Daily Excelsior

From Market to Architect Uttam Prakash, Prof. Srinivas Josyula, Jay Verdhan Tiwari The AI Impact Summit opened with serious policy deliberations. Yet one episode briefly entered public discourse: a robotic dog. When an imported robot was presented as indigenous innovation, its clip circulated widely online. The episode did not define the summit. It did, however, sharpen a deeper question: how should AI readiness be assessed? Away from the exhibition floor, institutions such as Indian Institute o

Dr Niyaz Ahmad Naikoo drniyaznaik@gmail.com A significant structural transformation is underway in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. With the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the rollout of the Holistic Skill Development Plan (HSDP), the region is working to dismantle a decades-old barrier: the rigid divide between academic education and industry employability. Officials from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and NITI Aayog have poi

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: Ahead of the Holi festival, V-Mart today launched its Holi Collection, turning up the heat on everyday style. Staying true to its accessible fashion philosophy, V-Mart keeps style within reach for every Indian household with fashion starting at just Rs 99. With expressive colors, versatile silhouettes, playful patterns and prices that truly hit different, the Holi collection proves it all: Fashion hai Fit, Price Superhit. Crafted for Gen Z energy, modern fa

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: Renowned ethnic wear brand Mohanlal Sons today announced a special Holi Milan celebration at its stores on February 28 and March 1, inviting customers to experience the vibrant spirit of the festival. As part of the celebrations, the brand will showcase its specially curated Holi collection featuring short kurtas, kurta pyjamas and Jawahar jackets for men and children. The collection blends traditional aesthetics with contemporary designs, ensuring both com

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: Reinforcing its strategic focus on expanding housing finance in emerging real estate destinations, J&K Bank has approved a major residential project, Heights III Extension, for financing in its Mohali zone. The project, coming up at Jalandhar in Punjab, is being developed by M/s AGI Infra Limited, Jalandhar, a leading real estate development company in Northern India. The sanction for the housing project was formalized in the presence of the Banks General M

Poonam I Kaushish infaservice1@gmail.com Beware Voters: With high-octane poll tamasha in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala soon, be ready to open your purse strings as Parties and netas are busy rolling out a perfect electoral cake iced with populist schemes, lip-smacking freebies galore for all. Merrily converting political sops into vote percentages wherein social and economic upliftment is weighed on vote-bank scales, as populist hand-outs yield better electoral rewards than reasoned

Excelsior Correspondent SEPAHIJALA (TRIPURA), Feb 26: During the visit to Tripura, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh chaired a District Level Review Meeting in Sepahijala District at the Conference Hall of the Collector Office, Kamalasagar. Addressing the meeting, Dr Jitendra Singh said Northeast has the potential to develop as a Southeast Asia trade corri

CHENNAI, Feb 26: Abhishek Sharma rediscovered his form with a blazing fifty, Hardik Pandya bludgeoned a half-century and Tilak Varma allayed strike-rate worries in Indias massive 72-run victory over Zimbabwe, keeping them alive in the race to the T20 World Cup semifinals here on Thursday. Along with that ticking of several boxes in their must-win Super Eight match here, India posted an imposing 256 for four their highest ever total in T20 World Cups, and also the highest in [] The post Abhishek

JAISALMER, Feb 26 : President Droupadi Murmu, who is on a visit to Rajasthan, will undertake a sortie in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station on Friday morning. She arrived here on Thursday evening and was welcomed by Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. After the formal reception at the Air Force Station, the Presidents convoy departed for the Jaisalmer Army Station, where she will stay for the ni

ARARIA, Feb 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday called for a detailed plan of action for removing encroachments in areas close to the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar, underscoring the vulnerability of the region to infiltration. The directions were issued at a meeting held at the Araria collectorate, attended by administrative and police officers from six other border districts West Champaran, East Champaran, Supaul, Sitamarhi, Kishanganj and Madhubani. Also present at the meeting were Nit

TEL AVIV, Feb 26 : India and Israel on Thursday exchanged several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering artificial intelligence, financial connectivity through UPI, fisheries, culture, geoscience, and the Lothal Maritime Museum, following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sixteen bilateral memoranda of understanding were signed between Israel and India, the office of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced. Wi

AHMEDABAD, Feb 26: A clinical South Africa outclassed West Indies by nine wickets in their Super 8 clash to stretch their unbeaten run and all but seal a place in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup here on Thursday. A dominating show by the Proteas pacer was followed by authoritative batting. Yet again, South Africa executed their plans perfectly to further their cause, racking up their sixth win on the trot and halting West Indies unbeaten run in the [] The post SA beat WI by nine wickets appe

