Daily Excelsior

SINGAPORE, Feb 1 : A Singapore minister was among the thousands of Hindu devotees who took part in the Thaipusam celebration on Sunday, according to a state agency managing Indian temples here. A 3.2 km procession with the devotees carrying paalkudams (milk pots) set off from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple along Serangoon Road in the Little India precinct towards Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road on the outskirts of the central business district. Among those who joined the procession that []

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, released a Hindi poem titled Begampura Ki Paribhasha, scripted by Balbir Ram Rattan, national general secretary, Indian Branch of British Ravidassia Heritage Foundation, on the auspicious occasion of the 649th Jayanti of Guru Ravidass. The poem reflects upon the timeless and transformative vision of Begampura, as envisioned by Guru Ravidass Ji a society rooted in equality, justice, and human dignity. While

BULAWAYO, Feb 1: Young Kanishk Chouhan showed his all-round prowess as India comfortably outclassed arch-rivals Pakistan by 58 runs in a Super Six encounter to qualify for the semifinal of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Sunday. India will meet Afghanistan in the semifinal while England and Australia will play in the other last-four encounter. It was all-rounder Kanishk, whose quickfire 29-ball-35 and a 50-run stand for the eighth wicket with Khilan Patel (21 not out off 15 balls) [] The post U19

Sunil Sharma writetomlapadder@gmail.com Jammu & Kashmir is undergoing a redefinition of its political culture: it is now seen more as a functional administrative unit within Indias constitutional framework than as a battleground for ideology. This change is shaped by the BJP-led Union Governments principle support any democratically elected government in Jammu & Kashmir, regardless of party, provided it upholds the Constitution and national unity. The central argument is that governance, rather

Dr Kasturi Lal The Dogri language is surging forward, surely but slowly, despite its being one of the recognized Indian languages and the mother tongue of the people in this part of the country. It needs to be given a big impetus by the Government as well as the general public, particularly the parents and the youth. Dogri has to be properly projected and promoted through its inclusion in the education system from the elementary to the highest level and [] The post Surge Forward of Dogri Languag

Dr Dharam C. Attri dharam@iust.ac.in The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) possesses a silent, yet immensely powerful, competitive edge in the global bio-economy, its unique status as a biodiversity hotspot for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs). The region is home to over 1100 known species of significant therapeutic and commercial value, placing it at a critical juncture to capitalise on a robust global market that exceeds Rs 2 lakh Crore, with Indias national market alone estimated

KARACHI, Feb 1 : At least 145 terrorists and 17 security personnel have been killed in the last 40 hours in multiple counter-terrorism operations in the restive Balochistan province, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said on Sunday. Bugti, in a press conference in Quetta, said that the bodies of all the 145 terrorists were in the custody of the authorities and their identification process was being carried out. He said this was the highest number of terrorists killed in less than [] The post 145 ter

Budget 2026-27 Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Feb 1: 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 said the Union Budget 2026-27 announcement of Biopharma Shakti will catalyse Indias global role in the next industrial revolution and also India as a global biomanufacturing hub. The Minister said that the announ

DHAKA, Feb 1: The BNP on Sunday alleged it found an unusual voter migration in capital Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh ahead of the February 12 parliamentary elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by late former prime minister Khaleda Zias son Tarique Rahman, also demanded Election Commission (EC) data on such suspicious activities. A large number of voters migrated to some specific constituencies in Dhaka and other parts of the country over the last year-and-a-half, which is

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: Er. Abdul Ghani Kohli, former Minister and senior BJP leader called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, today. Shabir Ahmad Kullay, Member of Legislative Assembly from Shopian also called on Lieutenant Governor. Representatives of J&K Amateur Kabaddi Association also called on the Lieutenant Governor and projected various issues pertaining to promotion of sports in the region. Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, former Minister and President Peoples Democratic Front (PD

