Isak nets double and Barcola debuts in Liverpools first win of season under new coach
He has to contribute towards the collective, and knowing when everyone helps, after the goals and assists will come, said Andoni Iraola on Alexander Isak
Ten questions students must ask before building a career in Marketing
Tips for students to understand the evolving field of Marketing
Cant ask mosquitoes not to bite: Bengal Ministers remark sparks criticism
There has been an outbreak of vector borne disease particularly dengue in West Bengal with over 4000 cases of dengue infection being reported and seven deaths over the past few weeks.
Netflix unveils release date of Lust Stories 3
The anthology film returns with four new stories from Vikramaditya Motwane, Kiran Rao, Shakun Batra and Vishal Bhardwaj
Ganga breaches highest flood mark at Patnas Gandhi Ghat
The forecast is that the Ganga water level at Gandhi Ghat is likely to rise further to 50.62 cm by 8 a.m. on September 6. People have been advised to exercise caution
ED arrests two in 40-crore HashPe cryptocurrency fraud
Official Pipping Ceremony of officer cadets held at OTA Chennai
Watch the emotional and proud moments of newly commissioned officers during the Pipping Ceremony at the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. After months of grueling training, these brave gentleman and lady cadets finally receive their stars, officially stepping into the Indian Army as Lieutenants.
Dont teach a restless class; steer it
With Teachers Day just past, an educator reflects on how restlessness among students is not a barrier to learning but an invitation to rethink how learning happens
Heroin worth 9 lakh seized, West Bengal native held in Hyderabad
Nepal flash floods: Death toll rises to 1,344
According to the data released by the Nepal Police, a total of 843 bodies have been successfully recovered, consisting of 758 adults and 85 children
DMK president M.K. Stalin alleges political motive behind DVAC raids on K.N. Nehru
This day, that age, and a few memories
On September 3, 1976,The Hindubegan printing its Hyderabad edition from a new office at Begumpet, introducing modern offset technology to the city. People who were part of the initial team recollect the excitement, challenges and camaraderie behind the launch
Lindsay Clancy trial ends in mistrial over deaths of three children
A U.S. judge declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the case of Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of killing her three young children in Massachusetts in 2023
Case filed against MLA Ramya Haridas, 15 Congress workers in Keralam after violent scuffle
With both sides trading allegations against each other, the police seem to be treading cautiously on the matter, as there are now allegations and counter-allegations that both groups beat each other up
PM Modi suggests that children can reduce excessive screen time by developing interests in sports, physical games, and creative activities during a meeting with 82 teachers and educators
Delhi sees showers; minimum temp drops to 24.8C
Light to moderate rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of speed 30-40 kmph, is likely across Delhi, said an IMD official
Cyberabad police seek driving licence cancellation of Anand Sais son in fatal Khajaguda crash
Cyberabad police seek driving licence cancellation of Anand Sais son in fatal Khajaguda crash
According to Police Inspector Manojkumar Mane, the accused allegedly conspired to extort money in the name of a Mathadi workers union and attacked 27-year-old Nadim Nasrudin Sheikh, who belonged to another faction of the Mathadi workers union
According to Police Inspector Manojkumar Mane, the accused allegedly conspired to extort money in the name of a Mathadi workers union and attacked 27-year-old Nadim Nasrudin Sheikh, who belonged to another faction of the Mathadi workers union
NIA team visits Army camp amid probe into missing firearms
NIA team visits Army camp amid probe into missing firearms
Williams sisters U.S. Open comeback ends in first-round defeat
The Williams sisters return to the U.S. Open ended in a first-round defeat, but their comeback became a celebration of their enduring legacy as fans welcomed the tennis icons back to Flushing Meadows.
DVAC conducts raid at former minister K.N. Nehrus residence
Coimbatores Radio Room pairs benne dosas with classic cocktails
To all well-wishers on Teachers Day, this is a letter from a teacher
Five questions from a school teacher for the readers to ponder upon
Elon Musks xAIloses court bid to block Minnesota's AInudification ban
Musks Grok AI chatbot has faced criticism over its creation of sexually explicit content
Keralam CM, Cabinet to skip press interaction at IIM Kozhikode citing tight schedule, security
Thrissur Road Accident: 8 Killed After Car Rams Into Parked Lorry on NH 66
Eight people were killed in a horrific road accident on National Highway 66 in Keralas Thrissur district late Friday night.
Anthropic IPO launch shifts toward mid-October, sources say
The artificial intelligence company had been expected to make its IPO prospectus public as early as next week, two of the people said
Thousands of OpenAI AI agents took over German website, researchers say
The agents, AI programmes that work on their own, without a person guiding each step, left about 18,000 messages on DSEwiki, a German site for programmers
Paulo Freires pedagogy to read the word and the world
The Brazilian educators problem-posing approach reinvented adult literacy programmes around the world.
Dil Chahta Hai at 25: How Farhan Akhtars breezy style created a new Bollywood coolth
Two and a half decades after its release, the fashion style and visual aesthetic of 'Dil Chahta Hai continue to evoke the same warmth. The films hairstylist, Avan Contractor, and set designer, Suzanne Caplan Merwanji, weigh in on how their creative choices gave the film a distinctive look
Ludhiana Women Break Tradition, Shoulder Mother-In-Law's Bier
Two daughters-in-law in Ludhiana carried their mother-in-law's bier.
Apple faces 2 billion lawsuit in UK over app privacy feature
The claim, filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal by law firm Hausfeld, centres on Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) system
Indian national charged with drug trafficking, possessing illegal arms in U.S.
If convicted, 50-year-old Kawal Preet Singh faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, plus a fine of up to $10 million, for drug trafficking.
U.S., China gear up for mid-September AI safety talks
The final agenda and participants remain in flux, the sources cautioned.
Here is a select list of stories to start the day
Craftpreneur 2026 brings 20 Indian craft brands to Chennai after a six-year break
The Crafts Council of Indias Craftpreneur 2026 returns with 20 brands showcasing contemporary clothing, textiles, home dcor and accessories rooted in traditional crafts and artisan communities across India
Sabyasachi saw a sarcophagus and made a cuff
Finding inspiration in Byzantine objects for his debut collaboration with The Met, Sabyasachi turns a sarcophagus into a cuff
Madanapalle weavers fight to keep their heritage alive amid economic hardship, fading tradition
For generations, weaving has been a way of life for this town that is celebrated as a handloom and silk saree hub. But, declining returns, health concerns, fewer younger people willing to pursue this craft, and competition from power looms are making it difficult for the traditional weaving community to keep the craft alive and earn their livelihood
U.S. Judge again blocks Postal Services mail-in voting restrictions
The immediate deadlines demanded by the Postal Services rule would create chaos for groups that provide information about how to vote, the Judge said
Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar on America America 2: Can it beat the classic?
Veteran Kannada filmmaker Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar opens up on his upcoming movie America America 2, a spiritual sequel to his 1997 blockbuster.
Teachers Day : Make classrooms engaging, interactive spaces: LG Sinha
Srinagar, Sep 04: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday extended his heartiest greetings to the teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day, which isbeingcelebrated on September 5. In his message, the Lieutenant Governor said, Heartiest greetings and best wishes to the teachers on the occasion of Teachers Day. I offer my humble tributes to the great educationist, philosopher, and former President of India, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Ji, on his Janm-Jayanti. His exemplary life and visionary work continue to be a guiding light for generations to come. The LG said Teachers' Day provides an auspicious occasion to expressour profound gratitude for the continuous commitment of educatorsto human advancement. Teachers are true nation-builders and changemakers. By sparking curiosity and breaking down barriers, they shape young minds and help students grow into creative and compassionate leaders, Sinha said. He urged teachers to celebrate every students unique quality and make their classrooms engaging and interactive spaces. On this day, let us strengthen our resolve to provide quality education for all and work together to build a Developed India by 2047, the LG said.
What will happen to your familys memories when you are gone?