Kharge, Rahul requested to attend Sammelans in Jammu, Kashmir Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: JKPCC today held a marathon six hours long meeting to chalk out action plan to oppose, tooth and nail the unilateral US -India trade deal which has been termed as anti farmers likely to hit hard the farmers, fruit growers and others in J&K more than other parts of country. Click here to watch video PCC President Tariq Hameed Karra chaired the meet of prominent Congress [] The post Congress discus

NEW DELHI, Feb 26: India must stay ready with indigenous chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defence equipment for early warning systems, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Thursday. Gen Chauhan was addressing a CBRN conclave organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). CBRN needs to be considered as more of an environment than a threat, and we should brace ourselves to learn to live and operate in contaminated environments, he said. The

PUNE, 26 : The current decade has been a turbulent one but India has dealt with its challenges through nimble, grounded and practical policies at home, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday. In a recorded message at the ninth edition of Asia Economic Dialogue organised by Pune International Centre, he also said era of linear globalisation was over, with longstanding assumptions about the nature of international relations now under question. This decade has already been a turbul

*J&K eye big lead despite Mayanks ton Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: Aqib Nabi produced a sensational opening spell as Jammu and Kashmir took a commanding position against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final here today. Despite a defiant hundred by Mayank Agarwal, J&K dominated proceedings, leaving the eight-time champions struggling. After posting a mammoth first-innings total of 584, powered by Shubham Pundirs brilliant 121 and significant contributions from Yawer Hassan (88), c

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: As the Deputy Commissioner Poonch ordered opening of the historic Mughal Road for Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) from Bufliaz to Peer Ki Gali with effect from tomorrow, Traffic Police Rural Jammu has issued a detailed advisory to ensure the safety of commuters in view of prevailing weather conditions. Click here to watch video The road will remain open for LMVs between 1100 hours and 1500 hours only. No vehicle will be allowed to ply before [] The post Traffic

Indias public health journey over the past decade reflects a determined and strategic push toward self-reliance in vaccine development and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The recent launch of the indigenously manufactured tetanus and adult diphtheria vaccine by the Union Health Minister at the Central Research Institute marks yet another milestone in this ongoing effort. More than a ceremonial rollout, it underscores Indias resolve to secure affordable, high-quality vaccines for its vast populatio

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 26: Police has arrested three drug peddlers and apprehended a juvenile in separate actions across Miran Sahib, Kanachak and Bahu Fort areas, recovering more than 22 grams of heroin-like substance. In Miran Sahib, a police team led by SHO Inspector Jatinder Singh apprehended a juvenile during naka checking near Canal Ring Road on February 25. The accused, a resident of Satwari, attempted to flee after spotting the police party approaching from Bishnah. During hi

India firm in opposition to terrorism in all forms GENEVA, Feb 26: India remains firm and uncompromising in its opposition to terrorism in all its forms, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, asserting there can be no justification, especially when innocent lives are targeted. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Confronting terrorism requires collective resolve, Jaishankar said and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to advocate zero-tolerance for terrorist ac

Excelsior Correspondent RAMBAN, Feb 26: Police here today arrested an absconder who was evading arrest for the last 13 years. Farooq Ahmed, son of Mohd Mirza, resident of Sanasar, District Ramban (presently residing at Majalta, Udhampur), was wanted in a case registered in FIR No. 128/2012 U/S 8/15/29 NDPS Act at Police Station Ramban. A warrant under Section 335 BNSS (previously Section 512 CrPC) was issued against him by the Sessions Court Ramban. Acting on specific inputs, a team of [] The po

Excelsior correspondent SHOPIAN, Feb 26: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shopian, Shishir Gupta today presided over a meeting of the District Level NCORD (Narco Coordination) to review and strengthen measures aimed at curbing drug abuse and illegal narcotics activities in the district. During the meeting, the DC directed all concerned departments to intensify efforts to speed up preventive and enforcement actions. Drug Control authorities were directed to conduct regular inspections of pharmacies and e

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Feb 26: In compliance with the orders passed by the court, Udhampur Police has attached a vehicle worth Rs 40 lakhs belonging to a habitual bovine smuggler. The attached property is a Tata Motors Truck LPT 2518 TC, bearing Registration number JK01AC-0948 and Chassis number MAT44803765005684, owned by Rayees Ahmad Hajam, son of Mohd Akram Hajam of Uranhall, District Anantnag. The vehicle was found involved in FIR No. 152/2025 U/S 223 BNS, 318(4) BNS & 11 PCA [] T

Excelsior Correspondent KULGAM, Feb 26: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Shahzad Alam, today chaired a meeting of concerned officers to review the implementation and progress of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana in the district. The scheme aims to enhance rooftop solar capacity across residential households, enabling them to generate their own electricity, significantly reduce monthly power bills, and benefit from substantial government financial assistance. During the meeting, Executive Engin

