Daily Excelsior News

Remembering Kashyap Bandhu Avtar Nehru Many stalwarts and scholars within the Kashmiri Pandit community privately concede that Pandit Kashyap Bandhu was among its greatest figures for much of the twentieth century. He was widely respected as a public intellectual and, importantly, was deeply networked with the leading minds and institutions of his time. His stature was formally acknowledged when he was included among the 75 Personalities commemorated during Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), markin

Diwalis UNESCO glory Sunny Dua sunnydua55@gmail.com In countless villages across India, far from the shine of city markets, lakhs of potters wake before dawn, kneading raw earth into tiny lamps that carry the hopes of millions. For generations, these craftsmen and women have been shaping diyas and idols of Goddess Lakshmi with their bare hands using mud, sunlight, devotion, and patience. Their livelihoods depend almost entirely on Diwali, a festival that transforms earth into light and labour in

Naseeb Bhagat evsnaseeb@gmail.com My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature. Claude Monet Nature has a vast stock of resources if we talk in terms of water, air, sunlight, minerals, biodiversity, etc., to meet our needs but not our greed. It is our prime duty to protect nature and natural resources so that they can be sustained for future generations also. Our ancestors were wise enough and always took care of resources [] The post Be in harmony with Nature appea

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that Jammu is currently facing a severe threat from drug abuse, noting that even the younger generation is increasingly involved in drug consumption. Speaking in a meeting of the office bearers of the Chamber its president Arun Gupta said the trend is not only destroying the career and future of youth but also subjecting their families to immense social stigma and making them culprits in the [] The post Ja

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Amandeep Hospitals, in collaboration with Ujala Cygnus, today announced the inauguration of North Indias first-ever hospital-based 3D Printing and Virtual Reality (VR) Technology, marking a historic advancement in medical technology integration and patient-centric innovation. Dr Abhijat Sheth, Chairman, National Medical Commission, New Delhi, inaugurated the 3D Printing and Virtual Reality Technology at Amandeep Ujala Hospitals, marking a significant milest

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 17: J&K Bank today organised a stakeholders meeting at its corporate headquarters here to strengthen and streamline the implementation of its High Density Plantation (HDP) Scheme. The meeting was held with representatives of Private Enterprises (PEs), who are responsible for supplying plantation material and executing high-density plantations on the ground. As per a statement, the session was chaired by General Manager (Retail, Agriculture & MSME) Rakesh Mag

Excelsior Correspondent KARGIL, Dec 17: In order to strengthen medical infrastructure in the area, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), handed over a 128 Slice CT Scan Machine to the CHC Sankoo in Kargil district of Ladakh today. Under this CSR initiative POWERGRID has provided a 128-slice CT scanner along with the construction of necessary infrastructure at the Community Health Centre (CHC), Sankoo, Kargil. This project is designed to strengthen healthcare facilities in one of t

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: The newly elected executive committee of Amar Singh Club, Jammu, today held a courtesy meeting with Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, who also serves as the vice president of the Club. During the discussion, Vijay Saraf highlighted the smooth, transparent and impartial conduct of the recently concluded Club management committee elections, which were carried out under the supervision and guidance of the Divisional Commissioner. He noted that the f

Highest priority on safety, security of adventure tourism Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that his Government is trying its best to ensure that there is no laxity in financial discipline. Omar, who is also Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters here on the sidelines of a function at SKICC Srinagar that his Government had tried to ensure financial discipline over the past 15-16 months. He was reacting to Union Finance Minister Nirmala [] The

Excelsior Sports Correspondent KATRA, Dec 17: Sachin Kumar Vaishya, Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), felicitated Para Archer Payal Nag for her commendable performance at the Asian Youth Para Games held in Dubai, UAE, from December 7 to 14. Payal Nag, a dedicated athlete from Odisha, has been training at the SMVD Sports Complex, Katra, for the past three years. She represented India in the Compound U-21 Womens Open category and competed against leading para

Non-compliance of Sports Code Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: A Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal today expressed its deep anguish/displeasure over the non-filing of response by the Chief Secretary, Commissioner/Secretary, Youth Services and Sports, the Badminton Association of India and J&K Badminton Association in the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Bakhtawar Singh and Others Versus UT

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Following the assurance by Sports Minister Satish Sharma for a high-level inquiry into alleged irregularities in the selection process, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted a high-level Enquiry Committee to examine the process of selecting J&K football team for 79th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025. The decision was made through Government Order No. 50-JK (YSS) of 2025, issued by the Commissioner/Secretary of

Sat raises issues of cooperative exports Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Jammu & Kashmir BJP president and Rajya Sabha Member, Sat Sharma, raised an important starred question in the Rajya Sabha on cooperative exports and market linkages, underlining the pivotal role of cooperatives in strengthening agriculture and enhancing farmers incomes across the country. Terming it his maiden question in the Upper House, Sat Sharma expressed gratitude for the opportunity and congratulated Prime