From family photographs and heirlooms to oral histories and digital memories, personal archives are helping people preserve family history and document everyday lives. We explore why people are creating personal archives, what is worth preserving, and how you can get started on your own
Medical interns meet Health Minister, refuse to end strike
Srinagar, Sep 04: A delegation of intern doctors from across Jammu and Kashmiron Friday met Health Minister Sakeena Itoo in Srinagarto discuss their long-pending demand forenhancement of themonthly internship stipend. However, following the meeting, the protesting medical interns refused to call off their strike, which entered its fifth day on Friday. The interns have been on strike since August 31, demanding a revision of the stipendbeingpaid to interns in medical colleges across the UT. The delegation included Dr Tasaduk, Dr Akib, Dr Shahnawaz, Dr Faraz, Dr Danish, Dr Aiman, Dr Zamin and Dr Tanish Mansotra from Jammu, who met the Health Minister. The delegationput forth their demands before the Minister and apprised her of the difficulties being faced by interns due to what they described as theinadequate stipend. According to the protesting interns, the Health Minister sought onemonths timeto address the issue. However, the delegation rejected the proposed timeframe and decided to continue the strike. The interns said they would not call off their protest until the government issues a formal order announcing the enhancement of the stipend. They maintained that their peaceful protest would continue until the proposed hike is formally approved and notified through a written Government Order. Dr Mohammad Momin Khan, AIMSA State In-Charge, reiterated that there would be no compromise on the demand and that the protest would be called off only after the stipend hike is formally approved. The protesting interns also expressed dissatisfaction with the governments handling of the matter,alleging that they had repeatedly been told thatthe file was under process but that no concrete decision had been taken so far. According to representations submitted by student associations, the issue dates back several years. In October 2025, the proposal forenhancement ofthe internship stipend was approved at the Health and Medical Education level and forwarded to the Finance Department. The issue was also raised in the J&K Legislative Assembly in February 2026. The government had acknowledged that a committee constituted in 2023 recommended enhancement of the stipend, while the proposal was still awaiting the required financial concurrence. Doctors associations and medical bodies across J&K have expressed concern over the low stipend and demanded its enhancement, describing interns as an indispensable part of the public healthcare system.
Solar Parks in J&K: Lands identified, feasibility check underway
Srinagar, Sep 04: Jammu and Kashmir has stepped up efforts to identify large tracts of land for setting up large-scale solarparks, with potential sitesbeing examined in Jammu, Samba, Poonch and other districts as the administration assesses their connectivity to the power grid and suitability for large-scale generation. The Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) has initiated the process of identifying sizeable land parcels for setting up utility-scale solar parks across the Union Territory. An official from JAKEDA informed Rising Kashmir that the agency has written to Deputy Commissioners (DCs) in multiple districts tofacilitateidentification of large and suitable patches of land fordevelopment ofsolar parks, also known as utility-scale solar parks. Lands have been identified at several places, and theirfeasibility is being checked. We have written to the Deputy Commissioners of multiple districts to help identify more sizeable land patches, the official said. The officialsaid the suitability of the land would depend on several factors, including availability of power infrastructure, proximity to grid stations, road connectivity and orientation of the land. The availability of a nearby grid station, road access and other transformation infrastructure are important considerations. The land should also be south-facing for a utility-scale solar project, the official said. He informed thatland parcels have been identified in areas including Akhnoor, the Jammu belt, Samba and Poonch, while the feasibility assessment of these sites is in progress. The land requirement for such projectswassubstantial, with approximately 3540 kanals required per MW of installed capacity, he said. Many lands have been identified so far, but feasibilityhas tobe checked before any site can be considered suitable for a solar park, the official said. JAKEDA is also exploring possibilities for identifying land parcels in Kashmir. However, the official said some of the smaller patches identified in Budgam may not be suitable for a utility-scale solar parkbecause ofthe requirement for a contiguous and sufficiently large land parcel. If we come up with a small project, it wont be fruitful. For a utility-scale solar park, we need sizeable and suitable land, the official said. The agency is simultaneously looking at the possibility of smaller decentralised solar projects under emerging government schemes. The official said some components of schemes likely to be introduced, including PM KUSUM 2.0, could provide opportunities for farmers to establish smaller solar projects. Some ministry schemes are likely to be launched, and components of these schemes may provide relief. Farmers could potentially establish small projects of around one MW, which can helpin promotingsolar generation on smaller land parcels, the official said. The ongoing exercise is aimed at determining the technical and logistical feasibility of sites before any final decision is taken on the establishment of utility-scale solar parks in J&K. A few months ago, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo reviewed the feasibility of establishing a large-scale Solar Park in Jammu & Kashmir under the Ministry of New & Renewable Energys (MNRE) Solar Park Scheme and directed the divisional administrations to expedite the identification of suitable, encumbrance-free land parcels for the project. Taking a district-wise review, the Chief Secretary had stressed the importance of identifying sizeable land patches that are not earmarked for other developmental works and can be swiftly transferred for establishing clean energy infrastructure in the UT.
Summer heat loosens grip as Gulmarg dips to 6.2C
Srinagar, Sep 04: The summer heat appears to be slowly loosening its grip over Jammu & Kashmir, with Gulmarg recording a minimum temperature of 6.2C on Friday, offering a clear sign of the regions gradual transition towards autumn. Independent weatherman Faizan Arif said the temperature was the lowest recorded in Gulmarg since May 15 this year, describing the sharp fall in night-time temperatures as an early indication that the prolonged summer warmth is beginning to retreat. However, the dip does not mean that Jammu and Kashmir has completely moved out of the summer season. Above-normal temperatures could still occur in the days ahead, but the overall trend is expected to gradually shift towards less hot and humid daytime conditions. The change is particularly noticeable in the higher reaches, where nights have begun turning distinctly cooler and mornings are carrying a sharper chill. Climate expert Dr Touseef Bhat said falling night temperatures are an important indicator of seasonal transition, although they should not be interpreted as an abrupt end to summer. Night temperatures generally respond to seasonal changes earlier than daytime temperatures. The fall being recorded in places like Gulmarg indicates that the transition towards autumn has started, Bhat said. He, however, cautioned that warmer spells could continue in the coming days. Jammu and Kashmir can still witness above-normal temperatures. A few warm days do not mean that the seasonal transition has reversed; what matters is the broader trend over a longer period, he said. According to Arif, the gradual decline in night temperatures is likely to become more evident as the region moves deeper into September, with higher-altitude areas experiencing the seasonal shift first. For Kashmir, the changing temperatures mark the beginning of a familiar annual transformation. The intensity of summer gradually softens, evenings become cooler and the landscape begins its slow journey towards the golden hues of autumn. For now, summer is not entirely over, and warm afternoons may persist. But Gulmargs 6.2C morning chill is a clear reminder that the season is turningwith autumn quietly beginning to knock on Kashmirs door.
Trump calls Iran conflict 'small potatoes', says he agrees with Vance that it's not 'war'
I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing, said U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance
24 injured as bus rams toll plaza pillar at Kumbalam
India in continuous touch with Ukraine and Russia to help end the conflict: Jaishankar
Jaishankar, who arrived in Warsaw from Kyiv where he held talks with top Ukrainian leadership on Thursday, made the remarks after he met Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski
Eight killed as car rams parked lorry on NH 66 in Thrissur
Seven die on the spot; another succumbs in hospital after late-night crash at Panampikkunnu near Kaipamangalam
Teachers Day : Kulgam teacher spends holidays, own money to improve school infrastructure
Kulgam, Sep 04: As Kashmir prepares to mark Teachers Day on Saturday, a government school teacher in Kulgam is spending his holidays working to improve the school where he has taught for more than a decade. Muzafer Ahmad Lone, who teaches at Government Primary School Ganaie Mohalla Pariwan, recently hired painters and spent thousands of rupees from his own pocket to repair and repaint the school building. Lone said the painting work was only one part of his efforts to support the school. Over the years, he has spent thousands of rupees on various school-related needs and has also coordinated contributions from colleagues whenever additional requirements arose. This is what I do on holidays, Lone told Rising Kashmir. The school was established in 2011 with 10 students and now has more than 100, according to school records. The students currently share three rooms, which serve as classrooms as well as space for the office, library, laboratory and sports store. More than 54 children study in one of the rooms. As enrolment grew, Lone and his colleagues stepped in to meet some of the schools additional requirements. His efforts have also extended to strengthening engagement with parents and the local community, including encouraging mothers to participate in school meetings and helping provide learning materials to children who need additional support. Lone credited his colleagues for their cooperation, particularly Abdul Hamid Ganie, Sabzar Ahmad Raina, Shakeel Ahmad Mir and Sabina Rehman. With training in modern teaching methods, Lone has introduced puppetry, project-based learning and ICT tools in the classroom to keep students engaged despite the limited space. His work extends beyond his own school as well. Lone said he has served as a District Resource Person at DIET Kulgam, DIET Shopian and DIET Banihal, supporting teacher training and mentoring programmes. Lone's work with teachers has included ICT integration, competency-based teaching, project-based learning, assessment, classroom management, lesson planning andthe use ofteaching-learning materials. If one teacher improves his or her practice, the impact reaches dozens of children. That is why I believe teachers should learn from one another and keep growing, he said. Lone said the confidence of teachers in the school was also reflected in their decision to enrol their own children there. Our teachers confidence in the quality of education here is evident by their decision to enrol their own children in the school, he said. Parents realised that packed classrooms wont yield good results. Students have also joined Lone while he works on the school building. Even students join me after seeing me do such jobs, he said. Parents, however, say the schools infrastructure remains a concern. Sheeraz Ahmad, a resident of Pariwan, told Rising Kashmir that his two wards, Arzaan Sheeraz, 4, and Arhaan Sheeraz, 7, study at the school. He said he was satisfied with the teaching but disappointed with the infrastructure, adding that the limited number of rooms means students have to be accommodated in crowded spaces. I do not want to take my wards out of the government school, but if the infrastructure is not upgraded in future, I may have to consider it, he said. For Lone, the work goes beyond maintaining the school building. It includes supporting fellow teachers, mentoring educators, engaging parents and finding new ways to make learning more practical for children.