Excelsior Correspondent GANDERBAL, Feb 26: A meeting of the District Level Review Committee and the District Consultative Committee (DLRC/DCC) was held today here under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore to review the performance of banks and line departments for the quarter ending December 2025, and to assess the progress under the Annual Credit Plan (ACP). At the outset, Lead District Manager, Ganderbal, presented a comprehensive report detailing the bank-wis

Jammu, Feb 26: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Thursday held a day-long meeting here to chalk out an action plan to oppose the India-US interim trade deal, terming it anti-farmer and anti-fruit grower and warning that it would hit the Union Territory harder than other parts of the country. The meeting, chaired by JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra, was attended by senior Congress leaders from all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, and AICC national general [] The post

Gulmarg, Feb 26: Asserting that earlier stone pelters used to make headlines, now its sports Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a shift in public narrative. While addressing the valedictory ceremony of the Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games-2026, Mandaviya said, The region (J&K), once associated with unrest, is now gaining recognition for sporting events and youth participation. Newspapers that earlier focused o

New Delhi, Feb 26: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned to March 10 the hearing on a plea filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, the wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale said it will go through the videos of Wangchuks speeches given to it during the Holi vacation. We wanted to see those pen drives. We have asked the Registrar IT [] The post SC Adjourns Plea Challenging Sonam Wangc

Udhampur, Feb 26: Jammu and Kashmir Police attached a vehicle valued at 40 lakh belonging to a habitual bovine smuggler on Thursday. The action was taken under Section 107(5) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), following orders issued by the Court of the District Mobile Magistrate in Udhampur. According to the police, the attached property is a Tata Motors Truck (LPT 2518 TC) owned by Rayees Ahmad Hajam, a resident of Anantnag. The vehicle was found to be involved [] The post J&K P

Pathankot (Punjab), Feb 26: Western Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar on Thursday said he has noted a sustained decline in militancy indicators in Jammu and Kashmir, and the situation has become very normal. Maintaining that the Army is keeping a close watch on the terror infrastructure, he said plans are being formulated to deal with it accordingly. As you have seen, all militancy parameters in Jammu and Kashmir have consistently declined. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir

JAMMU, Feb 26: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has ordered the promotion of six officers in the Jammu and Kashmir Legal (Gazetted) Service. See Order Copy Click Here See Order Copy Click Here See Order Copy Click Here The post Six Law Officers Promoted In J&K Legal (Gazetted) Service appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

New Delhi, Feb 26: Passengers can now cancel or change air tickets without paying additional charge within 48 hours of making the bookings subject to certain conditions, with aviation watchdog DGCA revising the ticket refund norms for airlines. Coming out with the amended norms that are more passenger-friendly, DGCA also said that airlines should not levy any additional charge for correction in the name of the same person when the error is pointed out by the passenger within 24 hours [] The post

United Nations/Geneva, Feb 26: Slamming Pakistan at the UN, India has said the country lives in la-la land and finds it unbelievable that Jammu and Kashmirs developmental budget is more than double the recent bailout package Islamabad sought from the IMF. Anupama Singh, First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva, exercised Indias Right of Reply on Wednesday after Pakistan raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the high-level segment of the 61st Regular [] The post J&

JERUSALEM, Feb 26: India and Israel on Thursday elevated their time-tested relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a mutually beneficial free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict. Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agric

Jammu, Feb 26: Indian Youth Congress state secretary Karandeep Singh was detained in Jammu and Kashmirs Reasi district on Thursday after he climbed atop a five-storey water tank to protest the arrest of national president Uday Bhanu Chib, officials said. Carrying a Congress flag and a banner displaying the words Modi is compromised, Singh and another youth scaled the structure and shouted slogans targeting the Centre and the prime minister. The IYC state secretary accused the Union government of

Hubballi, Feb 26: Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi produced an excellent opening spell to dismantle Karnatakas top-order as his side stayed within sniffing distance of a historic Ranji Trophy title, reducing the hosts to 220 for five here on Thursday. J&K posted 584 in their first innings and were all out on the third day. The 29-year-old tore through the Karnataka top-order with figures of 3 for 32 in 14 overs, bowling nine overs on the trot in a [] The post Nabi Triple Blow Puts J&K On Top B

Geneva, Feb 26: India remains firm and uncompromising in its opposition to terrorism in all its forms, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, asserting there can be no justification, especially when innocent lives are targeted. Confronting terrorism requires collective resolve, Jaishankar said and urged the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to advocate zero-tolerance for terrorist acts. Jaishankar was virtually addressing the High-Level Segment of the 61st session of the UNHRC on

Srinagar, Feb 26: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said peace is crucial to development, asserting that places in the Union territory that were once synonymous with conflict, are now beacons of harmony. Development requires the oxygen of peace. My governments primary objective is to provide you with a transparent, democratic, and stable environment, the chief minister said, addressing the 21st convocation of the University of Kashmir here. Referring to Pahlagam attack,