Excelsior Sports Correspondent KUPWARA, Dec 17: Kupwaras Wushu player Rashid Shafi brought laurels to the country by winning a gold medal in the 65 kg category at Nordic International Wushu Championship held in Sweden. Representing Khelo India Wushu Centre, Handwara, Rashid secured the top podium finish by defeating a Swedish opponent in the finals. Rashid Shafi hails from Kupwara district and has been training at the Khelo India Centre, Handwara, for the past four years. His consistent performa

Excelsior Correspondent NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Lok Sabha today passed the historic SHANTI Bill 2025 that is, Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025, after a marathon debate followed by a point wise, evidence supported, eloquent reply by Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh. Among the many path-breaking provisions in the Bill, the most important one is the opening up of Indias Nuclear programme to the Private sector. The Minis

Excelsior Sports Correspondent REASI, Dec 17: District Development Commissioner, Reasi, Nidhi Malik, today flagged off a five-day residential trekking expedition for boys and girls to Patnitop. The expedition, organized by the District Youth Services and Sports Department, aims to promote adventure-based activities and character-building among youth. During her interaction with the participants, Malik praised the efforts of the department and encouraged the trekkers to maintain discipline, teamw

Excelsior Sports Correspondent POONCH/SRINAGAR, Dec 17: The District Boxing Championships for Poonch and Srinagar were organised by the J&K Amateur Boxing Association under the aegis of the Boxing Federation of India, J&K Olympic Association and sponsored by the J&K Sports Council. The events concluded at Sports Stadium Poonch and Indoor Sports Complex Bakshi Stadium Srinagar, with medals and certificates awarded to the meritorious boxers. The Srinagar championship was held under the technical s

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 17: In a significant step towards strengthening judicial infrastructure and enhancing facilities for court stakeholders, Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority, inaugurated a Common Room and Cafeteria within premises of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh today. The facilities were inaugurated in the presence of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar, Justice Waseem

*Bhalla seeks apology from BJP leadership Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17. Police had a tough time controlling the leaders and workers of the Congress party during a strong protest demonstration against BJP near its office at Trikuta Nagar Jammu, expressing anger against the witch-hunting of Congress leadership and sought apology from BJP leadership after the Court dismissed charge-sheet against them in Young India Ltd (National Herlad Case). Led by senior leadership of the Party including

The persistent backlog of nearly 500 cases involving crimes against women and children in Jammu and Kashmirs Fast Track Special Courts is not just a statistic; it is a troubling reflection of delayed justice for the most vulnerable sections of society. These courts were never meant to function like ordinary trial courts, nor are the victims they serve ordinary litigants. FTSCs were conceived with a singular purpose: to ensure swift, time-bound justice in heinous crimes such as rape and child []

DUBAI, Dec 17: India spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Wednesday consolidated his position at the top of the ICC Mens T20I Bowler Rankings, reaching a career-best rating following a stellar show in the ongoing T20 series against South Africa. The 34-year-old Chakravarthy earned a new best rating of 818 points on the back of his third consecutive two-wicket haul in five-game home series. The right-armer has six wickets across the first three matches of the series, with his spell of 2/11 [] The post W

Excelsior Sports Correspondent SAMBA, Dec 17: Apni Party provincial president for Jammu, Manjit Singh here today demanded fair investigation into the selection of the football team from J&K that is representing J&K in Santosh Trophy. Singh said that 20 players were selected for the tournament ignoring players from Jammu. There is resentment among the football players of Jammu who participated in the selection process but none of them made into the final list making the whole process of selection

Excelsior Correspondent BHADERWAH, Dec 17: In a major fire incident that erupted in Karal Mohalla locality of Puneja village here today, four residential houses belonging to Raj Mohd, Abdul Shakoor, Abdul Qayoom and Jaan Mohd were gutted. Click here to watch video Sources informed that the fire tenders could not reach the spot immediately though it was just 7 km from the town as the fire hit area was located at hill top 1 km away from motorable road. A.S.P [] The post Four houses gutted in massi

Long-standing stay on shops allotment at Batamaloo lifted *Says courts cant be misused to create stagnation Mohinder Verma JAMMU, Dec 17: Bringing a prolonged legal battle to a close, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has dismissed a writ petition challenging the rehabilitation and allotment of shops in the Sector-6 Shopping Complex at Batamaloo, Srinagar and vacated the interim stay that had stalled the process for over 12 years. The prolonged stay, the High Court noted, caused [] Th

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: The University of Jammu today flagged off a team of students selected to participate in the prestigious Ashtalakshmi Darshan Youth Exchange Programme, a national initiative of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and North Eastern Council (NEC), Government of India. The programme is being organised under the broader vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat to promote cultural understanding, national integration and youth-to-youth engageme