A BIT of a reset, with a wider debate
Revising Indias bilateral investment treaty (BIT) requires consultation and stronger democratic accountability
Warning on warming: On the UNEP report, Limiting Overshoot
India must shed its victim mindset while acting on climate change
Congress MLA Ramya Haridas hospitalised after late-night fracas at party colleagues house
According to the Chirayankeezhu police, the fracas occurred at the house of a local Congress worker. They said Ms. Haridas and her private secretary Palayam Pradeep had visited the party workers house around 11 p.m.
Haj-2027 inspector exam rescheduled
Srinagar, Sep 4: The Haj Committee of India (HCoI) has rescheduled the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the selection of State Haj Inspectors for Haj-2027 (1448 H) to September 13. According to a circular issued by the HCoI, the examination, earlier scheduled for September 6, will now be conducted from 11 am to 1 pm on September 13. The candidates will have to complete the login and verification process between 10:10 am and 11 am, with no login being permitted after 11 am. The HCoI has also announced a mock test to familiarise candidates with the examination process. The mock test will be available from 3 pm on September 10 to 5 pm on September 11 and candidates have been advised to attempt it within the specified period. Both the mock test and the actual CBT will be conducted online in human-proctored mode. Candidates can appear from any suitable location, including their homes or offices, but must use a desktop computer or laptop equipped with a webcam and microphone. The Committee said login credentials, detailed system requirements, the test URL and instructions for both the mock test and CBT would be communicated to eligible candidates through their registered email IDs. SMS notifications would also be sent to their registered mobile numbers. The HCoI has asked all State and Union Territory Haj Committees to give wide publicity to the revised schedule so that all eligible candidates are duly informed and adequately prepared. The selection process for State Haj Inspectors is part of the preparations for Haj-2027. The HCI had invited applications from eligible permanent government employees for the posts through its August 11 circular.
Delhi SIR: notices for over 33 lakh people to be issued only in English
Junk food banned in Jammu schools
Jammu: The Directorate of School Education, Jammu (DSEJ) has directed all Government and Private Recognised Schools, coaching centres/institutes and other educational institutions to prohibit the sale, consumption and promotion of junk food and high-fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food products on their premises. The directions were issued through a circular with the objective of safeguarding the health, nutrition and well-being of children and promoting healthy dietary practices. As per the circular, schools and educational institutions shall not sell, serve, distribute or permit the consumption of prohibited HFSS/junk food on their premises. The list includes carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages, chocolates and confectionery, instant/packaged noodles, pizza, burgers and similar fast-food preparations, chips and packaged fried snacks, packaged salted/sugary snacks and deep-fried foods of low nutritional value, besides other food products identified as HFSS or otherwise restricted under applicable provisions. The Directorate has also prohibited vendors, food business operators, shopkeepers, contractors and other commercial establishments from selling or offering such prohibited food products to school children within 50 metres of the school gate, in any direction. Schools and coaching centres have further been directed to prevent advertisements, publicity, branding, sponsorships and promotional material relating to HFSS and junk-food products. Posters, banners, displays, product logos and other promotional material found on institutional premises are to be removed immediately. The circular also calls for schools to promote safe, nutritious and balanced diets by encouraging the availability and consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses, milk and dairy products, nutritious millets and other healthy foods. Safe drinking water is to be promoted as an alternative to unhealthy and sugar-sweetened beverages. Educational institutions have been asked to organise awareness and sensitisation programmes involving students, parents, teachers, food vendors and other stakeholders regarding healthy dietary practices and the harmful effects of excessive consumption of HFSS/junk food. For enforcement, every school, coaching centre and educational institution has been directed to designate a responsible person for monitoring compliance. Canteens, tuck shops and food outlets are to be regularly inspected to ensure that prohibited food items are neither stored nor sold. The circular places responsibility on Cluster Heads, Zonal Education Officers and heads of educational institutions for strict implementation. Chief Education Officers have been directed to supervise implementation in their respective districts and submit periodic compliance reports to the Directorate. The directions have been issued with reference to the Food Safety and Standards (Safe Food and Balanced Diets for Children in School) Regulations, 2020, aimed at creating a healthier food environment for children.
Ladakh Apex Body defers KargilLeh padyatra
Leh, Sep 4: The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has decided to postpone the proposed KargilLeh Padyatra, which was scheduled to begin on September 10, following the announcement of a sub-committee level meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi on September 9 to discuss the pending issues concerning Ladakh. Addressing a press conference LAB Members along with Sonam Wangchuk said the decision to defer the foot march was taken in view of the scheduled talks, as the dialogue would take place just a day before the proposed padyatra was to commence. Wangchuk said the leadership had decided to wait for the outcome of the September 9 meeting before announcing the next course of action. If the conversation on the 9th in Delhi is very good, then we may not need to hold too many programmes. But if the talks fail or no concrete results emerge, we will decide our next course of action, he said. He said the padyatra would be rescheduled, with plans being considered to organise it over a shorter period and from different directions rather than continuing with the earlier two-week schedule. Wangchuk said that if the talks fail to produce a constructive and result-oriented outcome, people from across the country would again be invited to extend their support to Ladakhs demands, particularly those concerning the regions environment and constitutional safeguards. The LAB said it had received an announcement from the Home Ministry that a meeting between the Apex Body and Kargil-based representatives with the sub-committee would be held in Delhi on September 9, with officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs participating in the deliberations. We welcome this meeting, but we do not know what the result will be, Wangchuk said, adding that the leadership would welcome any constructive approach that leads to concrete progress on the issues being raised by the people of Ladakh. KDA had earlier backed padyatra, The development comes a day after the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) announced its support for the proposed KargilLeh Padyatra, which was scheduled from September 10 to September 24. Social activist Sandeep Pandey and KDA co-chairman Sajjad Kargili were slated to lead the foot march. The alliance had also said that all necessary efforts would be made to ensure that the entire journey remained peaceful and disciplined.
