Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Mussoorie: Noted travel writer Hugh Gantzer was eventually given the Padma Shri award in person after a delay of 16 days. He was nominated for this award along with his wife Colleen Gantzer, who was awarded posthumously. This delay drew an angry criticism from Hugh Gantzer who was livid over the carelessness of the Uttarakhand administration and even threatened to complain to the Prime Minister's office. Hugh Gantzer was unable to attend the Padma prize distribution ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on June 27 because of poor health. The Union Home Ministry had in a letter dated June 18 directed the state administration to personally hand over the medal along with the miniature and brochure. But surprisingly it took 16 days for the administration to carry out the task. When the state home secretary Shailesh Bagauli reached the Gantzer household on Saturday along with a team, he had to face the latter's resentment. Hugh Gantzer clearly told the team, "This is not just a medal but a national honour. If urgency cannot be shown even for this, it is a matter of shame for the nation." Hugh Gantzer was so hurt that he initially declined to accept the Padma Shri and said that he would register a complaint with the Prime Minister's office. The shaken officials got down to pacify him and he eventually accepted the award even as the public started questioning the attitude of the administration towards a recipient of such an honour.
Patna (Bihar) [India] June 6 (ANI): Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the 'Samvidhan Sabha' in Rajgir, Nalanda, on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi emphasised the need for a caste census and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the issue. He questioned PM Modi's claim of being an OBC while asserting that the BJP denies the existence of caste in India, emphasising the need for a genuine caste census. 'Narendra Modi used to say in every speech, I am OBC. Then, on the caste census, they say that there is no caste in India. If there is ...Read More >
Jammu, Jul 18 (PTI) Senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir government reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 13-day-long Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district that will begin on July 28. Deputy Inspector General of Police Tejinder Singh reviewed security in Poonch and stressed ensuring the safety of the devotees. "The first batch will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar basecamp in Jammu on July 28, moving towards the Mandi tehsil in Poonch in a regulated convoy amid full security arrangements," a spokesperson said. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspec ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 15 (ANI): Retired IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal was sworn in as the Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission on Monday. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Raj Kumar Goyal at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan was also present at the occasion. "President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Shri Raj Kumar Goyal, Chief Information Commissioner, at Rashtrapati Bhavan," the X handle of the President of India said. Goyal is a retired IAS officer of the 1990 batch and was superannuated as ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarkhand) [India], July 6 (ANI): India's renowned writer couple, Hugh and Colleen Gantzer were awarded the Padma Shri this year, however due to health complications, Hugh could not attend the ceremony held in Delhi. Keeping that in mind, Uttarakhand's Government Secretary Shailesh Bagoli specially reached the writer's residence in Mussoorie and presented the Padma Shri at his home, according to an official statement. Colleen Gantzer has been given the honour posthumously. Highlighting the life of the writer couple, the statement read, 'Active in travel writing since the 1950s, th ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) The government has notified a new framework for the edible oil industry, imposing stricter registration and reporting requirements on producers to enhance transparency and oversight, according to an official release. The 2025 Vegetable Oil Products, Production and Availability (VOPPA) Regulation Order, notified on August 1 by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, amends the Vegetable Oil Products Production and Availability (Regulation) Order, 2011, under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Under the new framework, producers will ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The first phase of census operation involving self-enumeration process began in Odisha on Wednesday. Considered a major step towards India's first digital population count, the process is slated to continue till the midnight of April 15, during which people can submit their details online. In Odisha,. the process was formally launched with Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati initiating the self-enumeration phase. For the first time, the census is being carried out in a digital format. Director of Census Operations in Odisha, Nikhil Pavan Kalyan, said the exercise was formally launch ...Read More >
New Delhi, Mar 31 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he accomplished a miracle in the Lok Sabha when he "raved and ranted for 90 minutes" without once using his favourite word of abuse. The opposition party also stressed the continuity in the anti-Naxal strategy and operations over the past two decades, and asserted that the Saranda Action Plan in the rich forest areas of Jharkhand, launched in October 2011, was a "decisive turning point The Congress' assertions came a day after Shah declared that the country has become free from Naxals with the apex ...Read More >
CHENNAI: AT only 16 years of age, Tayin Arun is at the forefront of a new generation of talented surfers, part of a brand-new movement of Indian surfing. Enjoying an almost meteoric rise in the junior divisions, the surfer broke through to the national surfing team last year, and is now looking to prove his worth with the rest of his teammates at the upcoming ASF Asian Surfing Championships in Mahabalipuram to be held from August 3 to 12. Hailing from Akkarai, Tayin is no stranger to sports. His elder sister Eloksi Arun is a batter for the Tamil Nadu women's cricket team. Reminiscing about hi ...Read More >
A three-member panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week recommended Goyal's name as the CIC. Former IAS officer Raj Kumar Goyal was on Monday sworn in as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) by President Droupadi Murmu. A three-member panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week recommended Goyal's name as the CIC. Goyal is a 1990-batch (retired) Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre. He superannuate ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, July 13: Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case Ujjwal Nikam, Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master and Delhi-based historian Meenakshi Jain have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In a notification issued late Saturday night, the Union Home Ministry said the President has nominated the four to the Rajya Sabha. "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of article 80 of the Constitution of India, read with clause (3) of that article, the President is pleased to nominate to the Cou ...Read More >
New Delhi: Raj Kumar Goyal, a retired IAS officer, officially took charge as the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission on Monday. He was sworn in during a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan was also present on the occasion, marking the official appointment of Raj Kumar Goyal to the post. "President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Shri Raj Kumar Goyal, Chief Information Commissioner, at Rashtrapati Bhavan," the X handle of the President of I ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarkhand) [India], July 6 (ANI): India's renowned writer couple, Hugh and Colleen Gantzer were awarded the Padma Shri this year, however due to health complications, Hugh could not attend the ceremony held in Delhi. Keeping that in mind, Uttarakhand's Government Secretary Shailesh Bagoli specially reached the writer's residence in Mussoorie and presented the Padma Shri at his home, according to an official statement. Colleen Gantzer has been given the honour posthumously. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi, Argentine President Javier Milei Agree to Diversify India-Argentina Trade Baske ...Read More >
Three Indian fertilizer companies -- IPL, KRIBHCO and Coromandel -- have signed agreements with Ma'aden, the Saudi Arabian major, for importing 3.1 million metric tonnes of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) per annum for five years from 2025-26. The agreements were signed during Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister JP Nadda's visit to Dammam and Riyadh between July 11 [...] Three Indian fertilizer companies -- IPL, KRIBHCO and Coromandel -- have signed agreements with Ma'aden, the Saudi Arabian major, for importing 3.1 million metric tonnes of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) per annum for five years from 2 ...Read More >