Archives for 2025

Bengaluru: The metal birds of the Indian Air Force soared with a thunderous roar in the clean sky marking the beginning of the 15th edition of the biennial Aero India 2025 here on Monday.

The audience were left spellbound as the aircraft performed breathtaking manoeuvres in the midair at the Yelahanka Air Force station.

The five-day event is considered one of the biggest such shows in Asia where several countries and firms take part and showcase their products and prowess in the aerospace sector.

Leading the team, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh took part in the first sortie of the event with the Tejas formation. He flew in the combat aircraft Tejas, indigenously developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The Shakti formation by the women pilots who flew Rafale, demonstrated the increasing role of women in the Indian Air Force.

The audience were awestruck as the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) displayed various formations.

Using the BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 aircraft, the team flew nine aircraft in close formation.

The SKAT drew a tri-colour and a heart pierced by the cupid’s arrow.

Other manoeuvres that won accolades were Varun formation by the Indian Navy, the arrow formation by the Jaguar aircraft and Trishul formation by the three Sukhoi aircraft.

The HAL’s Light Utility Helicopters too impressed the visitors with their aerobatics. These helicopters have been quite helpful for the defence forces deployed in high-altitude locations.

The interesting aspect of this event is that the US combat aircraft Lockheed Martin F35 and Russia’s Sukhoi-SU-57 are taking part in the Aero India show together. “For the first time in history, Aero India 2025 will witness the participation of two of the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft – the Russian Su-57 and the American F-35 Lightning II,” a government statement said. It marks a milestone in global defence collaboration and technological advancement, offering aviation enthusiasts and defence experts an unparalleled prospect to witness these state-of-the-art warplanes, it added.

According to Defence officials, the F-35 will be for a static display during the biennial show.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday slammed several states, including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and J&K, summoning their chief secretaries over the “failure” to act against illegal advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said there was hardly any implementation of its orders.

The bench directed the chief secretaries to appear in court through video-conferencing to explain why these states were non-compliant.

Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing as an amicus curiae, submitted most states accepted an apology and took undertakings while acquitting violators.

“As rightly submitted by the amicus curiae, the issue of illegal advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha or Unani drugs will be substantially taken care of, if all the states start implementing Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 in its true letter and spirit. Notwithstanding several orders passed by this court, the states are non-compliant,” said the bench.

The top court directed Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir to file affidavits, including the response on the enforcement of Rule 170.

“We grant time till end of this month to these states to file responses,” it said and posted the matter on March 7.

The top court on August 27 last year stayed a notification issued by the Ministry of Ayush, which omitted Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 that prohibits misleading advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs.

The court said the notification issued by the ministry was “in the teeth” of its May 7, 2024 order.

Clamping down on misleading advertisements, the apex court on May 7, 2024 directed that before an advertisement was permitted to be issued, a self-declaration should be obtained from the advertisers on the line of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

The Centre defended its August 2023 letter to states and union territories asking authorities not to initiate action against any entity for violating Rule 170.

The process of final gazette notification would take time and in order to avoid confusion among the various states and UT’s licensing authorities and to prevent avoidable litigations, Ministry of Ayush via its August 29, 2023 letter directed all such licensing authorities not to take any action, the Centre’s affidavit said.

The top court in May, 2024, questioned the Centre over the letter.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the Indian Medical Association alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali and yoga guru Ramdev against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.

New Delhi: The CBI has booked a chief engineer of the Konkan Railways for alleged bribery to clear the pending bills of a company involved in the construction of the Katara-Dharam section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link project, officials said on Monday.

Sumeet Khajuria, a 2005-batch IRSE (Indian Railway Service of Engineers) officer, was named as an accused in an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), along with Paras Railtech Private Limited and its directors Rajesh Kumar Jain, Pushp Raj Singh and Sulabh Rawat, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the officials said.