Kashmir heritage films feature in IFFJK 2026 line-up
Srinagar, Sep 4: Three short documentaries from renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Bharatbalas Virtual Bharat series have been selected for screening at the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) 2026, scheduled to be held from September 7 to 10 across Srinagar, Jammu and Gulmarg. Naqsh-e-Daur: The Story of Ghulam Nabi Dar and Taleem have been selected for the J&K Select Competition Section, while Kunemechi: A Home Carved in Ancestry will be screened in the Non-Competition Section. Naqsh-e-Daur tells the story of Srinagar-based master craftsman Ghulam Nabi Dar, who has spent six decades carving Kashmirs history into walnut wood. Trained under Noor Din Tikoo, Dar has preserved traditional chinar motifs and Quranic calligraphy despite industrialisation and conflict. The documentary also highlights his efforts to mentor young artisans and pass the centuries-old craft to the next generation. Taleem explores Kashmirs traditional carpet-weaving heritage and the centuries-old oral tradition that guides artisans in creating intricate silk and wool carpets. The film captures the various stages of carpet production, from spinning and dyeing to weaving and finishing, highlighting the skill, teamwork and cultural significance associated with the craft. Kunemechi: A Home Carved in Ancestry, set in Dimapur, Nagaland, follows Phesao, who builds a house by hand while blending inherited Naga woodcarving traditions with formal training from the JJ School of Arts. The film portrays his efforts to preserve traditional construction practices and pass the craft on to his children. The IFFJK 2026, organised by the Jammu & Kashmir governments Department of Information and Public Relations, is being billed as the Union Territorys first international film festival. The festival received more than 1,100 entries from over 50 countries, of which 135 films from 41 countries have been shortlisted for screening. A five-member international jury comprising cinematographer-director Santosh Sivan, Oscar- and BAFTA-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, German film curator Dorothee Wenner, media entrepreneur Keiko Bang and National Award-winning filmmaker-educator Himansu Sekhar Khatua will assess films across the international, national and J&K-focused competition sections. Screenings will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) and INOX Multiplex in Srinagar, Movie Time Cinemas in Jammu, and the Gulmarg Convention Centre. The festival will also feature an Emerging Filmmakers Contest aimed at promoting local talent and encouraging filmmaking, cultural exchange and film tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. Virtual Bharat is a short documentary series created by filmmaker Bharatbala and launched on August 15, 2019. The project aims to document Indias untold stories, traditions, art, folklore and the lives of people from different communities across the country.
Janmashtami tradition returns to Ganderbal's Nunnar
Ganderbal, Sep 4: Janmashtami celebrations in Nunnar area of central Kashmirs Ganderbal district turned into a vibrant display of faith, brotherhood and communal harmony, as members of Hindu and Muslim communities came together for a traditional Krishna Janki procession. The procession was taken out from the Videshwar Temple and culminated at the Devraj Bhirav Temple, with devotees, local residents and children participating in the celebrations marking the birth of Lord Krishna. Residents said the procession revived an old tradition that was celebrated in the area before 1990 but remained disrupted for decades. According to participants, the Krishna Janki procession has been organised again for the past four years, helping restore a cultural practice rooted in the areas shared social fabric. Veerji Raina, a participant, said Janmashtami carries a message of peace, righteousness and coexistence. Referring to the teachings of Lord Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita, he said people should respect all faiths and live together peacefully. Lord Krishna has always taught us to respect every faith and live together. We should follow his teachings and maintain peace and harmony among ourselves, Raina said. He said the revival of the procession had acquired greater significance because of the participation of local Muslims. Last year, the Janki procession began from Vandhama, while this year it was taken out from the Vishweshwar Temple towards the Devraj Temple. Varma, a resident of Beehama, said the celebrations reflected Kashmirs traditional culture of communities participating in each others religious and social occasions. The atmosphere is very joyful. Hindus and Muslims have gathered together and are celebrating. While taking out the Janki, I saw local Muslims standing along the route and participating with us, he said. Varma also recalled an emotional moment during the procession when an elderly Muslim resident spoke about the past and remembered a time when people from different communities would gather in large numbers during such celebrations. For participants, such moments offered a reminder of the neighbourhood bonds and shared traditions that once characterised social life in the area. Jaleel Kumar Dara said the celebrations were aimed at restoring the atmosphere of communal participation that existed before 1990. He said the Janki tradition was revived in 2023 and has continued since then. We want to continue this tradition and bring back the same atmosphere that existed earlier, when our Muslim brothers, neighbours and local residents used to participate in the celebrations, Dara said. He said this years procession saw the participation of Kashmiri Pandits, students, local residents and people from different communities. He stressed the importance of respecting different faiths and traditions and passing the values of coexistence to the younger generation. Local Muslim residents also welcomed the celebrations, describing the gathering as a symbol of brotherhood and mutual respect. One local participant said he had not witnessed such an atmosphere in the area since his childhood and found it encouraging to see Kashmiri Pandits taking out the Janki while local Muslims stood alongside them. If they need anything, we are standing with them, he said. Participants said the teachings associated with Lord Krishna and the Bhagavad Gita have a wider message of righteousness, peace, respect and social harmony. They said such values could help strengthen mutual understanding among communities. The celebrations in Nunnar therefore went beyond a religious observance, emerging as an effort to revive a shared cultural tradition and reinforce bonds between communities. For local residents, the return of the Krishna Janki procession represents both the revival of a pre-1990 tradition and a reaffirmation of Kashmirs enduring traditions of communal participation and coexistence.
The incident involving IndiGo flight 6E 225 at Srinagar Airport on Friday morning, though thankfully not resulting in any injuries, is a reminder that aviation safety cannot be taken for granted. The aircraft reportedly came into contact with a VDGS pole while being positioned at Bay No. 06, a momentary lapse that, in another context, could have turned into a far more serious situation. The fact that all passengers and crew remained safe is reassuring, but reassurance alone is not enough. What matters now is a thorough, transparent inquiry and a serious reassessment of ground handling protocols. Modern airports are expected to operate with precision, discipline and the highest standards of coordination. Even a minor incident on the tarmac raises important questions about operational safeguards, situational awareness and the readiness of those entrusted with ensuring safe movement of aircraft. While the airport authorities have stated that normal operations continued and that the matter will be examined as per prescribed procedure, the public would expect nothing less than a clear accounting of what went wrong and how such a lapse can be prevented in future. It would be premature to jump to conclusions or assign blame before the inquiry is complete. Aviation incidents must be assessed on facts, technical evidence and established procedure, not speculation. Yet, prudence demands that every such event be treated seriously, however minor it may appear. In air travel, the margin for error is too small to allow for casual explanations. A contact with a stationary airport structure during parking may not have caused harm this time, but it indicates a need to revisit training, supervision and compliance at the ground level. Srinagar Airport has become an increasingly important gateway for the region, and with rising flight operations comes greater responsibility. The airport must ensure that infrastructure, equipment and human oversight all work in tandem. Any weakness in that chain can undermine confidence among passengers and expose the system to avoidable risk. The prompt deboarding of passengers and the continuation of normal operations were appropriate immediate responses, but the larger lesson lies in prevention rather than response. This incident should therefore serve as a wake-up call. The authorities concerned must not stop at noting that everyone is safe. They must identify the cause, fix the fault and restore confidence through visible corrective action. In aviation, safety is not measured by the absence of disaster alone; it is measured by the consistency of vigilance that prevents disaster from occurring in the first place.
J&Ks Literacy Milestone, and What Comes Next
Jammu and Kashmirs declaration as a Fully Literate Union Territory is a moment of genuine pride, not merely for the education department, but for the people of the region as a whole. A literacy rate of 98.43 percent under the ULLAS-NBSK programme is no small feat. It reflects years of persistent effort, institutional commitment, and, most importantly, the quiet dedication of teachers, volunteers, officers and learners who helped carry education to communities across the Union Territory. Education Minister Sakeena Itoo was right to call the achievement historic. Literacy is not just a statistical marker. It is a social transformation. It is the difference between exclusion and participation, between dependence and agency, between being spoken for and speaking for oneself. When a government says nearly every citizen can read and write, it is also saying that a wider circle of people can now engage more meaningfully with governance, information, rights and aspirations. Yet milestones like this deserve both applause and scrutiny. Literacy, after all, is the foundation, not the destination. A literate society can still struggle with poor learning outcomes, weak critical thinking, digital divides and unequal access to quality education. The real challenge for Jammu and Kashmir now is to convert this symbolic success into a deeper educational culture one that ensures children do not merely enter classrooms, but stay there, thrive there and emerge equipped for the demands of a changing world. That means focusing attention on learning quality, school infrastructure, teacher training, and the long-term needs of rural and remote areas where access often remains fragile. It also means asking whether literacy has been achieved evenly across gender, geography and socio-economic background. For a state that has made education a pillar of progress, the next phase must be about inclusion with substance, not celebration alone. Educational gains of this scale do not happen in isolation. They require political will, administrative follow-through and a shared public belief that education is central to dignity and development. If that commitment is sustained, the current achievement can become a launchpad for broader reforms in higher learning, skill development and employability. Most importantly, the language used to frame this achievement peace, progress, dignity, equality and prosperity is the right one. Education is not merely a departmental target. It is a public good that shapes the moral and economic future of society. A fully literate Jammu and Kashmir should now strive to become a fully empowered one. This is a day to celebrate. But it is also a day to renew the promise that literacy will lead not only to reading and writing, but to confidence, competence and a more just future for all.