HANGZHOU, Dec 17: Star Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty showed nerves of steel to eke out a thrilling three-game victory over Olympic silver medallists Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang of China in their opening mens doubles Group B match at the BWF World Tour Finals here on Wednesday. World No. 3 Satwik and Chirag, the only Indian representatives at the season-ending showpiece, recovered from an opening-game setback and saved a match point to eventually outwit the world []

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: The Jammu wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today staged a strong protest against the Omar led National Conference (NC) Government, exposing its complete failure to honour poll promises and address the genuine concerns of the people of Jammu. The protest, led by Rajinder Manhas, general secretary along with Varinder Singh Sonu District president Urban , KK Sharma District president Rural and others witnessed hundreds of PDP workers and supporters t

ADDIS ABABA, Dec 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as deeply moving a rendition of Vande Mataram performed by singers at a banquet hosted by his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali here. In a video snippet shared by Modi on X on Wednesday, three Ethiopian singers can be seen singing a soulful rendition of the Indian national song. The prime minister and members of the Indian delegation are seen clapping enthusiastically with their hands raised overhead. At yesterdays banquet dinner []

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department to review the notification status for delineation and demarcation of flood plain/flood basins identified post 2014 floods in Jhelum basin to regulate landuse and human activity for obviating flood threats and minimise flood damages. The meeting was attended by the Assistant Commissioner Central, Chief Engineer I&FC, Deputy Di

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: A Special UAPA Court has rejected the interim bail plea of accused Mohd Rafi alias Lala, after the State Investigation Agency (SIA) presented a detailed prosecution report describing him as a habitual offender, a C-category OGW of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and a key figure in a major recovery of narcotics, fake currency and arms. The court held that no grounds existed for granting even short-term relief sought for attending his mother-in-laws 15-day ritual. Pr

Excelsior Correspondent DODA, Dec 17: Chairman District Development Council (DDC) Doda, Dhananter Singh Kotwal today chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the progress of ongoing Rural Development developmental works and the utilization of PRI, DDC and BDC grants in the district. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Anil Kumar Thakur; Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) Din Mohd Afaqi; Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Manesh Kumar Manhas; Executive Enginee

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: The Committee on Estimates today held a meeting at Assembly Complex here to review and examine the functioning of Jammu & Kashmir Industries & Commerce Department. The meeting was presided over by the Chairperson of the Committee, Legislator, Shamim Firdous. The meeting was attended by Legislators, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Abdul Majid Bhat Larmi, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Prof. Gharu Ram Bhagat, Dr. Shafi Ahmad Wani, Chander Prakash Ganga and Arjun Singh Raju; members of

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Health and Medical Education Department has sought detailed clarifications from the Principals of Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Jammu and Kashmir regarding the proposed establishment of 30-bedded Emergency Medicine Departments. Acting on observations raised by the Finance Department, the GMCs have been asked to furnish specific information to facilitate further processing of the proposal. The information has been sought to assess staffing requiremen

Excelsior Correspondent KISHTWAR, Dec 17: Police here today arrested a drug peddler and recovered 7 grams of heroin like narcotic substance from him during routine checking at Hidyal-Bimarnag area. SSP Kishtwar, Naresh Singh, while sharing details in this regard said that cops from Police Station Kishtwar led by SHO Police Station Kishtwar, Inspector Firdous Ahmed assisted by SI Roop Krishan were patrolling in Hidyal, Bimarnag and adjoining areas under the supervision of Additional SP Kishtwar,

Group of migrants protest Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Outrightly rejecting that there were any irregularities in the allotment of the 48 shops at Jagti township Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, Dr Arvind Karwani today said that the allotment was made through a fair process established by the organisation. Reacting over the protest of a group of Kashmiri displaced people in the township today, he said a transparent and proper mechanism was evolved while making the allotments of

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Police have booked a man for allegedly raping a divorced woman on the false promise of marriage in the Janipur area here today. The accused has been identified as Manjeet Kumar, a resident of Bhaderwah, who runs a medical shop in his hometown. He has been booked in case FIR number 196/2025 under Sections 69, 88 and 89 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Janipur, a police official said. According to him, [] The post Man booked for raping d

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Activists of Mission Statehood Jammu Kashmir (MSJK) led by their president, Sunil Dimple here today staged a protest demonstration against the controversial MBBS selection list of SMVDU. Addressing the protesters, Dimple said that J&K LG, Union Health Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah should resolve the issue. He threatened to give Jammu band call against the controversial MBBS list if the issue is not resolved soon. The MSJK leader urged the LG and CM t