It is alleged that Khajuria and the directors of the company were indulging in corrupt practices in clearing pending bills and revising estimates related to the removal of tunnel muck in the execution of the ambitious project supervised by the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, they said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut

New Delhi (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday triggered an uproar in the Rajya Sabha by claiming that “2,000 people died” in the January 29 Maha Kumbh stampede, prompting Deputy Chairman Harivansh to ask him to authenticate the figure.

During the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, Raut questioned the official death toll of 30 in the stampede.

“When the stampede happened 4-5 days back, it was told (that) it was not stampede but a rumour…30 people died. Whether the figure is true? Don’t hide it… We are responsible even if one person died…The figures that we have seen with our eyes is 2,000 people were dead,” he said.

The Shiv Sena leader blamed “poor management” for the tragedy, terming the Kumbh a “political event for political marketing”.

He said that in other countries, such an incident would have led to demands for the resignation of the prime minister and chief minister.

As treasury bench members protested, the Deputy Chairman told Raut, “If you mention any figure, you have to substantiate”.

The MP agreed to authenticate the figure by evening.

Raut’s remarks came a day after Congress President and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge referred to “thousands” of deaths in the stampede, leading to protests in the Upper House. The chairman had asked Kharge to retract his statement.

During his speech, Raut also alleged that “all pillars of democracy have been destroyed”, and the government was preoccupied with elections.

“Unless from the Prime Minister to central ministries do not come out of the whirlpool of elections, the country will not progress,” he noted.

BJP member Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde hit back at the Opposition, questioning why similar concerns were not raised about casualties in Ajmer.

The debate also saw Congress MP Phulo Devi Netam raising development issues in Chhattisgarh, while TMC’s Prakash Chik Baraik sought recognition of ‘sarna dharma code’ for tribals in the census.

Nagapattinam: IAS officer Dr J Radhakrishnan, who played a key role in rescue and rehabilitation efforts during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, officiated the wedding of Meena, the youngest survivor he had helped.

Meena was found as a child near the debris in Keechankuppam after the tsunami devastated Nagapattinam, claiming over 6,000 lives. She was placed in Annai Sathya Government Children’s Home, where Radhakrishnan and his wife, Krithika, continued to support her. Over the years, he remained a guiding figure in her life, helping her become a nurse.

When Meena decided to get married, Radhakrishnan travelled to Nagapattinam to be part of the ceremony. Several survivors who had lived and studied with her at the children’s home attended the wedding as her family.

Sharing the moment on Instagram, Radhakrishnan described it as a “heartwarming reunion” and expressed joy at seeing the children he had supported grow, study, and start their own families. The post received widespread appreciation, with social media users lauding his dedication and long-standing support.

Mahakumbh Nagar : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam at the Maha Kumbh.

Holding ‘rudraksha’ beads and chanting mantras, the prime minister offered prayers while standing in the river.

Modi took a boat ride with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to reach Triveni Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

Maha Kumbh 2025, which commenced on Paush Purnima (January 13), is the world’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering, attracting devotees from across the globe. It will continue until Mahashivratri on February 26.

The Maha Kumbh, being held after 12 years, has so far drawn over 38 crore pilgrims from across India and the world, according to the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the mega fair.

Pune: Renowned singer Sonu Nigam recently faced a severe back pain episode during a live performance in Pune. Despite the intense discomfort, Nigam continued to perform, showcasing his dedication to his audience.

In an emotional video shared on Instagram, Sonu opened up about the painful experience, saying, “It was one of the most difficult days of my life, but also very satisfying. I was singing and moving when the pain began, but I managed to control it. I never want to fall short of people’s expectations, and I’m glad everything went well.”

He described the pain as being “like a needle stuck in my spine,” adding, “it felt like it would pierce deeper if I moved even slightly.” He thanked Goddess Saraswati for her support during the performance, captioning his post, “Last night, Goddess Saraswati held my hand.”

Fans quickly flooded the comments with well-wishes for his recovery, with many expressing their admiration for his resilience. One fan commented, “You’re an inspiration, and we’re all praying for your health,” while another wrote, “Please take care, Sonu. You are a precious gift to us.”