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: All J&K Shree Guru Ravidass Sabha, under the leadership of R C Bhasin celebrated 649th Parkash Utsav of great socio-religious Sant Shree Guru Ravidass ji by organizing an impressive function at Guru Ravidass Sabha, here today. A large number of people attended the function and paid their obeisance to the Guru. Ram Swaroop (Executive Director, NHPC) was chief guest on the occasion while Dr Zabeer Ahmed (Director, IIIM) and Romesh Angral, DIG Home Guards JKUT,

CAIRO, Feb 1: Gazas Rafah border crossing with Egypt showed signs of activity as Israel said that limited travel to and from the territory was set to resume Monday after years of near-complete isolation. Reopening the border crossing is a key step as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire moves ahead. Israel announced Sunday that the crossing has opened in a test. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls aid to Gaza, said in a statement that the crossing was actively being prepared [] The post Prepa

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: Jammu Kashmir Handicapped Association today staged a protest in Jammu, pressing the Government to fulfill their long-pending demands related to social security, financial assistance and legal safeguards for persons with disabilities. The protestors assembled at the Press Club Jammu, carrying placards and banners and raising slogans to highlight what they described as continued neglect, discrimination and apathy towards the disabled community. The demonstrato

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Feb 1: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch has chargesheeted two accused in a fake international prize scam that cheated a complainant of lakhs of rupees. As per a statement issued today, the chargesheet was filed in Case FIR No. 24/2017 under Section 420 RPC read with Section 66(d) of the IT Act against two accused before the Court of City Munsif (JMIC) Srinagar, after their involvement in a prize money fraud case [] The post CBK files

CARACAS, Feb 1 : US Ambassador Laura Dogu arrived in Caracas on Saturday to reopen the American diplomatic mission in Venezuela after seven years of severed ties. The move comes almost one month after a military action ordered by US President Donald Trump removed the South American countrys then-leader Nicolas Maduro from office. My team and I are ready to work, Dogu said in a message posted by the US Embassy in Venezuela s account on X. It also posted [] The post US ambassador arrives in Venezu

Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Feb 1; Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) road connecting Plangarh to Badhano has been lying in a highly deplorable condition for the past nearly two years, triggering strong resentment among the local populace. The road, which is a vital link for thousands of commuters from Thanna Mandi and Darhal tehsils, has reportedly not received the mandatory maintenance despite clear-cut guidelines that place the responsibility of upkeep on the concerned department a

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: Senior leader Pawan Khajuria today urged the public representatives of Jammu Kashmir and the UT Government, that when the Assembly session begins from tomorrow, they should at least try to do something for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the daily wagers. He said that there are many works in Jammu and Kashmir which the Government and all public representatives had promised to the common people, but more than a year has passed since [] The post

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu has ordered the transfers and postings of four Inspector ranked police officers. As per police sources, Inspector Jatinder Singh has been posted as SHO Miran Sahib, while Inspector Sunil Sharma has been posted as SHO Jhajjar Kotli. Meanwhile, Inspector Azad Manhas, the former SHO Miran Sahib and Inspector Vikas Dogra, the former SHO Jhajjar Kotli, have been transferred to the District Police Lines (DPL), Jammu.

Excelsior Correspondent KISHTWAR, Feb 1: Five persons were injured here today when the vehicle they were onboard rolled down the road in Padder area and plunged into a gorge. The ill-fated vehicle of Tata Magic make bearing registration number JK17A-7967 fell into a gorge at Cherriri Paddar leaving the five persons onboard injured. The injured were identified as Joginder Kumar, son of Paras Ram; Raina Kumar, son of Bahadur Singh; Murli Kumar, son of Badam Singh; Kalash Kumar, son of [] The post

Absence of PTR norms, assignment of BLO worsen situation Nishikant Khajuria JAMMU, Feb 1: With the financial year nearing its end, the School Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir has resorted to hurriedly organising multiple teacher training programmes to exhaust allocated funds, thus allegedly disrupting regular academic activities in several Government schools, which are already grappling with acute staff shortages and poor implementation of the Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) norms. According