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 17: Smile Suite Dental Clinic and Orthodontic Centre, Talab Tillo, organised a two-day free dental check-up and orthodontic awareness camp at JK Montessori School, Talab Tillo, Jammu, on December 16 and 17. The camp aimed to promote oral hygiene and awareness about braces among students. The initiative benefited around 250-300 students from Classes 5 to 9. The camp was led by orthodontist Dr Tanika Gupta (BDS, MDS), along with Dr Niharika and Dr Himanshi. Each

DHAKA, Dec 17: A large group of protesters, marching towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, was stopped by police on Wednesday, hours after India expressed strong concern about the security situation around its mission in the Bangladeshi capital. The protesters, marching under the banner of July Oikya, were chanting anti-India slogans and raising several demands, including the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and others who fled the country during and after the July upri

Jammu, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday attached a house valued at over Rs 12 lakh in Kathua district that belonged to an alleged drug peddler, officials said. The action followed confirmation by the Competent Authority under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act (SAFEMA), marking a significant step towards dismantling the financial network of organised drug trafficking in the region, they said. After a detailed financial investigation, a singl

SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Administrator, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, has informed that MRI services at Government SMHS Hospital and Government Super Speciality Hospital, Shireen Bagh, Srinagar will resume from tomorrow, December 18, 2025. The MRI facility had been temporarily suspended due to scheduled maintenance involving de-icing of the magnet to ensure optimal performance and uninterrupted functioning of the equipment. The Administrator stated that the de-icing process has now been su

SRINAGAR, Dec 18: In a significant step towards strengthening judicial infrastructure and enhancing facilities for court stakeholders, Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Judge, High Court of J&K and Ladakh and Executive Chairman, J&K Legal Services Authority, inaugurated a Common Room and Cafeteria within premises of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh today. The facilities were inaugurated in the presence of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul, Justice Sanjay Dhar, Justice Waseem Sadiq Nargal, Justice Ra

Jammu, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has said that large parts of the country have been freed from terrorism and, barring a few pockets, most of the northeast is now terrorism-free. Sinha maintained that local terror recruitment has sharply decreased and terrorists hiding in rugged terrain, mountains and dense forests will be eliminated soon. Large parts of the country have been freed from terrorism. Except for a few pockets, most of the northeast has become free [] T

J&K ideal destination for Adventure Tourism: CM Commends ATOAI for supporting J&K Tourism, Appreciates resilience of J&Ks Tourism players SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today addressed the 17th Annual Convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) at the Sher-i- Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), emphasising that Jammu and Kashmir is ideally placed as a destination for adventure tourism activities. The 4-day national event being held in Srin

Jammu, Dec 17: The Indian Army achieved a major logistics milestone with the induction of tanks and artillery guns into the Kashmir valley by a special military train, demonstrating enhanced mobility and logistical capability to the northernmost tip of the nation. The Northern Railway has so far supplied container-based wagons to ferry apples from Kashmir, as well as vehicles and cement, marking another initiative to support trade and industry in the valley. The Indian Army achieved a major logi

JAMMU, Dec 17: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted a high-level enquiry committee to probe the selection process of the J&K football team for participation in the 79th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy 2025. As per Government Order No. 50-JK(YSS) of 2025 dated December 17 , the enquiry committee will examine the entire selection procedure to ascertain the factual position in a time-bound manner. The committee will be headed by Director General, Youth Services and

Srinagar, Dec 17: Srinagar Police attached an immovable property of a notorious drug peddler worth approximately 1.5 crores under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in connection with a case registered at Police Station Shalteng. The action has been taken in FIR No. 75/2025 U/S 8/20 & 29 NDPS Act, following a detailed financial investigation conducted in accordance with Chapter V-A of the NDPS Act, it reads. Statement reads, During the investigation, a co

Jammu, Dec 17: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday addressed the Strategic Management Forum Conference on Policy Making and Strategic Planning for achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047, at IIM Jammu. The 3-day conference is being organised by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Jammu, in collaboration with Strategic Management Forum (SMF), and the NITI Aayog. In his keynote address, the Lieutenant Governor highlighted the challenges and opportunities for India in a rapidly evolving worl

SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Demanding a probe into the activities of NGOs mushrooming in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP on Wednesday alleged that many of them were unregistered, receiving funds from abroad and were involved in reviving terrorism in the Union Territory. Addressing a press conference here, BJPs J-K spokesperson Altaf Thakur said his party was not against all NGOs, however, it is a matter of concern that there are 16,000 of them in J-K, but only 239 are registered. We [] The post BJP Demands Pro

Ganderbal, Dec 17: In a major breakthrough against organised drug trafficking, Jammu and Kashmir Police in Ganderbal have intensified their crackdown on high-value narcotics, leading to the recovery of cocaine worth over 10 crore in the international market. The operation marks a significant blow to drug networks operating in the region and underscores the polices zero-tolerance approach towards narcotics trade. J&K Police at Ganderbal has launched a focused targeting the procurement and sale of