 13 per cent improvement in net profit to Rs 5,100 crore for the third quarter ended December 2025. The bank had earned a net profit of Rs 4,508 crore in the same quarter a year ago. Its total income rose to Rs 37,253 crore from Rs 34,752 crore in the year-ago period, PNB said in a regulatory filing. Interest income during the quarter also rose to [] The post PNB Q3 net profit rises 13 pc to Rs 5,100 cr appeared first