From Empire to Enlightenment: Dr S. Radhakrishnans IIAS
For more than many millennia, the world over has been shaped up by the architects of the societies, a.k.a the teachers. And none are more evocative in the Indian context when one visualises the likes of Dronachayra and Sage Vishwamitra or even Vashistha; the epitomes of teachers so very vividly brought out in our mythological treatises of the Mahabharata & Ramayana respectively. Year after year, on 05th September, India pauses to celebrate its teachers. There are speeches, flowers, felicitations, photographs, and familiar words about the sacredness of the teaching profession. Yet somewhere between the ceremonial applause and the obligatory greetings, we often miss the larger question: What exactly is a teacher expected to give to a society? At the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS), Shimla, that question carries a special resonance. For IIAS is not merely another academic institution; it is, in many ways, the physical embodiment of an extraordinary idea associated with Dr S. Radhakrishnan the philosopher, teacher and former President of India whose birthday became Teachers Day. All on his own insistence to the countrymen. Deeply against ostentation both in his public and private life, his directives to the countrymen were very straightforward do not observe my birthday as a special occasion, but convert the same into a national celebration marked for the architects of the society; and hence came up Teachers Day . The idea of penning down this article of mine is not the usual eulogising of the architects of the society on Teachers Day. Albeit it is to highlight the second presidents lifelong commitment to his first profession, i.e., the teaching community, in a more tangible manner. And that tangibility did manifest during his presidential years, when in 1963/64 he went ahead and mooted the idea of converting the centuries-old Viceregal Lodge cum Rashtrapati Nivas at Shimla into a centre of higher studies. A place where the best of brains could confluence together and confabulate on matters concerning the advancement of the society per se. It was last December that I happened to visit this imposing Gothic-era-designed sprawling building in the heart of Shimla as part of my winter sojourn in the Himalayas. It was a visit that stayed with me long after I left the erstwhile summer capital of India. There was something unusually compelling about the place. Perhaps it was the silence that seemed to belong to the building itself, punctuated, of course, with the chatter of the tourists who, like me, too had congregated at this sacred place. Or perhaps it was the realisation that these corridors, rooms and lawns had witnessed a remarkable transition from the seat of imperial authority to a sanctuary of scholarship. And as Teachers Day approaches, that thought becomes particularly relevant. The erstwhile Rashtrapati Nivas is not merely an impressive colonialera structure but much more than that. Built in the late nineteenth century as the summer residence for the viceroy of India, it was conceived as an assertion of imperial power. Yet history has a wonderful habit of giving buildings meanings that their architects never anticipated. Built between 1884 and 1888, the building was designed by British architect Henry Irwin in a distinctive Scottish/ Indo-Gothic style overlooking the entire Shimla valley. The building was the seat of British imperial government in Shimla from 1888 to 1947, housing successive viceroys including Dufferin, Curzon, Irwin, Linlithgow, Wavell and Mountbatten. After independence, this imposing symbol of colonial authority acquired an entirely different purpose. Though intermittently used as a retreat for the first citizen of the nation, it was only in 1963/64 that, under the vision of Dr S.Radhakrishnan, philosopher, educationist, and the second president of India, this imperialistic faade became synonymous with the high and mighty concerning advancements in education in the sub-continent. That transformation is perhaps the most beautiful facet of IIAS, epitomising India placing the quest for knowledge over power. Dr Radhakrishnan understood something that modern education forgets: universities and institutions of higher learning are not factories producing scholars who have scant regard for knowledge. Cast a look around in todays milieu and my above statement will stand testimony to the above truth in all its nakedness. The larger purpose of the creation of IIAS was to inculcate an environment in which the human mind could question, explore, disagree, imagine and finally discover. IIAS was conceived as a place where scholars could withdraw, think deeply and work across disciplinary boundaries. Philosophy could meet history, literature could converse with sociology, and science could encounter the humanities, thereby widening the frontiers of knowledge that were hitherto confined to the narrow labyrinthine of our myriad universities propagating mediocrity in the education sector. Walking through the corridors of IIAS is almost like walking through a maze of ideas laced with opportunities, as also crystal gazing into the future that holds a subtle chance for the humanity to leapfrog its fortunes. The grandeur of the building initially captures ones attention. The stone walls, wooden interiors (Burma teak), high ceilings, fireplaces and expensive lawns evoke another era. In particular are a few items and rooms which transport a visitor to the pre-independence era. The oval-shaped mahogany table on which Cyril Radcliffe drew the Radcliffe line partitioning the subcontinent in 1947 and the dining hall, which had hosted the last viceroy and his wife partaking in their last meal before flying back to England, are some of the memories of a bygone era in this historical building. This place has survived because its real value is not in its architecture; it is in what happens inside the mind of the person who comes here. That is where IIAS becomes particularly relevant to Teachers Day. We often speak of teachers as people who impart knowledge, but the greatest teachers do something much more difficult. They teach us to broaden our horizons and lay our focus on things we dont know already, but to look beyond that are visible to us. That is the underlying spirit of IIAS. Advanced scholarship begins where conventional answers end. Visitors like me come to IIAS expecting to see another historic building; instead, the place quietly reminds us that civilisation advances because some people refuse to accept that the existing explanation is necessary the final one. Perhaps that is why Dr Radhakrishnans association with IIAS is so significant. The institution he helped create carries something of this above-mentioned philosophy. Shimla has long attracted people seeking respite from the heat and noise of the plains. IIAS takes that physical stress and converts it into an intellectual one. Scholars come here not simply to escape the bustle of everyday life, but to find the quietude necessary for serious thought. My visit to IIAS last December therefore became more than a sightseeing experience. It became an encounter with an ideaan idea that education is ultimately about the liberation of mind. The building itself seemed to tell a different story. Power came here once; today ideas live here. That journey from authority to inquiry is perhaps a metaphor for Indias own journey. And hence my single most reason to dedicate this write-up on this Teachers Day to an offbeat subject like IIAS, and yet remaining centred around the subject as such. (The writer is a retired army officer and a regular scribe of Rising Kashmir paper. He can be approached at his emailslalotra4729@gmail.com)
Beyond the Award: Learning to See Great Teaching
There are some conversations that end when the phone call ends. Others continue long after the voice at the other end has fallen silent. A conversation I had this morning with an energetic and widely respected principal of a higher secondary school in a far-flung part of South Kashmir has stayed with me. With the Teachers Day celebration, our conversation naturally turned towards the annual ritual of recognising teachers for exemplary contribution to education. Her concern was not about any particular teacher who might be selected. Nor was it an accusation against those involved in the process. It was a more fundamental question about how we recognise excellence. How do we know who the best teacher is? It is a deceptively simple question. Every September, we celebrate teachers with ceremonies, citations, bouquets and speeches about teachers as the architects of the nation. Yet beneath the applause lies a more uncomfortable question: how does a system actually discover exceptional teaching? We have become reasonably good at celebrating teachers. We may be less accomplished at seeing them. That distinction matters. A teacher can be asked to document achievements, submit evidence, describe innovations and assemble a professional portfolio. There is nothing inherently wrong with such a process. Documentation can bring invisible work into view, create a record of professional contribution and make recognition more transparent. But teaching is an unusually difficult profession to reduce to evidence on paper. A portfolio can tell us what a teacher has done. It may demonstrate outcomes, activities and initiatives. But can it tell us what happened inside a child's mind when a teacher finally made learning possible? Who documents the teacher who stays back after school to help one child read? Who records the teacher who notices that a child has stopped participatingnot because she has become lazy, but because something is troubling her at home? Who measures the moment when a boy who has quietly accepted the label of weak student raises his hand and discovers, perhaps for the first time, that he can be right? Who records the teacher who persuades an irregular child to return to school? And who nominates the teacher who has spent years doing these things without thinking of them as achievements? Perhaps this is where our Teachers Day conversation needs to move: from recognising visible achievement to discovering invisible excellence. There is an uncomfortable paradox here. The teacher who is most accomplished at documenting excellence may not necessarily be the teacher whose classroom embodies its deepest form. Some teachers know how to prepare impressive portfolios. Some know how to present innovations attractively. Some are naturally articulate about their accomplishments. Others simply teach. They enter their classrooms, meet their children, improvise with limited resources, explain the same concept for the fourth time, encourage the hesitant, support the struggling, speak to parents, mentor younger colleagues, manage the unexpected and return the next morning to do it all again. Their finest lesson may not have a photograph. Their most consequential intervention may not have a certificate. Their most successful teaching strategy may never have been uploaded anywhere. And their greatest innovation may be something as unfashionable as patience. This becomes particularly significant in Jammu and Kashmir, where schools operate in sharply different social, geographical and institutional circumstances. A teacher in a relatively well-resourced urban school does not begin from the