Budget session beginning today to be stormy Avtar Bhat JAMMU, Feb 1: The budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, set to commence here on Monday, is expected to be stormy with political parties especially Congress, PDP and Independents preparing to question the Government over its poll promises, particularly the Statehood restoration. According to official sources, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the budget on Febr

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the Modi Government has run out of ideas, and the Union Budget for 2026-27 does not provide any single solution to Indias many economic, social and political challenges. In a post on X, he said there is no policy vision or political will, and this budget offers no solutions and not even slogans to hide the absence of policy. The Modi Government has run out of ideas. #Budget2026 does [] The post Budget lacks policy vision, off

Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar Feb 1: Parts of Kashmir received snow, while rains lashed the plains today as the night temperature rose above the freezing point at some places, including Srinagar. Snow was witnessed in Ski resort of Gulmarg, higher reaches of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Qazigund area of Kulgam district, while many parts of South Kashmir were hit by rains. Srinagar city also witnessed early morning rains and drizzle in the evening. The minimum temperature in Srinagar sett

Budget for 2026-27 likely to be around Rs 1.20 lakh cr *Ruling NCs commitments to be included Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Feb 1: The Omar Abdullah Cabinet will meet here tomorrow to finalize budgetary proposals amid reports that some welfare measures including commitments of ruling National Conference are likely to be part of annual budget to be presented by the Chief Minister on February 6. The Cabinet to be chaired by Omar Abdullah will meet at the CMs official residence at [] The post Cabinet meets

NEW DELHI, Feb 1 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday praised the role of the Indian Coast Guard during last years Operation Sindoor, saying the maritime force had forward deployed its strategic assets, and maintained a high alert in the coastal and creek areas. Addressing an event to mark the Indian Coast Guards (ICG) 50th Raising Day, Singh also said that in the past five decades, the ICG has emerged as an important pillar of Indias strategic apparatus. Raised [] The post On 50th Raising

Leh Palace to be developed as archaeological site Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 1: The Centre has allocated more than Rs 4,869 crore to the Union territory of Ladakh in the Union Budget 2026-27, a drop of around 33 per cent compared to the Revised Estimates of Rs 7,377.43 crore for the current fiscal. The Union Territory, which came into existence after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, post the abrogation of Article 370, received Rs 4,692.15 crore in [] The post Centre reduces

JAMMU, Feb 1: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has assigned additional charge to two officers in the interest of administration till further orders. Click here to see complete order The post JK Govt assigns additional charge to two officers appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Mumbai, Feb 1: Skipper Ayush Dosejas unbeaten 159 helped Delhi force a draw against table-toppers Mumbai, while Jammu and Kashmir joined the 42-time champions in the quarterfinals from Elite Group D of the Ranji Trophy here on Sunday. Dosejas 230-ball 159 which included 11 fours and two sixes kept Mumbai at bay and the two teams decided to shake hands about half-an-hour before the tea break, here at the MCA-BKC Ground. Delhi reached 407 for six declared with an overall [] The post Jammu and Kash

New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that Indias economic fundamentals are strong and the Budget addresses the needs of all sections of society. With due respect, I dont know what course correction he (Gandhi) is referring to. Economy and its fundamentals are strong. Global uncertainty is facing many of our sectors for whom we have brought in so many different schemes for those small and medium enterprises, textiles, []

Jammu, Feb 1: Chairman of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Sahai, on Sunday said the Union Budget 2026-27 is progressive and sustainable for the country as a whole but failed to meet the expectations of the UT as a conflict-affected region. Sahai said the budget reflects a strong focus on sustainable infrastructure development and appears balanced from a national perspective. Overall, it is a progressive budget in terms of the country. It is [] The post O