NEW DELHI, Feb 26: JSW Motors on Thursday said it has partnered with the Tata Indian Institute of Skills to establish a structured technical talent pipeline ahead of the commissioning of its manufacturing plant at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra. The collaboration marks the first step for the new energy vehicle manufacturing company of the JSW Group to build an industry-leading skilling ecosystem, one that begins at the plant floor and extends across the entire manufacturing value chain

NEW DELHI, Feb 26: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said he has held a meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and discussed ways to expand trade relationship between the two countries. Hosted US Secretary of Commerce @HowardLutnick & @USAmbIndia Sergio Gor. Engaged in very fruitful discussions to expand our trade and economic partnership, Goyal said in a social media post. The meeting holds immense importance as both coun

NEW DELHI, Feb 26: Digital payments giant PhonePe has reported strong revenue growth and sharply narrowing losses over the past three fiscal years, signalling a shift towards sustainable monetisation and operational efficiency, according to its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). Revenue from operations rose to Rs 71,14.85 crore in FY25 from Rs 2,914.28 crore in FY23, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 56.25 per cent. According to the companys DRHP, PhonePe is successfully trans

MUMBAI, Feb 26: The rupee slipped 1 paisa to settle at 90.92 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, weighed down by a rise in global crude oil prices and a firm greenback against major rivals. However, foreign fund inflows supported the local unit and prevented the decline, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.86 against the greenback and traded in a narrow range of 90.81-90.93 during the session. Eventually, it closed at 90.92 [] The post Rupee

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (US), Feb 26: Leading consumer electronics maker Samsung will democratise Artificial Intelligence technology for its smartphones as it aims to bring this feature to entry-level devices, said a company official. The company, which launched its third-generation Galaxy AI series phone S26 here, believes that artificial intelligence (AI)-powered phone is going to dominate the smartphone segment, said Samsung India, MX Business, Senior Vice President, Raju Pullan. Samsung re

MUMBAI, Feb 26: Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended almost flat after a volatile day of trading on Thursday, dragged down by HDFC Bank and other blue-chip stocks. Also, caution ahead of the USIran talks made investors stay on the sidelines. Paring morning gains, the 30-share BSE Sensex dipped marginally by 27.46 points or 0.03 per cent to settle at 82,248.61. During the day, it hit a high of 82,579.16 and a low of 81,970.47, gyrating 608.69 points. The [] The post Stock markets end f

MUMBAI, Feb 26: Food delivery and quick commerce firm Swiggy on Thursday said it has expanded its Food on Train service, in collaboration with IRCTC, to 152 stations across India in 12-month period, up from 70 stations a year-ago, driven by a rising nation-wide demand for diverse culinary options. The company also said it plans to focus on diversity by doubling down on transit hubs across India, from major junctions to regional stops like Itarsi (Madhya Pradesh), Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) [] The

MOSCOW, Feb 26: The Russian State Duma adopted an appeal to the French National Assembly, the UK House of Commons, the German Parliament, the European Parliament and the United Nations in connection with the information on the plans of Paris and London to supply nuclear weapons components to Kyiv. On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said that the UK and France are preparing to transfer nuclear weapons to Kyiv. The appeal says that State Duma deputies consider such [] The p

JAMMU, Feb 26: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has kept in abeyance its earlier order regarding the designation of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) / State School Standards Authority (SSSA) as the nodal agency for conducting the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET), officials said on Wednesday. As per Government Order No. 87-JK (Edu) of 2026 dated February 26, issued by the School Education Department, the previous Government Order No. 82-JK (Edu) of 2026 dated February 23

PYONGYANG, Feb 26: In a rare message to the US, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said Pyongyang would be willing to improve relations with the United States if Washington drops what he described as a hostile policy and acknowledges North Koreas constitutional status as a nuclear state. If the US respects the current position of our nuclear state as defined in the Constitution of the DPRK and withdraws its hostile policy toward the DPRK, there is no reason [] The post North Korea open to impro

GENEVA, Feb 26: Iran and the US prepared to meet Thursday in Geneva for nuclear negotiations viewed as a last chance for diplomacy as America has gathered a fleet of aircraft and warships to the Middle East to pressure Tehran into a deal. US President Donald Trump wants a deal to constrain Irans nuclear programme, and he sees an opportunity while the country is struggling at home with growing dissent following nationwide protests last month. Iran, meanwhile, has maintained it [] The post US, Ira

NAIROBI, Feb 26: Police in Kenya have arrested a man named in the alleged scheme that duped Kenyans with promises of skilled work in Russia, only for them to end up on the front lines of the fighting in Ukraine. Festus Omwamba was arrested on suspicion of human trafficking in the northern Kenyan town of Moyale, near the border with Ethiopia, and will be transported to the capital, Nairobi. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri said Omwamba was fleeing after returning from [] The post Kenyan police