same starting point as a teacher working with children in a remote mountain community, a difficult geographical setting or a socially disadvantaged environment. Context matters. A child who arrives at school with books, digital access, parental support and a quiet place to study does not present the same educational challenge as a child whose learning is interrupted by economic hardship, household responsibilities, distance, irregular attendance or limited educational support at home. Yet systems sometimes compare outcomes without adequately comparing circumstances. If recognition is based predominantly on what can be conveniently documented, we risk rewarding visibility rather than impact. The most visible achievement is not always the most consequential one. This is where the Hindi film Hichki , starring Rani Mukerji, offers an illuminating metaphor. The film should not be treated as a blueprint for teacher-award systems, but its educational imagination is worth recalling. Its protagonist, Naina Mathur, lives with Tourette syndrome, whose involuntary vocal and motor tics become the hiccups through which others initially see her. Yet the deeper obstacle is not simply the neurological condition. It is the prejudice, discomfort and institutional assumptions surrounding it. The metaphor travels beyond disability. Education, too, has its hichkis . We sometimes mistake conformity for excellence. We confuse examination performance with learning. We mistake silence for discipline and compliance for engagement. We allow social privilege to masquerade as merit. We may include children physically while excluding them socially. And sometimes we recognise the teacher who presents success beautifully while overlooking the teacher who quietly creates it. The film also challenges an old educational assumption: that teaching is primarily the transmission of information. Its protagonist moves towards experiential and student-centred approaches, turning familiar surroundings and everyday experiences into opportunities for understanding. The larger proposition is powerful: perhaps children do not always need to be forced into the mould of the system; sometimes the system needs to reconsider the way it teaches them. There is another insight here that deserves to be carried into our discussion of teacher excellence. A great teacher does not merely change what a child knows. A great teacher can change what a child believes about what is possible. That is a profound educational interventionand an almost impossible one to quantify. When a child is repeatedly told, directly or indirectly, that she is weak, troublesome, incapable or destined to fail, those judgements can become part of her self-image. Expectations are not merely spoken; they are often absorbed. But the reverse can also happen. A teacher who repeatedly communicates belief in a child's capacity can alter the child's relationship with learning. Hesitation can become participation. Defensiveness can give way to curiosity. Failure can become an event rather than an identity. This is one of the least visible forms of great teaching. It may never produce an impressive spreadsheet. It may never fit neatly into an award citation. Yet it can remain with a child for decades. Can an annual award application capture such work? Perhaps partly. But probably not completely. That is why the question raised in that morning conversation deserves to become an institutional conversation. What if teacher excellence were not discovered primarily when an award cycle opened, but observed, nurtured and recognised throughout the academic year? Imagine a credible system of professional observation in which promising teachers are identified through multiple channels; their classrooms are observed; students are listened to; colleagues and school leaders are consulted; evidence of learning is examined; and the social and institutional context of the school is taken seriously. The purpose need not be surveillance. It could be accompaniment. The distinction is crucial. Observation need not mean waiting for a teacher to make a mistake. It can mean entering a classroom with the more generous question: What is this teacher doing that is helping children learn, and what can we learn from it? The teacher receives feedback. The teacher reflects. The teacher experiments. The teacher improves. And sustained evidence of such professional growth can eventually inform recognition. No system will eliminate subjectivity. Peer assessments can be biased. Student feedback can reflect popularity. Classroom observations can be imperfect. Committees can make mistakes. But that is an argument for stronger processes, not for abandoning the attempt to see excellence. A richer model could allow recommendations from several directionsteachers themselves, colleagues, school leaders, students, parents and, where appropriate, the wider community. Different forms of evidence could be considered. Most importantly, the context in which the teacher works could become part of the assessment. The teacher who transforms a difficult classroom should not disappear behind the statistics of a more advantaged setting. The teacher who helps five struggling children cross a learning threshold should not automatically appear less successful than one whose students arrived with considerable educational advantages. The teacher serving quietly in a remote school should not have to become a skilled publicist merely to become visible. And recognition should reward sustained excellence, not simply the ability to narrate excellence convincingly. This is not an argument against self-nomination. On the contrary, self-nomination can protect teachers from being overlooked by indifferent institutions. Teachers deserve the right to present their work, particularly where local hierarchies or personal biases might otherwise determine who gets noticed. The issue is not whether teachers should speak about their work. The issue is whether speaking about one's work should become the principal condition for being seen. There is a subtle danger whenever institutions begin measuring what is easiest to count. What can be photographed becomes more visible than what can only be experienced. What can be tabulated becomes more authoritative than what requires judgement. What can be narrated elegantly begins to compete with what is quietly lived. Education should be especially wary of this tendency. After all, we spend much of our professional lives telling children that learning is more important than appearance. We tell them not to judge a book by its cover. We tell them that mistakes are part of learning, that effort matters, that curiosity matters, that every learner has potential. Perhaps our systems should occasionally submit themselves to the same lesson. There is another dimension worth considering. The labels we place on teachers can become almost as limiting as the labels we place on children. Excellent teacher. Weak teacher. Outstanding school. Poor-performing school. Bright child. Slow learner. Categories are useful for administration. They become dangerous when they substitute for understanding. The wiser educational system does not merely classify. It observes, listens, understands and creates conditions for growth. That principle should shape how we recognise teachers as much as how we teach children. Perhaps the real test of a teacher-award system is therefore not simply whether it produces deserving awardees. It is whether it creates a culture in which good teaching becomes increasingly visible to the profession itself. Awards should not merely crown individuals. They should help a system learn. If a teacher has found an effective way to engage children who are habitually absent, what can other schools learn from that practice? If another has developed a simple strategy for helping struggling readers, can that knowledge travel? If a teacher in a remote school has achieved remarkable learning with very limited resources, can that experience challenge our assumptions about what educational improvement requires? The most valuable award, perhaps, is one that does not end with a certificate. It begins a conversation. And perhaps this is ultimately what dignity in teaching requiresnot only applause, but attention. Teachers are often described as nation-builders, but that grand phrase can sometimes conceal the ordinary labour through which education actually happens. A nation is not built only in policy documents or inaugural functions. It is built in classrooms where a teacher patiently explains a difficult idea; in corridors where a child is persuaded not to give up; in conversations with parents; in the decision to give one more chance to a child who has already disappointed everyone. Much of this work is mundane. That is precisely why it is easy to overlook. Great teaching does not always look spectacular while it is happening. Sometimes it looks like repetition. Sometimes it looks like waiting. Sometimes it looks like listening. Sometimes it looks like changing the lesson because the first explanation did not work. Sometimes it looks like knowing when not to teach the textbook. And sometimes it looks like remembering the name of a child whom everyone else has stopped noticing. That is why the question Who is the best teacher? may itself need to be reframed. Perhaps the better question is: What does excellent teaching look like here, in this classroom, with these children, under these circumstancesand how do we become good enough at seeing it? That question shifts the emphasis from competition to professional learning; from publicity to practice; from the award ceremony to the classroom. It also makes recognition more democratic. The best teacher may indeed be an extraordinary innovator. But she may also be the teacher who has served for years in the same remote school without publicity. He may be the teacher whose students achieve outstanding examination results. But he may equally be the teacher whose greatest achievement is persuading a child on the edge of dropping out to remain in school. She may have written an impressive portfolio. Or she may possess nothing more impressive than the enduring gratitude of generations of children. So, this September 5, let us celebrate those whose names appear on the award lists. They deserve recognition. But let us also think about those whose names never appear. The teacher in the village classroom. The teacher in the mountain school. The teacher who has no social-media presence. The teacher whose innovation has no fashionable name. The teacher whose most important achievement exists only in the changed confidence of a child. The teacher who never applied. Perhaps the answer to the question Who finds the teacher who never applies? should not be another form, another committee or another circular. Perhaps the answer should be the system itself. If we truly believe that teachers shape the future, then our institutions must become capable of seeing what teachers do when nobody is watching. Because the finest tribute to a teacher is not merely to honour a few once a year. It is to build an education system that learns how to see the teacher every day. (The author is a teacher educator and educationist from Jammu and Kashmir whose work engages with pedagogy, teacher development and educational transformation. His writings bring together classroom experience and social reflection, examining how schools, teachers and public institutions can respond more humanely and meaningfully to the changing aspirations of society)