ISTANBUL, Feb 1: A passenger bus rolled off a road in southern Turkiyes Antalya province on Sunday, killing eight people, a senior official said. Images on state broadcaster TRT showed the vehicle lying on its side on an embankment on a highway slip road in Dosemealti, a district to the northwest of Antalya city centre. Provincial Gov. Hulusi Sahin said 26 people were injured, some of them critically. The DHA news agency reported that some passengers were thrown from the [] The post 8 killed as

New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed transfer of over Rs 43,290 crore to Jammu and Kashmir for 2026-27, higher by 4.72 per cent over the current fiscal. According to the budget document, total transfers to the Union Territory have been pegged at Rs 43,290.29 crore, up from Rs 41,340.22 crore in 202526 Revised Estimates (RE). The funds have been proposed as Central Assistance to Union Territory, which has risen by Rs 2,030.97 crore, from Rs [] The post Centre P

Jalandhar (Punjab), Feb 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday unveiled the new name of the Adampur airport as Shri Guru Ravidass Maharaj Ji Airport, Adampur here and also virtually inaugurated the civil terminal building at the Halwara airport in Ludhiana. The prime minister, who reached the Adampur airport at around 3.45 pm, would also be visiting Dera Sachkhand Ballan here on the occasion of the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas. Modi also inaugurated the terminal building of the []

Srinagar, Feb 1: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has undertaken snow clearance operations on the Pahalgam-Chandanwari Road, the gateway of the revered Amarnath Yatra route in Anantnag district. The 17-km-long Pahalgam-Chandanwari stretch is being cleared of heavy snow to ensure uninterrupted connectivity for security forces deployed at various locations to guard the Amarnath cave shrine, a BRO official said here on Sunday. He said the area has witnessed intense snowfall over the past two wee

Srinagar, Feb 1: Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Sheikh Khurshid on Sunday said he has submitted a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, seeking citizenship for women who came to the Union territory under the rehabilitation policy for former terrorists. I have brought a resolution seeking citizenship and legal status for women and children who returned from Pakistan and settled in Jammu and Kashmir under the Governments Rehabilitation Policy, Khurshid, the MLA from Langate, told reporte

Jammu, Feb 1: The Union Budget 2026 reflects a strong push towards building a developed India and an additional Rs 2,000 crore allocation for Jammu and Kashmir reflects the Union governments focus on its development, an industry official said on Sunday. The President of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI), Arun Gupta, said that J&K has remained under the special focus of the Union Government, and the additional allocation of Rs 2,000 crore is a direct message that [] The post Uni

New Delhi, Feb 1: India on Sunday set aside Rs 7,84,678 crore as defence outlay for 2026-27 over the current fiscals allocation of Rs 6.81 lakh crore with a major increase in capital expenditure as the military focuses on modernisation in the face of security challenges from China and Pakistan. The increase in the defence outlay against the backdrop of historic success of Operation Sindoor has further strengthened our resolve to make Indias defence system even more robust, Defence Minister [] Th

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said the Union Budget is focused on growth and development, and slammed the opposition parties for playing politics over it. The opposition parties on Sunday criticised the Union Budget presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with the Congress calling it totally lacklustre and alleging that it fell woefully short of the hype generated around it. The Samajwadi Party said the Budget failed to meet

BRUSSELS, Feb 1: European allies and Canada are pouring billions of dollars into helping Ukraine, and they have pledged to massively boost their budgets to defend their territories. But despite those efforts, NATOs credibility as a unified force under US leadership has taken a huge hit over the past year as trust within the 32-nation military organisation dissolved. The rift has been most glaring over US President Donald Trumps repeated threats to seize Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of N

BEIJING, Feb 1: Chinas annual Spring Festival travel rush will begin on Monday, with inter-regional trips expected to hit a record 9.5 billion. The surge is driven by overlapping demand for family reunions and tourism during a longer holiday, analysts said. Road travel by private cars is expected to remain dominant, accounting for roughly 80 percent of inter-regional trips, according to authorities. Passenger volumes on railways and civil aviation are forecast at 540 million and 95 million, resp

