One hopes the new Lok Sabha will mark a break from a dismal tradition -- lack of interest in defence and security policies, argues Colonel Anil A Athale.
The Commission has desired to incorporate Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication (else digital fingerprint capturing) and facial recognition of candidates, scanning of QR Code of e-admit cards and monitoring through live AI-based CCTV video surveillance, it said.
Groups of tourists on trekking expeditions, people crowding at eating joints, devotees flocking shrines -- life in cloudburst devastated Leh district is gradually limping back to normal. As you enter the Changspa village, the scenes are a contrast to the death and devastation visible a week ago after cloudburst and flashfloods hit the region on August 5.
Sonam Wangchuk, a key campaigner for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, on Monday said they would launch a fast unto death from February 19 to press their demands and that details of participation of local residents in the agitation were being worked out.
The four young men from Chittur in Palakkad district who died in a car accident in Jammu and Kashmir on December 5 are remembered by their village as 'hardworking youth' who used to go on such trips everywhere.
'We are not secessionists, we want to coexist with our countrymen but not on the terms that will strip us off our dignity and a right to peaceful existence.'
The cold conditions returned in Kashmir division as the night temperature in most places, including Leh, plunged further below the freezing point followed with clear skies and unusual sunny days.
The army and police on Saturday rescued 400 civilians trapped in landslides at Khardung La Pass, the world's highest motorable road.
Delhiites woke up to a chilly morning with the mercury dipping to 6.8 degree Celsius, a drop of nearly five notches from Saturday when the minimum settled at 11.5 degree.
Never before in history have Cannes and its sidebars found space for eight Indian, or India-themed, films.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Agnipath scheme is an example of necessary reforms undertaken by the Army and accused the opposition of playing politics over the recruitment process aimed at keeping the average age in armed forces young.
The army on Saturday said the clash involving men and officers of the an artillery regiment near Leh can be termed as an "isolated act of indiscipline" and not a mutiny.
Rediff.com's Reuben N V, who is attending the revered Kalachakra ceremony in Leh, sends us these fascinating photographs.
On Monday, April 10, 2023, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugrated the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Leh highway.
Rijiju complimented Rahul for promoting the excellent roads built in the Himalayan region under Modi's leadership.
'The beautiful valleys dotted by standing trees, white rocks and gushing streams were an instant respite for our sleep-deprived eyes.'
The Union Territory of Ladakh created history by successfully conducting its maiden 21-km trail running event in sub-zero temperature at 13,862 feet high Pangong Tso.
The Centre has formed three task forces for Leh, Kargil and Jammu to examine the developmental needs of the regions, with particular reference to deficiencies in infrastructure and make suitable recommendations. The Union Home Ministry has finalised the three teams in consultations with the state government, which will go into the details of the developments in these three regions, official sources said on Tuesday.
The External Affairs ministry was at odds with the Jammu and Kashmir government over reports on Chinese intrusion in Ladakh, saying no such incident had taken place and the media reports carrying the same were "baseless".
A large number of passengers, almost 2,000 of them, were stranded due to cancellation of flights owing to bad weather, on Thursday protested at the Leh airport.
Around 100 American nationals have been affected by the flash floods in Leh, the United Sttaes said, adding its embassy in New Delhi has dispatched a team to the region to provide them necessary help.
Almost all the persons rescued from the flash floods that hit Leh town and nearby areas had a common injury while escaping the mud fury--deep abrasions and cuts on faces.
For India, it is a symbol of will and a successful feat of arms.
Leh and Kargil towns in Ladakh region recorded the season's coldest night as the cold wave intensified in Jammu and Kashmir after a slight respite for few days.
Rescue and relief efforts were going on at war-footing in cloudburst-hit Leh region, as 81 foreigners and six tour guides were on Monday rescued by the Air Force from Zanskar Valley. The death toll has mounted to 165 and 400 others remain missing.
Clashes erupted between Muslims and Buddhists at Bodh Kharboo in Kargil area after some unidentified persons tore off pages of the holy book in a mosque there.
Curfew was imposed Thursday in Leh town and the army staged a flag march following clashes between Muslims and Buddhists triggered by reports of alleged desecration of the Quran at a mosque in Kargil.
This year, she plans to visit him in New Delhi for Raksha Bandhan.
Environmental activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk said democracy has been compromised in Ladakh and the local people have no say in decision-making.
Indian and Chinese troops had come face to face in Chumar area of Ladakh in July when the latter transgressed into Indian territory along the Line of Actual Control. Army sources said after the two sides came face to face in Chumar -- which is northeast of Leh in Jammu and Kashmir -- they both showed banners as per the agreed drills and returned to their respective positions peacefully.
Environmental activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk accused the BJP of reneging on its promise of including Ladakh under the sixth schedule.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, along with senior Cabinet ministers, arrived in Leh on Tuesday on a day-long visit to take stock of the relief and rehabilitation work undertaken in the aftermath of the recent flash floods. He is expected to announce a Rs 250-crore package for the victims. The prime minister is accompanied by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah.
The Ladakh Scouts of the Army has sought financial assistance from India Inc for re-building the lone Army school in Leh which has been badly damaged by the cloudburst.The Army school, which caters to nearly 200 students, was hit by hundreds of boulders that rolled down the hill along with slush on the night of August 5. The classrooms are now filled with slush and boulders. The hostel too has been severely hit.
"I think we're aware right now of about 135 US citizens affected by the floods. We have no reports of deaths or injuries," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said. "As of Wednesday, I think there were still a handful of American citizens that we had not yet had contact with, so I would assume at this point that we have not accounted for everybody, but at this point we're not aware of anybody that has been killed or injured," Crowley said.
Delhi and Leh were among some of the places in northern India which recorded their lowest minimum temperatures so far this winter as the cold gained in intensity in the region.
The cold wave continued unabated in Jammu and Kashmir where Leh, in Ladakh region, was recorded to be the coldest place in the state, while the night temperature in Srinagar remained below the freezing point for the seventh consecutive night, a meteorological department official said in Srinagar.
The MEA said the two sides shared their perspectives on the matter in the talks held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere.
Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande and all ranks of the force condoled the death of Agniveer, Gawate Akshay Laxman, who hailed from Maharashtra.
The Ladakh-based innovator had announced a five-day long hunger strike at 18,380 feet high Khardung La from January 26 to invite attention of the BJP-led Centre to the demands of the people of Ladakh.
Pepperfry co-founder and CEO Ambareesh Murty passed away in Leh due to cardiac arrest, company co-founder and COO Ashish Shah said on Tuesday. Murty, 51 years, was also an angel investor. He recently announced completing 12 years at Pepperfry on his LinkedIn post.
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