My grandfather, Abdul Gani Parray - Abaji, spent his life as an educator, shaping young minds and serving his community. But when I think of what he has taught me, very little of that has to do with textbooks or classrooms. Around the time when most people retire and look forward to a quieter life, he endured losses and carried burdens that could very easily have broken or made him withdraw from the world. The years that should have been about rest, demanded courage, and required him to begin all over again. Many people would have allowed grief to take over. He didn't. He became a protector, a guide, a disciplinarian and, in many ways, a father figure to his grandchildren who looked to him for strength and certainty, and somehow, even through his own losses, he gave us both. There was always a home to return to - a familiar voice asking where we had been and a certainty that he had our back. Today, he sits surrounded by his great-grandchildren. For them, he is simply Abaji: the keeper of stories, the dispenser of blessings and the person whose approval matters more than they realize. They compete for his attention - massage his shoulders and argue about who did it best. They wait desperately for a word of praise, a smile, or that slightly awkward kiss of affection which doesnt come often. They know him as a normal grandparent who jokes with them, scolds them, calls them little rogues and sometimes chases after them when they get too mischievous. They don't know the whole story behind the 92-years-old remarkably resilient man. They don't have to. Because what they have seen is not his grief, but what he chose to make of it. He could have become hardened by everything life took from him. Instead, he built a family around love, laughter, discipline, faith and, most importantly, belonging. And that is what a teacher's soul is about not to stop teaching when they leave the classroom. Sometimes the lessons are in textbooks. And sometimes, the most lasting lessons are simply demonstrated through the way a person lives. Abaji taught generations of children from a classroom. But he taught us through his life what resilience looks like - to carry responsibility without making a show of it, and to endure loss without allowing it to harden you. For us, he is not simply Abdul Gani Parray. He is Abaji, and I still think of him as one of my greatest teachers, because of what he showed us by the way he lived. Happy Teacher's Day, Abaji.
The Unstoppable Saffron: Kashmirs New Political Reality
The massive public mobilisation witnessed in Srinagar during the Bharatiya Janata Partys recent protest is more than just a political demonstration. It is a powerful indication of a changing Kashmir a Kashmir where people are increasingly willing to come out, speak up and participate in the democratic process. For years, a political narrative was deliberately created that saffron could never find acceptance in Kashmir. The BJP was portrayed as untouchable in the Valley. But the recent public response has challenged that narrative. Today, the saffron is no longer untouchable. The biggest change, however, is visible among the youth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the focus in Jammu & Kashmir has increasingly shifted towards education, technology, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and opportunities for young people. The young generation that was once pushed towards stones, shutdowns and violence is increasingly aspiring for classrooms, computers, businesses, careers and a peaceful future. The transformation is not merely political; it is a transformation of aspirations. There was a time when Kashmirs youth were deliberately trapped in a narrative of conflict where a stone was presented as a weapon of political expression, and violence was normalised. Today, the aspirations of a new generation are different. They want education, employment, entrepreneurship and dignity. Official government figures have also highlighted the dramatic decline in stone-pelting and terror-related violence in recent years. The Union Government stated that there was no stone-pelting incident recorded in Kashmir in 2023 and highlighted the shift from violence towards education, technology and development. This is where Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership assumes particular significance. The most important achievement is not simply the construction of roads, buildings or institutions. The real achievement is changing the mindset of a generation. A young Kashmiri today wants to hold a laptop rather than a stone. He wants to build a business rather than participate in a shutdown. He wants to compete for opportunities rather than be used as a pawn in somebody elses political narrative. And that is precisely why the recent BJP protest carries a deeper political meaning. When ordinary people come out onto the streets and participate in a democratic protest, it demonstrates that Kashmiris are not prepared to remain silent spectators. They want accountability from their elected government, answers on unemployment, relief from rising costs and fulfilment of promises. The National Conference and other political parties may continue trying to revive old political narratives, but the ground reality is changing. Kashmir is moving from the politics of fear to the politics of aspiration. The politics of stones is giving way to the politics of education. The politics of shutdowns is giving way to the politics of development. The politics of separatist narratives is being challenged by the aspirations of a confident young generation. And the growing public acceptance of the BJP in Kashmir should be understood in this larger context. The BJP may still be described by its political opponents as an outsider in the Valley, but the people who came out and participated in the recent protest have demonstrated that political barriers are no longer as rigid as they once were. The saffron is no longer untouchable. It is becoming an increasingly visible part of Kashmirs democratic landscape. This is not the Kashmir that the old political narratives wanted to preserve. This is a Kashmir that wants peace, progress, opportunity and dignity. And at the centre of this changing story is a generation that has discovered that its future does not have to be written with stones or guns it can be written with education, enterprise, technology and hard work. That is the real transformation of New Kashmir. And that is why the political narrative in Kashmir is changing one young mind, one opportunity and one democratic voice at a time. (The author is Spokesperson, BJP J&K. Email: manzoorbhat.zee@gmail.com )
Pakistan at the crossroads: Zardaris absence, Nawazs calculations and PTIs September challenge
Pakistan appears to be entering one of the most politically consequential months in recent times. President Asif Ali Zardaris extended stay abroad, growing speculation about his political relationship with the countrys powerful establishment, Nawaz Sharifs apparent recalibration, the Pakistan Peoples Partys resistance to any division of Sindh, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs preparations for a major protest movement have together created an atmosphere of uncertainty. September could prove to be a month that determines the direction of Pakistan's politics in the months ahead. However, separating confirmed developments from political speculation remains essential. The most intriguing political development concerns President Asif Ali Zardari. Zardari left Pakistan with members of his family on August 27 for what was officially described as a private visit to Europe, and he is at present staying in London. On the surface, there was nothing unusual about the journey. Pakistani political leaders frequently travel abroad, particularly to London and Dubai, where many maintain personal, political and family connections. But the timing of Zardari's departure has generated intense speculation. Veteran political commentators publicly raised the possibility that Zardari's extended stay abroad might represent something more than an ordinary private visit. He suggested that the President could be entering a period resembling a semi-exile. There is no official indication that Zardari has left Pakistan under pressure or that he is unable to return. Nevertheless, in Pakistan's political environment, symbolism often becomes as important as official statements. Zardari's departure came at a time when the PPP appeared increasingly confrontational over reports and political discussions concerning the possible restructuring or division of the existing four provinces into 33. Almost immediately after his departure, political temperatures in Sindh rose. The Sindh Assembly had scheduled proceedings and resolutions in late August, while the PPP intensified its political messaging against any attempt to divide the province. Civil society groups, lawyers and political workers also became increasingly active. PPP leaders, including Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other senior figures, adopted a firm position against any attempt to redraw Sindh's political boundaries. The question being asked in political circles is simple: Was the timing merely coincidental, or was Zardari's foreign visit part of a larger political calculation? The present speculation inevitably brings back memories of 2015. At that time, Zardari delivered his famous warning that the establishment should not forget its constitutional limits, using the phrase that he could make brick answer brick a political threat that dramatically escalated tensions. Soon afterwards, he spent a prolonged period outside Pakistan, largely in Dubai. He returned after a long absence, and the episode became another example of the complicated and often unpredictable relationship between Pakistan's civilian politicians and its military establishment. This historical experience explains why Zardari's current foreign stay is attracting so much attention. If the President remains abroad for an extended period, even without making public statements, his absence itself could become politically significant. A serving President remaining outside the country for a prolonged period amid political tensions would inevitably generate questions both inside Pakistan and internationally. But it would still be premature to describe the situation as exile. At present, the more accurate description is political uncertainty. The PPP has taken one of its clearest political positions in recent months. It has strongly opposed the idea of dividing Sindh or creating new provinces that could alter the existing political geography of Pakistan. The party's position is politically important because Sindh remains the PPP's principal political stronghold. For the PPP, therefore, the issue is not merely constitutional. It is also about political survival. The PPP's opposition to Sindh's division is motivated primarily by political control and the protection of entrenched interests. That is an opinion and cannot be treated as an established fact. Supporters of the PPP, on the other hand, argue that the division of Sindh could weaken provincial autonomy and create fresh ethnic and political tensions. Whatever the