BANGKOK Feb 1: Early voting for Thailands House of Representatives election started at 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, with more than 2 million eligible voters unable to cast their ballots on the official polling day of Feb. 8 participating in the process. Voters taking part in early voting received two ballot papers at polling stations: one to elect a constituency candidate for the House of Representatives, and the other to vote for their preferred political party. The early voting [] The post Ear

DUBAI, Feb 1: An explosion tore through an apartment building Saturday in Irans port city of Bandar Abbas, killing a 4-year-old girl as local media footage purportedly showed a security force member being carried out by rescuers. The blast happened a day before a planned naval drill by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. The US military has warned Iran not to threaten its [] The post Blast in Iran port city kills 1, w

NEW YORK, Feb 1: Newly disclosed US government files on Jeffrey Epstein have prompted the resignation of a top official in Slovakia and revived calls in Britain for a former prince to share what he knows with authorities about Epsteins links to powerful individuals around the world. The fallout comes just a day after the Justice Department began releasing a massive trove of files that offers more details about Epsteins interactions with the rich and famous after he served time [] The post Epstei

CHENNAI, Feb 1: Real estate player, Brigade Hotel Ventures Ltd, on Sunday said that the budget has given the strategic recognition to the tourism sector. The Budgets emphasis on tourism goes beyond infrastructure and rightly addresses the sectors biggest gap, skilled human capital, Brigade Hotel Ventures Ltd Director, Vineet Verma, said. The emphasis on infrastructure led development, experiential tourism and ease of doing business sends a strong signal to investors and operators alike. This can

NEW DELHI, Feb 1:Shares of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Sunday climbed nearly 4 per cent after the firm posted a 16 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit for the third quarter ended December 31, 2025. The stock climbed 3.81 per cent to Rs 1,655.80 on the BSE. At the NSE, the stock edged higher by 3.78 per cent to Rs 1,655.70. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries on Saturday posted a 16 per cent increase in its consolidated net profit to [] The post Sun Pharma shares climb nearly 4 pc pos

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Shares of companies related to pharmaceuticals sector jumped on Sunday after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed Rs 10,000 crore investment in the biopharma sector over the next five years, a move which would give a boost to the countrys pharmaceuticals industry. The stock of Anthem Biosciences surged 6.49 per cent, Biocon climbed 2.93 per cent, Syngene International went up by 2.78 per cent, Panacea Biotec advanced 2.56 per cent, Natco Pharma (1.63 per cent), Concord

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday described the Union Budget 2026-27 as historic, saying it reflected the aspirations of 140 crore Indians and strengthened the reform journey and charts a clear roadmap for Viksit Bharat. In his televised post-budget comments on the Budget, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha, Modi also said the budget was a highway of opportunities. Todays budget is historic. It reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians.

New Delhi, Feb 1: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said the Union Budget for 2026-27 is blind to Indias real crises, and highlighted how the youth are without jobs, manufacturing is falling and farmers are in distress. Youth without jobs. Falling manufacturing. Investors pulling out capital. Household savings plummeting. Farmers in distress. Looming global shocks all ignored, the Congress leader said. A Budget that refuses course correction, blind to Indias real crises,

New Delhi, Feb 1: The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, against his detention under the National Security Act. A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice P B Varale is likely to hear the matter. On January 29, Wangchuk, who is under detention in Jodhpur Central Jail, denied allegations that he made a statement to overthrow the government like Arab Spring, emphasising [] The post Supreme Court To Hear

Jammu, Feb 1: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Sunday trapped and arrested Rahul Gandotra, Junior Engineer posted as TA in the BDO Office, Gulabgarh Mahore, Reasi, for demanding and accepting a bribe of 8,000. The accused already has three cases registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. In a statement, ACB registered a case FIR No. 03/2026 U/S 07 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at PS ACB Udhampur against public servant, namely, Rahul Gandotra, [] T