Dehradun Diary | CM lauds Almora star Lakshya Sens triumphs

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami personally called badminton sensation Lakshya Sen, hailing his victory at the Australian Open Super 500. Sen, a native of Almora, was lauded by the CM for bringing glory to both Uttarakhand and the nation. Lakshyas hard work and dedication are an inspiration to our youth, Dhami stated. He emphasised that the win proves every difficult goal can be achieved through discipline and hard work. CM Dhami wished the champion a bright future, anticipating continued global success for the Devbhoomi star. Lakshya, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, had last won a Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024. Vlogger Sourav Joshi seeks security cover Haldwanis prominent YouTuber and vlogger Sourav Joshi, known for his massive following of 3.75 crore subscribers, has formally requested police protection in the run-up to his wedding. Sources indicate that the police have already activated their intelligence network in anticipation of potential trouble. Surveillance is being set up around the wedding venue to monitor any suspicious activity. Joshi, who faced an alleged `5 crore extortion threat last September involving gangster Himanshu Bhau, is set to marry Avantika Bhatt, a resident of Haldwani, soon. To avoid any untoward incident, family members recently met with police officials. Noted Dehradun city qazi passes away at 74 Dehradun is mourning the sudden demise of its long-serving city qazi, Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Qasmi, who passed away on Saturday evening at 74. The veteran cleric, who served for 44 years since 1981, collapsed while attending a wedding in Najibabad. Despite being rushed to the hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. A massive crowd gathered for his funeral prayers in Dehradun on Sunday. His passing is a huge loss for the entire community, remarked Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana. Qazi Qasmi had led his final Friday prayers in Dehradun just a day prior. Narendra Sethi Our correspondent in Uttarakhand narendrasethi@newindianexpress.com