motivation, one thing is increasingly clear: the PPP has chosen to take a public political stand. And that stand could complicate any attempt to build a broad national consensus around the creation of new provinces. Experts in Pakistan also said that President Zardari wants his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari should be made the next Prime Minister, but Pakistani Army Chief General Asif Munir is more interested in Maryam Nawaz, present Chief Minister of Pakistani Punjab and former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. While the PPP has adopted an aggressive political position, Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz appear to be following a more cautious path. For years, Nawaz Sharif's political career has been shaped by a complicated relationship with Pakistan's military establishment. There have been periods of confrontation. There have also been periods of cooperation. The current political environment appears to have produced another phase of calculation. There are speculations that Nawaz Sharif may be willing to support major constitutional or political arrangements in return for a larger political role for his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Pakistani experts said that Nawaz Sharif has given assurance to the Pak Army that PML( N) will support the army's move to establish new provinces or states, but his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, should be made the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. There is no publicly established evidence of such a bargain. Yet the broader political question remains relevant. Where does Nawaz Sharif stand if Pakistan enters another major phase of constitutional restructuring? Will the PML-N support the creation of new provinces? Or will its position depend on broader political negotiations? These questions remain unanswered. The PML-N's political strategy appears markedly different from that of the PPP. The PPP is publicly drawing political lines. The PML-N appears to be keeping its options open. Why London Matters London has once again become an important political reference point. Pakistani politics has repeatedly travelled to London. Political leaders have held meetings there, undergone medical treatment there, lived there during periods of exile and conducted informal political consultations there. With several Pakistani political figures and influential personalities travelling to Britain, speculation has naturally increased. However, the belief that major decisions will be made in London should also be treated cautiously. Pakistan's political history demonstrates that informal political conversations may occur abroad, but decisions ultimately depend upon the balance of power within Pakistan. London may be a meeting place. It is not necessarily the place where Pakistan's political future will be decided. While the PPP and PML-N calculate their political positions, PTI is preparing for confrontation. The party has announced a major long march and protest movement scheduled for September 27. PTI leaders have repeatedly linked the proposed movement to demands concerning the release and medical treatment of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has publicly said that the September 27 movement remains central to PTI's political strategy. In recent statements, he described the planned campaign as a decisive struggle for Imran Khan's release. The PTI has also been attempting to broaden its political mobilisation beyond Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sohail Afridi has taken PTI's movement to Sindh KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and PTI's central leadership has undertaken a five-day political tour of Sindh. The campaign is part of PTI's wider street movement. According to the announced programme, the leadership is scheduled to travel through several major towns and cities. The itinerary includes areas around Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Larkana, Naushehro Feroze, Nawabshah, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Hyderabad and Karachi. PTI leaders have described the tour as an attempt to mobilise party workers and build momentum before the September 27 protest. The visit is politically important for another reason. Sindh is traditionally considered difficult political territory for PTI. A successful mobilisation campaign there would allow the party to argue that its movement has acquired a genuinely national character. The announced schedule also includes meetings with lawyers and party workers in Karachi. Whether the PTI succeeds in generating large crowds remains to be seen. But the party's intention is clear: September 27 is not meant to emerge suddenly. It is being prepared through weeks of political mobilisation. Another development adding to political uncertainty concerns Imran Khan himself. A report attributed to an unnamed senior PTI leader claimed that attempts were being discussed to move Khan abroad, possibly to Britain, under conditions that could restrict his political activities. The report suggested that his former wife Jemima Goldsmith, their sons and possibly the British government could be asked to provide guarantees. According to the claim, Imran Khan would not be expected to make political statements if transferred abroad. The same report claimed that Khan had shown no willingness to accept such an arrangement. These claims require considerable caution. They are based on a political source and have not been independently confirmed. A report carrying similar claims said that the alleged proposal had not been accepted by Khan. What is confirmed, however, is that Imran Khan's health and treatment remain central issues in Pakistan's political debate. PTI has repeatedly demanded improved medical care and his release. Recent reporting has also focused on his transfer for medical examination and subsequent political controversy over the implementation of court orders. The issue has become more than a legal matter. It is now central to PTI's political mobilisation. A crowded political battlefield Pakistan's political landscape is becoming increasingly crowded. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has intensified his political criticism. PTI is preparing for a nationwide movement. The PPP has taken a firm position on Sindh. Lawyers and civil society groups are becoming politically active. Political tensions continue in Balochistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains politically volatile. Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir(PoJK) has also witnessed political instability and renewed tensions. In this atmosphere, the relative political caution of the PML-N becomes even more noticeable. Almost every major political force appears to be preparing for some form of political struggle. The PML-N, however, seems more interested in managing the existing balance of power. That may be a strategy. Or it may become a political weakness. Pakistan's politics has historically been shaped by three competing forces. The elected political leadership. The military establishment. And public political mobilisation. At different times, one of these forces becomes dominant. The current situation suggests that all three are once again moving. The establishment remains the most powerful institution in the country's political structure. The PML-N appears to be attempting to maintain a workable relationship with the existing power structure. The PPP has chosen confrontation on at least one major issue. And PTI is attempting to bring political pressure onto the streets. This combination makes September unusually important. The debate over new provinces may prove particularly difficult. Creating new provinces requires constitutional procedures and, more importantly, broad political consensus. A determined PPP opposition could significantly complicate any such effort. The PML-N alone may not be able to carry such a major constitutional project. And the wider political environment is hardly favourable for consensus. Pakistan is already dealing with economic pressures, political polarisation, regional instability and growing public distrust. A debate over provincial boundaries could add another layer of conflict. The creation of provinces is therefore not merely an administrative question. In Pakistan, it involves identity, language, ethnicity, political power and access to resources. Any attempt to redraw provincial boundaries could produce consequences far beyond parliament. The next few weeks will provide important answers. Will Zardari return quickly to Pakistan? Will his foreign stay become prolonged? Will the PPP intensify its confrontation over Sindh? Will Nawaz Sharif publicly clarify the PML-N's position? Will PTI successfully mobilise large numbers of people? Will Imran Khan's health situation further intensify political tensions? And most importantly, what will happen on September 27? PTI leaders have repeatedly insisted that preparations for the planned long march will continue. The party has described the movement as a struggle for legal, constitutional and political rights, while its leaders have also used increasingly strong political language. That creates the possibility of a politically explosive month. But Pakistan has seen similar moments before. Large political announcements do not always produce large political transformations. Sometimes negotiations occur behind closed doors. Sometimes pressure is reduced before a confrontation. And sometimes events take a completely unexpected direction. Pakistan is entering September with too many political questions and too few clear answers. Asif Ali Zardari is abroad, and speculation surrounds the duration and political meaning of his stay. The PPP has adopted an increasingly firm position against any division of Sindh. Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N appear to be carefully navigating their relationship with Pakistan's powerful establishment. PTI is preparing a nationwide political mobilisation culminating in its proposed September 27 long march. And Imran Khan remains at the centre of Pakistan's political storm. For now, it would be dangerous to treat speculation as fact. Claims about secret political deals, Zardari's alleged semi-exile, possible arrangments for Imran Khan's transfer abroad, or negotiations over the future of Pakistan's provinces remain largely unverified. But political speculation itself can become powerful. In Pakistan, rumours often influence political behaviour. Foreign travel can become a political signal. And an announced protest can change calculations even before a single protester reaches the streets. September 2026, therefore, may not necessarily produce an immediate political earthquake. But it could determine the direction of Pakistan's next political confrontation. The coming weeks will show whether Pakistan moves towards negotiation, constitutional restructuring and political accommodation or towards another cycle of confrontation between political parties, state institutions and the streets. One thing, however, is increasingly clear. Pakistan's politics is accelerating. And September may prove to be the month when the country's competing political forces finally reveal their cards. (The author is Former Bureau Chief, Aaj Tak TV, Jammu)
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